According to the March 2003 issue of the AARP Bulletin, the American healthcare system is in a state of collapse. In a comparison of quality healthcare by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States ranked 37th, coming in behind such nations as Andorra, Malta, Oman and Singapore.
Despite the average $4,600 per capita spent for healthcare in the United States — which is more than twice the average of other countries, such as France ($2,125) and Japan ($1,759) — our healthcare system is faltering while costs keep rising.
In most developed nations the government controls and administers some form of socialized healthcare. Costs are carefully controlled and all viable alternatives to expensive allopathic protocols and drugs are considered.
By comparison, healthcare in the United States is in the domain of those enterprises that stand to benefit from expensive medical practices, despite the fact that the American public is developing a thirst for alternative healthcare, as indicated in a 1998 survey reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which found that 60 million were using alternative therapies.
FDA actions: At odds with its mission
The power of the medical and pharmaceutical industries has infiltrated agencies of the government that are supposed to protect and serve the interests of the public, not of the industries they regulate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a prime example of this phenomenon.
The stated mission of the FDA is to protect the public health. The agency is also responsible for helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer and more affordable.
Yet, on June 15, 1993, the FDA Dietary Supplement Task Force published its report on developing public policy on nutritional supplements and stated, “The Task Force considered various issues in its deliberations, including what steps are necessary to ensure that the existence of dietary supplements on the market does not act as a disincentive for drug development.”
It would seem, then, that the unstated mission of the FDA is to protect drug-industry profits against competition from more effective, safer and less expensive natural alternatives. To illustrate, here are some examples of FDA actions that have not been in the best interests of the American public:
• L-Tryptophan. This is an essential amino acid and a very effective serotonin producer. Elevated levels of serotonin in the body often result in the relief of depression, as well as substantial reduction in anxiety and stress.
In late 1989, the FDA recalled L-Tryptophan. The agency said that this amino acid had caused a rare and deadly flu-like condition. The Centers for Disease Control and the Mayo Clinic investigated the cause of the flu-like condition and did trace its outbreak to contaminants found in batches of L-Tryptophan — manufactured by a Japanese company.
The FDA, however, completely and arbitrarily banned the public sale of dietary L-Tryptophan on March 22, 1990.
Coincidentally, on March 26 — four days following the ban of L-Tryptophan – Newsweek featured a lead article praising the virtues of the anti-depressant drug Prozac. This drug, as well as other anti-depressant drugs such as Paxil and Zoloft, is a serotonin-enhancer, working on whatever amounts of serotonin already exist in the body.
In contrast, ingested L-Tryptophan is a serotonin-producer, making it superior to its drug counterparts.
A 100-count bottle of 500mg capsules of L-Tryptophan sold for $17. A 90-count bottle of 25mg of Prozac sells for $257.
Today, L-Tryptophan is a legal prescription drug sold through a network of compounding pharmacies at approximately $85 for one hundred 500mg capsules — nearly five times more than when it was a dietary supplement.
• Stevia. This is a safe and intensely sweet herb. In Europe and in the Far East, it is a popular non-caloric sweetener and it could hold that potential in this country as well.
However, in 1991 the FDA banned Stevia as an “unsafe food additive.” Thanks to the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), which allows supplements sold before 1994 to remain on the market unless the FDA can prove they are unsafe, Stevia is now sold as a dietary supplement. The FDA’s stubborn position, though, prevents this herb from being used commercially to sweeten soft drinks or foods and replace less healthful chemical sweeteners now used.
• Kava Kava. This herb has been revered as a calming social beverage in island communities of the South Pacific for nearly three millennia. It gained prominence in the early ‘90s when Germany’s Commission E, a panel of herbal experts in the fields of medicine and pharmacy, evaluated it and approved its use as a nonprescription medicine for “nervous anxiety, stress and restlessness.”
The herb came under fire in November of 2001 when the German government announced that over several years it had found 24 adverse event reports of liver damage reportedly associated with oral use of medicinal kava preparations.
When the FDA heard of this “reportedly adverse event” involving an herb that was known to be effective, safe and less expensive than a comparable synthetic drug, it immediately notified the media and sent out letters indicating
that it was investigating whether the use of kava-containing dietary supplements caused liver damage.
The FDA announcements failed to state that in 18 of the 24 adverse-event reports on kava, the individuals were also concurrently taking prescription pharmaceutical drugs with known potential liver toxicity.
Prior to the FDA’s pronouncement, kava ranked ninth in sales of all herbal dietary supplements — it has now fallen into disfavor due to the intense media attention fomented by the FDA.
Meanwhile, some over-the-counter painkillers containing acetaminophen were responsible for thousands of liver poisonings a year and were determined to be the leading cause of liver failure in the United States, according to a 2002 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The FDA, however, has never notified the media or sent out letters indicating it was investigating whether the use of acetaminophen-containing OTC drugs caused liver damage.
• Ephedra. also known as Ma huang, it has been a lightning rod for controversy.
This herbal weight-control supplement has been in use continuously for at least 5,000 years and is the oldest medicinal plant of which we have written records. This incredible herb promotes weight loss by producing a thermogenic and fat-metabolizing effect and acts as an appetite suppressant. It works. It is safe under normal conditions of use, has no contraindications and is inexpensive.
In 2001 a carefully conducted, independent, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study reported in the International Journal of Obesity found that the group taking ephedra had significantly greater reductions in waist and hip circumference than the placebo group, with no adverse effects on the subjects during the trial.
Most of the publicized abuses concern the drug ephedrine, which is an alkaloid that constitutes less than 3 percent of the whole ephedra herb.
One of the most publicized cases concerning ephedra was that of Baltimore Orioles player Steve Bechler, who died of organ failure brought on by heat stroke when his body temperature reached 108 degrees.
Bechler had pre-existing high blood pressure, was overweight and had extraordinary demands placed upon him as a professional athlete. He also used an ephedra-containing product, which the medical examiner cited as a “probable contributor” to his death.
The sensationalism surrounding ephedra has been biased and exaggerated – and so successful that even alternative health practitioners now believe this valuable herb is dangerous.
To date, no deaths have been directly attributed to the herb ephedra. By comparison, the drug industry is still smarting from the infamous Fen-Phen scandal, the diet pills that promised weight loss but delivered heart and lung disease instead. Some 300 deaths were attributed to the pills before they were taken off the market. And the danger imposed on the public was for nothing: An independent follow-up study later showed they didn’t even reduce weight.
Newest attack: S 722
Congress is now considering Senate Bill 722, the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003. The bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers of dietary supplements to submit to the Food and Drug Administration reports on adverse experiences with dietary supplements. (See “Supplements under federal scrutiny” in Newsflash, Issue 11, Chiropractic Economics or at www.chiroeco.com/news/supplement-scrutiny.html.)
The underlying purpose of this bill is to move the burden of proof from the FDA to show that a supplement is not safe to the manufacturer to show that it is safe.
The methodology of this bill hands the FDA a blank check for removing any supplement it chooses from the marketplace, because the report of a single “serious adverse dietary supplement experience” would enable the FDA to require the manufacturer to submit safety data on that product.
S 722 defines “adverse experience” as a negative health experience that is associated with but not necessarily caused by a dietary supplement. The FDA would have the authority to decide whether that safety data was adequate. Given the FDA’s hostile stance on alternative medicine, it is reasonable to predict that the passage of this bill will spell the death sentence for natural alternatives to drugs and consumer choice.
The American public deserves inexpensive and effective alternatives; it deserves to have a choice about its healthcare.
What can we — all of us — do? Several things:
• Band together. In unity there is power. It is time for alternative health practitioners and the natural food and supplement industry to band together.
• Become politically active. Force your Congressional leaders to listen.
• Educate your patients and customers. Tell them the facts about the AMA and the drug industry. Even give them a copy of this article. This may be the most important thing you can do.
It is now the eleventh hour. Don’t let the clock strike twelve.
Galen O. Ballard, PhD, has been with Titan Laboratories since its inception in 1988. In 1999 he was promoted to president .
Dr. Ballard's education includes undergraduate studies at the University of Denver with graduate work at the Universities of Wisconisn and Maryland. He also holds a law degree from Blackstone School of Law in Chicago. He can be contacted by e-mail at gballard@titanlabs.com.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Integration of Wellness and Holistic Services with Traditional Medical Practices
The Medical and Spa Industries:
As the medical and spa industries continue to integrate services, staffing, treatments, and protocols, a respect for the talents of each discipline emerges. The combination of medicine and holistic healing are an excellent recipe when correctly balanced. European spas base their healing philosophies on services such as thalassotherapy, balneotherapy, and, recently, radon therapies. However, they are not always as adept at creating the level of guest experience expected in Western cultures, which include additional features of comfort, relaxation, and personal attention before and after actual services.
In the United States and Canada, exceptional customer service standards are offered in the actual spa experiences themselves, as well as during time spent before and after the service. This approach stems from the culture of the service-focused hospitality and lodging industry, where many spas were initially located. In recent years, this North American spa culture has begun to embrace and respect European and Eastern spa traditions, while maintaining the atmosphere of luxury to which Westerners are accustomed. This synergy has created a spa experience that is not only a relaxing treat, but therapeutic as well. We know that there is a powerful relationship between mind and body in healthy as well as diseased times, thus, the combination of European and Eastern therapies alongside Western traditions of a well-appointed experience, make spa-going a complete, marketable, and lucrative business.
According to Susie Ellis, wellness heads the list of 2008 spa trends. Although “wellness” means different things to different people, the overall idea of de-stressing and feeling comfortable, and gaining back a bit of time in an overly busy day, appeals to the majority of the market of spa-goers. While the medical spa industry generally does not offer holistic services, this segment of the industry is accepting the wellness trend in order to make the patient, or guest, feel better immediately.
Medical spas that do not offer a at least some wellness services are missing an opportunity, specifically in the treatment of menopause, arthritis, breast cancer and other cancers, diabetes and those living with spinal cord injuries/disease. Patients/guests living with these as well as other health challenges could truly benefit from a non-clinical experience, and would relish the opportunity of relaxation during their treatments. Prime examples of wellness services offering benefit to medical patients are lymphatic drainage massage and the use of arnica, which provides exceptional healing properties. Additionally, lymphedema management therapies are excellent in controlling the side effects of breast cancer treatment; acupuncture has been known to aid in the treatment of women’s health issues (menstruation, infertility, menopause, etc), acute and chronic pain, digestive disorders and chronic diseases (hepatitis c, fibromyalgia, etc); and neuromuscular therapy provides relief of chronic pain including back pain, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip and knee problems, scoliosis, etc.
Water therapies, the origins of spa, provide further opportunities in the wellness industry. Thalassotherapy (from
the Greek word thalassa, meaning "sea") is the medical use of seawater, and Balneotherapy (the medical use of bathing) are both excellent holistic therapies that can compliment treatments in a medical spa facility. The properties of seawater are believed to have beneficial effects upon the pores of the skin, as well as internal organs. While not yet proven scientifically, these therapies are applied in various forms: showers of warmed seawater, applications of marine mud or algae paste, or the inhalation of sea fog. Patients with cardiac and respiratory disease, thyroid dysfunction, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and eye diseases have reported relief during these therapies. The trace elements of magnesium, potassium, calcium sulfates, sodium, and iodine, found in seawater, are believed to be absorbed through the skin, thus creating the medicinal benefit. CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla offers Thalassotherapies, and has recently expanded their spa to include a Thalasso pool to provide healing therapies to spa guests.
An Alternative Medicine Breakdown:
The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern Western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medical treatments”. Some treatments include naturopathy, chiropractic services, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic treatments, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, bodywork, homeopathy and diet-based therapies, in addition to a range of other practices. These services are complementary to many mainstream medical techniques. Spas may incorporate or base themselves on traditional medicine, folk knowledge, spiritual beliefs, or newly conceived approaches to healing. The claims made by alternative medicine practitioners are generally not accepted by the medical community because evidence-based proof is not available regarding the safety and efficacy of many of these practices. However, when a patient feels good and experiences a benefit of relief, they return for additional services.
If scientific investigation and studies establish the safety and effectiveness of an alternative medical practice, we are confident it will be adopted by conventional practitioners. Universities and Hospitals throughout the country such as Henry Ford Health Systems (working closely with NRi), University of Maryland Medical School, Scripps Hospital, Stanford and Duke, all are incorporating an element of holistic practice.
Lastly, it is important to work closely with medical practitioners, and combine spa services with local hospitals or medical offices in your area. Keep in mind that traditional physicians may be skeptical; however, this simply comes from their protectiveness toward their patients. Working together for the common goal of patient and guest care will assist with a smooth integration process.
Those who have health have life; those who have life have everything.
Kelly Costa Gravitt is the Medical Spa Account Manager at Natural Resources Spa Consulting, Inc., a leading international spa consulting firm celebrating 15 years in the industry. Natural Resources Spa Consulting, Inc. marks this anniversary as a tribute to the evolution of the spa industry during this time period.
Caring Compassionate Experts
Holistic Wellness Spas
Source
As the medical and spa industries continue to integrate services, staffing, treatments, and protocols, a respect for the talents of each discipline emerges. The combination of medicine and holistic healing are an excellent recipe when correctly balanced. European spas base their healing philosophies on services such as thalassotherapy, balneotherapy, and, recently, radon therapies. However, they are not always as adept at creating the level of guest experience expected in Western cultures, which include additional features of comfort, relaxation, and personal attention before and after actual services.
In the United States and Canada, exceptional customer service standards are offered in the actual spa experiences themselves, as well as during time spent before and after the service. This approach stems from the culture of the service-focused hospitality and lodging industry, where many spas were initially located. In recent years, this North American spa culture has begun to embrace and respect European and Eastern spa traditions, while maintaining the atmosphere of luxury to which Westerners are accustomed. This synergy has created a spa experience that is not only a relaxing treat, but therapeutic as well. We know that there is a powerful relationship between mind and body in healthy as well as diseased times, thus, the combination of European and Eastern therapies alongside Western traditions of a well-appointed experience, make spa-going a complete, marketable, and lucrative business.
According to Susie Ellis, wellness heads the list of 2008 spa trends. Although “wellness” means different things to different people, the overall idea of de-stressing and feeling comfortable, and gaining back a bit of time in an overly busy day, appeals to the majority of the market of spa-goers. While the medical spa industry generally does not offer holistic services, this segment of the industry is accepting the wellness trend in order to make the patient, or guest, feel better immediately.
Medical spas that do not offer a at least some wellness services are missing an opportunity, specifically in the treatment of menopause, arthritis, breast cancer and other cancers, diabetes and those living with spinal cord injuries/disease. Patients/guests living with these as well as other health challenges could truly benefit from a non-clinical experience, and would relish the opportunity of relaxation during their treatments. Prime examples of wellness services offering benefit to medical patients are lymphatic drainage massage and the use of arnica, which provides exceptional healing properties. Additionally, lymphedema management therapies are excellent in controlling the side effects of breast cancer treatment; acupuncture has been known to aid in the treatment of women’s health issues (menstruation, infertility, menopause, etc), acute and chronic pain, digestive disorders and chronic diseases (hepatitis c, fibromyalgia, etc); and neuromuscular therapy provides relief of chronic pain including back pain, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip and knee problems, scoliosis, etc.
Water therapies, the origins of spa, provide further opportunities in the wellness industry. Thalassotherapy (from
the Greek word thalassa, meaning "sea") is the medical use of seawater, and Balneotherapy (the medical use of bathing) are both excellent holistic therapies that can compliment treatments in a medical spa facility. The properties of seawater are believed to have beneficial effects upon the pores of the skin, as well as internal organs. While not yet proven scientifically, these therapies are applied in various forms: showers of warmed seawater, applications of marine mud or algae paste, or the inhalation of sea fog. Patients with cardiac and respiratory disease, thyroid dysfunction, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and eye diseases have reported relief during these therapies. The trace elements of magnesium, potassium, calcium sulfates, sodium, and iodine, found in seawater, are believed to be absorbed through the skin, thus creating the medicinal benefit. CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla offers Thalassotherapies, and has recently expanded their spa to include a Thalasso pool to provide healing therapies to spa guests.
An Alternative Medicine Breakdown:
The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern Western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medical treatments”. Some treatments include naturopathy, chiropractic services, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic treatments, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, bodywork, homeopathy and diet-based therapies, in addition to a range of other practices. These services are complementary to many mainstream medical techniques. Spas may incorporate or base themselves on traditional medicine, folk knowledge, spiritual beliefs, or newly conceived approaches to healing. The claims made by alternative medicine practitioners are generally not accepted by the medical community because evidence-based proof is not available regarding the safety and efficacy of many of these practices. However, when a patient feels good and experiences a benefit of relief, they return for additional services.
If scientific investigation and studies establish the safety and effectiveness of an alternative medical practice, we are confident it will be adopted by conventional practitioners. Universities and Hospitals throughout the country such as Henry Ford Health Systems (working closely with NRi), University of Maryland Medical School, Scripps Hospital, Stanford and Duke, all are incorporating an element of holistic practice.
Lastly, it is important to work closely with medical practitioners, and combine spa services with local hospitals or medical offices in your area. Keep in mind that traditional physicians may be skeptical; however, this simply comes from their protectiveness toward their patients. Working together for the common goal of patient and guest care will assist with a smooth integration process.
Those who have health have life; those who have life have everything.
Kelly Costa Gravitt is the Medical Spa Account Manager at Natural Resources Spa Consulting, Inc., a leading international spa consulting firm celebrating 15 years in the industry. Natural Resources Spa Consulting, Inc. marks this anniversary as a tribute to the evolution of the spa industry during this time period.
Caring Compassionate Experts
Holistic Wellness Spas
Source
Chinese Herbs Show Promise for Endometriosis
By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: July 08, 2009
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner Earn CME/CE credit
for reading medical news
HOUSTON, July 8 -- Chinese herbal medicine provided relief to symptoms of endometriosis that was equivalent or superior to conventional therapies following laparoscopic surgery, a systematic review indicated.
Herbal medicine achieved symptom relief comparable to that of gestrinone but with fewer side effects, Andrew Flower, PhD, of Southampton University in Ringmer, England, and colleagues reported in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The pregnancy rate was similar with either treatment.
Compared with danazol, Chinese herbal medicine led to better postsurgical symptom control with fewer side effects.
"These findings suggest that Chinese herbs may be just as effective as certain conventional drug treatments for women suffering from endometriosis, but at present we don't have enough evidence to generalize the results," Dr. Flower said in a statement.
The authors noted that more rigorous research is needed to assess the potential role of Chinese herbal medicine in treating endometriosis. Investigators initially identified 110 studies for their review. However, all but two had to be excluded because of methodologic flaws.
Medical treatment of endometriosis ranges from symptomatic management with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics to hormonal manipulations that include continual oral contraceptives, progestins, danazol, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists.
Hormonal therapies provide comparable symptom relief and reduction of endometriosis-related lesions, the authors said.
However, the benefits are short lived, and symptoms often return to pretreatment levels within six months. Under the best of circumstances, more than a third of patients have symptom recurrence within two or three years after stopping therapy, the authors noted.
Additionally, the benefits of conventional therapy have to be balanced against potentially serious adverse effects, the authors continued.
Surgery also carries a risk of serious adverse events, such as bowel perforation and peritonitis, and offers no assurance of long-term symptom relief.
"In summary, current treatments all have high rates of recurrence and their short-term benefits have to be balanced with concerns over immediate and longer-term side effects," they said.
Chinese herbal medicine has a clinical history that dates back to ancient times. Among the medical applications is treatment of symptoms associated with endometriosis.
The origin of Chinese herbs' activity in endometriosis is unclear. Suggested mechanisms have included regulation of endocrine and immune systems, improved circulation, and anti-inflammatory activity.
But no English-language systematic review had been conducted to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine has a role in the treatment of endometriosis.
To address that void, Dr. Flower and colleagues searched multiple databases for randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine versus placebo, conventional medical therapy, another Chinese herb, or as an add-on to conventional therapy.
Of 110 studies originally considered, only two met the authors' inclusion criteria. All 110 studies were conducted in China and were reported in Chinese.
The two studies involved a total of 158 women whose mean age was 30. Diagnostic criteria included laparoscopic diagnosis, American Fertility Society staging, and vaginal or rectal B-ultrasound.
Additionally, all of the patients had been diagnosed according to traditional Chinese medicine as having stagnation of Qi (vital energy) and blood with an underlying kidney deficiency.
All patients had laparoscopic surgery as primary therapy.
One study compared a Chinese herbal medicine enema and gestrinone. In the second trial, patients were randomized to Chinese herbal medicine pills alone, herbal pills plus an herbal enema, or danazol.
Gestrinone led to a symptomatic relief rate of 93.87% compared with 95.6% for the Chinese herbal medicine enema.
During 24 months of follow-up, 69.6% of women assigned to the enema became pregnant, as did 59.1% of patients treated with gestrinone. Neither difference achieved statistical significance.
No adverse events occurred in patients treated with the Chinese herbal medicine enema. In contrast, 13 of 49 patients treated with gestrinone developed acne, while19 had elevated liver enzymes, and 31 had oligomenorrhea.
In the second trial, oral Chinese herbal medicine alone or in combination with an herbal enema led to significantly greater symptom relief compared with danazol (RR 5.06, 95% CI 1.28 to 20.05 and RR 5.63, 95% CI 1.47 to21.54, respectively).
Additionally, the combined Chinese herbal medicine reduced dysmenorrheal pain significantly more than danazol and resulted in a significantly higher rate of disappearance or shrinkage of adnexal masses (MD -2.90, 95% CI -4.55 to -1.25, RR 1.70, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.78, respectively).
Four of 16 patients randomized to Chinese herbal pills alone had dry mouth, and one patient developed acne. Among 24 patients randomized to herbal pills and an herbal enema, two had dry mouth, while 11 developed rectal tenesmus during the first two weeks of treatment, and one patient had weight gain of 3 kg.
Of 18 patients treated with danazol, 13 developed acne, while three had weight gain of 3 kg, two gained 2 kg, one gained 1.5 kg, two had elevated liver enzymes, and four had oligomenorrhea.
Published: July 08, 2009
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner Earn CME/CE credit
for reading medical news
HOUSTON, July 8 -- Chinese herbal medicine provided relief to symptoms of endometriosis that was equivalent or superior to conventional therapies following laparoscopic surgery, a systematic review indicated.
Herbal medicine achieved symptom relief comparable to that of gestrinone but with fewer side effects, Andrew Flower, PhD, of Southampton University in Ringmer, England, and colleagues reported in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The pregnancy rate was similar with either treatment.
Compared with danazol, Chinese herbal medicine led to better postsurgical symptom control with fewer side effects.
"These findings suggest that Chinese herbs may be just as effective as certain conventional drug treatments for women suffering from endometriosis, but at present we don't have enough evidence to generalize the results," Dr. Flower said in a statement.
The authors noted that more rigorous research is needed to assess the potential role of Chinese herbal medicine in treating endometriosis. Investigators initially identified 110 studies for their review. However, all but two had to be excluded because of methodologic flaws.
Medical treatment of endometriosis ranges from symptomatic management with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics to hormonal manipulations that include continual oral contraceptives, progestins, danazol, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists.
Hormonal therapies provide comparable symptom relief and reduction of endometriosis-related lesions, the authors said.
However, the benefits are short lived, and symptoms often return to pretreatment levels within six months. Under the best of circumstances, more than a third of patients have symptom recurrence within two or three years after stopping therapy, the authors noted.
Additionally, the benefits of conventional therapy have to be balanced against potentially serious adverse effects, the authors continued.
Surgery also carries a risk of serious adverse events, such as bowel perforation and peritonitis, and offers no assurance of long-term symptom relief.
"In summary, current treatments all have high rates of recurrence and their short-term benefits have to be balanced with concerns over immediate and longer-term side effects," they said.
Chinese herbal medicine has a clinical history that dates back to ancient times. Among the medical applications is treatment of symptoms associated with endometriosis.
The origin of Chinese herbs' activity in endometriosis is unclear. Suggested mechanisms have included regulation of endocrine and immune systems, improved circulation, and anti-inflammatory activity.
But no English-language systematic review had been conducted to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine has a role in the treatment of endometriosis.
To address that void, Dr. Flower and colleagues searched multiple databases for randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine versus placebo, conventional medical therapy, another Chinese herb, or as an add-on to conventional therapy.
Of 110 studies originally considered, only two met the authors' inclusion criteria. All 110 studies were conducted in China and were reported in Chinese.
The two studies involved a total of 158 women whose mean age was 30. Diagnostic criteria included laparoscopic diagnosis, American Fertility Society staging, and vaginal or rectal B-ultrasound.
Additionally, all of the patients had been diagnosed according to traditional Chinese medicine as having stagnation of Qi (vital energy) and blood with an underlying kidney deficiency.
All patients had laparoscopic surgery as primary therapy.
One study compared a Chinese herbal medicine enema and gestrinone. In the second trial, patients were randomized to Chinese herbal medicine pills alone, herbal pills plus an herbal enema, or danazol.
Gestrinone led to a symptomatic relief rate of 93.87% compared with 95.6% for the Chinese herbal medicine enema.
During 24 months of follow-up, 69.6% of women assigned to the enema became pregnant, as did 59.1% of patients treated with gestrinone. Neither difference achieved statistical significance.
No adverse events occurred in patients treated with the Chinese herbal medicine enema. In contrast, 13 of 49 patients treated with gestrinone developed acne, while19 had elevated liver enzymes, and 31 had oligomenorrhea.
In the second trial, oral Chinese herbal medicine alone or in combination with an herbal enema led to significantly greater symptom relief compared with danazol (RR 5.06, 95% CI 1.28 to 20.05 and RR 5.63, 95% CI 1.47 to21.54, respectively).
Additionally, the combined Chinese herbal medicine reduced dysmenorrheal pain significantly more than danazol and resulted in a significantly higher rate of disappearance or shrinkage of adnexal masses (MD -2.90, 95% CI -4.55 to -1.25, RR 1.70, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.78, respectively).
Four of 16 patients randomized to Chinese herbal pills alone had dry mouth, and one patient developed acne. Among 24 patients randomized to herbal pills and an herbal enema, two had dry mouth, while 11 developed rectal tenesmus during the first two weeks of treatment, and one patient had weight gain of 3 kg.
Of 18 patients treated with danazol, 13 developed acne, while three had weight gain of 3 kg, two gained 2 kg, one gained 1.5 kg, two had elevated liver enzymes, and four had oligomenorrhea.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Vibrational frequency treatment halts cancer - Royal Rife cancer cure revived
July 8, 9:56 AM · Jed Shlackman - Miami Holistic Health Examiner
Scientists working at eight laboratories located throughout five countries have published an article in the Journal of Experimental Clinical Cancer Research (2009;28:51) which suggests that use of noninvasive frequencies can effectively treat cancers. This international team, headed by Dr. Alexandre Barbault of Switzerland, reported that most frequencies were lethal to a particular cancer type. They call their treatment device a "noninvasive biofeedback method."
In the clinical research study, 13 patients were followed to measure therapy response. Of these, one with a hormone-refractory breast cancer metastatic to the adrenal gland and bone had a complete response lasting 11 months. A similar patient had a partial response lasting 13.5 months. Four patients exhibited a stable disease state: of these, one with thyroid cancer metastatic to the lung had 34.1 months stability, a non-small cell lung cancer patient was stable for 5.1 months, a patient with pancreatic cancer metastatic to liver was stabilized for 41 months and a patient with leiomyosarcoma remained stable for 4.0 months.
The researchers concluded that "cancer-related frequencies appear to be tumor-specific and treatment with tumor-specific frequencies is feasible, well tolerated, and may have biological efficacy in patients with advanced cancer."
The authors explained that in their study of cancer patients they had observed "strikingly similar frequencies among patients with the same type of cancer." This research supports theories in the field of vibrational medicine that view cancer and other diseases as occurring due to energetic imbalances and shifts in vibrational energy field frequency at multiple levels, including the cellular level where cells may adjust to the energy state shift by transforming into cancerous cells that engage in an altered form of metabolism.
The "biofeedback" frequency therapy approach bears resemblance to the ideas of 20th Century American inventor, Royal Raymond Rife (1888-1971). During the 1930s, Rife invented what he called a "beam ray" device that could destroy cancers and virally-induced diseases by vibrating at the "Mortal Oscillatory Rate" (MOR) of the cancer cell or pathogen. Rife's therapy was harmless to healthy cells and was recognized by major news publications and prominent physicians at the time. In 1987, Barry Lynes published a book about Rife's discoveries called The Cancer Cure That Worked. While the sale of various Rife machines increased, many researchers have pointed out that most modern Rife devices don't truly replicate the way in which Rife delivered frequencies to patients he worked with, and may not be as effective as Rife's original treatments. This new research suggests that Rife's successes can be replicated and that the use of vibrational frequencies in cancer treatment is a worthy approach that can be employed by those seeking safer and more effective ways to help patients challenged by cancer.
Copyright 2009 Examiner.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Author
Jed Shlackman is an Examiner from Miami. You can see Jed's articles at: "http://www.Examiner.com/x-12517-Miami-Holistic-Health-Examiner"
Source
Scientists working at eight laboratories located throughout five countries have published an article in the Journal of Experimental Clinical Cancer Research (2009;28:51) which suggests that use of noninvasive frequencies can effectively treat cancers. This international team, headed by Dr. Alexandre Barbault of Switzerland, reported that most frequencies were lethal to a particular cancer type. They call their treatment device a "noninvasive biofeedback method."
In the clinical research study, 13 patients were followed to measure therapy response. Of these, one with a hormone-refractory breast cancer metastatic to the adrenal gland and bone had a complete response lasting 11 months. A similar patient had a partial response lasting 13.5 months. Four patients exhibited a stable disease state: of these, one with thyroid cancer metastatic to the lung had 34.1 months stability, a non-small cell lung cancer patient was stable for 5.1 months, a patient with pancreatic cancer metastatic to liver was stabilized for 41 months and a patient with leiomyosarcoma remained stable for 4.0 months.
The researchers concluded that "cancer-related frequencies appear to be tumor-specific and treatment with tumor-specific frequencies is feasible, well tolerated, and may have biological efficacy in patients with advanced cancer."
The authors explained that in their study of cancer patients they had observed "strikingly similar frequencies among patients with the same type of cancer." This research supports theories in the field of vibrational medicine that view cancer and other diseases as occurring due to energetic imbalances and shifts in vibrational energy field frequency at multiple levels, including the cellular level where cells may adjust to the energy state shift by transforming into cancerous cells that engage in an altered form of metabolism.
The "biofeedback" frequency therapy approach bears resemblance to the ideas of 20th Century American inventor, Royal Raymond Rife (1888-1971). During the 1930s, Rife invented what he called a "beam ray" device that could destroy cancers and virally-induced diseases by vibrating at the "Mortal Oscillatory Rate" (MOR) of the cancer cell or pathogen. Rife's therapy was harmless to healthy cells and was recognized by major news publications and prominent physicians at the time. In 1987, Barry Lynes published a book about Rife's discoveries called The Cancer Cure That Worked. While the sale of various Rife machines increased, many researchers have pointed out that most modern Rife devices don't truly replicate the way in which Rife delivered frequencies to patients he worked with, and may not be as effective as Rife's original treatments. This new research suggests that Rife's successes can be replicated and that the use of vibrational frequencies in cancer treatment is a worthy approach that can be employed by those seeking safer and more effective ways to help patients challenged by cancer.
Copyright 2009 Examiner.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Author
Jed Shlackman is an Examiner from Miami. You can see Jed's articles at: "http://www.Examiner.com/x-12517-Miami-Holistic-Health-Examiner"
Source
Evidence-based information about complementary and alternative medicine treatments now available
Contact: Steve Majewski
smajewski@acponline.org
215-351-2514
American College of Physicians
'The ACP Evidenced-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine' provides evidence of CAM effectiveness and safety, or lack thereof, for different medical conditions
PHILADELPHIA, July 8, 2009 -- More than one-third of Americans use complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). The vast majority of patients use CAM in addition to, rather than instead of, a conventional medical regimen.
With more and more conversations about CAM taking place at the point of care, "The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" is a welcome resource for clinicians and patients.
"The book is a comprehensive analysis of CAM treatments that busy clinicians can use to incorporate evidence-based information into point-of-care discussions with patients," said co-editor Katherine Gundling, MD, FACP.
Organized according to medical condition, "The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" focuses on the safety and efficacy of a full range of CAM therapies, providing "at-a-glance" answers to the questions clinicians are often asked.
"Patients tend to seek help from clinicians before starting a CAM therapy," said Bradly P. Jacobs, MD, MPH, a co-editor of the book. "This gives clinicians an opportunity to play a vital role in discussing the range of treatment options available, both conventional and CAM, based on the evidence for safety and effectiveness, cost, personal preferences, and individual circumstances."
To ensure that readers have quick-access to bottom-line recommendations after in-depth reviews of the research, every chapter includes tables that are concise and easy to read.
Chapter 1 addresses basic questions such as "What is CAM?", "Which patients are using CAM?", "What is the terminology that might be unfamiliar to doctors?", and "How does one evaluate evidence for CAM treatments?" Chapter 2 hones in on the practical implications of CAM in the office: "How can clinicians approach this topic with competence and caring?" Even beyond direct patient interaction, there are legal, insurance, and regulatory issues that demand attention, and these are addressed in this chapter as well.
Chapters 3 to 15 cover the common conditions that characterize most patient-clinician interactions. Although patients might ask about an entire system of practice ("Would Traditional Chinese medicine help?"), or a specific treatment ("Does Echinacea help colds?"), most frequently these questions are asked in the context of a particular health concern ("What will help my osteoarthritis?"). This problem-based approach focuses on the immediate concern of the patient and whether complementary therapies can be of benefit or cause harm.
The editors incorporate a state-of-the-art approach toward evaluating the quality of evidence for CAM therapies based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group, a system endorsed by the American College of Physicians, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHRQ), the World Health Organization, and others.
###
"The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" can be ordered online at www.acponline.org/acppress. The book is also available at all major booksellers, both in stores and online, and electronically at www.acppress-ebooks.com. To order by phone, call 800-523-1546, ext 2600 (M-F, 9:00 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).
Testimonials
"Finally, we have a comprehensive, evidence-based textbook that clinicians can rely on when counseling their patients about complementary and alternative medical therapies. In-depth reviews of the research are thoroughly digested into concise summary tables, placing key information at the reader's fingertips. This book is perfect for the busy healthcare professional who needs a practical and evidence-based guide to CAM practices. No doubt, it will be used time and time again in your daily clinical practice." -- Brian Berman, MD, Professor and Founding Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
"A practical, well researched summary that will help integrate unconventional healing approaches into the mainstream healthcare system." -- Mehmet Oz, MD, Vice Chair and Professor of Surgery, NY Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University
"This edition provides a valuable and indeed essential compendium of a broad range of CAM therapies and evidence of their efficacy and safety, or lack thereof, for different clinical applications. It includes practical recommendations that the busy clinician can use in considering the responsible use of CAM therapies as part of a comprehensive approach toward patient care." -- Ralph Snyderman, MD, Chancellor Emeritus, Duke University
"This book is a must-read for healthcare professionals interested in using an evidence-based approach toward integrating alternative therapies into clinical practice. Drawing on exhaustive research reviews, the authors present their material in an easy-to-read format, including summary tables in each chapter with bottom-line recommendations organized by treatment and condition. I believe this book will be of great help to busy healthcare professionals who need scientifically sound guidance about CAM practices." -- Andrew Weil, MD, Director, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona
About the Editors
Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH, is Founding Medical Director, Matowih Center for Health Living, Sausalito, California; and Attending Physician, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California.
Katherine Gundling, MD, FACP, is Associate Clinical Professor of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians (www.acponline.org) is the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 129,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internists specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illness in adults.
Source:
smajewski@acponline.org
215-351-2514
American College of Physicians
'The ACP Evidenced-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine' provides evidence of CAM effectiveness and safety, or lack thereof, for different medical conditions
PHILADELPHIA, July 8, 2009 -- More than one-third of Americans use complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). The vast majority of patients use CAM in addition to, rather than instead of, a conventional medical regimen.
With more and more conversations about CAM taking place at the point of care, "The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" is a welcome resource for clinicians and patients.
"The book is a comprehensive analysis of CAM treatments that busy clinicians can use to incorporate evidence-based information into point-of-care discussions with patients," said co-editor Katherine Gundling, MD, FACP.
Organized according to medical condition, "The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" focuses on the safety and efficacy of a full range of CAM therapies, providing "at-a-glance" answers to the questions clinicians are often asked.
"Patients tend to seek help from clinicians before starting a CAM therapy," said Bradly P. Jacobs, MD, MPH, a co-editor of the book. "This gives clinicians an opportunity to play a vital role in discussing the range of treatment options available, both conventional and CAM, based on the evidence for safety and effectiveness, cost, personal preferences, and individual circumstances."
To ensure that readers have quick-access to bottom-line recommendations after in-depth reviews of the research, every chapter includes tables that are concise and easy to read.
Chapter 1 addresses basic questions such as "What is CAM?", "Which patients are using CAM?", "What is the terminology that might be unfamiliar to doctors?", and "How does one evaluate evidence for CAM treatments?" Chapter 2 hones in on the practical implications of CAM in the office: "How can clinicians approach this topic with competence and caring?" Even beyond direct patient interaction, there are legal, insurance, and regulatory issues that demand attention, and these are addressed in this chapter as well.
Chapters 3 to 15 cover the common conditions that characterize most patient-clinician interactions. Although patients might ask about an entire system of practice ("Would Traditional Chinese medicine help?"), or a specific treatment ("Does Echinacea help colds?"), most frequently these questions are asked in the context of a particular health concern ("What will help my osteoarthritis?"). This problem-based approach focuses on the immediate concern of the patient and whether complementary therapies can be of benefit or cause harm.
The editors incorporate a state-of-the-art approach toward evaluating the quality of evidence for CAM therapies based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group, a system endorsed by the American College of Physicians, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHRQ), the World Health Organization, and others.
###
"The ACP Evidence-Based Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine" can be ordered online at www.acponline.org/acppress. The book is also available at all major booksellers, both in stores and online, and electronically at www.acppress-ebooks.com. To order by phone, call 800-523-1546, ext 2600 (M-F, 9:00 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).
Testimonials
"Finally, we have a comprehensive, evidence-based textbook that clinicians can rely on when counseling their patients about complementary and alternative medical therapies. In-depth reviews of the research are thoroughly digested into concise summary tables, placing key information at the reader's fingertips. This book is perfect for the busy healthcare professional who needs a practical and evidence-based guide to CAM practices. No doubt, it will be used time and time again in your daily clinical practice." -- Brian Berman, MD, Professor and Founding Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
"A practical, well researched summary that will help integrate unconventional healing approaches into the mainstream healthcare system." -- Mehmet Oz, MD, Vice Chair and Professor of Surgery, NY Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University
"This edition provides a valuable and indeed essential compendium of a broad range of CAM therapies and evidence of their efficacy and safety, or lack thereof, for different clinical applications. It includes practical recommendations that the busy clinician can use in considering the responsible use of CAM therapies as part of a comprehensive approach toward patient care." -- Ralph Snyderman, MD, Chancellor Emeritus, Duke University
"This book is a must-read for healthcare professionals interested in using an evidence-based approach toward integrating alternative therapies into clinical practice. Drawing on exhaustive research reviews, the authors present their material in an easy-to-read format, including summary tables in each chapter with bottom-line recommendations organized by treatment and condition. I believe this book will be of great help to busy healthcare professionals who need scientifically sound guidance about CAM practices." -- Andrew Weil, MD, Director, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona
About the Editors
Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH, is Founding Medical Director, Matowih Center for Health Living, Sausalito, California; and Attending Physician, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California.
Katherine Gundling, MD, FACP, is Associate Clinical Professor of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians (www.acponline.org) is the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 129,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internists specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illness in adults.
Source:
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Breastmilk, the first alternative medicine
July 8, 6:14 PM · Heather Greiner - LA Alternative Medicine Examiner
There is no dispute that breastmilk is the best possible food for an infant but the uses for breastmilk go far beyond nutrition. Breastmilk contains antibodies that help fight infections both internally and externally. Breast milk can be used topically as a treatment as well food for your baby.
The first use right after birth is for umbilical cord care, studies have shown that umbilical cords treated with breastmilk alone healed as well if not better than treatment with antibacterial oinments and alcohol. Many mothers save a few ounces of breast milk in their freezer for cuts and scrapes that come with growing up using breast milk in addition to or along with antibiotic creams can reduce scarring and prevent infection of small wounds.
Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce ear infections in infants but in the event of an ear infection you can use a few drops of breastmilk in your baby’s infected ear 2 to 3 times per day and the ear infection will be cleared up before you can even get an appointment with your pediatrician. The same treatment applies to eye infections, conjunctivitis (pink eye) can be treated quite effectively with a few drops of breast milk in the eye. This treatment is also generally more comfortable than prescription eye drops that tend to cause a burning sensation.
Setting aside a few ounces of breast milk can also be very helpful for adolescent children with acne and other skin conditions. Daubing the acne outbreaks with breast milk works like benzoyl peroxide (over the counter acne treatment medication).
Breast milk is the best food for your baby and it’s a good idea to set some aside for first aid treatment. Your children might look at you a little funny but they will be happy you kept some around.
Read more: http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101.com/article.cfm/antibodies_in_breastmilk#ixzz0FKZIRgMn&B
Source:
There is no dispute that breastmilk is the best possible food for an infant but the uses for breastmilk go far beyond nutrition. Breastmilk contains antibodies that help fight infections both internally and externally. Breast milk can be used topically as a treatment as well food for your baby.
The first use right after birth is for umbilical cord care, studies have shown that umbilical cords treated with breastmilk alone healed as well if not better than treatment with antibacterial oinments and alcohol. Many mothers save a few ounces of breast milk in their freezer for cuts and scrapes that come with growing up using breast milk in addition to or along with antibiotic creams can reduce scarring and prevent infection of small wounds.
Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce ear infections in infants but in the event of an ear infection you can use a few drops of breastmilk in your baby’s infected ear 2 to 3 times per day and the ear infection will be cleared up before you can even get an appointment with your pediatrician. The same treatment applies to eye infections, conjunctivitis (pink eye) can be treated quite effectively with a few drops of breast milk in the eye. This treatment is also generally more comfortable than prescription eye drops that tend to cause a burning sensation.
Setting aside a few ounces of breast milk can also be very helpful for adolescent children with acne and other skin conditions. Daubing the acne outbreaks with breast milk works like benzoyl peroxide (over the counter acne treatment medication).
Breast milk is the best food for your baby and it’s a good idea to set some aside for first aid treatment. Your children might look at you a little funny but they will be happy you kept some around.
Read more: http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101.com/article.cfm/antibodies_in_breastmilk#ixzz0FKZIRgMn&B
Source:
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