To The Point

Winter, 2008 #4

2008 is the year to make things happen!

I hope 2008 is off to great start for everyone. I had a wonderful time in Belize and even swam with sharks and stingrays!

In this issue

Reminder…I am now accepting credit cards and rates for new patients are $90, for people who started before 2008 it will remain $85 until May 1st 2008

Get happier and healthier!

Excerpts from 20/20
Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness

New Research Shows That Humans Have More Control Over Their Happiness Than Previously Thought

By MICHAEL MENDELSOHN, Jan. 11, 2008

What exactly is happening inside the brains of people experiencing joy and happiness? "It's a very complicated chemical soup," explained Dr. Richard Davidson, who has made a life's work out of studying "happy brains." His lab at the University of Wisconsin is devoted to understanding how much of our joy level is set at birth, and how much we can control.

Scientists have known for decades that a large part of our temperament is genetically pre-determined; by studying the personalities of identical twins they've found that about 50 percent of our happiness -- or unhappiness -- can be traced to our genes. Adding the 40 percent that we can control with our daily thoughts and actions still leaves about 10 percent unaccounted for. This remaining 10 percent is related to our life circumstances, such as where we live, how much money we have, our marital status, and how we look.
"The happiness activities are not going to surprise anyone," Lyubomirsky said. "I mean, they're things like gratitude, forgiveness, relationships, savoring the present moment, meditation. I try to sort of determine to what extent those things are supported by research."

Davidson would agree. He has studied the brains of Buddhist monks, men who spend their lives deliberately forcing positive emotions, and their happiness is off the charts. His new data claims that if a person sits quietly for a half-hour a day just thinking about kindness and compassion, their brain will show noticeable changes in just two weeks.

So what can you do to be Happier and Healthier?
Stress is everywhere around us. Work woes…financial losses…in-laws. But the problem isn't so much the stressors themselves—it's how we respond to stress that has consequences, positive or negative

Some positive suggestions to add into your life
Meditation
helps relax the mind. Try starting with even 5 minutes a day of silence. If, meditation is difficult, you can also try techniques like tai chi, Qi-gong, I enjoy a good yoga class.

Deep Breathing
While sitting or lying down, inhale deeply, allowing your stomach to expand. Exhale slowly for a count of five. Repeat this 10 times whenever you feel anxious.

Sleeping
When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces extra stress hormones, making you more vulnerable to stress. But too much sleep can also cause problems. The key is to get balanced sleep, which for most people means, on average, about eight hours a night.

To Improve Sleep:

  1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water or try lavender essential oils. You can put them in a bath or wear it as a perfume. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.

  2. Buy a new pillow. Studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. I like the Tempurpedic brand.

  3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You'll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan -- a natural sleep-inducer.
  4. Try listening to a relaxing CD, Both Steven Halpren and Jeffery Thompson make CD’s designed to help with relaxation and sleep.
    Acupuncture: Acupuncture is often used for the treatment of insomnia well as herbal remedies

Also try Acupuncture for Prevention and Improved Energy - Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can prevent colds and flu by building up the immune system. Seasonal acupuncture treatments just four times a year also serve to tonify the inner organ systems and can correct minor annoyances before they become serious problems. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can also boost your energy level.

Exercise
Exercise is one of the best stress relievers. Not only does exercise lead to greater muscle relaxation and increased production of anti-stress chemicals, research also shows that people who are physically fit exhibit less extreme physiological responses to stress. This means they're less likely to experience the health problems linked with chronic stress.

Do a Little, Get a Lot
a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.

And if 30 minutes is still too big a bite? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that three brisk 10-minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.

"Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks," says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

Nutritional tips
What you put on your plate is also important. Studies show that people who eat fish like mackerel, haddock, sardines, salmon and tuna a few times a week can lower their stress levels. These types of oily fish contain certain omega-3 acids thought to have a calming effect on the body. If you don't like fish, Dr. Oz suggests other sources of omega-3 acids—including flaxseeds, eggs, walnuts or plankton.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams:
These powerhouse foods contain higher amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin C than carrots, more protein than wheat and rice, and more fiber than oat bran. Sweet potatoes and yams also happen to be a rich source of DHEA.
Ginger

Best known in the West for its anti-nausea properties, ginger has probably been in the longest continuous use of any botanical remedy in the world. The Chinese use it frequently in cooking seafood, since it acts as a detoxifier to prevent seafood poisoning. Besides its popular application for digestive distress, ginger has been found to contain geraniol, which may be a potent cancer fighter. It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve pain, prevent blood clots, and inhibit the onset of migraine headaches.
Pomegranate Juice Fights Heart Disease, Study Says
According to results published in the August 2006 issue of Atherosclerosis, subjects who drank 180 ml (6 oz.) of pomegranate juice per day for three months experienced a reduced risk for atherosclerosis, a condition that leads to arterial wall thickening and hardening.

Induge
U.S. news and World Report recently reported on the health benefits of dark chocolate. …lowers blood pressure boosts and blood flow to heart
Ideally 70% cocoa or more in dark chocolate.

Acupuncture in the News

On Oprah
Dr. Northrup gave acupuncture a big thumbs up when answering these questions on Oprah;

  1. How can I prevent Hair loss?
    Dr. Northrup says that Kristin's thinning hair may be a result of a hormonal imbalance. "You can get it back by eating a low-glycemic diet, making sure that you are on supplements," she says.
    Other than a low-glycemic diet, Dr. Northrup has one other recommendation for thinning hair. "Acupuncture can be very, very helpful for it," she says.

  2. Could I be going through menopause?
    Dr. Northrup also says acupuncture can make a big difference. "Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture can work wonders because it works with the chi of your body—the energy flow—and we have good scientific evidence that shows that acupuncture meridians are absolutely real and there," she says.

The June 2007 edition of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports on a study that found acupuncture helpful in treating the fatigue and anxiety commonly experienced by fibromyalgia patients.

"The results of the study convince me there is something more than the placebo effect to acupuncture," says David Martin, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the acupuncture article and a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist. "It affirms a lot of clinical impressions that this complementary medical technique is helpful for patients."

Source: Mayo Clinic (2006, June 13). Acupuncture Relieves Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia, Mayo Clinic Study Finds.

Acupuncture Helps Relieve Lower Back Pain
A British study published in September 2006 found that acupuncture showed the greatest benefit for patients who suffer pain in the lower back, and is a cost-effective way to treat the problem. Lower back pain is a notoriously common and difficult medical problem to treat.

In the study, one group of patients received 10 sessions of acupuncture over three months, while the other group received none. The acupuncture group reported less pain two years later than did the non-acupuncture group.

In addition, the acupuncture group was more likely to report having no pain at the one-year mark, and reported less worry about their lower back pain and less use of pain drugs to manage it.

Source: BMJ, Sept. 2006

Hospitals Turning to TCM and Acupuncture, Other non-Western Treatments
According to a 2006 survey by the American Hospital Association (AHA), more than one out of every four hospitals in the U.S. now offer some “alternative” therapies, including acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and massage therapy, among other types of non-Western treatment.

The survey, conducted every other year by the AHA, involved more than 6,000 hospitals across the country in December 2005. The percentage of hospitals offering “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) therapies grew from 8 percent in 1998 to 27 percent in 2005, the survey found.

The survey also found that patients paid for most of these services out of pocket.

Source: American Hospital Association, July 2006

The Year of the Rat starts Feb 7, 2008

“The year of the Rat is the 1st sign of the Chinese zodiac and represents both leadership and intiative. Bless with a pioneering spirit, those born uner the sign of the Rat are organized and deliberate, ready to conquer the challenges of each new frontier.”

Are you a Rat? You are if you were born in one of these years (please note the Chinese calendar does run differently).

Recent Rat years…. 1936,1948,1960,1972,1984,1998,2008

Sources
Dr. Maoshing Ni–book
Acufinder.com
Oprah.com
Archives of Internal Medicine. 2004; vol 164: pp 31-39. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 2002. David Katz, MD, MPH, director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University; co-author, Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits into Your Life without Really Trying. Fran Grossman, MS, RD, CDE, nutrition counselor, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Helene Glassberg, MD, director, Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia. Marc Siegel, MD, clinical associate professor, New York University School of Medicine; author, False Alarm, The Truth about the Epidemic of Fear.
Originally published September 9, 2005.
Medically updated September 2007.