Recently in Chinese Medicine Category

Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) ~ New research shows that a special Acupuncture technique can help ease lower back and pelvic pain in pregnant women.
In a study, women who had pressure needles held in place with tape in their ears for one week, were more likely to experience significant reductions in lower back and pelvic pain than those who had the needles placed at three "sham" points or women in a control group who didn't get real or fake acupuncture.

Pregnant women often suffer from pain in the lower back and pelvis ~ and this can set the stage for chronic pain later on, according to Dr. Shu-Ming Wang of the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.

Ear acupuncture might offer a drug-free way to help ease pain in these women. Wang and his colleagues randomly assigned 159 women in the 25th to 38th week of pregnancy to receive real acupuncture, acupuncture delivered to points that would theoretically not affect pain in the pelvic or lower back area, and a control group.  Every woman was also instructed to use self-care as needed, including resting, taking acetaminophen, and applying warm and cold compresses.  All of the 152 women who completed the two-week study reported some degree of pain reduction and improvement in their ability to function.

A 30 percent or greater reduction in pain was reported by 81 percent of women in the acupuncture group.  Improvements in function were significantly greater among women who had real acupuncture compared to those who got the fake version or received no treatment.

A week after the end of acupuncture treatment, 68 percent of those who received the real thing still had a 30 percent or greater reduction in pain compared to the beginning of treatment ~ the only side effect was temporary tenderness in the ear area, reported by one woman in the acupuncture group and three in the sham acupuncture group.

The treatment is inexpensive and it takes about three minutes for the needles to be put in place if an experienced person is doing the job.

In future studies, it would be worthwhile, the researchers say, to explore whether extended continuous ear acupuncture yields a more sustained effect and determine the characteristics of acupuncture responders versus nonresponders.
They call for larger studies to investigate these issues, and to determine whether the treatment has any effect on pregnancy outcome.
 SOURCE: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, September 2009.

I'm a little late on this post ~ It would have been fitting if I'd written this before the Adirondack Balloon Festival ~ but it's still helpful information.
The Chinese believe that there's a great Dragon in the Sky that will help you to realize your dreams. 
But first you must send those wishes out in a specific way.  Take a Red, Yellow, White, Pink or Lavender colored helium-filled balloon and tie it with 9, 18 or 27 inches of Red Ribbon.  Write your wish on the balloon with a New black felt-tip pen that you buy especially for this occasion. Only one wish per balloon.  Be specific and concise when you write out your wish.  Then on a slightly windy day when the sun is not too bright, release the balloon into the sky ~ continue to watch it as it flies higher until it slowly vanishes from sight.  As the balloon disappears ~ visualize your wishes being fulfilled.  Then, after you can no longer see your balloon on the horizon, know that the Sky Dragon has swallowed it and will now begin to actualize this wish for you. Of course, feel free to release as many balloons as you WISH ~ just one wish per balloon.  

On October  8, 2009 we will enter the 9th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This is the year of the Earth Ox and is considered a well-balanced year.  The Chinese believe that it is always better to prevent bad luck from occurring than to try to reverse it ~ so it's helpful to know what to expect.

The Rat needs to be careful this month as misfortune is to be expected. Do not take any risks or make major plans this month. As if things could not look worse ~ Money Luck is also poor.  The elderly or frail rats must take care and it  is very important that they not sleep or spend time in the North area of their home or office.  In love you could be disappointed or worse ~Broken-hearted.

Just a Mediocre Month for the Ox.  Although you have many resources this month to accomplish what you want ~ there is danger from people who are jealous or envious; or who feel that you wronged them in the past and they are out for justice or revenge.  This month ~ Neutralize your Karma by doing Good Deeds and Charitable Works.  Just  keep a low profile.  Success, Wealth, and Power can be yours ~ but celebrate quietly.

The Tiger also is in danger  from those who are jealous. When things go well ~ celebrate quietly or the celebration will be over quickly. Do not attract attention ~ quietly study and improve your job skills and you may receive a promotion.  It's not a bad month ~ but it's sad that you have to keep your joy a secret ~ for now.

Check back for Part II ~

* If you don't know your astrological sign ~ check the May 19, 2009  post

*Astrological characters by WOFS

         ~Way Back Then ~

I consider hair a serious subject.  I'm a natural Redhead and as anyone with a Redheaded child knows - Red hair draws a lot of attention. When you're very young old ladies pat you on the head  ruffling your hair ~ When you're old enough to go to school classmates tease you ~ some nastier than others ~ to a certain extent your Red hair defines you.  I will never forget an old Brill Cream commercial (yes I remember Brill Cream) ~ a man was typing a complaint letter to Brill Cream and I am paraphrasing this as time has played with my memory:  "Dear Brill Cream, you said that if I used your product I would meet a beautiful Blonde or Brunette ~ but all I ever got was a Redhead!  Then in walks this drop dead gorgeous Redhead ~ if they tried that ad today they'd be sued. 
As an actress and model I was featured in commercials and ads for Clairol ~ L'Oreal ~ Breck ~Alberto VO 5 and many more. A bad hair day could mean a loss in income ~ so I consider myself somewhat of an expert when it comes to hair products ~ I still research and I try them all.

Stay with me ~ this post does include Chinese Medicine and Health.  In Chinese Medicine Kidney Energy represents our DNA ~ it shows the state of our Health  and the Kidneys are said to Flourish in the Hair ~ it is much more involved and more complicated but this gets us started.  Once I produced a commercial for a client from Hong Kong and the client felt that our male actor's hair wasn't thick enough ~ we had to get a hairpiece for him to make it look fuller.  The hair piece resembled a scalp so after the commercial I mounted it on the foot of my bed - kept it there for years till a dog got it.

In the West we also look at hair to determine one's health.  The hair usually shows what was happening in your body several months or even weeks before.  It may be coincidence ~ but have you noticed how many elected male politicians have thick  hair? 

So today I'd like to talk about the products we use on our hair. While the sulfates and other surfactants used in most commercial hair care products may not kill you, they will wreak havoc on your hair shaft and scalp.  Sulfates, etc. are typically used by the hair and body care industry as a cheaper way to create lather. While sulfates, surfactants, and harsh detergents break down the dirt and oils that make hair look greasy and dirty, they also strip out all the natural oils and beneficial bacteria that your hair and scalp need to stay shiny and healthy.  The result?  Dry, damaged, frizzy hair, often accompanied by an itchy, flaky scalp.

I have discovered the Beauty Society Salon for organic, non-toxic, healthy hair. ...  in Malta, New York.  PH: 518.899.7570 ~ William and Cristina Connolly Proprietors.   They use All Natural, Non-toxic & Organic Professional Hair Products & Services.  They sell La Vida Dulce shampoo bars ~  yes Bars ~ all-natural, sulfate and detergent free for you and your pets.  I love them and my dogs like the bars as they are easier to control and  helps to keep soap suds out of their sensitive eyes.
                                                                                  

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To quote the experts:  "All La Vida Dulce shampoo bars contain coconut oil. Coconut oil has been used as a hair care product all over the world with great results. Its high amount of lauric acid, capric acid and vitamin E make for a great hair conditioner and hair strengthener.  Coconut oil is a fabulous styling product when used in bar form.  When the oil on the hair cools and sets, it leaves the hair bouncy and in place with a thicker, fuller feeling head of hair."
 
La Vida Dulce shampoo bars are their own blend of saponified oils. They use organic oils when ever available ~ but always 100% pure essential oils; and if they do use fragrance it's phthalate free.  Their products are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.    http://www.lavidadulcebeauty.com/index.html

Look ~ every society realizes that the condition of your hair is a reflection of your inner health ~ but we also know that chemicals and toxins can be absorbed through the skin ~ so why take a chance.

As Yogi Berra so famously said, "It's déjà vu all over again."  While yet again researching Vitamin D ~ I stumbled upon a report singing the praises of the spice Turmeric. It reported that Turmeric ~ in combination with vitamin D ~ helps fight Alzheimer's disease and obesity (by suppressing growth of fatty tissue). Researchers have been examining the anti-inflammatory properties of Turmeric for many years.
Turmeric is made from the roots of a plant in the Ginger family (Curcuma longa) and is known as Jiang Huang in Chinese Herbal Medicine.   For the details on this versatile healing botanical, I would like to quote Registered Herbalist David Winston, RH (AHG), a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild and author of "Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief".

MULTIPLE HEALING BENEFITS  ~
Winston writes that Turmeric has a wide variety of healing abilities...
* Powerful anti-inflammatory components safely reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis and tendonitis.
*Anti-inflammatory benefits also extend to gastrointestinal (GI) problems, such as gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.
* Potent antioxidants help squelch unstable oxygen molecules that can otherwise run amok, damaging cells and opening the door to dangerous diseases, such as cancer. 
* Curcumin, an active compound of Turmeric, has been shown to modify more than 250 oncogenes and processes that trigger cancer tumorigenesis, proliferation and metastasis.
*Turmeric helps curb excessive immune responses that characterize conditions such as allergies, asthma and possibly even multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, where (in animal studies) Curcumin appears to inhibit development of amyloid plaques.
* Studies suggest a still wider range of healing benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis and protecting the liver against chemicals and viral damage.

TURMERIC OR CURCUMIN?

Don't confuse Turmeric with its most well-known active compound, Curcumin. Turmeric contains a variety of inflammation-fighting compounds known as curcuminoids ~ the most widely known and extensively studied of which is Curcumin.
Importantly, large doses of Curcumin can cause gastric upset, while the herb Turmeric contains a number of active ingredients that combine to have a gastro-protective effect.

Winston says that he prefers the herb Turmeric (commonly in capsule or tincture form) for some uses (gastritis, gastric ulcers, arthralgias)
Standardized Curcumin for others (cancer prevention and treatment, Alzheimer's prevention and treatment, and protecting the liver against hepatitis B and C). Check wth your Doctor or Practitioner regarding dosage and vendor

I fell in love with Chinese Medicine because it is so balanced. Chinese Nutrition is really about the Middle Way.  When I was in my twenties and I was searching for a cure for my migraine headaches I lived in Health Food Stores - and I researched and visited Healing Gurus around the world as I pursued my career in television.  I remember that Macrobiotics was very popular and people were constantly trying to convert me. I remember looking at many of them and thinking you have 3 hairs on your head - your skin looks gray and you're only twenty-five - so why should I listen to you ~ and yes sometimes I voiced my thoughts.  I still feel that way today ~ my hair color is still the one I was born with and my skin is holding up.  As friends and later colleagues embraced the Church of Soy ~ I just never bought into it.

Soy has become synonymous with healthy eating. Who hasn't heard of the benefits of Soy? Even Dr.Weil has jumped onto the Soy band wagon. The USDA recently approved the use of Soy in children's school lunches. But could something that sounds so healthy actually be dangerous?  Before you reach for that next bite of tofu and wash it down with some great tasting soy milk, I want to share with you ~ the Dark side of Soy.
When I was studying Oriental Medicine I discovered Sally Fallon the author of Nourishing Traditions: "The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats."  I credit her and  The Weston A. Price Foundation, Washington, DC. with much of this research and with not being afraid to voice it.

There has been a decade-long marketing campaign to gain consumer acceptance of tofu, soy milk, soy ice cream, soy cheese, soy sausage and soy derivatives, particularly soy isoflavones like genistein and diadzen, the estrogen-like compounds found in soybeans.

The propaganda that has created the Soy Sales Miracle is all the more remarkable because, the soybean was considered unfit to eat - even in Asia.  During the Chou Dynasty (1134-246 BC) apparently the soy plant was initially used in crop rotations as a method of fixing nitrogen.

The soybean did not serve as a food until the discovery of fermentation techniques, sometime during the Chou Dynasty. The first Soy foods were fermented products like tempeh, natto, miso and soy sauce.

The Chinese did not eat unfermented soybeans as they did other legumes such as lentils because the soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients". First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer.

Soybeans also contain hemagglutinin, a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together.  Trypsin inhibitors and hemagglutinin are growth inhibitors. Rats fed soy containing these antinutrients fail to grow normally.

Soy also contains goitrogens - substances that depress thyroid function.

In 1992, the Swiss health service estimated that 100 grams of soy protein provided the estrogenic equivalent of the Pill.

The claim that Soy prevents osteoporosis is considered false by many researchers given that Soy foods block calcium and cause vitamin D deficiencies.  Once again - I've been able to fit in Vitamin D.  If you learn anything,  from this blog it's to test for and then take your Vitamin D.  If Asians indeed have lower rates of osteoporosis than Westerners, it is because their diet provides plenty of vitamin D from shrimp, lard and seafood, and plenty of calcium from bone broths.

There is a very important discussion and there is much more to write about ~ so stay tuned.

Is there any more one can say about Green Tea?  Like the supplement Vitamin D which never seems to amaze me, it seems that there is always new research coming out to promote the health benefits of Green Tea.
Now researchers are reporting new evidence that Green Tea could help improve bone health. They found that the tea contains a group of chemicals that can stimulate bone formation and help slow its breakdown.  The beverage has the potential to help in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and other bone diseases that affect millions worldwide, the researchers suggest.

In this study, the researchers note that many scientific studies have linked tea to beneficial effects in preventing cancer, heart disease, and other conditions.  Recent studies in humans and cell cultures suggest that tea may also benefit bone health.  But few scientific studies have explored the exact chemicals in tea that might be responsible for this effect.

These scientists exposed a group of cultured bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) to three major green tea components: epigallocatechin (EGC), gallocatechin (GC), and gallocatechin gallate (GCG) for several days. They found that one in particular, EGC, boosted the activity of a key enzyme that promotes bone growth by up to 79 percent. EGC also significantly boosted levels of bone mineralization in the cells, which strengthens bones.
The scientists also showed that high concentrations of ECG blocked the activity of a type of cell (osteoclast) that breaks down or weakens bones.
The green tea components did not cause any toxic effects to the bone cells.

My personal preference is  Japanese Green Tea.
References:
1. Ping Chung Leung, et al. Effects of Tea Catechins, Epigallocatechin, Gallocatechin, and Gallocatechin Gallate, on Bone Metabolism. American Chemical Society. ACS News Service Weekly ressPac:

What is a traditional Chinese Breakfast? Many Chinese begin their day with a warm bowl of Congee, a watery rice gruel that bears a marked resemblance to porridge.  Congee can be sweet or savory; seasoned with everything from chicken to mushrooms.   Often, the meat is marinated before being added to the rice.
The word Congee (also known as Jook in Canton) comes from the Indian "Kanji", which refers to the water in which the rice has been boiled.  In parts of India today the word Congee still refers both to the boiled water and the rice dish itself.   In Chinese Food, Kenneth Lo notes that Congee serves two purposes - besides warming the body, it also takes the place of a beverage.

The weather is cooler and I thought that it might be nice to share a recipe to boost immunity.This is ideal for those suffering from exhaustion, post partum mothers or those recovering from an illness.

Congee is traditionally made by cooking 1 cup of rice with 5-6 cups of water. The pot is set on very low heat and cooked for 5-6 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes to prevent it from sticking.
Serves 4-6
1 medium (3-5 lbs) free range chicken, (skin removed
1 cup of mixed grains (brown and wild rice)
6-8 Shitake Mushrooms, chopped
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
 Sea Salt
Optional: Organic Milk- preferably Goat's Milk

In a large Soup Pot, saute 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and Onions until they turn translucent or sweat,
Put the Chicken and Rice mix into the pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1-2 hours or until chicken is falling off the bones.

Remove the pan from the heat, remove and discard the chicken carcass and bones.  Shred the Chicken and return it to the Congee.

In a separate pan, saute the Shitake Mushrooms with a tablespoon of Olive Oil ~Add to the Congee.

Simmer the Congee for another 30 minutes
Add Sea Salt to taste - or add non MSG  Boullion instead.

Serve and add Scallions to individual servings
** To make a heartier soup ~ add 1/2 cup of Organic Milk or Goat's Milk during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Enjoy ~
* This recipe is from a former classmate of mine ~ Laura Kaufman - however I have modified it slightly according to my beliefs. 

I'd like to share a lesson taught by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and author Thich Nhat Hanh that I thought might be appropriate for the times:

Please treat your mind as a garden. Plant positive seeds and water them with loving kindness and attention.

Remove the weeds of negativity that may be choking the beautiful flowers and thoughts that are naturally within you and you will see abundant and magnificent growth.

~ Thank you Lillian for teaching me...

Today is my Birthday.  Since August 26th is also the birthday of the late Mother Theresa, each year I'm prompted to reexamine my life ~ making determinations for the coming year and trying to rid my heart of residual grudges.

And every year I have trouble putting the past behind me and I can't seem to find a single, positive thing to say about people who have hurt me. Over the years friends and colleagues have shared their rituals with me.  What I've finally decided works best is an amalgam of several of those remedies.
Take a small jar ~ Write the names of those who have hurt you in green ink on white paper and fold the paper to fit into the jar.

Then add enough Honey to cover the paper.  Put the lid on the jar and place it in your kitchen.  For nine consecutive days, light a small white candle and place it on top of the sealed jar. Allow the candle to burn for a few minutes while you visualize your whole situation sweetening.

After the ninth day the candle should be fully burned (if it burns out earlier, just replace it with a fresh one until the nine days are done). Then place the jar in a paper bag and dispose of it somewhere outside your house.

I won't say that you'll want to kiss and make up, but at the very least you should be able to walk away leaving all hostility behind.
It is never too late to be what you might have been."
                                                                                ~ George Eliot