I was watching the Olympics the other day and saw a piece where a reporter went and received acupuncture treatments. It was interesting to hear about this particular practitioner who was influential in acupuncture's acceptance into Western culture. After the piece, the reporter mentioned that Nastia Liukin, gold medalist in the women's all-around gymnastics competition, has weekly acupuncture treatments.

She's not alone. Acupuncture is widely used as a method to aid and speed healing from sports-related injuries. Though the thought of multiple metal needles being inserted into your body is daunting, to say the least, proponents of the traditional form of medicine sing its praises. In addition to aiding in healing, acupuncture is said to help athletes by boosting energy, improving circulation, and ensuring the body gets the most out of nutrients. In addition, acupuncture is said to help improve the quality of sleep and boost immunity.

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Anybody remember the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer is observing a surgery and drops a Junior Mint into the guy's body cavity? It was funny because it was so obviously outlandish -- of course doctors would notice if something was left in the body that shouldn't be there. Of course they would remove it before sewing the body shut, right?

Perhaps not.

Medical litter has become a major problem, with 72 deaths and 4675 injuries occurring due to "unretrieved device fragments" known as UDFs. Most often the problem has to do with wire guides for catheters used for heart operations -- they can break or fracture and the device (or fragments) are left behind. Bone screws are a problem as well, but there are other, less common issues, such as needles and scalpel blades being left behind. And often, even if the doctor is aware of the problem, the patient is not informed.

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As a rule, I'm against plastic surgery for a number of reasons. This includes botox. However, when reading this post called the Anti-Aging Skin Care Checklist, I was surprised to see that getting botox injections made the list. Why? Because apparently there's some evidence that Restylane and Juvederm, two popular injectable fillers, can help people produce more collagen naturally, which can reduce wrinkles. Hmmm. That might be true but I still don't think injecting your face with this stuff is safe.

I'm still a believer that the best treatment for wrinkles is prevention through steps like wearing sunscreen, eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water. What do you think?

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Needles? Injections? Vaccinations? Er, no way. But with school starting in a few weeks (and my youngest heading to kindergarten), I've had nothing else on my mind.

Unfortunately, like most children, mine hates shots -- so what's a mom (or dad) to do?

Well, when infants get shots perhaps the most important thing you can do is stay calm, cool and collected. Not always easy, I know. Babies can't talk, but they do sense fear and anxiety, especially in their parents. So if you feel yourself becoming anxious, try and take deep breaths to relax your muscles.

If that's not working, here are a few other strategies that may work:

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Acupuncture is one of those traditional eastern practices that has gained recognition and popularity over here too. But does it work? Will it benefit you? Acupuncturists use thin needles to manipulate energy in one's body, and it can help relieve pain and many other problems. Though many experts in North America think it works, they can't really explain why, aside from suggesting that the needles might trigger endorphins which help with pain management.

I had acupuncture about a year ago and though I didn't notice any major changes in my body, I did feel better. One of the keys to acupuncture is that you have to have an open mind. If you're convinced it can't work, your body will believe it and it won't work for you. So if you're considering it, I would say it's work a try ... and don't worry, it's doesn't hurt beyond the occasional pinch. For more information, check out this article from eDiets.

Have you had it? Will you?

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If you're wanting to look younger and are considering some of the more invasive and drastic procedures like injections or cosmetic surgery, have you thought about acupuncture instead? Although acupuncture has existed for thousands of years, it's only really been in use here in the U.S. for face lifts for about 20 years or so. And the technique may not be what you expect -- an acupuncture face lift isn't what I pictured at first, which was needles sticking all over a person's face. It's much more complicated and often the needles are put other places on the body based on where the acupuncturist determines the problems (the wrinkles) are originating from.

Have you tried it? Would you try it? Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and Cher apparently have. What do you think?

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Tattoos are more popular than ever it seems, especially since technology has made them less permanent than they used to be. Whether it's from a struggle to differentiate themselves from the crowd, a new crazy way of artistic expression, or simply because they ran out of space, some people have started getting tattoos on their eyeballs. And we're not talking about permanent makeup or anything else on the outside of the eye -- we're talking ink injected right into the cornea.

Corneal tattooing is dangerous for a number of reasons, because in addition to the usual tattoo risks the cornea version can include infection, perforation, hemorrhage, scarring, and blindness. It started as a means of repairing eye damage and covering scarring, but it's becoming a more and more popular cosmetic procedure.

So would you let a tattoo artist stick a needle in your eye? Talk about regret!

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