Did you know that more people complain about headaches than any other type of ailment?  There are approximately 45 million Americans suffering from chronic headaches each year, or about one in every six people, according to IHateHeadaches.org, and some of your choice painkillers may actually be triggering MORE headaches (these are known as “rebound headaches”, but we’ll get to those later).

This month, June, is National Headache Awareness Month, and with headaches mild to severe running rampant across the country, it seems appropriate to look into the different types of headaches that are plaguing people and to explore some Chinese medicine treatments that can help.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently published a report that 42 percent of responding hospitals offer one or more Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, up from 37 percent in 2007, and 26 percent in 2005.  This shows that the positive trend-lines are steady and that CAM is growing in popularity and acceptance.

Vice President for Quality and Patient Safety at AHA Nancy Foster said, “Hospitals have long known that what they do to treat and heal involves more than just medications and procedures. It is about using all of the art and science of medicine to restore the patient as fully as possible.”

Did you know that the chia pet of your childhood can also be grown in your garden as an incredible superfood? Chia seeds are edible on their own or cooked, baked, or mixed into other delights. This seed comes from the desert plant, Salvia hispanica, which is a member of the mint family.

The sprouts became famous as the Chia Pet, but the seeds of the plant have always been the most sought after portion. Common in southern Mexico, the chia plant was an integral part of the ancient Aztec and Mayan diets. To give you an idea of this power food’s origins, “Chia” is the Mayan word for strength. It’s making a major comeback today, as people realize the incredible health benefits of this tiny, versatile seed.

SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK, and CHICAGO (April 13, 2012) – Patch.com, the AOL owned, online news source, known for its local, community-specific news, will now be hosting Pacific College of Oriental Medicine as part of their Health Blog. Pacific College will be offering health advice, news, tips and more with a holistic voice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. 

Viewers will be able to find Pacific College on the La Jolla, CA Patch, and also on various other neighborhood patches from time to time. Check out our most recent blog postings HERE.

SAN DIEGO NEW YORK, and CHICAGO, (March 28, 2012) -- Monday, April 16, is National Stress Awareness Day.  If you have unnecessary stress in your life (for most of us, that’s true), now is the time to take control.  On average, 110 million people die every year due to a stress related cause.  Oriental medicine offers a wide array of treatments and techniques you can use to combat stress.

5 Techniques Oriental Medicine Uses to Treat Stress:

Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States.  It affects between seventeen and forty-five million people.  It is a condition that affects the skin over areas of the body with large oil glands, causing clogged pores and lesions. ⁽²⁾  These lesions can take the form of whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and cysts.  Whiteheads are caused by bulging follicle heads, while blackheads are plugs composed of oil and dead skin cells that are open to the surface.  Pimples are infected, inflamed raised red spots with white centers, and cysts are caused by blockages and inflammation deep inside of the hair follicles.^(3,14)

Acne lesions form due to an overproduction of sebum, irritation of hair follicles due to irregular shedding of skin cells, and an overgrowth of bacteria.  However, the exact cause of acne is not known.  There are many conditions that are thought to influence the overproduction of sebum.  In teens, androgens are mainly involved in the activation of the sebaceous glands and overproduction of sebum.  Family history of acne and contact with oils and grease are also important.  In adults, hormonal imbalances (e.g. cessation of oral contraceptives), and some medications are recognized as additional important factors.^(3,14,18)

The quality of your sleep can affect your quality of life, from your concentration at work to your mood. Insomnia can lead to muscle aches, exhaustion, irritability, and even fibromyalgia and other health concerns. Whether you sleep for many hours and it’s fitful, or you have difficulty falling asleep, there are natural ways to help. May is Better Sleep Month. In honor of the quieter way you spend half your time, here are some ideas to ensure you wake up refreshed each morning.

Train your brain for bedtime. It helps to create a sleep routine and then follow it each night. This will provide your body with wind-down time, and alert your brain that it’s time to switch gears. Studies have shown that decreased lighting can lead to tiredness. The University of Massachusetts recently performed a study with 600 adults that revealed how limited lighting can lead to sluggishness. This is also why SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) affects so many people in the fall and winter when the days get shorter, resulting in people having low energy levels. Use this to your advantage for better sleep—at least half an hour before you plan on sleeping, turn off lights, and dim the ones you leave on.

Recent studies have indicated that the amount of time you spend in a chair may be a matter of life and death. In 2010, The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study indicating that women who sit for more than six hours per day are 37 percent more likely to die over a 13-year period than people who sat less than three hours a day. The study included 53,440 men and 69,776 women who were followed between 1993 and 2006.

This particular study links long-term sitting with obesity and metabolic problems. Meaning, the more you sit, the less active you are, which leads to a slew of health detriments including poor circulation, weight gain, and a raised risk for cardiovascular disease. According to this same study, men who sat more than six hours a day had an 18 percent higher risk of death over a 13-year period than men who sat three or fewer hours a day.  Perhaps the most disturbing thing about this study is that it includes people who exercise after that long stationary workday.