Acupuncture May Ease PCOS

Research from Sweden suggests that acupuncture can help normalize menstruation and lower levels of testosterone in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

This common disorder affects 13 percent of all women of reproductive age. It may cause a large number of small cysts to form on the ovaries, disturb hormone production and lead to an increase in testosterone secretion. As a result, affected women don’t ovulate normally and are at risk of infertility, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Although the cause is unknown, the Swedish researchers said that some women with the syndrome often have high activity in a part of the nervous system that we cannot consciously control -the sympathetic nervous system - and that this may be an important underlying factor.

In this study, a group of women with PCOS was treated for four months with electro-acupuncture in which needles are stimulated with a weak, low-frequency electric current; another group of women was given heart rate monitors and told to exercise three times a week and a third, control group, was told about the importance of exercise and a healthy diet but received no other instruction. The investigators found that sympathetic nervous system activity decreased in women who received acupuncture or exercised and that menstruation became more normal among the women underwent acupuncture treatments.

Reference: Stener-Victorin E, et al. Low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise decrease high muscle sympathetic nerve activity in polycystic ovary syndrome. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, August, 2009.

Vitamin D

Highlights of Dr. Paykel's Presentation

• Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency? Exclusively breast-fed infants, dark skin, aging, northern climate dwellers, city-dwellers, those who cover their heads when outside, sunscreen users, lactose intolerance, s/p gastric bypass, cystic fibrosis patients, gallbladder disease, IBS, obesity, women.


• Diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency: osteoporosis, breast, colon and ovarian cancer; autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes; Seasonal Affective Disorder (depression during winter months), cardiovascular disease and hypertension, Alzheimer’s Disease.


• Osteoporosis progression slows at 32 ng/mL ; goal of therapy should be 50 – 80 ng/mL to decrease cancer risks


• Sources of Vitamin D: sun, food, supplements


• Sun block SPF 8 or greater reduces conversion of Vitamin D in the skin by 95%
  If using sunscreen, apply after sun exposure for twenty minutes


• Adequate sun exposure: Bikini-wearing, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., 2-3 x per week
  Everybody living North of 37 degrees latitude (basically, North of line extending across the U.S. from Atlanta, GA to Los Angeles, CA) should take supplements (2000 IU daily) from October through March


• Dietary sources of vitamin D include: wild-caught, fatty fish, dairy products, fortified cereals, fortified orange juice, egg yolks and cod liver oil


• Take Vitamin D supplements during meals with fatty foods


• Vitamin D3 is better than Vitamin D2 for supplementation (except prescription strength only comes in D2)


• Children should receive 400 IU Vitamin D3 daily


• Lab to order: 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D [AKA: 25(OH)D]


• Definitions: “deficiency” <> 32 ng/mL


• Too much vitamin D in the system: > 200 ng/mL


• Treating vitamin D deficiency when measuring 25(OH)D :
  <>: Vitamin D2 50,000 IU weekly x 1 year
  21-31 ng/mL: Vitamin D2 50,000 IU weekly x 12 weeks then Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily; recheck in 1 year
  32 ng/mL: Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily


• Who should not take Vitamin D without supervision? Individuals with impaired kidney function


• Food sources Vitamin D (IU)
  Pink salmon, wild caught, 3 oz 530
  Sardines, 3 oz 231
  Tuna, canned, 3 oz 200
  Cow’s milk, 8 oz 100
  Fortified O.J., 8 oz 100
  Fortified cereal, 1 cup 40-50
  Eggs (Yolk), 1 oz 30
  Cod Liver Oil, 1 oz 1, 360
  

How to Deal with Difficult (Even Impossible) People

By Deepak Chopra
Published on Oprah.com
June 11, 2010

We have all met people who are so prickly and difficult that no one wants to handle them. In most situations, walking away is an option, and you escape with no more than ruffled feathers. But some situations are inescapable. You can wait until the thorny personality is gone and moan "She's just impossible" to a friend. Far better, though, to begin to develop skills in practical psychology.

First, take responsibility for your part of the interaction. Animosity is created in your own heart. Even the most impossible person had a mother. He was loved by somebody. If you can deal with your own reaction and take responsibility for it, no step is more productive. Detachment is always the best response...

Read the rest of this great article.

Jon Kabat-Zinn Leads a Session of Meditation at Google

Decrease Your Breast Cancer Risk

One-in-eight women will struggle with breast cancer during their lives. We now know that cancer, like many other diseases, is related to systemic inflammation. Breast cancer may also be associated with elevated systemic estrogen levels. Here are lifestyle changes you can make to decrease inflammation and modify your estrogen levels to reduce your risk of breast cancer (or, recurrence).

Nutritional Advice:
Do eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables, at least 5 servings per day, organic is best
Do eat at least one cruciferous vegetable per day (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi)
Do eat phytoestrogens in moderation: soy-based products, red grapes, peanuts, legumes, brussel sprouts, spinach, ground flaxseed, whole-wheat flour, fruit and tea.
Do drink green tea
Do consume garlic
Do consume good fats: Omega 3 fatty acids, Olive oil
Do eat hormone-free beef and dairy, if you consume them at all
Do follow the principles of an Anti-inflammatory Diet

Avoid charred meat (either grilled or broiled)
Avoid a high-fat diet – high fat diet increases circulating estrogens
Avoid alcoholic beverages
Avoid these fats: Eliminate trans fats, consume a small amount of saturated fats

Lifestyle
Vitamin D supplements: 2000 IU daily unless indicated more
Calcium: 1200 mg per day between diet and supplement
Herbs and Supplements: Turmeric, Ginseng, Melatonin
Exercise – Aerobic 30 minutes 6/7 days per wk
Adequate nightly sleep in a dark room – melatonin production decreases breast cancer
Mindfulness meditation - if practiced regularly can decrease stress and improve coping skills during difficult times

Screening
If at high risk due to family history, begin screening at 35 years of age or 10 years prior to the age of detection in family member, whichever comes first.

Fatigue Remedies

12 Keys for Fighting Fatigue:

1. Blood sugar stabilization - Keep your blood sugar stable; focus on complex carbohydrates and protein for each meal.
2. Sleep - get seven hours of continuous sleep most nights.
3. Aerobic exercise - get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise six days per week.
4. Nap - Take a 15 minute cat nap in the middle of the day
5. Vitamin D - get your levels checked; start supplements if deficient. Goal should be 52 ng/mL to optimize benefits.
6. Vitamin B Complex - B vitamins participate in many metabolic processes and assist in processes of carbohydrates into sources of energy.
7. Magnesium - Supplement low magnesium levels.
8. Ginseng has long been used to increase energy levels - Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are used for stimulant and adaptogenic (stress-protective) properties, respectively
9. Thyroid - How is your thyroid functioning? Ask your health care provider to check TSH, FT4, and FT3.
10. Passion - Identify one of your old passions. Whether it is gardening, painting or reading, spend 2 hours twice per week dedicated to exercising your passion.
11. Kindness - Be kind to others. Negative behavior and troubling thoughts consume energy.
12. Just say, "no". Avoid over-obligating your time. Instead, spend some alone-time to recharge your batteries.

Spices Could Help Fight Breast Cancer

According to new research published in the November online edition of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, popular spices, such as, pepper and turmeric, contain compounds which could help in treating breast cancer by limiting the growth of stem cells.

Turmeric and pepper have been widely explored as potential cancer treatments, however, this is the first study that suggests the two spices could also prevent cancer by targeting stem cells. Currently cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, are unable to eliminate cancer stem cells.

Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Centre studied curcumin (found in turmeric, an Indian spice) and piperine (a black peppercorn derivative) when administered to cell cultures reduced the number of stem cells without affecting normal cells. Both spices were used in a very high concentration - about 20-times the potency of that which would be consumed in a normal diet. More research on the role of these compounds in breast cancer treatment is needed before adding extra curcumin or piperine to our diets.

Curcumin has other well known health benefits in traditional Asian medicine for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and arthritis. Piperine has anti-inflammatory properties and is used to improve digestion, weight loss and improves absorption of nutrients from the diet.

Reference: PubMed

Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine.
Kakarala M, Brenner DE, Korkaya H, Cheng C, Tazi K, Ginestier C, Liu S, Dontu G, Wicha MS.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, 2150 Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI, USA, mkakaral@umich.edu.