Acupuncture Alternative Blog

For Weight loss BMI is bogus

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:57:38 -0800

In my entire life I have only met 2 people who said "I'm too thin and trying to gain weight". Have you ever stepped on a scale on a day when you felt OK, then looked down and had your mood ruined by a number? In my experience using the BMI (body mass index) and weighing your self compulsively every day only serve to increase your stress and lower self-esteem which ends up becoming a form of self-terrorism.

While there are trends to loose weight in the summer, during holidays and for special events, it's much healthier for your body and your psyche to shoot for a healthy balance of exercise and nutrition overall.

Some of my patients have asked about acupuncture for weight loss. Acupuncture alone will not automatically shed pounds, but rather helps to support your weight loss effort by minimizing cravings while increasing energy and metabolism in the body.

Below is an NPR article lays out the pitfalls of the BMI theory. Enjoy.

Your Health

Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus

by Keith Devlin

Listen Now [4 min 31 sec] add to playlist | download

The BMI Formula

BMI = weight in pounds/(height in inches x height in inches) x 703
The 703 is to convert the index from the original metric version of the formula.

CDC Recommendations:

Below 18.5 = Underweight
18.5 to 24.9 = Ideal
25.0 to 29.9 = Overweight
30.0 and above = Obese

Weekend Edition Saturday, July 4, 2009 · Americans keep putting on the pounds — at least according to a report released this week from the Trust for America's Health. The study found that nearly two-thirds of states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent.

But you may want to take those findings — and your next meal — with a grain of salt, because they're based on a calculation called the body mass index, or BMI.

Weekend Edition math guy Keith Devlin graded the body mass index and tells host Scott Simon that it fails on 10 grounds:

1. The person who dreamed up the BMI said explicitly that it could not and should not be used to indicate the level of fatness in an individual.

The BMI was introduced in the early 19th century by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He was a mathematician, not a physician. He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.

2. It is scientifically nonsensical.

There is no physiological reason to square a person's height (Quetelet had to square the height to get a formula that matched the overall data. If you can't fix the data, rig the formula!). Moreover, it ignores waist size, which is a clear indicator of obesity level.

3. It is physiologically wrong.

It makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body. But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Thus, athletes and fit, health-conscious movie stars who work out a lot tend to find themselves classified as overweight or even obese.

4. It gets the logic wrong.

The CDC says on its Web site that "the BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for people." This is a fundamental error of logic. For example, if I tell you my birthday present is a bicycle, you can conclude that my present has wheels. That's correct logic. But it does not work the other way round. If I tell you my birthday present has wheels, you cannot conclude I got a bicycle. I could have received a car. Because of how Quetelet came up with it, if a person is fat or obese, he or she will have a high BMI. But as with my birthday present, it doesn't work the other way round. A high BMI does not mean an individual is even overweight, let alone obese. It could mean the person is fit and healthy, with very little fat.

5. It's bad statistics.

Because the majority of people today (and in Quetelet's time) lead fairly sedentary lives and are not particularly active, the formula tacitly assumes low muscle mass and high relative fat content. It applies moderately well when applied to such people because it was formulated by focusing on them. But it gives exactly the wrong answer for a large and significant section of the population, namely the lean, fit and healthy. Quetelet is also the person who came up with the idea of "the average man." That's a useful concept, but if you try to apply it to any one person, you come up with the absurdity of a person with 2.4 children. Averages measure entire populations and often don't apply to individuals.

6. It is lying by scientific authority.

Because the BMI is a single number between 1 and 100 (like a percentage) that comes from a mathematical formula, it carries an air of scientific authority. But it is mathematical snake oil.

7. It suggests there are distinct categories of underweight, ideal, overweight and obese, with sharp boundaries that hinge on a decimal place.

That's total nonsense.

8. It makes the more cynical members of society suspect that the medical insurance industry lobbies for the continued use of the BMI to keep their profits high.

Insurance companies sometimes charge higher premiums for people with a high BMI. Among such people are all those fit individuals with good bone and muscle and little fat, who will live long, healthy lives during which they will have to pay those greater premiums.

9. Continued reliance on the BMI means doctors don't feel the need to use one of the more scientifically sound methods that are available to measure obesity levels.

Those alternatives cost a little bit more, but they give far more reliable results.

10. It embarrasses the U.S.

It is embarrassing for one of the most scientifically, technologically and medicinally advanced nations in the world to base advice on how to prevent one of the leading causes of poor health and premature death (obesity) on a 200-year-old numerical hack developed by a mathematician who was not even an expert in what little was known about the human body back then.

Bone Soup

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:00:15 -0800

Fall has arrived and so has the cold and flu season. Several cultures have a version of this soup to take care of their families. Here is a highly nutritious classic Chinese medicine recipe. The vinegar helps release the minerals and nutrition from the bones. This broth is also helpful for people recovering from bone and skeletal injuries. Feel free to enjoy this anytime and use it as a base for any soup or gravy.

Bone Soup

4 quarts of water

Bones from fish, chicken or beef

2 tablespoons of vinegar

Slowly simmer broth for 3-6 hours until bones appear rubbery. Strain and discard bones.

You may also add onions and/or ginger to the stock. My favorite is to add fresh scallions and ginger just before serving.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:05:25 -0800

As summer fades and we get closer to the holiday season, I have received several inquires this week about facial rejuvenation acupuncture. Below is an article I wrote for the Fall 2005 edition of Senior Guidebook.

What is Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture?

Used as early as the Sung Dynasty (960AD-1270AD), Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a non-surgical method of reducing the signs of the aging process and renewing the body from within. More than just a cosmetic procedure, the rejuvenation process helps the whole body look and feel better. A gentle, soothing facial massage follows the treatment.

How does it work?

The body is comprised of a network of energy pathways called meridians. Qi (chee) is the life force that travels along these meridian pathways. Thin needles are gently inserted into specific areas of your face, ears, neck, hands, trunk, and legs along the meridians. Specific points are chosen to balance the movement of energy in the body according to your individual needs. This treatment improves the facial appearance while simultaneously treating the underlying factors contributing to the aging process.

What can be achieved by treatment?

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture may eliminate as many as five to fifteen years from the face. The cumulative stress, tension and emotions held in the face and body are released.

What is the course of treatment?

The series consists of 10-12 treatments. The first 8 treatments are administered twice per week followed by a weekly frequency for the remainder of the course. The effects become most noticeable and lasting around the seventh session. Each individual responds differently depending on his or her constitution and lifestyle. After the initial course of treatment, maintenance sessions can prolong the results for 5-10 years. Recommendations for at home care such as facial massage, exercise, meditation and a healthy diet are tailored to the individual’s lifestyle.

Does it really work?

Acupuncture has been treating and preventing illnesses for thousands of years. The efficacy of acupuncture is due to its direct effect on balancing the body’s energy system. A 1996 report in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that among 300 cases treated with Facial Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment.

Why should I choose Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture over cosmetic surgery?

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a holistic alternative to cosmetic surgery. It costs far less than cosmetic surgery and is safe, virtually painless, has no side effects or risk of disfigurement. No extended recovery time is necessary and there is no trauma, swelling or discoloration from the treatments. It is a natural way to refresh your appearance while enhancing your total health and well being.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture can help:

§         Improve firmness of the neck and face

§         Eliminate puffiness around the eyes

§         Reduce fine lines and diminish deeper wrinkles

§         Increase collagen production and cell renewal

§         Improve hormonal balance

§         Improve facial color and circulation

§         Reduce stress signs in the face

§         Bring out person’s natural beauty

§         Slow the aging process from within

§         Increase your overall energy and well being.

Revitalize your body, mind, and spirit…

A Meditation Moment

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:36:16 -0800

Take a minute and refresh yourself now with these beautiful

Tibetan singing bowls

Personal Care: A "Natural" Face Lift? By Dr. Andrew Weil

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:07:01 -0800

Acupuncture has been touted as a less-invasive alternative to traditional facelifts. While I personally believe that procedures attempting to halt or deny the aging process can be roadblocks to aging gracefully, facial acupuncture does offer a safer approach than surgery and is free of the side effects of therapies such as Botox injections. It may also have psychological benefits - patients may feel relaxed as a side-effect of the acupuncture.

Acupuncture and the Senior Patient

merulli@comcast.net (Desiree Merulli) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:32:42 -0800

One of the benefits of acupuncture is that when it comes to treating your health issues, your chronological age is irrelevant. While people tend to have more health issues as they progress through time, we all age differently. In my practice I’ve seen 80 year olds with a health picture that suggests they’re 40, and vice versa. When you visit your acupuncturist, they will take special care to address your specific health issues and keep you comfortable during your treatment. For example if you have difficulty breathing while lying down, let your acupuncturist know so they can adjust the treatment table or administer treatment in a chair.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is an ancient art that has prevented and treated illness for over 3000 years. The body is comprised of a network of energy pathways called meridians. Qi (chee) is the energy that travels along these meridian pathways. Needles are gently inserted along the meridians to balance the movement of energy in the body. Acupuncture complements other medical care while benefiting the whole person, not just the illness we are experiencing.

How does our Qi become blocked and unbalanced?

The flow of Qi is affected by both internal and external factors in our lifestyle such as: injuries, improper sleep, and toxins from air, water and food. Exposure to environmental changes, trauma, and especially emotional reactions such as fear, worry, stress, anger, anxiety and sadness also affect the flow of Qi.

How does acupuncture feel?

Acupuncture activates our body’s natural healing process. Most people find the treatment very calming and relaxing and often fall into a restful sleep.

The needles are flexible with a diameter about the size of a human hair. The needles produce a slight pinch or no sensation at all. Acupuncture needles bear no resemblance to the hollow needles used for injections. Once the needle is in place, the Qi moving through the meridians produces a sensation of warmth, relaxation, and tingling.

Getting the most from your treatments

While undergoing acupuncture treatment, you will benefit most by refraining from excessive use of caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol. It's best to schedule your activities so that you come into treatment neither too full, too hungry, nor exhausted. After your treatment its important take care of yourself and allow your body and mind to assimilate the effect of the treatment. If possible, wait at least an hour to eat a full meal and avoid stressful situations.

What can acupuncture do for you?

Acupuncture treats a host of medical illnesses and brings the body into balance to facilitate healing. The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as an effective therapy for many medical conditions. Examples include:

Gastrointestinal Disorders: Nausea, indigestion, bloating, constipation and diarrhea
Emotional Disorders: Anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia
Respiratory System and Immune System Support: Allergies, asthma, colds and flu
Bone, Muscle, and Nervous System: Headaches, migraines, sciatica, tennis elbow, neuropathies, whiplash, back, neck and joint pain, arthritis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, frozen shoulder, knee pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What can you expect during treatment?

During the course of treatment you can expect to have more energy and less pain as you achieve balance. Since acupuncture treats the root of the problem, not just the symptoms, it may require several treatments to resolve. Often conditions are alleviated quickly, while chronic conditions resolve gradually. Several factors including your constitution, lifestyle, and diet influence the treatment outcome. Your Acupuncturist will devise a customized treatment plan for you. In addition to the treatments, your acupuncturist may give you exercises, meditations and dietary advice to help you achieve total health.

Your progress

Acupuncturists are interested in answering your questions and getting feedback about your treatments. It is helpful to track any changes or reactions you are experiencing with your treatments. Examples may include a change in energy level, feeling cooler or warmer, decrease in pain level or change in location of pain, and change in mental/emotional states.

Every step of the journey is the journey - Zen saying

SENIOR guidebook Winter 2008