Even as little as 2 pop per week increases your risk of pancreatic cancer by 87%!

If you thought pop was bad for you only if you guzzle it by the gallon, you may be wrong. As little as 2 soft drinks per week showed an 87% higher diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The study is relatively small with 140 participants, but it was done over 14 years and there was no increase in pancreatic cancer for those who drank juice (even though that too is high in sugar). It is unclear whether the link is causal, i.e. did those people get pancreatic cancer because of the pop? Or are those people just generally making other poor lifestyle and dietary choices, such as too much meat or smoking? Red meat has also been linked to pancreatic cancer, particulary when the meat is burned or charred.
The rates of pancreatic cancer are relatively low, BUT pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer.
This is just one more reason not to drink the garbage that we call pop or soda. Empty calories. Full of health risks.
And, the diet stuff is no better. Aspartame...yum. (sarcasm included)
Oh, and how about this??? http://www.killercoke.org/

The full article on it: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN07113352
The actual study abstract: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/19/2/447.abstract

This is your brain on acupuncture...

Acupuncture has been found to deactivate areas in the brain that are associated with the processing of pain. Check it out: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204101736.htm

Wow! You've got to check out this artwork!

I'm always thinking whole health, not just physical, so when I see something that awes me like this, I have to share. Check out what these farmers in Japan have done with their rice fields (oh, and that's not Buddha as this UK site names the image, that's Daikoku, the god of wealth, one of the 7 lucky gods):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/5965421/Paddy-art-farmers-create-colourful-rice-murals-in-Japan.html

How is this related to health? Well, seeing something beautiful or amazing or inspiring does fire off chemicals in your brain that puts it into a positive frame of mind and that affects your whole body.

This is how the farmers did it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/5965073/Farmers-create-coloured-rice-murals-in-Japan.html

So, what inspires you? What makes you say "wow!"?

What's the most common question?

I recently watched a commercial that asked what the most common question is. Can you guess?

It's "What's for dinner?"
The voiceover then goes on to say that the question that's not asked is "What's IN dinner?"

So true! Now, the commercial is for McCain's and I'm not sure I agree that they make the healthiest food options. It's been a long time since I've purchased any McCain's items, so I can't comment either way now, but the only thing I can think of by them are orange juice and frozen french fries.

Anyway, why is it that we don't focus enough on what's actually in the food that we eat? Read the ingredients on the food you eat. Do you know what's in there? How about when you go to a restaurant, or even worse (in most cases), a fast food joint? Many people pay more attention to the labels on their clothing (is it designer? is it a popular label?) than they do on the labels that report on the ingredients in their food!

I sometimes drive my husband nuts because I will put back a food that looks delicious on the package picture, but that has ingredients that are unhealthy. Just because it's labelled as "healthy", doesn't mean it is. It used to be that Captain Crunch and Fruit Loops were sold because of the colours they turned your milk and the toy inside and how yummy they are to kids. Now they sell those cereals with the idea that they are healthy because they contain fibre and vitamins. Too bad that they also contain all sorts of junk. Think Oatmeal Crunch is healthier? Sounds healthier. It's not. More sugar per serving size than Fruit Loops! Sunny D, Wonderbread, Nutella, Chef Boyardee, and more are all jumping on the "healthy" junk food bandwagon. Don't believe what they tell you. Read the labels.

UCLA Basketball player finds his rhythm with acupuncture

UCLA BASKETBALL: Honeycutt finds his offensive rhythm

By Jon Gold, Staff Writer

Posted: 01/22/2010 10:39:36 PM PST

LOS ANGELES - Trying to find some offense from Tyler Honeycutt has at times this season been like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Maybe all he needed were some needles in his shin - and his back - and his hip.

Honeycutt visited an acupuncturist on Wednesday and it paid off on Thursday in UCLA's 62-61 victory over Washington at Pauley Pavilion.

Honeycutt had 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block in what UCLA coach Ben Howland called his best performance of the season. In scoring double figures for just the third time, the freshman forward hit all four of his shots and both 3-point attempts.

"Body-wise, today was the first day I can remember since I've been here that I haven't had any pain," said Honeycutt, who is averaging 4.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 12 games. "I've been having hip problems, so yesterday I got some acupuncture. Got it in my calf, my lower back - (Thursday) I woke up and everything is feeling good. I guess it works."

For the full article:

http://www.sgvtribune.com/sports/ci_14251804

Rescue Dog Rescued by Acupuncture

A search and rescue dog in Iowa able to run and jump and move without pain because of acupuncture treatments. After being nearly lame, they now believe he'll get two more years of rescue work. Check out the video: http://www.kcci.com/news/22308928/detail.html

5000 vs. 200 years

That's the difference between the number of years that Traditional Chinese Medicine has been in practice versus the number of years that conventional Western medicine has been in practice.

I liked this quote I pulled from an article:

'"To Westerners, scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses," says Chuang Shih-ming, a Chinese medicine doctor based in Taipei City.

"Chinese medicine also takes the same approach," he argues. "The only difference lies in the fact that Western medicine uses about 200 years of such 'scientific' methods of observation and testing of hypotheses to prove its effectiveness, while the Chinese version uses several thousands of years."'

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1159633&lang=eng_news&cate_img=240.jpg&cate_rss=news_Supplement

President Obama Wants Acupuncture

Obama stated in a town hall meeting that he could use some acupuncture for a stiff back. When it was mentioned to him that alternative medicine is often more cost-effective and result-positive as conventional medicine, the President said, “it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments — or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions.”

Obama also noted that the problem with implementing acupuncture and other alternative medicines into health policies is that the policy makers and insurance providers are thinking short-term. They recognize that preventative medicine may not show results immediately while policy makers and politicians are in office or while a person is employed with one company. That is part of the challenge.

http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/222-obamaacupuncturestlouis56398

Happy New Year! Learn how acupuncture can make 2010 even better...

This article was recently sent to me to show how acupuncture can help you to achieve some of your New Year's resolutions. Or, if you prefer not to make resolutions...how to make 2010 your best year yet...

5 Ways Acupuncture Creates Lasting New Year's Resolutions

An Article About How Effective Acupuncture is in Treating Hot Flashes

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20091231/acupuncture-may-help-ease-hot-flashes?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Acupuncture May Help Ease Hot Flashes

Study Shows Acupuncture Offers Relief to Breast Cancer Patients With Hot Flashes

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Dec. 31, 2009 -- Acupuncture not only cools hot flashes that occur as a result ofbreast cancer treatment but may offer a host of other benefits to boost women's well-being.

A new study shows acupuncture was as good as drug therapy with Effexor (venlafaxine) at easing hot flashes in breast cancer patients, but it also improved sex drive, energy levels, and clarity of thought.

"Acupuncture offers patients a safe, effective and durable treatment option for hot flashes, something that affects the majority of breast cancer survivors. Compared to drug therapy, acupuncture actually has benefits, as opposed to more side effects," researcher Eleanor Walker, MD, division director of breast services in the department of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, says in a news release.

According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Typical treatment for breast cancer involves chemotherapy and five years of hormone therapy that often causes unpleasant side effects, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and decreased sex drive and energy levels.

Researchers say these side effects of breast cancer treatment significantly decrease a woman's quality of life and may cause some women to discontinue treatment.

Acupuncture has already been shown to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women, but researchers say this is the first study to compare acupuncture to drug treatment in easing hot flashes in breast cancer patients. The results appear in theJournal of Clinical Oncology.

Fifty breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or drug treatment for 12 weeks. The acupuncture group received acupuncture treatments twice per week for the first four weeks and then once a week for the remaining eight weeks; the drug group received 37.5 milligrams of Effexor each night for the first week and then 75 milligrams per night for the remaining 11 weeks.

All participants stopped their treatment after 12 weeks and kept a diary to record the number and severity of hot flashes; they were surveyed about their overall physical and mental health for one year.

Both groups experienced a 50% decline in hot flashes and symptoms of depression, but the acupuncture treatment appeared to have more lasting effects with fewer side effects.

For example, two weeks after the treatments stopped, the drug therapy group experienced an increase in hot flashes; the acupuncture group did not experience any increase in the frequency of their hot flashes until three months after treatment.

In addition, the Effexor group reported 18 instances of negative side effects, including nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and anxiety, compared with no adverse side effects reported among the acupuncture group.

Most breast cancer patients treated with acupuncture also reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being. About 25% of women in the acupuncture group also reported an increase in their sex drive.