Lamorinda Acupuncture » acupuncture walnut creek

Understanding Pain (And What To Do About It)

Jason Luban — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:46:37 +0000

When people ask what kinds of conditions we treat in our clinic, my usual response is that most of our patients have tried many other modalities first, before they are ready to try acupuncture. This is especially true of people in chronic pain, who may have already been through western medical procedures, cortisone shots, surgeries, medications, and physical therapy before they arrive in our clinic. For those in pain, there is a lot of research out there on the etiology and pathogenesis of pain-related syndromes and what we can do about them.

A good friend who happens to be a physical therapist recently made me aware of the following 5-minute clip from Australia, which explains not only pain syndromes, but what we can do about them. Check it out–quite creative, and informative:

Understanding Pain (And What To Do About It) is a post from: Lamorinda Acupuncture

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Some Interesting News About The Bacteria in Your Gut

Jason Luban — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:06:17 +0000

Bacteria also come in all kinds of shapes, strings, spheres, oblongs. But they aren’t all bad guys. In fact, without them, we wouldn’t survive very long. We need them to digest food, to produce vitamins. We use them to fight off the bad bacteria. In spite of what you’re reading in the papers this week, they are more helpers than hurters.

New research shows that we may have gut “types,” just as we have blood types, based upon what type of bacteria we have in our gut. This may have a lot of implications for the way we eat, and why some of us have different reactions to the same kinds of foods.

For more on this, read this fun article from NPR correspondent Robert Krulwich on his science blog by clicking here.

Some Interesting News About The Bacteria in Your Gut is a post from: Lamorinda Acupuncture

The End of Disease (Or The Way We Look At It) Check out this 3 1/2-minute video from the Institute of...
Weight Loss Happens Proportionally… When a person starts losing weight, where does the fat...
Why The Low-Fat Diet Doesn’t Work (And What To Do About It) Since the mid-1980s we’ve been told to eat a low-fat...

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Why The Low-Fat Diet Doesn’t Work (And What To Do About It)

Jason Luban — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:58:22 +0000

Since the mid-1980s we’ve been told to eat a low-fat diet. Turns out that’s part of why we’re so fat, ironic as it may sound. Check out this excellent talk by a well-known Swedish MD on why low-fat diets do not work, and what and how we should be eating instead…

If you’d prefer to read about this rather than watch the video above, check out http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf.

Why The Low-Fat Diet Doesn’t Work (And What To Do About It) is a post from: Lamorinda Acupuncture

The End of Disease (Or The Way We Look At It) Check out this 3 1/2-minute video from the Institute of...

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Giving Thanks is Good For Your Health

Jason Luban — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:18:50 +0000

Recent studies have shown that adults who often feel grateful are more energetic, optimistic, happier and have more social connections than those who do not. What’s more, grateful people earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections. For more on all of this, check out this article in the Wall Street Journal from Melinda Beck.

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U.S. Military Now Using Acupuncture for Concussions in Afghanistan

Jason Luban — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:21:35 +0000

The U.S. military is applying an ancient Chinese healing technique to the top modern battlefield injury for American soldiers, with results that doctors here say are “off the charts.”

U.S. Military Now Using Acupuncture for Concussions in…

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Why The Hype on Goji Berries (Gou Qi Zi in Chinese Herbalism)?

Jason Luban — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:04:47 +0000

Guest post by Alexis Bonari

Researchers, physicians, and health enthusiasts across the world tout berries for their antioxidant powers. Of all of them, goji berries are receiving increased spotlight as the fruit with the greatest amount of antioxidants on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, which was developed by Tufts University in Boston to measure antioxidant levels in foods.

Does this make the goji berry our new fountain of youth?

What are antioxidants?

In our day to day activities, we are exposed to harmful molecules called free radicals. We come into contact with them by normal body processes like digestion (when we burn sugar for energy), when the body breaks down certain medicines, through pollutants like cigarette smoke, and even through UV skin damage from spending too much time unprotected in the sun.

Antioxidants—such as vitamins C and E, minerals like selenium, flavonoids, and more—scavenge free radicals in your body and protect it from damage. They actually slow the aging process of our bodies by minimizing damage done to your cells and DNA. WebMD says that our best source of antioxidants is from fruits and vegetables and derivative products, like red wine and tea.

What are goji berries?

Goji berries, also called wolfberries, are bright orange-red berries that hail from Asia. In China especially, these berries have been eaten with hopes of increasing longevity. Nowadays, goji berries are sought after to treat ailments from fever to diabetes and prevent heart disease and cancer.

What are the benefits of goji berries?

Eaten raw, cooked, or dried, goji berries stand to give us the biggest antioxidant punch from within the fruit family. Their antioxidants boost our immune systems and even help our chances against various diseases, small and severe: cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, age-related eye problems, Alzheimer’s, and other age-related circumstances. More traditional uses of goji berries (which haven’t yet been backed by scientific research) include lethargy, aching joints, tinnitus, dizziness, cough, and sexual difficulties.

What are myths about goji berries?

Typically, when an ancient folk remedy surfaces to the 21^st century, it is swarmed by commercialist sharks, wolfed down, and digested into an over-priced, cure-all remedy—a fountain of youth. Green tea, pomegranate, and many alternative medicines unfortunately undergo the same process. This is not to say these ancient remedies do not work—they do! The consumer, however, must beware of modern industries that not only hawk these products and services with exaggerated claims, but at outrageous prices and in diluted formulas and experiences.

For example, a juice product may use the goji berry as its claim to fame, but a closer look at its list of ingredients will very often show that the entire product contains very little of its flagship ingredient. According to a report on TVNZ, health officials began an inquiry for certain goji juice makers, who claimed in their advertisements that their goji juice drink could cure cancer.

Be wary of miracle drugs and products and scrutinize all labels. If you want the benefits of goji berries, eat them from the grocery store, not from a bottle or pill.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching minority scholarship programs as well as beauty school grants. She also writes on health-related topics such as this one whenever she has a chance. In her free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.

Why The Hype on Goji Berries (Gou Qi Zi in Chinese Herbalism)? is a post from: Lamorinda Acupuncture

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Evidence Mounts for Acupuncture Helping Migraine Sufferers

Jason Luban — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:44:50 +0000

The Irish Medical Times has published findings on the fact that acupuncture can help the 15-20% of the population who suffer with chronic headaches and migraines. Click here to read the article…

Evidence Mounts for Acupuncture Helping Migraine Sufferers…

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Doing Nothing is Good for Your Brain

Jason Luban — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:11:06 +0000

Many new studies are checking out the effects of our constant barrage of information and what it’s doing to our brains and bodies. I often notice that I’ll check email on my phone or read the New York Times in the tiny bits of time I have while waiting in line for a movie or at a restaurant before food arrives. Some research now points at the emerging fact that taking time out allows our brains to process information and aids our memories in recording and analyzing experience. Check out today’s New York Times article, reported from San Francisco, for more…

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Acupuncture Covered in Wall Street Journal Article

Jason Luban — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:59:56 +0000

by Melinda Beck, for the Wall Street Journal

Acupuncture has long baffled medical experts and no wonder: It holds that an invisible life force called qi (pronounced chee) travels up and down the body in 14 meridians. Illness and pain are due to blockages and imbalances in qi. Inserting thin needles into the body at precise points can unblock the meridians, practitioners believe, and treat everything from arthritis and asthma to anxiety, acne and infertility.

As fanciful as that seems, acupuncture does have real effects on the human body, which scientists are documenting using high-tech tools. Neuroimaging studies show that it seems to calm areas of the brain that register pain and activate those involved in rest and recuperation. Doppler ultrasound shows that acupuncture increases blood flow in treated areas. Thermal imaging shows that it can make inflammation subside.

(to read the rest of the article, click here to go to the Wall Street Journal)

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Acupuncture and Mesothelioma (Guest Post)

Jason Luban — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:17:35 +0000

A small guest post from Roberta Walters at the Mesothelioma Journal…

Cancer treatment often causes nausea and other unpleasant side effects. Surgery can result in pain and the cancer itself is often painful.

Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate some side effects of cancer treatment. It works so well that even the National Cancer Institute speaks of its benefits. Studies have shown that acupuncture is effective at preventing vomiting caused by chemotherapy and other treatments.

For the best results, cancer patients should look for an experienced acupuncturist who focuses on treating the side-effects of cancer and its treatments. Proper acupuncture can alleviate the nausea and vomiting of chemotherapy, and greatly reduce pain. This can bring a huge improvement to the quality of life of anyone battling cancer and the problems that can accompany it.

For more information, check out http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org.

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