Integrative Medicine Alert – April 1, 2015
April 1, 2015
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Blueberry Consumption Improves Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women with Hypertension
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that consumption of freeze-dried blueberry powder twice daily for 8 weeks improved blood pressure and measurements of arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre- or stage 1 hypertension.
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Managing IBS with Semi-permanent Embedded Fibers at Acupuncture Sites
Catgut-embedded acupuncture, which involves embedding fibers of animal intestines into the skin at acupuncture points, improved abdominal pain, constipation, and bloating as well as symptoms of depression among patients with irritable bowel syndrome compared to both sham acupuncture and conventional drug therapy.
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Aromatherapy: A Replacement for Antidepressants?
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of an oral preparation of the essential oil of lavender showed that it is more effective for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder than either placebo or an SSRI.
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Curcuminoids for Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Levels in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome
Bioavailable cucuminoids were found to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in individuals diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Superoxide dismutase activity, malondialdehyde, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration were each significantly improved after short-term (8 weeks) of supplementation with curcuminoids. Meta-analysis of eight other studies investigating the impact of curcuminoids on various health parameters, including serum CRP concentration, also found a significant reduction of CRP with curcuminoid supplementation.