Season influences Asthma
December 11, 2008 at 3:07 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentIn Chinese Medicine, the Lungs are most vulnerable during the Autumn season, and breathing disorders, such as those described by the western medical term “Asthma”, are commonly seen during that time.
The following is from the New York Times (read the article here):
How, when and where a child is born may all play a role in lifetime asthma risk, new studies suggest.
Asthma occurs when airways in the lungs spasm and swell, restricting the supply of oxygen. The incidence of asthma in the United States has risen steadily for more than two decades, and about 6 percent of children now have asthma, up from less than 4 percent in 1980, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The reasons for the increase are not entirely clear. Genetics probably plays a role in the risk for asthma, but an array of environmental factors — pollen, dust, animal dander, mold, cockroach feces, cigarettes, air pollution, viruses and cold air — have all been implicated in its development.
This month, The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine is reporting that children born in the fall have a 30 percent higher risk for asthma than those born in other seasons. The finding is based on a review of birth and medical records of over 95,000 children in Tennessee.
The Influence of Qi
November 24, 2008 at 11:10 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: Qi
The Chinese word “Qi” (氣) is greatly misunderstood. Often translated as “energy”, its real meaning has many more facets than that. One sinologist insists that its best translation is “influence”.
I was walking through downtown Toronto yesterday evening, and as I finished crossing an intersection, eastbound, I stepped onto the sidewalk and almost ran into a man going southbound. I politely stopped myself and moved out of his way, and he continued on at his clip, as did I after he had passed. After a few meters I looked back and saw this gentleman, seemingly looking around for the first time, in the middle of an intersection which had only just turned green in his favour.
It happened that at that moment there was little traffic, but I thought to myself that had traffic been different, this man might have found himself part of an accident. As I walked along I considered some of the benefits of rudeness, and in particular of the lack of awareness that my politeness had allowed this man to continue to engage in.
At this point, some of you may be saying “karma” – I would agree.
Listeria Update
October 23, 2008 at 5:32 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Commentfrom: http://tinyurl.com/5bj5s9
and: http://tinyurl.com/6ffewr
As of October 22, 2008, the Listeria outbreak has claimed 20 lives across Canada.
Melamine has claimed 4 lives.
I wonder if we will hear more about Melamine or Listeria, in the end.
Herb-Drug Interactions Uncommon
October 23, 2008 at 5:22 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Commentfrom: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/533288
Herbal remedies are not just for health food stores anymore. The medications have gone mainstream, and as sales continue to rise, so do concerns about their interactions with prescription and more traditional over-the-counter drugs.
But new research suggests that potentially dangerous interactions may occur less often than are widely believed. Investigators reviewed the drugs taken by 7,652, mostly older Canadians, and found very few instances of such interactions.
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