This Saturday, I will be part of a panel discussion on Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Raynaud’s at the 1st Annual Raynauds Association National Patient Conference in Boston.

I have treated several patients with Raynaud’s syndrome, which impairs blood circulation to the extremities, causing cold hands and feet and often pain and numbness. Symptoms can range from mild annoyances to severe and life-changing. For some background on Raynaud’s, read this article from the Mayo Clinic.

In the course of researching for my presentation, I was surprised to find that not much clinical research has been done into acupuncture and Raynaud’s. However, the limited studies that have been done have found acupuncture beneficial.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory is based on circulation—the flow of Qi and blood through the meridian pathways. So, using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to treat circulatory disorders seems particularly fitting. In fact, TCM literature from almost 2,000 years ago describes a condition of cold hands and feet, and the herbal formulas to treat it.

In my own clinical experience, I have found that acupuncture can lessen the symptoms of Raynaud’s—patients tell me that they are able to tolerate cold situations (like the freezer section of the supermarket) with less discomfort.

While not a cure, acupuncture and herbal medicine are all-natural and minimally invasive, so they may be worth a try. Contact us if you would like more information about acupuncture and Raynaud’s.

Do you want to be transported to beautiful and exotic places? We are happy to be displaying the photos of Kimberly Durant, from Kim’s Candids. Before and during your treatment, you can enjoy pictures from Arizona, France, Italy and Switzerland.

Kim’s website also has photos from Belize, Peru, and the Czech Republic, which are available to order as notecards or larger images.

Thanks, Kim, for giving our office some international flair!

Dietary therapy is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM theory believes that foods have either a warming or cooling nature. In summer, we can take advantage of cooling foods to help beat the heat.

One of the best foods for summer heat is something you probably gravitate towards naturally during this time—watermelon. You can read more about its nutritional properties here. Other members of the melon family, including cucumber, can also be helpful.

Mung beans, while not a common food here in the U.S., are a traditional Chinese remedy for overheating. And for drinking, lemonade, chrysanthemum tea, and mint tea all have cooling properties.

If you are interested in finding out more about Chinese dietary therapy, two good books are Healing with Whole Foods and The Tao of Healthy Eating.

Here is an interesting study from researchers in Hong Kong. They found that acupuncture, when combined with eyeglasses, improved the vision of children with amblyopia (“lazy eye”) better than glasses alone.

The results were better in children under 6 years old than in children between 7-12 years. This suggests that it is more effective to start treatment early.

At River Valley Acupuncture, we offer pediatric treatments for children under 13 years old for a low flat rate of $15 per treatment.

For more suggestions on improving eye health, read this article from Acupuncture.com. You may also want to consult with a Behavioral Optometrist about further resources.