Blog
The purpose of this blog is to provide information and education as well as promote awareness about various topics in integrative and complementary medicine. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or the use of supplements.
Can acupuncture be helpful in Type II diabetes?
A 2019 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) set out to address the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating Type II diabetes. Just to give some background, a person is considered to have Type II diabetes when the fasting blood glucose is over 125 mg/dl or the Hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C) is over 6.5%. In this meta-analysis, the authors looked at 21 RCTs and found…
Platelet-rich plasma injections for knee arthritis are gaining acceptance
This summer during the European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) annual meeting, a consensus was reached on recommendations for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in knee osteoarthritis. The recommendations include…
Study finds berberine may reduce recurrence of colon polyps
Berberine is a yellow alkaloid found in various herbs such as the roots of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), coptis (Coptis chinensis) and oregon grape (Berberis aquafolium). Ayurvedic, Chinese and American herbalists have long valued these herbs for their beneficial digestive, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Berberine has been associated with the increase in “good” gut bacteria and a decrease in atherosclerosis. Now a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in The Lancet showed a significant decrease in recurrence of colon polyps…
Probiotics May Help Reduce Migraines
A recent study showed promising results for probiotics in treating migraines. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, migraine sufferers were given either 2 capsules of a 14-strain probiotic (Bio-Kult by Protexin; 2 billion per capsules), or a placebo. The results were impressive…