The changing seasons remind us of all the forces within us that emerge at different times. We see this diversity also in the stages of life, and of any project, from potential to vision to implementation to maintenance to evaluation. Everywhere there are natural cycles. These days, so busy, we forget the ebb and flow, and think we should be going full bore all the time. We have to find time to plan, to evaluate, to meditate, as well as time to implement. In Chinese medicine, these stages or phases are referred to as the 5 Elements. Understanding the interplay of these dynamic influences can help us attune to qualities within us. We can experience the benefits of achieving harmony and balance and understand the cause of illness, fatigue, and stress.
Author Archives: Maria Cook
Acupuncture & Osteoarthritis
Acupuncture added to conventional therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee improves function and reduces pain, according to a clinical trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. “We now have a result that suggests, in the largest, longest and most rigorously conducted study of acupuncture ever, that we have a new (add-on) therapy for millions of patients with degenerative arthritis,” Dr. Stephen E. Straus, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, said at a press conference. Continue reading
Acupuncture Offers Short-Term Benefit for Arthritis
Results of a randomised trial in this week’s issue of The Lancet suggest that acupuncture could reduce pain and improve joint functioning in the short-term for people with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis most frequently affects the knee joint. Despite a limited evidence base, arthritis patients are increasingly turning to acupuncture, especially as side-effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are common and wide-ranging. Around 300 patients with chronic osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to acupuncture, minimal (sham) acupuncture (superficial needling at non-acupuncture points), or a waiting list control. Continue reading