Hi guys,
I was just doing my daily yahoo reading and came across this article http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/is-skim-milk-making-you-fat-2479492/ ) that was discussing the benefits and drawbacks of skim versus whole milk. This article has a lot of good information but I found some of it to be a tad misleading. The article quotes several studies that claim that reducing calories will not lead to long-term weight loss. While this is true to some extent, a reduction in calories to a proper level for your ideal body weight is exactly what you need to lose weight permanently. This, combined with eating a variety of whole, nutritious foods will lead not only to permanent weight loss, but will help stave off many of the chronic deseases affecting Americans today. The reason that restricted calorie diets don’t seem to work in the long run is because people think of the restriction as a short-term thing, and generally return to poor eating habits after the weight is lost. Permanent weight loss requires a life long commitment to eating healthy.

The article also quotes studies that make it seem as though you can replace your skim milk consumption with the same amount of whole milk and not only avoid gaining weight, but lose weight. While it is true that fat in your diet helps you feel satisfied longer and keep your blood sugar levels down, it is not the more, the merrier. You have to watch your fat consumption and get the proper amounts. The leading nutritional guidelines state that fat should make up 25-30% of you daily calorie intake. So don’t go gulping whole milk afer this article. Use your common sense.

All in all this is a great article outlining the benefits of whole, un-manipulated foods. Try to eat your foods the way they are provided for us naturally and for the most part you can’t go wrong. Stay healthy my friends.

Anl article in Men’s Health Magazine has researchers in the healthcare field weighing in on alternative medicine modalities including Acupuncture. It’s a quick, esay read and gives a good nod to Acupuncture for headaches and low back pain: http://www.menshealth.com/health/cure-or-crock. At Jacksonville Acupuncture Clinic we treat a variety of ailments including headaches and low back pain. If you are suffering, call us to schedule your free consultation today.

Do you know the difference between a licensed acupuncture physician and a Certified Acupuncture Physician? No? Don’t feel like a fool. Most people don’t.

A license in acupuncture is reserved for those who have graduated from an ACAOM accredited school for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and have passed the NCCAOM board examinations, as well as the CCAOM Clean Needle Techniques exam along with other requirements. The license is given through the state the acupuncturist is in and the requirements are rigorous. A licensed acupuncture physician has around 3000 hrs of school and training in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as Western Medicine, as has normally seen around 350 patients during their clinical internship.

A certification in acupuncture is received by other healthcare practitioners such as MDs, Chiropractors, and DOs who can have as little as 100 hrs of training with some of the classes being available online. The American Board of Medical Acupuncture requires 300 hrs of training, 200 in class and 100 clinical. This equates to 1/10 the training that your licensed acupuncturist has. Certification is not a license regulated by the state, but by an independent certifying body.

While most treatments by physicians who receive their Acupuncture Certifications should be safe, they will not be as effective. Acupuncture is a healing science as well as art that requires instincts developed by devoted practice to acupuncture alone. At Jacksonville Acupuncture Clinic our physicians are licensed by the State of Florida and Board Certified by the NCCAOM. We are here to help you with your healthcare needs. Call us to schedule your no-cost consultation and begin feeling better today.