Nov 30

Visiting farms in Taiwan

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Agro-tourism, where people visit “leisure farms” to experience the agrarian life are increasingly popular in Taiwan:

“The next day we stopped at Xianhu Farm, a hilltop location, for our lunch, within Tainan province. Again there were some interesting dishes, such as the sushi that contained dragon fruit, asparagus, chicken floss and nuts, as well as wild boar stir-fried with herbs and wild vegetables.

Guest cabins in Dakeng Farm.
This farm’s speciality is orange wine and coffee liquor. The wine was gentle and pleasing, although served warm. The black liquor tasted like a strong kopi-O.

Longan and orange trees carpet the rolling hills around this farm. The many cabins scattered on the hillside offer guests solitude. “

Nov 30

Alzheimers and Chinese herbs

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Research is underway to discover whether Traditional Chinese Medicine can help alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimers:

“While scientists are further exploring the molecular mechanisms by which curcumin battles the onset of Alzheimer’s, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors say that using herbal extracts could demonstrate TCM’s capability to combat the disease.

For a long time, without knowing the name of the disease let alone the molecular mechanisms that cause Alzheimer’s, TCM doctors have been documenting its various symptoms. TCM attributes its causes to the exhaustion of the kidney and consumption of brain marrow.

“The principles of (TCM) treatment are tonifying the kidney and activating blood circulation,” said Zhu Zhuangzhuang, a gerontics doctor of Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command Zone.

Based on the disease’s symptoms, TCM doctors have given combinations of herbs such as shudi (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata), fuling (Poria), gouqi (Fructus Lycii) and shanyurou (Fructus Corni).

In recent years, extracts of gingko have been tried as a more experimental method to help treat Alzheimer’s disease. The resulting data has been positive.

“As of now, scientists cannot clearly explain all of the mechanisms relating to the onset of Alzheimer’s, but one thing is clear: It is a result of a combination of factors including the environment, aging, lifestyle and food intake. TCM has an advantage in comprehensively considering the different factors together,” Zhu wrote in her review articles. ”

Nov 30

Chinese herbs and colds and flus

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Some tips for staying healthy this cold and flu season:

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, chances are you’ll get a cold this winter. The saying goes, you can’t cure the common cold. But research is showing you can reduce your chances of getting one by doing some simple natural things to boost your immune system, like eating garlic and yogurt.

Infection control manager Maureen Spencer reviewed the research on a number of natural approaches to strengthening our ability to fight off harmful bugs.

“Andrographis has been proven by seven randomized clinical trials that this absolutely will alleviate upper respiratory infections,” said Maureen. “This is actually based on elderberry herb.”

That’s found in Sambucol. An Israeli study found that it suppressed the influenza virus.

Maureen also said the herb pelargonium actually reduces the severity of respiratory symptoms. Another ancient Chinese herb, astragalus, will help enhance the immune system.

What about vitamin C and zinc? Some research recommends a high dose of each at the first onset of a cold. The verdict is more mixed on echinacea. One study did show some promise however.

But doctors warn patients to read up on the vitamins and herbal remedies before you take them. Or ask your doctor.

Dr. Paul Bradley with the St. Joseph’s/Candler Medical Group also says the best way to prevent colds and the flu is good hygiene. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly, and of course, get your flu shot. ”

DAAN carries the following Astragalus products:

DAAN Immune Booster

DAAN’s Pure Astragali

Extractum Astragali

Nov 26

Treating colds and flu–naturally

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Some good advice on treating the flu:

“There are a number of other natural supplements and herbs available that can be helpful for both preventing and treating cold symptoms including:

  • Andrographis and astragalus, two herbs used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine and are thought to boost the immune system and help fight off colds.
  • Elderberry extract has been shown to help people recover from symptoms of the flu four days faster then people who didn’t take the extract.
  • American ginseng has been shown in a large Canadian study to be effective in both treating and preventing colds and flu.

    • As with taking any medication – natural or otherwise – Rosick said it’s always a good idea to keep your health care provider informed. ”

    DAAN carries the following remedies that can help with the flu, including:

Nov 26

Acupuncture and herbal remedies for pets

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A veternary treatment center specializing in wholistic treatment for animals, including acupuncture and Chinese herbs, has opened in San Francisco:

“On Monday, the howls and yelps will begin, punctuated by occasional spurts of body fluids. San Francisco’s first totally holistic center for veterinary medicine will open at Pets Unlimited, a Pacific Heights nonprofit offering free tours to the public today and Sunday.

“Finally, people are ready for this,” said veterinarian Cheryl Schwartz, a pioneer in the field of nontraditional care for animals.

The creatures that come to the center will receive such treatments as acupuncture, Chinese herbs and homeopathy — either as a complement to Western medicine or as an alternative when conventional approaches haven’t worked.

“In the last few years we’ve really seen the demand grow, especially with the aging pet population,” said Joe O’Hehir, the organization’s executive director.

The center, formerly a grooming and cat-boarding space, is located on the basement level of the Fillmore Street building. During the 18-month renovation, the walls of the reception area became a peach-mango shade, applied using a Venetian plaster technique more often encountered in Italian restaurants.

The three rooms dedicated to consultations and treatments also are painted in colors more likely to be seen in a massage studio or in Architectural Digest. ”

Nov 15

Herbs and asthma

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Chinese herbs show some results in treating asthma:

“”Only 10 percent, and at most, 30 percent of our health care is actually delivered by what we consider conventional or biomedical-oriented practitioners. The remaining 70 [percent] to 90 percent ranges from self-care according to folk principles to care given in an organized health care system based on an alternative tradition or practice,” said Leonard Bielory, M.D., director of the Asthma & Allergy Research Center at New Jersey Medical School in Newark (UMDNJ), Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Philadelphia.

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York tested a three-herb Chinese formula known as ASHMI as a treatment for allergic asthma. In China, herbal therapy is the standard way asthma is treated.

After analyzing study results, investigator Xiu-Min Li, MD, said, “There was significantly improved lung function and symptom scores in patients who used ASHMI. This study indicates that ASHMI may be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated botanical drug.”

Now, researchers are investigating whether ASHMI could reduce or replace the use of corticosteroids in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma.”

Nov 15

One man’s experience with Chinese medicine

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The film director Anthony Minghella explains how he’s come to incorporate Chinese medicine into his life and how it benefits him:

“On my first visit, struggling in the snow to the house where she works, it seemed as if half of the city was being treated by her, as she hurried from room to room. She took my pulse in several places on my wrist, looked at my eyes and tongue, and asked me if I had a problem with my thyroid. I was astonished and asked how she knew. She explained that she was using the standard four diagnoses of traditional Chinese medicine: observation, smell, questions, pulses and tongue. Did I smell of thyroid deficiency? She began to stick acupuncture needles in me. Using Eastern terminology, she diagnosed low or deficient kidney energy, a problem typically related to the thyroid.

She also checked for digestive problems, based on her knowledge that low kidney energy is often rooted in an imbalance in another organ. Dr Xiaolan makes no distinction between alternative and conventional treatments; she just uses a wider palette. Traditional Chinese medicine, alongside Western medicine, is still an integral part of China’s healthcare system. Patients seek out either depending on the nature of their illness, often using Chinese medicine for maintenance and Western medicine for surgical intervention.

Because she comes from this joint tradition, Dr Xiaolan understands the value of thyroxine, and she wanted the results of my blood tests. But she also believes that medication can’t cure every symptom associated with hypothyroidism, and she uses other treatments to support the tablets.

Acupuncture is chief among these, but she also prescribes Chinese herbs to “increase yang” in the kidney and to encourage spleen energy for the promotion of qi, believed to be the energy necessary for proper digestion. In Chinese medicine, the kidney is the organ connected with the element of water. In this interpretation, people with low kidney qi retain water and have a tendency to bloat and gain weight. Dr Xiaolan told me that low kidney energy related to water meant that it couldn’t put out fire, which is the element connected to the heart organ, the base of sleep. This meant I wasn’t sleeping correctly and contributed to my exhaustion. “

Nov 08

Dried plums used as preservative

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Researchers at Texas A&M are studying plums as a meat preservative:

“To help satisfy consumer demand for more natural food products, researchers at Texas A&M University are investigating dried plums as a meat preservative.

“We found that dried plums, when pureed, actually have a very good antioxidant capacity,” said Dr. Jimmy Keeton, professor of animal science and leader of the research at Texas A&M.

“We’ve been experimenting with dried plums and plum juice in different types of products such as pre-cooked pork sausages, roast beef and ham to see which of those products will respond most effectively as antioxidants,” he said. “We found that pre-cooked and uncured products like sausages and roast beef actually respond the best.”

Antioxidants retard oxidation of fatty acids that make up fat, he said.

“If these are unsaturated fatty acids, they can oxidize more and produce off-flavors and cause shelf life problems,” he said. “

Nov 08

Chinese herbs and fertility

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Some patients find success using acupuncture and Chinese herbs for fertility treatments:

“Katherine Simpson, of Davidsonville, was running out of options.

She was 35, unable to get pregnant, and her fertility clinic had not found any obvious reason why. According to her doctors, the only thing left for her to try was in vitro fertilization, a costly procedure that Ms. Simpson didn’t feel was right for her.

“They told me they couldn’t do any more,” Ms. Simpson, now 36, said.

Then she looked into acupuncture.

“I thought, ‘even if it doesn’t work, I’ll feel better,’ ” she said. After working with Severna Park acupuncturist Nicole Withrow for six months, Ms. Simpson became pregnant with her son.

Ms. Withrow, a licensed acupuncturist, has now shifted from general practice to exclusively treating clients struggling with infertility. Some of her patients have suffered recurrent miscarriages and some are simply unable to conceive.

Although the business change has meant an overall decrease in clients, Ms. Withrow did it because she saw a need – treatment for women and men who are navigating through a tough journey of frustration, fear and loss.

“There’s a failure aspect, especially with unexplained infertility,” the 33-year-old said. “Women often feel like failures.”

In Ms. Withrow’s practice, clients might receive acupuncture treatments, nutritional recommendations, supplements or herbs, or some combination of therapies. Ms. Withrow said she often recommends lifestyle changes like yoga, meditation and tai chi.”

Nov 03

Eastern and Western medicine working together

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Traditional Chinese medicine can be an valuable and effective complement to Western medicine:

“A STROKE patient is being given acupuncture treatment in the traditional Chinese medicine wing on the second floor of Tung Shin Hospital in Kuala Lumpur.

Over at the Western wing, a patient is prescribed Western medicine only for the same ailment. Nearby, another patient is taking Western medicine before going for acupuncture at the Chinese wing.

Tung Shin, which was set up in the late 19th century, opened 12 traditional Chinese medicine wings in February this year — with physicians trained in a range of fields, including acupuncture, orthopaedics, oncology and gynaecology.

And although the 15 traditional Chinese doctors and 37 Western-trained doctors operate separately in different wings, the hospital does offer integrated medicine.

Lam Wah Ee Hospital in Penang, however, has opted not to integrate — for now.

Tung Shin’s Chinese Medical Department head Professor Zhao Tian Yong says they don’t exchange opinions about a patient’s condition or plan treatment together. But they do suggest appropriate treatments to their patients.

As an oncologist, he recommends surgery and chemotherapy to his patients if they need it, but he also uses traditional Chinese medicine which, he says, can protect the patient and reduce side effects of chemotherapy such as thirst.

“This also happens in the Western Medical Department. Their doctors will recommend coming here if they feel traditional Chinese medicine is more suitable for them,” he says.”

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