Chestnuts, who are you? Chestnuts ripen at the end of autumn, when we begin to see them appearing in the markets or grilled on street corners. Despite the “nutty” look, chestnuts are very different, as they are low in calories (about 245 grams per 100 grams of grilled chestnuts), low in protein, high in carbohydrates and have no cholesterol. In addition, they are rich in vitamin C (26mg or 35% of the recommended daily intake for adult women), as well as in the vitamin B gro

Diabetes, as well as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity are major risk factors for heart attacks and CVA. In the modern world, sugar consumption is far too high for our body to cope with, it is unable to produce enough insulin to break down sugar or our body simply develops insulin resistance. It is estimated that close to 500 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes (1) and in Israel there are 435,000 people with diabetes and additional 200,000 who are u

Acupuncture has been practiced for 1000s of years, yet people rightfully want to know: How safe is it? What are the potential common and less common side effects ? Is it safe in people who take anti-coagulants? Is it safe during pregnancy? Is it safe to treat children? ...and in perspective: How does it compare to standard medical care (3rd leading cause of death, USA) How does it compare to medications side effects & safety (4th cause of death, USA) In the follow

Nearly 17% of the world population suffers from Chronic Functional Constipation, ie less than 2 ports spontaneous (non-drug, herbal, tools-induced) per week. A new study published in the highly prestigious Annals Internal Medicine (5th in importance in the world!) proved once again the effectiveness of acupuncture in chronic constipation. The study, which was a randomized, controlled trial, was conducted in 15 hospitals around China, and included 1075 patients with chronic f

Cupping is traditional procedure that exists in many cultures and is also routinely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, despite the fact that many people think of it as a rather primitive technique. A new study from Taiwan investigated the effectiveness of cupping therapy (CT) on relieving Chronic Neck & Shoulder Pain among community residents. The study was single-blinded and included 60 patients with self-perceived pain randomly allocated to either receiving cupping in S

A new multi-center study from China assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 72 patients were randomized to receive either real or sham acupuncture three times a week for 8 weeks. Both groups received acupuncture treatment for 30 mins, at acupuncture points LU1, LU9, LI18, ST36, GB12, BL13, BL20, and BL23, while the placebo group received acupuncture needles without an "edge" that simulate feeling of acupunct