December 2004 [Volume 3, Issue 12]

To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Tai Chi Can Help Heart Failure Patients
• Herb of the Month: Saffron
• Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

According to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, heart failure is the leading cause for hospitalizations among American adults over age 65. It affects roughly five million Americans, and is caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in increased blood pressure, decreased oxygen capacity, and eventual buildup of fluids in the lungs and other organs.

A recent study in the American Journal of Medicine examined the role tai chi can play in treating heart failure. In the trial, 30 patients with chronic stable heart failure (average age 64) were randomized to receive either "usual care" (consisting of drug therapy and diet/exercise counseling), or usual care plus 12 weeks of tai chi training. Tai chi training consisted of a 1-hour tai chi class held twice weekly. To measure changes between groups, the researchers incorporated a variety of tests, including a quality of life questionnaire and an exercise capacity test.

At the end of 12 weeks, patients in the tai chi group had significantly improved quality of life scores compared to the usual care-only group (an average of 25 points higher among tai chi patients). In addition, patients in the tai chi group were able to walk longer distances without difficulty, and had lower levels of B-type natriuretic peptides (an indicator of heart failure) than usual care-only patients. The researchers concluded that tai chi "may be a beneficial adjunctive treatment that enhances quality of life and functional capacity in patients with chronic heart failure who are already receiving standard medical therapy."

Saffron is arguably the most expensive herb, pound for pound, in the world. "Saffron" actually refers to the dried stigmas and top of the saffron crocus, a type of flower similar to safflower. It takes approximately 75,000 saffron flowers to produce one pound of saffron stigmas. Because of their delicate nature, the stigmas can only be picked by hand - hence the high price for obtaining high-quality amounts of saffron.

In many cultures, saffron is used as a spice and for culinary purposes. However, it has many medicinal uses as well. In traditional Chinese medicine, saffron is used to treat conditions such as high fevers and related symptoms, and to help break of blood clots. There is also anecdotal evidence that saffron can inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells.

The typical dose of saffron is between 1.5 grams and 3 grams of dried herb, usually taken as a decoction. Dried saffron can be found at many supermarkets, as well as most Asian markets and specialty stores.

Because saffron can stimulate contraction of the uterus, it should not be taken by women who are pregnant. In addition, extremely high doses of saffron can be toxic. It should not be taken by people who are on blood-thinning medications or who suffer from heavy menstruation. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking saffron or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.

To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral.

Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions:

Question #1: My 27-year-old son had a type of back surgery where the surgeons went in through his stomach and repaired a herniated disc. He has been on several pain medications, including Loritab, but wants to try to control his pain without habit-forming drugs. This is a workers comp case, so they will be more than happy to have him on a drug-free pain regime. Is acupuncture any help for him?

Answer: His ability to respond to acupuncture would need to be evaluated on an individual basis. Acupuncture treatment will be helpful, but he may not be satisfied with the results. He needs to be evaluated by an acupuncturist, but most likely, he would begin to have acupuncture treatment. He would see if it was something he could do for a while, and not have a particular frame of time as a goal.

Question #2: I want to know: Is there any solution to hearing loss in children? A doctor said that it is a nerve damage, or the nerve is dead. Please let me know.

Answer: Because there is research to show that acupuncture does stimulate nerve healing, I'd have to say this is a possibility. Auriculotherapy (ear acupuncture) could be quite effective, since it affects the cranial nerves as well as the CNS (central nervous system), but it will require you seeking a practitioner and allowing him/her to assess the situation individually.

Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask.

Unsubscribe
Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.

Update your e-mail address
To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here.

If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.