April 15, 2010

Contents:

1. Happy Earth Day April 22!
2. Surrey Joins Widening Cosmetic Pesticide Ban
3. Improving Blood Circulation: Part 1 - An Eastern Perspective
4. Action Plan to Save Natural Health Products

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Happy Earth Day April 22!

by Earth Day Canada

Celebrated every April 22, Earth Day is the largest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide.

More than 6 million Canadians join 1 billion people in over 170 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. Nearly every school child in Canada takes part in an Earth Day activity.

Environmental challenges abound as our daily actions pollute and degrade the fragile environment that humans and wildlife depend on to survive.

To find out what's happening in your BC neighbourhood on Earth Day go to:
http://www.earthday.ca/pub/events/search/shell_summa...

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Surrey Joins Widening Cosmetic Pesticide Ban

by CBC News

BC Advocates calling for province-wide ban on sale of products

Surrey is expected to become the latest B.C. municipality to ban the use of cosmetic pesticides, but some advocates say it is time for a province-wide ban on the sale of the products.

Mayor Dianne Watts says the new by-law, similar to those already in place in Vancouver, Richmond and about two dozen other B.C. communities, should pass near the end of the month.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, a growing body of evidence is linking the pesticides to several cancers, including adult and childhood leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer and some brain cancers.

To read the full article: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010...

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Improving Blood Circulation: Part 1 - An Eastern Perspective

by Avery Yackel, B.A.Sc., R.TCM.P.

A strong blood circulatory system, in both Western and Eastern medicine, is vital to maintaining good health.

"Blood Deficiency" is a concept unique to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and can be thought of as a decreased ability of the Blood to provide the proper nourishment to the rest of the body.

Although somewhat similar in idea to anemia, Blood Deficiency encompasses a much broader range of symptoms, and TCM relies on its own methods of diagnosis rather than blood tests to evaluate and treat this condition.

Some of the more common symptoms associated with Blood Deficiency include:

- fatigue & chronic tiredness
- pale complexion
- dry hair & skin
- brittle nails
- blurred vision & "floaters" in the eyes
- poor memory
- depression
- insomnia, especially difficulty in falling asleep

Other cases sometimes include symptoms such as:

- muscle spasms & cramps
- numbness in the limbs
- dizziness & vertigo

In addition, women may experience:

- scanty or irregular menstrual periods
- infertility or miscarriage

In TCM physiology, the digestive system (often referred to as the Spleen-Pancreas is responsible for manufacturing the Blood, while the Liver  system is the one that stores, distributes, and regulates the Blood flow throughout the entire body. Therefore, treatment of Blood Deficiency usually focuses on supporting both of these systems.

There are many different factors that can contribute to a Blood Deficient condition.

Improper diet is one common cause. Vegetarians are especially susceptible to Bood Deficiency, and should make sure to add adequate amounts of Blood-nourishing foods to their diet.

Because of their connection to the Liver, according to TCM theory, overuse of the tendons and the eyes is another common cause, and is frequently seen in athletes who over train their bodies or students who do a lot of computer work or reading.

Prolonged bleeding, especially menstrual or gastrointestinal bleeding disorders, may also lead to a Blood Deficient condition, but of course the underlying cause of the bleeding needs to be addressed first.

Tips for Nourishing the Blood:

Gou Qi Zi (better known as the Goji berry) is one of the more famous Chinese herbs used for nourishing the Blood. However, other dark berries are also beneficial, including blueberries and blackberries.

Blackstrap molasses, which is rich in iron and other minerals, is nourishing to the Blood. Take about one tablespoon a day on a regular to help to give the blood a boost.

Green protein is especially good for vegetarians and people who engage in a lot of physical activity. Foods such as spirulina can be important additions to the diet when dealing with Blood Deficiency. Chlorophyll, the substance that gives these foods their green colour, has often been referred to as "plant hemoglobin" for its close resemblance in composition to blood. In addition, protein provides the building blocks necessary for helping to rebuild and strengthen the blood.

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Avery Yackel, B.A.Sc., R.TCM.P., practices Traditional Japanese acupuncture, moxibustion and shiatsu massage in Vancouver and Surrey. For more information call (604) 671-4682, email avery@ayacupuncture.com or visit www.ayacupuncture.com

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Action Plan to Save Natural Health Products

by NHPA

The Natural Health Products Protection Association (NHPA) has developed a three part plan to solve the current regulatory crisis. The plan includes:

1. Seek a suspension of the Current Regulations.
     
2. Start court proceedings to have the Natural Health Product Regulations declared unconstitutional.
     
3. Move to have the Charter of Health Freedom enacted to guarantee a reasonable legal environment for natural health products, and to prevent continued over-regulation of NHPs in the future.

For more information or to donate to NHPA, a not-for-profit organization, go to: http://nhppa.org/?page_id=744

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