Ease Fibromyalgia naturally

By Li Zhixin

Doctors usually recommend exercise, sleep and medications when treating fibromyalgia, but the effectiveness is often limited and the chronic pain and fatigue associated with the condition can make running and swimming difficult.

A new study suggests that tai chi – the slow-moving, meditative martial art – may be a more effective alternative.

Tai chi as a natural therapy

US researchers divided 66 people diagnosed with fibromyalgia into two groups: one group did hour-long sessions of tai chi twice a week for three months; the other had a twice-weekly lifestyle education class followed by gentle stretching.

After three months, symptoms were significantly alleviated in the tai chi group while the control group reported no improvements. Most participants reported a decrease in feelings of pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety, and an overall better quality of life. They also reported better sleep quality and improved physical conditioning.

The improvements were still evident at 24 weeks, according to the research reported in the August 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Tai chi is a mind-body exercise that originated as a martial art. It combines meditation with slow, gentle movements, deep breathing and relaxation. It can improve muscle strength, flexibility, balance, sleep and coordination by moving chi, or vital energy, throughout the body.

Although it is not clear from the study how tai chi might improve fibromyalgia, both the physical activity and the meditative aspects are likely beneficial, says Chenchen Wang, the lead researcher and an associate professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

“Some people need the physical improvement, while others need more mental improvement,” she says. “Tai chi can help with both. The physical component of tai chi can improve aerobic capacity, strength and muscle function. But the most important part is mental. You see lots of patients improve their depression and become good friends with each other.”

Previous research has shown that tai chi can help relieve arthritis and other pain conditions, but this study was the first controlled trial to examine its effectiveness as a treatment for fibromyalgia.

Keeping baby weight under control

By Li Zhixin

Pregnant woman may be eating for two, but one new study reports that women who gain too much weight during their pregnancies may deliver early or give birth to overweight infants.

Balanced meals that provide good nutrition for two are the best way to ensure both pregnant mothers and their babies stay healthy.

Overeaters may have obese babies

Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy put their children at risk of obesity later in life, according to an Associated Press report about US researchers who tracked women during their second pregnancies in Michigan and New Jersey from 1989 and 2003.

Among the 513,000 women and 1.1 million infants studied, scientists found that women who gained more than 24 kilograms during their pregnancy produced babies who were 150 grams heavier at birth than the infants of women who gained 10 kilograms.

The study was published online at the beginning of the month in the medical journal Lancet.

“Heavier babies have a significantly higher risk of staying heavy throughout their lives,” said David Ludwig, one of the doctors who wrote the report. “Big babies also have higher chances of developing problems later in life including asthma, allergies and even cancer.”

Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital in Boston, and his co-author said most women put on similar weight at pregnancy, though some become heavier during subsequent births.

Previous studies found that pregnant women who gained too much weight developed diabetes and high blood pressure, but little research explored what those extra pounds meant for the babies.

Typically, large babies are more likely to become stuck in the birth canal or to require a cesarean section.

Ludwig said that when pregnant women overeat, some of those extra calories over-stimulate fetal growth.

“The fetus ends up developing in an abnormal metabolic environment where there is excess blood sugar. That could alter the development of tissues, organs and perhaps even the wiring of the brain that regulates appetite and metabolism,” Ludwig said.

The doctors said that obesity prevention in the womb was not about encouraging pregnant women to trim down — women who gain too little weight are at increased risk of having a small baby or of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and varicose veins.

Keep your urinary system running clear

By Li Zhixin

While kidney stones have long been a common ailment of middle age, pediatric urologists and kidney specialists in the US have reported a sharp rise in their incidence among children during the past decade.

Stones on the rise among children

Using data from 42 American pediatric hospitals, researchers found that the number of children diagnosed with kidney stones each year has risen from 125 in 1999 to 1,389 in 2008.

That translates into 57 cases per 100,000 children treated at the hospitals in 2008, the researchers reported in the Journal of Urology.

Another study published earlier this year also showed that kidney stones were diagnosed in children four times as often in 2007 as in 1996.

It’s not clear whether, or to what extent, the increase seen in the current study reflects an upswing in kidney stones among children in general, because the figures come from children seen at hospitals, rather than from the general population.

But kidney stones are being treated more often at children’s hospitals.

In recent years, more hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics. Some researchers said the current findings could have been driven in part by intensified marketing of stone-management services at the hospitals included in the study.

But there are other reasons to believe there has been an increase in kidney stones – especially with obesity being a known risk factor.

In addition to poor dietary habits, low fluid consumption and high sodium, animal fat and protein intake can contribute to kidney stones.

Children with a family history of kidney stones are at a much greater risk of developing them early in life. Researchers suggested that parents of such children ensure that they stay well-hydrated, especially during the summer months, because water is the best way to prevent stones.

But despite the study’s alarmist tone, it is important to note that even with the increase in repeated incidents kidney stones remain a rare ailment in children.

Breathe easier, even with allergic rhinitis

By Han Manman

Allergic rhinitis is a seasonal woe for many, but for others it’s a year-round hassle. The condition has been linked to asthma, sinusitis and other more serious problems.

If you are one of the unlucky people with allergies, it is essential that you learn to cope with the problem by avoiding exposure to any triggers.

Chinese doctors say summer is the best season to begin dealing with the problem. 

How to self-diagnose

Allergic rhinitis is easily confused with the common cold, but there are a few ways to differentiate the two, said Feng Wenfeng, director of the ear, nose and throat department at Beijing Tianan Chinese Medicine Hospital.

Allergic rhinitis can last for more than eight to 10 days, whereas a common cold will end within a week, he said.

“If every spring and summer your nose runs, your eyes itch and water and you sneeze all day, you probably have allergic rhinitis, also called hay fever,” Feng said. 

She said the classic symptoms include sneezing, nasal itch and congestion, along with thin, watery nasal discharge.

A sore throat may also be present due to a combination of post-nasal drip and excessive mouth breathing necessitated by nasal obstruction. Eyes are sometimes involved and can itch, sting and tear.

Itching on the roof of the mouth and in the ears, ears that feel clogged, mild dizziness, headache and general exhaustion may accompany other symptoms.

Children with allergic rhinitis may sniff and snort in an effort to breathe freely. To relieve nasal itching, they may push up the tip of the nose with the back of the hand.

Good News: Biking In Beijing Helps More Than Hurts

Is riding a bike in a city helping orharming your health? Fortunately, someone researched this exact question and now we can breathe with some relief, as the verdict is in: biking is beneficial.

The article was just published in Environmental Health Perspectives journal and is an essential read for those bikers out there, or the many fence-sitters a bit scared of Beijing’s streets and air. The paper, from a Netherlands group, reviewed all the current literature and data from multiple cities around the world and came up with some very encouraging figures:

For the individuals who shift from car to bicycle, we estimated that beneficial effects of increased physical activity are substantially larger (3 – 14 months gained) than the potential mortality effect of increased inhaled air pollution doses (0.8 – 40 days lost) and the increase in traffic accidents (5 – 9 days lost). Societal benefits are even larger due to a modest reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and traffic accidents.

Conclusions: On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting mode of transport.

(http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/illness/pollution/good-news-biking-in-beijing-helps-more-than-hurts/)

Moscow death rate doubles as smoke from wildfires shrouds capital

(Guardian)-Oppressive heat and waves of toxic smog in Moscow has seen the death rate reach 700 a day – twice the normal rate, a senior Russian health official said today.

“The mortality rate has doubled,” said Andrei Seltsovsky, head of the city’s health department. There were usually 360 to 380 deaths a day in the city, but “now that number is about 700″.

The admission came after officials had tried to play down the threat of the choking haze – caused by wildfires outside the capital – and temperatures up to 38C.

Russia’s health ministry issued a statement denying Seltsovsky’s claim, but there appeared no reason to doubt his account. If true, it will dramatically increase the death toll from the hundreds of wildfires that have swept central Russia.

An acrid cocktail of smoke and pollutants has forced many Muscovites to flee their homes or workplaces in search of air-conditioned malls, cinemas and cafes. But the weak and elderly have struggled to escape the smog and debilitating heat.

Read more

Order your chaos with Zen meditation

By Li Zhixin

Life should be about living — not about putting on a show for the world. But in the big city, many people don’t know what they are looking for and prefer to follow the pack rather than listen to their own needs.

One old saying goes that tension is who you think you should be while relaxation is who you are. It’s a profound statement on which to meditate, and the one many office workers are thinking about as they pursue Zen to bring balance to their otherwise chaotic lives.

Fashionable way to relax

Xing Xiaoping, 35, an economic journalist, saw a post on Douban.com calling all Zen enthusiasts for a trip to experience temple life downtown. She signed up and took a two-day trip to Chaoyang Temple where she found many like-minded young people seeking spiritual release.

As a journalist, Xing has a high-pressure career. She has to seek out story ideas and interview people every day. While successful in the eyes of her parents and friends, her personal life has been in shambles since economic troubles brought her three-year marriage to an end.

The negative emotions resulting from that failure destroyed her confidence and left her depressed and disinterested in former hobbies like swimming and mountain climbing.

Zen helped her to reexamine her life.

By listening to sutra interpretations, drinking tea, meditating and cleaning the temple, she came to realize no person or achievement or event would make her happy. Without the distractions of television, the Internet and mobile phones, she set about cultivating her own happiness.

“First you tell yourself to become happy, and then you go out into the world and do what you need to do,” she said. “The highs we get from our senses and material possessions are fleeting and leave us needing another fix. You can find more happiness sitting alone in a temple or your apartment than running around. Be secure in your life before making decisions about what you want and where you want to be.”

Pakistan floods hit 2.5 million people: Red Cross

(AFP) – Pakistan faces the risk of a public health disaster with up to 2.5 million people affected and 1,500 killed by devastating floods that have washed away entire villages, officials said.

The death toll was expected to rise Tuesday in northwest Pakistan after the floods and landslides triggered by record rain last week obliterated homes and farmland in one of the country’s most impoverished regions.

Aid officials said clean drinking water and sanitation were urgently needed to stop diseases such as cholera spreading among the survivors of Pakistan’s worst floods in 80 years.

“Thousands of people are living in miserable conditions,” Ateeb Siddiqui, director of operations with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, said.

“Providing clean water and sanitation is an absolute priority if we are to avert a public health disaster,” he said.

Flood victims have condemned authorities over sluggish relief, shouting “give us aid sent by foreign countries” and “death to the corrupt government”.

At a camp set up by the army for around 640 families in the northwest area of Nowshehra, women and children ran after vehicles bringing food and water, pushing and shouting.

People at the camp said there were no proper toilets or bathrooms and that the only respite from the crushing heat was plastic hand fans. Most of them fled in the clothes they were wearing and many children roamed naked.

The United Nations said around 980,000 people had lost their homes or been temporarily displaced by the floods and the figure was likely to rise above a million.

An assessment by the UN World Food Programme in four districts — Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan and Peshawar — found that around 80,000 homes had been destroyed and another 50,000 damaged.

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Ovarian cysts a non-problem?

By Li Zhixin

While an extremely common gynecological problem, ovarian cysts can strike fear into the heart of any woman — especially since they are now being examined as a cause of decreased fertility.

As ovarian cysts enlarge, they can cause abdominal pain, pain during intercourse, menstrual irregularities and painful periods.

Hold off on surgery

Li Xia, 33, has been suffering lower abdominal pain and a sense of fullness for about half a year. An ultrasound revealed three cysts on her left ovary.

Her doctor suggested she take birth control pills, a common therapy used to shrink benign ovarian cysts. However, not only did her cysts fail to shrink — they grew.

“It has me very worried. I am afraid the cysts will develop into tumors,” she said.

She said she planned to schedule a surgical removal.

However, her parents insisted that she try traditional Chinese medicine before going through with surgery. After four months of acupuncture, herbal medicine and a dietary shift, the cysts have vanished.

Western medicine divides ovarian cysts into three categories: follicular cysts, a fluid-filled growth; corpus luteum cysts, a yellow mass of tissue left after ovulation; and cystadenoma, a malignant tumor.

Li’s cysts were follicular, and formed when a follicle failed to properly rupture and release an egg during ovulation.

“Women who have ovarian cysts should not rush into surgery if the cyst is smaller than 5 centimeters in diameter. Simple ovarian cysts are usually asymptomatic and benign. In many cases, they spontaneously disappear when treated by Chinese medicine,” said Liu Ying, a doctor at Beijing Guoji Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Get rid of summer sweat rash

By Li Zhixin

It’s easy to remember basic precautions to prevent heat-related injuries on bright and sunny days. But even humid, cloudy days can cause serious injury when prevention comes too late.

Summer rashes

Vivien Tan, 26, hopes the heat wave ends soon. The hot weather has caused her forehead to break out in a sweat rash, also known as miliaria.

She used to be proud of her smooth skin, but the red spots have made her averse to close contact with her friends and colleagues.

“I hate to see my face in the mirror. I always feel like other people are talking about my face, and it makes it difficult to concentrate on my work,” she said. The red patches grew deeper on her head and neck as she scratched them.

Zhang Dun, 31, has sweat rash between his legs. Although the spots are mostly on his inner thighs, which pants and shorts can cover, they still make him uncomfortable.

“It’s all right when I’m sitting down. The problem is my commute. When I’m walking, the friction between my skin and the pants feels like pins and needles. The pain is magnified when I start to sweat,” he said.

Although both Tan and Zhang tried using perfumes and medicinal waters, their rashes are only growing worse.

Sweat rashes are a common summer ailment in hot and humid climates. While primarily seen in the tropics, Beijing’s heat wave is sending many with it to the hospital, said Jiang Liangduo, a doctor at Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.