Robin Costello Acupuncture Exeter

Medicare in the US is interested in funding acupuncture for chronic lower back pain in older adults. Acupuncture is a safe & effective treatment for this group of patients, was the conclusion of a randomised trial published in response in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association. Details at https://www.acupuncture-exeter.co.uk/category/back-pain/

Doing a mix of exercise could be the key to longer life, according to a very large 30 year study of 111 000 people. https://www.acupuncture-exeter.co.uk/category/longevity-health-preservation/

Your chronotype describes your natural preferences for when you like to rise in the morning and go to bed at night. You'll know whether you're a lark or a night owl, but did you know there are typical behavioural patterns and health implications for each chronotype? https://www.acupuncture-exeter.co.uk/category/longevity-health-preservation/

Have you visited an art gallery lately? My favourite is always Tate St Ives. Research from King’s College London, suggests that viewing original works of art in a gallery setting can reduce key saliva markers associated with stress and chronic disease.

Volunteers were recruited from staff and students at Kings College. Half the group spent twenty minutes viewing original artworks at The Courtauld Gallery. The other half viewed reproductions of the same paintings in a matched, non-gallery environment. Participants were monitored for heart rate variability and skin temperature to track levels of interest and arousal. Saliva samples were collected before and after viewing.

Levels of cortisol, a key stress hormone, fell by an average of 22% in the gallery group, compared to 8% in the reproduction group. Those viewing original art also had more dynamic heart activity, indicating that art engages the body through both emotional arousal and stress regulation.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are linked to stress and a number of chronic diseases, dropped by around 28% for those viewing original art, while no change was observed in the reproduction group. This suggests art has a potential calming effect on the body’s inflammatory responses.

Dr Tony Woods from Kings said, “Our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits. In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally — it calms the body too."

More at https://www.acupuncture-exeter.co.uk/category/longevity-health-preservation/

The Acupuncture Academy is an accredited acupuncture training college in Leamington Spa. They recently analysed referrals to GPs made by their clinical year students, and the results can probably be extrapolated to the acupuncture profession as a whole. These referrals often led to life-changing medical interventions, including early detection of cancer, and identification of untreated hypertension, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and significant vitamin & mineral deficiencies. Notably, 31% of referrals were due to medication concerns – a sign that acupuncture students are paying close attention to drug side effects, long-term use issues, and drug interactions. A recurring issue was long term use of omeprazole, a common drug I will often need to talk to my patients about. The Academy says their findings challenge traditional divisions between western medicine and acupuncture. Instead of being seen as alternative, acupuncture should be recognised as a valuable partner in disease detection and preventative healthcare.