Natural herbal organic supplements from Zen-Ohs USA specialize in weight loss slimming joint bone care stress relief digestion improvement and more

Natural Weight Loss and Alcohol Cessation Through Acupuncture and Zen-Ohs Botanicals.

October 16th, 2011

A little over a year ago, I had a patient who came to me for acupuncture for weight loss. In conjunction with her acupuncture treatments, I had recommended that she take Zen-Slim supplements to be taken. Within about a month, we saw some astonishing results; she lost twelve pounds through a regimen of both acupuncture once a week and Zen-Slim supplements for one month.

The best results that made her weight loss successful were by suggesting that she eliminate alcohol completely from her meals. It is a fact that alcohol contains empty calories and makes a person gain weight. It also reduces will power, increasing the likelihood that you will reach for high-calorie foods. In this woman’s case, she was a moderately heavy drinker. Not only was her acupuncture treatment aimed toward weight loss, it was also aimed through sedating her need for alcohol through specific points on the ear to help curb her need for alcohol. The points used on ear were:

Shenmen
liver
kidney
spleen
heart

In addition to those points, I gave her Zen-Detox for ridding her body of any impurities. Within two months, the craving for alcohol was reduced and the mere taste of alcohol was not very pleasant either. According to her, the taste of scotch, vodka, or wine was similar to having potpourri in her mouth. This is the power of Zen-Slim and Zen-Detox.

Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to have better health? Don’t hesitate and start changing your life starting now!

Posted in 100 % Certified Organic Dietary Supplements for weight loss, detox, colon cleansing, libido enhancement, promote deeper sleep and reduce anxiety | 1 Comment »

The Benefits of Cinnamon

February 15th, 2011

By: Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM)

www.billysingh.com

Cinnamon is used worldwide as a culinary additive and used in herbal medicine. Today I will talk about how it is used in promoting health based on East Asian medicine and Western pharmacology. You have two different kinds of cinnamon; you have the twigs (known in Mandarin as Gui Zhi) and the bark (known in Mandarin as Rou Gui).

The properties of the cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi) are different from cinnamon bark (Rou Gui). Gui Zhi is described as being sweet, pungent, and warm. Its functions are:
1. Adjusting the ying (constructive) and wei (defensive) levels of the body. Therefore, it treats wind-cold deficiency which is characterized by
o Light sweat
o Weak pulse
o Fatigue
o Pale tongue
o Chills that are stronger than the fever
2. It also treats wind-cold excess which is characterized by:
o Lack of sweating
o Floating and slow pulse
o Pale tongue
o Scratchy throat
o Aching muscles in the upper back and occiput
o Chills that are stronger than the fever
3. Promote urination thus making it useful in treating mild edema.
4. Opening of the pores to induce diaphoresis to promote sweating.
5. Warming the channels and collaterals of the body to treat Feng Bi Zheng (Wind Impediment Syndrome) and Han Bi Zheng (Cold Impediment Syndrome).
o Wind Impediment syndrome is seen as pain in the body that move from one location of the body to the other.
o Cold Impediment syndrome is seen as pain that stays fixed entirely in the joints and is exacerbated with cold foods, drinks, and the environments.
6. Invigorates heart yang and increases the yang qi of the heart.
o Therefore it treats chest pain
7. Promotes blood circulation to the uterus.
o Treats masses and fibroids, amenorrhea and dysmenorrheal due to blood stasis due to cold.
Next, the western pharmacological actions of Gui Zhi are:
1. “Antibiotic: Gui Zhi has both antibacterial and antiviral effects. It exerts an inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, some dermatophytes, and influenza viruses (pgs.41-42, Shen).”
2. “Diruetic: The essential oil of Gui Zhi has a mild diuretic effect to reduce edema (pg.42, Shen).”
3. “Diaphoretic and Antipyretic: The essential oil of Gui Zhi induces perspiration and lowers body temperature through dilation of the blood vessels at the peripheral regions of the body (pg.42, Shen).”
4. “Analgesic: It exerts analgesic action (pg.42, Shen).”
5. “Circulatory: Gui Zhi dilates blood vessels and promotes blood circulation to the uterus (pg.42, Shen).”
6. “Other: Gui Zhi has cardiotonic, sedative and hypnotic, and anti-tussive effects (pg.42, Shen).”

The properties of the cinnamon bark (Rou Gui) are stronger and potent than Gui Zhi. Rou Gui is considered to be more hot than Gui Zhi. Therefore the functions:
1. warming the body and dispelling cold
a. this means its good for treating abdominal pain exacerbated by cold foods and drink.
2. promoting blood circulation.
a. Good for joint pain (Bi Zheng) exacerbated by cold foods, cold drinks, and cold weather.
b. Also good for dysmenorrheal and menstrual pain.
3. increasing the metabolic functions of the body described as the ming men huo (“the life gate fire”).
a. In other words, it helps with low back and knee weakness, impotence, polyuria, and loose stools.
The pharmacological actions of Rou Gui have effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems. According to John K. Chen’s text Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology:
1. “intravenous administration of Rou Gui is associated with a marked reduction in blood pressure, a decrease in heart rate, peripheral vasodilation, decreased vessel resistance (pg. 448).”
2. “Subcutaneous injection of a Rou Gui preparation for 5 days increased the white blood cell by 150 to 200% in dogs (pg. 449).”

Bibliography

McCrea, L.Ac., Mary Anne “Tish” Chinese Materia Medica 1, Lecture Notes 2002.

McCrea, L.Ac., Mary Anne “Tish” Chinese Materia Medica 2, Lecture Notes 2004.

Tags: Chinese medicine, Diet, East Asian, Food, herbal medicine
Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Moxibustion

February 15th, 2011

By: Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM)

“Dedicated to my family, my patients, my teachers, and my colleagues. ¡Hasta La Victoria Siempre (Always Towards Victory)!”

Moxibustion is another procedure used in East Asian medicine and it involves the burning of an herb called mugwort (ài yè in Mandarin) on different points and areas of the body. Moxibustion is one of the many sub modalities in the acupuncturist’s arsenal. Modern TCM theory says the needles are used to move qì while moxa is used for supplementing it. That is modern TCM view on acupuncture and moxibustion. Thus the modern view of moxibustion being a supplementing entity is correct in that respect. Classical literature has shown that moxa is used for either supplementation or for dispersion just as much as acupuncture can used for either moving qì or supplementing qì. Before I discuss the proper functionalities of moxa (ài yè), let us look at the Chinese characters of moxa, jiǔ huǒ. The character “jiǔ” when translated from Mandarin to English is “something that endures; long-standing.” The character “huǒ” means “fire.” Putting those characters together, “jiǔ huǒ” translates to “long burning fire.”

This implies that the effects of moxibustion heats up the body and its effects are long lasting.

Moxibustion works on these levels:

1. Increasing metabolic vacuities within the body (or supplementing the qì or Blood)

2. Providing analgesic effects (or moving qì and Blood to stop pain)

3. Building up the immune system (or supplementing the wèi qì)

4. Lowering blood pressure (or sedating Liver yang when applied to Kid-1{Yǒng Quán} or Du-20{ Bái Huì})

The way moxa works on body based on scientific thinking starts in the second century. In the second century, Buddhism arrives in China from India along with Ayurveda and breathing techniques (pranayama). According to the philosophy of yoga, chanting “Om” during meditation is based on the concept that everything vibrates. This is the sound that the earth’s core makes. That form of thinking goes into Chinese medicine. Moxa has a vibratory effect because there is movement while it’s being burnt. The human cell vibrates at a rate of 600 to 900 amgstroms per second. When moxa burns, vibrates at a rate of 900 amgstroms per second. Therefore, its vibrations affect the human body.

The application of moxa depends on the following factors:

1. The point(s) used

2. The treatment principle: supplementation or dispersion

3. Transfer mediums:

a. aconite (Fù Zi)

b. Ginger (Shēng Jiāng)

c. Garlic (Da Suàn)

d. Salt

e. Deer Antler (Lù Róng)

f. Tangerine Peel (Chén Pí)

g. Poria (Fú Líng)

h. Potato

i. Rice

4. direct application on the skin (cones)

a. has it been burned 2/3’s of the way down

b. has it been burned all the way down

5. being burned on top of the needle (needle-head)

The cone-style moxa affects the wèi, qì, and yíng levels of the body, thus making it effective in treating vacuities in the body (qì level) or supporting the immune system (the wèi and yíng levels). Needle-head moxa, where the moxa wool is placed on top of the needles, affects the xuè (blood) level. When moxa in cone form is burnt an odd number of times, its function (depending on which point is being used) becomes supplementing. When moxa cones are being burnt an even number of times (again, depending on the point used) becomes regulatory. Now it’s not just the number of cones being used but also the amount of heat being transferred through the points. When the moxa cones are burnt 2/3’s of way and the patient feels “warm” the effects are supplementing and the heat is spread put in a smaller quantity. This will affect the wèi, qì, and yíng levels of the body. Similarly, if the cones are burnt 2/3’s of the way almost to the surface of the skin, the effects are more dispersive. It will feel “hot” and the circulatory system is increased and the heat is spread out throughout the body. This technique will affect the yin and blood levels of the body. The heat emitted from the burning moxa on top of the needles (in the needle-head technique) conducts itself through the needle to affect the xuè level. Thus, it is effective in treating muscle, tendon, and joint related conditions thereby invigorating the flow of blood to those specified areas. Another point I want to mention is that moxa overall helps with regulating the zhēng qì (the correct qì). The definition of zhēng qì is the qi that defends the body from exogenous pathogens and gives rise to other forms of qì such as wèi qì, yíng qì, zàng fǔ qì , and jīng luò qì. With that in mind, the zhēng qì is needed for the proper energy dynamics within the body to maintain health. When, the zhēng qì is compromised in serious illnesses such diabetes or autoimmune disease, then the other aforementioned types of qì becomes compromised. As stated before, moxa helps regulate the zhēng qì. In essence, moxa leads to a natural reorganization of the body into its normal components.

Bibliography

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr. Stephen J., “Moxibustion Boot Camp,” Lecture Notes 2007.

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr, Stephen J., “Dr. J- Moxa Seminar Excerpt- History” http://www.youtube.com/user/holisticceus#p/a/u/1/aOivgbDwMdU November 11th, 2008.

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr, Stephen J., “Moxa Theory Excerpt,” http://www.youtube.com/user/holisticceus#p/a/u/0/BRvdf3l2MqI November 11th, 2008.

Easton, Darlene, Fundamental Theory of Oriental Medicine, Lecture Notes 2002.

Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and a board certified Chinese herbalist by the NCCAOM. He is currently practicing in Commack, NY. His primary focus with East Asian medicine is stress, pain management, diabetic complications, and treating chemotherapy side-effects. He is also the President & CEO of Zen-Ohs Botanicals, Inc.

Tags: acupressure, acupuncture, Chinese culture, Chinese medicine, East Asian medicine, moxibustion, TCM
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

“I Am Preventing Cancer by Treating Back Pain”

December 11th, 2010

Reading the title of this new article, you are probably thinking, “How is that possible?” By treating something as simple as back pain with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, you are taking a preventative measure against cancer. It may sound unlikely, or even impossible; but on the contrary, it’s quite feasible.

It all starts with an injury. Let us say a 25-year-old man gets into a 30-mile-per-hour car accident. He survived the accident and now has minor upper and lower back pain due to the concussive force of the crash. Over time, the pain comes and goes but the concussive force remains, therefore leading to impeded blood flow to the connective tissues and muscles. In a great amount of time, impeded blood flow in this case leads to lack of oxygen to the surrounding tissues, which is known as ischemia. Ischemia leads to another process known as cell death, because no oxygenated blood is going to the tissues. Eventually, the severity of cell death turns into necrosis because cell death has now spread into other tissues surrounding those affected by the concussive force. Over time, the surrounding necrotized tissues go into a cellular process known as cytotoxicity, which is much more severe than necrosis. Toxins build up in the surrounding and localized muscle tissue, which later leads to cancer, which spreads into tissues. How many times have you heard about people dying of cancer, despite the fact that they did not have cancer in their family health history?

A perfect real-life example of this theory is the case of Sosai Masutatsu (Mas) Oyama. He was born in 1923 and was the founder of Kyokushin karate. He trained under harsh environments and conditioned his hands, legs and feet by striking rocks and trees. He challenged 300 fighters in Japan and fought all of them in a three-day kumite (which in Japanese means “free fight”). In short, he pushed himself beyond the limits of human endurance. Yet despite his physical and spiritual strength, he died in 1994 of lung cancer as a non-smoker. Now this is where the theory of concussive force comes into play. As a fighter in his time, martial artists did not have protective equipment to shield their bodies as we do now. When you are fighting the way Masutatsu Oyama did, most of the concussive force coming to your body comes from your opponent’s strikes to your ribs, among other body parts like the head, groin and stomach. Despite his physical strength, he was taking concussive force to his body (in his case, specifically the rib cage), which resulted in ischemic tissues, which over time resulted in his lung cancer.

Chinese medical practices like Gua Sha can help treat musculoskeletal problems before they can eventually turn into potentially life-threatening issues. Gua Sha is a modality that incorporates the use of a Chinese soup spoon, or any other hard device, to scrape the surface of the skin until there is bruising and redness. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or it can be used with one’s acupuncture treatment. The theory behind scraping the surface of the skin until it is very red is to bring up any stagnated blood and toxins to the surface of the skin. The stagnated blood and toxins that have been built up cause pain and eventually lead to other problems at a cellular level. Since there is bruising involved, capillaries are destroyed and allowed to regenerate, thus bringing in a fresh supply of nutrients and oxygenated blood to the connective tissues of the body that have been affected by injuries involving concussive force. The bruising and redness that occurs fade away within four to five days. If you want to see this technique done in action go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOF9kvjDPsk.

To make an appointment, call (516) 557-6112 or email at billy@billysingh.com.

Tags: acupuncture, cancer prevention, East Asian medicine, gua sha, martial arts, pain management, scrapping skin
Posted in East Asian medicine | 7 Comments »

How to Get Glowing Skin

December 7th, 2010

The skin is the largest organ in the body. Anything that shows up on your skin is largely due to the detoxification process. Optimum skin health comes from within so looking at diet and supplements that go into the body is important. The gut and liver are key organs in skin health so in order to have great skin both these organs need to be functioning well. Lastly the cells that form your skin require a number of different nutrients to function properly. The following will provide you with some useful information.

Factors affecting skin health:

• Lack of water
• Poor digestion
• Poor detoxification
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Lack of good gut flora
• Low essential fats
• Food allergies/intolerances
• Genes
• Stress
• Hormone imbalances
• Inflammation • Skin care products
• Medications
• Recreational drugs
• Sleep disturbance and reduction
• Food additives
• Alcohol, coffee, tea, sugar & refines foods
• Environmental toxins, water impurities
• Pesticides, herbicides, fertiliser residue in foods

Nutrients important for healthy skin:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin D
• Antioxidants
• EFAs
• Water
• Sulphur
• Zinc
• Probiotics

Foods to eat

• Plenty of water (at least 8 glasses per day) and herbal teas to help flush out any unwanted toxins.
• Foods naturally high in fibre such as wholegrain rice, oats, beans, lentils and legumes. The fibre in these foods literally binds to excess waste in the body to excrete it. They can be useful for constipation too as this can lead to toxic build up which may affect skin condition.
• Plenty of fruit and vegetable such as carrots, tomatoes, peppers, watercress, berries, grapes, beetroot, cabbage, broccoli, kale and onions. These are packed with nutrients essential for skin health.
• Essential fats such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna) nuts and seeds. These fats are an essential part of the cell walls of the skin cells. Having a continuous supply of good fats ensures that the skin cells stay supple and plump.
• Eat organic where possible to avoid excess pesticide and preservative intake. These chemicals may be taxing on the liver.

Food to avoid

• Refined foods and sugar such as biscuits, cakes and chocolate. These are lacking in nutrients and can contribute to poor gut health such as yeast overgrowth. Sugar feeds bad bacteria which can produce toxins. Sugar has the tendency to attach itself to the collagen, damaging the structures and making it more rigid. This can make the skin more saggy and prone to wrinkling.
• Bad fats such as fried foods, crisps, chips, ice cream etc. Too much saturated fat in the diet tends to make the cell walls become rigid and won’t let nutrients move in and out. The end result is poorly nourished skin that looks dull and has lost some of its elasticity.
• Tea, coffee and alcohol. These may over stimulate the liver. The idea is to support the liver and not give it a hard time!

Supplements

The following may be useful supplements in improving skin condition

Omega 3-6-9 Balance oil by BodyBio. This supplies a good ratio of Essential Fatty Acids to help the cells in the skin function efficiently.

Probiotics supplement. A good one is EcoDophillus from BioNutri. Provides live organisms of friendly bacteria to support the health of the digestive tract and help the condition of the skin.

Solgar – Hair skin and nails. This formula provides vitamins and minerals essential for skin health such as B vitamins MSM, Vitamin C, L-Lysine, Silicon, zinc and copper.

If you would like to know more about achieving optimal health in a nutritional consultation then please go to www.missnutritionist.com and contact Rosie Millen at enquiries@missnutritionist.com. Alternatively call on 07515355267.

www.choicehealthmag.com

Tags: detoxification, skincare
Posted in skin care | 1 Comment »

Raw Materials to Avoid In Skincare Products and Cosmetics.

December 2nd, 2010

Many High Street products contain potentially harmful raw materials. There are many reasons why producers continue to make formulations containing toxic chemicals, but the most likely explanation is ignorance. Many cosmetic chemists must promote the use of chemicals as they are paid or funded by the chemical companies directly or indirectly.

B here are many people in factories all over the world making products, but they often don’t have the knowledge to decide which raw materials are potentially harmful. This is therefore left to the chemical suppliers, who often make the recipes for them. Some harmful ingredients can take many years of use before health problems arise and then it is often too late to identify the specific source of the problem. I think that it is very important that producers know more about the raw materials that they are using, so Aromantic has published a comprehensive Education Pack (No 2). This is an A-Z guide containing descriptions of both safe, and potentially unsafe, raw materials typically used in making cosmetics to help you make safe and informed choices. It is important that you always read the labels very carefully. Many potentially dangerous raw materials have already been featured in Choice Health & Wellbeing but here are some, which you may not know about…

Aluminium salts such as Aluminium hydroxychloride, Aluminium chlorohydrate Aluminium sulphate, etc. They block pores and are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Aluminium salt is used in most antiperspirants nowadays. It acts as a sweat inhibitor, closing off the skin’s sweat pores so that the sweat is unable to come out. Closing off the body’s most important secretory organ day after day (sweating from the armpits included) and with a substance than can be irritating to the skin and is easily absorbed by damaged skin, is not necessarily the best solution for our sweat problems. Aqueous cream is Paraffin and water in suspension and should be avoided as it is based on mineral oils from the petrochemical industry.

BHT is Butylated hydroxytoluene and is a synthetic phenol. It is an antioxidant which prevents fats and oils from going rancid and essential oils from oxidising. BHT is a controversial substance – some research indicates that it is carcinogenic while other research indicates that it acts as a protective agent against the effects of carcinogenic substances. It is possible that BHT is absorbed by the skin because it mixes easily with fats and oils. In our view, this substance does not belong in natural cosmetics. Borax is Sodium borate, a strong irritant which may be carcinogenic. It is used as an emulsifier.

Capric/Caprylic triglycerides are refined, very stable Fatty Acids produced from Coconut Oil. (Research uncertain at the moment.)

Collagen is often taken from young animals or aborted foetuses. Do you really want to have this injected into your lips?

Euxyl K100 Benzyl Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone. A very controversial preservative. Same as Kathon CG (see below).

Isopropyl myristate Iso-propylmyristate. This is a very commonly used substance in the cosmetics industry. It is obtained from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid (a vegetable based fatty acid). At room temperature it is a watery-clear, odourless, oily liquid. Isopropyl myristate can be used in cosmetic preparations as a substitute for vegetable oils. It makes the skin feel soft but without the fatty feel which the vegetable oils give it. However it can react chemically with triethanolamines creating other compounds which are absorbed by the skin and can create health problems.

Kathon CG Methyl chloroisothiazolinone (and) Methyl isothiazolinone. Kathon CG is used as a preservative against bacteria and fungi in cosmetics. It is also used in anti-freeze for cars and as a preservative for wood in pressure treated timber. It is registered as a class 2 fungicide. Kathon is used in 10-20% of cosmetics on the market. Kathon is suspected to be one of the most common causes of allergic reactions to cosmetics. Symptoms include redness, blisters, itchiness, boils, rashes, peeling and swelling of the skin. There are no less than 32 different names for Kathon, e.g. Actizide AC and Euxyl K 100.

Lanolin made from wool can be contaminated with pesticides from sheep dip, e.g. DDT.

Linseed oil Linum usitatissiorum. A vegetable oil extracted from linseed which contains 30-40% oil. Extraction occurs through the crushing and pressing of the seeds. Linseed oil contains a high level of linolenic acid (50%) and is the most familiar of those oils known as ‘dry’ oils. Linseed oil goes rancid on exposure to oxygen and turns into a solid mass. The oil is used in putty (for windows) and in the making of paints. For the latter a particular kind of linseed oil is used – cooked linseed oil – which is treated with lead oxide. Cooked linseed oil should never be either taken internally or used topically. Linseed oil has no history of use in skincare but is very readily absorbed by the skin. However, this may be because it does not keep at all well and goes rancid very quickly.

Mineral oil is petroleum based, blocks pores, acts as a barrier, and suppresses normal skin functions.
Paraffin/Petroleum products are used mostly in lubrication oil in sewing machines and floor wax. Prevents absorption of vitamins, clogs pores and may be carcinogenic. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate. A detergent which is very aggressive on the skin.

Spermataceti cetaceum is obtained from the head of the sperm whale. Silk Amino Acid is derived from dead silk worms.

Tallow is a fat derived from sheep and slaughtered animals. It is then refined through a process of melting and filtering. Tallow is a solid fat which melts at 45 – 50ºC and has a white or off-white colour. It contains 50 – 55% oleic acid and 45 – 50% stearic and palmitic acid. Tallow comes in different grades. In food making it is used in margarine, which in turn is used in bread and cakes, for example. Industrial tallow is used in the making of soaps (shaving foams and soaps), candle-grease, emulsifiers, lipsticks, detergents and thickening agents for detergents. Because of the high content of heavy metals and pesticides in the fat, it is not recommended for use in skincare products or food.

Triethanolamine is petroleum based, very irritating and can be carcinogenic. Used as an emulsifier by many High Street brands.

Vaseline is petroleum based, blocks pores, destroys vitamins, and may be carcinogenic.

Wheatgerm Oil goes rancid within just 1 – 2 weeks of production. This is due to the high content of linolenic acid in the oil and is the cause of the bad smell associated with wheatgerm products. Unfortunately many old English aromatherapy books have written favourably about wheatgerm as an antioxidant or preservative. Many people now realise that this is totally wrong. If you want your products to spoil quickly, just add wheatgerm oil!

2-broma-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol is a solvent used in nail varnish, amongst other things. Also used as a preservative even though it is a dubious substance to use in cosmetics at all. Can form nitrosamines when combined with triethanolamines. People working with chemicals who inhale this substance can lose their appetite and experience diarrhoea and headaches.

© Aromantic Natural Skin Care is passionate about empowering people to make their own Natural Cosmetics and Skin Care products. Based in the north-east of Scotland, they stock a wide range of raw materials to make your own natural and safe Creams, Lotions, Massage products, Gels, Ointments, Lip Balms, Cleansers, Face Masks, Shampoos, Foam Baths, Soaps, Sun Creams, Make-up & Deodorants. They also stock Essential Oils, Vegetable Oils, Fats & Waxes, Natural Perfumes, Starter Packs for beginners, Educational material and Recipe Brochures and run UK-wide Educational Courses. Call 01309 696900 to request a free catalogue and newsletter or you can find out more and shop online at www.aromantic.co.uk.

www.choicehealthmag.com

The Leading Publication for Complementary Health, Education and wellbeing

Tags: healthy skin, skincare
Posted in skin care | 14 Comments »

The Treatment of Diabetic Complications with Acupuncture.

December 2nd, 2010

By: Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM)

It is a disease that is defined as a metabolic disorder that is characterized by either abnormally low or high blood sugar levels that lead to a variety of metabolic derangements. It is commonly characterized by fatigue, excessive urination, excessive thirst, and excessive hunger. In this country, it is the biggest cause of death or disability. In developed countries, the incidence of diabetes has doubled in the last 15 years and its going to double in the next 15 years. The worst part of this situation is that one out of three people do not know they have diabetes. For those that are diagnosed have had it for much longer amount of time and wind up with complications such as neuropathies. According to Clinton J. Choate’s article “Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)”, it is estimated that 60% to 70% of diabetics have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.

The symptoms range from:

Pain in the feet and legs.
Cramping, tenderness, and muscle weakness. They can occur in the legs and feet along with the arms and hands.
Paraesthesias- pricking, tingling, or numbness along the skin.
Blurred vision.
Impotence

In allopathic medicine, the treatment for diabetic neuropathies involve physical therapy, medications and in severe circumstances, surgical intervention. The some of the medications used to treat paraesthetic pain and other neuropathies are tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Even though these specific medications are used in the treatment of depression, they are also used in treating peripheral neuropathies. However the side-effects are numerous and seem counterintuitive when one looks at them. For example, the antidepressant Imiprine (Tofronil) treats peripheral neuropathies by releasing norepinephrine in the central pain modulating pathways located in the brainstem and spinal cord. However a side-effect of Imiprine is impairment of mental or physical abilities and cardiovascular disease. When you look at those side-effects and compare them to the risk that diabetics have with cardiovascular disease, it seems rather counterproductive.

According to Subhuti Dharmanada, “Acupuncture therapy is a common approach to treating diabetes in China. Many Americans assume that acupuncture is only suitable for treating pain, perhaps because the initial introduction of acupuncture was mainly for this application. Increasingly, people with pain and other health problems for which acupuncture is selected also have diabetes.” Acupuncture can treat neuropathies by bringing blood flow and nerve conduction to the skin to treat numbness and tingling in the extremities. Another point to mention is that blood flow and nerve restoration can also be accomplished in regards to the treatment of blurred vision and impotence. Unlike the medications mentioned, acupuncture has no side-effects.

Bibliography
Dharmanda Ph.D., Subhuti “Treatment of Diabetes with Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture” web posting date: January 2005 www.itmonline.org pg.14

Choate, Clinton J. “Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)” Journal of Chinese Medicine Number 58 September 1998 pg.4

Echeverry, MD, MPH, Diana M. “Diabetic Neuropathy: Treatment and Medication” updated April 4th, 2007 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/315434-treatment

Tags: acupuncture, blurred vision, diabetes, East Asian medicine, health, impotence, neuropathy, pain, wellness
Posted in East Asian medicine | 5 Comments »

Simple Steps to the Body of Your Dreams

November 25th, 2010

What you eat has an enormous impact on how you look. You are what you eat! It is not always that easy though to stick to eating healthy foods and I will not talk about the reasons why, I will just provide you with some simple strategies you can apply to eating healthier and achieving a great body.

If you look forward to eating healthy foods, then you are much more likely to eat them! Contrary to what many people assume, there are many ways in which you can enjoy great tasting food and make healthy choices at the same time.

Cooking is a great part of our culture now and much more than just providing our bodies with energy. We can, however, enjoy both.

In fact, you can not only learn to enjoy healthy foods, you can also save a hell of a lot of money at the same time! Most of the ready-made meals we buy for convenience are not just packed full of chemicals and unhealthy combinations of foods, they also cost us a fortune. Yes, sometimes they are nice tasting because someone has gone to the trouble of preparing those meals to taste good. Well if they can do it, so can you!

Yes it will take some preparation and some practice experimenting with different foods to find out what works for you, but if you get to save money, enjoy great tasting food and have a great looking body and improve your self esteem, it’s not much to ask for really is it??
There are literally thousands and thousands of healthy recipes out there. There are books, websites, articles, all on how to enjoy great tasting, healthy dishes. What combinations could you add to spice up some plain foods?
Many people go down to the local sandwich shop to grab lunch. They may make a healthy choice when they are there and choose a chicken and salad sandwich. They may also grab some crisps and a can of drink or a smoothie with it too. It may cost them £5-7 for that and if they do that over the course of five days it will cost them between £25-35.

Or instead you could go to the supermarket and buy some lean chicken breasts, some wholemeal bread, some fresh vegetables and salad, some spices, some fresh fruit, some healthy great tasting yoghurts, etc. You could experiment with a different lunch every day, trying all sorts of different combinations. You would save a lot of money, you would have more time for your lunch as your food is already prepared, you would definitely know what was in your food, you would have variety every day and by having your food already prepared you would be less tempted to grab a quick coffee and bun because you are busy!

You get the idea.

Preparation is key.
It is all well and good knowing all this information, but it is much harder to follow if you are not used to doing it. The key is in your preparation.

You prepare for a presentation at work, an exam, to find directions to somewhere you haven’t been before, for an interview, to get ready for a night out, to have friends round for dinner.

You prepare for most situations in your life. You prepare for a long journey in your car by filling it up with the right amount of fuel. So why wouldn’t you prepare your body and mind to be in an optimal state by preparing your food every day?

I know it doesn’t make sense! It is just a case of habits, but they can be broken and new ones formed if you prepare in advance. How could you prepare to eat healthy foods every day?

Could you buy your shopping on a certain day every week? Cook a large meal in the evening and store the remainder for your lunch the next day? Spend 15 minutes each night or morning before work to ensure you eat healthily and look after your body, ensuring you feel and look great every day of your life.

What else could you do?
Enjoying food is a huge part of our culture in the modern world and you can have the best of both worlds (great tasting foods that are healthy) if you just prepare a little in advance.

Many people assume that all the best tasting foods are bad for you but that is not true. Most of the great tasting prepared foods are bad for you! But if you prepare your own meals, you are in control and you can choose to have the best of both worlds.

It’s not just about healthy foods.
Of course eating healthy foods is key to having a healthy body and if you just replaced eating whatever foods you wanted out of convenience and for lack of preparation, you would notice a HUGE difference in your state of mind, your body and how you feel every day.
There are also some other things that you could consider to enjoy a much healthier, fitter, happier lifestyle.

Eat regularly.
If you want to have more energy, see more results and make your body much more efficient then you need to eat more regularly. The average person eats three meals per day; however, the body digests your food approximately every three hours. Spread your food over five to six meals throughout the day and you will see a noticeable difference in your results. Eating five to six smaller meals per day will provide your body with the constant supply of nutrients it needs and it is also a good method to prevent you from ‘over-eating’.

It may be too much of a step for you to go from three main meals per day to five or six. What you could do is have your three main meals per day and a couple of snacks in between. You could have some yoghurt, fruit, nuts in between meals to keep you going and keep your energy levels up instead of coffee!

The power of water.
The human body is made up primarily of water. Water is involved in every process and function of your body. There are endless benefits to keeping hydrated, too many to mention! You should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day; however, I recommend drinking 2-3 litres per day when you are exercising on a regular basis. Try it for a week and just notice the difference. The only side effects are improvements in your energy levels, the appearance of your skin and going to the toilet more!

Exercise regularly.
Just as it is important to eat a healthy diet, it is crucial to your success to exercise on a regular basis.

The body was designed to move. If you want to have a healthy body and a healthy mind, then exercise must play a role in your routine. For many people, exercise can come across as a chore. Well what could you do to enjoy it? Who could you ask to do it with you? What else could you do to spice it up? Join a class, read a book, listen to an audio book, listen to your favourite music?

For anyone who wants to achieve a good body, you must exercise at least three times per week. There are two main forms of exercise; cardiovascular exercise (cardio) and weight training. It is important to make both part of your routine. They both have their benefits and are crucial if you want to achieve a healthy and balanced body.

I wish you a successful journey going forward. Respect your body, you only get one and without it you cannot enjoy all the other pleasures life brings. CHW

© Martin Robert Hall
Would you like to learn how you can achieve your perfect body, how you can keep up your motivation, how you can apply lots of easy techniques to ensure you eat healthy and exercise with ease then go to: http://www.1perfectbody.co.uk to learn more about my full e-book you can download now and start living a rich, healthy life that will give you great happiness and confidence every day.

The book is packed full of hidden secrets and top tips that I and many other experts have applied to lead a healthy lifestyle all year round and enjoy looking and feeling great every day. Supporting you to higher levels of achievement.

www.choicehealthmag.com
The Leading Publication for Complementary Health, Education and wellbeing

Tags: Diet, eating habits, Exercise, lifestyle, wellness
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Acupuncture for Aches and Pains

November 24th, 2010

We encounter aches and pains throughout our lives due to different factors. These factors range from sports to on-site construction work. The most common pain-related issue I have come across is lower back and neck pain. The current remedies for such problems have been things like pain killers, cortisone injections, and the R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) protocol. However, acupuncture and herbal medicine have much more to offer in terms of pain relief.

Acupuncture helps treat muscle and joint pain by influencing the body’s natural pain killers known as endorphins and reduce inflammation once needles are inserted into different key points that lie along pathways that run through the body. Once the needles are inserted into the areas that are in pain, the needles are manipulated either manually or with electric-stimulation to reduce inflammation and eliminate stagnant proteins within the muscles that lead to aches and pains. Other adjunctive techniques with acupuncture are moxabustion, cupping, and tui na (Chinese medical massage).

Moxibustion is the burning of an herb known as ‘mugwort’ onto different points along the body. Once the mugwort is burnt 2/3’s before it reaches the skin, the heat emitted from the burning mugwort penetrates deep into the pathways, connective tissue, and muscles. The heat increases blood flow and relieves pain by causing a dispersive effect into the painful areas of the body. In essence, it helps increase the effects of one’s acupuncture treatment by causing a natural reorganization of the body into its normal components.

The next adjunctive technique that is used with one’s acupuncture treatment for pain relief is cupping. Cupping is a technique where a heat vacuum is created along the skin with the use of glass jars. By doing this, stagnant blood, fluids and lymph are pulled up into the surface of the skin which are blocking normal circulation into the muscles and joints.

Lastly is tui na (Chinese medical massage). It is a form of massage that helps not only helps to relieve pain but also seeks to bring about structural alignment. The way I would describe this massage style would be a combination of deep-tissue massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic rolled into one.

In conjunction with acupuncture and its adjunctive techniques, I also incorporate herbal medicine to aid in ones current treatment. There different herbal formulas that help with treating pain are liniments for external application such as Die Da Jiu (“Hit Fall Wine”) which contain herbs that are used in relieving pain resulting in muscle strains and sprains, and muscle pulls. These herbs act on relieving these problems because of their anti-inflammatory and circulation promoting properties. It is a lot more effective than using ice for injuries because even though ice relieves pain by numbing the pain receptors, it slows down the flow of blood to the injured area thus causing a condition known as blood stasis which results in sharp-stabbing pain after an injury has subsided.

When an injury is not taken care of it leads to other problems that Western medical doctors would not think of otherwise. For example, let us say we are in pain because of a traumatic accident resulting in shoulder pain. The pain is relieved with pain killers and other conventional methods. Over time, the pain comes and goes but the concussive force remains, therefore leading to impeded blood flow to the connective tissues and muscles. In a great amount of time, impeded blood flow in this case leads to lack of oxygen to the surrounding tissues, which is known as ischemia. Ischemia leads to another process known as cell death, because no oxygenated blood is going to the tissues. Eventually, the severity of cell death turns into necrosis because cell death has now spread into other tissues surrounding those affected by the concussive force. Over time, the surrounding necrotized tissues go into a cellular process known as cytotoxicity, which is much more severe than necrosis. Toxins build up in the surrounding and localized muscle tissue, which later leads to cancer, which spreads into tissues. In conclusion, I would highly recommend acupuncture and herbal medicine for the treatment of injuries related to on-site construction among many other factors. It is not only helps with treating the problem, but it also helps with preventing other health problems associated with those injuries.

Acupuncture and Acupressure Tx.

Tags: acupuncture, arthritis, Chinese herbs, East Asian medicine, herbal liniments, medical massage, pain management, pain relief, sports injuries, tui na
Posted in East Asian medicine | 19 Comments »

The Benefits of Acupuncture

November 1st, 2010

Acupuncture is a 2500 year health modality from China that involves the use of hair-thin needles to specific points in the body to treat disease. When the needles are inserted into certain areas of the body (known as acupoints), the needles are manipulated to influence the flow of Qi (metabolic functions) and blood. Once the flow Qi and blood is manipulated via the insertion of needles, it affects your nervous system to bring relief from pain. It affects the immune system to fight off illness. Your digestion is also effected thus helping you utilize the nutrients your body needs to carry out its day to day activities. This form of medicine is not just used in China but all over the world. It is recognized by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health as a legitimate form of medical care. It has gained popularity in America for treating problems such as smoking cessation, back pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, and gynecological issues such as PMS. However, through recent clinical research, it has been effective in treating diabetic complications and the side-effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients.

The first reason to make acupuncture your choice of treatment is that it uses a holistic view of looking at the body rather than each organ and each disease as a separate entity. When you appear for your first visit, your main complaint is addressed along with your lifestyle, diet, emotional factors, and other signs and symptoms. Even if you have other problems that you think are unrelated to your main complaint, they may likely be a cause or a part of pattern that ultimately relates to the main complaint. For example, if your migraines are not caused by stress or diet, than the root cause could come from menstrual irregularities such as PMS or a previous neck injury due a car accident or sports. Again, instead of treating the symptoms of a particular issue, we look for the root cause to eliminate the problem rather than just masking the issue. Livia Kohn says it best in her book Health and Long Life: The Chinese Way: “…patients seek an integrative approach to health, a methodology that takes their whole being, lifestyle, and social situation into account and that promises long-term relief and a high quality of health.” Acupuncture has proven that it is clinically effective based on scientific and anecdotal evidence. It has been used as a part of China’s training of its athletes back in the summer 2004 Olympics and has proven to be effective in treating alcohol, tobacco, and drug detoxification programs since the late 1970’s at Lincoln Memorial Hospital in New York.

Acupuncture also helps you feel better without any side-effects. In today’s healthcare crisis, many of the new medications that have appeared on the market that have done more harm. In the media every time you see an advertisement for new type of medication, you will see at the bottom of the page or your TV screen, “side-effects include nausea, upset stomach, fatigue, drowsiness…,” and the list goes on. These side-effects alone are the number one cause of decreased productivity which leads to missed school and work days. This issue is one of the many reasons for the growing disillusionment and dissatisfaction within the American healthcare system for twenty years.

Lastly, acupuncture has a good cost-to-benefit ratio. Again this brings us back to another sector in the current health care crisis, which is the rising costs of health care that’s leaving so many people in this country unable to afford health insurance. The amount of money spent altogether on health insurance premiums, the doctor’s visits, the co-payments, and the medicines adds up in thousands of dollars. However, acupuncture is an affordable solution to this dilemma since the treatments are economically priced. That alone helps patients save themselves thousands of dollars in the long-term by cutting back on the costs.

I have given you many reasons on how acupuncture can help you. It is my honor to present to you the most sophisticated and unrivaled form of medicine to come out of Asia than any other medical system in the world. It is a wise venture that meets the demands of the mind and body together.

Bibliography
Kohn, Livia Health and Long Life The Chinese Way 2005 Three Pines Press Magdalena, NM 87825 pg.2

Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and board certified Chinese herbalist by the NCCAOM. He is currently practicing in Commack, NY. His primary focus with East Asian Medicine is stress, pain management, diabetic complications, and treating chemotherapy side-effects. He is also President & CEO of Zen-Ohs Botanicals.

Tags: acupuncture, East Asian medicine, health, needles, wellness
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