healthbriefs
Acupuncture Cools Hot Flashes A
small, yet intriguing study published in Acupunc- ture in Medicine found that traditional Chinese acupuncture curbed the severity of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Fifty-three middle-aged, post- menopausal women were divided into two groups; one received such treatments twice weekly for 10 weeks, while the other experienced “sham” acupuncture with blunt needles that did not penetrate the skin. In both groups, levels of estrogen and other hormones were mea- sured before the study began and before and after the last session. Menopausal symptoms—hot flashes, vaginal dryness, urinary tract infections and mood swings—were also measured before and after the treatments, using a
five-point menopause rating scale (MRS) in order to assess their severity. At the end of the study, the women receiving Chinese acupuncture scored sig- nificantly lower on the MRS scale, with hot flashes seeing the sharpest decrease. The researchers explain that acupuncture boosts production of endorphins, which may stabilize the temperature control system of the body. They say that more investigation is needed because the study was small, but note that its results seem promising, suggesting that traditional Chinese acupuncture could be an alternative for women unable or unwilling to use hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms.
D
rinking sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages may increase a woman’s risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to research presented at the American Heart As- sociation’s Scientific Sessions 2011. Middle-aged and older women that drank two or more such drinks per day were nearly four times as likely to develop high triglycerides and significantly more likely to develop impaired fasting glucose levels, plus increase their waist size. The study also noted that risk factors for heart disease and stroke developed even when the women didn’t gain weight.
R
MEMORY AND THE PILL
esearchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) report that while birth control pills don’t damage memory, they can alter it. Women that were not taking birth control pills were better at remem- bering details than their peers on the pill. The difference makes sense, says UCI graduate researcher Shawn Nielsen, because contracep- tives suppress sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone to pre- vent pregnancy. These hormones were previously linked to women’s strong left-brain memory by a UCI research group led by Ph.D. Neuro- biologist Larry Cahill.
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Time: 2:00-6:00 PM
1st WEDNESDAY of the MONTH Universal Mind Science Church 3212 Eighth St., Long Beach Call for an appointment (562) 984-2737
3rd TUESDAY of the MONTH The Church for Spiritual Living 500 Marina Dr., Seal Beach Call for an appointment (562) 429-9685
12 Los Angeles
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