Claim it or Lose it! Don't waste your Health Fund Rebate

It is close to the end of the year and have you been maximising the benefits as a private health fund member? If your fund covers you for acupuncture or herbal medicine treatments, why waste it when you can discover how Traditional Chinese Medicine can achieve good health?

Whether you are suffering from chronic health conditions, hoping to quit smoking, finding ways to lose the extra inches for summer or simply want to boost your energy level, acupuncture and herbal medicine provide tailor-made health solutions to your unique constitution.

Contact us today to find out more.

Acupuncture helps ease cancer side-effects

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are some of the most common treatment for cancer. While chemotherapy is very powerful in killing cancer cells, it has its side effects. Among these are nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, anemia, body ache, headache, night sweats, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea.

In Hong Kong, it is popular for cancer patients to take traditional Chinese medicine and use acupuncture to reduce these side-effects. Now at the Sydney Adventist Hospital in Australia, acupuncture is also used to help cancer patients.

Pins ease pain in new anti-cancer technique
Source: Hornsby and Upper North Shore Advocate
Date: 31 March 2010
By Tracey Findlay

CANCER patients now have a new tool to help them through the onerous side effects of their treatments.

The Sydney Adventist Hospital has introduced acupuncture sessions to its Cancer Support Centre.

In clinical trials it has been found to cut nausea, vomiting, fatigue and pain, and improve the patient’s immune system.

The sessions are conducted by Dr Byeongsang Oh, a pioneer in complementary medicine for cancer care.

Dr Oh said up to 65 per cent of cancer patients in Australia were using complementary medicine compared to 23 per cent to 40 per cent five years ago.

He said acupuncture was aimed at improving the patient’s symptoms and quality of life while they are battling the effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

“A lot of people (with cancer) also have depression, anxiety, worry ... we can improve the mood status (through acupuncture) as well,” he said.

Rosalyne Sampson is having chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer last October. She has found acupuncture helpful.

“I have never had nausea but that could be because I started the acupuncture quite early,” she said.

The mother-of-four said acupuncture had helped her cope with accelerated menopausal symptoms, including mood swings and hot flushes, brought on by the chemotherapy.

Acupuncture Relieves Period Pain

Did you know 3 out of 4 women experience period pain some time in their lives? Many women experience some degree of pain or discomfort during menstrual periods. The pain - sometimes known as dysmenorrhoea - is usually cramping and is felt in the lower abdomen or back.

There have been studies on the effectiveness of using acupuncture to relieve period pain:

• Acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea: a randomized study on clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in usual care. (Germany 2008)
• RESULTS: Of 649 women (mean age 36.1 +/- 7.1 years), 201 were randomized. After three months, the average pain intensity (NRS 0-10) was lower in the acupuncture compared to the control group: 3.1 (95% CI 2.7; 3.6) vs. 5.4 (4.9; 5.9), difference -2.3 (-2.9; -1.6); P<.001.
• A review of controlled trials of acupuncture for women's reproductive health care. (UK 2003)
• CONCLUSION:Acupuncture and acupressure appear promising for dysmenorrhoea, and acupuncture for infertility, and further studies are justified.

With the aid of herbal medicine, the results will be more significant, especially if the herbs are taken prior to the menstrual cycle.

Treatment is better than suffering at home, feel free to contact me for further information.

---

Acupuncture Relieves Menstrual Pain, Study Finds
By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM

Source: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Volume 198, Issue 2, Pages 166.e1-166.e8 (February 2008)

Link: Acufinder

A recent German study published in the February, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology confirms that acupuncture can relieve a woman of her menstrual pain.

In the study, 201 women were randomly assigned to acupuncture or no treatment for menstrual pain, severe cramps and discomfort. The majority of patients receiving acupuncture reported at least a 33 percent improvement in their pain level.

It was observed that after three months of treatment the average pain score was 3.1 in the acupuncture group, compared with 5.4 in the control group, using a pain scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain. The treatment included an average of about 10 sessions.

"Patients with chronic dysmenorrhea [menstrual pain] treated with acupuncture as an adjunct to routine care showed significant improvements in pain intensity and quality of life compared to patients who received routine care alone.” Dr. Claudia Witt of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin said.

This study is part of a large acupuncture research initiative of a group of social health insurance funds that provide coverage to approximately 10% of the German population. Until now, women have been using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, to treat menstrual cramps. These drugs, however, come with side effects as mentioned in the report.

Since 2000, the researchers note, Germany’s health insurers have recommended that acupuncture to relieve pain only be covered by insurance if it is delivered as part of a study to investigate its effectiveness.

"Our study showed that acupuncture was beneficial for women if offered as part of the health insurance system," the researchers write in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that “acupuncture should be considered as a viable option in the management of these patients.”

Acupuncture is extremely effective at treating menstrual disorders including: painful periods, irregular periods, amenorrhea and PMS.

How to stay and look young - Supermodel Elle Macpherson adopting the Chinese approach

Ever wonder why Asians such as Chinese, Japanese or Koreans generally look younger than Caucasians of the same age? My wife, aged 30+, still gets asked for a proof of ID every time she enters the casino. So what are the anti-aging secrets behind Asians?

1. Diet
• Chinese cook pork bone broth together with different herbs to obtain nutritional constituents that promote strength and health of their blood and bones. Pork bone broth contains hyaluronic acid, collagen, glycin, elastin proteins and other health benefits. The pork's bone marrow is rich with collagen, which is responsible for the skin's strength, providing structure and firmness to body tissues which helps reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging. Chinese kids have always been told by their parents to suck the marrow out of long bones to promote healthier bone growth.
• Asians prefer to steam, stir-fry and boil food rather than deep-fry or BBQ.
• Drinking herbal tea or green tea instead of coffee as green tea contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.
2. Intake of anti-aging Herbs and rejuvenating food
• Herbs like Ginseng have active ingredients that directly/indirectly suppress aging. Pearl powder, birds' nest, mushrooms and soy beans also play an important role in the secrets to Chinese' longevity and flawless skin.
3. Wellbeing awareness
   • The Chinese invented acupuncture more than 5,000 years ago and discovered how stimulating specific points in the body to restore the flow of healing energy (Qi) to help bring the body into balance. The balance is necessary to improve your health by increasing your immunity, heal cellular damage and reproduction and remove stress.
   • Practicing Tai Chi can also promote health where the slow body movements focus on balance, breathing and harmony.
4. The Sun - Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure, without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. As Caucasians have fairer skin compared to Asians, they develop more signs of photoaging (aging caused by exposure to the sun’s rays) than those with dark skin. Therefore it is important to wear sunscreen before going outdoors.
5. Skincare vs Cosmetics
• Asians are very conscious about how they look, the way they take care of their skin and the procedures they do to maintain their beauty. Although most skincare products are invented in the USA and Europe, the way Asians use them may be quite different from Caucasians. Asians start using skincare products at a very early age, where parents start putting light moisturisers on their babies to protect their skin from dryness. Children are taught to use suitable skincare products as they grow up, promoting natural beauty. However, Caucasians start using cosmetics as early as primary school age, and often do not clean their skin properly after makeup and therefore unaware of the underlying damages. When dead skin cells build up and fine lines appear, they then rely heavily on makeup to cover up and sometimes it might be too late for anti-aging products to take effect.
6. Repetitive facial expression may cause lines and wrinkles to be etched on the skin. These lines and wrinkles, which are often observed in aging skin, may be more visible as a person grows older and his or her skin decreases elasticity.

---




Elle Macpherson reveals how she still looks great

Still looking absolutely fabulous ... Elle Macpherson reveals how she keeps in shape.


Source: Daily Telegraph
Date: February 22, 2010

ELLE Macpherson, the supermodel known as The Body, reveals what keeps her in such great shape.

"I have a very holistic perspective on health. I choose to look after my body from a Chinese medicine perspective, which promotes and maintains wellness rather than treats illness," she told The News of the World newspaper in the UK.

"I have acupuncture regularly and I see a Chinese doctor who treats most common ailments with herbs.

"Maintenance is a concept for me across the board. For example, every six months I go to my doctor to have ultrasound checks on my breasts, ovaries and uterus."

Elle, now 46, talked about how caring for her body has changed since the heydays of her modelling career when she appeared a record five times in Sports Illustrated's swimwear magazine and in every issue of Elle magazine for six successive years.

"These days I practise wellness over fitness. I feel I've discovered the things that are really important to maintaining health as I've got older because my body has become more sensitive," she said.

"Number one is sleep. Often when I don't sleep enough I notice a difference in the way I respond to everyday circumstances. Five hours sleep as opposed to eight makes a huge difference to my well being. Sleep can also be a great detox for the body, giving it time to regenerate so it can function more efficiently on every level."

Macpherson, who now lives in London and is hosting and producing Britain's Next Top Model, alongside the launch of her latest Intimates lingerie, reveals drinking water is essential to her.

"I have six 500ml bottles that I refill every day. I put them on the kitchen table or on my desk and I count them down towards the end of the day. It's a good trick because every time I walk past them I can pick up a bottle and drink it as I walk around. I make sure those bottles are gone by the time I go to bed."

Elle also revealed her diet.

"Diet is very important to me and particularly for my children, as I have seen that low blood sugar levels can affect their moods along with excess sugar, salt, preservatives and food colourings.

"From a nutritional perspective, organic food is really important. I can't stress enough the importance of eating non-processed food where possible. I try to buy Fairtrade and local fruit and vegetable produce that's in season."

Exercise, obviously, is vital for Elle but it has changed .over the years.

"When I was younger and had more time on my hands, I would run six miles or go to the gym every day. It didn't take a lot for me to stay in shape because genetically speaking I was born with good architecture. As I've aged, I've realised that continuous strenuous exercise isn't necessarily the best thing for my body. Strength and flexibility are really important so I choose to do different things.

"When I'm in London, I'll do Pilates or yoga and I'll work with my trainer.

"I'm gentler on my body than I used to be. It's not that easy because I don't have the same physique as I did when I was 20 and there's a temptation to do what used to work for me when I was younger. I've now realised that a more gentle, consistent, self-loving approach is more beneficial. As well as yoga and Pilates, I choose sports I love. I go water-skiing every morning when I'm in warmer climates, and I go skiing when I can in winter. I love to hike, surf and paddleboard. I do sport I really enjoy."

Public Talk: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Wellbeing

To celebrate Chinese New Year 2010, the City of Sydney and the The University of Sydney Confucius Institute are presenting a talk on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Wellbeing.

This free lecture will provide you an opportunity to learn about the differences between Chinese and Western medicine, the Yin and Yang theory, the five elements, Chinese herbal and acupuncture remedies, and some simple ways to use Chinese herbal medicine to improve your wellbeing.

Date: Tuesday 23 February 2010

Time: 6:30 - 8:00pm

Venue: Room 424, Education Building, Manning Road, Camperdown Campus, The University of Sydney

Cost: FREE

Introduction: Dr Cindy Pan, Festival Ambassador of City of Sydney’s Chinese New Year Celebration

Speakers: Professor Kelvin Chan and Dr George Li

Special performance by Chinese Gu Qin master Jin Wei


More Information: Visit http://www.usyd.edu.au/confucius_institute/events_and_news/chinese_medicine.shtml

Bookings: Email Confucius.institute@sydney.edu.au or fill in the form online https://events.sydney.edu.au/office3/getdemo.ei?id=30071&s=_4YG0ZQOOH

Acupuncture helps brain take pain

Acupuncture 'lessens pain in brain not body', scientists discover

Acupuncture works by making the brain, rather than the body, no longer experience pain, according to new research.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk
By Andrew Hough
Published: 8:00AM GMT 06 Feb 2010

Scientists who scanned the brains of volunteers as they were given the Chinese therapy found it deactivated pathways that govern pain.

Complementary medicine expert Dr Hugh MacPherson, of the University of York, said: "These results provide objective scientific evidence that acupuncture has specific effects within the brain which hopefully will lead to a better understanding of how acupuncture works."

The findings, published in Brain Research, suggest acupuncture has a significant effect on specific nerve structures.

Dr MacPherson and colleagues explained when a patient receives acupuncture treatment a sensation called deqi can be obtained. Scientific analysis showed this switches off areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.

(Kenneth's comments: Deqi is a tingling, numbness, heaviness sensation that occur after an acupuncture needle has been properly placed in the body's acupoint. It may feel like an electrical impulse in the area of the acupoint being addressed and the sensation will radiate down the meridian. Depending on the message the acupuncturist wants to transmit to the body, the needle may then be left alone or twirled, moved up and down at different speeds and depths for the deqi sensation to continue.

For patients who have not experienced a deqi sensation during acupunture, it may be due to:
1) The technique of the acupuncturist
2) The acupuncture needle did not touch the correct acupoint
3) The acupuncture needle was only inserted at a very shallow depth, i.e. only the surface of the skin

Acupuncture only works when a deqi sensation can be felt by the patients.)

Dr MacPherson said: "We carried out two tests of acupuncture on our participants, one where the needles are inserted at a shallow depth which is the practise in Japan and the other where they went in much deeper which is the Chinese tradition.

"We found 10 out of the 17 experienced 'deqi' while the others didn't, and this appeared to help in deactivating areas in the brain that are associated with pain.

"The Chinese have been using acupuncture for 2,000 years for wide ranging illnesses but we have only touched the surface at the moment.

"We believe it can help relieve a number of conditions, including depression which we have recruited 640 people for another study where half will receive acupuncture and the others counselling."

Last summer acupuncture was recommended for the first time by the drugs watchdog NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) as a treatment option for NHS patients with lower back pain.

Guidelines now state that GPs should "consider offering a course of acupuncture comprising a maximum of ten sessions over a period of up to twelve weeks" for patients with this common condition.

Co researcher Dr Aziz Asghar, a neuroscientist at Hull York Medical School, added: "The results are fascinating. Whether such brain deactivations constitute a mechanism which underlies or contributes to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is an intriguing possibility which requires further research."

The team is currently researching if acupuncture has the ability to successfully treat irritable bowel syndrome and depression. Previous studies have indicated the holistic treatment works on knee pain and migraines.

Dr MacPherson and colleagues say their research could help to clear the way for acupuncture to be more broadly accepted as a treatment option on the NHS for a number of medical conditions.

---

中醫針灸可引起大腦神經變化
2010-2-8


【大公網訊】英國研究人員日前報告說，利用現代科學手段檢查中國傳統針灸的效果，發現它可以引起大腦相應部位神經的變化，這有助於分析針灸的作用原理。

據新華社倫敦２月７日電，英國約克大學等機構的研究人員在新一期美國學術期刊《腦研究》上報告說，１７名受試者接受了手上合谷穴針灸，並同時接受大腦掃描。合谷穴位於手背虎口下方。研究人員發現，在那些認為有「得氣」感覺的受試者中，與處理疼痛有關的大腦某部位神經出現活動降低的情況。

「得氣」是指針灸過程中患者產生的酸、麻、脹等感覺，被認為是針灸取得效果的重要條件。如果針灸時患者沒有「得氣」而只是感覺疼痛，那麼針灸效果可能不佳。本次研究發現，在僅感覺疼痛的患者中，大腦相關部位的神經出現複雜變化：一些部位的神經活動增強，而另一些部位的神經活動減弱。

參與研究的休·麥克弗森說，這項研究提供了的科學證據說明，針灸可引起大腦產生一些特殊變化，這有助於理解針灸複雜的作用原理。

Reusing cooking oil may lead to cancer

Frying in the face of good health with old cooking oil
Source: The Standard by Beatrice Siu

Date: Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Cooking oil can be dangerous to your heart and even lead to cancer if you use the same lot over and over again, University of Hong Kong researchers warn.

The Hong Kong Eating Oil Association, which commissioned the research, says households should stop reusing cooking oil.

The survey of 500 people last month revealed 73 percent reused oil after cooking, 29 percent said they would use it two to three times.

More than a quarter use it after storing it for 10 days. Only 6 percent threw it away after using it once.

"Some people reuse the oil for the sake of saving money, and neglect the adverse effect on health," said association chairman Francis Sze Chi- keung. HKU researchers found the peroxide value soared 27 times after deep-frying food and that it continues to grow 8 to 10 percent each day even if stored in covered containers.

Associate professor Edmund Li Tsz-shing said peroxide and saturated fat derived from cooking oil under high temperature could lead to heart disease and cancer.

"Peroxide multiplies the risk of cardiac disease and cancer, while oxidized and polymerized cooking oil damages the liver as well." Li said.

It is better not to reuse cooking oil, particularly with fish and food containing a high amount of animal fat, he said.

Li advised people to use the right amount of high quality oil which provides vitamin A, D, E and K.