Chinese lunar New Year--A Second Chance to get your New Year's

It's about a month into the New Year. Do you already wish you had a do-over for your New Year's Resolutions?

If so, you're in luck. You do.

February 10th is the Chinese lunar New Year. The celebration of the New Year, the Spring Festival, is China's longest and most important holiday. Because it is based on a different calendar, it falls on a different date between January 21 and February 20 every year.

You can think of Spring Festival as Christmas and New Year all rolled into one. Just like our holiday season, it's a time of celebration, visiting family and friends, giving gifts and preparing for the next year.

Chinese Lunar New Year: Spring Festival

In China, there are many New Year's traditions during the 15-day Spring Festival. Many people clean their homes to sweep away the past year and usher in the next. Oftentimes family members travel home for a visit.

Children receive red envelopes, called hóngbo in Mandarin, filled with money from their relatives.

People hang red lanterns outside their homes to bring happiness and good luck. On Chinese New Year's Eve families gather for a huge meal and enjoy "lucky" foods together. And, of course, there are fireworks.

The Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal; 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Snake are wise but enigmatic. They are very intuitive and size up situations well, but say little.

Snakes are refined; they like to dress well and are usually financially secure. They are intense and passionate in relationships, but can become jealous and suspicious. Snakes prefer a calm, stress-free environment.

Recommit to Your New Year's Resolutions

The Chinese do not traditionally make New Year's Resolutions like we do in the west, however this is a good time to reflect on the goals you set a month ago. Are you keeping your New Year's resolutions?

If you're having trouble, maybe it's time to take a lesson from the Snakes. Take a quiet moment and reflect on what is stopping you. Do you need to get serious? Do you need additional support? Are your goals genuine - do you want to do them or do you think you should do them? Why haven't you kept your New Year's Resolutions?

If your resolutions include improving your health in 2013, we can help you with that. Give us a call and we can arrange an appointment for anything from a tune-up to mood balancing.

If you need to make a deeper commitment to your resolutions, take a moment and think about what you need to do to keep them. Write down 3 easy action steps.

...and do them. Now.

Use the Chinese lunar New Year as a do-over. Commit to your New Year's resolutions.

Gong Xi Fa Cái. Happy New Year.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Is Twice As Effective For Infertility As Conventional Western Drug Therapy

(NaturalNews by: Christina Luisa) In a review published in the December issue of the journalComplementary Therapies in Medicine, women receiving Chinese herbal medicine treatments were twice as likely to get pregnant within a four-month period than those receiving conventional Western medical fertility drug treatment or IVF. The findings also suggested that the quality of the menstrual cycle - a key component in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnosis -- appears to be crucial to the successful treatment of female infertility. Infertility is generally defined as an inability to conceive after a year or more of regular sexual activity without using birth control.

There is a long recorded history of Chinese herbs being used in the treatment of infertility. In fact, records indicating herbal treatment of infertility and miscarriage date back to 200 A.D., including mention of formulas that are still used for those same purposes today. The first book devoted solely to gynecology and obstetrics, "The Complete Book of Effective Prescriptions for Diseases of Women," was published in 1237 A.D.

Alternative TCM treatments have become increasingly popular in Western countries as more and more couples find out firsthand how effective and safe they are. It is with good reason that more than a quarter of the world's population regularly uses Chinese medicine as part of their health care regimen and that TCM is the only form of classical medicine that is regularly used outside of its country of origin.

Study methodology

The study examined abstracts in English of studies investigating infertility, menstrual health and TCM. Researchers then did meta-analyses of (non)randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies and compared clinical pregnancy rates achieved with Chinese herbal medicine versus Western medicine drug treatment (IVF). In addition, they collected common TCM pattern diagnosis in infertility in relation to the quality of the menstrual cycle and associated symptoms. Eight RCTs, 13 cohort studies, three case series and six case studies involving a total of 1851 women with infertility were included in the systematic review.

Results

The results showed a 3.5 greater likelihood of achieving a pregnancy with Chinese herbal medicine therapy over a four-month period compared with Western medicine drug therapy alone. Average pregnancy rates were 60 ± 12.5% (60%) for Chinese herbal medicine compared with 32 ± 10% (32%) using Western medicine drug therapy. Meta-analysis of selected cohort studies showed a mean clinical pregnancy rate of 50 percent using TCM compared with 30 percent for IVF.

Why choose TCM over conventional fertility treatments?

While health is said to be the common goal of both TCM as well as conventional medicine, their ideas on the etiology of disease, disease in itself and the process used to recover and maintain wellness are decidedly different. The Western medicine physician learns that disease should be cured by prescribing medicine or using invasive and often dangerous surgical intervention. The physician trained in TCM, however, focuses on healing the patient not by treating the disease but rather by treating the whole person, taking into account the various combined attributes of an individual that account for that individual's state of health. According to the tenets of TCM, a person is much more than their pathology; treating the pathology may produce desired results, yet, they are usually temporary.

For female infertility, the key therapeutic factors in TCM are focused on re-establishing balance and reducing stress while regulating hormones and menstruation. TCM recognizes that many cases of infertility stem from a problem that may be more functional than structural. In contrast, Western medicine treatment techniques like IVF are not only invasive and expensive but are often stressful for the patients, and stress is not conducive to the achievement of a healthy pregnancy.

Fertility management has been extensively studied and well-developed in Chinese medicine. Doctors in modern China have reported up to a 70% success rate in treating both female and male infertility with herbs, and the results of large scale clinical trials are reported in Chinese medical journals. Hundreds of different herbs are used frequently in the treatment of infertility, often given in complex formulas comprised of multiple ingredients. Herbal medicine is often used in combination with acupuncture, massage, diet and lifestyle modifications for treating fertility. TCM fertility techniques are relatively non-invasive and can often offer a better success rate for significantly less cost.

Learn more:

www.naturalnews.com

www.altmd.com

www.bubhub.com.au

www.livestrong.com

www.itmonline.org

www.shen-nong.com

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How Humble Cup Of Coffee Could Prevent Deadly IVF Side-Effect

Published on Thursday 30 September 2010 on The Scotsman

LIFE-THREATENING complication caused by fertility treatment could be prevented by drinking a cup of coffee, new research suggests.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF), which resulted in the world's first "test tube" baby in 1978, is used by thousands of couples every year to help them have a family.

But one complication of the treatment - ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) - can cause serious problems.

Researchers, however, now believe they have found what causes the syndrome, and solving it could be as simple as drinking a strong cup of coffee.

About 5 to 10 per cent of women undergoing IVF experience OHSS.

Although the majority of cases are mild, with symptoms including abdominal bloating, nausea and weight gain, in its most serious form it can cause blood-clotting disorders, kidney damage and chest pain.

Scientists from Middlesex University and Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry analysed fluid around human eggs to see if they could find what was causing OHSS.

Writing in the Metabolism Journal, the researchers found surprisingly high levels of a chemical called adenosine.

They believe OHSS is caused when IVF drug stimulation creates high levels of adenosine, causing the blood vessels to dilate and blood fluid to leak into tissue.

The authors of the study said: "Although adenosine has been detected in follicular fluid before, we were surprised at the extremely high levels detected in this study."

They described the chemical as a "significant contender as the molecular cause of OHSS".

To detect adenosine in blood samples, the scientists used a technique called metabolomics, which involves the study of chemical evidence of cellular processes.

The researchers said a solution could lie in caffeine, which acts as a block to adenosine.

Ray Iles, professor of biomedical science at Middlesex University, said: "It may be that a cup of strong coffee with every IVF cycle could reduce the chances of OHSS.

"Caffeine competes with adenosine for the same receptors, effectively blocking adenosine's action, and it could therefore potentially treat the cause of this condition."

Further research is under way at Barts and the London Centre for Reproductive Medicine with IVF patients who have suffered OHSS to find out if caffeine could help avoid the complication.

Susan Seenan, from Infertility Network Scotland, welcomed the findings of the study.

"OHSS can occur as a result of IVF treatment and although most cases are mild, it can be extremely uncomfortable and unpleasant," she said.

"If further studies confirm the findings that caffeine could help women avoid the risks of OHSS it is potentially good news for patients in Scotland who have no choice but to resort to fertility treatment to help them conceive."

Infertility is estimated to affect one in six or seven UK couples - approximately 3.5 million people - at some point.

www.scotsman.com

Breastfeeding Reduces Breast Cancer Risk For Older Moms

(NaturalNews by: David Guitierrez, staff writer) Women can reduce their risk of breast cancer by breast-feeding, even if they have their first child later in life, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Los Angeles.

Researchers analyzed data on women who had participated in the Women's Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences (CARE) Study, the results of which were published in 2003. In the current study, researchers looked at the data for women over the age of 54, 995 of whom had breast cancer and 1,498 of whom did not. They compared the women's risk of acquiring breast cancer with their history ofbreastfeeding and their age at first birth.

There are 200,000 new cases of breast cancer in the United States every year, and it is the third most common cause of cancer death in the country. There are two main types of breast tumors: those that contain hormone receptors, and those that do not.

Researchers have previously found that having a first child after the age of 25 increases a woman's chance of acquiring hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Among women who have their first child before the age of 25, those who have many children have an even lower breast cancer risk.

In the current study, researchers found that breastfeeding decreased a woman's risk for both receptor-positive and receptor-negative cancers, regardless of the age at which she had her first child.

"As more women may choose to delay pregnancy until after 25, it is important to note that breastfeeding provides protection against both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive and negative tumors," said Giske Ursin, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California."

"Breastfeeding may have a protective effect that negates the increased risk of breast cancer associated with late pregnancies," Ursin said.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027746_breastfeeding_mothers.html

'Inner-Pass' Acupuncture Point Improves Health By Reducing Stress

(NaturalNews by: Lindsay Chimileski) Pericardium 6 or Inner Pass (PC6, Neiguan) is one of the most well-known, highly researched and often utilized Acupuncture points. It is indicated to calm the spirit and regulate the heart, making it useful for conditions like heart pain, palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, fear, mania, nausea and menstrual irregularities to name a few. How can one little point benefit so many vastly different conditions? Because it works to treat the underlying cause and common denominator of most illnesses: stress.

Recent studies are proving that PC6 stimulation has powerful effects in the body - acting to relieve stress, as well as to repair the damage stress has already caused. It is also a well-known acupressure point for nausea. This action has been utilized by the development of wristbands that stimulate the point to treat motion sickness.

PC6 is located on the inner forearm, 2 cun distal from the crease of the wrist. Cun are the measurements used by acupuncturists to locate points on the body. Its measure is unique to each individual's anatomical structure, to compensate for differences in body types. 1 cun is approximately the width of the individual's thumb.

New Research on Inner Pass

One recent study by Kim et al. looked at both the detrimental effects of stress and the subsequent relief and restoration of health PC6 can provide. Rats exposed to chronic mild stress exhibited decreased memory and retention as well as significantly lowered Acetylcholine esterase (AchE). In the study, PC6 was then stimulated while biochemical and behavioral changes were monitored. The study found that, AchE, or Acetylcholinesterase, brain activity was increased by PC6 stimulation and that the rats who received acupuncture at PC6 were able to restore AchE activity faster than those in the control group.

AchE, which is found primarily in the cholinergic nervous system and neuromuscular junctions, plays a vital role in synapse transmission. It is responsible for neurotransmitter conversion and the breakdown of acetylcholine to choline and acetate. It is responsible for the termination of synaptic transmission, which allows relaxation to occur.

AchE levels are directly related to Acetylcholine levels. Without AchE, Acetylcholine is allowed to build up. Depending on the degree of excess, high Acetylcholine can cause a spectrum of symptoms, including aggression, depression, neuromuscular paralysis and even asphyxiation. Low levels can be detrimental as well, causing impaired memory function. This proves the importance of having balanced Acetylcholine levels. Acupuncture's ability to balance AchE is beneficial because it works to balance Acetylcholine levels, resulting in both improved memory and relaxation.

This study also looked at behavioral changes of the rats using passive avoidance tests: the rat would be trained not to step into a hole and then repeatedly tested every day for 6 days to monitor retention. The group exposed to chronic mild stress exhibited impaired memory, but again, the group that then received treatment at PC6 had much better retention, improved memory, and learned skills than the control. The study concluded that PC6 could be used to improve memory, increase AchE hippocampus reactivity and repair stress-induced damage to learning and memory.

Keep in mind, TCM is a highly complex medical system that functions within a paradigm all its own. There at least 360 standard acupuncture points on the classical meridians and over 100 extra points. Most importantly, treatments are tailored to the individual, so any study using standardized treatments are not utilizing the medicine completely. These studies are helpful to show some of the many potential changes acupuncture induces within the body, but its healing powers may simply go beyond the parameters we can currently measure.

Sources for this article include
Brett, J. Point Location I & II. University of Bridgeport Acupuncture Institute. Bridgeport, CT. 2011.

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. 2001. Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications. England

H.Y. Kim, H.J. Park, S.M. Han, D.H. Hahm, H.J. Lee, K.S. Kim, I. Shim, The effects
of acupuncture stimulation at PC6 (Neiguan) on chronic mild stress-induced
memory loss, Neurosci. Lett. 488 (2011) 225-228.

H.Y. Kim, H.J. Park, S.M. Han, D.H. Hahm, H.J. Lee, K.S. Kim, I. Shim, The effects
of acupuncture stimulation at PC6 (Neiguan) on chronic mild stress-induced
biochemical and behavioral responses, Neurosci. Lett. 460 (2009) 56-60.



About the author:
Lindsay Chimileski: I am a graduate medical student currently pursuing dual degrees in Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture, expecting to graduate in 2013. I have a passion for health education, patient empowerment and the restoration of balance, both on the individual and communal level. I believe all can learn how to live happily, in harmony with nature and in ways that support the body's innate ability to heal itself.

Please note: I am not a doctor and not giving any medical advice, just spreading the word of natural living, and the pressing health revolution.

http://blossomingconsciousness.com/

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034467_acupuncture_inner-pass_stress_reduction.html#ixzz1hNwbEOEu

Low Vitamin D In Children Behind Current Explosion Of New Diabetes Cases

(NaturalNews by John Phillip) Researchers publishing inThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolismhave found that children with low vitamin D levels, especially when overweight and obese, are at much higher risk for developing insulin resistance that progresses to full-blown diabetes by early adulthood. Based on cellular saturation of the vitamin/prohormone, children and adults require higher amounts of vitamin D as body weight increases. The vast majority of children are vitamin D deficient, a problem exacerbated further by additional fat stores. In addition to a healthy lifestyle including plenty of physical activity and proper diet, parents will want to ensure their children reach proper blood levels of this critical vitamin through exposure to the sun or adequate supplementation.

Past research studies have concluded that high rates of vitamin D insufficiency are found most prominently in overweight and obese populations and are linked to dramatically increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. These studies have not explained the mechanism by which excess fat stores and low vitamin D saturation result in chronic disease development and progression.

Low Vitamin D Levels Lead to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes in Overweight Children

Dr. Micah Olson and his team from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center examined the association between vitamin D levels and dietary habits in 498 obese and non-obese children. The researchers checked for levels of abnormal glucose metabolism and blood pressure in the participants. Additionally, the scientists measured vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin and BMI. Study participants were also asked to provide dietary information including daily intake of soda, juice and milk, average daily fruit and vegetable intake, and whether or not they routinely skipped breakfast.

The study authors determined that 92% of the obese children tested had a vitamin D saturation (using the standard 25(OH)D test) below the 'adequate' level of 30 ng/mL. 50% of the participants were classified as 'deficient' with a level below 20 ng/mL. Dr. Olson commented:"Poor dietary habits such as skipping breakfast and increased soda and juice intake were associated with the lower vitamin D levels seen in obese children."The study concluded that obese children with low serum blood levels of vitamin D had higher degrees of insulin resistance that played a significant role in the development of Type II diabetes.

New cases of diabetes and prediabetes are now found in young adults and even children at an alarming and increasing rate. This research highlights the connection between low vitamin D levels, excess body weight and diabetes risk, and it underscores the importance of vitamin D blood testing for all children and adults. Alternative health practitioners recommend maintaining a vitamin D level between 50 and 70 ng/mL using the 25(OH)D blood test.

Sources for this article include:
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/early/2011/11/03/jc.2011-1507.abstract
www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/tes-lvd113011.php
www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Low-vitamin-D-status-may-be-associated-with-diabetes-development/

About the author:
John Phillip is a Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.

Learn more: www.naturalnews.com

DHA Used In Infant Formula Products Comes From Genetically Modified Algae

(NaturalNews by: Selena Keegan) One of the most vulnerable segments of the population -- infants -- are being affected as chemical giant Martek Biosciences uses cronyism to have its patented GMO products classified as organic. The National Organic Program is trying to correct this, but in the meantime the "organic" infant formula or baby food parents feed their children could contain industrial Frankenfood.

History of Irresponsibility

The story of how this state of affairs came about reveals much on how politics and profit can undermine food safety. Here's a timeline on how the word "organic" is being undermined, creating a health threat for babies who are fed with formula.

2002: Food manufacturers begin supplementing infant formula and baby food with synthetic forms of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA). These polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, naturally present in breast milk, are important components of the human brain and eyes. Although the form of DHA/ARA used in infant formulas is structurally incompatible with the form found in human milk, food manufacturers market their products with the claim that their formulas will make babies more intelligent.

2006: In spite of the fact that its synthetic DHA/ARA is from laboratory-grown fermented algae and fungus through the use of hexane, a petroleum by-product and EPA-identified neurotoxin, Martek applies for organic status for its products. The USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) tells Martek its synthetic DHA and ARA does not quality as organic. Martek attorney J. Friedman ignores the decision of NOP staff and contacts NOP director Barbara Robinson to have the decision reversed.

2009: A front page Washington Post article, "Integrity of Federal 'Organic' Label Questioned" uncovers the Martek story. The article quotes Martek's lawyer saying "I called Robinson up, I wrote an e-mail. It was a simple matter."

2002-2010: Parents and medical professionals observe reactions in babies fed with products containing Life's DHA, the product name Martek gives its patented GMO version of naturally occurring fatty acids. The range of infant health problems includes difficulties breathing and gastrointestinal disorders. When affected babies are no longer fed the formula, the ailments disappear. Although Freedom of Information Act requests reveal hundreds of FDA adverse event reports, the FDA is slow to react.

2011: FDA announces it will investigate claims that DHA/ARA infant formulas support brain and eye development. The National Organic Program is now trying to remedy its 2006 decision by asking Martek to formally ask permission of the NOP's National Organic Standards Board to use its DHA and AHA in organic products.

Products Containing this GMO

In the meantime, Life's DHA is being sold in many so-called organic brands which many consumers trust. Paying higher prices for products labeled as organic does not necessarily mean your family's food does not include this particular Frankenfood. From Martek's own website, here is a list of infant formulas containing their product which is both genetically modified and typically manufactured using a known toxin:

Earth's Best Organic Soy with DHA & ARA (Hain Celestial Group)

Enfamil LIPIL (Mead Johnson Nutritionals)

Enfamil Next Step (Mead Johnson)

Isomil 2 Advance (Abbott Laboratories)

Nestle Good Start Supreme with DHA & ARA (Nestle USA)

Parent's Choice Organic (Wal-Mart)

Similac Advance (Abbott Nutrition)

Ultra Bright Beginnings Lipids (PBM Products, LLC)

There is also a long list of pre-natal supplements as well as vitamins and dietary supplements for infants, children and adults containing this product. A surprisingly wide range of foods and beverages use this GMO substance including Apple Bran Muffins sold at Starbucks; Farm Pride Omega-3 Eggs; Horizon Organic Milk; Kroger Active Lifestyle Premium Light OJ Beverage; Minute Maid Enhanced Pomegranate Blueberry Juice; Pediasure Children's Beverage; Pompeian OlivExtra Plus and Silk Soymilk. The list of products containing this GMO is multinational, with products in many countries across the globe. If you want to check whether a supplement, food, or beverage you use contains Life's DHA, the full list is here:
www.lifesdha.com

Sources:

http://current.com/green/93562887_gmos-being-used-in-organic-baby-food.htm

www.cornucopia.org/DHA/DHA_FullReport.pdf

www.naturalnews.com/027437_DHA_baby_formula_Martek.html

www.organicconsumers.org/documents/MartekStatmentfororganiccustomers.pdf