http://blog.ponderhealth.com Health news analysis and commentary about healthy drug-free living though Complementary and Alternative Medicine Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:12:54 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en There is an interesting treatment technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine known as cupping. It’s not used a lot in the West and not well known here in the States. A few years ago Gwyneth Paltrow showed up in public sporting the distinctive circular marks the technique leaves on the skin, ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/11/21/an-introduction-to-cupping/ Occasionally I get reminded that a lot of people who could benefit greatly from acupuncture are too fearful of needles to even give it a try. Since I spend my day sticking needles in people who mostly love it, I forget what a huge issue this is for so many. ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/11/18/whos-afraid-of-the-big-bad-acupuncture-needle/ It's the time of year when all my biomedicine newsletters and other resources start recommending the influenza vaccination. It used to be that infants and the elderly were the primary targets. This year I'm seeing more recommendations that everyone get vaccinated. I remain skeptical. It's not that I take a militant ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/10/30/selling-the-flu-shot-2/ I am frequently asked if acupuncture can help with smoking cessation. The answer is a qualified "Yes." I have found that acupuncture can be very helpful with the cravings experienced when trying to quit. The calming effect and increased lung function can be immediate. Chinese herbal medicine formulas can also help ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/10/20/stop-smoking-with-acupuncture/ Acupuncture is perhaps the best known aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in America. But an important branch of TCM is its highly developed approach to herbal medicine. While acupuncture is rightly famous for its effectiveness in treating pain and trauma, the primary focus in TCM herbology is on internal ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/10/17/treating-intestinal-parasites-with-chinese-herbs/ two girls one cup two girls one cup 2 girls 1 cup video 2 girls 1 cup two girls and a cup 2girls and a cup two girls one cup original video two girls one cup 2 girls 1 cup two girls and a cup 2girls and a cup two girls one cup original video two girls one cup 2 girls 1 cup two ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/10/15/is-coffee-truly-bad-for-you/ It's almost that time of year when people lay out to sizzle in the sun, like so many fillets crisping in the frying pan. Others will be out gardening, working or playing beneath the rays. They slather on their paba-free sunscreen, trusting that their skin, enviously golden-brown today, will remain ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/06/18/burn-baby-burn-or-how-to-save-your-skin/ Are you confused by the conflicting reports about low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat diets? Dieters aren't the only ones. The researchers who design studies, even when they try to be as fair as possible, often don't know all the variables that should be taken into account. A study recently published in the ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/05/24/another-piece-of-the-dieting-puzzle/ Go ahead and shop ‘till you drop. There’s a growing chance that there’s a doctor in the mall, or at least a Nurse Practitioner. The first Convenient Care Clinic (CCC) opened in 2000. Now there are over 200 of these small clinics located inside pharmacies and busy retail outlets like ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2008/05/09/almost-as-good-as-a-house-call/ You've been hurting for months. You can't stay on your feet for more than a few minutes. It hurts to sit for too long. Recently you can't get a good night's sleep because you just can't get comfortable. The painkillers aren't working, and you're starting to think seriously about back ... http://blog.ponderhealth.com/2007/10/20/back-pain-and-sciatica-evaluating-your-options/