Dear Healthy Friend,

We all know pressure is no good for us... It could cause heart attacks, unnecessary strees amongst other things. But what if I told you there is a certain type of pressure that could be good for you! Something that could help people suffering with behaviour dementia...

Jenny Thompson reveals the answers to what I'm talking about...

In the name of good health,
Taryn Strugnell
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

Acupressure could improve behaviour of dementia sufferers
Jenny Thompson
Editor, Health Sciences Institute

Sometimes pressure - when carefully and accurately applied - can relieve pressure and calm an agitated mind.

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine technique in which pressure is applied to the same acu-points where needles are inserted for acupuncture procedures. This method has been used for centuries to treat many health issues, including headaches, depression, arthritis, insomnia and stress relief.

Researchers at Taiwan's National Yang-Ming University conducted a study that tested acupressure on dementia patients who displayed agitated behaviour, ranging from mild (pacing) to extreme (verbal and physical abuse).

More than 30 subjects were recruited. All had dementia and were living in an assisted care facility (only 20 subjects completed the study - 11 subjects were discharged or hospitalised). Each of the subjects had moments of agitated behaviour and in more than two-thirds of the group this behaviour was considered severe.

Over a four-week intervention period, each subject received acupressure treatments that lasted 15 minutes, twice each day, five days a week. Subjects were evaluated before treatment began, re-evaluated at the end of the intervention period and again one week after treatment was discontinued.

And the results were:

• An average agitated behaviour score of nearly 80, recorded before the trial began, dropped more than 20 points over the four-week treatment period
• A score that measured verbal attacks dropped from 2.8 to 0.2
• In the week after treatment was discontinued, this score rose again to 1.3
• A score that measured physical attacks (such as beating and scratching) dropped from 5.5 to 0.5
• In the week after treatment was discontinued, this score rose again to 2.1
• Aimless wandering (measured with pedometers) dropped from more than 5,300 steps per day to about 2,600 steps per day
• In the week after treatment was discontinued, aimless wandering steps rose again to nearly 3,375

Professor Li-Chan Lin, one of the authors of the Yang-Ming study, pointed out that the real benefit is that the acupressure used in the study can be taught to caregivers and practised at home or in assisted care facilities.

And the researchers used these five acu-points in the study:

• Fengchi (GB 20)
• Baihui (Du 20)
• Shenmen (He 7)
• Niguan (Pe 6)
• Sanyinjiao (Sp 6)

And for those of you who don't know your Fengchi from your Niguan, I realise getting acupressure training for just five acu-points may be difficult. But if you have trouble locating an acupressurist in your area, check with local acupuncture practices or contact the Allied Health Proffessions Council of South Africa on 012 329-4001 for a list of acupunture practices as some of them may also offer acupressure treatments or be able to show you how to locate the points above. 

Beat your sweet tooth by tricking your tongue

Q: For months, I've been trying to beat my sweet tooth. But I just keep reaching for the ice cream and choclates at night. What can I do when willpower won't cut it?

Dr. Wright: The herb gymnema literally blocks your taste buds from recognising sweet flavours. It starts working within a few minutes - take a bite of your favourite chocolate and it will taste like eating a wad of salt and flour. Try taking 4g in tablet form from two to three times a day. It works best when taken about 10 to 15 minutes before a meal.