WHO (World Health Organization) reports on acupuncture

Allergies

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis
The results of this randomized-controlled clinical trial suggest that traditional Chinese therapy may be an efficacious and safe treatment option for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
To head off allergies, expose your kids to pets and dirt early. Really.
Here's the new wisdom: Early exposure to pets, peanuts and intestinal worms might actually be good for you, because they program the developing immune system to know the difference between real threats, such as germs, and Aunt Millie's cat.
For Allergy and Asthma, Herbs Can Help and Harm
Research study found that while dexamethasone suppressed the immune system, a Chinese herbal formula had a better, more selective effect in treating allergic asthma.
Acupuncture Pins Down Allergy Relief
With seaonal allergies torturing one-third of Americans, ancient acupuncture can provide a new kind of relief. While over-the-counter medications often come with unwanted side-effects, acupuncture does not. This makes it a welcome alternative for people looking for a new way to combat allergies this season.

Arthritis

Arthritis Society of BC and Yukon
MDs discuss the benefits of acupuncture:

"Rapson believes acupuncture has a major role to play in the treatment of arthritis, including autoimmune forms, such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. 'Not only is there relief of pain, but there's also an anti-inflammatory effect, evidenced by decreased swelling and increased range of motion in the involved joints,' she says, 'and osteoarthritis (OA) responds to acupuncture most of the time." Rapson wryly echoes Wilson by observing that western medicine isn't always as effective as they'd like. A truly unbiased study would reveal, in fact, "that a lot of the treatment is symptomatic and doesn't get at the underlying cause, and it's under these circumstances that 1 feel it's appropriate to switch paradigms.'"

Chronic Pain
The Analgesic Effect of Acupuncture in Chronic Tennis Elbow Pain.
Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee.

Digestion
Acupuncture may relieve heartburn symptoms
Acupuncture may work on heartburn by controlling the stomach valve which controls stomach acid flow.
Chinese herbal medicine effective in IBS
An Australian study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association lends strong scientific support to the traditional use of Chinese herbs in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Environment and Health
“Au naturel” cleaning tips for the bathroom
Chemical residue can linger even after you’ve rinsed well. There is a better way to get clean!
Children polluted with chemicals: report
Flame retardants, mercury and lead were just some of the toxic chemicals found in the bodies of children and their parents in a cross-Canada study of pollution in people.
Let's dish on dish soap
Potential risks from exposure to conventional dish detergents includes central nervous system disorders, damage to the immune system, respiratory disturbances, and headaches.
The myth of “throw away” convenience
Last year North American consumers used 83,000 tons of disposable wipes? This amount would fill 9,000 18-wheel trucks stretching out more than 100 kilometres!

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
Fish Oil May Help Ease Back Pain
Fish oil supplements containing omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) might help treat neck and back pain, a new study shows.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Metabolic Syndrome
Omega-3 EFAs to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and poor blood sugar regulation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Dementia
Omega-3 EFAs to treat dementia and Alzheimer's.

Exercise
Chinese Baoding Balls: A Complete Guide
You've probably seen Baoding balls in gift shops and tourist-traps in Chinatowns the world over.  Branch out and try this ancient practice, for strength, flexibility, agility, and better overall health.

Feng Shui
Top 10 Air-Purifying Plants: Feng Shui to the Rescue!
Numerous research shows that indoor pollution is much worse that the outdoor one. Is there a feng shui solution? Yes, there is, indoor plants! This is a list of top ten air-purifying plants, as defined by NASA research in the early 1980s.

Food/Supplements

10 nutrition blunders
Avoid common mistakes that can spoil your plans for eating right.
Chocolate Can Help Protect You Against Skin Damage
Dietary flavanols from cocoa contribute to endogenous photoprotection, improve dermal blood circulation, and affect cosmetically relevant skin surface and hydration variables.
Dairy-Free: How Can You Get Your Calcium & Vitamin D?
A quiz on calcium and vitamin D in common foods.
Vitamin D May Protect Against Cancer
Research suggests that taking at least 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily can slash the risk of breast, colon, and other cancers
Eat for energy
A list of key energy nutritients and their rich food sources.
Iron Rich Foods
All about iron.
Honey Could Be Healthy Alternative To High-fructose Corn Syrup In Halloween Candy
Getting back to the basics for sweetening foods.
The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup
Some nutritionists and natural food advocates believe that consumption of high fructose corn syrup should be avoided due to its possible links with obesity and diabetes.
Study Links Cola to Bone Loss in Women
Researchers found that drinking cola soft drinks on a regular basis was associated with lower bone mineral density in the hip.
The healthy fridge makeover
Put your refrigerator at the top of your cleaning list and take note of healthier items you can grab the next time you're at the grocery store.
Buy Local, In-season Fruits and Vegetables
Local, in-season produce is one of life’s joys. It’s easy to prepare, often needing only a wash before eating out of hand. And it’s usually the most affordable way to buy fresh vegetables and fruits.    Buying local also helps to build a sustainable community food system, which can improve the health of the community, the natural environment and individuals.
10 great calcium-rich foods
Tasty ways to boost your bone health.
Decaf Coffee Isn't Caffeine-Free
Sticking to decaf isn't going to eliminate caffeine from your coffee.
Healthy Diet Deemed Responsible for High School Students’ Good Behavior
Imagine a high school where students actually behave--no discipline problems, no acting out, no violence to speak of--and where students actually concentrate on their schoolwork.  This is the case at one Wisconsin high school.  What's their trick? Good food.
Power Cooking
Ways to chop, saute and stir your way to better health.
Spring cleansing
A story on cleansing from a Vancouver writer.
Taiwanese researchers produce multicoloured rice to whet appetite
With Taiwanese youngsters increasingly drawn to western hamburgers and fries, government researchers are trying to lure them back with something more traditional--sort of: rainbow-coloured rice.
Top 10 must-have foods
If you want to improve your health and achieve optimal wellness, eating the right foods can help you reach your goals. The following energy- and immunity-boosting foods can keep you feeling great all year long.
Wendy's is Changing to 'Healthy' Cooking Oil, or is It?
Fast food restaurants are making changes, but are they actually good enough?  Short answer is no, but read this article for the reason.
The Amazing Statistics and Dangers of Soda Pop
Just how unhealthy is pop?
Associations between coffee consumption and inflammatory markers in healthy persons
A relation exists between moderate-to-high coffee consumption and increased inflammation process. This relation could explain, in part, the effect of increased coffee intake on the cardiovascular system.
Magnesium Intake from Food and Supplements Is Associated with Bone Mineral Density in Healthy Older White Subjects.
Greater magnesium intake was significantly related to higher Bone Mass Density in white women and men.

Headaches & Migraines
Acupuncture for Headaches & Migraines
A study of 401 patients of acupuncture versus sham-acupuncture patients demonstrated that acupuncture significantly reduced the number of headaches per year as well as decreased the amount of medication taken, the number of doctor visits, and the number of sick days off work.
Acupuncture as Effective as Drug Therapy for Migraines & Headaches
A large Italian study examined the effectiveness of acupuncture versus a variety of  pharmacological therapies in treating migraines. Their results revealed that patients given acupuncture experienced fewer migraine episodes, missed fewer days from work, and suffered no side effects compared to patients on conventional drug therapy. They also found acupuncture to be more cost-efficient.
Acupuncture Cuts Tension Headache Rates By Almost Half
Science Daily — Acupuncture is an effective treatment for tension headache, cutting rates for sufferers by almost half, shows a study on bmj.com this week.

Heart Health
Acupuncture Lowers High Blood Pressure
Acupuncture helps lower elevated blood pressure, according to new research.

Herbs

Chinese Herbs May Produce More Drugs as researchers discover that about 62 percent of the species of Chinese herbs were found to contain chemicals with characteristics required for activity against at least one disease and 53 percent against two or more diseases.

Immune System
Two studies find flu treatments fall short
The first is a meta-analysis of 37 years of research which found that flu shots may not be as effective in preventing the illness in the elderly as commonly thought. The second study found that many influenza viruses have developed high rates of resistance to our most common antiviral drugs.
Air ionisers wipe out hospital infections
Repeated airborne infections of the bacteria acinetobacter in an intensive care ward have been eliminated by the installation of a negative air ioniser.
New information regarding Tamiflu
Health Canada is informing Canadians of international reports of hallucinations and abnormal behaviour, including self harm, in patients taking the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

Lifestyle
18 Caveats On How Not To Change
Why is it not obvious that trying to exit an old story by simply writing a “better ending” only recreates the same story, and ensures that we remain in it?

Men's Health
Men Find Health Benefits with Acupuncture
As recent studies show that men's health has been steadily declining, acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help many of the common ailments that men face.

Mind-Body
The effects of emotions on health
Three astonishing experiments with DNA which proves that DNA can heal itself according to the "feelings" of the individual.

Nausea
Can acupuncture have specific effects on health? A systematic review of acupuncture antiemesis trials.

Neuropathic Pain
ABUAISHA and colleagues, Department of Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, University of Manchester, UK studied the use of acupuncture to determine its efficacy for pain relief for peripheral diabetic neuropathy.Methods: 46 diabetic patients suffering chronic painful peripheral neuropathy participated in the study. 29 (63%) patients were already receiving standard medical treatment. Patients initially received up to 6 courses of classical acupuncture analgesia over a period of 10 weeks, using traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture points.Results: 46 patients completed the study. 34 (77%) showed significant improvement in primary and/or secondary symptoms (P <0.01).

Pharmaceutical Side Effects
Drug for Bones Is Newly Linked to Jaw Disease
Millions of people treated for bone diseases such as osteoporosis may be at risk for developing a potentially serious jawbone condition that seems to be triggered by having teeth pulled.
COX-2 Inhibitors and NSAIDs Have Cardiotoxic Effects
Further information on the cardiotoxicity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and regular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has come from 2 systematic reviews published in the September 12 Early Release issue of JAMA.
Painkillers Worsen Heart Failure
Common painkillers raise the risk of heart failureheart failure-related hospitalization in people over 60, a new study shows.
Study casts more doubt on the safety of popular pain killers
With prescription drugs Vioxx and Bextra already pulled from the market, a study has raised disturbing questions about the heart safety of long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve.
Arthritis Drugs May Up Cancer Risk
Rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis patients who take the newer biologic medications have a threefold increase in cancercancer risk over patients who don't take them, a new analysis suggests
Suppressed bone turnover by bisphosphonates increases microdamage accumulation and reduces some biomechanical properties in dog rib.
Bisphosphonate drugs like Fosamax found to make bone weaker.
Possible Painkiller Link to Birth Defects
The study is one of the first to link use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) -- such as prescription Motrin, Naprosyn, Voltaren -- during the first trimester of pregnancy to birth defects. But the findings must be confirmed, researchers say, and birth defects experts who were not involved with the study agree.
Federal Jury Finds Merck Negligent in Vioxx Case
A federal jury on Thursday found Merck & Co. Inc. was negligent and knowingly made misrepresentations about its withdrawn pain medicine, Vioxx.

Skin Health
Foodie Beauty Boosters
These foods are not only healthy for your insides, they'll act as hors d'oeuvres for your skin too.  So get munching and clear up your skin at the same time!

Sleep
Acupuncture increases nocturnal melatonin secretion and reduces insomnia and anxiety: A preliminary report
Acupuncture was shown to be effective in treating insomnia and in decreasing anxiety.
Effects of acupuncture therapy on insomnia
The results of this review suggest that acupuncture may be an effective intervention for the relief of insomnia.

Soft Tissue Injury

Observations on clinical therapeutic effect in treating soft tissue injuries by acupuncture
Acupuncture treatment on soft tissue disease based on TCM syndrome differentiation theory is thus shown to be effective.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Blame Genes, Not Overuse
A new study shows that carpal tunnel syndrome may be more closely linked to genetics than to excessive typing or hand use.

Sports Injury & Performance

Chicago's last Super team was one for ages
What links the Superbowl champions of 1985 and acupuncture? An injured quarterback who was persistent about his treatment of choice.


Stop Smoking
Save Your Cigarette Money
How much is your cigarette habit costing you?

Stress
Chronic stress can shorten your cells' lifespan
Increasing scientific evidence suggests that prolonged psychological stress takes its toll on the body, but the exact mechanisms by which stress influences disease processes have remained elusive. Now, scientists report that psychological stress may exact its toll, at least in part, by affecting molecules believed to play a key role in cellular aging and, possibly, disease development.
Women, Stress, and Friendship
A landmark UCLA study suggests that women respond to stress with a cascade of brain chemicals that cause us to make and maintain friendships with other women. It's a stunning finding that has turned five decades of stress research—most of it on men—upside down.
Slow Down, You Move Too Fast!
Carl Honoré, a recovered "speedaholic," had an epiphany three years ago that caused him to slow down the hectic pace of his life.

Travel

Jetlag Treatments
Recently, an informal study was conducted by a group of acupuncturists that were traveling from the United States to China.  They divided into two groups.  One group acted as a control and went about their normal business.  The other group used acupressure treatments on their Horary Points while traveling. The control group experienced jet lag symptoms lasting from 3 days to 2 weeks.  The group that treated themselves with acupressure experienced no jet lag symptoms at all;  in fact, they could perform at normal levels immediately.  On the return trip, the groups switched and the results were similar.

Weight Issues
The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep
Lose weight while you sleep. It sounds like something you'd hear on a late night infomercial -- just around the time you are reaching for that bag of cookies because, well, you can't sleep.
Healthy Eaters' No-Calorie Diet Secret
People who drink lots of water tend to have healthier diets than those who favor other beverages.

Women's Health
Diet for Combating Estrogen Dominance
These dietary guidelines are a natural and easy way to improve perimenopause symptoms.
Estrogen Deficiency: The Wrong Idea About Menopause
The results of the Women’s Health Initiative require that society no longer view menopausal women as “estrogen deficient” and therefore needing “estrogen replacement.” Menopause is as normal for women as a period or being pregnant (if we choose). I once joked that calling menopause an estrogen deficiency disease is like saying a headache is an "aspirin-deficiency” condition.
Estrogen dominance, womens' problems, amenorrhea, and menopause
Excessive estrogens and stagnation of blood circulation are the major cause of most women's problems including breast, uterine and ovarian cancers. According to Dr. John R. Lee in his book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause: the Breakthrough Book on Natural Progesterone" (Warner Books, 1996), estrogen dominance is the cause of most women's chronic health problems.

Workplace Wellness
5 Career-Busting Illnesses
Health conditions such as ADHD, addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and sleep problems can indeed exact a staggering toll on the business budget.
Mental Health at Work--10 Tips for Managers
10 steps managers can take to reduce workplace stress.
Your computer may be a pain in the neck
If you're reading this article with hunched shoulders and a craned neck, your "computer slump" could one day give way to what some physical therapists call "postural syndrome."