Hot Topics - Alternatives - Alternative treatments/prevention/nutrition/diet
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Alternatives - Alternative treatments/prevention/nutrition/diet
March 1-7, 2004
►March 2004 -
Effectiveness of an Herbal Preparation Containing Echinacea, Propolis, and
Vitamin C in Preventing Respiratory Tract Infections in Children - A
Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Study - journal
article (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent
Medicine) - "Conclusion A preventive effect of a product
containing echinacea, propolis, and vitamin C on the incidence of
respiratory tract infections was observed."
►March 5, 2004 - Will
an Apple a Day Keep the Doctor Away? - Saint Louis University Health
Sciences Center via Newswise
►March 4, 2004 -
Vitamins
Don't Prevent Pneumonia in Male Smokers - Reuters via Yahoo!
►March 4, 2004 -
Kids Who Eat Too Much Fat, or Too Little, Prone to Weight Gain - And too
many aren't eating enough dairy products, study finds - HealthDay via USA Today
►March 3, 2004 - New
Exam May Improve Treatment of Lung Disease - HealthDay via
www.kpho.com
►March 2, 2004 -
Editorial: Food fights - journal article
(Canadian Medical Association Journal)
►February 26, 2004 - Iron eating bacteria - Novel bacteria could clean up heavy metal- and chlorine-contaminated environments - The Scientist via www.biomedcentral.com
►March 3, 2004 -
Alternative therapists to face new controls in government crackdown - The
Independent, UK - "Rogue practitioners of alternative medicine who try to
exploit patients will be driven out of business under plans announced by the
Government yesterday...One in five people uses alternative medicine regularly,
and there are more therapists than orthodox doctors but no control on standards
of training, ministers said."
►March 2, 2004 -
Researchers Rewrite First Chapter for the History of Medicine (requires
registration or subscription) - The New York Times
►March 2, 2004 - Nutrition: For Babies, Going With the Grain (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times
►March 8, 2004 - Physician
looks at what keeps people slim - With a grant to study thin people, an
endocrinologist seeks an answer to why most Americans are overweight. -
www.ama-assn.org
►February 26, 2004 - Vitamin
B2 may help treat sepsis - Vitamin's anti-bacterial effect fights blood
poisoning in mice - journal article (Nature)
►February 29, 2004 -
Too Much
Weight Tugs at Kids Hearts - HealthDay via Yahoo!
►March 2, 2004 -
How sweet it isn't - San Francisco Chronicle via The Miami Herald
►March 2, 2004 - Regulations on practice of herbal medicine - The Scotsman
►March 1, 2004 -
Gluten
may trigger schizophrenia - More evidence of that wheat and gluten
sensitivity may be a factor in the development of schizophrenia - Times Online,
UK
►March 1, 2004 -
Antioxidants: A radical departure - Are the millions spent on antioxidants
wasted, as a new study suggests? - Times Online, UK
►March 1, 2004 - Scientists
discover increased benefits of Vitamin D - Chicago Tribune via
www.kentucky.com
►February 29, 2004 -
NHS
scornful of Charles on alternative medicines -
www.independent.co.uk - "National
Health Service managers yesterday dismissed calls by Prince Charles for more
complementary medicines to be made freely available on the NHS, saying most of
them did not work...Dr Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation,
the umbrella body for managers, said the NHS could use only those medicines that
had been proven effective, ruling out the majority of complementary therapies."
►February 29, 2004 -
Nil by mouth - For thousands of Britons battling the debilitating effects of
cancer, depression, even eczema, diet is crucial. They view the vitamins and
minerals they take as vital in their fight against sickness. So why does the EU
want to cut off their supply? Rose Shepherd makes the case for rescuing remedies
- The Observer via The Guardian, UK - "In the 21st century we live under siege.
There are concerns about pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, GM, mobile phones,
microwaves, amalgam fillings, falling sperm counts, mad cows, MMR - even milk.
Farmed salmon is a Trojan horse for carcinogens. Obesity and diabetes are on the
march. There is a mass of documentation on all this. So what is the European
Commission's big idea? 'Let's clamp down on vitamins and minerals.'...It would
be funny if it weren't so tragic. While the EU has been busy drafting
legislation, we seem to have been sleepwalking into a situation where chemists
and health stores will be purged of hundreds of nutritional supplements."
►February 28, 2004 - Netherlands to crack down on complementary medicine - journal article (BMJ) - "The Netherlands is considering tougher laws on practitioners of complementary medicine after government health inspectors who were investigating the death from breast cancer in 2001 of the actress and comedienne Sylvia Millecam severely criticised her treatment...The investigators found that alternative practitioners contradicted the diagnosis of breast cancer made by her doctors and offered her instead the prospect of a cure with 'unfounded methods of treatment.'"
Comment: Would that unfounded allopathic methods of treatment and misdiagnoses were eyed with the same level of scrutiny.
February 23-29, 2004
►March 2004 - Death by Medicine - by Gary Null, PhD, Carolyn Dean, MD, Martin Feldman, MD, Debora Rasio, MD, and Dorothy Smith. PhD - LE Magazine - "Natural medicine is under siege, as pharmaceutical company lobbyists urge lawmakers to deprive Americans of the benefits of dietary supplements. Drug-company front groups have launched slanderous media campaigns to discredit the value of healthy lifestyles. The FDA continues to interfere with those who offer natural products that compete with prescription drugs…These attacks against natural medicine obscure a lethal problem that until now was buried in thousands of pages of scientific text. In response to these baseless challenges to natural medicine, the Nutrition Institute of America commissioned an independent review of the quality of 'government-approved' medicine. The startling findings from this meticulous study indicate that conventional medicine is 'the leading cause of death' in the United States.”
►February 24, 2004 - Low Carb Lowdown: Sorting out the truth and judging the tastes of products born of the latest diet craze - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
►February 20, 2004 - Salmon can still be part of a healthy diet - Benefits of moderate fish intake likely outweigh the risks (requires registration) - The Medical Posting
►February 10, 2004 - Diarrhea Bug May Prevent Cancer, Study Shows - Reuters via ABC News
►February 26, 2004 - New Sinus and Allergy Guidelines Recommend Omnicef(R) as First-Line Treatment Option for Acute Bacterial Sinusitis - Approximately 20 Million Cases of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis Diagnosed Each Year - Abbott Laboratories via PRNewswire-FirstCall via Yahoo!
►February 26, 2004 - Medical briefing: There’s more to cancer than diet - Times Online, UK
►February 26, 2004 - Doubt cast on free radical theory - Scientists have questioned a widely accepted theory for a cause of diseases such as cancer and arthritis. - BBC
►February 25, 2004 - Just How Much Water Do We Really Need? The Answer May Depend On Our Age - American Physiological Society via www.intelihealth.com
►February 24, 2004 - New Health Dangers of Genetically Modified Food (and vaccines) Discovered - press release - Institute for Responsible Technology via Common Dreams Progressive Newswire - "Data from three groups of studies currently being conducted by the Norwegian Institute for Gene Ecology, in Tromsö, Norway, reveal potentially serious health dangers of genetically modified (GM) foods and vaccines...3. Genetically engineered pox viruses in cell cultures recombined with natural viruses to create new hybrid viruses with unpredictable and potentially dangerous characteristics."
►February 24, 2004 - Low Carb Lowdown: Sorting out the truth and judging the tastes of products born of the latest diet craze - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
►February 24, 2004 - Smoking
outside may not protect those indoors -
Parents who smoke outdoors still expose homes and kids to nicotine.
- journal article (Nature)
►February 24, 2004 - Discover
the Wonders of Meditation - The New Straits Times via Healthy News
►February 24, 2004 - Wellness Starts with Detoxification - The New Straits Times via Healthy News
►February 21, 2004 - Preventive Medicine Gets More Aggressive - The Wall Street Journal via Heathly News
►February 23, 2004 - 'Safe sex' fatigue cited for increased disease rate - Syphilis cases reach the highest level in 12 years - Most patients blame infection on unprotected sex - The Toronto Star
►February 23, 2004 - Wheat Intolerance may Lead to Schizophrenia - BMJ via Ivanhoe
►February 23, 2004 - Fiber intake from fruits and cereals may reduce risk of coronary heart disease - JAMA and Archives Journals Website via www.eurekalert.org
►February 22, 2004 -
Procedure
douses fire of acid reflux disease - Troy State University via The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
►February 23, 2004 - Antibiotics
may not be necessary when treating children with a simple skin abscess -
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas via
www.eurekalert.org
February 16-22, 2004
►February 20, 2004 - Home cooked food is the best answer to autism - Indo-Asian News Service via Hindustan Times
►February 18, 2004 - Scientists confirm healthfulness of pasta as good carbohydrate - In Response to Low-Carb Diet Fad, Leading Health and Food Authorities Update and Confirm Health Benefits of Pasta Meals - press release - Oldways Preservation Trust via PRNewswire via Yahoo!
►February 19, 2004 - Yoga
Good for the Young Too - The New Straits Times via Healthy News - "Children
with Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, attention deficit disorder and
learning disabilities can enjoy the benefits of yoga."
►February 18, 2004 -
Ancient approach targets hepatitis C symptoms - Santa Cruz Sentinel - "Firmage
and her classmates are in their third week of learning the ancient Eastern
approach to treating hepatitis C through acupuncture and herbs...While the
method dates back hundreds of years, teaching acupuncture specifically for
hepatitis C is new for Five Branches Institutes, the Santa Cruz college of
traditional Chinese medicine."
►February 17, 2004 - Stem cells found in adults may repair nerves - University of Washington via www.eurekalert.org
►February 17, 2004 - Key advance reported in regenerating nerve fibers - Two-pronged approach synergizes growth - Children's Hospital Boston via www.eurekalert.org
►February 16, 2004 - Looking to the East for health - Scripps Howard News Service via www.polkonline.com - "Chu, a specialist in rehabilitative medicine, knows Western science has not measured chi, a Chinese concept that translates roughly as "energy," or even demonstrated that it exists. Still, he is so certain of the health benefits from practicing tai chi that he gives virtually free weekly classes in his Roseville, Calif. office."
February 9-15, 2004
►February 12, 2004 - Human proof that Cod Liver Oil really can slow the onset of osteoarthritis - Experts reveal 'Granny's remedy' could hold key to cutting waiting lists, saving the NHS millions - Cardiff University via www.eurekalert.org
►February 11, 2004 - Americans Advised to Cut Salt, Follow Thirst - Report Lowers Recommended Salt Intake, Eases Water Rules - WebMD Medical News
►February 11, 2004 - No Consensus on Salt Restriction - press release - The Salt Institute via US Newswire
►February 11, 2004 - Salt and Water Intake: Press Release - Institute of Medicine via Newsday
Comment: Note the three different titles.
►February 12, 2004 - Human proof that Cod Liver Oil really can slow the onset of osteoarthritis - Experts reveal 'Granny's remedy' could hold key to cutting waiting lists, saving the NHS millions - Cardiff University via www.eurekalert.org
►February 14, 2004 - Heartbreaker, painmaker - The Guardian via Hindustan Times - "While physical stress (such as eating fatty foods) may be an obvious cause for making heart disease one of the biggest global killers, cardiologists, psychologists and other scientists around the world have been gradually gathering evidence that emotional stress from heartbreak is sometimes also a factor in exacerbating heart disease and other illnesses. Sometimes, this can even lead to death."►February 10, 2004 - WHO Issues Herbal Medicine Guidelines - AP via The Herald-Sun
►February 10, 2004 - Gene therapy jab burns off fat - New Scientist
►February 9, 2004 - 'Respiratory etiquette' cuts spread of disease - Evansville Courier & Press via Healthy News
January 26 - February 8, 2004 (2 weeks combined due to illness)
►February 2004 - Long-term consumption of infant formulas containing live probiotic bacteria: tolerance and safety - journal article (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
►February 4, 2004 - Homocysteine Level Eyed in Stroke Study - AP via The Herald-Sun
►February 2, 2004 - Antioxidants Lower Risk of Asthma - American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine via Ivanhoe
►January 2004 - Diet and Dioxins (pdf) - NIH
►January 26, 2004 - Miracle In A Bottle - Dietary supplements are unregulated, some are unsafe—and Americans can’t get enough of them. - The New Yorker
►February 7, 2004 - Trust your gut instinct - Tend intestinal flora like a garden with probiotics and enjoy blooming health - Times Online, UK
►February 6, 2004 - Dramatic Results Against Stroke - Test Shows Device Can Arrest Damage by Removing Blood Clots From Victims - (requires registration) - Washington Post
►February 6, 2004 - A New Approach to Halting HIV Infection - press release - Tulane University via www.newswise.com
Comment: But what if, as some believe, there is no need to halt the spread of HIV because it has nothing to do with AIDS or anything else problematic?
►February 4, 2004 - Gene therapy technique could aid islet transplants for diabetes, says Pittsburgh study - Researchers also find current immunosuppression drug therapy may be harmful for transplanted Islets - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - via www.eurekalert.org
►February 2004 - Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in Childhood Using a Very-Low-Calorie Diet - journal article (Diabetes Care)
►February 2, 2004 - Antioxidants Lower Risk of Asthma - American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine via Ivanhoe
►February 3, 2004 - Study Suggests That Higher Doses Of Aspirin May Prevent Colorectal Cancer - American College of Physicians via www.intelihealth.com
►January 25, 2004 - Holistic medicines call for dose of good sense - Do your homework when turning to natural remedies for winter ailments - www.sunspot.net
►January 26, 2004 - Recipe for Recovery - Rita Myers fought cancer by returning to the Garden of Eden - The Daily Times
►January 26, 2004 - Tea's Benefits From Head to Toe - Lessons about Health From the Latest Research - PRNewswire via Yahoo!
►July 24, 2003 - Prevention and genetic testing for breast cancer: variations in medical decisions - journal article (Social Science & Medicine)
►January 26, 2004 - Anti-Clotting Drug May Be More Effective Than Aspirin In Preventing A Third Stroke Or Heart Attack - American Heart Association via www.intelihealth.com
January 19-25, 2004
►January 25, 2004 - Sunny D - It's the great cancer cover-up. Panicked into avoiding sunlight by health experts, we are now dying in our thousands from diseases linked to deficiencies of vitamin D. But still the exaggerated warnings come. Oliver Gillie reveals how sunbathing can save your life - The Independent, UK
►January 25, 2004 - Sunny D (part 2) - Diseases caused by vitamin D deficiency - The Independent, UK
►January 24, 2004 - "Let food be thy medicine..." - editor's choice - journal article (BMJ)
►January 2004 - Down syndrome and epilepsy: a nutritional connection? - journal article (Med Hypotheses)
►January 22, 2004 - Body Talk: Candida: The Hidden Weight Loss Culprit! - Not only is it hard to lose weight with candida, poor digestion and mal-absorption can set the stage for serious nutritional deficiencies, further diminishing the body's immune defenses. - www.africana.com
►July/August 2003 - Three reasons to return to traditional diets - In the 1930s US dentist Weston Price travelled the world to study the diets of 'primitive' peoples. He found a startling lack of disease and proof that a system of environmentally-friendly local food production is the best way to ensure human health - www.infochangeindia.org
►January 15, 2004 - Study Finds Huge Variability in Vitamin E Absorption - Oregon State University - "The research may explain, Traber said, why many past research studies done with vitamin E have varied findings. It's quite possible, she said, that the manner in which people took vitamin E supplements and the variation in its bioavailability from person to person have yielded widely inconsistent results about the value of this nutrient in heart disease and other degenerative diseases."
►January 19, 2004 - Skin cancer treatments debated - A non-surgical treatment for basal cell skin cancer results in better cosmetic results but might be less effective than surgery at preventing the disease from returning, a study found. - AP via CNN
►January 20, 2004 - Study: Vitamins C, E cut Alzheimer's risk - High daily doses of vitamins E and C taken together reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease among elderly people, a new study suggests. - Reuters via CNN
►January 20, 2004 - 'Homeopathy can cure SARS' - www1.mid-day.com - "As SARS cases reappear and reseachers work overtime to contain the virus, Indians doctors say the cure could lie in ancient 'nosode therapy' and homeopathy...According to a paper published in the Indian Journal of Clinical Physiology (IJCP), SARS can be effectively cured by using an ancient 'Nosode Therapy' which uses the patient's own pooled serum. It is a type of isotherapy which involves the preparation of medicine from the patient's own blood, after diluting it...Nosode therapy is an established therapy for treatment of most of the diseases in animals."
►January 19, 2004 - Simple sugar eases Huntington's disease in mice - Discovery provides taste of a possible route for human drug development. - nature science update
January 12-18, 2004
►January 16, 2004 - Fish Oil for Mom May Prevent Allergies in Baby - Reuters Health via Yahoo!
►January 16, 2004 - Guinn: The nitty-gritty details of MSG - Carolina Morning News
►January 12, 2004 - The un-cola - The Globe and Mail - "Soft-drink purveyors say they will remove colas and other carbonated drinks from vending machines in Canadian elementary and middle schools by the start of the next school year. While insisting that all its products are suitable for kids -- a dubious claim at best -- the industry acknowledges that it is responding to increasing health concerns...It is obvious, though, that this voluntary action is designed to forestall the sweeping bans being imposed or considered by an increasing number of governments alarmed by soaring rates of childhood obesity."
Comment: Click here to learn about A Miracle in Wisconsin.
►January 12, 2004 - Taking vitamin D supplements lowers risk of multiple sclerosis - American Academy of Neurology via www.eurekalert.org
►January 18, 2004 - Millions in quest for 'miracle cures' - The Japan Times
►January 15, 2004 - Plant extracts found to fight deadly virus - Sansoke effective in lab tests, says lecturer - Bangkok Post
►January 15, 2004 - Try these 13 powerful foods (requires registration) - The Los Angeles Times via The Charlotte Observer - "Eating well starts with good planning. Dr. Steven Pratt says forget the obsession with carbs, protein and fat. Focus instead on micronutrients, which include vitamins, minerals and other powerful plant chemicals."
►January 15, 2004 - Echinacea juice: Cold aid in jar? - Knight Ridder via The Charlotte Observer
►January 2004 - Use of cough and cold products - (registration required) - This month’s column will review the use of these products in children and the published evidence of their efficacy. - Infectious Diseases in Children
►January 12, 2004 - Crackdown on GPs who tout bogus cures - www.smh.com.au
Comment: And when will there be a crackdown on the false claims of the drug companies and their merchants, the medical profession? Even they know their drugs often do not work, yet where is the outrage, the clamping down, over that? For a recent article on this, go to The drugs don't work.
January 5-11, 2004
►January 7, 2004 - Immune System Attack Tied to Birth Defects - A new study bolsters the case for folic acid supplements in women of childbearing age. - HealthDay Reporter via www.healthcentral.com
►January 9, 2004 - Vitamin D May Protect Against Rheumatoid Arthritis - Reuters Health
►January 2, 2004 - Vitamin D Deficiency: What a Pain It Is - Mayo Clinic Proceedings via Healthy News
►January 5, 2004 - Pediatrics Academy Calls for Elimination of Soda in Schools - (requires registration or subscription) AP via The New York Times
►January 5, 2004 - Healthy eating plan for schools - Children are to be encouraged to eat more healthily at school in a £2m government campaign. - BBC
►January 7, 2004 - Immune System Attack Tied to Birth Defects - A new study bolsters the case for folic acid supplements in women of childbearing age. - HealthDay Reporter via www.healthcentral.com
►January 10, 2004 - The Growing Mandate for Clinical Preventive Medicine - American Family Physician via http://i-medreview.subportal.com - "The potential to save lives and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans through clinical preventive medicine is tremendous. In their classic paper, McGinnis and Foege1 linked one half of the mortality in the United States from the 10 leading causes of death to lifestyle-related behaviors...One of the key strategies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve the health of Americans is to focus on improving five of the lifestyle factors identified. They are tobacco use, overweight/obesity, lack of physical activity, substance abuse, and irresponsible sexual behavior."
►January 11, 2004 - Going natural not always the best way - Molecular structure is what counts in a substance, not ancestry - (freelance article) The Gazette via www.canada.com - "Now repeat after me: 'The properties of a substance depend on its molecular structure and not on its ancestry; whether the substance is synthetic or natural is totally irrelevant when it comes to assessing effectiveness and safety.'...I bring this up because the belief that 'natural is better' is so widespread, and sooo wrong! A thousandth of a milligram of botulin toxin will kill an adult. And it's perfectly natural! Scorpion venom, cocaine, nicotine, morphine and a myriad of other naturally occurring substances are remarkably toxic as well. They are not toxic because they are natural; they are toxic because their molecules just happen to interfere with some aspect of body chemistry."
Comment: How do the antigens used in vaccines fit in to all this? Natural or not.
►January 10, 2004 - Homeopathy: introduction - The long established complementary therapy comes with a royal seal of approval. But does it work? - www.timesonline.co.uk
►January 19, 2004 - You Will Start to Feel Very Sleepy ... And you should go to bed, because shortchanging your rest can hurt your health - Newsweek via MSNBC
►January 11, 2004 - Focus on 'Prevention' Divides Cancer Experts (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times
►January 7, 2004 - Demand for Herbal Remedies Threatens Plants - Study - Reuters via ABC News - "Worldwide demand for herbal remedies is threatening natural habitats and endangering up to a fifth of wild medicinal plant species which are being harvested to extinction, a leading science magazine said on Wednesday...A study to be published later this year by the conservation organization WWF warns that between 4,000 and 10,000 plants may be at risk."
►January 9, 2004 - Vitamin D May Protect Against Rheumatoid Arthritis - Reuters Health
►January 9, 2004 - Water Supply Affects Childhood Growth - The Lancet - via Ivanhoe
►January 10, 2004 - Exposure to spouse’s smoking increases risk of lung cancer by over 20% - journal article (BMJ)
►January 8, 2004 - Parents of Children with Autism Turn to Medical Alternatives - Newswise/Life News via Healthy News - "One in three children recently diagnosed with autism received complementary or alternative medicine treatments and 9 percent used a potentially harmful type, according to a new study of patients in Philadelphia...Latino children were more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine compared to other groupings, according to Susan E. Levy, M.D., and colleagues, while those with additional, non-autistic disorders or deficits in thinking, learning and memory were less likely to do so...'The goal of many of these treatments is most likely not to treat autism per se, but rather to address some of the associated problems faced by these children,' she says."
►December 30, 2003 - Could injecting disinfectant treat bacterial infection? (requires registration) - BioMedNet - "A common antimicrobial agent used in toothpaste, skin creams, and mouthwash could be injected into the body to treat bacterial infection, says a microbiologist...What's more, there is no evidence that microbes can evolve resistance to this chemical, says Avadhesha Surolia, professor of biophysics at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore."
►January 5, 2004 - The Ephedra Ban Is Not Enough (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times
►January 3, 2004 - Chinese tea 'may cure jaundice' - A herbal tea used widely in China to treat jaundice could soon be used by doctors in the West. - BBC
►January 5, 2004 - Good bugs getting more notice - Probiotics: Researchers say friendly bacteria can improve intestinal functioning and may be a source of treatment for a range of diseases. - www.sunspot.net
►December 1, 2003 - Effect of zinc supplementation on growth in West African children: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso - journal article (International Journal of Epidemiology)
December 29, 2003 - January 4, 2004
►December 29, 2003 - Magnesium Prevents Cerebral Palsy? - Ivanhoe
►January 4, 2004 - The new you - How to feel well, look better and improve your life this year - www.sunspot.net - "Get eight hours of sleep a night. The National Sleep Foundation estimates a 10 to 35 percent drop in antibodies and immune cells when you're sleep-deprived...Stop using anti-bacterial hand and dish soaps; they may be strengthening germs and weakening our immune systems."
►January 4, 2004 - Beating cancer nature's way - In a week that's seen the deaths of Bob Monkhouse, Alan Bates and Dinsdale Landen, all victims of cancer, here is a story of one man's successful - if unorthodox - struggle against the disease - The Guardian, UK
►December 29, 2003 - "Smart Bomb" Delivery Destroys Tumors in Mice - American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science - "Weizmann Institute scientists have destroyed malignant tumors in mice using a chemical that occurs naturally in garlic. The key to the scientists' success lies in the development of a unique, two-step system for delivering the cancer-wrecking chemical straight to the tumor cells...Allicin, as the chemical is called, is the substance that gives garlic its distinctive aroma and flavor.For many years, scientists studying allicin have known that it is as toxic as it is pungent. It has been shown to kill not only cancer cells, but the cells of disease-causing microbes, and even healthy human body cells. Fortunately for our body's cells, allicin is highly unstable, and breaks down quickly once ingested. However, the rapid breakdown and undiscriminating toxicity presented twin hurdles to creating an allicin-based therapy."
December 22-28, 2003
►December 26, 2003 - Nursing homes should be quick to adopt pet therapy - Abilene Reporter-News
►December 26, 2003 - Therapy in bloom - Program sheds light on healing plants - The Topeka Capital-Journal
►December 26, 2003 - Wrap up like Scandinavians, says health chief - PA News via The Scotsman
►December 25, 2003 - Some turn to homeopathic remedies to combat flu - AP via The Stamford Advocate
►December 15, 2003 - Antibiotic may treat Alzheimer's disease - The Chicago Tribune via www.kanasa.com
►December 26, 2003 - Sugar Drink Helpful for Genetic Disease - Ivanhoe via www.healthcentral.com
►December 24, 2003 - Newly Approved Therapy Successfully Targets Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - University Of Michigan Health System via ScienceDaily
►December 24, 2003 -
Technique Lifts Hopes for Surviving Type of Cancer - Reuters - "Receiving two transplants instead of one can double the chances of surviving multiple myeloma, a hard-to-treat cancer that originates in the blood and affects the bones, French researchers said Wednesday."►December 18, 2003 - Common Cold Fights Cancer - Ivanhoe
Comment: Do people who get frequent colds less frequently get cancer?
►December 21, 2003 - Citrus nutrient helps to slow down prostate cancer: Study - ANI via The Times of India
►December 17, 2003 - Kids - Turn Off the TV and Eat an Apple! - Pediatrics via Ivanhoe
December 15-21, 2003
December 19, 2003 - New Study Suggests Higher Magnesium Intake May Reduce Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes - PRNewswire via Boerse Pressemitteilung, Germany
December 19, 2003 - Ahhhh! Better Than Red Wine Or Green Tea, Cocoa Froths With Cancer-preventing Compounds, Cornell Food Scientists Say - Cornell University via ScienceDaily
December 20, 2003 - Providing the world with clean water - Remains a complex problem, but time is running out - journal article (BMJ)
December 17, 2003 - Older Sperm Are More Damaged, U.S. Study Shows - Reuters via Yahoo!
December 17, 2003 - Why tai chi? For the health of it - Press of Atlantic City
December 15, 2003 - 'Lots of sleep is good for your health' - Sapa-DPA, Paris via www.iol.co.za
December 15, 2002 - Cod-liver Oil for Babies Can Ward Off Diabetes - Daily Mail via www.healthy.net
December 18, 2003 - Virulent Flu Virus Threatens; Leading Homeopathic Medicine Offers Serious Relief - PRNewswire via Yahoo!
December 17, 2003 - Health measures can help prevent colds and flu - Toledo Blade via Scripps Howard News Service - "Will the bug that's going around come around _ to me? Does my kid's flu virus have my name on it? Will that guy coughing at work today make me sick? How can I dodge it?...The answers depend on the virus, for instance, and your own immune system."
December 19, 2003 - Wash Hands Often, Sanitize Surfaces To Prevent Flu - www.wave3.com
December 16, 2003 - Poor fitness increases risk of heart disease: study - AFP via Yahoo!
December 17, 2003 - More fruit, veggies key to cancer fight: survey - www.ctv.ca
December 11, 2003 - A holistic approach to flu treatment - Fresh fruit juices and herbal supplements can keep your immunity strong - www.wndu.com/news
December 15, 2003 - Homeopathy: Fighting flu before it gets a grip - Provided by Newsquest (Brighton & Hove) Ltd via www.healthy.net
December 2003 - Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Children Recently Diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder - journal article (Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics) - "The authors' review of 284 charts of children seen at the Regional Autism Center of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, found that more than 30% of children were using some CAM, and that 9% were using potentially harmful CAM. Having an additional diagnosis was protective against CAM use and being Latino was associated with CAM use. Having seen a prior provider regarding the child's health condition was predictive of potentially harmful CAM use."
December 8-14, 2003
December 13, 2003 - Why I Chose Not To Have Radiation Treatment For Breast Cancer - by RFD Columnist, Marilyn Holasek Lloyd - www.redflagsdaily.com
December 2, 2003 - 'Virtual' exam as effective as standard colonoscopy - The Washington Post - "A "virtual" colonoscopy, a high-tech computerized X-ray scan, can catch precancerous growths as reliably as conventional exams in which a long tube with a camera is snaked through the colon while the patient is under anesthesia, researchers reported yesterday."
December 1-7, 2003
none selected this week
November 24-30, 2003
November 29, 2003 - Half of general practices (in England) offer patients complementary medicine - journal article (BMJ)
November 25, 2003 - Cooking Ensures Safe Vegetables, CDC Says - Cooking the Only Way to Ensure Safe Vegetables, but Keep Fear in Perspective, Experts Say - AP via ABC News
November 21, 2003 - Gardens have the potential to improve health, research shows - www.eurekalert.org
November 17-23, 2003
November 21, 2003
- Sun 'protects against cancer' - Staying out of the sun completely may increase your chances of developing cancer, say doctors. - BBCNovember 19, 2003 - Clues may lead to best cancer treatments - Doctors may soon begin looking for compounds that will tell them which cancer patients will be best helped by certain treatments such as drugs or radiotherapy, researchers reported on Wednesday. - Reuters via CNN
October 29, 2003 - Diet and exercise show immediate changes in biomarkers for cancer risk - BioMedNet (requires registration)
November 17, 2003 - Keep Your Brain From Going to Pot - Wired - "The active chemical in marijuana can do more for your head than give you a high -- it could protect your brain in emergency situations."
November 10-16, 2003
Use of complimentary and alternative treatments for children with autistic spectrum disorders is increasing. - journal article
WHO launches initiative to encourage eating fruit and vegetables
Keys to health Following basic rules of hygiene will keep children well - The Press of Atlantic City
Enigma of sun and bone - U.S. News - "Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D for humans. A mere five to 15 minutes in the summer sunlight two or three times a week can provide all the vitamin D the body needs." - And what role might sunscreen play in the development of rickets, particularly in northern climates?
Strawberries may boost astronaut performance - Frozen fruit protects rats' brains from harmful rays. - Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, New Orleans, November 2003 via Nature
Exercise may speed spinal cord repair - Running boosts nerve talk in injured rats. - Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, New Orleans, November 2003 via Nature
Diet May Improve Cognition, Slow Aging, And Help Protect Against Cosmic Radiation - Society for Neuroscience via www.intelihealth.com
Diet High In Vitamin C Decreases Stroke Risk, Especially Among Smokers - American Academy of Neurology via www.intelihealth.com
Fusion of old and new - The Star Online - "Dr Nor Shahidah said that before integrated medicine is endorsed, there should be adequate scientific evidence on the potential clinical benefits, safety and risks of TCM; this is still lacking in this country, she said."
Focus On Drawing On Traditional Remedies to Fight HIV/Aids - UN Integrated Regional Information Networks via www.allafrica.com - "This fusion of the traditional and modern is taking place in Tanga, a northeastern region on the Tanzanian coast, where the Tanga AIDS Working Group is combining modern voluntary counselling and testing methods with the knowledge of local healers in treating opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS."
Lawmakers seek more oversight of dietary supplement market - Hearings and legislation are launched as concerns rise about dangerous products and unsubstantiated claims. - www.ama-assn.org
November 3-9, 2003
To kill germs, it's simple: Wash your hands - The Boston Globe online
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