Greetings!
 It's been a really busy Autumn so far - 'camexpo' last weekend was excellent and we've noticed too that the traditional summer lull in publishing scientific papers is well and truly over. We've collated a wonderful selection for you from as far afield as India, China, USA, Iran, Japan to name but a few countries. I do hope that you enjoy reading these and as always we really welcome your feedback.
Jayney
President, Complementary Medical Association
|
New Review of the Science Behind Reiki, Therapeutic
Touch and Healing Touch
 A new review by Dr
Shamini Jain (UCLA), Dr Paul Mills (University of California) and the Moores
Comprehensive Cancer Center (San Diego) has just been published in Springer's International
Journal of Behavioral Medicine. It takes a critical look at 66 clinical studies looking at a
range of 'biofield' therapies, including Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Healing
Touch.
 Do they work? Click here to read more
|
Chewing Gum Can Help You Lose Weight?
In a study funded
by the Wrigley Science Institute and run by a professor of nutrition at the
University of Rhode Island they have found that chewing sugar-free gum has a
positive effect on weight management as it can help to reduce calorie intake
and increase energy expenditure.
In the study Kathleen Melanson, compared gum chewing to non-gum chewing in
healthy adult volunteers. She found that those who chewed gum for a total of
one hour in the morning (three 20-minute gum-chewing sessions), consumed 67
fewer calories at lunch and did not compensate by eating more later in the day.
Male participants also reported feeling significantly less hungry after chewing
gum and when the subjects chewed gum before and after eating, they expended
about 5 percent more energy than when they did not chew gum. In addition, her
subjects reported feeling more energetic after chewing gum. Click here for references |
Now
it's Official: Disrupting 'Regular' Sleep Patterns Slows Your Brain Down - And Makes You Gain Weight
A
new research study from Rockefeller University, presented last week at the
Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting, has shown that disrupting sleep
patterns - and the body's natural circadian rhythms - can cause an increase in
'impulsive' behaviour (making you less able to solve problems and slowing your
brain down) - and weight gain. Click here to read more
|
Tai Chi Proven to Reduce Pain in Older People
We've all seen people doing their
Tai Chi exercises (on television, if not necessarily in the flesh) and many of
us have viewed this form of exercise as just that, a form of exercise. The
deliberate, studied movements are said to induce mental relaxation and enhance
your balance, strength and flexibility. Tai Chi practitioners have always
argued for the medicinal benefits of Tai Chi.
Now, researchers from Tufts
University School of Medicine have determined that older patients (over 65
years of age) who suffer from knee osteoarthritis (OA) can improve their
physical functioning and experience less pain if they go through the slow,
rhythmic movements of Tai Chi. Click here to read more.
|
|
What Choices Do You Have When It Comes To Swine Flu?
Learn How to Protect Yourself The Natural Way
This
new book - "The Survivors Guide to Swine Flu: The Complementary Medical
Approach" - will give you all the information you need to make an
informed decision about which health options you should take against
Swine Flu. It covers both Conventional Medical options - including
drugs like Tamiflu and vaccination approaches - as well as spelling out
the Complementary Medical options you should consider - including
Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, Aromatherapy and Nutritional approaches.
Be informed, know your options.
The author, Jayney Goddard, is a well-known writer and
broadcaster on all Complementary Medical issues and is the President of
The Complementary Medical Association. The book is a thoroughly
researched and well thought through approach to Swine Flu prevention
and treatment and includes over 500 scientific references.
Retail Price: £14.95
Available from The Complementary Medical Association or call us on 0845 129 8434 (Lo Call Rate) to place your order. Also available from all bookshops. |
Iranian Scholars Review Mediaeval Medical Text and Show Its Relevance to
Today's Healthcare
Although most medical scholars in the West may not
have heard of him, one of the most acclaimed practitioners in the Mediaeval
Arab world was a doctor called Avicenna. His work has been reviewed by Seyyed
Mehdi Hashemi and Mohsen Raza at Tehran University because it offers what they
see as some medical insights into the treatment of pulmonary diseases today.
Avicenna (981 to 1037 AD), left a wealth of written
materials on his studies (over 450 volumes) and the authors have concentrated
on his work on respiratory diseases where this Persian polymath scholar reviews five different areas: Breathing, voice,
cough and haemoptysis, internal wounds and inflammations, before going on to
discuss the principles of how to treat these issues. Click here to read more.
|
How To Run Your Practice More Profitably - Even In A Recession: New date just released: 26th November
Why give in to the media hype and all the doom and gloom. Discover how to run your practice even more profitably - despite the 'recession'
Course Leader Jayney Goddard says:
"I receive a constant stream of emails from previous attendees telling me how they have implemented the 'real world' techniques we teach on this course and that they see a real and measurable improvement in their natural healthcare business."
You can read testimonials from practitioners just like you hereThe next "Developing YOUR Professional Practice: And Making Profit - Even in a Recession" is on 26th November in Central London. This event sells out really fast - so please book your place early by contacting us by email here or calling us on 0845 129 8434 (Lo Call rate). Alternatively, click here to go straight to our booking page |
The 'Pink' in Salmon (and Flamingos) May
Help in Fight Against Complications of Diabetes  A new study published by researchers from
South Korea and Japan (in the Journal
of Agricultural and Food Chemistry) shows that the pigment that gives salmon (and flamingos) their pink colour - astaxanthin - acts as an antioxidant and may
protect against the development of diabetic kidney disease by protecting cells
from the severe oxidative stress associated with abnormally high blood sugar levels.
References: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; Published
online ahead of print, Article ASAP, doi: 10.1021/jf9019745; "Protection against Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis of High-Glucose-Exposed Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells by Astaxanthin" ; Authors: Y.J. Kim, Y.A.
Kim, T. Yokozawa |
New Research Finds that the "Vegetable Lamb Plant" Could Treat Osteoporosis 
As part of an ongoing programme to review all of the plant-based
medicines in Vietnam a combination of researchers from South Korea and Vietnam
have found one plant that is already showing remarkable medicinal properties
under testing: Cibotium barmoetz (C.
barmoetz), more commonly known as the Wooly Tree Fern.
As with most new 'medical discoveries' like this, the Wooly Tree Fern
has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years in South East Asia
- mainly for to treat conditions such as rheumatism, muscle aches and pains,
nerve pain, and body aches - especially during pregnancy. The "Wooly Fern" plant was originally known as "Vegetable Lamb" and was believed to bear fruit that ripened
into a living baby sheep.
The latest research in the Journal of
Natural Products, (from the American Chemical Society) shows that it
could be used to fight osteoporosis. Four phytochemicals from the
plant have been shown to halt the formation of almost all (97%) osteoclast
cells, without harming other cells. Click here for references
|
Record Attendance at 'camexpo'
 This year's camexpo event,
held at Earls Court last weekend (23rd - 24th October),
broke all previous records, with the attendance up nearly 11%, to a total of 5,163.
This is especially impressive as it follows the 33% uplift in attendance last
year.
Attendees came to see what
was on offer from the 165 exhibitors (including the CMA stand) and to attend a
range of educational talks and workshops. Jayney Goddard, President of The CMA
gave an emotional and inspiring talk to a packed-out hall on "How to make a
profit from your practice - even in a recession!" (The next all-day Workshop on
this topic is in Central London on November 26th). Click here to read more
| |
|
Submit an Article
 We appreciate that many of you will have stories, research and other fascinating articles that you would like to submit to us for our consideration for publication in this e-newsletter.
To help you we have prepared a handy set of guidelines that you should read before sending anything through to us.
Click here to read our submission guidelines. |
"camexpo" cont'd . . .
Visitors were full of
praise for the show. CMA Member, Flip Cargill from Live Well Naturally said; "I have no way of knowing what the attendance was, but it was very
impressive and I had a wonderful time. I am looking forward to next year
already!". "Fantastic day with so much going on. The workshops have been
great - I'll be back next year", said Sarah Elliot of Regis Holistic
Therapies. Julia Marsh from Julia Marsh Shiatsu added; "I have travelled
over 400 miles to get to camexpo, and it's been well worth it. A
fantastic programme of informative seminars and it's been great to speak to so
many people on their stands who really know their subject". Finally,
Christine Watson-Bartlam of Speedwell CHC, commented on the: "Great mix of
exhibitors and fantastic programme. Really good show and well
organised"
Get it in your
diaries now: 'camexpo 2010' will take place at Earls Court on Saturday 23rd and
Sunday 24th October. back to top
|
Review of Science Behind Reiki etc. Cont'd
Well a lot of
people use energy medicine techniques - and have done so for thousands of years - but this review
looks at what is known about the 'science' behind them. They found that
although most of these papers were of 'average quality' in scientific terms,
there was strong evidence that these therapies work - in reducing the intensity
of pain in 'free-living' populations and to a lesser extent amongst
hospitalised patients and patients with cancer.
Reference: 1. Jain S & Mills PJ (2009). Biofield therapies: helpful or full
of hype? A best-evidence synthesis. International Journal of Behavioural
Medicine; DOI 10.1007/s12529-009-9062-4
back to article |
Sleeplessness Cont'd
These
are caused by the disruption this causes in both your body - and your brain.
Lead
researcher Ilia Karatsoreos explained "In our modern, industrialised society,
the disruption of our individual circadian rhythms has become commonplace, from
shift-work and jet lag to the constant presence of electric lighting. These
disruptions are not only a nuisance, but can also lead to serious health and
safety problems."
The
researchers adjusted the hours in which a group of mice were exposed to light,
from their natural 24-hour cycle to 20 hours, with 10 hours of light and 10
hours of dark. They compared the results to a control group and found, after
six to eight weeks of these shortened days, the test mice had started to show
several physiological differences to the control group and had begun to act
differently.
The
test mice were impulsive, slower to figure out changes made to a water maze
they had mastered, and their body temperature cycles were disorganised. The
researchers discovered that the brains of the test mice had shrunk and found
less complex neurons in areas of the brain related to mental flexibility.
Also,
as their levels of various hormones related to metabolism, such as the appetite
regulating leptin, and insulin, were elevated, the test mice gained weight even
though they were fed the same diet as the control group.
Back to article
|
Tai Chi Cont'd
In this research 40 knee
osteoarthritis sufferers were randomly split into two groups of 20: half of
them took part in a 60-minute Yang style Tai Chi session twice weekly for 12
weeks. Each session included: a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi
principles; 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement; 10 minutes of breathing technique;
and 10 minutes of relaxation.
The other group attended two 60-minute class sessions per week for 12 weeks.
Each control session included 40 minutes of instruction covering OA as a
disease, diet and nutrition, therapies to treat OA, or
physical and mental health education. The final 20 minutes
consisted of stretching exercises involving the upper body, trunk, and lower
body, with each stretch being held for 10-15 seconds.
At the end of 12-weeks, patients practicing Tai Chi exhibited a significant
decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
References:
"Tai Chi Is Effective in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Chenchen Wang, Christopher H.
Schmid, Patricia L. Hibberd, Robert Kalish, Ronenn Roubenoff, Ramel Rones, and
Timothy McAlindon. Arthritis Care & Research; Published Online: October 29,
2009 (DOI:10.1002/art.24832); Print Issue Date: November 2009.
Back to article
|
Avicenna Cont'd . . .
The authors review Avicenna's recommendations for both
herbal and non-herbal treatments and Avicenna suggests 21 herbs to treat
respiratory disorders. Several of these herbs are now known to contain
bioactive compounds with analgesic, antispasmodic, bronchodilatory or
antimicrobial activities. For instance, Avicenna would have prescribed opium at
that time for cough and haemoptysis, a practice which today has an established
therapeutic basis.
References: The traditional diagnosis and treatment
of respiratory diseases: a description from Avicenna's Canon of Medicine by SM
Hashemi and M Raza is published (30 October 2009) in Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease (DOI: 10.1177/1753465809349254).
Back to article
|
Picture credits:
Other pictures and graphics copyright The CMA
|
|
Gaps, Weird fonts and strange spaces . . .
We are aware that there is a technical glitch with this email - and we have made our email service suppliers aware of this - they blame Microsoft - Microsoft say that it isn't their fault - so we're hoping that someone works out what the problem is and fixes it soon. Please accept our apologies and we hope that this doesn't spoil your enjoyment of this e-newsletter too much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latest Complementary Medicine and Natural Healthcare World News
The Healing Cat's Claw
With further research, the plant may eventually play a broader role in a complementary
approach to the prevention and treatment of certain types of cancer.
FOXNews
A Different Way of Boosting Your Health...
... in providing access to complementary and alternative medicine
with 84% of patients reporting improvements in health from the therapies they
received. Rundtownnews.co.uk
Depressed Pregnant Women Could Be at Higher Risk for Severe Response to Flu Infection
Pregnant women with significant symptoms of depression tend to have a stronger
biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine than do women with lower
depression levels, according to a new study: Brain, Behavior, and
Immunity; Ohio State University
Exercise Keeps Dangerous Visceral Fat Away a Year After Weight Loss
A study conducted by exercise physiologists in the University of Alabama at
Birmingham (UAB) Department of Human Studies finds that as little as 80 minutes
a week of aerobic or resistance training helps not only to prevent weight gain,
but also to inhibit a regain of harmful visceral fat one year after weight
loss. Obesity; University
of Alabama at Birmingham
Depression Can Lead to Inflated Reports of Physical Symptoms
New research shows people who feel depressed tend to recall having more
physical symptoms than they actually experienced. The study indicates that
depression -- not neuroticism -- is the cause of such over-reporting. Psychosomatic
Medicine; University of Iowa
High Fructose Corn Syrup: A Recipe for Hypertension
A diet high in fructose increases the risk of developing high blood pressure
(hypertension), according to a paper being presented at the American Society of
Nephrology's..... American Society of Nephrology
(ASN)
Study Uncovers Key to How 'Triggering Event' in Cancer Occurs
Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have
discovered what leads to two genes fusing together, a phenomenon that has been
shown to cause prostate cancer to develop: .Science Express, University of
Michigan Health System
Th17 Cells Summon an Immune System Strike Against Cancer
A specific type of T helper cell awakens the immune system to the stealthy
threat of cancer and triggers an attack of killer T cells custom-made to
destroy the tumours: Immunity; University
of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Red Yeast Rice and Hyperlipidemia: How Strong Is the Evidence?
There are also common questions associated with any complementary and
alternative therapy about standardization of the preparation and reimbursement
for ..... Medscape
Bodybuilding with Steroids Damages Kidneys
Athletes who use anabolic steroids may gain muscle mass and strength, but they
can also destroy their kidney function: American
Society of Nephrology (ASN)
'Moonlighting' Molecules Discovered
Since the completion of the human genome sequence, a question has baffled
researchers studying gene control: How is it that humans, being far more
complex than the lowly yeast, do not proportionally contain in our genome
significantly more gene-control proteins?: Cell, Johns Hopkins Medicine
SD researchers awarded stem cell funds
The latest round of grants will be augmented by $35 million in Canadian funding
and an additional $8 million from the United Kingdom to back complementary..... San Diego Union Tribune
Food Rating System Scores High With Consumers
Grocery shoppers in a new study report that a one to 100-point food rating
system would help them choose what goes into their carts: American Journal
of Health Promotion
Hypertension Guidelines Reappraised in Light of New Research
Task Force Reviews and Updates the Official European Guidelines on Hypertension
Management: Journal Of Hypertension , Vol 27 Issue 11 , Nov-2009
Earlier Not Necessarily Better When Receiving A Kidney Transplant
Pre-dialysis transplant recipients with a high level of kidney function don't
benefit from their transplant more than pre-dialysis recipients with low level
kidney function: American Society of
Nephrology (ASN)
AstraZeneca Profit Rose on Swine Flu; Forecast Raised
AstraZeneca Plc said third-quarter profit rose 23 percent, helped by US
government orders for its swine flu vaccine, ..... Bloomberg
Low Vitamin D Levels Explains Most ESRD Risk in African Americans
Low levels of vitamin D may account for nearly 60 percent of the elevated risk
of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in African Americans.....Journal of the
American Society of Nephrology
WHO experts: Single dose of swine flu vaccine may be enough
One dose of vaccine may be enough to protect both adults and children older
than six months against the swine flu pandemic, an international .....
Washington Post
Singing During Pregnancy May be Harder Due to Hormones
The question of how hormones affect a woman's voice is relevant to professional
singers because hormonal fluctuations may place them at risk of injury....American Institute of Physics
Scientists Are First to Observe the Global Motions of an Enzyme Copying DNA
Scientists have identified how the motions of an enzyme are related to
correctly copying genetic instructions, setting the stage for studies that can
uncover what happens when DNA copying mistakes are made....PLoS Biology; Ohio State University
Stem Cell Therapy May Offer Hope for Acute Lung Injury
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have
shown that adult stem cells from bone marrow can prevent acute lung injury in a
mouse model of the disease....Stem Cells; University of Illinois at Chicago
|
|
The Evidence YOU Need!
Complementary & Alternative Medicine: The Scientifc Verdict on what Really Works, written by Dr Steve Bratman and edited by Jayney Goddard is an enormous collection of scientific trials across the field of Complementary Medicine and Natural HealthCare. Jayney Goddard says: "In order to edit Dr Bratman's excellent work I had to look at the results of over 10,000 trials - the vast majority of which were RCTs. It was painstaking work but a very useful addition to the current literature in the complementary medical field. This book makes those thousands of trials accessible to all readers with even a basic understanding of the tenets of complementary medicine. It is, however, particularly useful to CAM practitioners and students and also to conventional medics who wold like to know more about the evidence base for CAM."
Price £20.00 + P&P
Available from The CMA or by calling us on 0845 129 8434
|
 |
|
What is The CMA?
As you probably know, The Complementary Medical Association is one of the world's largest Professional Membership bodies for highly qualified Complementary Medical Practitioners, CAM Students and Training Colleges. However, there is so much more to us than that - More . . . | |
