Christmas Opening Hours

Please find below details of our Christmas opening hours. We will be open for appointments as normal throughout the holiday period with the exception of the following closures:

Friday 25 December 2009 - Closed
Saturday 26 December 2009 - Closed
Sunday 27 December 2009 - Closed
Monday 28 December 2009 - Closed

Friday 1 January 2010 - Closed
Saturday 2 January 2010 - Closed
Sunday 3 January 2010 - Closed

We will be open for appointments as usual throughout the rest of the holiday season.

We hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing break and please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can be of any assistance.

With kindest regards
Gary

Gary Minns
BSc Hons TCM, Dip Tn, MBAcC, MRCHM, MATCM
Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Barbican Acupuncture
1 Wallside
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8BH

T 020 7638 4322
E Gary@BarbicanAcupuncture.com
W www.BarbicanAcupuncture.com

Bonnie Tyler on using acupuncture to lose weight

In our health quiz this week, singer Bonnie Tyler, 58, talks about dieting. "A few years ago I tried acupuncture when I wanted to lose weight. I was told it would help speed up my metabolism. I lost some weight but I was also on a more sensible diet at the same time" (from Mail).

Pampered prisoners receive acupuncture

Taxpayers are footing a ­multimillion pound bill for prisoners to receive counselling and health therapies. Services include acupuncture, reflexology, visualisation, shiatsu, homoeo­pathy and massage (from Express).

Ginkgo may protect cells from radiation

Antioxidant in ginkgo may protect cells from radiation damage, according to a study just published in the International Journal of Low Radiation. Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree may protect cells in the human body from radiation damage. The discovery could offer a way to protect cancer patients from side effects produced by radiotherapy. Ginkgo biloba might also offer protection from medical tests that involve radiation, such as X-rays (from Natural News).

Ginkgo reduces brain damage from stroke by 50%

Ginkgo biloba extract may reduce brain damage and dysfunction from stroke by 50 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Institutions (from Natural News).

Acupuncture and unexplained infertility

Anne Wolfson, a tall, curly-haired brunette who is told that she smiles a lot, was married in a blue dress from Loehmann's in her late 30's, and began trying to conceive. Three miscarriages and $45,000 later, she tried acupuncture to treat her unexplained infertility. She now has a healthy 2 year old son (from New York Times).

NHS patients to get personal budgets

Proposed personal NHS budgets will open the way for patients to choose treatments such as acupuncture and homoeopathy. Patients will have more control over what types of treatment they decide to receive as part of a controversial personal health budget scheme, according to new details released by the Department of Health (from Pulse).

Chinese herbs tabled as possible H1N1 treatment

Children suffering swine flu could benefit from taking Chinese Herbal Medicine. This is the view of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine bureau. Tu Zhitao, vice-director of the bureau, claimed that children sickened with the H1N1 virus may recover within 3 days if correctly treated with Chinese herbs (from China Daily).

Stop smoking with acupuncture

Balancing needles and cigars: journalist Harry Hurt III road tests acupuncture to help him quit smoking (from New York Times).

Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Studies show acupuncture improves quality of life for sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Researchers in Beijing, China, reported acupuncture can significantly improve the physiological wellbeing of CFS patients, particularly with regard to their individual self-perception (from Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Trial supports use of acupuncture in weight loss

Cinical trials in China suggest acupuncture is an effective treatment for obesity. Researchers at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine reported acupuncture, in combination with diet and exercise, was a safe and effective treatment for obesity. With regards to weight loss, they went on to say that acupuncture "may be more effective than routine Western medicine" (from Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Eastern way to weight loss

Eastern way to weight loss. Video clip of doctors in China helping an obese US citizen lose weight with the aid of acupuncture and Chinese medicine (from Reuters). Please note that the video report immediately follows an initial short advertisement.

Chinese Herbal Medicine treats tension headache

Doctors in Tokyo have successfully used Chinese Herbal Medicine formula chaihu jia longgu muli tang to treat chronic tension-type headache. The treatment showed that the holistic nature of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) makes it an effective therapeutic option for tension-type headaches accompanied by various other symptoms (from Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine).

Acupuncture shown to relieve migraine

Clinical trials have shown acupuncture to be effective at relieving migraine headaches. Researchers in China gave acupuncture treatment to a group 175 patients suffering migraine. It was reported that over 40% of patients experienced complete pain relief with almost 80% of patients not suffering any recurrence of their migraine (from Headache).

Madonna has acupunture to ease her aches

Madonna has acupuncture after every performance to help ease her aches and pains. "All dancers have injuries but we just deal with them. We get acupuncture and therapy and just keep going" she commented (from Express).

Acupuncture for Premier League footaller

Kenny Miller has revealed a course of acupuncture recently helped him back to fitness. The Rangers striker used acupuncture to help him be ready for his match-winning performance in the recent Old Firm derby. "I've had acupuncture and it's feeling a lot better now" said Miller (from Sun).

Strictly star quits smoking with acupuncture

Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Kelly has resorted to acupuncture to help him keep off the cigarettes. The Coronation Street actor stopped smoking four years ago but the pressure of appearing on Strictly drove him back to the deadly habit. However, all the puffing sent his heart racing and left him fighting for breath, so he turned to the Chinese needle treatment to help kick the habit and steady his nerves (from Express).

Lose weight with acupuncture and tuina

If you are fed up with strict diets and exercise regimes then perhaps acupuncture and tuina massage can help. Some Chinese have found these therapies a more pleasant way to lose weight in a country with one of the world's fastest rising obesity rates. These ancient methods are becoming popular ways to reduce waistlines in China.

Zhao Jizhong runs three centres that focus on traditional therapeutic techniques to aid weight loss. While massage and acupuncture don't make fat disappear miraculously, they do seem to cause weight loss indirectly.

"The main reason for us to develop such therapies is to promote blood circulation. It suppresses the feeling of hunger and reduces insulin. The fat then gets digested out of the system. The therapy doesn't require any medicine and it's very effective" explained Dr Zhao (from Reuters).

Chinese Herbal Medicine helps male fertility

Trial suggests Chinese Herbal Medicine formula qianlie beixi may improve sperm motility. Researchers at the prestigious Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, have published promising results from a trial involving men with sperm motility issues (from National Journal of Andrology).

Acupuncture replaces botox in Hollywood

A botox backlash in Hollywood has seen acupuncture become the treatment of choice to soften facial wrinkles. In Los Angeles they are referred to as mannequins, ageless thespians whose misadventures with botox have left their faces temporarily stripped of expression. They have triggered a botox backlash with many potential mannequins sticking with the needles but throwing out the syringe. LA's hottest treatment is the acupuncture face lift (from New York Times).

Chinese medicine to assist fertility

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment has proved very effective and popular in assisting fertility. Gynaecologist and fertility consultant Michael Dooley has been referring his most difficult cases to TCM practitioners for many years. The results have been amazing, although he admits he does not understand the treatment process "I don't understand it at all but results are amazing and I'm keeping an open mind" (from Guardian).

Acupuncture curbs back pain in pregnancy

Ear acupuncture curbs back pain in pregnant women. A special acupuncture technique can help ease lower back and pelvic pain in pregnant women, new research shows. In a study, women who had pressure needles at three acupuncture points in their ears were more likely to experience significant reductions in lower back and pelvic pain than those women in control groups. Ear acupuncture might offer a drug-free way to help ease pain in these women (from Reuters).

Adjunct acupuncture during pregnancy

Acupuncture as an adjunct treatment during pregnancy. Acupuncture is used by women during their pregnancy and research suggests acupuncture may be used as an adjunct to their existing conventional care. The aim of this paper was to summarise the evidence examining the effectiveness of acupuncture during pregnancy and birthing (from Birth).

Herb remedies forced underground

Herbal drug crackdown: millions face having to buy remedies on black market as Europe tightens the rules. Patients could lose access to safe herbal medicines under EU rules. Instead they could end up buying potentially dangerous supplies from the black market. Sales of herbal remedies will be banned under the new law to come in in 2011. Almost 2,500 UK qualified herbalists and Chinese medicine practitioners will also lose the right to supply a wide range of herbal medicines (from Mail).

Acupuncture helps tennis pro

Tennis: acupuncture treatment for Mirza ahead of US Open. Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has received acupuncture treatment on a painful right wrist to be ready for the US Open (from Reuters).

Acupuncture for post-Caesarean pain

Effects of acupuncture on post-Caesarean section pain. This study shows that the application of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture could definitely delay the time of patients requesting pain relief medication after Caesarean section and decrease the doses used within the first 24 hours (from Chinese Medical Journal).

Acupuncture for stroke patients

Acupuncture stimulation improves balance function in stroke patients. The results of this study suggest that acupuncture stimulation may induce an immediate effect that improves balance function in stroke patients (from American Journal of Chinese Medicine).

Demo in support of herbal medicine

A demonstration (impeccably behaved, no doubt) and mass lobby has been organised in support of herbal medicine for Monday 2 November. Details here.

Please help acupuncture and herbal medicine

Before we get to the slightly more interesting stuff, we must make another plea for help. As previously highlighted, the UK Government is attempting to renege on a decade long commitment to the statutory regulation of acupuncture and herbal medicine. If regulation does not go through then patient access to acupuncture and, in particular, herbal medicine may be severely restricted by forthcoming changes to EU law. We ask for your help in lobbying the Department of Health to ensure this vital piece of legislation gains approval.

The Department of Health have an online questionnaire. Please complete and submit by the extended deadline of 16 November 2009. It is rather long but even if you only answer 1 or 2 questions it will help the cause.

The professional bodies currently voluntarily overseeing acupuncture and herbal medicine have both prepared briefing documents that may help you in completing the questionnaire:

British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) briefing document
Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) briefing document

With a general election around the corner and MPs worried about their jobs, you may also like to directly email your MP on the matter. This can be easily done via this very helpful web page.

A huge thank you for your support.

Cambridge University investigates Chinese medicine

A high level Sino-UK summit on Chinese medicine recently took place at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. It was organised to explore the Chinese art of healing with delegates including the Chinese Health Minister and Cambridge University professors.

US approves Chinese liver formula

A Chinese herbal medicine formula devised in Shanghai has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The combination of herbs is said to help treat liver fibrosis resulting from hepatitis.

Acupuncture helps relieve indigestion in pregnancy

Up to 80% of pregnant women suffer with indigestion or heartburn at some point during their pregnancy. Channel 4 reported that recent studies have shown acupuncture may help relieve such symptoms.

Acupuncture during surgery benefits patients

Surgery patients at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, USA, are being given acupuncture during their operations to help speed recovery. Many patients suffer from nausea and vomiting after surgery but doctors have seen these problems reduce in patients given acupuncture.

Chinese herbal medicine helps Parkinson patients

Trials in Hong Kong with patients suffering Parkinson's Disease suggest a commonly used Chinese herbal formula helps improve their ability to communicate.

NHS under attack from across the pond

And finally, it is a terribly British trait to bemoan the perceived poor state of our nation, however, we do tend to get very defensive when our national institutions are attacked from afar. The sustained attack on the NHS by some sections of the American media have resulted in some interesting reports and indignant responses from such diverse sources as the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and UNISON. Not to mention this completely irreverent spoof article.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about acupuncture, herbal medicine and/or Chinese medicine.

With kindest regards

Gary Minns
BSc Hons TCM, Dip Tn, MBAcC, MRCHM, MATCM
Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Barbican Acupuncture
1 Wallside
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8BH

T 020 7638 4322
E Gary@BarbicanAcupuncture.com
W www.BarbicanAcupuncture.com

18 October 2009
© Barbican Acupuncture 2009

Patient choice and freedom under threat

There has been a dark cloud slowly forming on the complementary medicine horizon in recent weeks. For well over ten years the UK Government has been gradually working towards the statutory regulation of acupuncture and herbal medicine, something that a vast majority of practitioners fully support.

Full regulation of acupuncture and herbal medicine would increase public safety by ensuring all practitioners adhere to rigid training and safety standards, a system that is currently only voluntary and open to abuse by a small number of High Street quacks. Regulation would also ensure the continued availability of herbal medicines within the UK (without regulation, forthcoming changes to EU rules would outlaw huge numbers of commonly available herbal medicines).

Acupuncturists and herbalists have worked long and hard with the Department of Health on this topic but it now seems the Government is poised to let everyone down, particularly patients, by dropping the proposed legislation.

Please help us lobby the Department of Health over the next few weeks to ensure this vital piece of legislation is not cast aside.

The Department of Health have an online questionnaire (click here to be redirected). Please complete and submit. It is a bit long but even if you only answer 1 or 2 questions it will help the cause.

We thank you in advance for your assistance.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about acupuncture, herbal medicine and/or Chinese medicine.

With kindest regards

Gary Minns
BSc Hons TCM, Dip Tn, MBAcC, MRCHM, MATCM
Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Barbican Acupuncture
1 Wallside
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8BH

T 020 7638 4322
E Gary@BarbicanAcupuncture.com
W www.BarbicanAcupuncture.com

10 October 2009
© Barbican Acupuncture 2009

Regulation of acupuncture and herbal medicine

Hello and welcome to the latest e-newsletter from Barbican Acupuncture, keeping you abreast of developments in the world of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Much more information is available on our website (http://www.barbicanacupuncture.com/).

NHS recommends acupuncture

Arguably the biggest news item of recent weeks was the announcement by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) that acupuncture would become available on the NHS for patients suffering from “persistent non-specific low back pain” (in layman’s terms that’s a long-term back ache with no obvious cause). The Daily Telegraph first broke the story (http://bit.ly/NoWxx).

NICE are the Department of Health agency that advise the NHS on such matters and they confirmed what acupuncturists have known for many years: acupuncture is excellent at treating back pain.

However, patients wishing to get NHS acupuncture treatment shouldn’t get too excited. There is currently no additional money available to fund this initiative, therefore, the chances of your GP or local NHS clinic offering acupuncture are still very slim. Barbican Acupuncture are currently in correspondence with a number of local GPs to try and widen the availability of acupuncture. Watch this space.

Regulation of acupuncture and herbal medicine

Surprising as it may seem, there are no laws stating that acupuncturists and herbalists have to be properly trained. That’s why you should always check your practitioner is registered with the British Acupuncture Council (http://bit.ly/23sr2H) and/or the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (http://bit.ly/dWtq). Rest assured all practitioners at Barbican Acupuncture are fully trained to the highest standards.

The Department of Health has been considering introducing statutory regulation for many years but the wheels of government move very slowly and the process is only now beginning to move forward (http://bit.ly/1n6oK). If you are short of bedtime reading you can view the full Department of Health document (http://bit.ly/Y9o2l).

Barbican Acupuncture fully support the introduction of statutory regulation and we have already completed the Department of Health consultation questionnaire. If you have equally strong feelings then you can do the same (http://bit.ly/16AGgG).

Swine flu

A stir was caused amongst foreign journalists in China when it was revealed a number of patients with suspected influenza H1N1 (swine flu) had been successfully treated using only Chinese Herbal Medicine (http://bit.ly/82Pw4).

Obviously, if you have concerns you may have contracted swine flu then we strongly recommend you phone the NHS Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 151 3513 or visit the National Pandemic Flu Service website (http://bit.ly/100FCR). However, China has more experience of dealing with epidemic viruses than we do in the UK. They have successfully dealt with SARS in 2003 and bird flu (influenza H5N1) in 2006. Perhaps we should take note.

Gwyneth extols virtues of Chinese medicine

On a lighter note, the Daily Express reported that actress Gwyneth Paltrow had been praising the health benefits of acupuncture and “cupping” (http://bit.ly/FbY2q). The Daily Express may have been surprised by "cupping" but we use it at Barbican Acupuncture all the time. It can be hugely effective in relieving muscular pain, particularly on the back and shoulders.

"Cupping" involves attaching small glass cups to the skin by means of vacuum pressure. The cups are normally left in place for a few minutes and cause no pain, although they can leave slightly red, circular patches on the skin which will fade after a day or two.

Acupuncture helps athletes recover from fatigue

Interesting research in Taiwan has shown that acupuncture helps athletes recover from muscle fatigue. Elite basketball players were put through hard training with some of the players receiving acupuncture treatment. Those having acupuncture were recorded as having lower heart rates and lower levels of lactic acid (the substance that causes muscles to feel very stiff after exercise). Maybe we should let the British Olympic people know (http://bit.ly/vWlYf).

Food for thought

Using everyday foods as medicine has always been part of the herbalist’s repertoire. With the holiday season already here, if you are jetting off to the sun, or if the much-forecast “barbeque summer” does finally arrive in Britain, try keeping your cool by eating plenty of water melon and/or cucumber. If you have a smoothie maker, try whizzing up a chunk of each to make a refreshing thirst quencher.

DIY acupressure

If you are planning any long journeys with children then you may be concerned on how to combat travel sickness. There is one great acupuncture point that can help. It is located on the inner side of each forearm, between the tendons, about 4-5 cm above the crease of the wrist (this is the adult measurement, scale it down depending on the size of the child). Pressing and massaging this area on each arm with a thumb or fingertip will help alleviate nausea.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about acupuncture, herbal medicine and/or Chinese medicine.

With kindest regards

Gary Minns
BSc Hons TCM, Dip Tn, MBAcC, MRCHM, MATCM
Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Barbican Acupuncture
1 Wallside
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8BH

T 020 7638 4322
E Gary@BarbicanAcupuncture.com
W www.BarbicanAcupuncture.com

9 August 2009
© Barbican Acupuncture 2009