| A study sponsored by the National Institutes of | | | | A study published in the “Journal of Neurology |
| Health found a 7-week acupuncture treatment helped | | | | Neurosurgery and Psychiatry” found vitamin D |
| many ease their chronic lower back pain. The patients | | | | may help to reduce mental decline later in life. |
| volunteering for the study ranked their pain at least a | | | | Researchers compared the cognitive performance of |
| 3 on a scale of 0 to 10 and were divided into groups. | | | | more than 3,000 European men aged 40 to 79. After |
| Some groups received usual care – medicine and | | | | adjusting for education level, depression, physical |
| doctor checkups. Other groups received usual care | | | | activity and physical performance, those with low |
| plus acupuncture. About 40% of volunteers receiving | | | | levels of vitamin D did less well on a task designed to |
| usual care improved. About 60% of those receiving | | | | test mental agility. Vitamin D is produced by the body |
| usual care plus acupuncture improved. In acupuncture | | | | when skin is exposed to sunlight, is present in some |
| needles are inserted in specific points to get energy | | | | foods and is available in supplement form. It seems |
| flowing. Unfortunately, acupuncture won’t work | | | | the “sunshine vitamin” could brighten futures. |
| on the economy. | | | | Finally, the Dandelion School is Beijing’s only |
| In May 2009 the Institute of Medicine issued new | | | | government-approved middle school for children of |
| guidelines for how much weight women should gain | | | | migrant workers. In 2006, in cooperation with |
| during pregnancy. More than half of pregnant women | | | | China’s Center for Disease Control and |
| don’t follow these guidelines; and unfortunately, | | | | Prevention, the school gave students 3 fortified |
| more of them are heavier, older and have more | | | | meals daily for 8 months. Migrant workers’ |
| pre-existing conditions than a decade ago – | | | | children come to school on average 4 inches shorter |
| making extra pounds riskier. According to the | | | | and 22 pounds lighter than average children their age. |
| guidelines, women with normal body mass indexes | | | | Blood tests before and after the 8-month |
| should gain 25 to 35 pounds; overweight women | | | | experiment showed major improvements in the |
| should gain 15 to 25 pounds; and for the first time | | | | students’ nutrient levels. Before the fortified |
| there’s a recommendation for obese women. | | | | food experiment the passing rate was less than 1%. |
| They should gain 11 to 20 pounds. Having a baby can | | | | In 2008 it was 98% - fortifying the program’s |
| be a weighty decision in more than one way. | | | | permanence. |