The Health Gazette - Alternative Medicine

Omega-3s Prove Anti-Depressive in Children

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:08:26 -0500

Researchers from Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry (Vol 163, pp. 1098-1100) that omega-3 fatty acids could help children suffering from depression, a condition that “may be more common than previously thought”. Studies reporting positive effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation have been increasing recently. Hopefully this reflects genuine progress in scientific discovery and not merely increased funding from related industy sources. The studies have shown benefits for children with learning difficulties, behavioural problems or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Probiotics Could Reduce Liver Cancer Incidence

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:27:53 -0500

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and third most common cause of death from cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. However, it is true to say the cancer remains relatively rare, with 18,500 new cases in the US every year, and about 3,000 in the UK. Researchers led by Hannu Mykkänen from the University of Kuopio claim a daily supplement of probiotics could reduce the risk of liver cancer caused by fungal toxins in foods.

The research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 83, pp. 1199-1203), involved 90 male student volunteers from the Guangdong province where food ingested exposure to aflotoxins is said to be common. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design was employed with two parallel groups including randomly assigned volunteers to either the control or intervention groups. The intervention involved two probiotic capsules per day containing a mixture of the strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus LC705 and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii. The control subjects received a cellulose placebo.

Another Study Documents Herb-Drug Interaction Issue

Wed, 31 May 2006 19:17:51 -0500

A report published in the March issue of Geriatric Nursing found that older women mixing herbal and prescribed medication could be risking their health. The study, at the University of Florida College of Nursing, looked at 58 women over the age of 65 who were taking both herbal and over-the-counter prescription medication. Seventy-four percent of the study's 58 participants were found to have a moderate or high-risk drug interaction.

Controversy over drug-herb interactions has come hand-in-hand with the growing popularity of herbal medicines and related nutraceuticals. The US retail market for dietary supplements was worth $8.3bn in 2005, a growth of six percent over 2004. What makes critics wary is that such supplements do not require pre-market approval in the US.

Nutraceuticals Research Presented at Canadian Medical Conference

Wed, 31 May 2006 05:43:16 -0500

Studies presented at the North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine point to the medical establishment's growing interest in alternative therapies. I personally believe they have few remaining options in the matter. They have tried to deride and to undermine and have attempted to usurp control. With the medical establishment's credibility at quite low levels and countless satisfied consumers of alternative medicine, their attempts have all failed. They are not yet ready to let go of tactics that seek to undermine or control but they increasingly seem to recognize that a more successful future rests in embracing alternative therapies, at least at some level.

UK Prince Charles Supports Alternative Medicine

Sun, 28 May 2006 05:18:33 -0500

In a speech on May 23, 2006 Prince Charles told the World Health Organisation in Geneva that alternative medicine should have a more prominent place in health care. The Prince urged every country to come up with a plan to integrate conventional and alternative medicine into the mainstream. Prince Charles heads his own Foundation for Integrated Health.

A report published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine held that use of herbal medicines in the UK is amongst the lowest in Europe, and few GPs prescribe them. However other European countries have significant alternative medicine users.

Some Foods Protect Against Stomach Cancer

Wed, 17 May 2006 01:59:21 -0500

A new study, part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), followed 521,457 subjects in 10 European countries with an average age of 52. It has been described as the largest cohort study on fruit and vegetable intake and the incidence of stomach (gastric) cancer in Western countries and the first to look at adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. The findings indicate that garlic and onions could help protect against stomach cancer but total fruit and vegetable intake has no benefit for this disease.

These findings are quite interesting. They appear in the International Journal of Cancer (Vol. 118, pp. 2559-2566) where lead author, Carlos Gonzalez, states: “We observed no evidence of association with fresh fruit intake or with total vegetable intake, even though a protective effect of total vegetables and onion and garlic was suggested for intestinal [cancer].”

Usual dietary intake over the previous year was measured using a country-specific validated questionnaire. Most countries used a self-administered technique with questionnaires typically containing between 88 and 266 food items.

Natural Antivirals

Thu, 11 May 2006 08:55:11 -0500

Regular readers know that I have no time for the nonsense relating to imagined bird-flu pandemics. However. I regarded the following item of sufficient novelty to be of some interest. You may judge its merits for yourself.

Research suggests certain natural foods may be as effective against virus H5N1 as commercial antivirals.

(PRWEB) May 10, 2006 -- A Biology teacher from Australia, named Stephen Jones, has done extensive research into the H5N1 virus and compiled a list of natural foods that are effective against it and listed others that are detrimental.

The list may come as a surprise to many people since foods such as spirulina and echinacea are listed as detrimental. This strange occurrence is largely due to the fact that the virus is immune to 2 cytokines that the body produces (TNF-a and IL-6). Cytokines are compounds produced by the body’s immune system that attack and remove foreign bodies. The problem is that when a foreign body is immune to certain cytokines, the body sees that its immune response is not working and tries even harder, which can lead to what is called a cytokine storm, where the body becomes flooded with these compounds and they eventually destroy the body itself. Foods such as Echinacea actually stimulate the production of these specific cytokines; hence consuming it is not a good idea if one suspects they may have the virus.

Special Diets Surpass Drugs in Autism Treatment Success

Mon, 08 May 2006 06:02:28 -0500

Public awareness of autism increased exponentially last week, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report announcing the prevalence of autism in the United States. In 2003 and 2004, two national health organizations interviewed the parents of approximately 98,000 school-aged children, combined. The results estimated that nearly 1 in every 175 children is living with autism. This equates to approximately 300,000 autistic school-aged children in the U.S. alone. Some researchers believe this number may still prove to be conservative.

To most Americans, this news comes as quite a shock. However, for the hundreds of thousands of parents with autistic children it is a mere affirmation that this condition deserves far more attention than it has been receiving.

Medicinal Peanut Skins For Antioxidants

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:09:44 -0500

Peanut skins were the source of oligomeric proanythocyanidins (OPCs), dimers, trimers and tetramers of the procyanidin monomers, identified by French scientist Masquelier about half a century ago. Now, in a new study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (Vol. 19, pp. 364-371), lead author Jianmei Yu from North Carolina A&T State University, says they could provide an inexpensive source of natural antioxidants, such as catechins and procyanidin, for use in food and dietary supplements.

Study Supports Anti-Alzheimer's Lifestyle

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 01:39:53 -0500

I regularly refer to and recommend a healthy lifestyle. Soon I will have my own book available that makes just what that means very clear and lays out a plan for achieving it. For now though, I was interested to see a study that supports a link between following a healthy lifestyle and prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

The study, published in the Annals of Neurology (April 18, 2006), found a strong link between consuming what is widely referred to as a Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's. Indeed, lead author Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University Medical Center claimed that: "Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease."

Get the Facts on Osteoporosis

Sun, 09 Apr 2006 21:43:00 -0500

One of the best articles I have ever seen dealing with osteoporosis was just published on April 9th, 2006. It was written by Canadian independent nurse practitioner, Ruth Ditchburn.

Consider the following plain talk about the more common myths.

Let us look at three myths about Osteoporosis:

Study Confirms Relief for IBS Sufferers

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 03:51:24 -0500

Iirritable bowel syndrome (IBS), sometimes called spastic colon, affects at least 10 percent and probably in excess of 20 percent of the American population. That is a lot of sufferers and it represents a very large market. Since few pharmaceuticals have any effect on the condition it is not well treated by orthodox doctors and a large number of over the counter drugs and alternative medicines have been made to meet the demand for relief.

I have always found some degree of food intolerance to be involved and relief can be swift and lasting when this is remedied. However, besides this the two treatments that seem most effective are probiotics and digestive enzymes. Of course improving overall lifestyle is always recommended and this will include relaxation (stress relief where necessary) and exercise and these certainly are beneficial in dealing with IBS.

Prestigious Organization Calls for Lowering Fluoride Limits in Tap Water

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 19:16:22 -0600

A new report from the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concludes that the current allowable level of fluoride in tap water is not protective of the public health and should be lowered, citing serious concerns about bone fractures and dental fluorosis, a discoloration and weakening of the enamel of the teeth that the committee noted is associated with other adverse health impacts.

The NAS report puts concerns about the safety of fluoride in tap water squarely in the mainstream of scientific thought. The committee called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reevaluate and tighten current safety standards in light of these concerns.

Sleep Related to Diabetes Risk

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 02:40:00 -0600

Most people know the importance of sleep, at least at some level. Recall that I describe it as one of the essential determinants of health and we earlier noted the discovery of sleep genes. We also know that people spend a fortune trying to get enough sleep (only to fail when they use pharmaceuticals because none of them induce quality sleep). Now in what I call "Goldilocks" research we find that it is important to get not too little, not too much, but just the right amount of sleep.

Yoga – A Cure for Modern Day Stress

Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:50:23 -0600

Yoga – A Cure for Modern Day Stress by Michelle Trantina

As we walk the tightrope between modern life and our animal instincts, the human race strives to find balance. In our bodies, our minds, our environment, in our lives. With our brains over-stimulated and our bodies more sedentary than ever, many of us suffer from the fatigue and imbalance that comes from chronic stress without sufficient recovery. A yoga practice is an excellent way to soothe nerves that are in a constant state of overdrive. Yoga can help give us the ability to live healthy amidst hectic schedules and bustling environments. Why does it seem that as technology evolves at such epic pace we have less and less time at our disposal? Now more than ever we need to slow down, quiet our minds, take a deep breath...