Complementary medicine: safety tips

November 9, 2009

Caution, always a wise course, applies to complementary medicine as well.
By Tammy Worth
It’s unlikely that Americans will lose their love affair with complementary medicine, so the best thing to do is to make the practice as safe as possible. In addition to talking with a healthcare professional about whatever herbs, homeopathy or therapies you may be using, follow these safety tips offered by complementary medicine experts:

Assess the likelihood of danger. A good way to assess a treatment is to consider its potential to cause harm. Breathing exercises are much less likely to cause damage than an intravenous therapy.

Look at how long an approach has been used. A 1,000-year-old practice such as acupuncture is more likely to be effective and safe than newer, faddier ones. …

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Alternative Medicine — A place in healthcare?

November 8, 2009

by Karen Nelson on Nov.07, 2009
On Monday, November 2, 2009 the Arizona Daily Star published an article, “Alternative-healing instruction in medical schools is questioned.” Right up front before the article, the following was seen: EDITOR’S NOTE: Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is one part of an occasional Associated Press series on their use and potential risks.

I was perplexed to say the least, since I have done medical writing and have been involved with some alternative therapy research that was shown to be highly effective.

Then, the next day an article “More insurers are covering alternative healing, at a cost,” with the same editor’s note staring you in the face before you read the article.

I am currently with no institutional backing to be able to do thorough research into recent clinical trials, but I was able to spend a few hours and find many clinical research journal articles that showed alternative therapies to be statistically significantly effective over either controls or conventional therapy. What bothers me is the technicality in that editor’s note about finding “cures.” That editor’s note has been worded to be manipulative through sensationalism. It shows obvious bias (which is why it is an editor’s note, I suppose) and is expressing that bias before the reader even gets a chance to read the article. You will not find a lot of “cures” in conventional medicine clinical trials either! Taking Lipitor for high cholesterol does not “cure” high cholesterol. Taking blood pressure meds does not “cure” hypertension. Read the complete article…

Related articles by Zemanta

• Alternative Medicine – A place in healthcare? – Tucson Citizen (tucsoncitizen.com)
• The damning verdict on drug trials (guardian.co.uk)
• More insurers are paying for alternative remedies (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• More Insurers Are Paying for Alternative Remedies (abcnews.go.com)

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Vitamin D Helps Improve Survival From Bowel And Skin Cancer

September 22, 2009

New research shows higher levels of vitamin D may help improve survival for both bowel and skin cancer patients*. The results of two studies published in the British Journal of Cancer and

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Following A Heart Attack, Oxygen-Saturated Blood Reduces Levels Of Damaged Heart Tissue

September 17, 2009

Results of a clinical trial published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions demonstrate that an infusion of blood that is “supersaturated” with oxygen (SS02) can reduce the amount of damaged heart muscle immediately following a life-threatening heart attack. “The benefit of this therapy increased with the scope of the heart attack,” said Gregg W. Stone, M.D.

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NPA To Continue Market Development Program In China Through 2010

September 11, 2009

The Natural Products Association (NPA) has announced that it will continue its participation in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s (USDOC) China Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) through fiscal year 2010.

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Potential New Swine Flu Drugs From ‘Dung Of The Devil’ Plant

September 10, 2009

Scientists in China have discovered that roots of a plant used a century ago during the great Spanish influenza pandemic contains substances with powerful effects in laboratory experiments in killing the H1N1 swine flu virus that now threatens the world. The plant has a pleasant onion-like taste when cooked, but when raw it has sap so foul-smelling that some call it the “Dung of the Devil” plant. Their report is scheduled for the Sept.

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Society To Host A Masterclass For Licensing Herbal Medicines

September 9, 2009

In today’s age many people are looking to herbal remedies as a natural and alternative form of medication to relieve illnesses and maintain good health, but various EU guidelines make it very difficult to register a traditional herbal medicinal product (THMP) in Europe. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) will host a masterclass providing practical advice on registering a THMP on Friday 13 November 2009 at the RPSGB London headquarters.

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Fighting Infection With Manuka Honey

September 8, 2009

Manuka honey may kill bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins. Dr Rowena Jenkins and colleagues from the University of Wales Institute – Cardiff investigated the mechanisms of manuka honey action and found that its anti-bacterial properties were not due solely to the sugars present in the honey. The work was presented this week (7-10 September), at the Society for General Microbiology’s meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

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Basil Plants Have Anti-Arthritic Properties

September 7, 2009

Two varieties of Basil that are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine have been scientifically shown to reduce inflammation and swelling, suggesting that they could have potential in arthritis treatment.

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