Keep Your Eye on the Prize

I have a patient who had injured himself some months ago and thought he would never be able to run again, nor compete in endurance events.  I asked him to trust me and do as I told him; he would run again and compete in an endurance event.  I told him to keep his eye on the prize.  Fast forward to this week:  he is running 20 miles per week and has enrolled himself in an endurance event for this September.  Together, we will work as a team to make this happen with outstanding results; and without injury.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you have been injured and believe you will no longer be able to compete or participate in your favorite sporting activity, call or email me.  Enroll yourself in my Wellness Program.  You, too, can accomplish your goals.  Keep your eye on the prize, do what I tell you to do, have your acupuncture treatments, and Wellness consultations....you'll be surprised at the results!

Acupuncture Improves Exercise Tolerance

Acupuncture can ‘remarkably’ improve exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure say German cardiology researchers.  Their study included 17 patients with congestive heart failure with mild or marked limitation to their activity- all on optimised medication. They were randomised to receive acupuncture or placebo – a needle that simulates the procedure without piercing the skin.  No improvement in cardiac ejection fraction or peak oxygen uptake was seen.  But the six minute walk distance was ‘remarkably increased’ in the acupuncture group by 32m on average, compared to a drop of 1m in the placebo group.
Post-exercise recovery and ventilatory efficiency were both improved in the acupuncture group but not in the placebo group.
Study leader Dr Johannes Backs, head of the research group at the department of cardiology at Heidelberg University Hospital said: ‘This is the first indication that acupuncture may improve exercise tolerance in CHF patients- when given in addition to optimised standard heart failure medication.’
By Lilian Anekwe, Heart, online 15 June

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Both professional and amateur athletes come to my office on a regular basis to both increase and maintain their fitness level and recover from competition.  Whether you are a weekend warrior or superhero, try acupuncture once per week for 12 weeks and see how your 'game' improves!