Steeped In the Ten Thousand Things: a research digest & integrative medical discussion Michael E. Brown

Recorded December 16, 2021: We discuss a new acupuncture systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the most effective acupuncture methods for non-specific low back pain (NLBP).  You can read along: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8068518/

We also discuss limitations of acupuncture research, placebo-needles, challenges in extrapolating this kind of research into clinical practice, and contrast acupuncture with some conventions in medicine that appear just as messy, if not more, compared to acupuncture.

Our discussion also brings in the United States Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services information on their background research establishing the criterion for approving coverage of non-specific low back pain with acupuncture. We look at some of their limited parameters, protocols, and the underlying research search terms.

We included new music from @vladest_art — 'Hold On' for interludes, and 'The Sun Will Rise' to close us out.

License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

Segment 1: COVID-19 and neurological injury - acupuncture for neuroplasticity and nuerogenesis and treatment of chronic cognitive disease


https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/06/23/how-covid-19-can-damage-the-brain/

Xiao, L. Y., Wang, X. R., Yang, Y.,  Yang, J. W., Cao, Y., Ma, S. M., ... & Liu, C. Z. (2018).  Applications of Acupuncture Therapy in Modulating Plasticity of Central  Nervous System. Neuromodulation: journal of the International Neuromodulation Society, 21(8), 762-776. - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29111577/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia

https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures


Segment 2: Tea and Vaccines Safety - CDC Evaluates Risk/Benefit of Vaccines In Context of Myocarditis/Pericarditis


Helen Branswell's thread on CDC report on myocarditis/pericarditis from mRNA vaccine: https://twitter.com/HelenBranswell/status/1407737409337532418

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/23/cdc-reports-more-than-1200-cases-of-rare-heart-inflammation-after-covid-vaccine-shots.html


Segment 3: Acupuncture for Cancer Support and Cancer Pain


Yang, J., Wahner-Roedler, D. L., Zhou,  X., Johnson, L. A., Do, A., Pachman, D. R., ... & Bauer, B. A.  (2021). Acupuncture for palliative cancer pain management: Systematic  review. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. link

Tack, L., Lefebvre, T., Blieck, V.,  Cool, L., Pottel, H., Van Eygen, K., ... & Debruyne, P. R. (2021).  Acupuncture as a complementary therapy for cancer care: acceptability  and preferences of patients and informal caregivers. link

(related but not discussed) Jang, A., Brown, C., Lamoury, G.,  Morgia, M., Boyle, F., Marr, I., ... & Oh, B. (2020). The effects of  acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue: Updated systematic review and  meta-analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 19, 1534735420949679. link


Segment 4: LongCovid Symptoms & Prevalence:


Mao, L., Jin, H., Wang, M., Hu, Y.,  Chen, S., He, Q., ... & Hu, B. (2020). Neurologic manifestations of  hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan, China. JAMA neurology, 77(6), 683-690. link

Sun, B., Tang, N., Peluso, M. J.,  Iyer, N. S., Torres, L., Donatelli, J. L., ... & Pulliam, L. (2021).  Characterization and biomarker analyses of post-COVID-19 complications  and neurological manifestations. Cells, 10(2), 386. link

(related but not discussed) Persistent symptoms in adult patients one year after COVID-19: a prospective cohort study, Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2021


Intro / outro song: 'Juparo' By Broke For Free is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

We bring you a bonus episode pre-election looking at both Trump's and Biden's Ziwei Doushu polestar charts in the context of their progressions (10 and 1 year), and their character/natal chart fate.  Enjoy a casual and ad hoc exploration of their charts, with additional exploration of the impact of Qi Sha / 7 Killings /Executioner Star in the Spouse/Partners Palace.  We hope you enjoy.

For images of their charts - follow link.



Sources used:


Da Yuan Circle - Ming Liu's Polestar Astrology course & notes.
The Spirit of the Stars: Navigating Your Fate With Pole Star Astrology (Book w/DVD)  – January 1, 2019 by Narrye Caldwell
https://zwdsastrology.blogspot.com/



Email the podcast for feedback, comments, questions, requests: steepedpodcast@gmail.com

We have a discussion about vaccines from the perspective of two educated people who went from deep skepticism to informed realism.  We open the door to future discussions on the topic as well as teasing future episodes where we focus on specific research and related topics, including vaccine safety and relative risk, public health and vaccines, and why a complex dis

Research or books referenced during the episode:


Flaws, B. (1996). Keeping Your Child Healthy with Chinese Medicine: A Parent's Guide to the Care and Prevention of Common Childhood Diseases. Blue Poppy Enterprises, Inc.. https://b-ok.cc/book/1076795/578a30
Escandón, K., Rasmussen, A. L., Bogoch, I. I., Murray, E. J., &  Escandón, K. (2020). COVID-19 and false dichotomies: time to change the  black-or-white messaging about health, economy, SARS-CoV-2 transmission,  and masks. https://osf.io/k2d84/
Hviid, A., Hansen, J. V., Frisch, M.,  & Melbye, M. (2019). Measles, mumps, rubella vaccination and autism:  a nationwide cohort study. Annals of internal medicine, 170(8), 513-520. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M18-2101
"Here’s Kamala Harris’ birth certificate. Scholars say there’s no VP eligibility debate: Harris set to accept VP nomination this week at Democratic convention."
Ziwei Doushu - Polestar Astrology - Fate Calculation introduction.  Abundant Heaven Traditional Chinese Medicine.



All music used with Creative Commons licensing.

Closing music is from FreeMusicArchive.org - Dusty Hills by Ketsa

In this episode, we look at two studies around tea and its impacts on health; one through the lens of gut microbiota and the other through a population-based study of over 100,000 Chinese adults and the impacts of tea on incidence of atherosclerotic heart disease and all-cause mortality.  How are these two studies, which vary greatly, connected and how can we look at them in the larger context of tea research, public health, and tradition?

All studies mentioned in this episode are available in-full, here. The two primary studies discussed are:

Wang, X., Liu, F., Li, J., Yang, X.,  Chen, J., Cao, J., ... & Zhao, L. (2020). Tea consumption and the  risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality:  The China-PAR project. European journal of preventive cardiology, 2047487319894685. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2047487319894685

Zhu, J., Cai, R., Tan, Y., Wu, X.,  Wen, Q., Liu, Z., ... & Yang, H. (2020). Preventive consumption of  green tea modifies the gut microbiota and provides persistent protection  from high-fat diet-induced obesity. Journal of Functional Foods, 64, 103621. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464619305456

Kamala Harris' birth certificate - re: Ziwei Doushu polestar fate calculations & Bazi astrology coming up

Closing music is from FreeMusicArchive.org - Dusty Hills by Ketsa

We focus in on a single topic, looking at a collection of systematic reviews & meta-analyses that look at the clinical effectiveness of tai chi in the treatment of a variety of medical issues.  All the papers are available for download here.

The book recommended by Zach is here: https://www.amazon.com/How-choose-Tai-Chi-teacher-ebook/dp/B076VTH4NK




All music is from Freemusicarchive.org