By Cathy Margolin
on November 30, 2009
Natural products like Chinese herbs have become increasingly important for new pharmaceutical discoveries. Chinese Herbs and other phyto-medicinals are being widely studied particularly for cancer treatments. Currently more than 60% of cancer drugs are of plant origin. New research on the Chinese herb called Ye Ju Hua or Wild Chrysanthemum flower shows anticancer activities and could be a valuable resource in the fight against cancer.
The flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum (Chrysanthemi Indici Flos), is a traditional Chinese herb widely used throughout China and Asia which this study suggests could be a promising novel treatment for liver and other cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known as a common and aggressive malignant cancer worldwide. In China, HCC accounts for 90% of primary liver cancer, which is the second most common cause of death. Chemotherapy plays an important role in the
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By Cathy Margolin
on November 27, 2009
Insomnia, whether for a prolonged time or a short duration is a dreaded cycle that can drive us to the brink of insanity. There nothing worse than being so tired all day long that we just can’t think straight. When you finally hit the pillow you sleep only a few hours and can’t get back to sleep. People cope with insomnia in different ways, some start their day at 4 AM because “there is just no sense in staying in bed” others rely on prescription drugs. Regardless of how you decide to cope with the lack of sleep here’s a quick look at insomnia from the Chinese medicine perceptive. This little insight or different perspective, may help you change whatever is going on in your life that’s affecting your sleep patterns
Chinese Medicine, practiced continuously now for over 2000 years, categorizes insomnia
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By Cathy Margolin
on November 24, 2009
Mood swings. Depression. Irritability. Crying. Anger. Bloating. Breast tenderness. Fatigue. Insomnia. Painful menstrual cramps. Most likely you are one of the 90% of women that experiences Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). And of that, 30-40% of you will have to rearrange your daily lives in order to maintain the proper self-care needed to manage these symptoms. Approximately every 28 days the body repeats this beautiful, life-affirming, and natural cycle.
However, if you are one of the millions of women who experience PMS, you may find yourself wondering what is ‘natural’ about your experience. For most, these symptoms color every moment of those 5 – 7 days, including the week prior to the beginning of menstruation. This means that for 14 days out of every given month, you are feeling less than yourself. For thousands of years, practitioners of…
By Cathy Margolin
on November 23, 2009
A heart felt thank you to all our troops oversees who will miss their families this Thanksgiving. We salute you and say God Bless.
In recent years, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has shown an increasing presence in the US health care system as well as in Canada, Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The number of visits to practitioners of alternative therapies and total expenditures have increased, rivaling or exceeding visits and expenditures for conventional medical care. A study done on the use of CAM by the US military was consistent with patterns in the US civilian populations. 37% of a healthy US Navy and Marine Corps population who participated in this study reported the use of at least one CAM treatment in the previous 12 months.
While CAM therapies such as chiropractic care have been a part
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By Cathy Margolin
on November 21, 2009
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is used by more than 3 billion people in the world.As temperatures begin to drop and winter approaches the seasonal flu and H1N1 cases begin to spread. There may be another alternative to Tamiflu & flu vaccines to battle the virus. Hong Kong based Rorric Bio-Technology Ltd. believes it may be able to offer a less invasive cure to H1N1 using Chinese Medicine. The Chairman of R&B Dr. Chow Ching-Fung says, “This formula is effective in two ways. First it combats and eliminates the virus. Second, it boost the immune system, helping the patient to become stronger. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of being proven to have fewer side effects, as it uses herbal ingredients. But western medicine contains a mixture of chemicals from the manufacturing process. So the risks are higher.”
The…
By Cathy Margolin
on November 17, 2009
This is a very interesting story out of Stanford School of Medicine. They literally stumbled upon a "substance" to help avoid liver toxicity from acetaminophen related liver damage.
Gary Peltz, MD, PhD, professor of anesthesiology at Stanford said “My postdoctoral fellow, whose parents and other family members in Asia were taking this compound in their supplements, started laughing. He recognized it immediately.”
The supplement has been marketed as an herbal medicine known as Vitamin U and used for the treatment of digestive problems for years. (I love this part) "It's highly abundant in many plants".
Another victory for phyto-medicinals, vindicated by Western doctors at one of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. "By administering SMM, which is found in every flowering plant and vegetable, we were able to prevent a lot of the drug’s toxic effect,” said Peltz
By Cathy Margolin
on November 17, 2009
Traditional Chinese Medicine theory believes that each season has a different energy to it, and as such, we should replicate the energy of that season in order to maintain balance within ourselves. During this season, as our responsibilities grow and we find ourselves searching for more energy, protection for our immune system and a way to ease indigestion here are a few traditional Chinese herbs to help. There are a large number of herbs that can be easily found in your local grocery stores. Here's three to get you started.
Gou qi zi, more commonly known as goji berries, has become a staple at most local grocery stores, and in many different trail mixes. This potent Chinese herb has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM) and has been used as a remedy for everything…
By Cathy Margolin
on November 15, 2009
Whether you’re a professional mother or a working professional, or both, each day you provide unending value, support, and energy to the world around you. In order for you to sustain those around you, you must first sustain yourself. Here’s a few tips to keep your menstrual cycle symptoms from interfering with your daily life every month. Remember, making even subtle changes to your routine can make an incredible difference in your quality of life.
1. Movement with Intention: Take a brisk 45 minute walk every day or break it up into smaller segments of 15 minutes in the morning, at lunch and after dinner. If you already spend a fair amount of time during the day walking, count your steps with an odometer. Approximately 2000 steps is equivalent to one mile. Most importantly, move with the sake of…
