Another large study aimed at understanding the benifits of breast feeding was carried out by McGill University. The researchers wanted to assess if breastfeeding  had any influence on lowering the rates of gastrointestinal and

Atopic eczema is a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin that is characterized by intense itching. Western medicine states there is no cure for eczema and are limited in their treatment strategies. Two common western drug treatments used to treat eczema from the immunosuppressant category, Elidel (pimecrolimus) Cream and Protopic (tacrolimus) Ointment, have had recent cancer warnings put out by the FDA (Federal Food and Drug Administration). It was found that three different species of animals developed cancer following topical exposure or oral administration of these drugs.

Even though Chinese medicine can treat skin disease with good success, preventation is always better than trying to treat the actual disease. Good preventation means living a balanced lifestyle in accordance with the natural laws. Rest/ relaxation, exercise, proper diet, and a postive mind keep us healthy, strong, and disease free. (Please read Spence Pentland's nice article on preventing disease at the acubalance web site.)

Acne and stress have a synergistic relationship, meaning the
more stressed a person is the more acne they will develop and with more

The Chinese medicinal, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae (Bai Zhi), is commonly used for the treatment of psoriasis. I commonly add this herb to a herbal formula when a patient complains of a strong itch.

Many people ask me why I decided to focus on treating skin. Firstly, the treatment of skin is a very objective practice. I can see with my own eyes any changes. Where as in other internal problems like pain, the results after treatment are more subjective, it is up to the patients own personal feeling. With problems on the surface of the body I can measure the change. I can take a photograph before and after and both the patient and practitioner can see whether there is any change or not. With people who have been living with a chronic skin disease and who have tried many different therapies to help them, they are very happy to experience the changes that Chinese Medicine offers them. The results are undeniable.

Another reason is my wife's story,  who after suffering with head to toe atopic eczema for over 23 years, was pretty much cured with chinese herbs. I loved to see her confidence, self esteem, and quality of life all change. She no longer suffered with that recalcitrant itch and sleepless nights fighting her skin. She used to grab my hand and say, "Feel how soft it is! I never thought I would ever have soft skin!". It has been almost 6 years now since she was first freed from her eczema and she does not take chinese herbs any more for this, nor has she in at least 5 years. Once her body was reminded of where a healthy balance existed, then her body stayed there on its own.

I recently came across the the following statistics from The Psoriasis Education Program (www.psoriasisinfo.ca):