Acupuncture is good for lower back pain:

"Acute low back pain goes away after several days or weeks. Chronic low back pain persists over months or years. The main goal in treating back pain is to decrease pain so that patients can resume their normal activities. Traditional treatments for low back pain include drugs (pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants), physical therapy, back exercises, and education about ways to prevent back injury and to deal with back pain. Unfortunately, these treatments do not always help. Many people with low back pain seek alternative treatments,such as acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical treatment that involves putting special needles into specific points of the body. Increasingly, mainstream medicine is recognizing acupuncture as an effective treatment for various disorders. It is unclear whether acupuncture is an effective treatment for low back pain.

---
The studies provided convincing evidence that patients who received acupuncture improved more than patients who received sham acupuncture or no treatment."

Billberry is an fruit that may help strengthen eyesight:

"BILBERRIES (Vaccinium myrtillus) should not to be confused with blueberries though they are similar in appearance. They grow abundantly on heaths and moors in northern Europe and North America. They have quite a sharp tangy flavour when eaten raw. The dark blue-black berries are rich in anthocyanidins that are potent plant antioxidants found to protect micro blood vessels especially in the retina. These fine blood vessels provide nutrients to the photoreceptor cells made of rods and cones which help us to see.

Photoreceptor cells are receptors sensitive to light and while the cones help us to see in colour, the rods are responsible for visual acuity (sharpness) and contrast vision (to differentiate between the different shades and for seeing in the dark)."

DAAN carries its own Billberry formulation.

Exciting results that suggest some Chinese herbs may kill some cancer cells:

"A study found that derivatives of indirubin, the active component of a Chinese herbal medicine Danggui Longhui Wan, can potently inhibit the growth of certain types of cancers.

A German study has already found in 1999 that indirubin possesses anti-leukemia properties. Danggui Longhui Wan has been used to treat leukemia."

An interesting article about various alternative treatments in Egpyt:

"The treatments that fall under the category of alternative medicine are many and varied. They range from practices like acupuncture, which has a long tradition of use as well as a certain amount of scientific backing, to more contested ideas such as color therapy and healing with crystals.

However, most fall under the range of what are known as “complementary alternative medicines” (CAM), meaning that they are meant to be taken in conjunction with normal medical treatments, not replace them. All CAM praticitioners stress the importance of going to see a medical professional if surgery required, communicable diseases involved, or when faced with any serious life-threatening illness.

In some parts of the world, “alternative” therapies are not alternative at all, but are either quite conventional or supplement to Western therapies. For example, in China a variety of choices come standard with any visit the hospital. Yang explains, “In China if I am sick I go to the hospital ... where I am asked whether I want a traditional [Chinese] treatment or a Western doctor.” After being tested, the patient can opt for anything from Chinese herbs, acupuncture, acupressure, suction cups or conventional medicine."

In China, treatment centers that use acupuncture as part of a comprehensive program to help people lose weight are becoming popular as China's growing affluence increases the incidence of obsesity:

"A Chinese "boot camp" for the obese has "pinpointed" a way for them to lose weight -- acupuncture.

"It simply speeds up the body's digestive system," Dr. Shi Lidong of the Aimin Clinic tells CTV News. "It helps the body get rid of needless fat. It's very effective."

One patient undergoing the treatment says the multiple needles really don't hurt. "Besides, when I lose enough, my girlfriend says we can get married," he says.

The clinic's poster child is Meng Qunggang. Upon arrival, he weighed 256 kilograms. After a year, he was down to 90 kg."

Studies show that practicing Tai-chi can help balance and flexibility in older people:

"After four months, the researchers saw that the elderly people who practiced Tai-chi saw a reduction in the number of falls their experienced by a factor of 40 percent. Those in the other group who merely received classroom instruction, however, saw the number of falls reduced as well, but only negligibly. Study results showed that over the period of 48 weeks in which the study was carried out, 46 percent of the participants did not fall once. Meanwhile, of those who practiced Tai-chi, 47 percent experienced one fall during the period, while 60.3 percent of those who were only in the classroom instruction group fell once during the study. "

Some good tips on achieving calm and balance in your life through Qigong"

"QIGONG (sometimes spelled chi kung and pronounced Chee gong) is believed to be the most widely-practised exercise and health system in the world.

It is a complete system of health and preventative medicine that dates back thousands of years. Qigong masters have learned how to live long, happy a"nd healthy lives through regular practice of qigong exercises - in many cases their life span has greatly exceeded what we would consider the norm.

They have learned how to develop and balance their natural energy and live in harmony with nature. They have also learned how simple movements, breathing and standing exercises and meditation can improve their balance, flexibility, co-ordination and help to heal them of many illnesses and injuries."

In China, acupuncture for pets is a big business:

"As the army of pet owners expands exponentially in China’s affluent cities, more and more are attracted to the promise of traditional methods. But patience is advised.“Acupuncture works very slowly, and you have to see the doctor repeatedly. That’s a hassle for people, let alone for dogs,” said a Beijing dog owner, who gave her surname as Zhang. Even so, an entire sub-industry is emerging in China’s largest cities, staffed by hundreds of practitioners, many of them attached to pet clinics that also offer western treatment.

In Beijing alone there are dozens of more or less qualified doctors specializing in acupuncture for pets, Guo estimated."

-----

"Acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine have so far been used predominantly for human diseases, which means there are large unexplored areas when it comes to the applicability on animals. A strong interest in further research has emerged both at home and abroad, according to Xu Jianqin, a member of the Chinese agriculture ministry’s committee for approving traditional medicine for use on animals. “There are problems with western medicine that simply refuse to go away, such as growing resistance to basic drugs,” he said. “As a result, many western doctors have started studying Chinese medicine on their own accord.”"

Another article (with some sensible tips) about using Chinese medicine to help alleviate allergies:

""Chinese medicine considers the organ systems that are associated with allergies, like the lungs, the kidneys, the skin and the spleen— it's also important to look at the patient's lifestyle," said Morgan.

According to Morgan, East Mountains residents may be more likely to suffer chronic allergies due to the wind as well as spicy, fried and dairy-heavy Mexican foods. Morgan said these types of foods cause dampness and phlegm in the body and take a toll on the lung and spleen.
"People with sinus infections may like spicy food because it temporarily clears out the sinuses, but people with a high tolerance for spicy foods might have underlying lung and spleen problems," she said.

Chinese medicine's approach is to begin boosting the immune system the season before allergies hit."

DAAN carries a number of cold and allergies remedies.

An interesting perspective on woman's high heeled shoes, from a TCM perspective:

"According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are 33 acupuncture points on the foot, or 60 reflective areas that respond to different internal organs, including the kidneys, stomach and spleen, neck vertebra and reproductive organs. In a sense, problems with the feet could incur problems with the head, spine, heart, digestive system and joints."

An interview with Dr. Ted Kaptchuk of the Harvard Medical School about Western and Chinese medicine.