Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Hawaii

12/04/2022

11/24/2022

Because of soil depletion, crops grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than the varieties most of us get today
- National Institute of Health (NIH) -

07/10/2022

A 21-year-old presents to the clinic with a burning generalized rash and malaise. They mention that they were treated for onychomycosis two weeks prior.

What's the diagnosis?

06/27/2022

when I talk about using food as medicine, there’s one ancient ingredient with wide-ranging benefits that always comes to mind—apple cider vinegar. It supports better digestion and nutrient absorption, fewer cravings, less inflammation, easier weight management, and more energy. Please consider incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet.

02/05/2022

VITAMIN D & COVID-19 (and many other viral infections...)

For many years, our message on vitamin D has been consistent. In our clinical experience, a large number of people are vitamin D deficient, and the cutoff marker (Serum 25(OH)D) in the lab report is too low (> 30 ng/ml).

An Israeli study investigated 1,100 people who had positive COVID-19 PCR tests between April 2020 and February 2021, adjusting for age, gender, and chronic diseases. The findings were published on 02/02/2022 in the journal PLOS ONE. It was the first study that investigated the levels of vitamin D prior to the infection of COVID-19.

Patients with vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/mL) were 14 times more likely to have a severe or critical case of COVID-19 than those with more than 40 ng/mL of serum 25(OH)D. Mortality among patients with higher vitamin D levels was 2.3 percent in contrast to 25.6 percent in the vitamin D deficient group (the picture below is in my latest book: Natural Medicines for Unprecedented Times - https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Medicines-Unprecedented-Arnaldo-Oliveira/dp/B08Y4LD4YV/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1DKNMWTWXBLOS&keywords=Natural+medicines+for+unprecedented+times&qid=1644092576&sprefix=natural+medicines+for+unprecedented+times%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-2)

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Have a great weekend!

Dr. O.

Reference:
Pre-infection 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and association with severity of COVID-19 illness
Dror AA, Morozov N, Daoud A, Namir Y, Yakir O, et al. (2022) Pre-infection 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and association with severity of COVID-19 illness. PLOS ONE 17(2): e0263069. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263069

06/22/2021

It Is All Explained in my New Book

Researchers from Yonsei University in South Korea have found that certain commensal bacteria that reside in the human intestine produce compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2. The research will be presented on June 20 at World Microbe Forum, an online meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies happening online June 20-24.

06/13/2021

FAT, SUGAR, & INFLAMMATION
A new peer-reviewed study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined how inflammation is triggered by food and can be a predictor of heart disease. It's the largest study to explore the body's immediate response to food and the first study of its kind to show how some individuals are more susceptible to food-induced inflammation than others.

Researchers measured the levels of fat, sugar, and inflammatory markers in the blood of 1,002 healthy individuals who participated in the study after meals. They concluded that both fat and sugar play a significant role in postprandial inflammation.

Reference:
Mohsen Mazidi, Ana M Valdes, Jose M Ordovas, Wendy L Hall, Joan C Pujol, Jonathan Wolf, George Hadjigeorgiou, Nicola Segata, Naveed Sattar, Robert Koivula, Tim D Spector, Paul W Franks, Sarah E Berry, Meal-induced inflammation: postprandial insights from the Personalised REsponses to DIetary Composition Trial (PREDICT) study in 1000 participants, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021;, nqab132, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab132

06/05/2021

What vitamins help the immune system?

Vitamin A is good for the immune system because it has anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties.

B vitamins perform different essential functions in your body.

Vitamin C is the most commonly known immune-boosting vitamin.

Vitamin D keeps bones and muscles healthy, and wards off infection.

Vitamin E is associated with immune system health.

I explain how they work and where they come from in great detail, including drawings, in my new book. Check it out and please write a review!

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Medicines-Unprecedented-Arnaldo-Oliveira/dp/B08Y4LD4YV/ref=sr_1_19?crid=3TOFDCUKRH3LQ&dchild=1&keywords=natural+medicine+book&qid=1619658575&sprefix=natural+me%2Caps%2C271&sr=8-19

05/30/2021

Study shows how you can become 3 years younger in just 8 weeks

Over eight weeks, researchers monitored the results of a treatment program focusing on diet, sleep, exercise, relaxation guidance, probiotics, and phytonutrients. The randomized controlled clinical trial involved 43 healthy men between the ages of 50 and 72. Results show committing to these lifestyle changes produced “statistically significant” reductions in the biological aging of cells.

Reference:
Fitzgerald KN, Hodges R, Hanes D, Stack E, Cheishvili D, Szyf M, Henkel J, Twedt MW, Giannopoulou D, Herdell J, Logan S, Bradley R. Potential reversal of epigenetic age using a diet and lifestyle intervention: a pilot randomized clinical trial. Aging (Albany NY). 2021; 13:9419-9432. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.202913

05/04/2021

Dietary Supplementation with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 Lowers Cardiovascular Mortality

A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial investigated the supplementation of selenium yeast (200 µg/day) and coenzyme Q10 (200 mg/day) (n = 106) or placebo (n = 107). The study, which was published in Nutrients, April 17 2021, concluded that supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 prevented an increase in D-dimer and reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality in comparison with the placebo group. The results also illustrate important associations between inflammation, endothelial function and cardiovascular risk.

Reference:

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Lindahl TL, Larsson A, Alexander J. Dietary Supplementation with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 Prevents Increase in Plasma D-Dimer While Lowering Cardiovascular Mortality in an Elderly Swedish Population. Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1344. Published 2021 Apr 17. doi:10.3390/nu13041344

05/01/2021

INCREASED RISK OF DEATH AFTER COVID-19

The new research comes after a study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature that found that COVID-19 survivors have an almost 60% increased risk of death up to six months after infection compared with noninfected people.
Even those patients who were not hospitalized with severe disease could have health implications months later, the study in Nature showed. Ailments could include respiratory conditions, diseases of the nervous system, mental-health diagnoses, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions, and poor general well-being.

Reference:
Al-Aly, Z., Xie, Y. & Bowe, B. High-dimensional characterization of post-acute sequalae of COVID-19. Nature (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03553-9

04/24/2021

My new book explains the reasons why fruits and vegetables promote LONGEVITY!

Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies

A large study published last March in Circulation showed that consuming 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day reduces the risk of death. The study did not see any association of eating potatoes and drinking fruit juices and mortality.

Reference:
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies
D**g D. Wang , Yanping Li , Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju , Bernard A. Rosner , Qi Sun , Edward L. Giovannucci , Eric B. Rimm , JoAnn E. Manson , Walter C. Willett , Meir J. Stampfer , and Frank B. Hu
Originally published1 Mar 2021https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996

04/22/2021

Sleep Prevents Dementia

A large new study published this week in the journal Nature Communications shows that high-quality sleep prevents dementia.

The study followed nearly 8,000 participants in the United Kingdom for 25 years. Researchers found that people who regularly slept for six hours or less in middle age had about a 30% higher risk of developing dementia than those who clocked seven or more hours per night.

Reference:
Sabia, S., Fayosse, A., Dumurgier, J. et al. Association of sleep duration in middle and old age with incidence of dementia. Nat Commun 12, 2289 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22354-2

04/20/2021

The Use of Natural Medicines Lowers the Risk of Covid-19

A large population study (n=445 850), published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health showed that taking multivitamins, omega-3, probiotics, and vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 infection

Reference: 20 April 2021, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000250

04/18/2021

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fights Alzheimer's Disease

A clinical trial involving 84 participants showed that olive oil alone can help prevent neurodegenerative disorders. The results of the study were published in the journal Experimental Gerontology.

The daily consumption of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in Mediterranean Diet is associated with lower frequency of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Reference:

Elena E. Tzekaki, Magda Tsolaki, Αnastasia A. Pantazaki, George Geromichalos, Eftychia Lazarou, Mahi Kozori, Zacharias Sinakos,
The pleiotropic beneficial intervention of olive oil intake on the Alzheimer's disease onset via fibrinolytic system,
Experimental Gerontology,
Volume 150,
2021,
111344,
ISSN 0531-5565,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2021.111344.

04/17/2021

Copyright certificate of my new book!

03/31/2021

My New Book!

03/28/2021

VITAMIN K2
Overcoming micronutrient deficiencies such as zinc and vitamins C, D and K2 have become an effective strategy against viral infections, including COVID-19. Research supporting vitamin D supplementation shows solid scientific evidence from several meta-analyses and systematic review studies.

Vitamin D intake is generally regarded as safe, but high doses of vitamin D could increase serum calcium levels. Calcium is an essential mineral, but too much of it may cause damage in the blood vessels and on elastic fibers in the lungs. However, supplementing vitamin K2 in tandem with vitamin D may minimize this calcification risk. Together, vitamin D and K benefit bone, vascular and immune health.

Studies show that insufficiency of vitamin K2 is common in Western populations due to dietary reasons. Vitamin K2 help incorporate calcium into the bone matrix. In blood vessels and the lungs, vitamin K2 prevents calcium deposition, elastic fiber degradation, thrombosis, and inflammation.

Taking vitamin D in a vitamin K deficiency state could endanger both pulmonary and vascular health. Taking adequate amounts of vitamin K2 along with D is the best. Consult your physician before deciding to take any supplements.

03/27/2021

VITAMIN D
In a systematic review and meta-analysis study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers concluded the levels of vitamin D [25(OH)D3] lower than 37.5 nmol/L were associated with a sharp increase in acute respiratory tract infection. However other studies have found that the risk of severe respiratory infection increases with levels lower than 50 nmol/L.

Reference:

Pham H, Rahman A, Majidi A, Waterhouse M, Neale RE. Acute Respiratory Tract Infection and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(17):3020. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173020

Furlong, K., Omand, J., Pitino, M., Science, M., O'Connor, D., Maguire, J. and Tran, D. (2015), Vitamin D Status and Respiratory Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Observational Evidence. The FASEB Journal, 29: 252.5. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.252.5

03/21/2021

Tests Find Hormone-Disrupting Fungicides on Most Citrus Fruit Samples

A new report by the Environmental Working Group found the two hormone-disrupting fungicides imazalil and thiabendazole on 90 percent of non-organic citrus fruit samples. In January and July 2020, EWG scientists sent 25 samples of edible portions of conventionally grown grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, and oranges to be tested by an independent laboratory accredited by the state of California. The highest levels of imazalil and thiabendazole were found on mandarins, including clementines, followed by oranges and then grapefruit.

Reference:
ALEXIS TEMKIN, PH.D., SYDNEY EVANS AND OLGA V. NAIDENKO, PH.D. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/citrus.php

03/20/2021

Vitamin D Supplementation to the Older Adult Population Prevents almost 30 000 Cancer Deaths per Year

A meta-analysis study (the highest level of scientific evidence), published in Molecular Oncology (2/4/21), concluded that vitamin D supplementation may prevent almost 30 000 cancer deaths per year. It will cost €900 million, but savings €1.154 billion, with net savings of €254 million (in Germany). Supplementation of vitamin D among older adults as a cost‐saving approach to substantially reduce cancer mortality.

Reference:
Niedermaier, T., Gredner, T., Kuznia, S., Schöttker, B., Mons, U. and Brenner, H. (2021), Vitamin D supplementation to the older adult population in Germany has the cost‐saving potential of preventing almost 30 000 cancer deaths per year. Mol Oncol. https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.12924

03/07/2021

Paperback is available now!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y4LD4YV/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1615085553&sr=1-1

03/07/2021

My new book is available for kindle. Paperback is coming this week.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y7FNMW7/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=natural+medicines+for+unprecedented+times&qid=1615085553&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sr=1-1

01/18/2021

TAURINE helps the gut recall prior infections and kill invading bacteria

A new study, published on 01/15/21 in Cell, found that taurine given to mice as a supplement in drinking water prepared the microbiota to prevent infection. Taurine can nourish and train the microbiota, promoting its resistance to subsequent infection.

Reference:
Stacy, A., et al. (2021) Infection trains the host for microbiota-enhanced resistance to pathogens. Cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.12.011.

01/17/2021

VITAMIN C and E LOWER the RISK of PARKINSON'S DISEASE

A 17.6-years study looked at the health records of more than 43,800 adults (aged 18 yo 94) from 1997 to 2016. The results suggest that dietary vitamin E and C intake might be inversely associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Reference:

Dietary antioxidants and the risk of Parkinson Disease
The Swedish National March Cohort
Essi Hantikainen, Ylva Trolle Lagerros, Weimin Ye, Mauro Serafini, Hans-Olov Adami, Rino Bellocco, Stephanie Bonn
Neurology Jan 2021, 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011373; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011373

01/17/2021

GUT MICROBIOME and LONGEVITY

A landmark study published last Tuesday in the journal Nature Medicine found an association between the gut microbiome and longevity. The researchers found that participants who consumed lots of healthy, minimally processed plant-based foods had higher levels of beneficial gut microbes. An abundance of these "favorable" gut microbes was associated with a lower risk of developing conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Reference:

Asnicar, F., Berry, S.E., Valdes, A.M. et al. Microbiome connections with host metabolism and habitual diet from 1,098 deeply phenotyped individuals. Nat Med (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-01183-8

01/10/2021

In this latest update, the CDC broke medical conditions into two categories: one that definitely puts people into the high-risk group and another that might raise the risk but is less definitive.

The confirmed highest-risk category includes people with:

Kidney disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Organ transplant recipients
Obesity
Serious heart conditions like heart failure and cardiomyopathy
Sickle cell disease
Type 2 diabetes
The secondary group of conditions that “might” increase your risk includes people with:

Moderate-to-severe asthma
Cerebrovascular disease
Cystic fibrosis
High blood pressure
Dementia and other neurological conditions
Liver disease
Pulmonary fibrosis
Thalassemia
Type 1 diabetes
Those who are pregnant
Smokers

01/09/2021

If you catch COVID-19: How to Enhance your Immune System

1. Buy a pulse oximeter (it measures peripheral oxygen saturation):
SpO2 > 95 - safe zone
SpO2 90 to 94 - caution zone
SpO2 < 90 - low oxygenation zone (hospitalization recommended for evaluation of COVID pneumonia especially if it's in the low 80s).
2. Vitamin D: for dose check with healthcare provider - data from randomized control trials.
Vitamin K2 (mk7): for dose check with healthcare provider.
Magnesium: for dose check with healthcare provider.
K2 and Magnesium are often combined with vitamin D.
3. Quercetin: for dose check with healthcare provider.
4. NAC (N-acetyl cysteine): for dose check with healthcare provider.
5. EGCG: or dose check with healthcare provider.
6. Sleep: at least 7 hours of a good night of sleep (slow wave sleep - before midnight). Melatonin as an antioxidant and sleep aid (30min before bedtime).
7. Zinc: for dose check with healthcare provider.
8. Temperature elevation (Nobel Prize therapy): sauna or heating blankets. When showering alternate hot with cold water.
9. Isolation strategies (droplets and airborne): ventilation, hepa air filters, mask use.
10. Monoclonal antibodies: there are FDA emergency use authorization for these drugs. However, they are more effective when used in the beginning of the infection. One of them, made by Lilly, bamlanivimab (IV only), there was a randomized control trial. Talk to your healthcare provider about it.

References:

1. Michael F. Holick, Neil C. Binkley, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Catherine M. Gordon, David A. Hanley, Robert P. Heaney, M. Hassan Murad, Connie M. Weaver, Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 96, Issue 7, 1 July 2011, Pages 1911–1930, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2011-0385

2. Rastogi A, Bhansali A, Khare N, et alShort term, high-dose vitamin D supplementation for COVID-19 disease: a randomised, placebo-controlled, study (SHADE study)Postgraduate Medical Journal Published Online First: 12 November 2020. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-139065

3. Agrawal PK, Agrawal C, Blunden G. Quercetin: Antiviral Significance and Possible COVID-19 Integrative Considerations. Natural Product Communications. December 2020. doi:10.1177/1934578X20976293

4. Peter Chen, M.D., Ajay Nirula, M.D., Ph.D., Barry Heller, M.D., Robert L. Gottlieb, M.D., Ph.D., Joseph Boscia, M.D., Jason Morris, M.D., Gregory Huhn, M.D., M.P.H.T.M., Jose Cardona, M.D., Bharat Mocherla, M.D., Valentina Stosor, M.D., Imad Shawa, M.D., Andrew C. Adams, Ph.D., et al., for the BLAZE-1 Investigators. SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody LY-CoV555 in Outpatients with Covid-19. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2029849

5. Silva ESME, Ono BHVS, Souza JC. Sleep and immunity in times of COVID-19. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2020 Sep 21;66Suppl 2(Suppl 2):143-147. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.66.S2.143. PMID: 32965373.

6. Irwin MR, Opp MR. Sleep Health: Reciprocal Regulation of Sleep and Innate Immunity. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017 Jan;42(1):129-155. doi: 10.1038/npp.2016.148. Epub 2016 Aug 11. PMID: 27510422; PMCID: PMC5143488.

7. Baronzio G, Gramaglia A, Fiorentini G. Hyperthermia and immunity. A brief overview. In Vivo. 2006 Nov-Dec;20(6A):689-95. PMID: 17203747.

12/22/2020

Over 100 Scientists, Doctors, & Leading Authorities Call For Increased Vitamin D Use To Combat COVID-19

Research shows low vitamin D levels almost certainly promote COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Given its safety, we call for immediate widespread increased vitamin D intakes.
Vitamin D modulates thousands of genes and many aspects of immune function, both innate and adaptive. The scientific evidence1 shows that:
Higher vitamin D blood levels are associated with lower rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Higher D levels are associated with lower risk of a severe case (hospitalization, ICU, or death).
Intervention studies (including RCTs) indicate that vitamin D can be a very effective treatment.
Many papers reveal several biological mechanisms by which vitamin D influences COVID-19.
Causal inference modelling, Hill’s criteria, the intervention studies & the biological mechanisms indicate that vitamin D’s influence on COVID-19 is very likely causal, not just correlation.

Reference:

https://vitamindforall.org/letter.html

12/19/2020

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Increases Telomere Length

A recent study indicates that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may induce significant ANTI-AGING effects including markably increasing telomere length and clearance of senescent cells (old do-nothing cells) in the elderly.

Reference:
Hachmo Y, Hadanny A, Abu Hamed R, Daniel-Kotovsky M, Catalogna M, Fishlev G, Lang E, P***k N, Doenyas K, Friedman M, Zemel Y, Bechor Y, Efrati S. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases telomere length and decreases immunosenescence in isolated blood cells: a prospective trial. Aging (Albany NY). 2020; 12:22445-22456. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.202188