Acupuncture and herbs produce optimal positive patient outcomes for patients with peripheral neuropathy due to chemotherapy.
Research demonstrates that acupuncture and herbs alleviate pain and numbness of the arms and legs caused by the adverse effects of chemotherapy for patients with several types of cancer. The results demonstrate that a combined protocol of acupuncture and herbal medicine produces a 90% total effective rate for the relief of pain and numbness.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine alleviate extremity pain and numbness induced by chemotherapy neurotoxicity according to research published in the Shandong Medical Journal. Researchers investigated the efficacy of warm needle acupuncture combined with the oral intake of the herbal formula Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang for the treatment of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. Based on the data, the researchers conclude that acupuncture combined with herbal medicine has a 90% total effective rate for the alleviation of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy for patients with gastric, colorectal, lung, nasopharyngeal or breast cancer. 
Three groups of patients with chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy were compared. Group A received acupuncture and herbal medicine. Group B received herbal medicine. Group C did not receive treatment for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. Patients receiving both acupuncture and herbal medicine had a 90% total effective rate for the alleviation of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. Patients receiving only herbal medicine had a 53.55% total effective rate for the alleviation of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. Patients receiving no treatment for the adverse effects of chemotherapy had a 6.67% rate of alleviation. 

The herbs and acupuncture points used in the study are as follows. The herbal formula Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang consisted of the following individual herbs:

• Huang Qi
• Chi Shao
• Gui Zhi
• Gan Jiang
• Da Zao
• Ji Xue Teng
• Dang Gui
• Chuan Xiong

The herbs were decocted and given to patients for oral consumption at a rate of twice per day. Both acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments were administered for twenty-one days. Warm needle acupuncture was applied to the following acupoints:

• He Gu (LI4)
• Tai Chong (LV3)

Moxa cones were ignited on the handle of the acupuncture needles to produce warm needle acupuncture and the total treatment duration per session was thirty minutes. Based on the clinical data, the researchers conclude that acupuncture and herbal medicine are effective for the relief of peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapy. In addition, the combination of acupuncture plus herbal medicine in a combined protocol achieves optimal positive patient outcomes.
Traditional Chinese MedicineThe researchers briefly outlined key Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles related to the investigation. They note that malignancies often involve underlying qi and blood deficiency and chemotherapy exacerbates the prevalence of heat and toxins. The combination of deficiency and excess impairs the free flow of qi and blood and leads to stasis. The treatment principle was to activate the free flow of yang qi, smooth and regulate the flow of qi, and regulate immune system function.

​Reference:
Wu Ting-ting, Jin Yan, Zhong Yi, Zhang Shi-qiang, Li Yuan, Yang Yun, Jiang Hai-yan, Xia Xiao-ting, Lyu Jun-qiang, Efficacy of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu decoction combined with needle warming moxibustion on peripheral neurotoxicity and immunologic function of patients with malignant cancer after chemotherapy, Shandong Medical Journal, 2015 (33).

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Stroke is a silent killer of millions. Modern medicine is struggling to prevent stroke and improve recovery for patients.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been treating stroke for thousands of years with herbal formulas known as Ren Shen Zai Zao Wan (“Ginseng Restorative Pills,” which actually contain 15 different herbal ingredients in its formula) and An Shen Bu Xin Wan (“Pacifying Spirit and Tonify the Heart Pills”, which contain 9 different herbals).
Yet, the established medical community turns up their nose at the thought of medicating patients with “natural ingredients.” They claim there is no proof of their efficacy and that people may die if taken. How absurd, given that thousands die from prescription drugs when compared to almost zero from taking herbals.
Well, I hope the tables will soon turn, based on research that shows TCM is effective at helping stroke victims recover.
In 2011, an overseas company released a natural supplement based on these TCM formulas that found great results in clinical trials. The only problem is, even with clinical trial proof, they are restricted from selling it in the United States.
But you have a right to know what the studies found…
Stroke problems
According to a World Health Organizations (WHO) report, “Stroke is a leading cause of acquired disability in adults.” It strikes 15 million people annually.
I’ve previously written here about how stroke deaths are higher now than just a decade ago, and here about how those who suffer migraines are at double the risk of stroke. This silent killer is one of the toughest to prevent and to treat in terms of restoration of normal brain and motor function after the fact.
A stroke attacks the brain. Eight out of 10 strokes are called “ischemic,” killing brain cells by cutting off their blood and oxygen supply. Without blood and oxygen brain function cannot be normal. Ischemic strokes are caused by blood vessels being blocked by a blood clot or by narrowing arteries caused by cholesterol-induced plaque buildup in the arteries. Additionally, the usual suspects–genetics, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, smoking—all place one at higher risk of stroke.
When a stroke hits, the victim has only a short time before brain cells die that can cause physical disabilities including loss of motor skills, sensory perception, language and visual issues and memory loss. Time is of the essence — and if a supplement were on hand, or readily available, that is proven to help stroke recovery, all the better their chance of recovery.
Moleac’s NeuroAid and NurAid II
In 2011, biopharmaceutical company Moleac announced the launch in France and Belgium of a natural supplement called NurAiD II. It is a natural health supplement based on classic TCM formulas, “engineered to stimulate neuroplasticity and recovery… to support the restoration of neurological functions…” after stroke.
Moleac was founded in 2002 and is based in Singapore. Its European subsidiary was created in 2008 in Paris. Moleac develops its natural health products by drawing on traditional knowledge, combined with modern-day molecular, cellular and clinical studies. During the course of its development, Moleac has set up various partnerships with research institutes in France (the CNRS), China and Singapore.
While this may sound like an advertorial, I assure you it is not. I have no connection to or with this company and have never met any of its representatives. But I do belief in TCM, and natural wellness overall, and the fact that this company seems to use traditional formula with modern research and manufacturing, and readily subjects its products to clinical trials… is very interesting and worth investigating.
According to Moleac’s literature, “NeuroAiD™ is a recovery stimulator dedicated to support neurological functions by creating a favorable environment to enhance neuroplasticity. Precisely, NeuroAiD™ triggers the production of new neurons in our brain (neurogenesis) and favors connections between neurons by stimulating the formation of new dendrites and synapses (neuroplasticity). This favors the formation of new functional neuronal circuits, which are key for achieving a full post-stroke recovery. The changes in the brain materialize into faster and higher improvements of neurological functions during rehabilitation. This neurorestorative activity of NeuroAiD™ was established in 2010 by a team of French scientists and published in peer-reviewed international journal.”
But is all this true or just hype? I did a search of the literature on PubMed and found several clinical trials that, in fact, support these statements. Let’s look at a few that refer to NeuroAid by its scientific formula numbers MLC901 and MLC601.
Study: Traumatic brain injury in mice
The title of the first study, published in the journal Neuroscience, says it all: “MLC901, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, induces neuroprotective and neuroregenerative benefits after traumatic brain injury in rats.”
This study looked at the effect of NeuroAid when used in mice with traumatic brain injury. So positive are the results, that I will just quote form the abstract of the study here.
“This study was designed to “evaluate the neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects of MLC901 in a rat model of TBI. The cognitive deficits induced by TBI were followed by using the “what-where-when” task, which allows the measurement of episodic-like memory. MLC901 treatment decreased brain lesions induced by TBI. It prevented the serum increase of S-100 beta (S100B) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), which may be markers to predict the neurologic outcome in human patients with TBI. MLC901 reduced the infarct volume when injected up to 2h post-TBI, prevented edema formation and assisted its resolution, probably via the regulation of aquaporin 4. These positive MLC901 effects were associated with an upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as an increase of endogenous hippocampal neurogenesis and gliogenesis around the lesion. Furthermore, MLC901 reduced cognitive deficits induced by TBI. Rats subjected to TBI displayed a suppression of temporal order memory, which was restored by MLC901.”
And the final remark of the study authors: “MLC901 has neuroprotective and neurorestorative actions, which lead to an improvement in the recovery of cognitive functions in a model of traumatic brain injury.”
Study: Stroke in mice
This next study appeared in the journal Neuropharmacology, and looked at “Neuroprotective and neuroproliferative activities of NeuroAid.” The authors begin their report noting that “numerous recent failures in clinical stroke trials have led to some pessimism in the field.” And so here, they study the effects of the TCM inspired NeuroAid supplement on stroke recover in mice.
For their study, the researchers demonstrated the effects of the product in mice who suffered ischemic stroke. They observed several telling results:

• NeuroAid II (MLC901) pre- and post-treatments up to 3 h after stroke improve survival, protect the brain from the ischemic injury and drastically decrease functional deficits.
• MLC601 and MLC901 also prevent neuronal death in an in vitro model of excitotoxicity using primary cultures of cortical neurons exposed to glutamate.
• MLC601/MLC901 treatments were shown to induce neurogenesis in rodent and human cells, promote cell proliferation as well as neurite outgrowth and stimulate the development of a dense axonal and dendritic network.

And their final analysis is that “MLC601 and MLC901 clearly represent a very interesting strategy for stroke treatment at different stages of the disease.”
Study: Stroke in humans
Studies in mice are well and good, but how does this herbal supplement work on humans who have suffered stroke? To be clinically accurate the researchers relied on use of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), the most widely used clinical outcome measure for stroke clinical trials.
Well, let’s look at a study appearing in the peer-reviewed, open access journal, Rehabilitation Research and Practice. This is a retrospective cohort study comparing 30 post stroke patients given the supplement over a three month period against the same number of patients who were not given the supplement. At the close of the third month they found that results as positive as those in the mice studies.

• 21 patients on MLC601 became independent as compared to 17 patients not on MLC601.
• 16 patients on MLC601 attained mRS scores similar to their prestroke state, compared with only 8 in the non MLC601 group.
• Mean improvement in mRS from baseline was better in the MLC601 group than in the non-MLC601 group.

Their overall conclusion: “MLC601 improves functional recovery at 3 months postischemic stroke.”

Conclusion
Many more studies show the promising and real recovery effect of using NeuroAid after ischemic stroke. One study even showed there are positive effects in cognitive tasks when using the supplement without having a stroke.
Of course more human trials need to be conducted on the efficacy of NuroAid and its long-term effects on humans. But in the meantime, the product is registered as a “natural supplement” and should be made available in the United States. So why isn’t it? I will look more into this issue. But with such positive results coming from clinical trials and published in peer-review journals, it makes one wonder.


Reference: By Dr. Mark Wiley
http://easyhealthoptions.com/surviving-stroke-herbs-beat-odds/

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

1 part fennel
1 part dill
3 parts anise
3 parts chamomile
1/4 part catnip

1. Mix the ingredients and store in airtight container until ready to use.
2. Pour 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tablespoon of the mixture and steep covered for 45 minutes.
3. Strain and let cool.
4. Give the infant 1 tablespoon of the tea every few minutes until colic pain ceases.
5. To prevent symptoms, use 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

y Dr. Mercola

Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the US, perhaps most well known for its traditional use of boosting memory and energy levels. However, it has many other uses. For starters, ginseng is considered an adaptogen, which means it helps your body to withstand mental and physical stress.

Delving further into the benefits first requires understanding the different types of ginseng available. There are three major varieties, each with unique attributes, although only two are actually ginseng:

• American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius): This tan, gnarled root contains ginsenosides, which are thought to be responsible for many of its medicinal properties. Chinese medicine, which has used ginseng for thousands of years, considers American ginseng a "cool" calming tonic.1
• Asian ginseng ((Panax ginseng): Sometimes referred to as Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng also contains ginsenosides, although in different proportions than American ginseng, and is considered an adaptogenic herb. According to Chinese medicine, Asian ginseng is a "hot" stimulant.2
• Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Siberian ginseng is not a true ginseng and does not contain ginsenosides. Its active components are called eleutherosides, which are thought to stimulate your immune system.

Like American and Asian ginseng, however, Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen that's traditionally been used to increase energy, stimulate the immune system, and increase longevity.3

What Are the Health Benefits of American Ginseng?American ginseng cannot be used for medicinal purposes until it's at least six years old (the wrinkles around the neck of the root reveal its age). Due to overharvesting, American ginseng is endangered in the wild and quite expensive to purchase, although it's also grown on farms now as well.4

Most research to date has involved Asian ginseng, however the studies that have been done on the American variety suggest it may boost your immune system, function as an antioxidant and also benefit inflammatory conditions. It may also be useful as an all-around stress tonic. According to research published in the Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants:5

"[American] Ginseng is traditionally reputed to regularize bodily functions and relieve many ailments resulting from physiological stress. Beneficial effects are thought to be due to a non-specific influence on production and use of regulatory hormones.

As an 'adaptogen', ginseng exhibits anti-fatigue, anti-stress, and anti-aging activity, as well as general improvement of mental and physical performance, 'recognized in therapeutic claims permitted by a plethora of international regulatory constituencies."

Additional benefits include:
Memory: American ginseng was found to improve working memory and mood in both young individuals and middle-age adults.6
Another study revealed "robust working memory enhancement following administration of American ginseng."7
Diabetes: American ginseng appears to have anti-diabetic properties. In one animal study, extract of American ginseng root lead to weight loss and lower blood sugar levels in mice with type 2 diabetes.8
It's also been shown to increase insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals.9
Cancer: American ginseng has anti-cancer properties that appear to suppress tumor growth. It has shown particular promise in treating colorectal cancer.10
Cold and Flu: Older adults who took an extract of American ginseng had a 48 percent reduction in relative risk, and a 55 percent reduction in duration, of respiratory illness.11
This herb was also found to be "a safe and effective treatment for reducing the absolute risk of recurrent colds and the mean number of colds per person."12
ADHD: A combination of American ginseng and ginkgo biloba may improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and teens.13
Immune System Function: American ginseng has also been found to stimulate the immune system, helping your body fight off infections and disease.14
What Are the Health Benefits of Asian Ginseng?
If you're wondering which type of ginseng is right for you, consider this: if you're seeking an herb to calm stress-related problems, American ginseng is the "cooling" or "calming" version of the two. Asian ginseng is regarded as heating and is not generally recommended for stress relief.

Differences in levels of the eight major ginsenosides are thought to account for the plants' varying characteristics. For example, Asian ginseng contain similar quantities of the ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1, while American ginseng has very little Rg1. Rg1 is regarded as a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, fatigue fighter, enhancer of mental performance.

For comparison, Rb1 is a CNS depressant with tranquilizing and anti-psychotic properties. As written in the journal Phytochemistry:15

"Since American ginseng has a lower ratio of Rg1/Rb1, it seems to calm the CNS. In contrast, Asian ginseng appears to stimulate the CNS."

Also, while American ginseng appears promising for type 2 diabetes, the results are less clear for Asian ginseng. While some research suggests a benefit for diabetes, other studies have found it could raise blood sugar levels, so this is an area that needs further study.16 With that in mind, what else might Asian ginseng be beneficial for?

Heart health: Ginseng shows promise for protecting heart health, including anti-hypertensive effects and protection against heart failure.17 Asian ginseng, in particular, may protect against symptoms of heart disease and support healthy cholesterol levels.

Heart health is another area where the effects of Asian and American ginseng need to be further explored, as each likely had different heart effects.

Some research suggests Asian ginseng increases blood pressure at typical doses but lowers it at higher doses, so be careful with its use if you have high blood pressure.18
Neurodegenerative diseases: Evidence is accumulating that Asian ginseng may have neuroprotective properties, including maintaining homeostasis and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and immune-stimulatory activities.

The herb could potentially be useful for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders.19
Stroke: Asian ginseng's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties appear useful as a promising neuroprotective strategy in stroke.According to a study published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, "It can… prevent neuronal death as a result of stroke, thus decreasing anatomical and functional stroke damage. "20

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF): CRF is the most common symptom in patients with cancer. Those who used high-dose Asian ginseng (800 mg orally daily for 29 days) reported improved fatigue, quality of life, appetite and sleep quality.21
Cancer: According to research published in the Alternative Medicine Review, "The mechanisms whereby Asian ginseng is thought to have a potential role as a cancer preventive and treatment agent include the mitigation of DNA damage, anti-inflammatory carcinogenesis, antioxidant chemoprevention, apoptosis induction, inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, and immunomodulation.

Studies have shown the capability of ginseng to repair and reverse cell differentiation in hepatoma, melanoma, and adenocarcinoma cells …

Asian ginseng has shown promise in the treatment of several specific types of cancer, including leukemia, melanoma, and colon, gastric, hepatic, kidney, ovarian, prostate, and pulmonary cancers."22
Cold and flu: Like American ginseng, Asian ginseng appears to stimulate the immune system. In one study, those who took 400 mg of Asian ginseng daily for four months had fewer colds, and those they did come down with were shorter in duration.23
Erectile dysfunction: Asian ginseng may be beneficial in treating erectile dysfunction,24 and it may also improve sperm production, sexual activity, and sexual performance.
Mental performance: Asian ginseng appears to boost alertness as well as thinking and learning.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "Early research shows that Asian ginseng may improve performance on such things as mental arithmetic, concentration, memory, and other measures."25
Menopausal symptoms: There is some evidence suggesting Asian ginseng may help relieve certain menopausal symptoms, particularly depression and well-being.26What Is Siberian Ginseng Used For?As mentioned, Siberian ginseng is not true ginseng, although it is often confused with the herb. The main uses of Siberian ginseng are immune-system stimulation, to increase energy and vitality and also as an adaptogenic herb used during times of stress.

Siberian ginseng has also been found to have anti-viral properties, and reduced the number of herpes outbreaks among people with the herpes simplex virus type 2.27
Germany's Commission E has approved Siberian ginseng "as a tonic for invigoration and fortification in times of fatigue and debility or declining capacity for work and concentration. Ginseng was also approved for use during convalescence."28

Tips for Using GinsengShort-term use of ginseng is considered to be safe among adults. Asian ginseng is best taken in cycles, such as every day for two to three weeks, then taking a break for two to three weeks. In choosing a supplement, fermented ginseng may provide faster, more consistent absorption compared to non-fermented varieties. And if you choose Asian ginseng, look for the unpeeled variety (sometimes called red ginseng), as it will retain more of its bioactive compounds.

While generally safe, if taken in high doses, ginseng may lead to nervousness or insomnia. You should also use caution using ginseng if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you're taking certain medications, including:29

• Diabetes medications
• Blood-thinning medications such as warfarin
• Antidepressants called MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
• Anti-psychotic medications or stimulants
• Morphine

Reference: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/22/ginseng-health-benefits.aspx


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Taipei, March 15 (CNA) A team of researchers in Taiwan said Sunday they have determined that an ancient Chinese medicine compound known as Six-Flavor Rehmanni can help reduce the risk of kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes.

In a study conducted among people in Taiwan with type 2 diabetics, it was found that the risk of kidney failure was 31 percent lower among patients who had been taking the Chinese medicine formula than among those who had not been receiving such treatment, said Lai Jung-nien (賴榮年), head of the research team at the Institute of Traditional Medicine of National Yang-Ming University in Taipei.

The study used data from the National Health Insurance Research Database and examined the treatment of type 2 diabetes among 40,163 patients in Taiwan from 1997-2008, Lai said at a Taipei Chinese Medical Association conference.

Among the 40,163 patients, 15,405 developed kidney failure and 1,346 of them received the treatment of dialysis over the 10-year period, he said.

It was found that those patients who had been taking the Six-Flavor Rehmanni formula as well as Western medicine did not require dialysis treatment until a year after the patients who had not been taking the formula, he said.

In the case of patients who had been taking modern Western medical treatment along with Chinese medicine that did not include Six-Flavor, dialysis was delayed for about six months, Lai said.

He said that over the 10 year period, 90 percent of the type 2 diabetes patients in the study were treated with Western medicine and those who visited Chinese medicine clinics were mostly prescribed the compound, a patented formula also known as "Liu Wei Di Huang Wan" (六味地黃丸).

Chinese medical doctors would also recommend type 2 diabetes patients regularly do the Ba Duan Jin exercise -- a form of medical qigong for health -- and refrain from eating ice products or frozen foods as extremely cold foods are believed to be harmful to the kidney.

Lai said he hoped that the study would help alter the biased views against Chinese medicine, as it proves that some chronic diseases can be effectively treated with the integrated use of traditional Chinese and modern medicine.

Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, an ancient Chinese medicine compound made of six different herbs, is frequently prescribed by Chinese medicine doctors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Reference: http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201503150014.aspx


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A chemical found in the Chinese herb known as Han Fang ji switches off the channels which the Ebola virus uses to enter and infect cells, according to research by US and German scientists. 

The scientists found that using a small dose of the chemical tetrandrine, but not the herb itself, stopped the virus from replicating and protected mice from the disease without obvious side effects.

The discovery of the promising drug therapy against Ebola is announced in the journal Science. 

Dr Robert Davey, of the Department of Immunology and Virology at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, says the small molecule Tetrandrine is a potent at inhibiting infection of human white blood cells in experiments and preventing Ebola virus disease in mice.

Scientists at Texas Biomed have been working in the Institute’s Biosafety Level 4 containment laboratory for more than 10 years to find a vaccine, therapies and detection methods for the Ebola virus.

The Ebola virus begins its entry into a cell by first binding to several types of cell surface proteins. Then the virus is taken into the cell and follows a route which transports the virus to cell compartments.

“When we tested in mice, the drugs stopped virus replication and saved most of them from disease,” Davey said.

This drug shows an ability to stop the virus before it has a chance interact with cells. 

“We are very excited about the progress made in this study and the momentum it provides as scientists across the world vigorously search for effective vaccines and treatments against Ebola virus,” Davey said. 

“We are cautiously optimistic. The next step in the process is to test both safety and effectiveness of the interaction of the drug with Ebola virus in non-human primates.”

So far 9,589 people have died in the West Africa Ebola outbreak, according to WHO (World Health Organisation).

Reference: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/a-chemical-within-a-traditional-chinese-medicine-has-been-found-to-be-effective-against-ebola-2015-2


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Marijuana, Apathy and Chinese Medicine, Part 1By Leon I. Hammer, MD

This article was written in response to the unheeded acceptance of marijuana as a harmless substance that potentially does good when used for the medical relief of pain. I wish to register my experience with marijuana over these years, as a substance extremely functionally, if subtly, destructive to people.

At the same time I wish to make it clear that I oppose the "war on drugs" as a counterproductive, misguided predictable failure, as if we did not learn anything from the cultural experience with the attempt to control alcohol with prohibition.

The Individual
I have been a physician for sixty-one years, during which time I directed many drug-abuse councils and worked with thousands of addicted young people as a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. With more than fifty years of experience with marijuana as a clinician and as an observer in social settings, I feel that it is important to share my experience of marijuana as a substance of substantial danger to both individuals and to society.

Marijuana allows people to make extensive and sometimes unrealistic, even grandiose plans for their life, and robs them of the ability to realize these plans. They are left often with a life sometimes filled with excellent designs and without the will or energy to execute, to make decisions and follow through.

Among so many people, clients, friends and acquaintances, I have seen lives lived in fantasy and futility in many degrees of severity with endless energy depleting maneuvers to hide their failure from others and themselves. Somewhere deep inside each loss is registered if not faced. However, marijuana is the feel-good substance that is even more dangerous because it deadens the pain that would signal danger and engender change.

On inquiry, the reason given is fear; fear of the emotions that would otherwise lead them to encounter struggle. Fear of their own anger and that of others; fear of failure to cope with stress and the consequent loss of self-esteem and a deep need to avoid battle and disapproval were most often cited.

Western medical studies are long since quoted saying that marijuana is physiologically harmless. Of course, people vary in their ability detoxify it. One problem stated in the literature is that it has been difficult to obtain enough marijuana of uniform strength and quality to conduct large-scale research.

Marijuana, according to Chinese herbal medicine is what is known as a "cold" herb, draining the essential energy called yang primarily from the Liver, rendering the Liver relatively unable to perform its functions of moving physical and mental energy and containing it for when it is needed. The result is that while there is no problem making plans, when it is time to move on these plans, there is no coherent energy to do it.

Liver Physiology-Pathology And Marijuana
In the recent literature from the East, nor in either the Nei Jing or Nan Jing, have I found any reference to conditions that I find constantly increasing since first learning about it from Dr. John Shen OMD, more than thirty years ago. The conditions are Liver Qi deficiency, Liver Yang deficiency and the Separation of Liver Yin and Yang.

Liver Qi and Yang deficiency was associated by Dr. Shen with overwork (beyond one's energy over a lifetime) and found from late middle to old age. The principal consequence was easy fatigue and less stamina in performing daily tasks. The concept of "beyond one's energy" means simply that we are not all created equal, and that work that might deplete one person might have little effect on another. Constitution essence and body condition along with the stress were the determining factors.

What I am about to describe differs from Dr. Shen's observations in that it presents with a greater degree of deficiency on the pulse. Besides fatigue, there is lassitude, lethargy and procrastination always associated with varying degrees of a clear inability to follow through and move forward on plans and decisions about which there is endless discussion and little or no action. The consequence is that ideas rarely become reality. The most serious long-term outcome described by Dr. Shen is the development of a lymphoma of the Liver.

I wish to make it clear early in this discussion that as stated already, we are not all created equal. Some people with very strong Livers will tolerate much more abuse than others with less substantial Liver function. There will be many who can honestly say that they have used and abused the cold substances with no obvious consequence.

On the other hand, there was the teen daughter of a friend to whose side I was called in the middle of the night in a psychotic state because she had for the first time had one puff of marijuana. She was brought home early from a party by friends, disoriented, irrational and severely agitated. Her friends reported her to have taken one puff from a joint that was being passed around. It was necessary to hospitalize her for a few days when she recovered and fortunately did not resume smoking marijuana, going on to a successful life. While psychosis in my experience is the exception, I have witnessed it more than this once.

Liver Qi deficiency is identified on the Shen-Hammer pulse at the left middle position by increasing degrees of deficiency by a yielding and diminished qi depth, spreading (absent qi depth and separating blood depth), by a reduced substance and pounding, and a diffuse quality especially at the blood and organ depth.

Liver Yang deficiency is described as the entire left middle position being feeble-absent, deep and/or beginning to separate at the organ depth (empty quality). Separation of Yin and Yang of the Liver is found in various stages with middle finger pressure on the radial artery, first with separating at the organ depth and later at the blood depth until there is a complete disappearance of the blood and organ depths and retention only of the qi depth (the empty quality). An even more serious pulse sign that indicates the separation of Yin and Yang or empty quality, is changing qualities at the left middle position.

Years before I studied Chinese medicine or met Dr. Shen, I had observed the phenomena of easy fatigue, inability to recover energy and an inability to follow through on plans with hundreds of young college students who I encountered in the late 1960s and early 1970s in my capacity as a psychiatric consultant to a student health clinic in a local college. During the 1970s, I also observed this in friends and acquaintances. They all had one common lifestyle, though some were obviously more vulnerable; they all smoked marijuana fairly constantly.

When I began to teach the pulse in 1983, I used the student's pulses to demonstrate positions, depths and qualities. I found an alarming number of them to have an empty quality at the left middle position. It was incumbent upon me to share the interpretation with the class and soon found that rather than wanting to hide this widespread use of marijuana and LSD, the cold substances that were draining their Liver Qi, the participants were eager to share their stories. The pulse workshops were becoming group therapy sessions and the story from mostly health professionals was that they had turned to Chinese medicine in the hope of recovering their health. I began to use subjects referred by the practitioners for demonstration rather than the practitioners themselves. Gradually I realized that substances such as LSD and heroin were equally cold Qi-Yang draining substances leading to the same symptoms and pulse picture.

During the time that Dr. Shen and I worked together he was unaware of the effect of substances of abuse as an etiology of Liver Qi-Yang deficiency and separation of Liver Yin and Yang. In my practice, it was increasingly clear that this was becoming the major cause of the pulse findings described above.

The Liver has two functions with regard to qi. The Liver moves the qi (metabolic heat) for the entire organism and Liver qi contains the qi in the form of repressed emotions in order for a society to follow the Ten Commandments, especially though shall not kill. Think of how often that would happen, or even lesser violence, if the Liver did not provide us with the ability to stagnate, actually contain, our emotions. Liver qi stagnation has gotten a bum wrap and is blamed by students and practitioners for almost every pathology in my experience as a teacher of Chinese medicine; this, along with a misunderstanding of Liver Qi rising. It must be kept in mind that the Liver is the detoxifying organ whose deficiency will greatly exacerbate the effect of any toxic substance.

However, it is the function of the Liver to move rather than contain that concerns us here. That ability is necessary for us to mobilize the energy and put into motion the potential will contained within the Kidney. It is this function, to move from the idea to the act that is impaired when Liver qi is disabled by anything that will reduce Liver Qi-Yang. This is evidenced by pulse after pulse and patient after patient presentation, by the cold substances that rob the Liver of Qi-Yang, and the ability to act, as with the patient presented above.

Therapy
The two most important individual herbs to recovery of Liver Qi-Yang deficiency and separation of liver yin and yang are Astragalus (Huang Qi) and Salvia (Dan Shen). Other herbs in the formula would depend upon that individual's other conditions. The most commonly used formulas are an altered Ginseng and Longan (Gui Pi Tang) and Ginseng and Astragalus (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang). The latter tends to be too stimulating but is somewhat ameliorated adding the linking decoction (Yi Guan Jian).

Research En Toto
Marijuana and executive function: A broader spectrum of cognitive functions designated as executive functions were investigated (attention, concentration, decision-making, impulsivity, self-control of responses, reaction time, risk taking, verbal fluency and working memory) all were impaired acutely in a dose-dependent manner. The authors concluded that some elements of executive function usually recover completely after stopping marijuana use, but deficits most likely to persist for long periods of time are decision-making, concept formation and planning, especially in heavy users who started using at an early age (Crean et al., J. Addict. Med., 5: 1-8. 2011).

Adverse health effects of marijuana in evidence-based review of acute and long-term effects of cannabis use on executive cognitive functions, there is generally good agreement between the conclusions based on these studies and the clinical impressions based on population studies (Hall W. and Degenhardt L. Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use. Lancet, 374: 1383-1391, 2009).

Marijuana and brain function: Cannabis produced dose-related impairments of immediate and delayed recall of information presented while under the influence of the drug. Learning, consolidation and retrieval of memory were all affected (Ranganathan M and and D'Souza DC. The acute effects of cannabinoids on memory in humans: a review. Psychopharmacology, 188: 425-444, 2006).

Marijuana and cognition: Here it is mentioned for chronic users, "by subtle cognitive impairment in those who are daily users for 10 years or more by (Hall W. and Degenhardt L." in Lancet as cited below with a high incidence of psychosis with a family history or personal history of psychosis.

Marijuana and anxiety: There is a strong pattern of cannabis relieving anxiety at low doses and promoting anxiety at higher doses. (Viveros et al., 2005; Moreira and Lutz, 2008; Akirav, 2011). Daily cannabis use was associated with anxiety disorder at 29 years (adjusted OR 2.5), as was cannabis dependence (adjusted OR 2.2). Among weekly+ adolescent cannabis users, those who continued to use cannabis use at 29 years remained at significantly increased odds of anxiety disorder (adjusted OR 3.2), (Degenhardt et al, The persistence of the association between adolescent cannabis use and common mental disorders into young adulthood. Addiction. 2012 Jul 6. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04015.x. PubMed PMID: 22775447.)

Marijuana and depression: High doses of cannabis in humans appear to increase the risk of depression, especially in the young (Ashton CH and Moore PB. Endocannabinoid system dysfunction in mood and related disorders. Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 124: 250-261, 2011).

Higher mortality: In more recent research, marijuana use disorder is associated with higher mortality. A massive study was undertaken to understand the mortality rate of methamphetamine users, in relation to other drug users. Methods: Excluded for space considerations.

Results: Those treated for addiction to cannabis (marijuana) had a higher mortality rate (3.85 times higher than controls), higher if compared to death rate risk of cocaine use disorder (2.96), alcohol use disorder (3.83), but lower than opioid use disorder (5.71) or methamphetamine use disorder (4.67).

The study demonstrates that individuals with cannabis (marijuana) use disorders have a higher mortality risk than those with diagnoses related to cocaine or alcohol, but lower mortality risk than persons with methamphetamine or opioid-related disorders.

Given the lack of long-term cohort studies of mortality risk among individuals with methamphetamine-related disorders, as well as among those with cocaine- or cannabis-related conditions, the current study provides important information for the assessment of the comparative drug-related burden associated with use and addiction. (Callaghan et al., All-cause mortality among individuals with disorders related to the use of methamphetamine: A comparative cohort study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012 Oct 1;125(3):290-4).

Dr. Leon I. Hammer is clinical director at Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine in Gainesville, Fla. He may be contacted at www.dragonrises.edu.


Reference: http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=33026


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The Herbalist Had 23 Wives and Raised More Than 200 Children
He represents a Chinese mystery that can be added to many others. The herbalist Li Ching-Yuen ,was, according to the official records,born in China in 1677 (although he himself claimed that he was born in 1736). Throughout his long life, he constantly practiced herbalism and martial arts.There are documents, dating back to 1827, contained official congratulations on Li Ching-Yuen’s 150th birthday. Later documents, dating back to 1877, contained official congratulations on his 200th birthday.

The Secret of his Potion Formula.
Li Ching-Yuen expressed his longevity formula in one sentence: “Retain a calm heart, sit like a turtle, walk swiftly like a pigeon, and sleep like a dog”. During his last days he was offered an opportunity by the Chinese army general Yang Senin order to teach martial arts to Chinese soldiers. The general could not believe how youthful Li was, even though he had reached an age of 250 years old. Li Ching-Yuen died on the 6th of May in 1933 after finishing his martial art classes.

Holistic Medicine Should be the Alternative
It becomes a common sense that thoughts have a great influence on people and behaviors; they can be negative or positive. These days, even modern medicine agrees that 70% of all sicknesses happen because of negative thoughts or emotional stress. Illnesses attributed to this cause are called “psychosomatic,” A long day of high stress is all that is needed to cause unexpected illness. Continuous years of tension at work is all that is needed to develop diabetes or heart disease, needless to mention lowered productivity, deteriorated body and depression.

Ancient medicine was very efficient because it is classified as holistic,It considers not only the physical body, but also of the psycheand personal lifestyle. It irradiates the cause of the illness, rather thandealing only with the symptoms, therefore stopping it from reappearing. However, Modern medicine, on the other hand, deals with the effects of the illness—bodily ailments. This is why the illness is never cured for good.

Thoughts cannot only make the body ill, but can also help it recover from serious diseases. We can take for instance the case of Morris Goodman, who, in 1981, was involved in a plane crash and was supposed to die due to permanent spine damage and aninjured diaphragm. The man’s life was supported by a breathing ventilator, and the only movement he could do was blinking. However, this man was aware of the power of thought, and in just a few days successfully regenerated his own diaphragm and could breathe independently. He also consciously regenerated his damaged spinal cord and started to move all of his limbs. Doctors could not understand the situation at all because this just “could not be happening.” After a few months, however, Morris Goodman began to walk again and eventually fully recovered. This is only one of many cases that are happening all around us.

Reasons behind Incurable Diseases from Different Perspective

The ancient Ayurvedic health sciences not only prove the existence of psychosomatic illnesses.What your thoughts are able to influence?

Here are a few examples that could explain the causes of disease:

1. Jealousy – causes cancer diseases, immune system failure.
2. Vengefulness – causes sleep disorder and throat illnesses.
3. Restricted irritating situation – causes lung diseases.
4. Immoral behaviors – causes chronic diseases, infections, and dermal diseases.
5. Being too categorical or unwavering in beliefs – causes diabetes, migraines, and inflammations.
6. Lying – causes addiction to alcohol, parasite infections, and failure of the immune system.
7. Hostility – causes stomach ulcers, acid hearth burns, and verrucas.
8. Taciturnity – causes schizophrenia and kidney diseases.
9. Cruel behaviors – causes epilepsy, asthma, and blood deficiency.
10. Seeking conflicts – causes thyroid enlargement.
11. Apathy – causes diabetes.
12. Inconsistency or being fickle – causes infertility.
13. Being abusive – causes diabetes and heart diseases.
14. 14. Anxiety – causes digestive system disorders, heart, and skin diseases.
15. 15. Greed – causes tumors, fatness, and heart diseases.

Three ways to live healthfully and truly feel goodIt will involve working on yourself—however, this investment will pay off greatly in the long run. Here are three methods, tested throughout three millenniums:

1. Start monitoring your thoughts. Spend five minutes every evening writing down how you felt that day. Remember the situations you encountered and emotions you felt. What negative character traits does that uncover? What do you plan to do tomorrow to start improving yourself and to change those particular character traits? It is very important to write everything down.
2. Try to think more about things that make you happy. This is the miracle of positive thinking. When you concentrate on the things that you like, it’s as if you move to a different frequency of vibrations, and the body starts to heal itself. Even better, there will be a greater number of good things in your life, because everything you think about becomes reality, including the problems that bother you.Concentrate on things you enjoy and watch how everything begins to change.
3. Try out meditation. During meditation, the body and mind rest and heal themselves.

Illness is simply our body’s signal about an incorrect (or, rather, non-beneficial) lifestyle. Firstly it manifests as anxiety, fear, and negative thoughts. Only then, if no effort is made to work on oneself, the body sends a more powerful signal to get your attention and make you think about what you are doing wrong, in the form of physical symptoms.

Leave only the useful and meaningful things in your life. Because everything that is useful to you is always useful to others.

by A.Ouyidir
Source: Source: virsmai.com & wikipedia
www.viralnovelty.net
virsmai.com


For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.