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Acupuncture Increases Quality of Life for Allergy Sufferers R


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esearch from Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center suggests that acupunc- ture is an effective treatment for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunol- ogy, in 2013, the study analyzed data on the


costs and quality of life of 364 allergy patients that had been randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: rescue medication alone (taken when symp- toms are greatest); acupuncture treatment plus rescue medication; or sham (non- therapeutic) acupuncture plus rescue medication. Patients receiving acupuncture incurred higher total treatment costs, but also gained significantly more quality of life compared with the rescue medication-only groups.


Strawberries Reduce Blood Pressure A


study published in the World Journal of Diabetes concluded that the regular consumption of a flavonoid-rich strawberry beverage reduces blood pressure in people with Type 2 diabetes. The study divided 36 subjects, all with moderately high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, into two groups—the first drank the equivalent of one serving of fresh strawberries per day made from freeze-dried berries, and the other group drank the same amount of an imitation strawberry-flavored drink over a six-week period. Blood pressure was tested at the beginning and end of the study for all participants. At the end, the group drinking the real strawberry beverage registered sig- nificantly lower diastolic blood pressure than at the outset; it was also lower than the imitation strawberry group. The average diastolic blood pressure of the group drinking real strawberries went down by 6.5 percent and the systolic dropped by 12 percent. The strawberry-flavored group’s systolic blood pressure was also reduced, but only by 3.7 percent.


R


THE COLOR GREEN MAKES EXERCISE FEEL EASIER


esearch from the University of Essex, in England, sug- gests that viewing natural green images while exercis- ing may be better than being exposed to other colors. The researchers tested 14 people doing moderate-intensity cycling while watching video footage of predominantly gray, red or green imagery. Each of the participants under- went three cycling tests—one with each of the videos— along with a battery of physiological and mood testing.


The researchers found that when the subjects watched the green-colored video, they had better moods, with a lower relative perception of exertion than when they exercised while watching the red and grey videos. They also found those that exercised while watching the red video experienced greater feelings of anger during their exercise.


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