Acupuncture

Most of us recognize acupuncture as a traditional Chinese approach to medicine that involves inserting tiny needles through the skin around different parts of the body for healing.
But what many may not realize is that there is an additional component: the use of hundreds of herbs many acupuncturists say have been essential in achieving a healthy balance.
“It's like a cleansing,” said acupuncture client Edith Torres. “If you're coming in for your migraine the herbs kind of help you protect your head from getting the headaches and the acupuncture just makes that extra ‘oomph’ for you.”
But while New York State awards degrees and licenses acupuncturists, there is no provision that actually allows them to prescribe herbs, even though it has been part of the practice for centuries.
Acupuncturists say it's a loophole that could potentially threaten their field, possibly leaving them open to malpractice and uncovered for liability insurance. It could also leave some patients vulnerable to practitioners who aren't fully trained.
Now a new bill, introduced by Assemblywoman Ellen Young of Queens is moving through Albany to help change that.
“It's all about keeping people safe and giving the authority to acupuncturists they deserve,” said Young. “That is to make suggestions or write formulas of herb medicine.”

“You can walk into any vitamin, herbal health food store on the planet and someone who has just graduated from high school can give you an opinion about what herbal remedy to take,” said Gina Lepore of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. “Our bill does not prevent that from happening. What our bill says is that as acupuncturists who are fully trained that you know we want to have this within our scope of practice.”
At the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine there are over 300 different kinds of herbs that students learn about that have lots of different functions and properties. So you can see why they say it's a vital part of their practice.
“There's endless combinations of these 300-plus herbs that properly arranged according to the formulas, some of which have been around for 4,000 years, there is no limit to what you can do to help restore balance and health to your patients,” said Pacific College faculty member Jeremy Pulsifier.
Young's bill would also include new standards for continued education and certification, which practitioners supporting the bill say can only boost the viability of a field that's never quite been viewed as mainstream.

EYE ON THE PIE: There is no joy in latest county data

Cynthia Cyphon called me for “insights” on the latest county statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. “So what’s doing with these numbers?” she asked. “I see Hamilton County, the state’s wealthiest county, is not anymore.” I went out on the deck with my lapdog and my laptop. This was going to be a long phone conversation. “Cynthia, get your head around this,” I said. “Per-capita personal income is used widely as an indicator of economic wellbeing. That’s why you’re calling.” (I heard a grunt of assent from the other end.) “But we often forget what PCPI is. It’s a fraction where personal income is divided by population. Personal income includes wages and salaries, the income of proprietors, plus employer-provided health insurance, dividends and interest income, Social Security benefits, and other types of income. It reflects income from current production and excludes sales out of last year’s crops, capital gains or cashing in retirement accounts. It is not the same as taxable or disposable income.” “Yeah, yeah,” Cynthia said. “Just give me the headline stuff, not the footnotes.” “OK,” I said. “Boone County has replaced Hamilton as the state leader in PCPI. Where Indiana’s PCPI is 12.1-percent below the national average, Boone’s is almost 27-percent higher than the country’s, and Hamilton’s is right behind at 24-percent above the nation’s. Actually, Hamilton had the worst record in the state for PCPI growth over the past six years. It had an annual average 1.4-percent decrease, adjusted for inflation, compared to statewide growth of 0.6 percent and 1.2 percent for the United States.” “Good stuff,” Cynthia said. “Anytime the leader falls, most folks feel good.”

"Wait,” I said, “all is not as it seems. With an inflation-adjusted 3.8-percent annual growth rate for personal income from 2000 to 2006, Hamilton County was the secondfastest-growing county in the state.

“Boone led, at 4.0 percent. But Hamilton was also the state leader in population growth (5.3 percent). Here, Hendricks held second place at 3.6 percent. “Since PCPI is a fraction with population on the bottom, a fast-rising population will slow PCPI growth, while slow increases or declines in population can make PCPI grow rapidly. Hamilton County ‘suffered’ from a population growth rate that exceeded its personal income growth and thus had that 1.4-percent decline in PCPI. “Tell me more,” she implored. “Well,” I said ponderously, “In 2006, PCPI in Indiana grew 1.7 percent and in the nation 2.6 percent, after adjustment for inflation. Orange, Newton and Daviess counties led the state in growth of PCPI in 2006. Yet, for the five years ending in 2006, Orange County ranked 66th in the state, with no real PCPI growth.” “Fine,” Cynthia said. “Now get to the big finale.” I studied the numbers before saying, “In 2006, 27 Indiana counties had lower PCPI than in 2000. In 2006, seven of Indiana’s 92 counties had PCPI above the national average. In 2000, the number was nine; Bartholomew and Hendricks lost their honored positions. Put another way, 92 percent of Indiana’s counties have PCPI below the national average. On top of that, between 2000 and 2006, 72 Indiana counties lost ground compared to the nation, while only 20 gained on that average.” “So you’re saying?” Cynthia asked. “I’m saying goodbye. The numbers speak for themselves. Now I’ll collect the dog and go back under my rock,” I said, hanging up. She’ll call again, someday. •

What You Need to Know if Your Teen Wants Breast Implants

Is your younger teenage daughter struggling with low self-esteem because her breasts aren’t developing fast enough? Perhaps your older teenager is unhappy with small or asymmetrical breasts and fears they will never change. In today’s society, with so much peer pressure about looks and sexuality, and so many superficial rewards available to the ‘beautiful people’, it’s no surprise that teens are demanding breast augmentation surgery at younger and younger ages.
But experts warn that breast implants may be a permanent solution to a temporary problem, since most teen issues with breast size and shape are resolved as the girl matures. And, whereas most adults choose plastic surgery to stand out among their peers, teenagers ask for these procedures because they want to fit in. It’s important to talk honestly with your teen to find out what they’re really thinking.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic surgeons performed 3,841 breast augmentation procedures on teenagers in 2003, a 24% jump from 2002. The Society recommends the surgery for females 18 years of age and older and cautions that breast augmentation surgery for teens is not a decision that should be taken lightly.
The downside
• The surgery itself carries risk, especially from the anesthesia• Additional surgery may be necessary within 5-10 years• Some women experience breast pain or hardness and nipple numbness• Breast implants do not last a lifetime• Removal of the implants may cause dimpling, wrinkling or puckering of breast tissue• Health insurance does not cover cosmetic procedures and may not cover corrective surgery post-implant.• Breast implants may interfere with mammography
While breast augmentation may indeed be a viable option for some young women, it is crucial that a reputable cosmetic surgeon takes extra time to meet with and counsel the teenager and her parents. Breasts do continue to develop well into the woman’s early twenties, making it nearly impossible to determine whether the teenager really needs breast augmentation.
Making the best of it
After consulting with a qualified plastic surgeon, you may have decided plastic surgery is right for your teen. How can you benefit the most from the experience?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers these tips for a rewarding outcome:• The teenager must initiate the request. Parental support is important, but the teen's own desire for surgical improvement must be something they truly want and have wanted consistently over a long period of time.• The teenager must have realistic goals, appreciating the benefits and limitations of the surgery, and avoiding the fantasy that her whole life will magically change because of it.• The teenager must demonstrate sufficient maturity. Breast augmentation surgery is painful and there are rules of recovery that must be strictly followed. • Teens who are prone to riding the emotional roller coaster or who abuse drugs and alcohol or are being treated for clinical depression are poor candidates for surgery.
The most important part of choosing to go forward with cosmetic surgery is the surgeon you choose. He or she must be board-certified in plastic surgery and have hospital operating privileges despite the fact that most cosmetic procedures are done in the surgeon’s office.
It’s very important for teens and parents to discuss the procedure itself, the costs, the recovery period and whether insurance will cover any part of it. No matter how unhappy the teen may seem, plastic surgery is surgery, with all its inherent risks and complications, and is not something to be rushed into lightly.Dr. Howard Rosenberg of Mountain View, CA is a trained, board certified plastic surgeon with years of experience assisting women of all ages to achieve the look they want. He would be happy to meet with you and your teen to determine the best course of action. Contact Dr. Rosenberg at (650) 961-2652 to schedule your private consultation.