Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality for the alleviation of Parkinson’s disease. Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Hangzhou, China) researchers conducted a study comparing the effects of drug therapy as a standalone procedure with acupuncture plus drug therapy in an integrated treatment protocol. Based on the data, the researchers conclude that acupuncture plus antiparkinsonian drug therapy is significantly more effective than using only antiparkinsonian drug therapy. [1]

Two groups were compared. In one group, Parkinson’s disease patients received only levodopa-benserazide as a means to alleviate symptoms. In the second group, levodopa-benserazide was combined with acupuncture therapy. The acupuncture plus drug therapy group had a total effective rate of 89.4% after four courses of treatment, whereas the drug therapy only group had a 52.6% total effective rate for the management of Parkinson’s disease.

The results indicate that acupuncture is an important treatment option for patients receiving benderizine-levodopa for the purposes of Parkinson’s disease treatment. Levodopa-benserazide is a medication containing two ingredients: levodopa and benserazide. Levodopa is a precursor to dopamine, the latter of which is needed in the brain of Parkinson’s disease patients. Benserazide prevents the conversion of levodopa to dopamine prior to reaching the brain and reduces some of levodopa’s adverse effects. This combination is used to reduce symptoms for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Evaluations

Multiple subjective and objective instruments were used to measure patient outcomes before and after treatment. First, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), which is the most widely used clinical rating scale for Parkinson’s disease, was used to record symptomatic improvement at several data points: before treatment, after two treatment courses, after four treatment courses. Second, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and lipid peroxidation levels in plasma and red blood cells were recorded. Independent studies have proven that oxidative stress plays an important role in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, which is characterized by decreased SOD activity and increased lipid peroxidation. [2]

After four treatment courses, the scores in the acupuncture plus drug group were significantly improved (i.e., lower) than scores before treatment and for those in the drug control group (P<0.05). After four treatment courses, the SOD activity was significantly higher (i.e., improved) in the acupuncture plus drug group and were also better than scores in the drug control group (P<0.05). The lipid peroxidation levels in the acupuncture plus drug group were significantly lower (i.e., improved) than scores before treatment and were also better than scores in the drug control group.

Background Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder. [3] PD is characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, resting tremors, and muscle rigidity (which occur due to dopamine deficiency). [4] Diagnostically, Parkinson’s disease is distinguished from essential tremors in that essential tremors are more prevalent with activity and Parkinson’s disease tremors worsen at rest. Levodopa (LD) remains the gold standard pharmacological treatment for PD. However, LD’s effectiveness may decrease overtime. In addition, it has side effects including motor response oscillations and dyskinesia. [5]

New treatment strategies that overcome these limitations are required. Acupuncture has been widely used as a complementary and alternative medicine to relieve the symptoms of PD in Asia, Europe, and in the United States. Previous studies have proven that acupuncture is effective for relieving the symptoms for patients with PD. With the help of acupuncture, both motor symptoms (gait disorder and balance) and non-motor symptoms (psychiatric disorders, sleep problems, gastrointestinal symptoms) can be relieved. In this study, the researchers note that “the use of acupuncture in an integrated treatment protocol can reduce the dosage of LD to eliminate its side effects.” [6]

Design

The Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers (Yang et al.) used the following study design. A total of 38 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease were treated and evaluated in this study. They were randomly divided into an acupuncture plus drug treatment group and a drug control group, with 18 patients in each group. There were no significant statistical differences in age, gender, severity of disease, and course of disease relevant to patient outcome measures for patients initially admitted to the study (P>0.05).

Treatment Procedure

The control group received 62.5 – 500 mg of levodopa-benserazide (2 – 4 times per day). Dosage was dependent upon the severity of Parkinson’s disease. Patients in the control group were not treated with acupuncture. The treatment group received both scalp and body style acupuncture in addition to the identical drug treatment protocol administered to the control group. The acupoints used for scalp acupuncture included the following:

• MS1 (middle line of forehead)
• MS5 (middle line of vertex)
• MS6 (anterior oblique line of vertex-temporal)

The acupoints used for body style acupuncture included the following:

• LI4 (Gegu)
• SI3 (Houxi)
• LI5 (Yangxi)
• SI6 (Yanglao)
• LI11 (Quchi)
• PC3 (Quze)
• LU5 (Chize)
• LV3 (Taichong)
• ST41 (Jiexi)
• KI3 (Taixi)
• GB34 (Yanglingquan)
• SP9 (Yinlingquan)
• BL40 (Weizhong)
• GB30 (Huantiao)

For scalp acupuncture, treatment commenced with patients in a supine position. A 0.25 mm × 40 mm disposable acupuncture needle was inserted transverse-obliquely into each acupoint, to a standard depth. Each needle was manipulated with the twirling method for three minutes. Once manual acupuncture achieved the arrival of deqi, electroacupuncture stimulation was added to the acupoints using a dense wave. The intensity level was set to patient tolerance levels. A 30 minute needle retention time was observed.

For body style acupuncture, needles were rapidly inserted perpendicularly and were manipulated with mild reinforcing and reducing (Ping Bu Ping Xie) manipulation methods. After achieving a deqi sensation, the needles were retained for 30 minutes. An acupuncture treatment was applied every two days. Each treatment course consisted of 10 acupuncture sessions, followed by a 7 day break before the next course of treatments. All patients received four treatment courses in total.

Results

The results indicate that acupuncture combined with levodopa-benserazide into an integrated treatment protocol is more effective than levodopa-benserazide as a standalone therapy. Based on the data, Yang et al. conclude that acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

University of Arizona

The Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine clinical trial confirms additional research. University of Arizona surgery and neurology department doctors find acupuncture effective for the treatment of balance and gait disorders in Parkinson’s disease patients. Acupuncture produced significant clinical improvements in balance, gait speed, and stride length for Parkinson’s disease patients. The results of the sham controlled trial were published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Each acupuncture session was 30 minutes in length. Patients received one acupuncture treatment per week for a total of three weeks. Patients receiving true acupuncture had a 31% improvement in balance, 10% improvement in gait speed, and 5% increase in stride length. Patients in the sham acupuncture control group did not demonstrate any improvements. The University of Arizona research team notes, “EA [electroacupuncture] is an effective therapy in improving certain aspects of balance and gait disorders in PD [Parkinson’s disease].” [7]

Notes
[1] Yang DH, Shi Y, Jia YM. Influence of acupuncture plus drug in the amelioration of symptoms and blood antioxidant system of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation, 2006 (19) :14 －16
[2] Dias V1, Junn E, Mouradian MM. The role of oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease [J]. J Parkinsons Dis. 2013;3(4):461-91.
[3] I.H. Sturkenboom, M.J. Graff, G.F. Borm, et al., Effectiveness of occupational therapy in Parkinson’s disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial, Trials 14 (2013) 34.
[4] W. Poewe, K. Seppi, C.M. Tanner, et al., Parkinson disease, Nat. Rev. Dis. Prim. 3 (2017) 17013.
[5] Dias V1, Junn E, Mouradian MM. The role of oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease [J]. J Parkinsons Dis. 2013;3(4):461-91.
[6] Yang DH, Shi Y, Jia YM. Influence of acupuncture plus drug in the amelioration of symptoms and blood antioxidant system of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation, 2006 (19) :14 －16.
[7] Lei, Hong, Nima Toosizadeh, Michael Schwenk, Scott Sherman, Stephen Karp, Saman Parvaneh, Esther Esternberg, and Bijan Najafi. “Objective Assessment of Electro-acupuncture Benefit for Improving Balance and Gait in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease (P3. 074).” Neurology 82, no. 10 Supplement (2014): P3-074.

As reported by Frances Kuo:

Traditional Chinese medical treatments have been around for millennia – and embraced the world over.Scientists, however, are skeptics by profession and look for that ultimate seal of approval: “proof.”As CGTN’s Frances Kuo reports, researchers are stepping up to the challenge and finding some success linking traditional methods to modern science.Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and is popular today all over the world.Practitioners insert thin needles through the skin of a patient, stimulating what they call “acupoints” – to improve a whole host of conditions.But despite generations of anecdotal accounts of its effectiveness, there’s never been absolute scientific proof that it works.Recently though, Chinese scientists have made breakthroughs in understanding.Key to acupuncture’s effectiveness is the location of the acupoints, found where there are concentrations of human mast cells tied to our immune system.“The Mast Cell has a kind of sensitive protein that can feel the stimulation,” said Huang Meng, Research Assistant at Fudan University. “When it’s activated, the cell releases a kind of bio-active matter, which will, in turn, stimulate the blood capillaries and nerves around it. This will produce a signal for the curative effect.”

Scientists said they hope their work can improve acupuncture treatments around the world by eventually establishing clinical standards for treatment of various diseases.“At present, there is not a universal standard for acupuncture treatment,” said Xia Ying, Professor at Fudan University. “We are working to obtain data to provide support to modern acupuncture science.”Like acupuncture, herbal medicines lack scientific proof. But research is starting to catch up in this field, too.“Traditional Chinese Medicine aims to adjust the body homeostasis by stimulating the immune system,” said explained Lin Zhifen, Professor at Tongji University. “It has the best effect when the herbal dosage is at the level of equilibrium.” That means you don’t want to take too many herbs.Experts said the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine is different from that of the West.While Western medicine mainly targets pathogens directly, its Chinese counterpart promotes balance and the body’s own immunity. Now as we increasingly see a trend where East meets West, these approaches used together we are finding a path of science can lead to both.

Two great videos for you to enjoy, just click the arrows on each video:

This article was written by Tom Bayne, DC. I just wanted to share it with you as it has much great information. L.P.

While aging as a whole is inevitable, some aspects of aging may actually be caused by a simple vitamin deficiency. That’s right – wrinkles, stiff muscles and decreased athletic performance can all be symptoms of just one micronutrient deficiency: vitamin K₂.

However, some of the more recent discoveries demonstrate that vitamin K₂ can play a role in the treatment and prevention of wrinkles, varicose veins, diabetes, and even prostate, breast and liver cancers.²

Healthy Skin

To maintain youthful, healthy skin, the body needs a plentiful supply of collagen and elastin. Collagen is the protein responsible for skin’s firm and supple nature, although it also plays a role in connecting the tissues found in bone, muscles, tendons, cartilage and organs. Elastin is the protein that gives structure to the skin and organs, allowing the skin to resume its original shape after stretching. Together, these proteins help maintain skin that is firm, yet elastic.

However, by age 20, collagen stores begin to decline by 10 percent every decade, which can have negative effects on the skin as well as the bones.^3-4 In fact, some studies show that the severity of a woman’s facial wrinkles after menopause can actually predict her risk of osteoporosis, mostly due to the fact that collagen loss in the skin occurs at the same rate as collagen loss in the bone.⁵

Until now, creams and lotions have led the anti-aging movement in an attempt to replace collagen stores, but research now indicates that excessive skin wrinkling may actually be a sign of vitamin K₂ deficiency.

In population studies, Japanese women appear to have fewer wrinkles and more supple skin than women of the same age living in North America.⁵ Some people attribute this youthful skin to Asian genetics, but even when compared to women from Shanghai and Bangkok, Japanese women appear to show the least visible signs of aging. Interestingly, the women from these three Asian groups share many similar diet and lifestyle factors, with one exception – the Japanese women have a much higher consumption of natto.

Natto, or fermented soybean, is considered a staple of Japanese cuisine and happens to be the richest food source of vitamin K₂. As a result, Japanese women have much higher circulating levels of this vitamin than any other Asian population, which may account for their more youthful complexions.

Athletic Performance

One of the main reasons aerobic athletic performance declines with age is that the body becomes less effective at utilizing oxygen. The maximal ability to utilize oxygen can be measured by VO2max, an assessment of how much oxygen your body can use per kilogram of body weight. As a result, a high VO2max will indicate that a person can effectively utilize oxygen, which is often seen in well-trained endurance athletes.

Unfortunately, after the age of 30, VO2max will begin to decline. For non-athletes, VO2max tends to decline by about 10 percent every decade. However, athletes who continue their rigorous training can reduce the decline to only five percent every decade.⁶ The main reason that VO2max declines with age is because the maximal heart rate (max HR) decreases as well.

Because cardiac output is the product of stroke volume and maximal heart rate (cardiac output = stroke volume x maximal heart rate), a decrease in max HR will directly decrease cardiac output and, in turn, oxygen delivery to the muscles. This translates to a lower VO2max and decreased athletic endurance with age.

Fortunately, vitamin K₂ appears to increase cardiac output by improving mitochondrial function. In fact, a recent study conducted at the University of North Texas found that only eight weeks of high-dose supplementation with vitamin K₂ (MK-4) was associated with a whopping 12 percent increase in maximal cardiac output in aerobically trained athletes.⁷ Interestingly, it’s estimated to take 6-9 months of high-intensity training without K₂ supplementation to achieve the same increase in cardiac output.

Researchers also reported slight increases in stroke volume and maximal heart rate in the test group, which may help explain the significant increase in cardiac output.

The Vitamin K₂ Solution

The good news is that many of the conditions discussed in this article can be remedied with increased intake of vitamin K₂. The bad news is that vitamin K₂ is fairly elusive in the modern Western diet. The best natural source of K₂ is natto, which contains approximately 1,100 mcg of vitamin K₂ in a 3.5 oz serving. However, natto is very pungent and bitter, which can make patient compliance a significant challenge.

Other good sources of vitamin K₂ include goose liver, various organ meats, and soft cheeses like Gouda and Brie. These natural food sources contain vitamin K₂ in its menaquinone-4 form (MK-4), which has a short half-life of roughly 4-6 hours. This means patients would need to consume these foods every 4-6 hours in order to maintain optimal K₂ levels in the blood.

When considering supplementation with K₂, research indicates that MK-7 is superior to MK-4 and vitamin K1 in regards to half-life, bioavailability and safety. It’s also important to choose naturally fermented forms of MK-7, as synthetic MK-7 currently is not as well-studied or held to the same quality standards as natural MK-7.

References

1. Cranenburg EC, et al. Vitamin K: the coagulation vitamin that became omnipotent. Thromb Haemost, 2007;98(1):120-5.
2. Cario-Toumaniantz C, et al. Identification of differentially expressed genes in human varicose veins: involvement of matrix gla protein in extracellular matrix remodeling. J Vasc Res, 2007;44(6):444-59.
3. Shuster S. Osteoporosis, a unitary hypothesis of collagen loss in skin and bone. Med Hypotheses, 2005;65(3):426-32.
4. Gheduzzi D, et al. Matrix Gla protein is involved in elastic fiber calcification in the dermins of pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients. Lab Invest, 2007;87(10):998-1008.
5. Yoneda PP, et al. Association between skin thickness and bone density in adult women. An Bras Dermatol, 2011;86(5):878-84.
6. Tanaka H, Seals DR. Endurance exercise performance in Masters athletes: age-associated changes and underlying physiological mechanisms. J Physiol, 2008;586(1):55-63.
7. McFarlin BK, et al. Oral consumption of vitamin K₂ for 8 weeks associated with increased maximal cardiac output during exercise. Altern Ther Health Med, 2017;23(4):26-32.

Dr. Tom Bayne, president of Physicians Exclusive, LLC, is a chiropractic physician specializing in nutritional therapies, and an international expert in digestive health and detoxification. His passion for holistic medicine led him to Europe, where he had executive roles at two top natural health companies.

In Chinese Medicine the Intestines of the human are called “ Our second brain” for the last 4 thousand years. Now, the same term is used by western scientists. You’ve got brain cells in your butt. They make your colon smart.A team of scientists in Australia has just released a study with new findings about the bundle of neurons that live in the colon. Those neurons are a part of the body’s enteric nervous system, commonly referred to as the body’s “second brain.” It’s separate from the central nervous system made up of the brain and spinal cord.Basically, these butt neurons fire to contract the muscles surrounding parts of the colon, which then force waste through the last leg of the digestive relay race that usually takes place in the bathroom. But that much was already known among butt brain scientists.What lead author Nick J Spencer, a neurophysiology professor at Flinders University, and his team found by using high resolution neuronal imaging on mice was that the firing of these neurons down below happens in a rhythmic pattern.So whether or not you can effectively shake it on the dance floor, this particular rhythm lives somewhere deep down in the long tube of everyone’s gut. “This represents a major pattern of neuronal activity in the mammalian peripheral nervous system that has not previously been identified,” the authors write.It makes the mundane act of sitting on the toilet seem like such a wonder, doesn’t it?”One of the great mysteries of the gastrointestinal tract is how such a large populations of enteric neurons (that lie within the gut wall) actually fire action potentials to generate contractions of the smooth muscle cells, enabling propulsion of colonic content,” Spencer told Science Alert.But what’s even more, the team also thinks that this “second brain” may have really been our first brain, as far as evolution is concerned.”The newly identified neuronal firing pattern may represent an early feature preserved through the evolution of nervous systems,” according to a news release. “It has also been called the ‘first brain’ based on evidence suggesting that the ENS evolved before the CNS.” Emeran Mayer, professor of physiology, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, echoed those sentiments in a 2010 article in Scientific American.”The system is way too complicated to have evolved only to make sure things move out of your colon,” he told the magazine. “A big part of our emotions are probably influenced by the nerves in our gut.

Dear Friends,

All of us have a mission in this life. Since I was a little girl, I knew that mine is to help people and relieve their pain and despair. My medical degrees in Western and Eastern medicine allow me to help one person at a time.

Following the tragic news in the last few weeks with regards to Hurricane Harvey and Irma, I kept asking myself ‘What can I do to help these people?”

I decided that for the months of September and October, 5% of the payments that I receive from treating my patients will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Let’s help the victims of these disasters. My treatments will heal YOU and together we will be helping others cope through these desperate times.

Sincerely,

Lucy Postolov, L.Ac.
(310) 444-6212  www.lucypostolovacupuncture.com

As we all know, sex plays a very important part in our lives. There are many people seeking to revive their sex lives or increase fertility. If that’s you or someone you know, the traditional western medicine routes may have limited results. So why not try alternative approaches?

One of my practice’s specialties is in fertility and sexual dysfunction.  I am proud to have been asked to contribute to “The Textbook of Clinical Sexual Medicine” recently published. Other contributors are esteemed medical professionals What sets my chapter apart is th

at I focus on eastern approaches to sexual health and my drawings of sexual positions.

If you or someone you know would like to receive a free copy of my chapter on “Alternative Approaches to Sexual Medicine,”  please fill out the form here.  You will receive an email shortly with the chapter!

Mention us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook and we’ll be happy to send you the chapter as well!

Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used systems of healing in the world. Originating in China some 3,500 years ago, only in the last three decades has it become popular in the United States. In 1993, the Food and Drug Administration estimated that Americans made up to 12 million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners and spent upwards of half a billion dollars on acupuncture treatments.

Traditional Chinese medicine hold that there are as many as 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body, which are connected by 20 pathways (12 main, 8 secondary) called meridians. These meridians conduct energy, or qi (pronounced “chi”), between the surface of the body and its internal organs. Each point has a different effect on the qi that passes through it. Qi is believed to help regulate balance in the body. It is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang, which represent positive and negative energy and forces in the universe and human body. Acupuncture is believed to keep the balance between yin and yang, thus allowing for the normal flow of qi throughout the body and restoring health to the mind and body.

How does acupuncture work?

Most people tend to push aside their true feelings in order to cope with their daily stressors. Acupuncture can lower stress and anxiety overall, so that daily life challenges can be better managed. Acupuncture also brings balance to the mind, body and spirit. When the emotions are as well taken care of as the body, true balanced is achieved.

Acupuncture for Pain and Inflammation

Acupuncture has long been known as a method of coping with physical pain. With an increase in blood circulation, a reduction in inflammation, the relaxation of the muscles, and a release of endorphins, it can assist your body in healing itself. The ancient Chinese believed that Qi, the universal life energy present in every living creature, circulates throughout the body along specific pathway meridians. As long as this energy flows freely throughout the meridians, health is maintained, but once the flow of energy is blocked, the system is disrupted and pain and illness occur. Acupuncture works to re-pattern and restore normal circulation and functionality by stimulating certain points on the meridians to free up the Qi energy. Another theory suggests that acupuncture stimulates the body to produce narcotic-like substances called endorphins, which reduce pain. Other studies have found that other pain-relieving substances called opiods may be released into the body during acupuncture treatment.

Most people believe that acupuncture cannot be used on children. The reason behind it, as in many cases for adults as well, are that most people are afraid of needles or potential pain. The majority of my patients are pleasantly surprised when during their first visit, their treatment is virtually painless. In cases with children younger than 3-years-old, I use 24-karat gold plated beads instead of needles. It tell them that ‘we are playing stickers.’ The beads are attached to a surgical adhesive tape, so I am able to place a bead first on Mom’s hand, then on mine, and then the child usually asks me to place one on him or her as well. Little do they know that I am placing the beads in a special spot called acupressure points. Frequently all three of us will cover the spots with small cartoonish stickers also. For the children over 3-years-old, I use needles with a gauge as thin as a human hair.

The latest study on the subject of treating kids with needles was conducted in Harvard Affiliated Children’s Hospital. The study included 243 children and teenagers, their ages ranging 6 months to 18 years old. It was a one-year study. They were treated for headaches, stomach pain and back pain specifically. They used a 1 to 10 scale for pain, where 1 is no pain and 10 was the worst pain tolerable. In one year, the level of pain went from an 8 to a 3 overall. They also observed that the participants in the study missed less school, slept better and were able to participate more in extra curricular activities.

What kind of conditions can acupuncture help in children?

• Pain: All types from headaches or stomach aches to structure related neck and back issues.
• Asthma: In my practice many children (under their pediatrician’s observation) were taken off of steroid inhalers by using acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
• Strengthening of the immune system: Children frequently come to my office with their parents complaining about six to eight colds or flus a year. Being in crowded classrooms, cross contamination can happen frequently. It’s almost impossible to avoid contact with other children who are sick. So keeping their immune systems strong is one of my first priorities when working with them.
• Acne: From the Chinese viewpoint, acne is a result of toxins being blocked in the skin. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs in addition to small changes in hygiene and one’s lifestyle are very helpful to alleviate acne whether it occurs on the body or face.
• Nervous system issues, ADHD, and insomnia or other sleep disorders such as night terrors: Acupuncture is especially helpful for kids with active and mixed sub type ADHD. With 5 percent of the world’s population, “the United States consumes 90 percent of Ritalin,” says Dr. Hong, who has conducted a clinical study on this subject. Many parents come into my office sleep deprived for 4 or 5 weeks because their children are not sleeping for a variety of reasons. Acupuncture is helpful in getting things back on track.

In conclusion, parents interested in pursuing natural therapies should consult a practitioner of TCM and their pediatrician both. If a pediatrician is not familiar with acupuncture in the treatment of children, or recommends avoiding acupuncture all together, I usually provide the pediatrician with scientific and clinical data to better educate them on making their decision.

I came across an interesting article this week that I wanted to share on the growing scientific evidence that shows acupuncture can boost pregnancy rates when combined with other fertility treatments. It discusses a couple in Connecticut who were trying to conceive and finally decided to try acupuncture as a complement to their IVF treatments. You can read more about it by clicking here. Enjoy!