Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, April 9, 2016

MVNews this week:  Page 11

11

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 9, 2016 


THE JOY OF YOGA

RESEARCHERS TO STUDY ACUPUNCTURE FOR 
ANKLE INSTABILITY AND SHIN SPLINTS

Ankle sprains and shin splints are two of the most common 
injuries of the lower leg. Most ankle injuries, meanwhile, 
are caused by an inversion sprain of the anterior talofibular 
and calcaneofibular ligaments, the two primary lateral 
stabilizing ligaments of the ankle. Because the ankle joint 
is quite complex, it does not always return to normal 
after injury; in fact, if an ankle is sprained repeatedly, the 
supporting musculature becomes imbalanced such that the 
ligaments become unstable, predisposing the ankle to even 
further injury.

 Although ankle sprains and shin splints appear to respond 
well to acupuncture, it has been difficult to measure how 
successful the therapy has been in making patients better. To 
get a better understanding of the benefits acupuncture could 
have on each condition, a pair of studies are currently being 
conducted by Matthew Callison, a licensed acupuncturist, 
and a team of researchers at the UCSD/RIMAC Sports 
Training Center in San Diego, California.

Acupuncture and Ankle Sprains

The first study will look at acupuncture’s ability to affect 
ankle stability. To qualify for the study, subjects who had 
had numerous ankle sprains in the past and currently have 
a feeling of “weakness” in the ankle. Patients will be divided 
into a test group that will receive acupuncture treatment 
that includes motor points (areas on the skin above a 
neuromuscular junction) and extraordinary vessel points, 
and a control group that will receive no treatment.

Callison’s team will measure ankle proprioception by 
having participants balance on one foot on a computerized 
platform, which will measure the number of times and 
distance each participant wavers from their range of 
balance. After the first set of measurements, patients will 
receive either acupuncture or no treatment, then be retested 
to measure any differences in balancing.

` “Using acupuncture on motor points has a profound 
effect on the efficacy of treating musculoskeletal injuries,” 
said Callison. “I want other acupuncturists to have 
confidence in their ability to treat these kinds of injuries.”

Acupuncture and Shin Splints

 The second study will determine the effects of acupuncture 
in treating shin splints. Subjects will be randomly divided 
into three groups. In the first group, patients will receive 
treatment in sports medicine modalities from qualified 
sports trainers. Patients in the second group will receive 
acupuncture treatments from Callison and a team of interns 
from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. The third group 
will be subjected to both treatments.

 Each study participant will receive an initial exam and 
six consecutive treatments. After the sixth treatment, pain 
levels will be measured using the Lykert scale subjective 
assessment test.

 “Using the acupuncture needle and electric stimulation, 
we can decrease the inflammation in the immediate area,” 
noted Callison. “Acupuncture is an important physical 
modality, and I hope that studies like this one will prove its 
value.”

References ; http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/
at/article.php?id=27682

RELY ON YOUR PRACTICE


Life is not always 
joyful. We are, in 
fact, experiencing 
the human 
condition each day. There is joy, happiness, freedom, 
sadness, fear and sorrow. In fact, it’s a great thing to 
be experiencing all these emotions. It means we’re 
alive and listening...

 It’s important to feel low (not stuck there 
indefinitely), ineffective, or even lost. These times are 
opportunities for mini-awakenings. They cause us to 
consider such questions as “am I stuck?” “Is there an 
area of my life that needs intention and surrender?”

 This when your yoga practice can be the ace in 
the hole! Our practice says: 1) this doesn’t have to be 
hard 2) the answers are inside already and 3) take it 
easy, apply stability, softness and love.

Even if your yoga starts as purely a physical practice, 
spiritual development takes place. Each time we 
practice, we’re making a connection to our deeper 
selves. Making this connection over and over 
strengthens our faith and intuition. There is huge 
power in this divine connection. There are choices.

 So why not rely upon your practice to live life? Why not 
use it to undo stress and tension? It’s through cultivating 
awareness, moving through fear and creating 
nourishing, smooth breath that real growth happens. 
I might add that it’s quite hard to access intuition 
and clarity when we’re a stressed. Further, we 
GET to be happy and joyful. Sadness, grief or guilt 
are not our lot in the long term. It is not who we 
are. Our true state is one of joy and light. Think 
of your practice as working from the inside out. 
Come to rely upon it’s answers and comfort. 
Namaste, see you on the mat!


Keely Totten 


FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain View Reader Dave Buchanan 
is a man after my own heart. He loves a 
good glass of wine and he loves to go to 
the Santa Anita Race Track and watch the 
horses run. As a reader of this column 
Dave asked me if I had any formal 
journalistic training. The answer is no - I 
was an Econ Major at Cal State LA. Dave 
and I have tussled about wine prices and 
the right and wrongs about bringing your 
own wine into a restaurant. 

Reader Cheryl would like me to give the 
little guys a chance - she tells me that 
Monopole on El Molino in Pasadena has 
some fantastic wines, and that Everson 
Royce on North Raymond also has a 
great selection. A few weeks ago, I took 
Cheryl’s advice and had a marvelous time 
sampling a Hunt and Harvest Merlot from 
a five-gallon keg at Everson Royce. Ryan 
was on duty and told me that kegged wine 
is a great way to sample wine before you 
make the decision to buy a full bottle, and 
I agree. I am all about value and would 
love to include the little guy in my column 
more often.

Many supermarkets are “fully in” on wine 
programs. Right now Vons is holding 
their semi-annual 30% off wine sale. 
Many of you whom I’ve met at my wine 
tastings tell me that when Vons does 
this program the prices are hard to beat. 
Others such as Ralphs and Stater Bros. 
have similar programs, although I wonder 
if the “regular” price is a bit inflated to 
make the savings look stronger. Whatever 
the strategy, this consumer has no shame 
in sending you to the supermarket 
aisle when there is a sale going on. 
Speaking of good deals, Central Park 
Restaurant in Pasadena has an offer that 
I think you’ll like. “Wine Wednesdays” 
is a phenomenon on social media, and 
Central Park offers 50% any bottle of wine 
on Wednesdays. I have already taken advantage of getting a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for 50% off. 

Wine Term of the Week

Balance: The level of agreement between acidity, tannins, fruit, oak, and other elements in a wine; a 
perceived quality that is more individual than scientific.

Join me this Sunday at 3:30 PM on TV!! I check out Pink’s Hot Dogs for PBS Los Angeles, Look for 
KLCS on your channel search. For more info go to www.klcs.org


Julie’s Favorite Family Recipes

LEMON-BASIL CHICKEN WITH BASIL AIOLI


Ingredients
CHICKEN:
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray


BASIL AIOLI:
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Preparation
To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to basil mixture, 
turning to coat.Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. 
Add chicken to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done.While chicken cooks, prepare aioli. 
Combine 1/4 cup basil and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve with 
chicken.