Bonnie Tyler on using acupuncture to lose weight

In our health quiz this week, singer Bonnie Tyler, 58, talks about dieting. "A few years ago I tried acupuncture when I wanted to lose weight. I was told it would help speed up my metabolism. I lost some weight but I was also on a more sensible diet at the same time" (from Mail).

Pampered prisoners receive acupuncture

Taxpayers are footing a ­multimillion pound bill for prisoners to receive counselling and health therapies. Services include acupuncture, reflexology, visualisation, shiatsu, homoeo­pathy and massage (from Express).

Ginkgo may protect cells from radiation

Antioxidant in ginkgo may protect cells from radiation damage, according to a study just published in the International Journal of Low Radiation. Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree may protect cells in the human body from radiation damage. The discovery could offer a way to protect cancer patients from side effects produced by radiotherapy. Ginkgo biloba might also offer protection from medical tests that involve radiation, such as X-rays (from Natural News).

Ginkgo reduces brain damage from stroke by 50%

Ginkgo biloba extract may reduce brain damage and dysfunction from stroke by 50 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Institutions (from Natural News).

Acupuncture and unexplained infertility

Anne Wolfson, a tall, curly-haired brunette who is told that she smiles a lot, was married in a blue dress from Loehmann's in her late 30's, and began trying to conceive. Three miscarriages and $45,000 later, she tried acupuncture to treat her unexplained infertility. She now has a healthy 2 year old son (from New York Times).

NHS patients to get personal budgets

Proposed personal NHS budgets will open the way for patients to choose treatments such as acupuncture and homoeopathy. Patients will have more control over what types of treatment they decide to receive as part of a controversial personal health budget scheme, according to new details released by the Department of Health (from Pulse).

Chinese herbs tabled as possible H1N1 treatment

Children suffering swine flu could benefit from taking Chinese Herbal Medicine. This is the view of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine bureau. Tu Zhitao, vice-director of the bureau, claimed that children sickened with the H1N1 virus may recover within 3 days if correctly treated with Chinese herbs (from China Daily).

Stop smoking with acupuncture

Balancing needles and cigars: journalist Harry Hurt III road tests acupuncture to help him quit smoking (from New York Times).

Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Studies show acupuncture improves quality of life for sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Researchers in Beijing, China, reported acupuncture can significantly improve the physiological wellbeing of CFS patients, particularly with regard to their individual self-perception (from Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Trial supports use of acupuncture in weight loss

Cinical trials in China suggest acupuncture is an effective treatment for obesity. Researchers at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine reported acupuncture, in combination with diet and exercise, was a safe and effective treatment for obesity. With regards to weight loss, they went on to say that acupuncture "may be more effective than routine Western medicine" (from Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Eastern way to weight loss

Eastern way to weight loss. Video clip of doctors in China helping an obese US citizen lose weight with the aid of acupuncture and Chinese medicine (from Reuters). Please note that the video report immediately follows an initial short advertisement.

Chinese Herbal Medicine treats tension headache

Doctors in Tokyo have successfully used Chinese Herbal Medicine formula chaihu jia longgu muli tang to treat chronic tension-type headache. The treatment showed that the holistic nature of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) makes it an effective therapeutic option for tension-type headaches accompanied by various other symptoms (from Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine).

Madonna has acupunture to ease her aches

Madonna has acupuncture after every performance to help ease her aches and pains. "All dancers have injuries but we just deal with them. We get acupuncture and therapy and just keep going" she commented (from Express).

Acupuncture for Premier League footaller

Kenny Miller has revealed a course of acupuncture recently helped him back to fitness. The Rangers striker used acupuncture to help him be ready for his match-winning performance in the recent Old Firm derby. "I've had acupuncture and it's feeling a lot better now" said Miller (from Sun).

Strictly star quits smoking with acupuncture

Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Kelly has resorted to acupuncture to help him keep off the cigarettes. The Coronation Street actor stopped smoking four years ago but the pressure of appearing on Strictly drove him back to the deadly habit. However, all the puffing sent his heart racing and left him fighting for breath, so he turned to the Chinese needle treatment to help kick the habit and steady his nerves (from Express).

Lose weight with acupuncture and tuina

If you are fed up with strict diets and exercise regimes then perhaps acupuncture and tuina massage can help. Some Chinese have found these therapies a more pleasant way to lose weight in a country with one of the world's fastest rising obesity rates. These ancient methods are becoming popular ways to reduce waistlines in China.

Zhao Jizhong runs three centres that focus on traditional therapeutic techniques to aid weight loss. While massage and acupuncture don't make fat disappear miraculously, they do seem to cause weight loss indirectly.

"The main reason for us to develop such therapies is to promote blood circulation. It suppresses the feeling of hunger and reduces insulin. The fat then gets digested out of the system. The therapy doesn't require any medicine and it's very effective" explained Dr Zhao (from Reuters).

Acupuncture replaces botox in Hollywood

A botox backlash in Hollywood has seen acupuncture become the treatment of choice to soften facial wrinkles. In Los Angeles they are referred to as mannequins, ageless thespians whose misadventures with botox have left their faces temporarily stripped of expression. They have triggered a botox backlash with many potential mannequins sticking with the needles but throwing out the syringe. LA's hottest treatment is the acupuncture face lift (from New York Times).

Adjunct acupuncture during pregnancy

Acupuncture as an adjunct treatment during pregnancy. Acupuncture is used by women during their pregnancy and research suggests acupuncture may be used as an adjunct to their existing conventional care. The aim of this paper was to summarise the evidence examining the effectiveness of acupuncture during pregnancy and birthing (from Birth).

Acupuncture helps tennis pro

Tennis: acupuncture treatment for Mirza ahead of US Open. Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has received acupuncture treatment on a painful right wrist to be ready for the US Open (from Reuters).