Acupoint Med Ltd

27/01/2022

Acupoint Med clinic has moved location.
I'm available for treatments in the Howick area on Fridays, presently operating out of the Natural Health Co Organic Store rooms
Friday's 9 to 5.30pm.
I can be contacted directly on mob.

08/12/2020

Eliminating Facial Wrinkles
Massage can be very effective in helping to reduce facial wrinkles.
The following pictures indicate the areas where massage should be applied in the direction of the arrows.
In addition pressure can be applied to the acupuncture points for added effect.
At the end of the sequence you should stand in front of the mirror and make as many different facial expressions as you can to help work the facial muscles
Perform regularly for best effect.

07/08/2020

Cupping
Cupping is a method of treatment used in Chinese medicine. Treating using this method causes local congestion. A partial vacuum is created in the cups usually by means of heat they are then applied to the area being treated.

There are several different methods of using the cups and they can be applied either by just using the cups or in combination with needling or bleeding techniques.

The cups mey be placed over the local are being treated, over specific ponts related to the area being treated or or dragged over a large muscle area this is called moving cupping. They maybe used for example in back ache, colds and flu, poor bllod circulation or to help boost immunity and increase energy.

General indications for use
Arthritic pain abdominal pain, stomach pain, indigestion, headache hypertension, common cold, cough, lower back pain, painful periods, snake bite bee sting.

Cupping shouldn't be used on the lower abdomen or back of pregnant women, where there are open sores or wounds or in some allergic skin conditions.

There may be marks left on the skin like bruising, this should generally disapear after a couple of days but may take longer in persons with poor circulation.

Generally cupping feels good and the receiver will feel revitalised after the treatment

Why not give it a try.

02/09/2019

Turmeric for Pain Relief
Pamela A. Popper, President
Wellness Forum Health

Turmeric is a plant that grows mainly in India, Asia and Central America, and is related to the ginger family. The ground root of the plant is used as a spice, and turmeric is an ingredient in curry powder. Its main ingredients, curcuminoids, are yellow and are often used to color foods and products like cosmetics.

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and is used widely in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for many health conditions, including breathing problems, skin diseases, wounds, gastrointestinal distress, liver disease, inflammation, and pain. Other bioactive components include demethoxycurcumin, bis-demethoxycurcumin, and turmeric essential oils. The typical turmeric product used for treatment is an extract that is standardized to between 80% and 95% curcuminoids, most of it curcumin.

Curcumin is a safe and effective natural compound for treating pain related to common musculoskeletal disorders.[1] Turmeric and curcumin do not modulate COX-1 activity, but instead modify the action of COX-2 enzymes, affect NF-κB signaling, and reduce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin and phospholipase A2.[2] [3]

Many studies have documented the efficacy of curcumin for pain relief and lowering inflammation. For example:

A study including 107 patients with knee osteoarthritis randomized to take 800 mg ibuprofen or 2 g curcumin daily for 6 weeks showed that curcumin was as effective as ibuprofen for reducing pain.[4]

Three months of treatment with curcumin resulted in improvement in pain and mobility, and reduction in treatment costs for patients with osteoarthritis.[5]

A study in which patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized to take 500 mg curcuminoids 3 times per day or matched placebo showed that those taking curcumin had significantly greater reductions in pain and improvements in physical function as compared to those taking placebo.[6]

A double-blind crossover study in which rheumatoid arthritis patients were randomized to take 1.2 g of curcumin per day or phenylbutazone (NSAID) for 2 weeks showed that curcumin was just as effective as phenylbutazone for reducing joint swelling and morning stiffness and improving walking time. There were no adverse side effects reported.[7]

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies concluded that 8-12 weeks of treatment with 1000 mg/day of curcumin can reduce pain and inflammation for patients with arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, with improvement similar to the results of treatment with ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium.[8]

Curcuminoids are considered by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe)[9] and clinical trials confirm that it is safe, even at high doses of up to 12,000 mg.[10]

The most common drug treatments for joint and musculoskeletal pain are analgesics and NSAIDS, but these drugs have serious gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects.[11] Curcumin is a viable alternative that is at least as effective without these side effects.

It is important to remember that a limitation of both drugs and supplements is that they do not resolve the cause of pain. Thus in most cases, they should be temporary measures to provide relief while physical therapy, exercise and other modalities are used to permanently resolve pain.
________________________________________
[1] Peddaka KV, Peddaka KV, Shukla SK, Mishra A, Verma V. “Role of Curcumin in Common Musculoskeletal Disorders: a Review of Current a, Translational, and Clinical Data.” Orthop Surg 2015 Aug;7(3):222-231

[2] Appelboom, T, Maes N, Albert A. “A new curcuma extract (flexofytol) in osteoarthritis: results from a belgian real-life experience.” Open Rheumatol J 2014 Oct;8:77-81

[3] Prasad S, Gupta SC, Tyagi AK, Aggarwal BB. “Curcumin, a component of golden spice: from bedside to bench and back.” Biotechnol Adv 2014 Nov;32(6):1053-1064

[4] Kuptnirasaikul V, thanakhumtorn S, Chinswangwatanakul P, Wattanamongkonsil L, Thamlikitkul V. “Efficacy and safety ot Curcuma domestica extracts I patients with knee osteoarthritis.” J Altern Complement Med 2009 Aug;15(8):891-897

[5] Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Dugall M et al. “Product evaluation registry of Merivac, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, for the complementary management of osteoarthritis.” Panminerva Med 2010 Jun;52(2 Supple 1):55-62

[6] Panahi Y, Rahimnia AR, Sharafi M, Alishiri G, Saburi A, Sahebkar A. “Curcuminoid treatment for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.” Phytother Res 2014 Nov;28(11):1625-1631
[7] Deodhar SD, Sethi R, Srimal RC. “Preliminary study on antirheumatic activity of curcumin (diferuloyl methane)” Indian J Med Res. 1980 Apr;71:632–634.

[8] Daily JW, Yang M, Park S. “Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” J Med Food 2016 Aug;19(8):717-729

[9] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?set=GrASNotices&sort=Date_of_closure&order=ASC&showAll=true&type=basic&search=

[10] Lao CD, Ruffin Mt 4th, Normelle D et al. “Dose escalation of a curcuminoid formulation.” BMC Complement Altern Med 2006 Mar;6:10

[11] Schnitzer TJ. “Update on guidelines for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain.” Clin Rheumatol 2006;25 Suppl 1:S22-229

The inventory of GRAS notices provides information about GRAS notices filed since 1998, when FDA received its first GRAS notice. As of October 17, 2016, the GRAS final rule (81 FR 54960; August 17, 2016) requires a specific format for a GRAS notice. Prior to that date, FDA processed GRAS notices und...

21/08/2019

Many Overweight People Think They Are Not
Many Overweight People Think They Are Not
Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Wellness Forum Health
One factor that can keep people from losing weight is denying that they have a weight problem, and according to a recent study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, this is indeed a problem. According to this study, 25% of overweight women think they are normal weight. The pendulum swings both ways, however. Sixteen percent of the women surveyed who were normal weight thought they were overweight. Neither misperception is good.
The researchers looked at height and weight data for 2224 women between the ages of 18 and 25 who were then asked questions about lifestyle habits related to weight for the previous 30 days. These included eating less food, changes in foods chosen, and exercising, as well as unhealthy habits such as the use of diet pills, diuretics, laxatives, and skipping meals.
The women were divided into four groups:
Overweight women who thought they were normal or underweight
Overweight women who knew they were overweight
Normal-weight women who thought they were overweight
Normal-weight women who thought they were normal or underweight
1162 women were overweight, and 267 of them considered themselves to be normal. 1062 women were normal weight, and 170 of them thought they were underweight.
The result was the same for both groups who perceived themselves inaccurately; they did not engage in activities that were appropriate for their status. For example, overweight women who thought they were normal were not engaged in behaviors that might cause them to lose weight, such as reducing calorie intake. And women who thought they were underweight, but were not, were more likely to use diuretics and engaging in other unhealthy practices.
The lead researcher called the misperception of overweight women who thought they were normal part of the “fattening of America.” I agree – there are so many overweight people now that being overweight is the new normal. Normal weight people are actually in the minority in our country, a very sad state, and one which leads to people becoming complacent about their unhealthy weight.
Here’s an assignment for everyone. Take a good look at yourself and assess your weight and body composition. If you are anything other than lean, do something about it and don’t tell yourself stories such as “I’m not as big as others I know,” or “It’s only a few pounds.” And don’t tell yourself you’ll get started after the first of the year either. There’s no time like the present to get started; procrastinating is never a good idea.
Rahman M, Berensen A. “Self-Perception of Weight and Its Association With Weight-Related Behaviors in Young, Reproductive-Aged Women”Obstetrics & Gynecology. 116(6):1274-1280, December 2010.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181fdfc47

31/07/2019

Five Worst Foods for Kids According the PCRM
Five Worst Foods for Kids According the PCRM
Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Wellness Forum Health
We all know how unhealthy fast food is, but how unhealthy may surprise you. A recent report from the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine identified the five worst kids’ meals offered by fast food restaurants. Here they are, in order starting with the worst, with descriptions:

McDonald’s Mighty Kids Meal Double cheeseburger, French fries, and chocolate milk 840 calories, 37 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat,
85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,460 milligrams of sodium

Wendy’s Kids’ Meal Chicken sandwich, French fries, and chocolate Frosty 770 calories, 34 grams of fat, 9.5 grams of saturated fat,
60 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,390 milligrams of sodium

KFC Kids Meal Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, string cheese, and soda 800 calories, 34.5 grams of fat, 7.5 grams of saturated fat,
65 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,800 mg of sodium

A&W Kids Meal Cheeseburger, French fries, and soda 780 calories, 29 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat,
70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,360 milligrams of sodium

BK Breakfast Kids Meal Muffin sandwich, BK Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel sauce, apple juice 410 calories, 11.5 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat,
95 milligrams of cholesterol, 600 milligrams of sodium

This analysis does not even consider the antibiotics, steroids, and hormones kids are ingesting in these meals that include food from animals grown on factory farms.

What is even more amazing is the statements made by the fast food companies about these meals. On McDonald’s website, it says “We’ve put a lot of thought into creating a meal that’s just the perfect size for those in-be-tweens.”

Wendy’s advertises its kids’ meals as “Something Special for the kids.”

At the Wellness Forum, we teach people to differentiate between food and a treat, and that treats should be saved for special occasions. I’ve tried hard to think about the special occasion that would warrant feeding any child something as heinous as these meals and can’t think of one. Perhaps fast food should just be written off as being not food, and avoided all the time.
http://www.pcrm.org/Health/reports/worst_fast-food_kids_meals.html
http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/meal_bundles/mighty_kids_meals.html
http://www.wendys.com/food/Family.jsp?family=9

The page you requested has moved or is no longer available. If you think this is a problem we should know about please lettuce know.

25/07/2019

Meat Protein Contributes to Obesity
Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Wellness Forum Health
A new Australian study reports that eating meat is just as bad as eating sugar in causing obesity, and the researchers say that dietary guidelines should be adjusted to recommend eating less meat.
The study looked at the availability of meat and sugar in 170 countries and found that both are responsible for as much as 50% of the prevalence of obesity worldwide. The data were presented at the 18th International Conference on Nutrition and Food Sciences in Zurich.
According to Professor Maciej Henneberg, of the University of Adelaide in Australia, the findings are “likely to be controversial” due to the fact that the report calls for dietary guidelines to recommend a reduction in meat intake.
Researcher Wenpeng You said there is a “dogma” in societies that obesity is caused by fat and carbohydrates. But “Because meat protein is digested later in the digestion process than fats and carbohydrates, this makes the energy we receive from protein a surplus, which is then converted and stored as fat in the human body.”
Australia has one of the highest obesity rates in the world, at 28.4%, but is still slightly behind countries like Mexico and the U.S. Like the U.S., dietary guidelines in Australia are friendly to industry, and the “eat less” message targeted at any food is met with a great deal of resistance. In the U.S., in order to avoid upsetting Big Ag groups, the USDA tends to issue guidelines such as “eat less fat and cholesterol,” instead of advising people to eat less of the foods in which the fat and cholesterol is found, such as meat. People do not purchase fat and cholesterol at the grocery store, they purchase pork chops and steak.
It may be, however, that the increasing prevalence of obesity – worldwide obesity rates have doubled since 1980 – will eventually force governments to tell people the truth when they issue dietary guidelines. Making the meat industry angry may not be as onerous as paying for the healthcare costs associated with eating a meat-heavy diet.
A growing body of recent studies are showing that the survival of our population and our planet are threatened by continuing to eat an animal foods-based diet. I’m interested in hearing how advocates of these diets, like the Paleo folk, respond to these findings.
Oscar Rousseau “Controversial study says meat and sugar equally bad.” Food Navigator August 1 2016