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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:

Getting a good night's sleep is important to health and well-being. For some people, though, the inability to sleep or to experience high-quality sleep is a recurring problem that can lead to irritability, loss of productivity, and other disorders. Up to 12 percent of all adults suffer from insomnia on a regular basis, a figure that increases up to 25 percent in elderly people.

While sleep-inducing medications offer temporary relief, they can be expensive. In addition, they don't work for everyone, and they often come with a variety of side-effects, which has led people to seek more natural methods to find ways to sleep. One such method is acupuncture, which has been used in China for centuries, but is only now gaining acceptance in the west. A recent report in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine highlights the effect acupuncture can have in treating most cases of insomnia, and gives hope to millions of people who suffer from this debilitating condition.

Thirty-five patients between the ages of 20 and 68, all suffering from insomnia for a minimum of 10 days, were treated with a combination of body acupuncture and plum-blossom needling. For body acupuncture, patients were treated bilaterally at points GV 20 (bai hui), HT 7 (shen men), SP 6 (san yin jiao), BL 62 (shen mai), KI 6 (zhao hai) and EX 8 (an mian, an extra point located on the side of the head), with other points such as ST 36 (zu san li), KI 3 (tai xi), GB 20 (feng chi) and LR 3 (tai chong) stimulated depending on underlying factors. De qi was obtained, and the needles were retained for 40 minutes, with needle manipulation conducted at 10-minute intervals. After the needles were withdrawn, plum-blossom needling commenced on the patient's back. Needle tapping was delivered from the top of the back downward, along the back huatuohiaji points and the Bladder meridian, until the skin was flushed.

The above treatment was offered once daily, with 10 treatments constituting a course. Patients received one to six courses of treatment, with a two-to-three day interval between courses. A patient was considered cured if he or she was able to sleep a minimum of five hours each night without taking medication, along with a disappearance of accompanying symptoms, for six months without any recurrence of insomnia. If the patient could sleep three to five hours each night and related symptoms were alleviated, the patient was judged to be "improved." Treatment was considered ineffective if the patient could sleep less than three hours nightly.

Of the 35 patients treated, 27 were cured and six showed improvement, for an overall effectiveness rate of 94.3 percent. Only two patients still showed the signs and symptoms of insomnia after being treated. In their conclusion, the researchers noted that they used these points to balance yin and yang, and to regulate qi and blood in the ying and wei systems to ensure a calm sleep.

Reference

Qiuju Z. Clinical observation on acupuncture treatment of insomnia in 35 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;23(2):125-126.

Bitter melon is a long, hanging vine that produces fruit similar in appearance to a cucumber. In many parts of the world, it is used a food source, and although it has a bitter taste, cooking it with the appropriate spices can reduce the bitterness. While the seeds, leaves and vines of bitter melon all contain healing ingredients, the fruit is used most often for medicinal purposes.

Several compounds found in bitter melon are believed to lower blood sugar, which may benefit patients with diabetes. Whether these compounds work together or separately remains unclear, but several controlled, clinical studies have confirmed that bitter melon is beneficial in controlling the symptoms of diabetes. Anecdotal research also suggests that some bitter melon proteins may inhibit the AIDS virus.

Bitter melon is available fresh, or as an extract or tincture. For those who can stand the taste, most practitioners recommend eating one small melon or drinking two ounces of fresh bitter melon juice daily. For those who don't like the taste, some practitioners recommend tinctures (which are usually five millileters, taken two or three times daily).

Although there are no well-known drug interactions with bitter melon, excessive use may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Patients with hypoglycemia are also advised not to take bitter melon, as it could conceivably worsen their condition. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking bitter melon or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.

References

Brown DJ, Gaby A, Reichert R, Yarnell E. Phytotherapeutic and nutritional approaches to diabetes mellitus. Quart Rev Nat Med 1998;Winter:329-54.
Raman A, Lau C. Anti-diabetic properties and phytochemistry of momordica charantia L (curcurbitaceae). Phytomed 1996;2:349-62.
Shi H, Hiramatsu M, Komatsu M, Kayama T. Antioxidant property of fructus momordicae extract. Biochem Molec Biol Int 1996;40:111-21.

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: I believe I have a very low immune system. I have trouble fighting common colds, which last more then a month, and I'm always tired. I have "broken" sleep because I'm sick. How would acupuncture help me?

Answer: I can not know if you do indeed have a low immune system, as that and other things could explain your symptoms. If you do have a weakened immune system, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help. Chinese medical theory recognizes the immune system as something tangible, called the circulation of the wei chi in the body. This can be examined and evaluated by an acupuncturist. There are treatments for a deficient immune system.

Question #2: I recently remembered something horrible that happened to me as a child. I think this process is known as repression. I am talking to a counselor about it; however, I am also having trouble sleeping. My question is, does acupuncture aid in relaxation? If I were to go for an acupuncture treatment, would I start sleeping after a while?

Answer: Acupunctrure works well for difficulty sleeping. Often patients will report a better night's sleep on the evening they have treatment than they normally have, even when the treatment is for something else.

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

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July 2003 [Volume 2, Issue 7] 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: https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php In this issue of To Your Health: Having Trouble Sleeping? Try Acupuncture Herb of the Month: Bitter Melon Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum Having Trouble Sleeping? Try Acupuncture Getting a good night's sleep is important to health and well-being. For some people, though, the inability to sleep or to experience high-quality sleep is a recurring problem that can lead to irritability, loss of productivity, and other disorders. Up to 12 percent of all adults suffer from insomnia on a regular basis, a figure that increases up to 25 percent in elderly people. While sleep-inducing medications offer temporary relief, they can be expensive. In addition, they don't work for everyone, and they often come with a variety of side-effects, which has led people to seek more natural methods to find ways to sleep. One such method is acupuncture, which has been used in China for centuries, but is only now gaining acceptance in the west. A recent report in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine highlights the effect acupuncture can have in treating most cases of insomnia, and gives hope to millions of people who suffer from this debilitating condition. Thirty-five patients between the ages of 20 and 68, all suffering from insomnia for a minimum of 10 days, were treated with a combination of body acupuncture and plum-blossom needling. For body acupuncture, patients were treated bilaterally at points GV 20 (bai hui), HT 7 (shen men), SP 6 (san yin jiao), BL 62 (shen mai), KI 6 (zhao hai) and EX 8 (an mian, an extra point located on the side of the head), with other points such as ST 36 (zu san li), KI 3 (tai xi), GB 20 (feng chi) and LR 3 (tai chong) stimulated depending on underlying factors. De qi was obtained, and the needles were retained for 40 minutes, with needle manipulation conducted at 10-minute intervals. After the needles were withdrawn, plum-blossom needling commenced on the patient's back. Needle tapping was delivered from the top of the back downward, along the back huatuohiaji points and the Bladder meridian, until the skin was flushed. The above treatment was offered once daily, with 10 treatments constituting a course. Patients received one to six courses of treatment, with a two-to-three day interval between courses. A patient was considered cured if he or she was able to sleep a minimum of five hours each night without taking medication, along with a disappearance of accompanying symptoms, for six months without any recurrence of insomnia. If the patient could sleep three to five hours each night and related symptoms were alleviated, the patient was judged to be "improved." Treatment was considered ineffective if the patient could sleep less than three hours nightly. Of the 35 patients treated, 27 were cured and six showed improvement, for an overall effectiveness rate of 94.3 percent. Only two patients still showed the signs and symptoms of insomnia after being treated. In their conclusion, the researchers noted that they used these points to balance yin and yang, and to regulate qi and blood in the ying and wei systems to ensure a calm sleep. Reference Qiuju Z. Clinical observation on acupuncture treatment of insomnia in 35 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;23(2):125-126. Herb of the Month: Bitter Melon Bitter melon is a long, hanging vine that produces fruit similar in appearance to a cucumber. In many parts of the world, it is used a food source, and although it has a bitter taste, cooking it with the appropriate spices can reduce the bitterness. While the seeds, leaves and vines of bitter melon all contain healing ingredients, the fruit is used most often for medicinal purposes. Several compounds found in bitter melon are believed to lower blood sugar, which may benefit patients with diabetes. Whether these compounds work together or separately remains unclear, but several controlled, clinical studies have confirmed that bitter melon is beneficial in controlling the symptoms of diabetes. Anecdotal research also suggests that some bitter melon proteins may inhibit the AIDS virus. Bitter melon is available fresh, or as an extract or tincture. For those who can stand the taste, most practitioners recommend eating one small melon or drinking two ounces of fresh bitter melon juice daily. For those who don't like the taste, some practitioners recommend tinctures (which are usually five millileters, taken two or three times daily). Although there are no well-known drug interactions with bitter melon, excessive use may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Patients with hypoglycemia are also advised not to take bitter melon, as it could conceivably worsen their condition. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking bitter melon or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement. To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral. References Brown DJ, Gaby A, Reichert R, Yarnell E. Phytotherapeutic and nutritional approaches to diabetes mellitus. Quart Rev Nat Med 1998;Winter:329-54. Raman A, Lau C. Anti-diabetic properties and phytochemistry of momordica charantia L (curcurbitaceae). Phytomed 1996;2:349-62. Shi H, Hiramatsu M, Komatsu M, Kayama T. Antioxidant property of fructus momordicae extract. Biochem Molec Biol Int 1996;40:111-21. 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: I believe I have a very low immune system. I have trouble fighting common colds, which last more then a month, and I'm always tired. I have "broken" sleep because I'm sick. How would acupuncture help me? Answer: I can not know if you do indeed have a low immune system, as that and other things could explain your symptoms. If you do have a weakened immune system, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help. Chinese medical theory recognizes the immune system as something tangible, called the circulation of the wei chi in the body. This can be examined and evaluated by an acupuncturist. There are treatments for a deficient immune system. Question #2: I recently remembered something horrible that happened to me as a child. I think this process is known as repression. I am talking to a counselor about it; however, I am also having trouble sleeping. My question is, does acupuncture aid in relaxation? If I were to go for an acupuncture treatment, would I start sleeping after a while? Answer: Acupunctrure works well for difficulty sleeping. Often patients will report a better night's sleep on the evening they have treatment than they normally have, even when the treatment is for something else. Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at https://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.