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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:

There is substantial evidence that suggest that prolonged use of tai chi, the ancient combination of slow exercise and deep breathing techniques, can lower the risk of falling in the elderly. Most of the patients in these studies, however, have consisted of relatively "robust" older adults. Can practicing tai chi produce similar benefits in less healthy individuals? That's the question researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine attempted to answer.

In this randomized, controlled study, scientists recruited 311 elderly adults (291 women, 20 men) who resided in assisted living facilities, were aged 70 or older, and were considered to be "transitioning to frailty." The patients were divided into two groups: one performed "intense" tai chi sessions twice a week for 48 weeks, while the other group wellness education and instruction on how to prevent falls.

Results showed participants who practiced tai chi were less likely to experience a fall during the course of the study than those who received wellness education. In the tai chi group, 52.3 percent of the patients reported no falls; in the wellness education group, only 39.7 percent did not fall at least once.

"The health of sedentary older persons would benefit greatly if they adopted a more physically active lifestyle," the researchers concluded. "The duration of effect in this study, together with positive findings seen previously in more robust older adults, suggests that attempts to provide tai chi in the general community should form the basis for future investigations."

Reference

Wolf SL, Sattin RW, Kutner M, et al. Intense tai chi exercise training and fall occurrences in older, transitionally frail adults: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Dec. 2003,51(12):1693-1701.

Stellaria is a type of weed that grows worldwide. It can reach a height of 30 centimeters, with a long, thin yellow stem, oblong leaves and a rather thick root, which is used medicinally. In traditional Chinese medicine, stellaria interacts with the Liver and Stomach meridians. Its main functions are to reduce heat caused by yin deficiency in adults, and to clear heat caused by malnutrition or intestinal parasites in infants and children.

The standard dosage of stellaria root is 3 to 15 grams daily. It can be ingested as a tea, or used as a poultice. Some practitioners recommend pouring stellaria powder or juice into a large body of hot water for a medicinal bath.

As of this writing, there are no known drug interactions with stellaria, nor are there any known side-effects from stellaria, provided it is taken in the proper dosage. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking stellaria or any other dietary supplement or herbal remedy.

References

Brockhampton Press. Guide to Herbal Remedies. Brockhampton Press, London, 1996.
Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C (eds.) PDR for Herbal Medicines, second edition. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, 2000.
McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A (eds.) American Herbal Products Association Botanical Safety Handbook. CRC Press, 1997.

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: In the past, I have used Japanese acupuncture with good success for my interstitial cystitis problem. My son may have a biologically based learning disability with some ADD (at least this was the preliminary finding of a neuropsychologist with whom we consulted due to his academic problems and unhappiness in school). She told me the problem was biological and "sub-cortical"; the right and left sides of the brain are not linking up properly. His verbal IQ is in the superior range, but he has trouble, for instance, drawing figures. I will know more about it in a few weeks, but I am worried. I don't want to drug him. Would acupuncture help, and which type?

Answer: Acupuncture treatment can be helpful for mental health problems. Your description is a little unclear of his symptoms. He needs to be examined personally to know if his difficulties can be helped. Seven to ten treatments would be good for his condition in general, and having them would allow you to know if his mental symptoms will respond.

Question #2: A few days ago, my father was having severe shoulder/arm pain and went to consult with a doctor. The doctor told him it might be a muscle pinching a nerve and gave him two very powerful painkillers and a muscle relaxant. The problem now is that the medication is seemingly ineffective and he still suffers from acute pain in the same area. He is now in even greater pain, his neck is stiff, and he feels numbness in his thumb and forefinger. I would really like to help my father get rid of this unbearable pain that he is having and was wondering is acupuncture might help. Thank you for your time.

Answer: The symptoms your father has are commonly treated with acupuncture. He would need a personal evaluation to start. Generally for these symptoms, 10 to 12 treatments would be a start. Afterward, he would be able to know how well he can respond.

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

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February 2004 [Volume 3, Issue 2] 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: Reducing the Risk of Falls With Tai Chi Herb of the Month: Stellaria Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum Reducing the Risk of Falls With Tai Chi There is substantial evidence that suggest that prolonged use of tai chi, the ancient combination of slow exercise and deep breathing techniques, can lower the risk of falling in the elderly. Most of the patients in these studies, however, have consisted of relatively "robust" older adults. Can practicing tai chi produce similar benefits in less healthy individuals? That's the question researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine attempted to answer. In this randomized, controlled study, scientists recruited 311 elderly adults (291 women, 20 men) who resided in assisted living facilities, were aged 70 or older, and were considered to be "transitioning to frailty." The patients were divided into two groups: one performed "intense" tai chi sessions twice a week for 48 weeks, while the other group wellness education and instruction on how to prevent falls. Results showed participants who practiced tai chi were less likely to experience a fall during the course of the study than those who received wellness education. In the tai chi group, 52.3 percent of the patients reported no falls; in the wellness education group, only 39.7 percent did not fall at least once. "The health of sedentary older persons would benefit greatly if they adopted a more physically active lifestyle," the researchers concluded. "The duration of effect in this study, together with positive findings seen previously in more robust older adults, suggests that attempts to provide tai chi in the general community should form the basis for future investigations." Reference Wolf SL, Sattin RW, Kutner M, et al. Intense tai chi exercise training and fall occurrences in older, transitionally frail adults: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Dec. 2003,51(12):1693-1701. Herb of the Month: Stellaria Stellaria is a type of weed that grows worldwide. It can reach a height of 30 centimeters, with a long, thin yellow stem, oblong leaves and a rather thick root, which is used medicinally. In traditional Chinese medicine, stellaria interacts with the Liver and Stomach meridians. Its main functions are to reduce heat caused by yin deficiency in adults, and to clear heat caused by malnutrition or intestinal parasites in infants and children. The standard dosage of stellaria root is 3 to 15 grams daily. It can be ingested as a tea, or used as a poultice. Some practitioners recommend pouring stellaria powder or juice into a large body of hot water for a medicinal bath. As of this writing, there are no known drug interactions with stellaria, nor are there any known side-effects from stellaria, provided it is taken in the proper dosage. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking stellaria or any other dietary supplement or herbal remedy. To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral. References Brockhampton Press. Guide to Herbal Remedies. Brockhampton Press, London, 1996. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C (eds.) PDR for Herbal Medicines, second edition. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, 2000. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A (eds.) American Herbal Products Association Botanical Safety Handbook. CRC Press, 1997. 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: In the past, I have used Japanese acupuncture with good success for my interstitial cystitis problem. My son may have a biologically based learning disability with some ADD (at least this was the preliminary finding of a neuropsychologist with whom we consulted due to his academic problems and unhappiness in school). She told me the problem was biological and "sub-cortical"; the right and left sides of the brain are not linking up properly. His verbal IQ is in the superior range, but he has trouble, for instance, drawing figures. I will know more about it in a few weeks, but I am worried. I don't want to drug him. Would acupuncture help, and which type? Answer: Acupuncture treatment can be helpful for mental health problems. Your description is a little unclear of his symptoms. He needs to be examined personally to know if his difficulties can be helped. Seven to ten treatments would be good for his condition in general, and having them would allow you to know if his mental symptoms will respond. Question #2: A few days ago, my father was having severe shoulder/arm pain and went to consult with a doctor. The doctor told him it might be a muscle pinching a nerve and gave him two very powerful painkillers and a muscle relaxant. The problem now is that the medication is seemingly ineffective and he still suffers from acute pain in the same area. He is now in even greater pain, his neck is stiff, and he feels numbness in his thumb and forefinger. I would really like to help my father get rid of this unbearable pain that he is having and was wondering is acupuncture might help. Thank you for your time. Answer: The symptoms your father has are commonly treated with acupuncture. He would need a personal evaluation to start. Generally for these symptoms, 10 to 12 treatments would be a start. Afterward, he would be able to know how well he can respond. 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.