tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74916955624715217812024-03-12T15:03:28.815-07:00DRIFTWOOD ACUPUNCTURE & WELLNESS A BLOG ABOUT TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE, HEALTH AND WELL BEING...
Keeping you up to date with the latest news and research.Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-36170289274031905952023-02-03T10:54:00.009-08:002023-02-03T10:54:38.623-08:00Cold sores, Herpes & L-Lysine<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Are you prone to Cold sores? Do you have HSV 1 (oral) or HSV 2 (genital) Herpes?</span> <div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Daily supplementation with the free-form of Lysine, an Amino Acid, has shown to be beneficial in controlling herpes along with a diet </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">high</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> in Lysine and </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">low</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> in Arginine.</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">L-Lysine appears to be an effective agent for the reduction of occurrence, severity and healing time of recurrent HSV infection.</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In studying the relationship of Lysine and Herpes, researchers have found that in order to replicate, the herpes virus needs Arginine, another common amino acid.</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Arginine (Bad *)</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> is found in such foods as:</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Peanuts</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Chocolate</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Almonds</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Seeds</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Grains</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Gelatin</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Raisins</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">*Arginine is fine in a regular Diet. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">However, avoid these foods when you feel an outbreak coming on</span>.
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Lysine competes with Arginine for absorption and entry of tissue cells.</span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When lysine is present, it prevents the growth of HSV by depleting the strength of Arginine.</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">L-Lysine (Good)</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> is particularly high in:</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Dairy (Especially Yogurt and cheese)</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Eggs</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Meats</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Wheat germ</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Legumes</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yeast</span> </div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Added bonus: L-Lysine also helps with the absorption of calcium and the formation of collagen</span></div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3366ff;"><br /></span></span></div><div>
<span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">Dosage</span>:</span> </div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">For Prevention:</span><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: #ff6600;">500 mg 1x/day</span></span> </div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">To treat an outbreak:</span><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: #ff6600;">1000 mg 3x/day - up to 5x/day (max dosage: 5000 mg)</span></span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">After an outbreak</span><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;">:</span> </span></div><div><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #ff6600;">Reduce the dosage to 1500 mg / day for one week</span></span>
<span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">If you are prone to recurrent outbreaks, stay on a 1000 mg maintenance daily dose</span> </div><div><br /></div><div>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">* Whole Foods carries its own brand at competitive prices</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Caution</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">:</span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Very large doses of Lysine ( > 10,000 mg = 1 gr = Too much) can increase the toxicity of aminoglycoside antibiotics (Ex: Gentamicin, Neomycin and Streptomycin)</span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">At such large doses, it may also cause cramping & diarrhea</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Helpful Link:</span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml</span></div>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-22131224443147584042017-08-01T15:39:00.000-07:002017-08-01T15:39:16.615-07:00Radio Interview on KGO about my business, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine<header style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="border: 0px; color: #d82229; font-family: Oswald; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 24.2px; margin-bottom: -10px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 7px !important; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
Hole in the Wall: Featuring Driftwood Acupuncture & Wellness in San Francisco</h1>
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Recurring sinus infections, as bad as five bouts in a single year, sent Anita Lang Bakar searching for an alternative to western medicine. Lang Bakar found relief after seeing an acupuncturist, with her infections disappearing completely, and decided to become an acupuncturist herself after seeing the impact the treatment could have.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lang Bakar is now the proud owner of Driftwood Acupuncture & Wellness, located on Buchanan Street in San Francisco, where she treats anything ranging from the common cold to chronic pain.</span></div>
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Host John Rothmann (filling in for Brian Copeland) chatted with Bakar and her patient, <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kurt Grannis, </span>to learn more about her business and dispel common misconceptions surrounding the practice.</div>
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More information can be found at <a href="http://www.driftwoodacu.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">driftwoodacu.com</a>.</div>
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If you know of a small business that deserves to be featured on the show, send us an e-mail at <a href="mailto:HoleInTheWallKGO@gmail.com" style="border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HoleInTheWallKGO@gmail.com</a>. Remember the business must have only one storefront, be from one of the nine Bay Area counties and you cannot have a personal connection to the owner.</div>
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Listen to the full segment below.</div>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">https://audioboom.com/posts/6148766-july-27-2017-hole-in-the-wall-driftwood-acupuncture-in-san-francisco</span></span></div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-80500245230928351832017-02-02T12:21:00.002-08:002017-02-02T12:21:46.429-08:00<h1 style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="ctl00_bcr_lblSubject" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7 Kinds of Coughs and What They Might Mean</span></h1>
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<span id="ctl00_bcr_PostDate" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 06, 2015</span></div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By Dr. Mercola</strong></div>
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A cough is a symptom, not a disease in and of itself, that's often indicative of an underlying condition. A cough can accompany a common cold, for instance, or be due to allergies, lung disease, or even gastrointestinal troubles.</div>
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Although the causes are varied, the reason you cough is to help your body get rid of foreign material or mucus from your lungs and upper airway passages. It's one of your body's protective mechanisms designed to keep you breathing easy. Sometimes, it's easy to determine why you're coughing but it can also be a mystery.</div>
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By paying attention to the details – the sound of your cough, for instance, along with accompanying symptoms – you can often identify the cause, which is important for getting on the road to recovery. Following are seven common reasons for a cough, and what to do about them.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn1" id="_ednref1" name="_ednref1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">1</a></span></div>
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7 Common Reasons for Coughs</h2>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">1.</span>Postnasal Drip</strong></div>
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A cold or allergies can cause mucus to drip down your throat. This postnasal drip can touch on nerve endings, leading to either a wet or dry cough.</div>
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A cough due to postnasal drip will usually be worse at night, and you may also have a tickle or scratchy feeling at the back of your throat. If allergies are causing the postnasal drip, you may also have itchy eyes and sneezing.</div>
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If you have postnasal drip accompanied by congestion, pressure in your face, cold symptoms lasting longer than 10 days, and thick green or yellow mucus, you could have a <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/12/cool-and-less-humid-air-decrease-nasal-congestion.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">sinus infection</a>. In this case, irrigating your sinuses may help.</div>
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In a 2007 study from University of Michigan Health System researchers, saline irrigation was found to decrease nasal congestion more effectively than saline sprays.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn2" id="_ednref2" name="_ednref2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">2</a></span></div>
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It appears to work by thinning mucus, decreasing swelling in your nasal passages, and removing debris, bacteria, allergens, and inflammatory substances from your nose, hence decreasing swelling that makes it hard to breathe.</div>
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To make your own preservative-free saline solution, just add one teaspoon of Himalayan or sea salt to one pint of distilled water. Make sure you use a saline solution that does not contain benzalkonium, a preservative that can impair your nasal function and might sting and burn.</div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">2.</span>Asthma</strong></div>
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A dry cough coupled with a rattling or wheezing sound is often a sign of asthma. In this condition, your airways become inflamed, leading to wheezing, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. Cough due to asthma typically worsens at night or while exercising. It may be accompanied by chest tightness, shortness of breath, and fatigue.</div>
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If you have asthma, I suggest looking into <a href="http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/12/27/proper-exercise-breathing.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">The Buteyko Method</a>, which teaches you how to bring your breathing volume back toward normal or, in other words, to reverse what's called chronic hyperventilation or chronic overbreathing.</div>
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When your breathing is normal, you have better oxygenation of tissues and organs. Optimizing both your <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/18/mcbride-and-barringer-interview.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">gut health</a> and <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/21/how-to-get-your-vitamin-d-to-healthy-ranges.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">vitamin D levels</a> should also be at the top of your list if you're suffering from <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/07/asthma-trigger.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">asthma</a>.</div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">3.</span>GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)</strong></div>
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After food passes through your esophagus into your stomach, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) closes, preventing food or acid to move back up. <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/28/acid-reflux-ulcer-treatment.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">GERD</a>, also sometimes referred to as acid reflux, occurs when the LES relaxes inappropriately, allowing acid from your stomach to flow (reflux) backward into your esophagus.</div>
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GERD may cause a dry, spasmodic cough. In fact, GERD is the second most-common cause of chronic cough.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn3" id="_ednref3" name="_ednref3" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">3</a></span> As reported by <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">GI Motility</em>:<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn4" id="_ednref4" name="_ednref4" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">4</a></span></div>
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<div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"</em><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gastroesophageal reflux… can impact the lung and is a cause of subacute and chronic cough. The esophagus and the lung share common embryonic foregut origins and vagal innervation."</em></div>
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A GERD-related cough is likely to become worse when you're lying down or eating. It may be associated with other GERD symptoms, such as heartburn, but in 75 percent of cases, chronic cough is the only symptom.</div>
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Conventionally, GERD is thought to be caused by excessive amounts of acid in your stomach, which is why acid-blocking drugs are typically prescribed or recommended. However, GERD is a symptom more commonly related to hiatal hernia and/or <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Helicobacter pylori</em> (H. pylori) infection</div>
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The problem also typically results from having <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">too little</em> acid in your stomach, which is why drugs like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) typically just perpetuate the problem and make GERD worse. Ultimately, the answer to heartburn and acid indigestion is to restore your natural gastric balance and function.</div>
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Eating large amounts of <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/12/9-dangers-processed-foods.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">processed foods</a> and sugars is a surefire way to exacerbate GERD, as it will upset the bacterial balance in your stomach and intestine.</div>
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Instead, you'll want to eat a lot of vegetables and other high-quality, ideally organic, unprocessed foods. Also, eliminate food triggers from your diet. Common culprits here include caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine products. Next, you need to make sure you're getting enough beneficial bacteria from your diet.</div>
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This will help balance your bowel flora, which can help eliminate <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">H. pylori</em> bacteria naturally without resorting to antibiotics. It will also aid in proper digestion and assimilation of your food. Ideally, you'll want to get your probiotics from <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/29/sandor-katz-on-fermented-foods.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">fermented foods</a>. If you aren't eating fermented foods, you most likely will need to supplement with a probiotic on a regular basis.</div>
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Another option if you have too little stomach acid is to take a betaine hydrochloric supplement, which is available in health food stores without prescription. You'll want to take as many as you need to get the slightest burning sensation and then decrease by one capsule. This will help your body to better digest your food and will also help kill <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">H. pylori</em> and normalize your symptoms.</div>
<div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">4.</span>Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)</strong></div>
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If you're chronically coughing and hacking up lots of mucus (especially in the morning) your cough may be due to COPD. Typically, the cough will be worst in the morning and ease in severity throughout the day. You may also experience shortness of breath (particularly with physical activity), wheezing, fatigue, and chest tightness.</div>
<div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/smoking-side-effects.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Smoking</a> is a major cause of COPD, which includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs in your lungs eventually lose their elasticity and start to worsen. Chronic bronchitis happens when there is a swelling in the linings of your lungs and it constrains your breathing.</div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">5.</span>Medication-Related Cough</strong></div>
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Drugs known as ACE inhibitors, which are used to treat high blood pressure, can cause a dry cough in about 20 percent of patients. If you noticed your cough a few weeks after starting this medication, it could be to blame.</div>
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While you shouldn't stop blood pressure medication without your doctor's guidance, it's important to be aware that high blood pressure can often be remedied with lifestyle changes. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, dietary strategies will be crucial to controlling your levels.</div>
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One of the primary underlying causes of high blood pressure is related to your body producing too much insulin and leptin in response to a high-carbohydrate (i.e. high <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">sugar) </em>and <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/15/high-blood-pressure-deaths-increasing.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">processed-food diet</a>.</div>
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Avoiding processed foods (due to their being high in sugar/fructose, grains, trans fat, and other damaged fats and processed salt) is my number one recommendation if you have high blood pressure. A comprehensive fitness program is another strategy that can improve your blood pressure and <a href="http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2011/03/22/beware--new-study-finds-too-much-cardio-can-hurt-your-heart.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">heart health</a> without resorting to medications.</div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">6.</span>Pneumonia</strong></div>
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Pneumonia starts out as a dry cough but progresses into a wet cough with yellow, green, or red mucus. Your cough may be accompanied by fever, chills, trouble breathing, or pain when coughing or breathing in deeply. Anytime you cough up excess mucus and phlegm, spit it out rather than swallowing it, as swallowing excess mucus can cause irritation to your stomach.</div>
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Most people with pneumonia can recover safely at home by drinking lots of fluids and getting rest. However, in severe cases, in the elderly or in young children, pneumonia may require hospitalization to receive fluids, breathing treatments, and oxygen therapy. Pneumonia may be caused by a virus or bacteria. Although antibiotics are sometimes given, they will not be effective for viral pneumonia.</div>
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<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="bullet" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 8px 0px -38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 30px;">7.</span>Whooping Cough (Pertussis)</strong></div>
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Whooping cough causes a severe cough that ends with a whooping sound as you breath in. In the US, from January 1 to June 16, 2014, there were nearly 10,000 cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a 24 percent increase compared to the same time period in 2013.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn5" id="_ednref5" name="_ednref5" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">5</a></span> The CDC maintains that the best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated, but this deserves a closer look.</div>
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CDC data shows 84 percent of children under the age of 3 have received at least FOUR DTaP shots and yet, despite this high vaccination rate, whooping cough still keeps circulating among both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The vaccine is clearly ineffective, and it's not just failing to prevent whooping cough in the US. In the UK, researchers similarly revealed that nearly 20 percent of fully vaccinated children still contracted whooping cough.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn6" id="_ednref6" name="_ednref6" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">6</a></span></div>
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If you think you have whooping cough, you should seek medical attention right away, especially if it occurs in a young child. However, there are some natural treatments that may help (and certainly won't hurt).<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn7" id="_ednref7" name="_ednref7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">7</a></span></div>
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Avoid mucus-forming foods, such as milk, flour, and eggs, as well as sugar</div>
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Eat light foods such as vegetables, soups with <a href="http://foodfacts.mercola.com/garlic.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">garlic</a>, and herbal teas</div>
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Homeopathic remedies for pertussis include <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coccus cacti </em>and the nosode. <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pertussin.</em> <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Drosera </em>is recommended for coughing fits followed by gagging, retching, or vomiting. <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cuprum</em> may be indicated for coughing fits followed by gasping for air, difficulty breathing, or that end in exhaustion</div>
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Wild cherry bark lozenges may soothe your throat</div>
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Keep well hydrated</div>
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Try up to 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily for seven days</div>
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Keep your room and home well-ventilated and free of smoke</div>
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Use a warm air humidifier with essential oils (try <a href="http://foodfacts.mercola.com/basil.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">basil</a>, cyprus, marjoram, thyme, wintergreen, tea tree, camphor, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, or eucalyptus)</div>
</td><td style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 3px solid rgb(175, 225, 248); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 264px;"><div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Massage essential oils with a carrier oil (like <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/18/coconut-oil-uses.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">coconut oil</a>) into the patient's chest or back</div>
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<tr style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 3px solid rgb(175, 225, 248); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 264px;"><div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/30/acupuncture-benefits.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Acupuncture</a> may be beneficial (and its effects for whooping cough are recognized by the World Health Organization)</div>
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Rest and avoid exertion</div>
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Arrange pillows so the patient can be more upright while sleeping</div>
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Boil fresh ginger root in water for 20 minutes, then add the water to a foot bath to soak feet for up to 20 minutes</div>
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Heat a pan of water to just boiling, then add a few drops of oil of thyme. Have the patient breathe in the steam from the pan (cover his or her head with a towel, being careful to avoid getting burned)</div>
</td><td style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border: 3px solid rgb(175, 225, 248); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 264px;"><div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Keep skin hydrated by massaging in coconut oil daily</div>
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Coughs May Take More Than Two Weeks to Go Away</h2>
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A report published in the <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Annals of Family Medicine </em>revealed that average US adult believes an average cough lasts about seven to nine days. In reality, the average cough lasts close to 18 days.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn8" id="_ednref8" name="_ednref8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">8</a></span> This mismatch between patients' expectation of how long a cough should last often leads to trips to the doctor… and requests for antibiotics if a cough lingers longer than a week. Mark Ebell, a family physician and associate professor of Public Health at the University of Georgia, told <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">USA Today</em>:<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn9" id="_ednref9" name="_ednref9" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">9</a></span></div>
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<em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I frequently see patients who come in and have been sick for four or five days and say 'boy I really need an antibiotic — I'm just not getting better.'"</em></div>
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In reality, most acute coughs are due to viral illnesses such as colds and flu, which antibiotics don't help. When physicians prescribe antibiotics for unnecessary conditions, several negative consequences happen. First, the overuse of antibiotics promotes the natural mutation of common bacteria, ultimately resulting in the creation of new, resistant strains. You also have a chance of having an adverse reaction anytime you take an antibiotic, and antibiotics also cause an imbalance in your body's microbiome. Antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily more often that you might think.</div>
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Part of the CDC's 2016 budget includes money to develop prescription surveillance programs in each state, as many states currently do not even collect data on <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/14/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-airborne.aspx" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">antimicrobial resistance</a>. As reported by Reuters:<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn10" id="_ednref10" name="_ednref10" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">10</a></span></div>
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<em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"More than half of all hospitalized patients will get an antibiotic at some point during their stay, but studies have shown that 30 to 50 percent of antibiotics prescribed in hospitals are unnecessary or incorrect, contributing to antibiotic resistance. Recognizing that much of the misuse of antibiotics occurs outside of hospitals, the White House plan gives doctors who take part in Medicare or Medicaid three years to start reporting their antibiotics prescriptions, with financial incentives and penalties attached."</em></div>
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Education appears somewhat useful in helping the problem. In one study, when medical practices used printed brochures and posters or computerized guidelines to discourage antibiotic use for coughs, prescription rates declined 12 percent and 13 percent, respectively.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn11" id="_ednref11" name="_ednref11" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">11</a></span></div>
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What Works to Soothe a Cough?</h2>
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Most uncomplicated colds, which often lead to coughs, last between eight and nine days, but about 25 percent last two weeks, and 5-10 percent last three weeks. How quickly your cold is resolved has a lot to do with your <a href="http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/index.htm" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">general lifestyle habits</a> and the state of your immune system.</div>
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More often than not, over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold remedies will NOT cause a speedier recovery. Honey, particularly in its raw form, is a much better option. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists honey as a demulcent, which is a substance that relieves irritation in your mouth or throat by forming a protective film.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn12" id="_ednref12" name="_ednref12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">12</a></span></div>
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Research shows honey works as well as dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in OTC cough medications, to soothe cough and related sleeping difficulties due to upper respiratory tract infections in children.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn13" id="_ednref13" name="_ednref13" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">13</a></span> The Organic Consumers Association has also published this simple honey lemon cough syrup recipe that's useful to keep on hand if a bothersome cough strikes.<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_edn14" id="_ednref14" name="_ednref14" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">14</a></span> (Parents are advised not to give honey to any child under the age of 1 year; infants younger than that are at risk for botulism from honey.)</div>
<table style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 2px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 16px; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 552px;"><tbody style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div align="center" style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Honey Lemon Cough Syrup</strong></div>
<div style="-webkit-hyphenate-character: "‐"; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.2px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://foodfacts.mercola.com/lemon.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Lemon</a> helps promote health by quickly alkalinizing your body, and honey will kill most bacteria while soothing your throat. This is a perfect choice for a quick cough remedy.</div>
<ol style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 38px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Put a pint of raw honey in a pan on the stove on VERY low heat (Do not boil honey as this changes its medicinal properties).</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Take a whole lemon and boil in some water in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes to both soften the lemon and kill any bacteria that may be on the lemon skin.</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let the lemon cool enough to handle then cut it in slices and add it to the pint of honey on the stove.</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let mixture cook on warm heat for about an hour.</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Then strain the lemon from the honey making sure all lemon seeds are removed.</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let cool, then bottle in a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.</li>
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This syrup will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator. To soothe a cough, take ½ teaspoon for a 25 lb. child and 1 teaspoon for a 50 lb. child, about 4 times a day, or as often as needed. Adults can take 1-tablespoon dose.</div>
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[-] Sources and References</div>
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<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="source-link" id="ctl00_bcr_rptSources_ctl01_cslSource" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://time.com/3819665/coughs-asthma-pneumonia/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">TIME April 18, 2015</a></span></li>
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<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref1" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></a></span> <a href="http://time.com/3819665/coughs-asthma-pneumonia/" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">TIME April 18, 2015</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref2" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2007/sinus.htm" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">University of Michigan Health System, November 19, 2007.</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref3" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn3" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3,</span></a></span> <span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref4" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn4" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.nature.com/gimo/contents/pt1/full/gimo77.html" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">GI Motility Online May 16, 2006</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref5" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn5" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/outbreaks/trends.html" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">CDC Pertussis Outbreak Trends</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref6" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn6" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24961836" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">BMJ June 24, 2014</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref7" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.peggyomara.com/2014/06/19/pertussis-epidemic/" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">PeggyOmara.com June 19, 2014</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref8" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23319500" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Ann Fam Med. 2013 Jan-Feb;11(1):5-13.</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref9" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn9" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/14/cough-lasts-long-antibiotics/1833029/" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">USA Today January 14, 2013</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref10" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn10" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/30/usa-health-superbugs-idUSL2N0WV04020150330" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Reuters March 30, 2015</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref11" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn11" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">11</span></a></span> <a href="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1556795" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(4):267-273.</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref12" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">12</span></a></span> <a href="http://time.com/3447112/4-things-you-didnt-know-about-honey/" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">TIME October 4, 2014</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref13" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn13" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">13</span></a></span> <a href="http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=571638" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(12):1140-1146.</a></li>
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<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-all;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/06/coughing-causes.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercola_ranart-ths&utm_campaign=20170202_coughing-causes#_ednref14" id="AncReferenceCount" name="_edn14" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="lblReferenceNo" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">14</span></a></span> <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9029.cfm" id="lnkReference" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background: 0px 0px; color: #0869bd; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Organic Consumers Association December 12, 2007</a></li>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-50115731278476956152016-09-07T08:32:00.000-07:002016-09-07T08:32:10.092-07:00Vitamin B12 as Protection for the Aging Brain <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="379" data-total-count="379" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 60px; max-width: none; width: 540px;">
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<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="379" data-total-count="379" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 60px; max-width: none; width: 540px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;"> By Jane E. Brody Sept. 6, 2016 - <b>The New York Times</b></span></span></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="379" data-total-count="379" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 60px; max-width: none; width: 540px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;">As a woman of a certain age who consumes a </span><a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/balanced-diet/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Balanced diet.">well-balanced diet</a><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;"> </span><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;">of all the usual food groups, including reasonable amounts of animal protein, I tend to dismiss advice to take a multivitamin supplement. I’ve been told repeatedly by nutrition experts that the overuse of</span><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;"> </span><a class="meta-classifier" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/dietarysupplementsandherbalremedies/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891; font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;" title="Recent and archival health news about dietary supplements and herbal remedies.">dietary supplements</a><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;"> </span><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 1.625rem;">for “nutritional insurance” has given Americans the most expensive urine in the world.</span></div>
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I do take a daily supplement of <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/vitamin-d/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Vitamin D.">vitamin D</a>, based on considerable evidence of its multiple health benefits, especially for older people. However, based on advice from the National Academy of Medicine and an examination of accumulating research, I’m prompted to consider also taking a vitamin B12 supplement in hopes of protecting my aging brain.</div>
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Animal protein foods — meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs — are the only reliable natural dietary sources of B12, and I do get ample amounts of several in my regular diet. But now at age 75, I wonder whether I’m still able to reap the full benefit of what I ingest.</div>
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You see, the ability to absorb B12 naturally present in foods depends on the presence of adequate stomach acid, the enzyme pepsin and a gastric protein called intrinsic factor to release the vitamin from the food protein it is attached to. Only then can the vitamin be absorbed by the small intestine. As people age, acid-producing cells in the stomach may gradually cease to function, a condition called atrophic <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/gastritis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Gastritis.">gastritis</a>.</div>
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A century ago, researchers discovered that some people — <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/09/health/mary-todd-lincoln-anemia-vitamin-b12.html?_r=0" style="color: #326891;">most likely including Mary Todd Lincoln</a> — had a condition called <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/pernicious-anemia/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Pernicious anemia.">pernicious anemia</a>, a deficiency of red blood cells ultimately identified as an autoimmune disease that causes a loss of stomach cells needed for B12 absorption. Mrs. Lincoln was known to behave erratically and was ultimately committed to a mental hospital.</div>
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“Depression, <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/dementia/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Dementia.">dementia</a> and mental impairment are often associated with” a deficiency of B12 and its companion B vitamin <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/folic-acid-folate/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Folic acid (folate).">folate</a>, “especially in the elderly,” Dr. Rajaprabhakaran Rajarethinam, a psychiatrist at Wayne State University School of Medicine, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781043/" style="color: #326891;">has written.</a></div>
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He described a 66-year-old woman hospitalized with severe depression,<a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/psychosis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Psychosis.">psychosis</a> and a loss of energy and interest in life who had extremely low blood levels of B12 and whose symptoms were almost entirely reversed by injections of the vitamin.</div>
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European researchers have also shown that giving B12 to people deficient in the vitamin helped protect many of the areas of the brain damaged by Alzheimer’s disease. In a two-year study at the University of Oxford of 270 people older than 70 with mild cognitive impairment and low B12 levels, Dr. Helga Refsum, a professor of nutrition at the University of Oslo, found <a href="http://www.med.uio.no/imb/english/research/news-and-events/news/2013/vitamin-b-impedes-development-of-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-.html" style="color: #326891;">reduced cerebral atrophy</a> in those treated with high doses of the vitamin.</div>
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“A B12 vitamin deficiency as a cause of cognitive issues is more common than we think, especially among the elderly who live alone and don’t eat properly,” Dr. Rajarethinam said.</div>
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The academy estimates that between 10 percent and 30 percent of people older than 50 produce too little stomach acid to release B12 from its carrier protein in foods, and as the years advance, the percentage of low-acid producers rises.</div>
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But many people do not know they produce inadequate amounts of stomach acid. In fact, <a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/2/514.long" style="color: #326891;">evidence from a study of young adults</a> called the Framingham Offspring Study suggests that insufficient absorption of B12 from foods may even be common among adults aged 26 to 49, so the following advice may pertain to them as well.</div>
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The academy recommends that adults older than 50 get most of their daily requirement of B12 — 2.4 micrograms for people 14 and older, slightly more for women who are pregnant or nursing — from a synthetic form of the vitamin found in foods fortified with B12 or in a multivitamin supplement. Synthetic B12 is not attached to protein and thus bypasses the need for stomach acid. Given that I eat very few fortified foods, a supplement with B12 is likely to be my best option.</div>
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Certain groups besides older people are also at risk of a <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/anemia-b12-deficiency/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Anemia - B12 deficiency.">B12 deficiency</a>. They include vegetarians and vegans who consume little or no animal foods; people with disorders of the stomach and small intestine like<a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/celiac-disease-sprue/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Celiac Disease.">celiac disease</a> and Crohn’s disease; chronic users of proton-pump inhibitors to control <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Gastroesophageal reflux disease.">acid reflux</a>; and people whose digestive systems were surgically reduced for weight-loss or treatment for <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cancer/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Cancer.">cancer</a> or<a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/ulcerative-colitis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Ulcerative colitis.">ulcerative colitis</a>.</div>
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Among those most likely to be B12 deficient are the older patients in<a class="meta-classifier" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/nursing_homes/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="Recent and archival health news about nursing homes.">nursing homes</a> whose diets are limited, and this deficiency may account in part for the symptoms of cognitive dysfunction so common among nursing home residents.</div>
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While a B12 deficiency can take years to develop, encroaching symptoms can be distressing and eventually devastating. It can also be challenging to link such symptoms to a nutrient deficiency.</div>
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In <a href="https://cspinet.org/tip/did-vitamin-b-12-deficiency-drive-mary-todd-lincoln-mad" style="color: #326891;">an online posting in July</a>, David G. Schardt, the senior nutritionist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, noted that symptoms of B12 deficiency include fatigue, <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/numbness-and-tingling/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Numbness and tingling.">tingling and numbness</a> in the hands and feet, <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/weakness/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Weakness.">muscle weakness</a> and loss of reflexes, which may progress to confusion, depression, <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/memory-loss/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #326891;" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Amnesia.">memory loss</a> and dementia as the deficiency grows more severe.</div>
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Early symptoms can be reversed by treatment with high doses of B12, usually given by injection. But symptoms related to nerve damage and dementia are more likely to be permanent. Thus, it is especially important for people at risk of a B12 deficiency to have their blood tested for it periodically. For example, experts at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif., suggest that chronic users of proton-pump inhibitors should have their <a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1788456" style="color: #326891;">B12 level tested</a> every two years.</div>
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Vegetarians and vegans need not despair. In addition to B12 supplements, various commercially prepared plant-based foods, like some breakfast cereals, nondairy milks and soy products and one type of nutritional yeast, are fortified with synthetic B12. The Vegan Society recommends eating two to three servings a day of fortified foods to get at least three micrograms of B12.</div>
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However, Dr. Ralph Carmel, a retired hematologist now affiliated with New York University who studied the effects of B12 for decades, cautions against taking megadoses of the vitamin. He said in an interview that too often, “People who really need B12 don’t get it, and those who don’t need it, like athletes, often take huge doses — 2,000 or 5,000 micrograms a day. We don’t know what such doses can do in the long run. If an older person has low-ish B12 levels, I don’t object to taking 500 or 1,000 micrograms a day, but 5,000 is ridiculous.”</div>
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A version of this article appears in print on September 6, 2016, on page D5 of the <span itemprop="printEdition">New York edition</span> with the headline: A Vitamin to Protect the Aging Brain</div>
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</footer>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-86525285345953671302014-04-22T12:59:00.000-07:002014-04-22T12:59:21.570-07:00Overuse of Acetaminophen can cause Liver failure<div id="articleHead" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
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Acetaminophen Caution and Guidance</h1>
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Charles E. Argoff, MD</div>
<span id="authorDate" style="color: #888888; display: block; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; padding: 0px;">April 15, 2014</span></div>
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This is Dr. Charles Argoff, Professor of Neurology at Albany Medical College and Director of the Comprehensive Pain Management Center at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York.</div>
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I want you to consider the following clinical situation. A 38-year-old woman presents to the emergency room in acute liver failure. She is accompanied by a family member, who reports that the patient has a history of chronic intractable headache and takes multiple medications for this; as best as the family member can tell, she takes butalbital, acetaminophen, and caffeine at least several times daily. She also uses hydrocodone with acetaminophen at least several times daily. She uses an over-the-counter preparation including acetaminophen, caffeine, and aspirin daily. In addition, she uses traditional over-the-counter acetaminophen every day.</div>
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This family member reports that during the past week, the patient has had a cold and has used an oral decongestant that also includes acetaminophen. Upon hearing this, the emergency room physician calculates an estimated total daily dose of acetaminophen for the past couple of months, including the past week, and estimates between 8 and 10 grams per day.</div>
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Do you think this is a rare case?</div>
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Unfortunately it is not rare. Let's look at some facts. Between 1998 and 2003, acetaminophen was the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, with 48% of these acetaminophen-related cases of liver failure being associated with accidental overdoses.<sup style="font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 0;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #5757a6; text-decoration: underline;">[1]</a></sup> Summarizing data from 3 different surveillance systems, there were an estimated 56,000 emergency department visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths related to acetaminophen-associated overdoses per year from 1990 through 1998.<sup style="font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 0;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #5757a6; text-decoration: underline;">[2]</a></sup> A study from 22 medical centers in the United States that was completed in 2003<sup style="font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 0;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #5757a6; text-decoration: underline;">[1]</a></sup>and was confirmed in a separate study in 2007,<sup style="font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 0;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #5757a6; text-decoration: underline;">[3]</a></sup> demonstrated that a high percentage of instances of liver injury due to acetaminophen were related to unintentional overdoses. In other words, the patient took too much by mistake.</div>
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FDA Initiatives</h3>
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As part of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Safe Use Initiative in 2011, the Acetaminophen Best Practices Task Force was created. The Task Force produced a <a href="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM266631.pdf" style="color: #5757a6;">white paper</a> recommending complete disclosure of acetaminophen in all acetaminophen-containing products, a standard pharmacy warning label about liver damage for these medications, and specific wording on pharmacy container labels that is consistent with appropriate health literacy principles-- ie, these had to be specially designed so that people could [understand] them. On January 14, 2014, the FDA recommended<sup style="font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 0;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #5757a6; text-decoration: underline;">[1]</a></sup> that healthcare professionals discontinue prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products that contain more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per tablet, capsule, or other dosing form. Even before that, in 2011 the FDA had asked manufacturers of prescription combination drug products containing acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 mg in each tablet, capsule, or other dosing method by January 14, 2014.</div>
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In this particular directive, the FDA noted that severe liver injury with acetaminophen had occurred in patients who took more than the prescribed dose of an acetaminophen-containing product within a 24-hour period, took more than 1 acetaminophen-containing product at the same time, and/or who drank alcohol while taking acetaminophen products. While noting also that acetaminophen is widely used in many over-the-counter products, including over-the-counter cold products, the FDA directive did not provide any regulatory action regarding these particular products. The FDA did advise that many consumers are often unaware that many products contain acetaminophen, and, therefore, consumers could easily take too much by accident. But no actions were taken in regard to over-the-counter products.</div>
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What can we do? We can advise patients not to exceed the acetaminophen maximum total daily dose. This is an active process on our part. We can advise our patients that severe liver injury can occur with the use of excessive amounts of acetaminophen. We can advise our patients to read the labels of the prescription and over-the-counter medications so that they do not take multiple acetaminophen-containing products at the same time. We can advise our patients not to drink alcohol while taking acetaminophen-containing products. We can advise our patients to seek medical help if they take more acetaminophen than directed or if they experience swelling of the face, mouth, and throat, difficulty breathing, itching, and a rash.</div>
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Thus, we can actively help reduce the accidental injury that acetaminophen can cause when taken in excessive quantities. As you see, this particular instance is not all that far from clinical scenarios that we may have encountered already. I hope this has been of some value to you. I am Dr. Charles Argoff. Thank you for your attention.</div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-61801833876329090632014-03-29T13:48:00.002-07:002014-03-29T13:48:37.210-07:00<h1 class="entry-title " style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #707070; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23.399999618530273px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a class="author-link" href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/author/sarah/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); background-color: white; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 23.399999618530273px; margin-right: 7px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 15px; text-decoration: none;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">by</em> Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #707070; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.399999618530273px;"> </span><a class="published-time" href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-vitamin-deficiency-that-is-written-all-over-your-face/" rel="bookmark" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 23.399999618530273px; padding-left: 10px; text-decoration: none;" title="8:51 am">April 7, 2013</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #707070; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.399999618530273px;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wrinkles.jpg" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;"><img alt="wrinkles" class="alignright wp-image-11436" height="233" src="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wrinkles.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="350" /></a><br />Are wrinkles an inevitable fact of aging or could laugh lines and crow’s feet potentially indicate a more serious underlying health issue?</div>
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In 2011, <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/no-laughing-matter-wrinkles-and-bone-health-linked/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">researchers presented findings</a> at a meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston that revealed that women in their 40′s and 50′s who have extensive skin wrinkling are much more likely than their peers to have low bone mass.</div>
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Researchers noted the relationship between wrinkles and bone density in every single bone tested which included hip, heel, and lumbar (spine). In addition, this relationship existed regardless of body fat percentage and age.</div>
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<span id="more-11435" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Epidemiological evidence of Asian women offers further health clues to the wrinkle mystery.</div>
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It is known that Japanese women have fewer wrinkles and less skin sagging that women of the same age living in North America. These two groups of women vary greatly in diet and lifestyle, however.</div>
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Even when Japanese women living in Tokyo were compared with women from the Asian cities of Shanghai and Bangok, however, they showed the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581827059?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1581827059&linkCode=xm2&tag=theheahomec0a-20" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">least visible signs of aging</a>.</div>
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Diet and lifestyle factors for these three Asian groups of women are comparable except for one notable exception: the <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">consumption of natto in Japan.</strong></div>
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Tokyo residents frequently enjoy natto, a strong smelling food traditionally made from fermented soybeans for breakfast. Natto is loaded with menaquinone, Vitamin K2, and blood samples of the Tokyo women revealed high circulating levels of this fat soluble vitamin.</div>
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Further research which bolsters the notion that getting plenty of anti-wrinkle vitamin K2 in the diet makes for smoother facial features is found in the research of Korean scientists and was published in the journal <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nephrology</em> in 2008.</div>
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The rate at which the kidneys are able to filter the blood is an important measure of overall kidney function. Researchers found that reduced renal filtration rate was associated with increased facial wrinkling.</div>
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What does decreased kidney filtration rate predict?</div>
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You guessed it – Vitamin K2 deficiency, according to American research published the year after the Korean study.</div>
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Testing has been limited so far on the true extent of Vitamin K2 deficiency in the western world, but so far, of those tested, <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">90% tested deficient in this critical nutrient.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin: Foods High in Vitamin K2</strong></h3>
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If you want to make sure you’re getting plenty of Vitamin K2 for the most effective wrinkle prevention possible from the inside-out, know that it is an elusive nutrient and extremely difficult to obtain with a modern diet. The highest sources of K2 are natto (fermented soybeans), goose liver, certain cheeses and animal fats like egg yolk, butter and lard which <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">must</strong> come from grassfed animals.</div>
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Natto contains a whopping 1,103 mcg of K2 per 3 1/2 ounce portion which blows away every other food by a country mile.</div>
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The second highest food in Vitamin K2 is goose liver pate which has 369 mcg per 3 1/2 ounce portion. While delicious and wonderful to eat, goose liver pate is very hard to find in most places. It is also a very high end, gourmet food which makes the price out of reach for most.</div>
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Rounding out the top 3 foods highest in Vitamin K2 is none other than the humble <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/gouda-the-nutrient-dense-cheese-of-choice/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Gouda cheese</a>, which boasts 75 mcg per 3 1/2 ounce serving! This compares to pastured egg yolks and butter, which each have about 15 mcg of K2 per 3 1/2 ounce portion.</div>
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How much of these K2 containing foods should you eat? That part gets murky as the official recommended daily intake (RDI) of Vitamin K doesn’t distinguish between K1 and K2 despite their very different uses in the body. The RDI for Vitamin K is only determined by the liver’s requirement for normal blood clotting factors, not the K2 needed for optimal bone and kidney health and wrinkle free skin.</div>
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The <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">good news</strong> is that there is <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">no known toxicity of Vitamin K2</strong>, so eating generously of <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/1-key-to-health-traditional-fats-and-sacred-foods/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Vitamin K2 rich foods as practiced by Traditional Societies</a> and even potentially taking a <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/which-vitamin-k2-supplement-is-best-mk-4-or-mk-7/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">supplement</a> is considered wise by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118065727?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1118065727&linkCode=xm2&tag=theheahomec0a-20" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox</a> author, Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, ND.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">UPDATE</strong></h3>
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Recent research has shown that an Aboriginal sacred food is extremely high in vitamin K2, so high in fact that it is nearly as high as goose liver pate! <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/emu-oil-aboriginal-sacred-food-high-vitamin-k2/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Click here</a> for more information on this exciting discovery and where to source authentic emu oil from the genetically pure strain of birds that produce this nutrient dense fat.</div>
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Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118065727?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1118065727&linkCode=xm2&tag=theheahomec0a-20" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adselwood/4000632304/?reg=1&src=sharev3" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); color: black;">Picture Credit</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #707070; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.399999618530273px;">- See more at: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-vitamin-deficiency-that-is-written-all-over-your-face/#sthash.Lgp9CAfF.dpuf</span>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-84496020281680483322014-02-01T08:54:00.000-08:002014-02-05T16:48:50.916-08:00<br />
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<b style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">Amy Jo Gengler</b></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">Licensed Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist, Nutritional Consultant</span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">717 Atlantic Ave. #2C</span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">Boston, MA 02111</span></div>
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<a href="tel:617.275.3488" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">617.275.3488</a></div>
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<a href="http://flourishboston.com/" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">flourishboston.com</a></div>
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<span class="s3" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">Facebook:</span><span class="s4" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FlourishBoston"><span class="s5">flourishboston</span></a></span></div>
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Bio:</div>
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<i>AMY JO GENGLER IS A LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST, NUTRITIONAL COUNSELOR, FEARLESS COOK, COOKING AND HEALTH INSTRUCTOR & FOUNDER OF </i><a href="http://cooking-diva.com/"><span class="s1"><i>COOKING-DIVA.COM</i></span></a><i>. SHE SPECIALIZES IN RESTORATIVE DIETS, SHARING HEAPS OF GREAT RECIPES, FOOD TIPS, AND ONLINE CLASSES TO GET YOU ON THE SUPERHIGHWAY TO VIBRANT HEALTH, GREATER FOOD CONSCIOUSNESS AND GAINING AUTONOMY IN YOUR KITCHEN. CONTACT HER VIA</i><a href="http://cooking-diva.com/"><span class="s1"><i>COOKING-DIVA.COM</i></span></a></div>
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"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." ~Michael Pollan</div>
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"It's always good to use the ideal as a reference point for where you are headed and what you want to accomplish." ~Lonny Jarrett</div>
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"Soul strength comes from knowing, prior to thought, that the process is inherently good." ~Andrew Cohen</div>
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Brrrrr-rrr-rrr! It’s January in Boston, and dare I say, <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">it’s unbelievably cold outside</span>? Each day on my walk to work, I can’t help but notice at least a handful of what I refer to as ‘true Bostonians’ walking down the street–these women holding a giant Dunkin’ iced coffee, wearing cropped pants & ballerina flats with bare feet, despite the 12″ of snow on the ground & bone-chilling wind tunnels. This <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">astounds</span> me, and this delicate southern flower’s hat is off to you ladies!</h3>
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Despite my daily sightings of these bad-ass Bostonian chicks, I see ten times that amount of people in my practice suffering from symptoms caused by ‘cold’, such as: cold hands & feet, gas & bloating, constant runny nose, sinus issues, poor digestion, low back pain, low energy, foggy brain, poor circulation, and general lack of pizzazz. In Chinese Medicine, this is what we call ‘Yang Deficiency’.</h3>
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Yang, as in ‘Yin & Yang’, and pronounced with an ‘ahhh’, like ‘long’, not an ‘eh’ like dang. Yang is the root of of our fire: digestive fire, drive, activity, action, force, sunlight, warmth, excitement and our general ability to<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">pounce</span>. When the Yang gets smothered by cold things, many of the symptoms listed above will start to surface and it’s easy to feel like a wet blanket as your fire is slowly diminishing. Stoking the Yang back up, fortunately, doesn’t take much once you know how, and once you quit doing the things that are killing it. I do this all day long in my practice, so if you’re ready for more energy, more drive, warmth, and <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">pounce-a-bility</span>, call me for help and let’s get to work.</h3>
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For now, I’ve compiled this list of 10 0f the most cold-inducing things that may be compromising your health, and a few home remedies for warming yourself back up. All of these cold items are particularly hard on the Spleen, and since we who practice Chinese Medicine believe that all disease starts in the gut, it’s important to keep the Spleen happy if you want to have strong immunity and age like a martial arts master.</h3>
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Cold drinks are hard on the digestive fire, especially when it’s cold outside. I love a big ol’ iced tea in August, but drinking cold drinks in winter not only slows down your digestion, often leading to gas, bloating & low energy, but can also lead to more PMS, muscle pain, and contributes to infertility struggles and weight gain.</h3>
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If there was one food-like product I could nix from humanity completely, this would definitely be a front runner. In terms of Chinese Medicine & general health, the combination of cold, diary (or ‘dairy’), and sugar is really just asking for trouble. This binds up the digestion due to the cold temperature + stagnating properties from food that creates phlegm in the body (dairy, sugar, gluten, chemicals). However, the bigger elephant in the room is that Fro-Yo places shamelessly manipulate with their marketing. Somehow they have collectively convinced customers that Fro-Yo is ‘healthy’, and consequence-free, but unfortunately, it is highly processed and contains a shocking amount of chemicals all cleverly disguised in these cute & innocent little yogurt cups–with sprinkles, no less. Don’t believe the hype! Check out this great investigative report from <span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://foodbabe.com/2011/05/07/fro-yo-craze-is-just-well-crazy/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">foodbabe.com.</span></a></span></span></h3>
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Of course salad, in and of itself, can have so many nutritive properties–especially when you add wonderful things like kale, avocado, nuts & seaweed. However, salad, being a raw food, is also hard on your digestion when eaten without something warm to help digest it. When food is cold to start with (like everything on this list), the Spleen (chiefly in charge of how we digest, and the first thing to freak out when not treated right) has to expend a lot of energy to warm up the food prior to digestion, often running out of fuel before the digestion process has finished. This is what leads to that 3pm energy slump, unexplained water weight, low energy, lethargy, sugar cravings, heaviness in the limbs, and inability to lose weight. Save the salads for summer, and instead, indulge yourself at the hot soup bar and warm, bubbly casseroles for now.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4. JUICING</span></span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Juice.jpeg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="1442342_fo_juice_bars_JLC" class="size-medium wp-image-527 alignnone" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Juice-300x199.jpeg" height="199" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></span></a></h2>
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Wow, juicing has become wildly popular! How could it not, when it looks soooo beautiful, and so many authors, health coaches & bloggers are saying how amazing it is? Fresh juice is basically liquid Qi, and that is very intriguing. With it’s yummy concentrated flavors, it’s like sunshine in a glass. However, juicing, like all trends, must be taken with a grain of salt.</h3>
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Juicing easily damages the digestion for a few main reasons: Juices are energetically cold and they are full of sugar, both of which damage the spleen and digestive fire. Unless you are consistently hot, with fast digestion, a red tongue, and tend to sweat quite easily, more than 8 oz of juice per day leads to what we call ‘damp’ conditions in Chinese Medicine. This manifests as a thick coat on the tongue, low energy, heavy limbs, runny nose, chronic sinus issues, gas & bloating and feeling cold all the time.</h3>
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Seasonally speaking, Juicing is fantastic in the SPRING. And by spring I mean May, not January. Because juicing is so cooling, doing a juice cleanse when it is still cold outside will do more damage to your spleen and digestion, than good. It’s best to wait until it’s warm outside, and even then, if you still have any of these issues, try drinking some warming teas like ginger & cinnamon to counterbalance all of the cold & damp.</h3>
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Closely related to juicing, is it’s frosty cousin–The Smoothie. Yet another fallacy pointing to ‘weight loss’, the smoothie often becomes a vessel for inducing diabetic episodes in many an innocent soul. Similar to juicing, the smoothie is also typically full of sugar, the main difference is that it’s even colder than juice with it’s primary ingredients being frozen, or the addition of ice–think blended popsicles. Again, similar to juicing, a little smoothie is fantastic in Miami in August, but other than that, please take my advice and give your spleen a break. For a delicious and much more nutritive, low-sugar alternative, check out my <span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/portfolio/favorite-kale-breakfast-shake/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Favorite Kale Shake</span></a></span> and try this at home.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. COCONUT ICE CREAM</span></span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Ice-Creams.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Ice Creams" class="wp-image-526" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Ice-Creams.jpg" height="203" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="360" /></span></a></h2>
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Well…all ice cream, really. I find that the worst offenders are people who are addicted to Coconut Ice Cream, but all of it hurts you just the same. Coconut Ice Cream tends to fall in that same confusing category as Fro-Yo: It’s typically marketed to be healthier than regular ice cream, so we somehow twist this into thinking we should eat it every day….right? Especially for those with limited diets, who no longer eat dairy…the power of the coconut is strong! For now I will urge you to avoid the frozen section at the store at least until May. Eating any form of ice cream or sorbet–especially at night–is why you are freezing cold all the time, have constant sinus issues, stuffy ears or runny nose, foggy brain, low energy, and eventually will gain weight from sleeping on a cold stomach. If you need something sweet after dinner, try eating 1/2 an apple or perhaps a little chocolate.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7. ANTIBIOTICS</span></span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ABX.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="ABX" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ABX.jpg" height="188" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="335" /></a></h2>
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By now you have probably read plenty about how controversial and polarizing Antibiotics are. One thing you should know is that Antibiotics (ABX) were one of the biggest revelations in health care, as we know it. Prior to their discovery in 1928, many people suffered dearly, and even died from many conditions that are considered easily treatable today such as salmonella, tuberculosis, syphilis, and some forms of meningitis. That being said, a sore throat or even a sinus infection are not enough reason to pummel your digestive tract with such severe medications.</h3>
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Like everything on this list, ABX are very cold and produce ‘damp’ in the body. On the one hand, this is good because in fighting bacterial infections, they have the ability to dramatically cool down inflammation. On the other hand, they don’t have much regulatory ability, so they also tend to cool the digestive tract too much, especially with repetitive use, and this is why they are a bit dangerous.</h3>
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‘ABX Resistance’ is related to what I said earlier about Chinese Medicine stating that all health starts in the gut. Repeated ABX use can lead to resistance, often requiring stronger medicine each time one gets sick. According to Chinese Medicine principles, this is because we need a certain degree of healthy digestive fire to support a healthy immune system. All of the symptoms I am speaking of in this article (cold limbs, slow digestion, runny nose, chronic sinus issues, gas & bloating) are all signs of a weakening digestive system, which ultimately effects one’s immunity.</h3>
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If you have never seen a Chinese Herbalist, what are you waiting for? You will be amazed at how effective Chinese Herbs are for all respiratory and digestive issues, including allergies, sinusitis, poor digestion, and just about everything else under the sun. They say that Western Medicine is the Study of What Makes You Sick, and Chinese Medicine is the Study of What Makes You Healthy. Building up a stronger body, stronger digestion and stronger immunity is never a bad idea, in my opinion, and this is where Chinese Medicine excels!</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8. TOFU</span></span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tofu.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="tofu" class="wp-image-531" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tofu.jpg" height="334" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="279" /></span></a></h2>
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Tofu’s primary energetic is also cold and produces damp in the body, which isn’t that surprising if you’ve ever cooked with it. Ever noticed how squishy it is? It’s basically solidified soy milk. However, tofu is also quite versatile, and while bland in flavor by itself, tofu readily takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. If you eat Tofu regularly, try adding some hot chili paste and curry for more warmth, then oven roasting it to dry it out a bit.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9. SUSHI</span> </span> <img alt="Sushi" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sushi.jpg" height="255" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="384" /></h2>
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Dear Gentle Readers, please understand I am truly sorry for this one, but I would rather tell you the whole truth so you can make educated decisions. Raw fish is very cold. Combatting this is perhaps why Sushi is often served with ginger, wasabi, saké, and miso soup–all warming items. I certainly don’t want to rain on your sushi parade because it IS one of the most beautiful and artful foods on earth, just make sure you partake in all of the warming items available to accompany your meal.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10. YOU LIVE IN BOSTON</span></span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_2823.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="IMG_2823" class="wp-image-532" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_2823-1024x764.jpg" height="325" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="434" /></span></a></h2>
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Yep, with a yearly average of 30+ days below freezing each year, living in Boston (and anywhere above 40* latitude) automatically predisposes you to being cold, inside and out. And while one can combat brutal weather by bundling up and wearing insulated boots, many of us need an extra boost to fight off the cold.</h3>
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3 KEYS TO RE-KINDLE YOUR INNER GLOW</h2>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1. COOK YOUR VEGETABLES</span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/greens.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="greens" class="alignnone wp-image-562" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/greens.jpg" height="435" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="363" /></span></a></span></h2>
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Make sure to cook all of your vegetables and pass on the raw foods, salad, juices & smoothies until it’s warm enough to break a sweat outside. Check out the Diva’s <span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/recipes/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">recipe collection</span></a></span> and my <span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/apple_jacks/real-fabulous-food/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pinterest</span></a></span> page for great ideas & cooking inspiration.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2. KEEP IT SPICY</span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/spices.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="spices" class="alignnone wp-image-555" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/spices.jpg" height="247" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="518" /></span></a></span></h2>
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Use more warming spices in your food like Ginger, Cinnamon, Chiles, Black Pepper, Garlic, Fennel & Cloves. One easy way to do this is to eat more Indian food and drink more Chai. Just watch out for refined sugar in your chai–opt for honey instead, which is also gently warming.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. TAKE A GINGER BATH</span> <a class="fancybox" href="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rustic-bath.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="rustic-bath" class="alignnone wp-image-559" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rustic-bath.jpg" height="296" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="383" /></span></a></span></h2>
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Taking a warm or hot bath will always beat a hot shower, especially in winter. And on those days when you can’t get warmed up, adding some freshly steeped Ginger water to your bath will change everything. Heat about 4 cups of water on the stove. Once it has come to a boil, add 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups of freshly grated or chopped Ginger, turn off the heat, and cover it with a lid. Let steep for 3-5 minutes, then strain the Ginger out, adding the Ginger water to a bathtub full of hot water. Soak as long as it stays warm enough, and enjoy the toasty warmth.</h3>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 4. SEE A CHINESE HERBALIST <a href="http://flourishboston.com/schedule-an-appointment/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Chinese-Herbs" class="alignnone wp-image-561" src="http://www.cooking-diva.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Chinese-Herbs.jpg" height="274" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="425" /></span></a></span></span></h2>
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Chinese Medicine Practitioners offer the most unique, effective and affordable solutions to 99% of all health problems. We are trained to treat each patient as a ‘whole person’, rather than just addressing this or that symptom in isolation. Because of this approach, you should expect a steady and consistent improvement of all aspects of your health, when you check in regularly with someone who practices Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, too!). If you live in the Boston area, schedule an appointment with AJ <span style="border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #f8b862; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://flourishboston.com/schedule-an-appointment/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #e1472f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here.</a></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 44px;"><u><b>Personal Note:</b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 300; line-height: 44px;">While I agree with most of the things being said in this article, I do think that we can adapt certain things to make them less "cold" on our system.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 300; line-height: 44px;">For instance, you can keep eating your salads as long as you add a cooked protein to it, or combine it with a cup of soup or a hot beverage. That way, the warm element will help bring the cold element up to body temperature and help facilitate digestion.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 300; line-height: 44px;">Likewise with juices or smoothies, adding a nice piece of ginger to it, will bring up its energetic temperature to something warmer and therefore better tolerated by our digestive tract.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 300; line-height: 44px;">However, If you do have a cold or "yang deficient" constitution, you want to avoid those cold foods, juices, etc....in the winter time. Save those for when you are in warmer climates....</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Open Sans; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 300; line-height: 44px;">Anita</span></span></div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-1562399807919355422014-02-01T08:40:00.000-08:002014-02-01T08:40:09.243-08:00<h1 id="pf-title" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #080000; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, Georgia, serif; font-size: 23px; margin: 1em 0px; page-break-inside: avoid !important;">
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5 Foods that Boost Immunity and May Help Prevent Colds and Flu</h1>
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Cold and flu season is upon us and as the old adage goes, “<a href="http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/quote67.htm" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure</a>.” We all know that it is much better to avoid getting sick than to try to shake a bug once it has taken hold. Unfortunately, even with the best personal hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, it can be difficult to avoid germs. That is why it is so important to have a strong immune system.<br />
The immune system is made up of cells and proteins that fight off foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria and prevent infection. These cells work together as a team and they have a long memory. Ideally this coordinated defense prevents an illness before it takes hold. But even if you do get sick, the immune system remembers the virus and can fight it off more effectively in the future. Luckily for us, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9250133" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">diet has a big impact on immune function</a>, and optimizing nutrition is one of the most important things we can do to boost our defenses.<br />
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<strong>Here are five foods or food groups that benefit the immune system.</strong><br />
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<div class="wp-caption aligncenter pf-caption" id="attachment_76608" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(177, 167, 155); clear: both; color: #838383; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin: 0.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px 8px 16px; page-break-inside: avoid !important; vertical-align: top; width: 580px;">
<a class="fancybox" href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/chix-soup1000.jpg" rel="gallery" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Chicken soup with egg noodles. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend" class="size-full wp-image-76608 blockImage" src="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/chix-soup1000.jpg" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid !important;" width="580" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
Chicken soup with egg noodles. Photo: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/author/wendy-goodfriend/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Wendy Goodfriend</a></div>
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Chicken soup and other foods high in protein</h3>
Grandma was right, high quality complete proteins are <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02652039009373853#.UsJz7Si9xqE" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">essential for the immune system to function</a>. The truth is that all of our immune cells and antibodies are made up primarily of proteins. When we don’t get enough dietary protein or we are unable to absorb the protein from our diets the <a href="http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/09/20/infdis.jis527.full" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">immune system suffers</a>. The nice thing about chicken soup is that it is both a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids, and it is easy to digest because the meat has been cooked until it is soft and falling apart. However vegetarians and chicken soup haters need not despair, all high protein foods are helpful. Meat, eggs and beans are also good sources.<br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter pf-caption" id="attachment_76618" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(177, 167, 155); clear: both; color: #838383; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin: 0.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px 8px 16px; page-break-inside: avoid !important; vertical-align: top; width: 580px;">
<a class="fancybox" href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/mushroom-gravy1.jpg" rel="gallery" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Maitake mushroom surrounded by Trumpet and button mushrooms. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend" class="size-full wp-image-76618 blockImage" src="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/mushroom-gravy1.jpg" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid !important;" width="580" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
Maitake mushroom surrounded by Trumpet and button mushrooms. Photo: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/author/wendy-goodfriend/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Wendy Goodfriend</a></div>
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Medicinal mushrooms</h3>
Many medicinal mushrooms are also edible and delicious. They can be sauté roasted and added to soups or gravies, but they should not be eaten raw. Shiitake and Maitake mushrooms are commonly available at stores and farmers markets around the Bay Area. These fungi are immune super foods with properties ranging from <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22433044" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">increasing white blood cell numbers</a> to supporting <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23280601" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">anticancer effects</a>. Most people agree that the medicinal components of these mushrooms are best absorbed when they are extracted in hot water. This means that soups or teas are the ideal way to eat them. In fact certain mushrooms like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi_mushroom" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Reishi</a> are so hard and woody that they cannot be eaten directly but are commonly simmered in broth and then removed. However they are prepared, mushrooms add both health benefits and a rich, savory flavor to any dish.<br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter pf-caption" id="attachment_76716" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(177, 167, 155); clear: both; color: #838383; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin: 0.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px 8px 16px; page-break-inside: avoid !important; vertical-align: top; width: 580px;">
<a class="fancybox" href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/citrus1000.jpg" rel="gallery" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Tangerines, Cara cara and navel oranges. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend" class="size-full wp-image-76716 blockImage" src="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/citrus1000.jpg" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid !important;" width="580" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
Tangerines, Cara cara and navel oranges. Photo: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/author/wendy-goodfriend/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Wendy Goodfriend</a></div>
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Tangerines, kiwis and other foods high in vitamin C</h3>
Vitamin C is a powerful immune tonic. It increases <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373990" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">white blood cell numbers</a> and improves the function of these important immune cells.<br />
It is an essential nutrient meaning that humans cannot make their own; they must consume it in food or supplements. It is best absorbed in small frequent doses, which is easy to do this time of year when oranges, tangerines and kiwis abound. Vitamin C is heat sensitive, and it can be destroyed by cooking. The best way to eat foods rich in vitamin C is fresh and raw.<br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter pf-caption" id="attachment_76616" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(177, 167, 155); clear: both; color: #838383; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin: 0.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px 8px 16px; page-break-inside: avoid !important; vertical-align: top; width: 580px;">
<a class="fancybox" href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/garlic1000.jpg" rel="gallery" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Heads of Garlic. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend" class="size-full wp-image-76616 blockImage" src="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/garlic1000.jpg" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid !important;" width="580" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
Heads of Garlic. Photo: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/author/wendy-goodfriend/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Wendy Goodfriend</a></div>
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Garlic</h3>
We often use garlic for colds and flus because it has direct anti-viral properties. But garlic is also a potent <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23700562" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">regulator of the immune system</a>. Garlic doesn’t just stimulate immune cells it also reduces<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24237225" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">inappropriate inflammation</a> so the immune system can focus on the real invaders. For its antimicrobial properties garlic must be consumed raw and freshly crushed. For example fresh, crushed garlic can be mixed with honey for sore throats. But for immune balancing, dried and aged extracts have been frequently researched. Based on those studies, soups, sautés and sauces should all be beneficial.<br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter pf-caption" id="attachment_76717" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(177, 167, 155); clear: both; color: #838383; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin: 0.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px 8px 16px; page-break-inside: avoid !important; vertical-align: top; width: 580px;">
<a class="fancybox" href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/kraut-yogurt1000.jpg" rel="gallery" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Raw Khitchari Kraut and organic yogurt. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend" class="size-full wp-image-76717 blockImage" src="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/files/2014/01/kraut-yogurt1000.jpg" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid !important;" width="580" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
Raw Khitchari Kraut and organic yogurt. Photo: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/author/wendy-goodfriend/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Wendy Goodfriend</a></div>
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Yogurt, Sauerkraut and other cultured foods</h3>
We are not sterile creatures. There are bacteria that populate our skin, nasal passages, genitalia and most importantly our gastrointestinal tract. We are coming to realize that the difference between having the right bacteria in our guts and the wrong bacteria can be the difference between health and disease. That is why beneficial bacteria (AKA probiotics) are so important in the human diet. These probiotics don’t just improve the health of the gut. They directly <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24376446" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">improve gut</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3864895/" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">systemic immunity</a>. One of the best ways to consume probiotics is in cultured foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and miso. Because these beneficial foods contain live bacteria and yeast they should not be cooked or excessively heated.<br />
Below is one of my favorite warming winter soups. It is incredibly delicious with Chantrelle mushrooms. However, Shiitake and or Maitake also give it a lovely flavor with an added immune kick. Be sure to use unpasteurized miso and add it at the end for a live cultured food.<br />
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Creamy Mushroom Soup with Fresh Shiitakes</h3>
<em>Makes 6-8 servings</em><br />
<ul style="list-style-position: outside !important; margin: 1em 0px 1em 1em; padding: 0px 1em;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">1 medium onion diced</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">4 cups of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (you may use other mushrooms if desired such as maitake or oyster)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">6 cups of water</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">1 cup of cashews</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">2 tablespoons of chickpea miso</li>
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<ol style="list-style-position: outside !important; margin: 1em 0px 1em 1em; padding: 0px 1em;"><strong>Instructions:</strong>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom stockpot. Add the onion and sauté it over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until it begins to brown. Stir it frequently to prevent it from burning.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute stirring frequently.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Mix in the mushrooms, and sauté for five more minutes.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Add 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pot and stir well, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove and caramelized vegetables.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">While the soup is simmering place the cashews and 1 cup of water in a blender. Make sure the lid is secure and start the blender on low, slowly increasing to the highest speed. While blending gradually add 1 more cup of water, 1/4 cup at a time every time the mixture gets too thick to process. You should end up with a smooth cashew cream at the end. In small blenders this often works better in two batches. The cashews will puree more easily if they are presoaked in water to cover overnight. If you do this be sure to drain and rinse them well before making cashew cream.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Pour the cashew cream into the soup pot while stirring and mix it well. Rinse the blender out with 1/2 cup water and add that to the pot as well. The cashew cream will thicken as it comes to a simmer, so stir the soup frequently during this step. Once the cream has thickened and the soup has come back to full simmer, remove it from the heat.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">In a small bowl dissolve the miso into the last 1/2 cup of water.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Stir the miso into the soup and taste it. Add the last 1/2 teaspoon of salt if desired.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px;">Serve the soup warm.</li>
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<em>* Note: None of the information in this article is intended to diagnose, or treat any disease or health condition.</em></div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-22904718844348320312013-12-04T08:56:00.001-08:002013-12-04T15:46:23.628-08:00How to maintain your sanity during the Holidays...<div>
<a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/85973/Stone-One---The-Original-contemporary-bathtubs-miami"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://st.houzz.com/simgs/aa11dccd0ce2c1a4_3-1000/contemporary-bathtubs.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary/bathtubs" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Contemporary Bathtubs</a> by <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/kitchen-and-bath-fixtures/c/Miami--FL" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Miami Kitchen & Bath Fixtures</a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/pscbath/pscbath" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">PSCBATH</a></small></div>
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It is that time of the year. </div>
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We want to enjoy the season with all of its bells and whistles, yet find ourselves worn thin by keeping up our work schedule, trying to spend quality time with family and making time for our friends. However, we soon realize that time is flying by and we feel trapped.</div>
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Trapped by that endless list of things to do and commitments we made months ago that we may not be as excited about as when we made them (what were we thinking when we said yes in the 1st place??)</div>
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So, in light of all of this, here are a few tips to keep your sanity:</div>
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<li><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Make time for yourself</b>. Whatever that may be: a walk on the beach, an hour at the gym, coffee with a friend, a long shower, a nice bath (see above) or simply reading a book, quietly.</span></li>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Remind yourself to <b>take a few deep breaths</b> and let go of all your tensions. </span><span style="color: #444444;">When you wake up, think of all of the good things that lay ahead of you before starting to get overwhelmed by all the things that are a burden. Breathe in and out deeply a few times and smile. Smiling will give you more energy by creating a positive mind frame. Before you go to sleep, get into a comfortable position, s</span><span style="color: #444444;">lacken you jaw, relax your forehead, close your eyes and breathe in deeply. Put your hands on top of each other over your belly button and do some deep belly breathing for a few minutes.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Get enough sleep</b>. No sleep = grumpy = I don't care = bad food & drink behaviors = grumpy</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Stay hydrated.</b> No one says you shouldn't enjoy that irresistible cocktail or glass of wine, but make sure you drink plenty of water along side it, and before you go to bed or you'll wake up in the middle of the night. Maybe not you 20 year olds out there, but for the rest of us. Yes, alcohol has a tendency to wake you up even if you fall asleep before your head hits the pillow.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Try to <b>exercise </b>regularly</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Eat well</b> so that when you don't, you don't feel as bad. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Get a <b>massage</b> or some <b>acupuncture</b> to relax you....</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Remember that <b>you too - matter</b>... </span><span style="color: #444444;">If you lose it, those around you will bear the brunt of it. So, learn to delegate and prioritize. What really matters? Will your life or that of someone else's be that much better off or worse off if you don't do something?</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Give thanks</b> - to yourself, for a job well done and all that you've accomplished to make the life of those around you better. And give thanks for all that you have. We are luckier than most.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">And last but not least: <b>Have some fun !</b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-23996127555242378072013-11-22T09:02:00.001-08:002013-11-22T09:02:41.936-08:00<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: skolar-1, skolar-2, Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: raleway-1, raleway-2, Raleway, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 100; line-height: 1.17; margin: 0px 70px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The Psoas: Muscle of The Soul</h1>
<div class="entry-meta" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; color: #8a8a8a; font-family: skolar-1, skolar-2, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.05em; line-height: 2.4em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2.4em; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="sep" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">POSTED ON </span><a href="http://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-psoas-muscle-of-the-soul/" rel="bookmark" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7:57 pm"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2011-03-23T19:57:56+00:00" pubdate="">MARCH 23, 2011</time></a><span class="byline" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="sep" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BY </span><span class="author vcard" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url fn n" href="http://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com/author/danellapomme/" rel="author" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts by Danielle Prohom Olson">DANIELLE PROHOM OLSON</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="byline" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">body divine yoga</span></div>
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<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-psoas-muscle-of-the-soul/#comments" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 0px; color: #1963cb; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 2.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0.15em 0.1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Comment on The Psoas: Muscle of The Soul">122</a></div>
</header><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: skolar-1, skolar-2, Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 1.615em 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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I was delighted when I first came across <a href="http://www.coreawareness.com/about/" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Liz Koch’s</a> amazing work because it confirmed much of what I’d been intuiting on my own. I had begun to open and close my yoga practise with hip opening poses with the specific intention of releasing tension in my psoas and hip flexors. I’d breathe and imagine tension flowing out of constricted muscles to be released as energy into the torso.</div>
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It worked, I’d feel my body soften yet somehow grow stronger.</div>
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Reading Liz Koch I instantly realized what I was doing – by learning to relax my psoas I was literally energizing my deepest core by reconnecting with the powerful energy of the earth. According to Koch, the psoas is far more than a core stabilizing muscle; it is an organ of perception composed of bio-intelligent tissue and “literally embodies our deepest urge for survival, and more profoundly, our elemental desire to flourish.”</div>
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Well, I just had to learn more. Here is just a sprinkling of the <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/170" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">research </a>that Liz Koch and others have uncovered regarding the importance of the psoas to our health, vitality and emotional well-being.</div>
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<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/psoas52.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-301" src="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/psoas52.jpg?w=257&h=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 1.615em; margin-top: 0.5em; max-width: 99.25%; padding: 1px;" title="psoas5" /></a>The Psoas muscle (pronounced so-as) is the deepest muscle of the human body affecting our structural balance, muscular integrity, flexibility, strength, range of motion, joint mobility, and organ functioning.</div>
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Growing out of both sides of the spine, the psoas spans laterally from the 12th thoracic vertebrae (T12) to each of the 5 lumbar vertebrae. From there it flows down through the abdominal core, the pelvis, to attach to the top of the femur (thigh) bone.</div>
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The Psoas is the only ‘muscle’ to connect the spine to the legs. It is responsible for holding us upright, and allows us to lift our legs in order to walk. A healthily functioning psoas stabilizes the spine and provides support through the trunk, forming a shelf for the vital organs of the abdominal core.</div>
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The psoas is connected to the diaphragm through connective tissue or fascia which affects both our breath and fear reflex. This is because the psoas is directly linked to the re<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/reptilebrain2.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-296" src="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/reptilebrain2.jpg?w=560" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 1.615em; margin-top: 0.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 1px;" title="reptilebrain" /></a>ptilian brain, the most ancient interior part of the brain stem and spinal cord. As Koch writes “Long before the spoken word or the organizing capacity of the cortex developed, the reptilian brain, known for its survival instincts, maintained our essential core functioning.”</div>
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Koch believes that our fast paced modern lifestyle (which runs on the adrenaline of our sympathetic nervous system) chronically triggers and tightens the psoas – making it literally ready to run or fight. The psoas helps you to spring into action – or curl you up into a protective ball.</div>
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If we constantly contract the psoas to due to stress or tension , the muscle eventually begins to shorten leading to a host of painful conditions including low back pain, sacroiliac pain, sciatica, disc problems, spondylolysis, scoliosis, hip degeneration, knee pain, menstruation pain, infertility, and digestive problems.</div>
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<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/psoas21.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-297 alignright" height="157" src="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/psoas21.jpg?w=300&h=157" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 1.615em; margin-top: 0.5em; max-width: 99.25%; padding: 1px;" title="psoas2" width="300" /></a>A tight psoas not only creates structural problems, it constricts the organs, puts pressure on nerves, interferes with the movement of fluids, and impairs diaphragmatic breathing.</div>
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In fact, “The psoas is so intimately involved in such basic physical and emotional reactions, that a chronically tightened psoas continually signals your body that you’re in danger, eventually exhausting the adrenal glands and depleting the immune system.”</div>
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And according to Koch, this situation is exacerbated by many things in our modern lifestyle, from car seats to constrictive clothing, from chairs to shoes that distort our posture, curtail our natural movements and further constrict our psoas.</div>
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Koch believes the first step in cultivating a healthy psoas is to release unnecessary tension. But “to work <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">with</em> the psoas is not to try to control the muscle, but to cultivate the awareness necessary for sensing its messages. This involves making a conscious choice to become somatically aware.”</div>
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<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/dakini3.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-668" src="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/dakini3.jpg?w=560" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 1.615em; margin-top: 0.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 1px;" title="dakini" /></a> A relaxed psoas is the mark of play and creative expression. Instead of the contracted psoas, ready to run or fight, the relaxed and released psoas is ready instead to lengthen and open, to dance. In many yoga poses (like tree) the thighs can’t fully rotate outward unless the psoas releases. A released psoas allows the front of the thighs to lengthen and the leg to move independently from the pelvis, enhancing and deepening the lift of the entire torso and heart.</div>
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Koch believes that by cultivating a healthy psoas, we can rekindle our body’s vital energies by learning to reconnect with the life force of the universe. Within the Taoist tradition the psoas is spoken of as the seat or muscle of the soul, and sur<a href="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/dantien1.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #1963cb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-474 alignright" src="http://bodydivineyoga.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/dantien1.jpg?w=560" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 1.615em; margin-top: 0.5em; max-width: 100%; padding: 1px;" title="dantien" /></a>rounds the lower “Dan tien” a major energy center of body. A flexible and strong psoas grounds us and allows subtle energies to flow through the bones, muscles and joints.</div>
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Koch writes “The psoas, by conducting energy, grounds us to the earth, just as a grounding wire prevents shocks and eliminates static on a radio. Freed and grounded, the spine can awaken”…“ As gravitational flows transfer weight through bones, tissue, and muscle, into the earth, the earth rebounds, flowing back up the legs and spine, energizing, coordinating and animating posture, movement and expression. It is an uninterrupted conversation between self, earth, and cosmos.”</div>
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So, it might be worth it, next time you practice, to tune in and pay attention to what your bio-intelligent psoas has to say.</div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-25761451173166831172013-10-19T04:46:00.001-07:002013-10-19T04:46:49.121-07:00Prevention goes a long way to keep colds at Bay...<div id="content">
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<img alt="The Dr. Oz Show" height="90" src="http://s.doctoroz.com/sites/all/themes/droz/images/small-logo.png" width="153" /> </h1>
<h1 class="title">
An Acupuncturist Can Help Keep Your Cold at Bay</h1>
‘Tis the season for colds and the flu, but luckily we have
ways in which we can boost our immune systems to ward off illness.
Acupuncture is oftentimes thought of as a pain-relieving treatment, but
did you know it could also help to naturally boost your immune system?<br />
<br />
Acupuncture,
a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used for
thousands of years to help enhance the immune system. As an
acupuncturist, I assess the health and well-being of my patients much
differently than my Western Medical counterparts. I think in abstract
concepts, as I look for imbalances of Qi (pronounced “chee,” which is
loosely translated as vital energy) as it pertains to the universal
principles of Yin and Yang.<br />
<br />
Qi takes on many forms in
our body, one of which is called “Wei Qi,” or “Defensive Qi,” better
known as our immune system here in the West. The main function of Wei Qi
is to protect the body from external pathogens that can make us sick.
When our Wei Qi is strong, our bodies can easily ward off illness.<br />
<br />
From
a TCM perspective, your body could potentially go through six stages of
sickness when you catch a cold. Depending on where you are in the
progression of your cold will determine where I insert hair-thin needles
to help boost your immune system, helping your body to strengthen
itself so you can feel well again.<br />
<br />
Conventional medicine
has begun paying closer attention to acupuncture as there have been
numerous research studies explaining the complex mechanism of action it
has on the body.<br />
<br />
Most recently, scientists have been
able to determine the role acupuncture plays in boosting the body’s
immune system by enhancing the production of natural killer cells, which
is the primary defense mechanism against organisms that make us sick.
It also acts on a complex immune building system that regulates white
blood cells directly linked to the fight against infections, allergic
reactions, and even autoimmune disorders.<br />
<br />
For patients
who are seeking to boost their immune system to protect them from
getting sick, oftentimes a multidisciplinary approach is best.
Acupuncture can easily be incorporated into your conventional treatment
plan, working in tandem with your physician.<br />
<br />
You do not
have to wait until you are sick to benefit from the immune-boosting
benefits of acupuncture. You can begin regular acupuncture visits now as
part of your preventative regime to ward off colds and the flu.
Optimally, several acupuncture treatments are needed for the body to
respond, and “tune up” visits would be beneficial until cold and flu
season is over.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in a natural way
to boost your immune system, you may want to consider an integrative
treatment option like acupuncture.<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-77046832588221813372013-10-19T04:44:00.001-07:002013-10-19T04:44:26.245-07:00<br />
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<h1 class="title">
<img alt="" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2013/03/19/100569875-man-meditating-sunset-gettyp.240x160.jpg?v=1363721357" title="" /> </h1>
<h1 class="title">
Severe Ski Accident Spurs Aetna CEO to Bring Yoga to Work</h1>
<div class="tags">
SMALL BUSINESS, AETNA INC, BUSINESS NEWS
</div>
<div class="source">
</div>
<div class="datestamp">
CNBC.com | Tuesday, 19 Mar 2013 | 4:02 PM ET </div>
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<br />
Faced with a lifetime on painkillers and long-term disability following a near-death experience while skiing, <a class="inline_quotes" data-gdsid="8567" data-inline-quote-symbol="AET" href="http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/AET">Aetna's</a>
CEO embarked on a quest to improve his life through nontraditional
remedies, including yoga. After making nearly a full recovery, he sought
to apply similar techniques to the stressed-out workplace.<br />
<br />
"When you read the literature, the literature says you need to be active
at work, you need to have a purpose, and so I wanted to get back to
work, but I couldn't do it on the seven different drugs, most of which
were narcotics, that I was taking every day to try and control my pain,"
said Mark Bertolini, chairman and chief executive at Aetna, on CNBC
Tuesday.<br />
</div>
<div class="group">
<br />
To heal his neuropathy, or nerve damage,
he turned to alternative treatments, including <i><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>acupuncture, yoga and
naturopathy</b></u></span></i>, a form of alternative medicine based on a belief in
vitalism. This drug-less cocktail now enables him to live in a
relatively pain-free world.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(<em>Read More: </em><a class="inline_asset" data-nodeid="100554115" href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100554115">How Some Companies Keep Employees Healthy</a>) </span><br />
<br />
<strong>Not 'Voodoo Medicine'</strong><br /> <br />
After realizing that such methods were not "voodoo medicine," he
wondered what would happen if yoga and mindfulness were applied to the
workforce.<br />
<br />
To prove the effectiveness of these practices at
work, Aetna collaborated with eMindful and the American Viniyoga
Institute to craft a 12-week study, during which Aetna employees
practiced alternative techniques to reduce stress as measured by
cortisol levels and heart-rate variability. <br />
"And of course, the
rumor running around this place was, well, because Mark does yoga now
we're all going to do yoga," Bertolini said. <br />
Companies have a vested interest in lowering employees' stress, and as a result their bottom lines too. <br />
"When employees are in the highest quintile of stress, their health
care costs are $2,000 a year on average higher than the average
employee," he said. <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(<em>Read More</em>: <a class="inline_asset" data-nodeid="100533118" href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100533118">Who's Hiring: Health Care, Yes; Wall Street, No</a>) </span><br />
<br />
<strong>Lower Stress, Higher Productivity</strong><br />
Stress also impacts their ability to fight and resist illness and lowers their productivity. <br />
"We saw dramatic drops in stress after the program was over, and we
saw a 69-minute gain in productivity of our employees over a year," he
added. <br />
The increased productivity along with reduced
health-care costs and lowered employee stress yielded an 11-to-1 return
on the program's investments, Bertolini said, which added up to a
savings of about $3,000 per employees per year. <br />
"The other part
that we couldn't measure that I think is far more important is being
present in the work environment, and by being present making better
decisions for the organization and those decisions depending on where
you are in the company take a longer time to have an impact, and we'll
see that over time" he added.<br />
<br />
Following the study's success,
Aetna has opened up its stress-management programs to the insurance
company's customers and their employees.<br />
<br />
<em>— Written by CNBC's Katie Little. Follow her on Twitter <a class="inline_asset" data-nodeid="100285839" href="https://twitter.com/KatieLittle" target="_blank">@Katie_Little_</a></em><br /> </div>
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URL: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/100569740">http://www.cnbc.com/100569740</a><br />
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-7639131941345745252013-10-19T04:32:00.001-07:002013-10-19T04:32:31.676-07:00Driftwood Acupuncture & Wellness WINS for best Alternative Medicine !!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-16712096172277249902013-09-25T08:17:00.000-07:002013-09-25T08:17:09.387-07:00<div class="heading_single" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: OpenSans, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine strongly protect us from colds and flu</h1>
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By <a href="http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/author/melissa-sokulski-natrualnews-com/" rel="author" style="border: 0px; color: #26169b; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melissa Sokulski</a>, www.Natrualnews.com | September 12, 2013<div class="last-modified" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; float: right; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Last Updated: September 12, 2013 11:48 am</div>
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Cold and flu season is upon us. Traditional Chinese Medicine has effective time-tested techniques which boost immunity and protect us from colds or the flu. Points can be needled and herbal formulas can be given to balance the body’s energy, strengthen the body and even speed recovery if one does come down with symptoms.</div>
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In Chinese medicine colds and flu are considered to be an external pathogen invading the body. When our body`s energy, or <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi,</span> is strong we are able to fight off these pathogens. If our <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi </span>is weak we come down with symptoms of cold and flu: headache, chills, fever, body aches, cough, and sore throat.</div>
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To keep our <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi </span>strong and prevent colds and flu it is important to:</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eat a healthy diet full of fresh raw fruits and vegetables.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cut out white and brown sugar, and corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup – all of which lower our immunity.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wash hands frequently with regular soap and water.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get outside in fresh air exposing your face to sunshine. It may be wise to supplement with vitamin D3 this time of year.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Receive acupuncture treatments which strengthen the <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi</span> and balance energy.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Choose herbal medicine, supplements and nourishing food to keep immunity strong.</li>
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It is important to make sure all meridians are balanced to keep the energy flowing smoothly and our immunity strong. Immunity relates especially to the earth and metal elements which show up in the pulse as the spleen and lung meridians.</div>
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An acupuncturist will often use points such as <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stomach 36</span> to keep the energy strong and <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spleen 6</span> to make sure food is digested properly and nutrients are absorbed and turned into vital energy.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Large Intestine 11</span> is a powerful immune point. <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Large Intestine 4 </span>and <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Triple Warmer 5 </span>are often used to help the body push pathogens out. <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lung 7 </span>combined with <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Large Intestine 4</span> strengthens the body`s defense against pathogens.</div>
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Often the earth and metal points on the back (<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bladder 13</span> and <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bladder 20</span>) are needled to harmonize the body`s energy and strengthen immunity.</div>
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In terms of herbal medicine:</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Astragalus is an excellent immune tonic.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Medicinal mushrooms such as Reishi and Maitake can boost the immune system especially if compromised.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Four Gentlemen Formula is a classic <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/Chinese.html" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Chinese</span></a> h</span>erb formula to keep the <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi</span> strong.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang</span> is a combination of ginseng, astragalus, and other herbs used to strengthen <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qi</span>.</li>
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If someone comes down with symptoms of the flu the treatment switches to formulas which expel the pathogen:</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yin Qiao</span> contains cooling detoxifying herbs such as forsythia and honeysuckle. It is used with symptoms of sore throat, headache, and a yellow tongue coat.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gan Mao Ling</span> is used when in the midst of a bad cold or flu especially with head and body aches.</li>
</ul>
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Acupuncture and <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/Chinese_medicine.html" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chinese medicine</a> have been around for thousands of years successfully treating many disorders including colds and flu.</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Originally published by <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.naturalnews.com</a> and republished with permission</em><br />Learn more: <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/031540_influenza_Chinese_Medicine.html#ixzz2egYYYn1h" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.naturalnews.com/031540_influenza_Chinese_Medicine.ht</a></div>
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-86798077367116642962013-09-25T08:00:00.003-07:002013-09-25T08:00:43.100-07:00<div class="post-meta" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px !important; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="date" style="border: 0px; color: #c14545; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">JULY 2, 2013 </span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">by</span> <span class="author" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://positivemed.com/author/sarah13599/" rel="author" style="border: 0px; color: #c14545; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Posts by PositiveMed">POSITIVEMED</a></span></div>
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12 Signs of Depression in Men</h3>
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Did you know more than 5 million men in the U.S. alone experience depression each year?</div>
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Clinical depression can cause sadness and a loss of interest in once pleasurable activities. While the symptoms used to diagnose depression are the same regardless of gender, often the chief complaint can be different between men and women.</div>
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<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/05/20/8-foods-that-fight-fatigue/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="8 Foods That Fight Fatigue">Fatigue</a>:</div>
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People who are depressed undergo a series of physical and emotional changes. They can experience fatigue, as well as psychomotor retardation, or a slowing down of physical movements, speech, and thought processes.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/06/25/9-foods-that-help-you-sleep-well/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9 Foods That Help You Sleep Well">Sleeping too much or too little</a><br />Sleep problems such as insomnia, waking up very early in the morning, or excessive sleeping are common depression symptoms.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/07/02/14-natural-remedies-for-back-pain/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="14 Natural Remedies For Back Pain">Stomachache or backache</a><br />Health problems such as constipation or <a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/06/12/natural-home-remedies-for-diarrhea/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Natural Home Remedies for Diarrhea">diarrhea</a>, and/or headaches and back pain, are common in people who are depressed.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/07/02/12-ways-to-prevent-dry-skin-with-natural-treatments/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="12 Ways to Prevent Dry Skin With Natural Treatments">Irritability</a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Instead of seeming down, men who are depressed often show signs of irritability. Often talk about an emotional component, as well as negative thoughts are a common aspect of depression.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/03/17/brain-food-for-cognition/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Food for Brain Cognition">Difficulty concentrating</a><br />Psychomotor retardation can slow down a man’s ability to process information, thereby impairing concentration on work or other tasks.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/12-Signs-of-Depression-in-Men-.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="12 Signs of Depression in Men" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-23043" height="360" src="http://positivemed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/12-Signs-of-Depression-in-Men-.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/06/06/how-to-treat-anxiety-naturally/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="How to Treat Anxiety Naturally">Anger or hostility</a><br />Some men manifest depression by being hostile, angry, or aggressive. A man who realizes something is wrong may need to compensate by demonstrating that he is still strong and capable.<br />Stress</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Men might be more likely to report symptoms of depression as stress. It’s not that they have more stress, it’s that it’s more socially acceptable to report it.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2013/06/06/how-to-treat-anxiety-naturally/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="How to Treat Anxiety Naturally">Anxiety</a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
There is a strong link between anxiety disorders and depression. Men may be no more likely than women to experience anxiety, in fact, anxiety disorders are about twice as prevalent in women but it’s often easier for men to talk about feeling anxious rather than sad.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Substance abuse</strong><br />Substance abuse frequently accompanies depression. Research has shown that alcoholics are almost twice as likely to suffer from major depression as people without a drinking problem.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://positivemed.com/2012/06/05/your-brain-on-sex/" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Your Brain On Sex">Sexual dysfunction</a><br />Depression is a common reason for loss of desire and erectile dysfunction, and its one symptom that men are inclined not to report. Performance problems can come from depression and make depression worse.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indecision</strong><br />Some people naturally have a hard time making decisions, so an inability to make choices is usually worrisome only if it’s a new behavior</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Suicidal thoughts</strong><br />Women are more likely to attempt suicide, but men are more than four times as likely to die if they do attempt suicide. One reason is that men tend to choose more lethal methods.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Source <a href="http://health.yahoo.net/articles/mental-health/photos/12-signs-depression-men#12" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://health.yahoo.net/articles/mental-health/photos/12-signs-depression-men#12</a>Visited (64175) times!</div>
</div>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-6651956449445411052013-07-31T18:31:00.001-07:002013-07-31T18:55:43.820-07:00How to talk to your daughter or son about his or her changing body....<div class="data center georgia_12 margin_top_7 color_666666" data-beacon="{"p":{"mnid":"logo","mlid":"masthead"}}" id="logo">
July 31, 2013 <br />
<h1 class="margin_top_7">
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How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Body
</h1>
<div class="comments_datetime_new border_none relative v05" data-beacon="{"p":{"mnid":"entryByline"}}">
<span class="arial_11 color_696969">Posted: 07/30/2013 5:33 pm</span>
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<div class="fb-like fb_edge_widget_with_comment fb_iframe_widget" data-action="recommend" data-colorscheme="light" data-font="arial" data-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-koppelkam/body-image_b_3678534.html" data-layout="standard" data-send="false" data-show-faces="false" data-width="450" style="width: 450px;">
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How to talk to your daughter about her body, step one: Don't
talk to your daughter about her body, except to teach her how it works.<br />
<br />
Don't say anything if she's lost weight. Don't say anything if she's gained weight.<br />
<br />
If you think your daughter's body looks amazing, don't say that. Here are some things you can say instead:<br />
"You look so healthy!" is a great one.<br />
<br />
Or how about, "You're looking so strong."<br />
<br />
"I can see how happy you are -- you're glowing."<br />
<br />
Better yet, compliment her on something that has nothing to do with her body.<br />
<br />
Don't comment on other women's bodies either. Nope. Not a single comment, not a nice one or a mean one.<br />
<br />
Teach her about kindness towards others, but also kindness towards yourself.<br />
<br />
Don't you dare talk about how much you hate your body in front of
your daughter, or talk about your new diet.<br />
<br />
In fact, don't go on a diet
in front of your daughter.<br />
<br />
Buy healthy food. Cook healthy meals.<br />
<br />
But
don't say, "I'm not eating carbs right now."<br />
Your daughter should never
think that carbs are evil, because shame over what you eat only leads to
shame about yourself.<br />
<br />
Encourage your daughter to run because it makes her feel less
stressed.<br />
<br />
Encourage your daughter to climb mountains because there is
nowhere better to explore your spirituality than the peak of the
universe.<br />
<br />
Encourage your daughter to surf, or rock climb, or mountain
bike because it scares her and that's a good thing sometimes.<br />
<br />
<br />
Help your daughter love soccer or rowing or hockey because sports
make her a better leader and a more confident woman.<br />
<br />
Explain that no
matter how old you get, you'll never stop needing good teamwork.<br />
<br />
Never
make her play a sport she isn't absolutely in love with.<br />
<br />
Prove to your daughter that women don't need men to move their furniture.<br />
<br />
Teach your daughter how to cook kale.<br />
<br />
Teach your daughter how to bake chocolate cake made with six sticks of butter.<br />
<br />
Pass on your own mom's recipe for Christmas morning coffee cake. Pass on your love of being outside.<br />
<br />
Maybe you and your daughter both have thick thighs or wide ribcages.<br />
<br />
It's easy to hate these non-size zero body parts.<br />
<br />
Don't. Tell your
daughter that with her legs she can run a marathon if she wants to, and
her ribcage is nothing but a carrying case for strong lungs.<br />
<br />
She can
scream and she can sing and she can lift up the world, if she wants.<br />
<br />
Remind your daughter that the best thing she can do with her body is to use it to mobilize her beautiful soul.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>This post originally appeared on <a href="http://hopeave.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/how-to-talk-to-your-daughter-about-her-body/" target="_hplink">hopeave.wordpress.com</a>.</i><br />
<i></i>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-540161548300025962013-07-15T08:26:00.003-07:002013-07-15T08:26:50.252-07:00<div class="entry large clearfix" id="entry_12345">
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Regular Sex Can Make You Look 7 Years Younger, Scientist Says </h1>
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<img alt="sex look younger" class="pinit" id="img_caption_3586435" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1240489/thumbs/r-SEX-LOOK-YOUNGER-large570.jpg?6" width="570" /> </h1>
<div class="comments_datetime_new border_none relative v05" data-beacon="{"p":{"mnid":"entryByline"}}">
<b>The Huffington Post</b>
|
By <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cavan-sieczkowski" rel="author">Cavan Sieczkowski</a>
<span class="follow-author-mini"></span>
<span class="posted-and-updated" style="display: block;">
Posted: <span itemprop="datePublished">07/12/2013 12:16 pm EDT</span></span><span class="posted-and-updated" style="display: block;"><span itemprop="datePublished"> </span>
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Expensive creams, painful facials and surgical procedures
might all be for nought. A new study claims a healthy sex life is the
real secret to looking younger.<br />
<br />
Exploratory research conducted by Dr. David Weeks, a British
consultant clinical psychologist and former head of old age psychology
at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, says <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/10161279/Sex-is-the-secret-to-looking-younger-claims-researcher.html" target="_hplink">regular sex can make both men and women look five to seven years younger</a>,
the Telegraph reported earlier this month. Intercourse causes the
release of the human growth hormone, which makes skin look more elastic,
among other biological reactions.<br />
<br />
The 58-year-old has spent 10 years quizzing thousands of men and
women of all ages, the Daily Mail notes. Respondents between the ages of
40 and 50 <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2356548/How-lots-lovemaking-makes-look-seven-years-younger-actual-age.html?ito=feeds-newsxml" target="_hplink">who looked younger reported having sex 50 percent more</a> often, amounting to three times per week as opposed to two. <br />
Weeks says pleasure from the act is a "crucial factor" in preserving youth.<br />
<br />
While speaking with the British Psychological Society in May, Weeks explained <a href="http://www.bps.org.uk/news/benefits-sexual-activity-later-life" target="_hplink">sex might not only make someone look younger</a>, but it could also prolong one's lifespan.<br />
<br />
"[T]he quality of sexual expression maintained in older adults is a
predictor of good general health and well-being," he said. "In a Welsh
heart disease study from 1997, the mortality risk was 50 per cent lower
in the group of men with high orgasmic frequency (twice a week or more)
than in the group with low frequency."<br />
<br />
“Sexual satisfaction is a major contributor to quality of life,
ranking at least as high as spiritual or religious commitment and other
morale factors, so more positive attitudes towards mature sex should be
vigorously promoted," he added. “Sexuality is not the prerogative of
younger people and nor should it be.”<br />
<br />
Back in 1999, Weeks found <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/294119.stm" target="_hplink">regular sex came in only second</a>
to physical and mental activity as factors most important for retaining
youth. At the time, he noted loving intercourse with a consistent
partner was the most beneficial.<br />
<br />
"Casual sex would bring a lot of the detrimental things to staying
youthful such as anxiety and the absence of security. Both those things
are associated with a loss of youth," he told the BBC.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/reasons-to-have-sex-burning-calories_n_2599103.html" target="_hplink">Benefits relating to sex</a>
have long been documented (and celebrated) over the years. Thinking
about doing the deed can lead to better critical thinking performance.
It can reduce pain, decrease stress and boost immunity. Practitioners of
bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/bdsm-better-mental-health-study_n_3390676.html" target="_hplink">(BDSM) have been shown to have better mental health</a> than those less kinky. <br />
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-65049591258663946082013-06-25T16:15:00.000-07:002013-06-25T16:15:42.698-07:00Wanna look refreshed and glowy? A safe alternative to Botox, face lifts or peels....And NO, I don't use that many needles...!<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>'Cosmetic' acupuncture is the newest weapon in the anti-ageing war, but can it really give you a facelift? Or does it just leave you with pins and needles? </b></span></span><br />
<br />
By
<a class="author" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Frances+Childs" rel="nofollow">Frances Childs</a><br />
<span class="article-timestamp">
<strong>PUBLISHED:</strong>
18:23 EST, 23 June 2013
</span>
|
<span class="article-timestamp">
<strong>UPDATED:</strong>
19:23 EST, 23 June 2013</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Out of the corner of my left eye, I can see the red tip of a long needle protruding rather alarmingly from my cheek.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">If
I look down I can see another needle, this one stuck into my chin, and I
daren't move my head in case I dislodge or snap off the needles
sticking out of the top of my head and both temples.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">I
resemble a human pin cushion. I am lying in a pristine white room in a
clinic in central London, only just daring to watch as acupuncturist
Samara Reid gently taps super-fine, sharp needles into my flesh. It
doesn't hurt, there's just a slight tingle as each of the 25 needles
sinks in.</span><br />
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</div>
<div class="artSplitter">
<img alt="Needle work: Frances underwent facial acupuncture to improve the quality of her skin" class="blkBorder" height="406" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/23/article-2347033-1A61E358000005DC-435_634x406.jpg" width="634" />
<div class="imageCaption">
Needle work: Frances underwent facial acupuncture to improve the quality of her skin</div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Once Samara has finished, I lie still, reflecting on the fact that I've willingly subjected myself to this bizarre experience.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">I
am having facial acupuncture because, put simply, I am terribly vain
and at 44 I am becoming increasingly depressed about losing my looks.
The turning point came recently when an idiot on the train asked me to
move my son's bag. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The
man he thought was my son was a complete stranger of at least 30 years
old. I was already concerned about my drooping jaw line and deepening
crevices, but now I had confirmation that urgent action was required. If
I did nothing, I'd soon be mistaken for my seven-year-old's grandma!</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'That's
it. I'm having Botox,' I later wailed to my friend Lisa, who has a
suspiciously taut face. She looked shocked, but not, alas, at the idea
that my face needed a bit of strategic intervention. </span>
<br />
<div class="relatedItemsTopBorder">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Botox is so passé. Facial
acupuncture is where it's at,' she told me, confiding that regular
sessions keep her looking rejuvenated. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Cosmetic'
acupuncture is the latest weapon in the anti-ageing war, and a
favourite among stars such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and
Jennifer Aniston.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Like
me, these A-listers are past the first flush of youth. Unlike me, they
have glowing, smooth, impossibly perfect complexions.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Samara
Reid, who has been a facial acupuncturist for more than two decades,
says there has been a rise in those wanting the treatment in recent
months.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'It's
driven by a fear of fillers and Botox,' she says. 'Clients are looking
for natural solutions to the ageing process. People don't really want to
inject poison into their faces.'</span><br />
<div class="clear">
</div>
<div class="artSplitter">
<div class="splitLeft">
<img alt="Before..." class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/23/article-2347033-1A61E102000005DC-4_306x423.jpg" width="306" />
</div>
<div class="splitRight">
<img alt="...and after (three sessions)" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/23/article-2347033-1A7184E1000005DC-539_306x423.jpg" width="306" />
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<div class="clear">
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<div class="imageCaption">
Before and after: Frances looks fresher after undergoing three sessions of acupuncture</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Practitioners claim acupuncture can
reduce wrinkles, eliminate fine lines, lift sagging skin and improve
skin colour and texture. Its effects last for about three months, and it
only takes about 45 minutes. What's not to like?</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Acupuncture
is a form of ancient Chinese medicine in which fine needles are
inserted into the skin at certain points on the body. It originated more
than 2,000 years ago, and is used to treat everything from backache to
migraines and fertility problems. Some acupuncture - though not cosmetic
- is even funded by the NHS.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">But how can sticking needles into the skin improve our faces? </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Samara
explains that when needles are inserted at pressure points, energy and
endorphins are released. This minor trauma improves blood flow and
stimulates cell re-growth.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'We
put needles in at vortex points where energy is travelling to and from
organs along lines we call meridians,' she explains. 'When energy flows
more efficiently, circulation is improved, helping the body rejuvenate.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Traumatising
the skin by inserting tiny needles will also encourage the production
of healing collagen, the protein which the body uses to keep the skin
youthful and elastic.'</span><br />
<div class="floatRHS">
<br style="color: #d42699; font-weight: bold;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #d42699; font-weight: bold;">'</span></span><span style="color: #d42699; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I look in the mirror, I am
pleasantly surprised. I can't say my face looks younger, but it
definitely has a glow which it lacked before.'</span></span></div>
<div class="floatRHS">
<span style="color: #d42699; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">It certainly sounds convincing. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">When
I arrive at the Hale Clinic, my nerves swell into full-blown panic when
Samara tells me to remove my shoes and tights. 'But I'm having a
facial!' I protest. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Samara
says she works on the whole body, not just the face. I tell her that I
hate my feet, but Samara insists she needs access to them as the feet
and hands contain the calming and cleansing meridians, and before she
can work on my face these must be activated.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Come
on. I've seen worse,' she says encouragingly, before tapping a needle
between my big toe and the one next to it. It doesn't hurt, though once
the needles are in I can feel a faint tingling sensation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">One
by one, she inserts ten needles in my feet, legs, and hands before
putting 15 more into my face, head and temples. The experience makes me
slightly queasy. But then, suddenly, I relax.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Samara
explains: 'The needles between your toes increase blood flow around
your body. They target the kidneys and cleanse the system.'</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The needles in my legs will help the
energy flow to my digestive system which is sluggish, she adds. This
accounts, in part, for my grey complexion. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span>
<div class="floatRHS">
<img alt="Ancient heritage: Over 2,000 years old, acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that treats everything from backache to migraines and fertility problems" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/24/article-2347033-1A7933AA000005DC-659_306x423.jpg" width="306" />
<div class="imageCaption">
Ancient heritage: Over 2,000 years old,
acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that treats everything from
backache to migraines and fertility problems</div>
<div class="imageCaption">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">I try to ignore the needles while
Samara taps them around my hair line, my mouth and between my eyebrows.
She explains that the blood flow and oxygen to these areas will be
increased. 'The skin will then plump out and regenerate,' Samara
promises.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">When
they're removed 30 minutes later I am slightly disoriented, as though
I've had a few gin and tonics. Apparently this is normal, the result of a
release of feel-good endorphins.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">When
I look in the mirror, I am pleasantly surprised. I can't say my face
looks younger, but it definitely has a glow which it lacked before. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Feeling
uncharacteristically relaxed, I head off into rush hour. Even an
hour-long train delay doesn't send me into my customary paroxysms of
fury. I simply smile beatifically. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The
next morning, I take a long, hard look at my face in the mirror. My
skin looks smoother and my complexion appears brighter. I've definitely
got more colour. But the most extraordinary change is that I feel
totally angst-free. For the first time in months, I haven't woken up
fretting. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">My second session is less daunting than the first, and even baring my feet feels like less of a challenge. </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The
session goes smoothly, I leave, and by 9pm that evening I can barely
keep my eyes open. I feel as though I've done a two-hour workout and
slope off to bed. I then have one of the best night's sleep I can ever
remember.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The unusual dreamy feeling stays with me days later. Even as I'm trying to hit a deadline past midnight I feel oddly carefree.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">After
three sessions, I can see a definite improvement. My skin is rosier and
clearer, my cheeks plumper. The lines around my mouth are less visible,
and my forehead unfurrowed. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">I look healthier, with a much better complexion than someone whose staple diet consists of doughnuts and coffee deserves.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Samara
recommends a further seven to ten sessions for maximum benefit. At £80 a
session, facial acupuncture isn't cheap, but compared to around £295
for Botox, it's worth it for the relaxation alone.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Meanwhile, I know I'll never again look like I did in my 20s, but I am at least rediscovering the carefree attitude of my youth.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-38922915038929493812013-06-13T07:58:00.000-07:002013-06-13T07:59:16.521-07:00You Ate It? Negate It! <div class="print-logo">
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</div>
<h2 class="title">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">You Ate It? Negate It! </span>Summer Indulgence Edition</h2>
<h2 class="subtitle">
Before you take a bite of your favorite treats, learn what you would have to do to burn off their calories</h2>
<div class="byline">
By Jessica Smith</div>
<div class="byline">
</div>
<div class="byline">
<div class="image-data">
<div class="images">
<div class="image">
<img alt="minutes to hike off calories in vanilla ice cream" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-01.jpg" title="1 Cup Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Cup Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
382 calories = 60 minutes hiking<br />
<i>*Calorie burn totals are based on a 140-pound woman and may vary based on fitness level, body composition, and exact intensity.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="BBQ Ribs" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-02.jpg" title="1/2 Rack Homemade BBQ Ribs " width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1/2 Rack Homemade BBQ Ribs </h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
450 calories = 85 minutes kayaking</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Beer" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-03.jpg" title="2 12-Ounce Beers" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
2 12-Ounce Beers</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
307 calories = 42 minutes jogging</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Sangria" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-04.jpg" title="1 Glass Sangria" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Glass Sangria</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
285 calories = 65 minutes doubles tennis</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Guacamole" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-05.jpg" title="14 Tortilla Chips and 1/4 Cup Guacamole" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
14 Tortilla Chips and 1/4 Cup Guacamole</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
400 calories = 35 minutes full-court basketball</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Potato Salad" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-06.jpg" title="1 Cup Homemade Potato Salad" width="420" /></div>
<div class="image-data">
<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Cup Homemade Potato Salad</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
358 calories = 60 minutes waterskiing</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Lobster Roll" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-07.jpg" title="1 Lobster Roll" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Lobster Roll</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
590 calories = 66 minutes mountain biking</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Frappuccino" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-08.jpg" title="Grande Starbucks Hazelnut Frappuccino with Whole Milk and Whipped Cream" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
Grande Starbucks Hazelnut Frappuccino with Whole Milk and Whipped Cream</h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
390 calories = 50 minutes Zumba</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Funnel Cake" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-09.jpg" title="1 Funnel Cake" width="420" /></div>
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<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Funnel Cake</h2>
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760 calories = 75 minutes hardcore racquetball</div>
</div>
<div class="image">
<img alt="Fried Chicken" class="imagecache imagecache-gallery_full_image" height="420" src="http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/imagecache/gallery_full_image/photo_gallery_picture_images/ate-negate-10.jpg" title="1 Kentucky Fried Chicken Original Recipe Chicken Breast " width="420" /></div>
<div class="image-data">
<div class="title">
<h2 class="node-title">
1 Kentucky Fried Chicken Original Recipe Chicken Breast </h2>
</div>
<div class="description">
360 calories = 41 minutes Ultimate Frisbee</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-74246064496917578062013-06-04T17:48:00.000-07:002013-06-04T17:56:50.564-07:00The debate between Gua Sha and Graston Technique....both have their place, is my conclusion<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 996px;"><tbody>
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<h1 align="left">
<i>Gua Sha</i>: Another Form of Mechanical Load</h1>
<div id="by">
By Warren Hammer, MS, DC, DABCO</div>
<div id="by">
<br /></div>
Every technique that creates compression or tensile stretch to soft
tissue creates a mechanical load that is necessary for tissue change. <b><i><a href="http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/abc/" target="_blank">Gua sha</a></i>
</b> represents another form of mechanical load on soft tissue that claims
healing results and, like all other soft-tissue methods, begs for
research to prove its value.
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Arya Nielsen, PhD, adjunct faculty in the Department of Integrative Medicine at New York Beth Israel Medical Center, <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.healthandhealingny.org/" target="_blank">Continuum Center for Health & Healing</a>, and a strong proponent of <i>gua sha</i>, wrote an interesting article in the January 2009 issue of the <i>Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (JBMT)</i>.1 </span><br />
She states that often the literature incorrectly describes the results of <i>gua sha</i> as causing battery trauma, bruising, burns, dermatitis, pseudo bleeding and even hematoma.<br />
<br />
Although <i>gua</i> means to "scrape" or "scratch" in Chinese, the skin always remains intact and there are no abrasions. <i>Sha</i>
represents the "transient therapeutic petechiae." The extravasated
blood appears as red macula and fades to ecchymosis immediately,
blending into an ecchymotic patch. The scraping reveals blood stasis and
its use removes blood stagnation that is considered pathogenic, thereby
promoting normal circulation and metabolic processes. <i>Gua sha</i> lets blood from the tissue and <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gua-Sha-Traditional-Technique-Practice/dp/044305181X" target="_blank">is not let from the skin</a>.<sup>2</sup></span><br />
<br />
This method originated in Asia and is used today in East Asian medicine and <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/" target="_blank">by acupuncturists</a>.
Nielsen mentions its use for colds, flu, fever, heatstroke, asthma,
bronchitis and emphysema, as well as musculoskeletal problems including
fibromyalgia to severe strain. Improving blood stasis and <i>sha</i> may even be significant in asymptomatic subjects who are considered healthy.</span><br />
A recent study using laser Doppler imaging was used to make sequential measurements of the microcirculation of surface tissue <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17905355" target="_blank">before and after <i>gua sha</i> treatment</a><sup>3</sup>
in order to relieve pain. </span><br />
<br />
The result was a fourfold increase in
microcirculation for the first 7.5 minutes following treatment and a
significant increase in surface microcirculation during the entire 25
minutes of the study period following treatment. There was a decrease in
myalgia not only locally but also in sites distal to the treated areas.
The authors stated that the distal area of relief was not due to a
distal increase in microcirculation and asserted, "There is an
unidentified pain-relieving biomechanism associated with <i>gua sha</i>."<br />
Recent
theories based on tensegrity and the fascial continuum help to explain
distal results from localized mechanical load. Ingber, who has written
much on <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9074778" target="_blank">our tensegrity structure</a>,<sup>4</sup>
demonstrates how living cells and tissues sense and respond to
mechanical stresses and in the rearrangement of the structure become
mechanochemical transducers, whereby mechanical signals create chemical
responses affecting local and distal parts of our structure.</span><br />
Fibroblasts are the chief cell in the extracellular matrix and reproduce the extracellular matrix upon being loaded; <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15221410" target="_blank">it is thought by Langevin, et al.,</a><sup>5</sup>
that the existence of a cellular network of fibroblasts within loose
connective tissue may have considerable significance, as it may support
as-yet unknown bodywide cellular signaling systems. She states that
fascia may serve as a bodywide mechanosensitive signaling system with an
integrating function similar to the nervous system. Regarding <i>gua sha</i> and GT, increasing the microcirculation may stimulate platelets which release growth factors related to the healing of tissue.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Graston Technique (GT)</b> has been compared with <i>gua sha,</i> and I have even heard some say that GT adopted the <i>gua sha</i> concept. GT was initially used on a postsurgical knee. It is extremely doubtful that the discoverers were at all familiar with <i>gua sha,</i>
but even if they were, the GT application is significantly different.
GT research has been directed toward the musculoskeletal system and its
effect on various soft-tissue conditions. New studies are continually
appearing demonstrating how it may be affecting soft tissue. It has its
own protocol and uses instruments of different weights, shapes, and
sizes to conform to the bodily contours. Its stainless-steel vibratory
effect is used to detect restricted areas after functional tests are
performed to determine the involved location.<br />
<br />
While both
methods can create petechiae, the stroking is not performed in the same
manner. GT often achieves results without creating any petechiae at all.
GT uses at least seven types of strokes, while <i>gua sha</i> repeats a stroke in one direction about 4-6 inches long specifically to create "therapeutic" petechiae.<sup>1</sup><br />
A variety of instrument angulations and pressures may be used in GT depending upon the area of the body treated.<br />
<br />
Doctors
trained in both methods realize the vast differences. Both methods have
their place and there is some obvious overlap, but the differences
between the methods are significant. At present, all soft-tissue loading
methods are still in their infancy regarding research as to how they
affect our structure and function. <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_field_theory" target="_blank">Einstein referred to a unifying theory of the universe</a>. Hopefully, there might someday be one for soft tissue.</span><br />
<br />
<i>References </i><br />
<ol>
<li>Nielsen A. Gua sha research and the language of integrative medicine. <i><a href="http://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/" target="_blank">JBMT</a>, </i>January 2009<i>;</i>13,63-72.</li>
<li>Nielsen A. <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gua-Sha-Traditional-Technique-Practice/dp/044305181X" target="_blank">Gua Sha: A Traditional Technique for Modern Practice</a></i>. Edinburg: Churchill Livingstone, 2002.</li>
<li>Nielsen A, Knoblauch N, Dobos G, et al. <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.explorejournal.com/article/S1550-8307%2807%2900177-2/abstract" target="_blank">The effect of <i>gua sha</i> treatment on the microcirculation of surface tissue: a pilot study in healthy subjects</a>. <i>EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing</i>, September 2007;3(5):456-66.</span></li>
<li>Ingber DE. <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.physiol.59.1.575" target="_blank">Tensegrity: the architectural basis of cellular mechanotransduction</a>. <i>Ann Rev Physeal</i>, 1997;59:575-99.</span></li>
<li>Langevin H, Cornbrooks CJ, Taatjes DJ. <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15221410" target="_blank">Fibroblasts form a body-wide cellular network</a>. <i>Histochem Cell Biol</i>, 2004;122:7-15.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: black;"> A little Background:</span></b></span></u><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h1 class="firstHeading" id="firstHeading" lang="en">
<span dir="auto">Graston Technique</span></h1>
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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</div>
<div class="floatright">
<a class="image" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GrastonTechnique_shoulder-treat.jpg"><img alt="GrastonTechnique shoulder-treat.jpg" height="266" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/GrastonTechnique_shoulder-treat.jpg/320px-GrastonTechnique_shoulder-treat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="floatright">
<a class="image" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GT-Instruments_400pixelswide.jpg"><img alt="GT-Instruments 400pixelswide.jpg" height="160" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/GT-Instruments_400pixelswide.jpg/320px-GT-Instruments_400pixelswide.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Graston Technique</b> (GT) is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark" title="Trademark">trademarked</a> therapeutic method for diagnosing and treating disorders of the <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_muscles" title="Skeletal muscles">skeletal muscles</a> and related <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connective_tissue" title="Connective tissue">connective tissue</a>.
The method employs a collection of six stainless steel tools of
particular shape and size, which are used by practitioners to palpate
patients' bodies in order to detect and resolve <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesion_%28medicine%29" title="Adhesion (medicine)">adhesions</a> in the muscles and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendon" title="Tendon">tendons</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graston_Technique#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup>
Practitioners must be licensed by the parent corporation in order to
use the Graston Technique trademark or the patented instruments.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graston_Technique#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Criticism">Criticism</span> </h2>
The Graston Technique has not been rigorously scientifically tested
and its evidence basis and assumptions are considered questionable by
physician Harriet Hall.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graston_Technique#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
However several examples of Graston treatment have been tested in combat sports where scars and contusions are common.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graston_Technique#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>4</a></sup><br />
<br />
<h1 class="firstHeading" id="firstHeading" lang="en">
<span dir="auto">Gua Sha</span></h1>
<div id="siteSub">
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div>
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Gua Sha as practiced in Bali, Indonesia
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<a class="image" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gua_Sha.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="150" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Gua_Sha.jpg/220px-Gua_Sha.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Gua sha</b></i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_language" title="Chinese language">Chinese</a>: <span lang="zh">刮痧</span>; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin" title="Pinyin">pinyin</a>: <em><i>guā shā</i></em>), literally "Scrape Sand" in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_language" title="Chinese language">Chinese</a>
(more loosely, "to scrape away disease by allowing the disease to
escape as sandy-looking objects through the skin"), is a form of folk
medicine. Sometimes referred to as "spooning" or "coining" by English
speakers, it has also been given the descriptive French name, <i>tribo-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effleurage" title="Effleurage">effleurage</a></i>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gua_sha#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_language" title="Vietnamese language">Vietnamese</a> term for this practice is <i>cạo gió</i>. This term translates roughly "to scrape wind", as in Vietnamese culture "catching a cold" or fever is often referred to as <i>trúng gió</i>, "to catch wind".<br />
The origin of this term is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_Han_Lun" title="Shang Han Lun">Shang Han Lun</a>,
a ~220 CE Chinese Medical text on cold induced disease - like most
Asian countries China's medical sciences were a profound influence in
Vietnam, especially between the 5th and 7th Centuries CE.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gua_sha#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> <i>Cạo gió</i> is an extremely common remedy in Vietnam and for <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_kieu" title="Viet kieu">overseas Vietnamese</a>. There are many variants of <i>cạo gió</i>.<br />
Some methods use oil balm and a coin to apply pressure to the skin.
Others use a boiled egg with a coin inserted in the middle of the yolk.
The egg is wrapped in a piece of cloth and rubbed over the forehead (in
the case of a fever) and other areas of skin. After the rubbing, when
the coin is removed from the egg, it will appear black.<br />
<br />
It is also used in Indonesia. It is a traditional Javanese technique, known as <i>kerikan</i> (lit., "scraping technique") or <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerokan" title="Kerokan">kerokan</a></i>, and it is very widely used, as a form of folk medicine, upon members of individual households.<br />
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<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Technique">Technique</span> </h2>
<i>Gua sha</i> involves repeated pressured strokes over lubricated skin with a smooth edge. Commonly a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic" title="Ceramic">ceramic</a>
Chinese soup spoon was used, or a well worn coin, even honed animal
bones, water buffalo horn, or jade. A simple metal cap with a rounded
edge is commonly used.<br />
<br />
In cases of fatigue from heavy work, a piece of ginger root soaked in
rice wine is sometimes used to rub down the spine from head to feet.<br />
<br />
The smooth edge is placed against the oiled skin surface, pressed down firmly, and then moved down the muscles—hence the term <i>tribo-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effleurage" title="Effleurage">effleurage</a></i> (i.e., friction-stroking)—or along the pathway of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture" title="Acupuncture">acupuncture</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian_%28Chinese_medicine%29" title="Meridian (Chinese medicine)">meridians</a>, along the surface of the skin, with each stroke being about 4–6 inches long.<br />
This causes extravasation of blood from the peripheral capillaries and may result in sub-cutaneous blemishing (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecchymosis" title="Ecchymosis">ecchymosis</a>), which usually takes 2–4 days to fade. <i>Sha</i> rash does not represent capillary rupture (<a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petechiae" title="Petechiae">petechiae</a>)
as in bruising, as is evidenced by the immediate fading of the markings
to echymosis, and the rapid resolution of sha as compared to bruising.<br />
<br />
The color of <i>sha</i> varies according to the severity of the
patient's blood stasis—which may correlate with the nature, severity and
type of their disorder—appearing from a dark blue-black to a light
pink, but is most often a shade of red.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2012)"></span></a></i></sup><br />
Practitioners tend to follow the tradition they were taught to obtain <i>sha</i>: typically using either <i>gua sha</i> or <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_cupping" title="Fire cupping">fire cupping</a>. The techniques are sometimes used together.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gua_sha#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><span></span></sup>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-73543457449706527422013-06-04T17:30:00.001-07:002013-06-04T17:30:30.451-07:00
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<a href="http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/770-nervousst36p5p6">Acupuncture Regulates the Nervous System - New Research</a>
</h1>
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<span class="created">
01 June 2013 </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">New
evidence demonstrates acupuncture activates specific regions of the
brain for the treatment of specific diseases. Investigators from the
Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department of Beijing Hospital of
Traditional Chinese Medicine also find that acupuncture regulates
neurotransmitters as a mechanism to modulate autonomic nervous system
responses. The review article notes that further investigation is
required to differentiate the effects of specific acupuncture points
versus the medicinal effects elicited by needling along the acupuncture
meridians.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><img alt="Acupuncture exerts its effects on the nervous system. " height="291" src="http://www.healthcmi.com/images/acurackpics1/nervous.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 3px 7px 3px 3px;" width="201" />The
review focused on a great body of modern research and uncovered many of
the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its medicinal effects on
human health. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The study noted that numerous new research investigations
have shown that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of autonomic
nervous system related disorders including epilepsy, anxiety, PCOS
(polycystic ovarian syndrome), infertility and cardiovascular disorders. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Additional research demonstrates that acupuncture regulates the
autonomic nervous system thereby modulating blood pressure, pupil size,
muscle activities, heart and pulse rates, HRV (heart rate variability)
and skin conductance and temperature.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">The research finds correlates between
biomedical and Chinese Medicine theories. The study notes that
acupuncture’s ability to regulate Yin and Yang translates into the
biomedical view that acupuncture regulates the flux between the
sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous
system. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Specifically, they cite the ability of acupuncture to regulate
parasympathetic activity is directly related to stimulation of the De-Qi
(arrival of Qi) sensation associated with acupuncture needle
manipulation.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Numerous studies demonstrate that
acupuncture regulates the autonomic nervous system by affecting specific
activities in the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, ventrolateral
periaqueductal gray and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex of the brain. In
the hypothalamus, for example, needling acupuncture point ST36 regulates
the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Electroacupuncture
has been shown to affect serotogenic projections in the medulla
oblongata and contributes to acupuncture’s ability to regulate
cardiovascular activity. Electroacupuncture also activates neurons
within the medulla oblongata. These responses are elicited by verum
acupuncture and not from control groups receiving only sham acupuncture.
In the midbrain, electroacupuncture excites neurons and plays a role in
the midbrain’s modulation of blood pressure.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Many other findings were verified by
the systematic review. Electroacupuncture has been shown to heal
impaired gastric motility and dysrhythmic slow waves by regulation of
vagal nerve activity. The nerve activity was affected by acupuncture’s
ability to affect opiod pathways. Acupuncture’s ability to decrease the
heart rate, however, was shown to be elicited by its ability to activate
GABAergic neurons and not opioids in one of the reviewed studies. The
investigators note that this finding is confirmed by other research
showing that acupuncture’s effects on opioid receptor mediated
transmission is not responsible for slowing the heart rate. As a result,
the investigators suggest that acupuncture may exert its medicinal
effects by many types of neurotransmitters. The investigators also cited
numerous studies showing that acupuncture activates enkephalinergic
neurons in several different brain regions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Amino acids have also been shown to
respond to acupuncture stimulation. Electroacupuncture at acupuncture
points P5 and P6 directly activates vesicular glutamate transporter 3
(VGLUT3), a protein that mediates the uptake of glutamate into synaptic
vesicles. VGLUT3 is found in the amygdala, cerebellum, hippocampus,
medulla, spinal cord and thalamus and is involved in biological
processes such as hearing, ion transport, neurotransmitter transport and
sodium transport. The research notes that studies point to glutamate
and GABA involvement in the mechanism by which acupuncture exerts a
regulatory affect on the autonomic nervous system.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">The investigators reviewed over 75
modern studies on the medical effects and actions by which acupuncture
exerts its effects on human health. They note that specific acupuncture
points elicit specific biological processes and that sham acupuncture
controls do not demonstrate the same effects as verum acupuncture
points. They suggest that future research is needed to determine if it
is the individual acupuncture point that exerts a specific function or
it is the acupuncture meridian on which the acupuncture is located.</span><br />
<br />
<strong>Reference:</strong><br />Li, Qian-Qian, Guang-Xia Shi, Qian Xu,
Jing Wang, Cun-Zhi Liu, and Lin-Peng Wang. "Acupuncture Effect and
Central Autonomic Regulation." Evidence-Based Complementary and
Alternative Medicine 2013 (2013).<br />
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Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-27193021056531367872013-06-04T16:39:00.002-07:002013-06-04T16:39:56.319-07:00
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<a href="http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/771-hypothalamusgb34">Acupuncture Stops Pain Via Brain Pathways</a>
</h1>
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<div class="articleinfo">
<span class="created">
03 June 2013 </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">New
research confirms that acupuncture reduces pain levels. Investigators
discovered that electroacupuncture decreases pain by regulating the
expression of several proteins in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain
responsible for autonomic nervous system, endocrine and limbic system
functions. A total of 17 hypothalmic proteins demonstrated significant
changes as a result of electroacupuncture stimulation for the treatment
of pain.</span></div>
<div id="style4">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><img alt="The human hypothalamus is involved in acupuncture pain reduction. " height="146" src="http://www.healthcmi.com/images/acurackpics1/hypothalamusgb34.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 4px;" width="205" />The
acupuncture points chosen for the study were ST36 (Zusanli) and GB34
(Yanglingquan). Electroacupuncture at these points effectively reduced
pain, enriched three gene ontologies and regulated the
glycolysis-gluconeogenesis-hexose metabolism pathway. The researchers
note that the data demonstrates that electroacupuncture lessens pain
through the “regulation of expression of multiple proteins in the
hypothalamus.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">These findings are consistent with
other research on the relationship between acupuncture and brain
chemistry. Researchers discovered that electrical and manual acupuncture
“improve menstrual frequency and decrease circulating androgens in
women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).” Acupuncture caused
normalization of estrogen activity and decreased excessive androgen
levels. Electroacupuncture demonstrated changes in the central opioid
receptors of the hypothalamus suggesting that it may be “mediated by
central opioid receptors….” Manual acupuncture demonstrated changes in
the steroid receptors of the hypothalamus suggesting that it “may
involve regulation of steroid hormone-peptide receptors.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Another study focusing on acupuncture’s
ability to reduce carpal tunnel pain discovered a brain pathway by
which acupuncture exerts its therapeutic results. The researchers
measured brain responses to neuropathic pain using fMRI technology.
Acupuncture caused significant activation of the hypothalamus and
greater deactivation of the amygdala. The researchers concluded that
acupuncture benefits chronic pain sufferers “through a coordinated
limbic network including the hypothalamus and amygdala.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">A weight loss study found that
acupuncture controls the expression of leptin, a hormone that regulates
appetite and metabolism. The investigators observed that
“electroacupuncture treatment led to a reduction of body weight,
decrease in the plasma leptin levels, and an increase in leptin receptor
expression in the hypothalamus.” The researchers continue, “Our results
suggested that regulating the expression of leptin and the leptin
receptor might be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the
reduction of body weight in diet-induced obese rats by
electroacupuncture treatment.”</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Similar findings show that acupuncture
regulates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis. Researchers
discovered that the application of electroacupuncture to acupoint ST36
reduces the production of stress induced hormones via this cortical
pathway. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Acupuncture prevented sympathetic nervous system elevations via
the NPY pathway and also prevented elevations in ACTH and CORT.</span><br />
<br /><strong>Reference:</strong><br />Gao, Yonghui, Shuping Chen,
Qiuling Xu, Kan Yu, Junying Wang, Lina Qiao, Fanying Meng, and Junling
Liu. "Proteomic Analysis of Differential Proteins Related to
Anti-nociceptive Effect of Electroacupuncture in the Hypothalamus
Following Neuropathic Pain in Rats." Neurochemical research (2013):
1-12.<br />
Electrical and manual acupuncture stimulation affects estrous
cyclicity and neuroendocrine function in a DHT-induced rat polycystic
ovary syndrome model. Yi Feng1,2, Julia Johansson1, Ruijin Shao1, Louise
Mannerås Holm1, Håkan Billig1, Elisabet Stener-Victorin1,3 .
Experimental Physiology. DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2011.063131.<br />
PAIN. Volume 130, Issue 3 , Pages 254-266, August 2007. Hypothalamus
and amygdala response to acupuncture stimuli in carpal tunnel syndrome.
V. Napadow, N. Kettner, J. Liu, M. Li, K.K. Kwong, M. Vangel, N. Makris,
J. Audette, K.K.S. Hui. July 2006.<br />
Meirong Gong et al, Am. J. Chin. Med. 40, 511 (2012). DOI:
10.1142/S0192415X12500395. Effect of Electroacupuncture on Leptin
Resistance in Rats with Diet-Induced Obesity. Meirong Gong. Xinjun Wang.
Zhen Mao. Qinhua Shao. Xiaoren Xiang. Bin Xu. Department of Acupuncture
and Moxibustion, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Nanjing, China.<br />
Eshkevari, Ladan, Eva Permaul, and Susan Elisabeth Mulroney.
"Acupuncture Blocks Cold Stress-Induced Increase in
Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Rat." Journal of Endocrinology
(2013).<br />
<a href="http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/770-nervousst36p5p6"> </a>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-34561018081994972502013-06-04T16:35:00.001-07:002013-06-04T16:35:39.098-07:00
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<a href="http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/734-migraineacudrug">New Research - Acupuncture Is Better For Migraines Than Drugs</a>
</h1>
</div>
<div class="articleinfo">
<span class="created">
30 March 2013 </span></div>
<br /><span style="color: black;">New
research demonstrates that acupuncture is more effective than valproic
acid for the treatment of migraines. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">A randomized study of 100 migraine
patients were divided into an acupuncture group and a valproic acid
group. The acupuncture study group received a total of 20 acupuncture
treatments and the valproic acid group was administered a regular dose
of 600mg per day. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">An additional 10mg of Rizatriptan was made available
to both groups for acute migraine attacks. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The acupuncture group
required less Rizatriptan and had significantly lower pain intensity
levels due to migraines than the valproic acid group. In addition, the
acupuncture group showed no adverse side effects whereas the valproic
acid group showed 47.8% rate of adverse side effects. </span><br />
<br />
<u><b><span style="color: black;">The researchers
concluded that acupuncture is more effective for the treatment of
migraines and has no adverse side effects.</span></b></u><br />
<u><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></u>
<span style="color: black;"><span class="wf_caption" style="display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 3px 7px 3px 3px;"><img alt="Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of migraines. " height="239" src="http://www.healthcmi.com/images/acucloud2013/migraine.jpg" style="margin: auto;" width="180" /><span style="background-color: #dff7f6; clear: both; display: block; text-align: center; width: 180px;">Acupuncture Treatment</span></span>The
migraine study measured outcomes six months after the acupuncture
treatments had been completed. The humanitarian implications of these
finding suggest that acupuncture may be the primary choice of care for
the treatment of migraines given its ability to provide long lasting
relief. The difference between acupuncture and drug therapy is that the
migraine study showed a lasting and enduring effect over time whereas
medications provide only partial, temporary pain relief.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">In related news, researchers from the
University of California, San Francisco recently released findings from a
study showing acupuncture having the same efficaciousness as morphine
in its ability to control pain. This reveals how acupuncture provides
immediate pain relief in addition to the long lasting results
demonstrated in the migraine study. In another study of 17,922 patient
outcomes, researchers concluded that acupuncture is effective for the
treatment of neck and back pain, shoulder pain, osteoarthritis and
headaches. Published in the <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em>, researchers concluded that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Although studies continue to show that
acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments for migraines, many
insurance companies do not cover acupuncture therapy but instead cover
less effective drug therapies. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Questions remain as to how acupuncture
will be integrated into the healthcare system within the United States
of America. Recent healthcare legislation requires states to implement
more comprehensive standards for insurance company healthcare policies,
including requirements for the inclusion of preventative medicine and
better standards for the treatment of pain. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">As a result, states
including California and Maryland have co-opted existing health
insurance plans that include acupuncture care as the statewide standard
such that all small group and individual health insurance policies
written or re-upped in 2014 will include acupuncture benefits.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">While the new federal healthcare
legislation has encouraged more comprehensive statewide standards of
care, the demand for better patient outcomes and protocols for the
treatment of pain is decades old. The Joint Commission, which accredits
hospital and healthcare organizations, has long required medical
facilities to upgrade treatment protocols for pain management. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Recent
studies now point to acupuncture inclusion across the healthcare system
to meet growing requirements for expedient, effective pain relief. The
growing body of evidence now shows that acupuncture is not only
effective for the treatment of pain but is also more effective than
existing drug therapies. However, most insurance policies cover only
drug therapies and require out-of-pocket payments by patients for
acupuncture therapy. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">There is an apparent disconnect between the
science, politics and business of medicine. That disconnected gap,
however, is shrinking and acupuncture begins its integration into
standards of care within conventional medical protocols nationwide.</span><br />
<br /><strong><span style="color: grey;">References:</span></strong><br /><span style="color: grey;">Facco,
E., et al. "Acupuncture Versus Valproic Acid In The Prophylaxis Of
Migraine Without Aura: A Prospective Controlled Study." Minerva
anestesiologica (2013).</span><br />
<span style="color: grey;">Goddard, Greg. "Acupuncture (ST 36) Reduces Jaw Open Reflex in a Rat: A Pilot Study." (2013).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: grey;">Vickers
AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain:
Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. Published online
September 10, 2012.</span>Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-13940859647084603162012-12-10T08:41:00.000-08:002013-06-04T16:42:13.388-07:00<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Acupuncture for Arthritis</b></span><br />
<br />
By: <a href="https://www.acufinder.com/learning_resource_news_printme.php?nid=2897#">Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM</a><br />
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Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States
and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention one out of every three Americans (an
estimated 70 million people) is affected.<br />
For most people arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as
the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs
of arthritis. Joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately,
arthritis can often be managed Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.<br />
<br />
<b>What is Arthritis?</b><br />
Arthritis isn't just one disease; it's a complex disorder that
comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any
stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very
different causes, risk factors, and effects on the body, they often
share a common symptom—persistent joint pain.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Osteoarthritis</span> (OA)</b>
is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, affecting an
estimated 21 million adults. OA begins with the breakdown of joint
cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. <br />
OA commonly affects the
joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine.<br />
Other joints affected
less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles.<br />
When
OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a
history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Work-related
repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development
of OA.<br />
If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending,
kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of
the knee.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Rheumatoid arthritis</span>
(RA)</b> can affect many different joints and, in some people, other parts
of the body as well, including the blood, the lungs, and the heart.<br />
Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, can cause pain,
stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness.<br />
The affected joint may also
lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.<br />
RA can last a long
time and can be a disease of flares (active symptoms) and remissions
(few to no symptoms).<br />
<br />
<b>Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine</b><br />
According to Chinese medical theory, arthritis arises when the
cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked. This blockage is
called, "bi" type pain and is widely studies and successfully treated
using a combination of acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs.<br />
<br />
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been found to be extremely
effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all
types of arthritis. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used
depend on if the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by the pathogen
wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.<br />
Traditional Chinese Medicine does not
recognize arthritis as one particular syndrome.<br />
Instead, it aims to
treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a
variety of techniques such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork,
lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore
imbalances found in the body.<br />
Therefore, if 10 patients are treated with
Oriental medicine for joint pain, each of these 10 patients will
receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture
points, different herbs and different lifestyle and diet
recommendations.<br />
Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your
condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine your Chinese
diagnosis and choose the appropriate acupuncture points and treatment
plan.<br />
<br />
<b>The Acupuncture Treatment</b><br />
Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body,
not just directly over the affected area. During the acupuncture
treatment, tiny needles could be placed along your legs, arms,
shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!<br />
There seems to be little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture
needles. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into
the middle of a hypodermic needle. Occasionally, there is a brief moment
of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin, but once the needles
are in place, most people relax and even fall asleep for the duration of
the treatment.<br />
The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary. Typical
treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated
one or two times a week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first
treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments often require multiple
treatments.<br />
<br />
<b>Chinese Herbs for Arthritis</b><br />
There are many Chinese Herbal formulas that are prescribed for
arthritis. Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset
of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine which
herbs are best for you.<br />
Here are some commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formulas for arthritis:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Remove Painful Obstruction Decoction (juan bi tang)-</b> For joint pain that increases with cold and is possibly accompanied by heaviness and numbness in the limbs.</li>
<li><b>Cinnamon Twig, Peony, and Anamerrhena Decoction (gui zhi shoa you zhi mu tang)-</b> For swollen and painful joints that are warm to the touch and worse at night.</li>
<li><b>Angelica Pubescens and Sangjisheng Decoction (du huo ji sheng tang)-</b>
For heavy and painful sensations at fixed locations in the lower back
and lower extremities accompanied by weakness and stiffness.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Studies on Acupuncture and Arthritis</b><br />
Several studies have shown that acupuncture can help people with arthritis and related auto-immune diseases.<br />
In one Scandinavian study 25 percent of arthritis patients who had
been scheduled for knee surgery cancelled their operations after
acupuncture treatment. In the study, researchers compared acupuncture
with advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip.
Thirty-two patients awaiting a total hip replacement were separated
into 2 groups. One group received one 10-minute and five 25-minute
sessions of acupuncture, and the other group received advice and hip
exercises over a 6-week period.<br />
Patients were assessed for pain and functional ability: Patients in
the acupuncture group showed significant improvements, while no
significant changes were reported in the group that received advice and
exercise therapy. The results of this study indicate that acupuncture is
more effective than advice and exercise for the treatment of
osteoarthritis of the hip.<br />
Another study at the University of Maryland showed that elderly
arthritis patients with knee pain due to arthritis improved
significantly when acupuncture was added to their treatment.<br />
The randomized clinical trial, performed at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, determined whether acupuncture was a
clinically safe and effective adjunctive therapy for older patients with
osteoarthritis of the knee.<br />
The study addressed these questions:<br />
<ol>
<li>Would the addition of acupuncture to conventional therapy produce an added measure of pain relief?</li>
<li>Would the effects of acupuncture last for 4 weeks following the end of treatment?</li>
<li>Would acupuncture have any side effects?</li>
</ol>
Seventy-three patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group
received twice-weekly acupuncture treatments and conventional therapy
for 8 weeks, and the other group received conventional therapy only.
Patients who received acupuncture had significant pain relief and showed
improvement in function. Those who did not receive acupuncture showed
no significant change. No patients reported side effects from any
acupuncture therapy session.<br />
<br />
<b>Safe Alternative to Medication</b><br />
Even without the studies, the popularity of acupuncture for arthritis
continues to grow because more and more people have found significant
relief from Oriental Medicine without the negative side effects that
come from Western pharmaceuticals.<br />
<br />
<b>Lifestyle and Dietary Instructions</b><br />
Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control
arthritis. The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose
weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional
stress to your joints.<br />
The second way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of
arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints
healthy and avoiding “damp” foods such as dairy products and greasy or
spicy foods.<br />
If you have arthritis or knee or hip pain, vitamin C and vitamin D
can help prevent bone and cartilage destruction. And a multivitamin can
help ensure that you always get the nutrition you need.<br />
Here are some other healthy (and delicious) choices to include in your diet.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Ginger</b> - A natural anti-inflammatory, available as
powdered extracts in capsules as well as alcohol-based extracts. Follow
the dosing directions on the label. Or make tea by combining one-half
teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of boiling water. Cover
and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste.</li>
<li><b>Fresh pineapple</b> - Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen.</li>
<li><b>Cherries</b> - Recent research has shown that tart
cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce
joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis.</li>
<li><b>Fish</b> - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel
contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as
reduce pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider
supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules.</li>
<li><b>Turmeric</b> - Another natural anti-inflammatory. Look
for an extract of whole turmeric, in health-food stores; follow the
dosage directions on the label.</li>
</ul>
<b>Find an Acupuncturist</b><br />
Today, acupuncture is an acknowledged and respected field of medicine
which requires formal training and certification in order to practice.
In most States, provinces and countries, acupuncture is legislated in
order to assure quality of treatment.<br />
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes
years to master. Look for an acupuncturist with formal training and
experience in the treatment of Arthritis on <a href="https://www.acufinder.com/" target="_blank">www.Acufinder.com</a><br />
<br />
<b>References:</b><br />
<i>Rheumatology in Chinese Medicine</i>, 2002. By G. Guillaume & M. Chieu <br />
<i>Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies</i>, 1990. By Dan Bensky & Randall Barolet<br />
<i>Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text </i>By Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1981Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7491695562471521781.post-55682855524079036022012-12-07T08:28:00.001-08:002012-12-07T08:28:39.983-08:00<h1>
<span class="title"><img alt="The Vegetarian Resource Group: Health, Environment, Ethics" id="logo" src="http://www.vrg.org/img/VRG.png" /> </span></h1>
<h1>
<span class="title"> Iron in the Vegan Diet</span></h1>
<h3>
by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.</h3>
<h2>
Topics in this article:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#summary">Summary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#heme">Heme vs. Non-heme Iron</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#vegans">Iron Status in Vegans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table1">Table 1</a>: Iron Content of Selected Vegan Foods</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table2">Table 2</a>: Comparison of Iron Sources</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table3">Table 3</a>: Sample Menus Providing Generous Amounts of Iron</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#references">References</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="summary">
Summary</h2>
Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables are especially good
sources of iron, even better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron
absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C
along with foods containing iron. Vegetarians do not have a higher
incidence of iron deficiency than do meat eaters.<br />
<br />
<h2 id="heme">
Heme vs. Non-heme Iron</h2>
Iron is an essential nutrient because it is a central part of
hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. Iron deficiency anemia is
a worldwide health problem that is especially common in young women and
in children.<br />
Iron is found in food in two forms, heme and non-heme iron. Heme
iron, which makes up 40 percent of the iron in meat, poultry, and fish,
is well absorbed. Non-heme iron, 60 percent of the iron in animal tissue
and all the iron in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts) is less
well absorbed. Vegan diets only contain non-heme iron. Because of this,
iron recommendations are higher for vegetarians (including vegans) than
for non-vegetarians. The RDA for iron is 14 milligrams per day for
vegetarian men and for women after menopause, and 33 milligrams per day
for women prior to menopause <sup><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#r1">1</a></sup>.<br />
<br />
<h2 id="vegan">
Iron Status in Vegans</h2>
Some might expect that since the vegan diet contains a form of
iron that is not that well absorbed, vegans might be prone to developing
iron deficiency anemia. However, surveys of vegans <sup><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#r2">2,3</a></sup>
have found that iron deficiency anemia is no more common among
vegetarians than among the general population although vegans tend to
have lower iron stores <sup><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#r3">3</a></sup>.<br />
The reason for the satisfactory iron status of many vegans may be that commonly eaten foods are high in iron, as <a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table1">Table 1</a>
shows. In fact, if the amount of iron in these foods is expressed as
milligrams of iron per 100 calories, many foods eaten by vegans are
superior to animal-derived foods. This concept is illustrated in <a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table2">Table 2</a>.
For example, you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin
steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of
spinach.<br />
Another reason for the satisfactory iron status of vegans is that
vegan diets are high in vitamin C. Vitamin C acts to markedly increase
absorption of non-heme iron. Adding a vitamin C source to a meal
increases non-heme iron absorption up to six-fold which makes the
absorption of non-heme iron as good or better than that of heme iron <sup><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#r4">4</a></sup>.<br />
Fortunately, many vegetables, such as broccoli and bok choy,
which are high in iron, are also high in vitamin C so that the iron in
these foods is very well absorbed. Commonly eaten combinations, such as
beans and tomato sauce or stir-fried tofu and broccoli, also result in
generous levels of iron absorption.<br />
It is easy to obtain iron on a vegan diet. <a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table3">Table 3</a> shows several menus that would meet the RDA for iron.<br />
Both calcium and tannins (found in tea and coffee) reduce iron
absorption. Tea, coffee, and calcium supplements should be used several
hours before a meal that is high in iron <sup><a href="http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#r5">5</a></sup>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" class="article" id="table1" summary="Iron Content of Selected Vegan Foods">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="title" colspan="3">
<div style="color: #660066;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Table 1: Iron Content of Selected Vegan Foods</u></b></span></div>
<div style="color: #660066;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="colhdr">
Food<br />
</td>
<td class="colhdr">
Amount<br />
</td>
<td class="colhdr">
Iron (mg)<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Soybeans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">8.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blackstrap molasses</td>
<td>2 Tbsp</td>
<td class="value">7.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lentils, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">6.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spinach, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">6.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Quinoa, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">6.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tofu</td>
<td>4 ounces</td>
<td class="value">6.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bagel, enriched</td>
<td>3 ounces</td>
<td class="value">5.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tempeh</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">4.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lima beans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">4.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Swiss chard, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">4.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Black beans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">3.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pinto beans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">3.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Turnip greens, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">3.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chickpeas, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">3.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Potato</td>
<td>1 large</td>
<td class="value">3.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kidney beans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">3.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Prune juice</td>
<td>8 ounces</td>
<td class="value">3.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Beet greens, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">2.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tahini</td>
<td>2 Tbsp</td>
<td class="value">2.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Veggie hot dog</td>
<td>1 hot dog</td>
<td class="value">2.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Peas, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">2.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Black-eyed peas, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">2.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cashews</td>
<td>1/4 cup</td>
<td class="value">2.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brussels sprouts, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bok choy, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bulgur, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Raisins</td>
<td>1/2 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Almonds</td>
<td>1/4 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apricots, dried</td>
<td>15 halves</td>
<td class="value">1.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Veggie burger, commercial</td>
<td>1 patty</td>
<td class="value">1.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Watermelon</td>
<td>1/8 medium</td>
<td class="value">1.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Soy yogurt</td>
<td>6 ounces</td>
<td class="value">1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tomato juice</td>
<td>8 ounces</td>
<td class="value">1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Green beans, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kale, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sunflower seeds</td>
<td>1/4 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broccoli, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Millet, cooked</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td class="value">1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sesame seeds</td>
<td>2 Tbsp</td>
<td class="value">1.0</td><td class="value"> </td><td class="value"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="lgnd" colspan="3">
<br />
<span style="color: navy;">Sources:</span> USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and Manufacturer's information.<br />
The RDA for iron for vegetarians is 14 mg/day for adult men
and for post-menopausal women and 33 mg/day for pre-menopausal women.<br />
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span>
<table align="center" class="article" id="table2" summary="Comparison of Iron Sources">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="title" colspan="2">
<div style="color: #660066;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Table 2: Comparison of Iron Sources</b></u></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="colhdr">
Food<br />
</td>
<td class="colhdr">
Iron<br />
(mg/100 calories)<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spinach, cooked</td>
<td class="value">15.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collard greens, cooked</td>
<td class="value">3.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lentils, cooked</td>
<td class="value">2.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broccoli, cooked</td>
<td class="value">1.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hamburger, lean, broiled</td>
<td class="value">1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chickpeas, cooked</td>
<td class="value">1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sirloin steak, choice, broiled</td>
<td class="value">0.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chicken, breast roasted, no skin</td>
<td class="value">0.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pork chop, pan fried</td>
<td class="value">0.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flounder, baked</td>
<td class="value">0.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Milk, skim</td>
<td class="value">0.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="lgnd" colspan="2"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"> </td><td class="lgnd" colspan="2" style="text-align: left;">Note that the top iron sources are vegan.</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" class="article" id="table3" summary="Sample Menus Providing More Than 1000 milligrams of Calcium">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="title" colspan="2">
<div style="color: #660066;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Table 3: Sample Menus Providing Generous Amounts of Iron</b></u></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="colhdr"> </td>
<td class="colhdr">Iron (mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr"><u>Breakfast</u>:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Oatmeal Plus (p. 23)</td>
<td class="value">3.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr">Lunch:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Tempeh/Rice Pocket Sandwich (p. 94)</td>
<td class="value">4.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>15 Dried Apricots</td>
<td class="value">1.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr"><u>Dinner</u>:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Black-Eyed Peas and Collards (p. 76)</td>
<td class="value">2.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Corn Bread (p. 21)</td>
<td class="value">2.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 slice Watermelon</td>
<td class="value">1.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="ttl"> </td><td class="ttl">TOTAL</td>
<td class="ttl" style="text-align: center;">16.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<hr />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr"><u>Breakfast</u>:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cereal with 8 ounce of Soy Milk</td>
<td class="value">1.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr">Lunch:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Creamy Lentil Soup (p. 49)</td>
<td class="value">6.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds</td>
<td class="value">1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1/2 cup Raisins</td>
<td class="value">1.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="mealhdr"><u>Dinner</u>:</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 serving Spicy Sauteed Tofu with Peas (p. 103)</td>
<td class="value">14.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 cup Bulgur</td>
<td class="value">1.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1 cup Spinach</td>
<td class="value">6.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>sprinkled with</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds</td>
<td class="value">1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="ttl"> </td><td class="ttl">TOTAL</td>
<td class="ttl" style="text-align: center;">33.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="lgnd" colspan="2">
<br />
Additional foods should be added to these menus to provide
adequate calories and to meet requirements for nutrients besides iron.<br />
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 id="references">
References</h2>
<ol>
<li id="r1">
Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. <em>Dietary
Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium,
Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium,
and Zinc.</em> Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.<br />
</li>
<li id="r2">
Haddad EH, Berk LS, Kettering JD, Hubbard RW, Peters WR.
Dietary intake and biochemical, hematologic, and immune status of vegans
compared with nonvegetarians. <em>Am J Clin Nutr</em> 1999;70(suppl):586S-93S.<br />
</li>
<li id="r3">
Obeid R, Geisel J, Schorr H, et al. The impact of vegetarianism on some haematological parameters. <em>Eur J Haematol</em>. 2002;69:275-9.<br />
</li>
<li id="r4">
Hallberg L. Bioavailability of dietary iron in man. <em>Ann Rev Nutr</em> 1981;1:123-147.<br />
</li>
<li id="r5">
Gleerup A, Rossander Hulthen L, Gramatkovski E, et al. Iron
absorption from the whole diet: comparison of the effect of two
different distributions of daily calcium intake. <em>Am J Clin Nutr</em> 1995;61:97-104.<br />
</li>
</ol>
<hr />
<table cellspacing="10" summary="table for formatting"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.vrg.org/catalog/simplyvegan.htm"><img align="middle" alt="SIMPLY VEGAN COVER" height="81" src="http://www.vrg.org/catalog/images/simplyvegan.jpg" width="53" /></a></td>
<td>This article originally appeared in the book <a href="http://www.vrg.org/catalog/simplyvegan.htm"><em>Simply Vegan: Quick Vegetarian Meals</em></a> by Debra Wasserman. Nutrition section by Reed Mangels Ph.D., R.D. (ISBN 0-931411-30-0)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellspacing="10" summary="table for formatting"><tbody>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anita Lang-Bakar L.Ac.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03621587417618589900noreply@blogger.com0