Greetings!
 Once again we've found lots of the latest breaking news on the most recent developments in complementary and natural healthcare research - across the field. We hope you enjoy these articles and that they are useful to you.
Warmest wishesand Seasons Greetings
Jayney
President, Complementary Medical Association
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 Mistletoe: Lots of research in 2009 - (But we can't guarantee how your kiss will turn out!)
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Do you have
a gene for 'individuality' as well as one for 'collectivism'?
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Artificial sweeteners - still a major health concern
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A medical
insurance company in Dubai has extended its healthcare cover to include "all
12" complementary and alternative medicine treatments
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 Can ancient Ayurvedic plant
help treat Alzheimer's?
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 Pomegranate ointment kills MRSA
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 Coffee
"Good For You" says Harvard Women's Health Watch Click here to read more |
 Hops to
prevent not just breast cancer - but also prostate cancer?
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 Nellie the elephant's packed her trunk.......
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 Swine Flu: What Options Do YOU Have?
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Click here to read our submission guidelines. |
Hops to
prevent not just breast cancer - but also prostate cancer?
 In research
presented at the recent American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Conference, German researchers showed the role that hops can play in preventing
prostate cancer.
As well as
their more famous use in brewing the world's beers and lagers, hops have been
used in herbal medicine as a sleep aid (inside a pillow), as a digestive aid
and to help people relax and to reduce tension.
Following on
from earlier research that indicated that a specific phytochemical (xanthohumol)
found in hops may help prevent breast cancer by binding to oestrogen receptors,
the researchers decided to test its effect on testosterone - as the receptors
are similar to those for oestrogen.
They
discovered that when prostate cancer cells were treated with testosterone and
this specific phytochemical from the hops (xanthohumol), the hops inhibited the
secretion of PSA and blocked other hormone-dependent actions that spur cancer
growth.
The lead
researcher Dr. Gerhauser said:"We hope that one day we can demonstrate
that xanthohumol prevents prostate
cancer development, first in animal models and then in humans."
Read more here
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Pomegranate ointment kills MRSA
 Researchers at Kingston University have spent 3 years developing an ointment
based on pomegranate rind (mixed with metal salts and Vitamin C) that, they say,
will treat a range of common infections - including MRSA. The findings which
have recently been published in the journals British Journal of Biomedical Science and BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, are yet another success
for pomegranates as 'medicinal plants'.
Lead researcher, Professor Declan
Naughton, explained "We have developed a topical ointment that can
successfully attack a range of drug resistant microbes.....It's a significant
breakthrough and a striking example of the effectiveness of adding more
components to create a more active product. The increase in drug-resistant
infections found in hospitals has made our research topical and pressing. The
idea of using a foodstuff is unusual and means that the body should be able to
cope more easily with its application; patients are less likely to experience
any major side effects."
Read more here
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Can ancient Ayurvedic plant
help treat Alzheimer's?
 Tests are under way at an
Australian University (Swinburne University of Technology) to see if a plant
that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine really can help
to treat, or delay the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia.
The plant, Brahmi (also known
as Bacopa monnieri - Thyme-leafed gratiola -
Water hyssop, etc) is a perennial, creeping herb whose habitat includes
wetlands and muddy shores.
Brahmi, with its anti-oxidant
properties, has a number of uses in Ayurvedic medicine and is a traditional
treatment for asthma and epilepsy, but is
far more likely to be used in low doses as a (cognitive) additive to regular
epilepsy medication.
Studies already exist that
show that Brahmi has a positive effect on anxiety and is considered a plant
that enhances
cognitive ability. Studies on rats indicate that extracts of the plant improve
memory capacity and motor learning ability.
Recent studies suggest that it
also reduces beta-amyloid deposits in mice with Alzheimer's disease.
Also of interest: The researchers at Swinburne
University will also be looking at the potential medicinal effects of pine bark and lemon balm on treating dementia.
References:
Rajani, M., et al. "Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell) - A Medhya Rasaayana Drug of Ayurveda" in Ramawat, K. G., Ed. (2004). Biotechnology of Medicinal Plants: Vitalizer and Therapeutic Enfield, New Hampshire: Science Publishers, Inc.
C. Stough, J. Lloyd, J. Clarke, L. Downey, C. Hutchison, T. Rodgers, P. Nathan (2001). "The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects". Psychopharmacology (Berl).
S. Roodenrys, D. Booth, S. Bulzomi, A. Phipps, C. Micallef, J. Smoker (2002). "Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory". Neuropsychopharmacology (Wollongong) 27: 279. doi:10.1016/S0893-133X(01)00419-5.
Stough C, Downey LA, Lloyd J et al. (2008). "Examining the nootropic effects of a special extract of Bacopa Monniera on human cognitive functioning: 90 day double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial." Phytother Res. 22:1629-1634.
Dhanasekaran M, Tharakan B, Holcomb LA et al. (2007). "Neuroprotective mechanisms of ayurvedic antidementia botanical Bacopa monniera." Phytother Res. 21:965-969.
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Nellie the elephant's packed her trunk.......
In a serious study just published by the
BMJ and undertaken at Birmingham University 'Nellie The Elephant' has been sent
packing.
The researchers found that getting lay
people to undertake CPR to the tune 'Nellie The Elephant' did ensure that they
delivered their chest compressions at around 100 a minute, it did not ensure
that they delivered these compressions at "an adequate depth".
The researchers had to conclude that as
current resuscitation guidelines give equal emphasis to correct rate and
depth, listening to Nellie the Elephant
as a learning aid
during CPR training should be discontinued.
They also tried KC and the Sunshine Band's
famous "That's the Way, Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh I like it!" with similar results.
BMJ
2009;339:b4707
Published 13 December 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b4707
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4707
Research
Christmas
2009: Music
Effect of listening to Nellie the Elephant during CPR training on performance of chest compressions by lay people: randomised crossover trial
L Rawlins, medical student1, M Woollard, professor in prehospital and emergency
care2,
J Williams, principal lecturer3, P Hallam,
research paramedic4
1 Birmingham
University School of Medicine, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, 2 Pre-hospital, Emergency and Cardiovascular
Care Applied Research Group, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, 3 School of Health and Emergency Professions,
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, 4 West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust,
Waterfront Business Park, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1LX |
Coffee
"Good For You" says Harvard Women's Health Watch
In a review of the latest
research on coffee the Harvard Women's Health Watch points out that moderate
coffee consumption can be good for you!
Despite the fact that its main
ingredient, caffeine, is a "mild, addictive stimulant", and that it does have
"modest cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood
pressure, and occasional irregular heartbeat", it goes on to say that moderate
consumption doesn't cause you any harm.
And, moderate coffee
consumption might also lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, reduce the
risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer,
improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high
risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.
They also point out that
coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration
physical activities.
Read more here
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A medical
insurance company in Dubai has extended its healthcare cover to include "all
12" complementary and alternative medicine treatments 
If they can do it in Dubai -
why can't they do it here?
Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), a
member of Tecom investments, today announced Oman Insurance Company (OIC) will
be the first to cover all 12 streams of complementary and alternative medicine
(CAM) treatments licensed by its regulatory body - the Center for Healthcare
Planning and Quality (CPQ).
The 12 complementary therapies covered
are: Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Unani Medicine,
Osteopathy, Therapeutic Massage, Naturopathy, Chiropractic, Tai-Chi, Pilates,
Yoga and Guided Imagery.
Dr. Ayesha Abdullah, Senior
Vice-President, Dubai Healthcare City, said: "Integrated medicine, which
combines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as well as conventional
medicine, is gaining popularity among medical practitioners and healthcare
providers. With the outstanding global growth of this trend, we have realised
it is imperative on our part to provide CAM services and educate the community
about these medical streams that have been receiving wider acceptance.This is
part of our ambitious drive to raise regional healthcare excellence."
More info here
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Do you have
a gene for 'individuality' as well as one for 'collectivism'?
 A new research study from Northwestern
University (Illinois) (1 & 2) identifies the prevalence of seratonin transporter
functional polymorphism (gene 5-HTTLPR)
to explain why some 'societies' and the people in them take a more collective
approach to life - and that in places where this gene is 'different' a more
individualistic (plus an increase in 'negativity' and 'mood disorders'). Wow! Is it all really "in the genes"?
The researchers found evidence that cultures that
they identified as 'collectivistic', were significantly more likely to comprise
individuals carrying the short (S) allele of the 5-HTTLPR across 29 nations.
Read more and reference:
1.
Joan Y. Chiao and
2.
Katherine D. Blizinsky
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Swine Flu: What Options Do YOU Have?
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.
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Mistletoe: Lots of research in 2009 - (But we can't gurantee how your kiss will turn out!)
There are many health and other myths surrounding the popular Yuletide use of mistletoe. It has been associated with anything from a romantic unexpected kiss to a dangerous poisonous substance to avoid. The ancient Celts believed mistletoe held the soul of the host tree. However, there is another side to mistletoe. It is a very well established aid to improve the immune system and is used for the care of many forms of cancer. The 2009 scientific publications supporting the clinical use of mistletoe have been numerous.
What about the "poison" label sometimes given to mistletoe? The toxicity of mistletoe as a poison is minimal. Most who consume the berries (which contains more toxins than the leaves), have no adverse effect at all. Some care should be exercised with respect to children and pets. The (1997) abstract below exemplifies the minimal risk of problems with even children. With the nearly 2,000 cases, there was no morbidity on over 99% of the cases and no fatalities.
Click here for just a sample of the studies from this year on mistletoe
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Artificial sweeteners - still a major health concern
 A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical
Association once again identifies the serious dietary issues everyone faces when
choosing which foods to eat - as the apparently all - invasive presence of the
chemical, high-fructose corn syrup, and other refined, concentrated sugars -
especially sucrose - are found in more and more products - and 'appear' to be
natural products.
Most worrying is that the manufacturers of these products seem to be doing nothing to disabuse customers of the idea that these are natural products. One of the stock phrases on packaging is 'no artificial colours or flavours' or words to that effect - when in fact - the product contains potentially harmful levels of high fructose corn syrup and other sugars such as glucose and sucrose.
Artificially Sweetened Beverages Cause for Concern; David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD; JAMA. 2009;302(22):2477-2478.
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Latest Complementary Medicine and Natural Healthcare World News
'Altered' Bacteria in intestines play role in weight gain
A high-fat, high-sugar diet alters the
composition of bacteria in the gut, making it easier to gain weight and harder
to lose it.
Father drops swine flu jab legal battle
A
nine-year-old girl at the centre of a legal dispute over the swine flu jab,
will not be forced to have the injection, after her father dropped the case.
Third anthrax case confirmed in UK
A
third man is in critical condition at Glasgow Royal Infirmary with a confirmed
case of the infection.
Children's fitness levels declining
A study has suggested
that the standard of children's fitness is decreasing because of their inactive
lifestyles.
Squeaky clean? Think again
Children's exposure to everyday germs may
prevent diseases in adulthood
Soy Protein could be Nutritional Cancer Treatment
A
soy protein known as lunasin could become a novel nutritional cancer treatment.
Natural Oxidant Balance in Parkinson's Disease
More
than a half century old and with a great array of supportive data, the Harmon
Free Radical Theory of Aging has too often fallen short of the pivotal
demonstration that oxidative stress underlies the biology of aging.
Explosion in over 85s will put pressure on health and social care
An explosion in the number of people aged
over 85 over the coming years will put 'profound' pressure on health and social
care services, research has shown . . .
Almost 100 percent of women reject tamoxifen drug despite claims that it prevents breast cancer
A
study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment has found
that women overwhelmingly reject the breast cancer prevention drug tamoxifen
even when given a thorough, personalized analysis...
Prescription narcotics cause more deaths than both heroin and cocaine
On
the heels of the sudden death of celebrity actress Brittany Murphy, people are once again raising the question of
just how dangerous prescription...
Hot Dogs Need Anti-Cancer Warning: Group Sues Hot Dog Makers to Force Honest Labelling
In
a lawsuit filed against hot dog manufacturers, the nonprofit Cancer Project is
seeking to force all hot dogs sold in the state of New Jersey to carry a label
reading, "Warning: Consuming hot dogs and other...
Association of Muscle Strength With the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
Loss
of muscle strength is common and is associated with various adverse health outcomes
in old age, but few studies have examined the association of muscle strength
with the risk of
Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Oceans at a Tipping Point for Ecological Collapse
Many
experts believe that the world's oceans are at a crucial tipping point in which
major ecological collapse is imminent. Overfishing, pollution, and general
destruction of sea life is putting the oceanic...
Female cleaners and scientists 'at greater risk of having baby with birth defects than those in other jobs'
Female
cleaners and scientists are at greater risk of having a baby with birth defects
than those in other jobs, a new study suggests
Previous Global News:
A new MRSA strain linked to 50% Mortality Rates
A strain of
MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other
strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug
vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
The study
found that 50 percent of the patients infected with the strain died within 30
days compared to 11 percent of patients infected with other MRSA strains.
Five people died
from swine flu during the hajj,
Saudi Arabia said Sunday
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The Evidence YOU Need!
Complementary & Alternative Medicine: The Scientific 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 would 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
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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 . . . | |
