Coconut oil massage improves weight gain and height in infants

July 31, 2008 at 9:35 pm · Filed under Integrative Medicine, Baby, Pain Management

photo credit: myreado2

Irrefutably, the power of touch is immensely soothing for an infant.  After having spent many months immersed in a warm, fluid environment, the outside world can feel extremely barren, cold,  and unpredictable.  Infant massage has been shown to alter hormone levels in babies and reduce anxiety and stress while promoting relaxation.  Physiological effects of massage include mobilizing fluids, washing out metabolic  waste products (i.e. lactic acid) that build up in muscles, and promoting blood flow.  Muscles, after being massaged, have decreased spasm. The tactile stimulation can activate nerve fibers carrying touch sensation and the sensory input from those fibers can decrease pain signals to the brain via the Gate Theory of pain. Thus, reducing the perception of pain.

In many cultures, massage with tropical oils is routine.  The tropical oil massage provides multiple benefits.   Oil based substances improve skin barrier function and protect the skin.  Massage has been shown to improve thermoregulation.  A compelling study from India looked at the effects of massage with  coconut oil, mineral oil, and placebo (powder).  Coconut oil massage caused greater weight and height gain rates compared to placebo in preterm and term infants.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Acupuncture: Needles, Points, and Effects

April 20, 2008 at 8:12 pm · Filed under Integrative Medicine, Acupuncture

Photo Credit: acupuncture., originally uploaded by Logan Garrett.

Acupuncture, once considered an exotic treatment, has been making its foray into mainstream health-care. What is acupuncture? It is a medical practice, originating in China, which employs small needles to influence the energy of an organism. The energy is referred to as Qi (Chi). It is described as the life-force or spirit. In Hinduism it is referred to as prana. It is the vitalizing force or energy imbued in an organism.

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Skin and Psyche

January 14, 2008 at 9:18 pm · Filed under Integrative Medicine

Photo Credit: The skin of the lizard at Jurong!, originally uploaded by leonefabre.

The ectodermal germ layer gives rise to both the skin and the brain. That there is a connection between our thoughts and the condition of our skin, then is not such an unlikely consideration. Both of these structures originated from the same primordial tissue and share a very close link. Psychodermatology attempts to address the impact that the psychological state has on dermatological disorders. Read the rest of this entry »

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