Group urges women to use morning-after pill for emergencies

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060517/Lives08/605170519/-1/lives/CAT=Lives08

DIANE JENNINGS
The Dallas Morning NewsDALLAS -- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists kicked off a campaign last week to prevent unwanted pregnancies by encouraging women to get prescriptions for emergency contraception.But physicians face considerable challenges in getting women to keep the morning-after pill in the medicine cabinet.Some women have never heard of it; others confuse it with the abortion pill. And some fear that keeping it on hand would make them seem promiscuous. Others worry that, if too readily available, it could be used as routine contraception.Last year, officials with the Food and Drug Administration -- despite recommendations from agency scientists -- postponed a decision to make the drug available over the counter, citing concerns that it might encourage teen sex.Pamela Cary, 39, who works as a security guard in the Park Cities (Texas), said she supports access to the morning-after pill through prescriptions only. She said she plans to tell her 12-year-old twin daughters about it but hopes they will never need it.She wants them to use careful family planning."If it's harder for them to get, then they'll have more time to think" about consequences, she said. Otherwise, teens might plan to simply "run across the street and get it -- Mother will never know."Cary also worries that while the morning-after pill prevents pregnancy, it doesn't stop infection. Users are "not going to think about the sexually transmitted disease," she said. "They're going to think about 'I'm not going to get pregnant.' "The morning-after pill, trade name "Plan B," is a high dosage of the hormones in regular birth control pills. If administered within 72 hours of intercourse, it can stop the release of the egg, prevent fertilization or prevent implantation of the egg in the womb. It has no effect if a woman is already pregnant.The abortion pill, also known as RU-486, terminates pregnancy.The "Ask me" educational campaign is the response of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to the FDA's refusal to make the drug available over the counter."The scientific evidence and medical consensus supporting nonprescription sales of emergency contraception is unparalleled in FDA history," said Vivian Dickerson, immediate past president of the physicians group, which has a membership of more than 49,000 health care providers. "The FDA's failure to act amounts to a quintessential shell game, in which women are the losers."Dave Kittrell of San Antonio, chairman of the Texas Section of the organization, said the campaign is "the only other alternative that those of us involved in health care for women have."Kittrell said everybody needs a backup method because all contraceptives can fail. Patients forget to take birth control pills or take them late. Condoms break, leak or slip. And women of all ages are raped.The campaign is aimed at "anybody who may need emergency contraception," Kittrell said, "which is everybody that does not want to become pregnant for whatever reason."The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said about 3 million pregnancies each year are unplanned. The group estimates that half of them could be avoided with emergency contraception.The campaign includes "Ask me" buttons for physicians to wear to encourage patients to inquire about the drug, and posters that read "Accidents Happen. Morning afters can be tough."Kittrell and other physicians say they've prescribed emergency contraception for years, both before and after unprotected sex has occurred.

One man's weeds are another man's flowers

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/14627616.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_living

By Virginia A. Smith KNIGHT RIDDER

They have cool-sounding names right out of "Harry Potter": pennywort, teasel, henbit, vetch.
And some are downright stunning: the sweet mosaic of Indian strawberry, for example, or the snowy star-of-Bethlehem.
Come spring, a carpet of stars and strawberries in the backyard garden may seem colorful relief from the dreary brown of winter. But then we're rudely reminded what they really are:
Weeds. Botanical beasts crowding out the plants we want to grow, multiplying like crazy despite our brutal attacks.
Even figuring out what qualifies as a weed can be confusing. In another setting, another time, these plants might not be considered weeds. But here and now, they're unwanted, uninvited.
"A weed is a plant out of place," explains Sinclair A. Adam Jr., senior lecturer in landscape architecture and horticulture at Temple University Ambler.
It's a plant that likely was brought here deliberately from another part of the world, or arrived accidentally, and that once established in its new environment can pack a "bang zoom" of a wallop, Adam says.
Being out of place has its dark side: Weeds can cause a lot of damage by squeezing out valued native plants and flowers, fields and woods. They usually spread aggressively -- by seed, root or stem -- and are very prolific, with a single plant capable of producing thousands of seeds.
They're carried by little parachutes and pontoon-type thingies to navigate wind and water currents. They stick to shoes, fur, clothing and feathers. They have needles, hairs, hooks and spines that glom onto everything in sight. They're in animal and bird droppings, on tire treads and insects, and in topsoil, compost and seed mixes.
"Weeds are always on the move, and they're survivors. They adapt," says Stephen Hart, weed scientist at Cook College, Rutgers University's agricultural school.
So it's no mystery why we have so many weeds. It may be a miracle we don't have more.
But not everyone hates weeds. Some people eat them. Some consider them medicine or celebrate their beauty. As Adam likes to say, "One man's meat is another man's poison."
Take the common dandelion. It may be loathed by gardeners, but some folks grow it for salads, soup, jelly and wine. Thought to have come from Europe and Asia, it has also been touted as a tonic for everything from warts to cirrhosis.
Pam Mann, who cultivates two of her 61/2 wooded acres in Chester County, Pa., actually "plants another common weed in her garden -- dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis).
Why? "Because I think it's beautiful," Mann says.
And it is, with its tall, phlox-like stems of purple, pink or white flowers that smell especially sweet at night.
Dame's rocket, which arrived in North America from Europe in the 1600s, is seen more often along the road, in ditches and meadows, than in gardens. If given half a chance, it pushes out native wildflowers.
But Mann has plenty of space for it in her garden, and she keeps a watchful eye so it doesn't get out of hand.
She's far less tolerant of ground ivy, which also came from Europe and is more aggressive.
"It's just a nuisance, and it'll take over your garden and choke everything," Mann says.
She yanks out the ivy and the Japanese honeysuckle, along with the onion grass, which hails from South Africa. Then, several times over spring and summer, she uses a shovel to make a clean edge between the flowerbeds and grass. That keeps undesirable roots from creeping in or out, and "you can see what's coming," she says.
Basically, Mann describes a love-hate situation in her garden every spring.
"You want to dig up all the ground around your established plants to get the weeds, but if you do, you won't have the pleasure of seeing all the little seedlings" your good plants give off.
It's a delicate chore. She painstakingly lifts each perennial out of the bed, removes the weeds around it, and puts the perennial back. She also uses leaf mulch to keep the weeds down.
"The main idea is to stay on top of it," she says.
Managing weeds is critical, it's true. But gardeners should also appreciate the ecological role weeds play as bird feed or animal cover, says Antonio DiTommaso, a Cornell University weed scientist.
While some weeds are extremely damaging and cause health problems such as poison ivy, he says, others are pariahs simply because they interfere with human activities -- like playing golf, building new homes, or creating the perfect lawn.
"I think I could find a role for any plant," says DiTommaso, who defines a weed as "a plant whose virtues have not yet been found."
Some plants now labeled with the "W" word were once touted as problem-solvers. Multiflora rose, a Japanese native, was promoted by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in the 1930s as an effective "living fence" to control livestock. More recently, it's been used as a highway safety barrier.
Sooner or later, we learn that "these are not team players in our communities," says Mark R. Gormel, horticultural coordinator at the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Pa. "They disrupt what was a balance that went on for thousands and thousands of years."
As gardeners learn more about weeds, they may realize that when the invaders are plucked out, native plants such as bee balm, mountain laurel and purple coneflower have a better chance to thrive.
Native plants have a historical connection to this place, Gormel says. Their ancestors evolved here.
"If you choose well," he says, "you're tapping into that huge connection to evolution that's behind them."
An idea that transcends mere beauty every time.

Junking sweets in vending machines could give vendors, schools profit chills

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/6DC804344C19EFE5862571740056BC5A?OpenDocument

By Petra Breyerova ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Saturday, May. 20 2006

As schools and hospitals look to kick the junk food habit, local vending machine operators are left to wonder what the impact will be on their businesses. Many expect that replacing sweets and sugary sodas with healthier alternatives could sour their profits.Finding low-sugar snacks that children will buy as much as they do Skittles or Starburst is now crucial for Jim Harris, owner of St. Louis-based Harris & Pipkin Vending Inc.Harris has 60 vending machines at 26 middle and high schools that generate about 20 to 25 percent of the company's sales. By July, he will have to replace sweets with low-calorie snacks like Nutri-Grain Bars or Corn Nuts to meet nutrition requirements."Healthy products do not sell," said Harris, who has been in the vending business for almost 30 years. He anticipates a 40 percent drop in revenue at schools after the provision goes into effect."It is unfair to blame a particular line of retail for obesity as the consumption of junk food through vending machines is minimal," said John Mitchell Jr., president of Mid-America Automatic Merchandising Association, a trade organization representing Missouri and Kansas. Surveys show that students consume less than one snack or candy item per student per week, he said.School districts say they don't blame only vending machines. Instead, they want to address the obesity issue from a variety of ways, including looking at cafeteria food and changing the curriculum to educate children about healthy eating. Following a federal regulation aimed at curbing obesity, each school district must establish a local school wellness policy by this summer that includes vending. Because elementary and middle schools largely have limited the sale of junk food and sugary drinks in vending machines, the biggest impact will be in high schools. "According to what we hear from school districts, they will adopt stringent health policies," said Karen Wooton, director of school food services section at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The department has developed the Missouri Eat Smart Guidelines, which outline healthy eating standards at schools. Many school districts say they will follow Eat Smart's advanced guidelines, stating that at least 50 percent of vended food and drinks must be low in fat and sugar with not more than 200 calories. The Illinois State Board of Education is developing similar guidelines. Illinois officials also have approved a ban on high-sugar food and sodas in elementary and middle schools this fall. Some school districts already have started changing contents of vending machines. Over the last six months Hazelwood-based Dynamic Vending has replaced 20 percent of high-sugar products in its almost 200 vending machines in St. Louis high schools with healthier alternatives. Based on what he has seen so far, Joshua Koritz, Dynamic Vending's owner and president, said healthy items such as Fit Bars sell 30 percent less than traditional candies. But for Koritz, who has more than 5,500 vending machines in the St. Louis area, Southern Illinois and Columbia, Mo., school business makes up a small amount of his company's overall sales.He also is concerned about sales in hospitals."We are going to make a dramatic change (in hospitals' vending machines) this summer," he said.Over the last three years Dynamic Vending has been adding more healthy items in its approximately 500 hospital vending machines, but will have to do more to meet hospitals' growing demand for low-calorie food and beverages. One of Dynamic Vending's customers, BJC HealthCare, will change the ratio of traditional and healthy items in its hospitals' vending machines from 75 percent snacks and sodas and 25 percent healthy items, to at least a 50-50 mix. The hospital even might reverse the ratio to 75 percent healthy items, said Kathleen Killion, executive director for health literacy at BJC HealthCare. This transition, part of an overall wellness policy, aims to provide "balanced choices" for vending customers who ask for healthier products, Killion said. To mitigate against the impact, vending operators, with distributors and suppliers, are testing various products, hoping to find new top sellers."We are searching on daily basis for better products and getting samples in our warehouses to see what will sell," Koritz said. Although national manufacturers constantly are launching new items low in fat and sugar, they are not immediately available for sale in St. Louis vending machines, vending suppliers say.Filling up 45 slots in a vending machine with healthy products that consumers will buy is "too hard," said John Murray, an account executive in the St. Louis area for Denver-based distributor Vistar Corp.With many school districts still formulating their wellness programs, Murray said he did not know how much vending machine sales would fall. But he predicted that convenience stores and other retailers would benefit from the decline in vending machine sales. "Children will buy it (junk food and sodas) somewhere else and bring it in (schools)," Murray said. Lindbergh School District already has approved guidelines that surpass the toughest proposed by Missouri Eat Smart, said Patrick Lanane, assistant superintendent for finance. By July 1 the district will pull all sodas and leave only water, flavored water and 100 percent juices in schools' vending machines.Lanane said many junk snacks, including chocolate, will disappear completely from vending machines and be replaced by healthier items like peanuts and pretzels. This move will please parents and teachers but may upset students and districts' coffers. Revenue from vending machines is used for schools' extracurricular activities, including sports and music programs. The Lindbergh School District collects about $60,000 a year in revenue from its 21 vending machines, mainly in high schools. Lanane said this figure is likely to shrink by 30 percent in the first year after the new wellness policy is adopted. But in two to three years revenue may work its way back as manufacturers develop new products. Meanwhile, the district is seeking new ways to raise money to fund its non-profit group activities, Lanane said. Lanane, Wooton and other industry observers say that in the future vending machines at schools will have only healthy items, or some school districts may decide they will not have vending machines at all.Christopher Stegeman, co-owner of Jefferson City-based Central Missouri Vending Service, said small school districts in his area are considering the latter move. As with other vendors,Stege­man expects between a 40 percent to 50 percent drop in sales at high schools, which account for about 15 percent of the company's total revenue. Although concerned with sales now, the vending industry may profit from the trend toward healthier eating in the long term, said Mitchell, who doubles as president of Treat America Ltd., a food-service and vending company based in Overland Park, Kan. As people move toward healthier lifestyles they will use vending machines more frequently to buy small healthy meals five to seven times a day, and will be willing to pay more for healthy items, Mitchell said. pbreyerova@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8372Junking sweets in vending machines could give vendors, schools

Ampalaya through one of America’s foremost nutrition authors

http://www.mb.com.ph/WLBG2006052163926.html#

Sun May 21, 2006
Much has been written about the anti-diabetic potency of the Bitter Melon, scientifically known as Momordica charantia. In fact, hundreds of pre-clinical and clinical studies have already been conducted worldwide to verify its medicinal uses. But that didn’t stop one of America’s foremost authors on nutrition from writing about the therapeutic wonders of Philippines’ local Ampalaya.
Frank Murray, senior editorial advisor of several fitness magazines in Los Angeles and author/co-author of 46 books on health and nutrition, traveled to the country last year to research and gain a first-hand look at the Ampalaya and how it is used to help diabetics in the country. His new book, entitled "Ampalaya, Nature’s Remedy for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes" contains many case studies observed during his time in the Philippines, as well as numerous cases and documented studies from Europe and the USA.
AMPALAYA TAKES THE CENTERSTAGE. Photo shows (from left) Lito Abelarde of Herbcare Corporation, makers of Charantia Ampalaya Food supplement; Frank Murray, author of the book handing a copy of the book to Philippine Consul General Cecille Rebong ; and Oscar Barrera of Fullife Natural Options Inc.Published by Basic Health Publications Inc., and launched during the recently concluded Natural Products Expo held in Anaheim, California, the book is set to hold its debut in the Philippine market this month with Murray flying in the country on May 19 until May 25 for a series of activities.
AMPALAYA,
NATURE’S ANSWER TO DIABETES
"Commonly known as ampalaya in the Philippines, researchers refer to it as a vegetable, fruit, or herb. It is indigenous to Asia, but is cultivated around the world, where it goes by almost 90 different names," wrote Murray.
In his book, Murray confirmed, "As scientific studies have reported, the dried fruits, leaves, and seeds of ampalaya have been used in the formulation of food supplements – teas and capsules – to lower the blood sugar of people with diabetes."
Murray even quoted research of doctors Reynaldo Rosales and Ricardo Fernando of St. Luke’s Medical Center published in the Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine saying, "Plant products have been used in the treatment of diseases for many years, and they could be historically considered to be the first drugs. Philippines have been blessed with very rich natural flora which are known to have medicinal properties."
On the other hand, the 224-page book also discussed the complications of diabetes as well as detailed care of the eyes, feet and kidneys of diabetics making the book a must have for people afflicted with the disease.
THE ROLE OF DIET
AND NUTRITION
"Before the era of insulin therapy, dietary recommendations were the only treatment available for people who had diabetes. In 1982, E.P. Joslin suggested that dietary carbohydrate had to be restricted in type 1 diabetes, because of impaired carbohydrate metabolism," Murray wrote.
He further noted, " These diets Joslin was investigating were largely ketogenic and were composed largely of fat and protein, that is, meat, cream, butter, cheese, and eggs. He suggest that such a diet was atherogenic and that, if people did not die of diabetic ketoacidosis, they would probably expire from coronary heart disease"
Murray’s book went on explaining about sugar and artificial sweeteners, the benefits of a Mediterranean diet and recommendations from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
More notably, and perhaps even more significant to mention about the book is a chapter of it dedicated on the importance of exercise. According to a quote from dietician Nell Armstong, "walking is an ideal way to manage diabetes and enjoy the dividends of exercise at the same time."
She continued, "Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, if your blood glucose is frequently in the 250 plus range, get it under control before beginning a walking program. High blood glucose can be worsened by exercise because there isn’t sufficient insulin to lower it properly."
OPERATION DIABETES
Moving on the last chapter of Murray’s book, he commended how Philippines’ own effort in combating the disease is worthy of imitation by other countries. "The Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines, along with Herbcare Corporation, launched Operation Diabetes, which might well be a model for other nations to emulate. The campaign is designed to alert the people to recognize the warning signs and learn how to prevent the disease."
Launched early last year, Operation Diabetes is all about prevention at the grassroots level – preventing those with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and predisposed persons from acquiring diabetes, and the diabetics from developing complications.
Murray observed, "Many of the diabetes clubs are being urged to recommend ampalaya as a means of lowering blood-sugar readings. Among the proponents of the vegetable are William Torres, Ph.D., who received his degree from the University of Mississippi and was director of the Food and Drug Administration in the Philippines from 1999 to 2002. He maintains that ampalaya, when taken regularly, helps to increase glucose tolerance and potentiate insulin."
Lastly, Murray concluded, "Research studies on type 1 and type 2 diabetes show that using the dried leaves, fruits, and seeds of ampalaya – as teas or capsules – can safely lower blood sugar, thereby improving the overall health of people with diabetes. The vegetable itself is also tasty and beneficial. This book will teach you everything you need to know to put ampalaya to work for you."

Breastfeeding Nutrition

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5547.asp

Eating well can improve your health at any time, but when you are feeding your baby it is important to get the right nutrition to satisfy both of your needs. You probably chose to breastfeed for a variety of health reasons. Studies show that your baby will have a stronger immune system, feel more secure, and even be more intelligent because you have chosen to breastfeed. One reason for these benefits is the perfect nutrition offered by breast milk. You can help your body produce the best possible milk for your baby, and meet your own post-pregnancy needs by following a few simple rules of nutrition. Good nutrition does not need to be difficult or time-consuming and your increased energy level will more than make up for any extra time you spend on food preparation.The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that nursing mothers eat an extra 300 calories a day. This is not as much food as it may sound like, so meeting this increased need with nutrient dense foods will help to ensure that you and your baby are getting all you need.A diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables will satisfy most of your nutrient needs. Due to the depletion of our soils, food is not as nutritious as it once was so a daily multivitamin can help improve your odds.Be sure to drink plenty of water. Water is the major component of breast milk. If you allow yourself to become even slightly dehydrated it can reduce your ability to produce milk. One easy solution is to keep a few bottles of filtered water or spring water in the refrigerator so you always have something cool to drink while you are nursing the baby. If you don't like plain water you can try a spritz of juice in sparkling water or herbal teas. Many nursing mothers enjoy iced chamomile tea and swear that it helps reduce colic. Be sure that the herbal tea you select is safe for use during breastfeeding.If you are low on calcium, your body will rob your bones in order to ensure a continuing supply for other parts of the body. Dairy products, soy milk, kale and other greens ar good sources. If you need more than you are getting from food, talk to your doctor about supplements.Protein can help you fight fatigue, regain your pre-pregnancy weight, and make you feel full longer. Eating fish twice a week can help you meet your protein requirements and add essential fatty acids to your diet. Peanut butter, almonds, cheese, yogurt, and soy nuts are all easy protein-rich snacks.Get plenty of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA). One of the vital ingredients in breast milk is DHA. This EFA is used to build brain cells. Your body will use the DHA from your body to make sure your baby gets this vital nutrient. This is one cause of "pregnancy fog" and short term memory loss immediately after having a baby. You can make sure your baby is getting enough and protect your own brain's supply by eating foods rich in DHA. Fish is the single best source of DHA. It is can also be found in the milk of grass fed cows. Almost all cows in the US are raised on grain which does not build DHA. You can easily obtain purified fish oil capsules if you are nervous about eating to much fish. Some companies are starting to make DHA supplemented margarine and cereals. Vegetarians can get it from a supplement made from marine algae.If you are extended breastfeeding or tandem nursing, your needs may be a bit different. As long as you are choosing from healthy foods your own hunger signals will help you know when your body needs more or less food to meet yoru baby's needs.

'Natural' GuidanceBetter Safety, Efficacy Data on Natural Medicines Are Now Available for a Fee, as Public Use Grows

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/01/AR2006050100992.html?nav=rss_health

By Sandra G. BoodmanWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, May 2, 2006; HE01
Consumer Reports, the bible of independent consumer ratings, has introduced a new database of information on thousands of herbs, dietary supplements and other natural medicines, a response to the enormous growth in the use of these products.
The new database -- unveiled last week and believed to be the most comprehensive of its kind -- contains detailed and easily accessible information on the safety, effectiveness and possible harmful interactions of nearly 14,000 supplements. It is available for a $19 annual fee, which also gives users access to Consumer Reports guides to prescription drugs and medical treatments.
The database, officially known as the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, is the product of the Therapeutic Research Center in Stockton, Calif., which analyzes prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Like Consumers Union (CU), which publishes the monthly Consumer Reports magazine and does not accept advertising, the center receives no funding from pharmaceutical companies, according to its chief, Jeff Jellin.
Jellin, a former professor of pharmacy, said that the center is funded by subscriptions to two newsletters it publishes: the Prescriber's Letter and the Pharmacist's Letter. The consumer database is adapted from these newsletters, which circulate to medical schools, hospitals, doctors and pharmacists, according to Jellin, who is the editor-in-chief.
"It looks like there's a tremendous amount of useful information here," said Allen J. Vaida, executive director of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), a nonprofit group that promotes drug safety, of the new CU database.
For several years CU has provided information to subscribers about prescription drugs through a partnership with the Bethesda-based American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
"We decided to do this because we get calls all the time" about natural medicines, said CU project manager Nancy Metcalf.
A 2002 survey found that an estimated 19 percent of Americans take at least one supplement-- ranging from ginkgo to improve memory to St. John's wort to treat depression.
Many users erroneously regard these products as safe because they are "natural" and do not consider them to be drugs, Metcalf noted. In fact, the efficacy of many products is untested, their purity unknown and their safety uncertain because they are largely exempt from the scrutiny of the Food and Drug Administration.
Even so, demand for natural medicines seems insatiable: Americans now spend an estimated $20 billion annually on herbal remedies for weight loss or to treat back pain, dementia or cancer, studies have found. Because of growing demand, the number of products has skyrocketed.
Yet credible information about supplements remains scarce and what exists may require parsing complicated scientific studies. Although many Web sites and guides offer information about such medicines, much of it is produced by groups that have a financial interest in selling the products, experts say.
"CU does a good job," said Candy Tsourounis, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. Tsourounis, an expert in the use of herbs and natural medicines, called the natural medicine guide informative and "very user-friendly."A Difference in Detail
The National Institutes of Health sponsors two databases -- through its Office of Dietary Supplements ( http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/ ) and its National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( http://www.nccam.nih.gov/ ). Both provide safety and effectiveness information about supplements that is free of commercial influence. But neither site contains as much detailed or easily accessible information as the CU database, which allows consumers to check which natural medicines might be effective for specific health problems.
Search "colds," for example, and information on 17 supplements pops up. Among them are echinacea, which the guide classifies as "possibly effective" in reducing cold symptoms based on published studies, and ginseng, for which it says there is "insufficient evidence."
CU's database ( http://www.consumerreportsmedicalguide.org/ ) lists approximately 100 brands of supplements that contain garlic, often taken to reduce cholesterol or blood pressure, for which it is rated "possibly effective." The site warns users that garlic supplements could interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills because they speed the breakdown of estrogen and may interact with statins, which are broken down by the liver.
Vaida of ISMP said he hopes the detailed safety information won't lead users to self-medicate. "The important thing is that people should not go on this site and decide for themselves whether to tell their doctor or pharmacist" they are taking a supplement, he said.
Alternative medicine specialist Adriane Fugh-Berman, an associate professor of complementary medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, said that while the CU directory is " much more accurate than many other resources," it fails to distinguish between theoretical risks various supplements may pose at a cellular level and actual harm seen in human studies.
"Extreme caution can work against public health outcomes," said Fugh-Berman, who has written about the benefits of some herbal medicines. If consumers are told "everything interacts with everything, people will just stop listening."
Jellin said that such distinctions appear on the professional version of the database, but not on the consumer Web site.
"We put forward what we think is the best advice," he said. If a theoretical harm is deemed potentially significant, such as increased bleeding associated with ginkgo ingestion, it is posted in the interest of consumer protection.
A distinctive feature of the database is its ability to quickly check interactions between herbal supplements and prescription drugs.
The listing for the popular antidepressant Zoloft, for example, shows interactions with more than 80 supplements and herbs, including vitamin E, which is often taken to protect the heart.
Jellin said his employees combed through 1,450 scientific studies of supplements last year, and he expects the number to be higher this year because of growing scientific research in herbal medicine. Like the newsletter database, the guide is continuously updated.
"Had I known 10 years ago how much work this would be," he quipped, "I never would have done it." ·

Small Clinic At Centre of Debate Over Traditional Medicine UN Integrated Regional Information Networks NEWSMay 1, 2006 Posted to the web May 1, 2006 Durban

http://allafrica.com/stories/200605010796.html

Over the past few months, hundreds of people have been streaming into an office building in Pinetown, on the outskirts of South Africa's east coast city of Durban, looking for the clinic that sells ubhejane - a herbal mixture they believe can treat HIV/AIDS.
The controversial traditional medicine has received vast media coverage, mainly due to the backing it has received from influential political figures such as the country's health minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, and provincial health officials in KwaZulu-Natal.
Tshabalala-Msimang and KwaZulu Natal's health minister Peggy Nkonyeni reportedly recommended to the mother of the deputy president, who runs a hospice in Durban, that she should give ubhejane to her patients. The city's mayor, Obed Mlaba, is also supporting the herbal remedy, and is sponsoring its supply to patients at a hospice in Inchanga, a rural village about 40 km from Durban.
But ubhejane, a dark brown liquid sold in old plastic milk bottles, has yet to undergo clinical trials to test its efficacy. All that has so far been confirmed, according to tests by the University of KwaZulu Natal's (UKZN) medical school, is that it is not toxic.
Despite the negative publicity in the national media, on the ground in KwaZulu-Natal there seems to be far greater willingness to accept the traditional medicine as an effective remedy. As a result, AIDS activists warn that the government's apparent support for ubhejane could undermine the roll-out of antiretrovirals (ARVs) - the orthodox treatment that can prolong the lives of HIV-positive people.
The cost of ubhejane does not seem to have dented its appeal. Government-supplied ARVs have been free since 2003, but a full course of the herbal remedy retails at R374 (US$62.8), in a country where an average low-income salary is around $250. Just 100,000 South Africans are receiving ARV therapy out of the estimated 500,000 believed to be in need of treatment.
LOOKING FOR AN EASIER WAY?
Antiretroviral treatment has long been a fraught issue. The government adopted a cautious approach from the start to the provision of the life-prolonging medication, and has engaged in a bitter stand-off with AIDS activists over the pace of the rollout. President Thabo Mbeki has appeared willing to listen to AIDS dissidents; misleading statements by the health minister over ARV toxicity, and a damaging debate that tended to frame nutrition in opposition to ARVs, have all sent mixed signals.
Back in Pinetown, a scruffy industrial location, Dudu (last name withheld) a staff member at the 'Nebza AIDS Clinic' where ubhejane is sold, was explaining how to take it. The bottle with the blue lid was for making the viral load undetectable; the bottle with the white lid was for boosting the CD4 count - a measure of the strength of the immune system. Patients are advised to stop smoking and drinking while on the treatment, and abstain from sex or use condoms.
A more precise explanation of how the mixture reduces the amount of virus in the body or increases the CD4 count was not forthcoming. But the first-time clients she was instructing were more interested in whether their appetites would increase, or if they could stop taking ARVs.
Thirty-five year old Lindiwe (not her real name) has been on ARVs for the past year, but said she would prefer traditional medicine. "ARVs are for life and you must remember to take them everyday ... at least with this one [ubhejane] it's something from my culture and it's easier," she told PlusNews.
According to South Africa's department of health, 70 percent of South Africans consult traditional healers regularly. Queen Ntuli, who has been practising for the past 20 years, explained that it was an issue of familiarity with the community.
"People come to us because they trust us," said the petite 40-year old healer. "We live with them and we've been given power by the ancestors. We also don't just focus on the disease, we go beyond the sickness."
Despite high levels of awareness surrounding ARVs, "people who are on ARVs already will still come to me [for treatment] ... they are scared about taking it forever and are always looking for an easier way," said Ntuli, who is a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Traditional Healers Council, and also works with UKZN's medical school instructing western-trained medical students on herbal medicine.
But a problem was that traditional healers themselves often did not understand how HIV worked, she noted. Some genuinely believed they could get rid of the virus, while others deliberately misled people into believing that they could cure HIV/AIDS. Ntuli explained that many traditional healers did not realise that their medication was just treating the symptoms - and not the virus.
Zeblon Gwala, who makes ubhejane and runs the Nebza AIDS clinic, is not a traditional healer, but told PlusNews that his grandfather, who was, appeared to him in dreams and gave him the recipe.
He said its recent popularity has meant he has been staying up till late brewing the medication, grinding the ingredients by hand, and trying to get more plastic bottles. The 89 different herbs found in ubhejane are sourced, he said, from as far a field as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gwala is adamant that he has never claimed he can cure AIDS, and since there have been no trials looking at whether people on ARVs can also safely take ubhejane, he strongly advises his clients against mixing the two.
SCIENCE vs TRADITION
Deputy dean of UKZN's medical school, Professor Nceba Gqaleni, who led the pre-clinical tests on ubhejane's toxicity, said he does not reject the potential value of the remedy. However, "when you want to put the product on shelves and provide it in hospitals, you have a duty to do it properly ... you are now entering a different terrain altogether".
Gqaleni, who also sits on the World Health Organisation's expert committee on traditional medicine, acknowledged the slow pace of research into traditional medicine in Africa. "We have missed so many opportunities to study [traditional medicine]," he commented.
But researching traditional medicine is not easy. Professor Herbert Vilakazi, who has teamed up with Gwala to promote ubhejane, argued the rules for registering medicines were "pharmaceutical-industry friendly".
"Where do they expect this laboratory evidence to come from? Especially where there is no tradition of studying or testing African traditional medicine," he commented.
Traditional medicine is big business
The health ministry seems to share those concerns, and announced in a press release earlier this year that "in finalising the regulation of these [complementary, alternative, African traditional] medicines, we are avoiding the pitfall of putting such products in the same regulatory environment as pharmaceutical drugs whose testing is very different".
However, in a recent report on 'AIDS, Science and Governance' director of the AIDS and Society Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, Professor Nicoli Nattrass, warned that "the most pernicious legacy of President Mbeki's dissident stance on AIDS has been the erosion of the authority of science and of scientific regulation of medicine in South Africa."
According to Nattrass, scientists - including the regulatory body the Medicines Control Council - have been portrayed "as, at worst, biased spokespeople for the pharmaceutical industry, and at best, as promoting scientific protocols that are inappropriate for traditional or alternative medicines".
"Once science is discarded as the best yard-stick of efficacy, patients are at the mercy of charlatans selling unproven substances. Responsible governments should not place them in this position - especially in this age of AIDS when so many people's lives are at stake," the report concluded.
Traditional medicine had to be "comprehensively studied, marketed and licensed properly", Gqaleni said. "We have to define what ubhejane is, find out the ingredients, the exact dosages ... it has to be subjected to proper scientific scrutiny". He added there was still not enough information on the effects of traditional medicine on ARVs - which in some cases have proved to be incompatible.
AIDS lobby group, the Treatment Action Campaign, has also reiterated the need for more research into traditional remedies: "Many people use traditional medicines, but they continue to die of AIDS. This shows why it is important to invest more money into researching traditional medicines so that safe and effective treatments can be identified, and that medicines that harm people can be withdrawn."
The country's politicians, particularly health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, have long supported the need for 'African solutions' to the AIDS problem. Traditional healers are seen as crucial to the revival of indigenous knowledge systems suppressed during the apartheid era.
Nozuko Majola, deputy director of the NGO the AIDS Foundation, warned however, against romanticising traditional medicine, particularly when dealing with people living with HIV/AIDS. "We have to protect people from exploitation and we cannot afford to jeopardise the public health system," Majola said.
While ubhejane and other traditional medication were easier to accept and more familiar for many people, politicians and traditional healers should not use double standards, she added. "There is proof that ARVs work, all medicine must go through the same procedures."

Small Clinic At Centre of Debate Over Traditional Medicine UN Integrated Regional Information Networks NEWSMay 1, 2006 Posted to the web May 1, 2006 Durban

http://allafrica.com/stories/200605010796.html

Over the past few months, hundreds of people have been streaming into an office building in Pinetown, on the outskirts of South Africa's east coast city of Durban, looking for the clinic that sells ubhejane - a herbal mixture they believe can treat HIV/AIDS.
The controversial traditional medicine has received vast media coverage, mainly due to the backing it has received from influential political figures such as the country's health minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, and provincial health officials in KwaZulu-Natal.
Tshabalala-Msimang and KwaZulu Natal's health minister Peggy Nkonyeni reportedly recommended to the mother of the deputy president, who runs a hospice in Durban, that she should give ubhejane to her patients. The city's mayor, Obed Mlaba, is also supporting the herbal remedy, and is sponsoring its supply to patients at a hospice in Inchanga, a rural village about 40 km from Durban.
But ubhejane, a dark brown liquid sold in old plastic milk bottles, has yet to undergo clinical trials to test its efficacy. All that has so far been confirmed, according to tests by the University of KwaZulu Natal's (UKZN) medical school, is that it is not toxic.
Despite the negative publicity in the national media, on the ground in KwaZulu-Natal there seems to be far greater willingness to accept the traditional medicine as an effective remedy. As a result, AIDS activists warn that the government's apparent support for ubhejane could undermine the roll-out of antiretrovirals (ARVs) - the orthodox treatment that can prolong the lives of HIV-positive people.
The cost of ubhejane does not seem to have dented its appeal. Government-supplied ARVs have been free since 2003, but a full course of the herbal remedy retails at R374 (US$62.8), in a country where an average low-income salary is around $250. Just 100,000 South Africans are receiving ARV therapy out of the estimated 500,000 believed to be in need of treatment.
LOOKING FOR AN EASIER WAY?
Antiretroviral treatment has long been a fraught issue. The government adopted a cautious approach from the start to the provision of the life-prolonging medication, and has engaged in a bitter stand-off with AIDS activists over the pace of the rollout. President Thabo Mbeki has appeared willing to listen to AIDS dissidents; misleading statements by the health minister over ARV toxicity, and a damaging debate that tended to frame nutrition in opposition to ARVs, have all sent mixed signals.
Back in Pinetown, a scruffy industrial location, Dudu (last name withheld) a staff member at the 'Nebza AIDS Clinic' where ubhejane is sold, was explaining how to take it. The bottle with the blue lid was for making the viral load undetectable; the bottle with the white lid was for boosting the CD4 count - a measure of the strength of the immune system. Patients are advised to stop smoking and drinking while on the treatment, and abstain from sex or use condoms.
A more precise explanation of how the mixture reduces the amount of virus in the body or increases the CD4 count was not forthcoming. But the first-time clients she was instructing were more interested in whether their appetites would increase, or if they could stop taking ARVs.
Thirty-five year old Lindiwe (not her real name) has been on ARVs for the past year, but said she would prefer traditional medicine. "ARVs are for life and you must remember to take them everyday ... at least with this one [ubhejane] it's something from my culture and it's easier," she told PlusNews.
According to South Africa's department of health, 70 percent of South Africans consult traditional healers regularly. Queen Ntuli, who has been practising for the past 20 years, explained that it was an issue of familiarity with the community.
"People come to us because they trust us," said the petite 40-year old healer. "We live with them and we've been given power by the ancestors. We also don't just focus on the disease, we go beyond the sickness."
Despite high levels of awareness surrounding ARVs, "people who are on ARVs already will still come to me [for treatment] ... they are scared about taking it forever and are always looking for an easier way," said Ntuli, who is a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Traditional Healers Council, and also works with UKZN's medical school instructing western-trained medical students on herbal medicine.
But a problem was that traditional healers themselves often did not understand how HIV worked, she noted. Some genuinely believed they could get rid of the virus, while others deliberately misled people into believing that they could cure HIV/AIDS. Ntuli explained that many traditional healers did not realise that their medication was just treating the symptoms - and not the virus.
Zeblon Gwala, who makes ubhejane and runs the Nebza AIDS clinic, is not a traditional healer, but told PlusNews that his grandfather, who was, appeared to him in dreams and gave him the recipe.
He said its recent popularity has meant he has been staying up till late brewing the medication, grinding the ingredients by hand, and trying to get more plastic bottles. The 89 different herbs found in ubhejane are sourced, he said, from as far a field as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gwala is adamant that he has never claimed he can cure AIDS, and since there have been no trials looking at whether people on ARVs can also safely take ubhejane, he strongly advises his clients against mixing the two.
SCIENCE vs TRADITION
Deputy dean of UKZN's medical school, Professor Nceba Gqaleni, who led the pre-clinical tests on ubhejane's toxicity, said he does not reject the potential value of the remedy. However, "when you want to put the product on shelves and provide it in hospitals, you have a duty to do it properly ... you are now entering a different terrain altogether".
Gqaleni, who also sits on the World Health Organisation's expert committee on traditional medicine, acknowledged the slow pace of research into traditional medicine in Africa. "We have missed so many opportunities to study [traditional medicine]," he commented.
But researching traditional medicine is not easy. Professor Herbert Vilakazi, who has teamed up with Gwala to promote ubhejane, argued the rules for registering medicines were "pharmaceutical-industry friendly".
"Where do they expect this laboratory evidence to come from? Especially where there is no tradition of studying or testing African traditional medicine," he commented.
Traditional medicine is big business
The health ministry seems to share those concerns, and announced in a press release earlier this year that "in finalising the regulation of these [complementary, alternative, African traditional] medicines, we are avoiding the pitfall of putting such products in the same regulatory environment as pharmaceutical drugs whose testing is very different".
However, in a recent report on 'AIDS, Science and Governance' director of the AIDS and Society Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, Professor Nicoli Nattrass, warned that "the most pernicious legacy of President Mbeki's dissident stance on AIDS has been the erosion of the authority of science and of scientific regulation of medicine in South Africa."
According to Nattrass, scientists - including the regulatory body the Medicines Control Council - have been portrayed "as, at worst, biased spokespeople for the pharmaceutical industry, and at best, as promoting scientific protocols that are inappropriate for traditional or alternative medicines".
"Once science is discarded as the best yard-stick of efficacy, patients are at the mercy of charlatans selling unproven substances. Responsible governments should not place them in this position - especially in this age of AIDS when so many people's lives are at stake," the report concluded.
Traditional medicine had to be "comprehensively studied, marketed and licensed properly", Gqaleni said. "We have to define what ubhejane is, find out the ingredients, the exact dosages ... it has to be subjected to proper scientific scrutiny". He added there was still not enough information on the effects of traditional medicine on ARVs - which in some cases have proved to be incompatible.
AIDS lobby group, the Treatment Action Campaign, has also reiterated the need for more research into traditional remedies: "Many people use traditional medicines, but they continue to die of AIDS. This shows why it is important to invest more money into researching traditional medicines so that safe and effective treatments can be identified, and that medicines that harm people can be withdrawn."
The country's politicians, particularly health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, have long supported the need for 'African solutions' to the AIDS problem. Traditional healers are seen as crucial to the revival of indigenous knowledge systems suppressed during the apartheid era.
Nozuko Majola, deputy director of the NGO the AIDS Foundation, warned however, against romanticising traditional medicine, particularly when dealing with people living with HIV/AIDS. "We have to protect people from exploitation and we cannot afford to jeopardise the public health system," Majola said.
While ubhejane and other traditional medication were easier to accept and more familiar for many people, politicians and traditional healers should not use double standards, she added. "There is proof that ARVs work, all medicine must go through the same procedures."

Chamomile Tea And Lotion Causing Internal Bleeding In Patient On Anti-coagulant Medication

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=42422&nfid=rssfeeds#

Researchers at the MUHC in Montreal have documented a severe case of internal hemorrhaging in a patient that drank chamomile tea and used chamomile lotion while taking anti-coagulant medication for a heart condition. The 70-year old patient was admitted to the MUHC ER in Montreal after using chamomile to help soothe her sore throat. The case published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) this week, highlights the need for caution when taking alternative (natural) therapies while on physician prescribed medications. The patient had been implanted with a mechanical valve and was taking an anti-coagulant medication called warfarin, designed to thin the blood and reduce the chances of stroke. "Warfarin is an effective and reliable anti-coagulant and as a result is used commonly," says Dr. Louise Pilote an internist and epidemiologist at the MUHC and Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University. "We are aware of several herbal products that should not be taken with warfarin, such as garlic, onion and ginger, but this is the first time we have documented a life-threatening reaction when combined with chamomile." Warfarin is derived from coumarin, a chemical compound with anti-coagulant properties found in many plants, including chamomile. "It seems the chamomile acted synergistically with the warfarin in this case," says Dr. Pilote. "Although this is a rare case, it highlights the potential dangers of mixing herbal remedies with physician prescribed medications." Camomile tea is taken to treat a range of ailments including toothache, sore thoats, digestive problems and insomnia--it is known as the night-time tea because it acts as a mild sedative. Camomile lotion is often used to treat skin conditions psoriasis, eczema and acne as well as helping soothe insect bites.

Fussy Babies and Postpartum Depression Linked, Study Finds

http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2005-06/05-114.html

Researchers from Brown Medical School and the Rhode Island Department of Health have found a strong association between mothers with symptoms of postpartum depression and those with colicky infants. The study, the first to show such a link using population-based data, will be presented May 2 at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ 2006 Annual Meeting.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A compelling connection exists between colicky babies and postpartum depression, according to a study conducted by a Brown Medical School professor and Rhode Island Department of Health family health experts.
The study is the first to establish a link between colic and depression using a large sample of demographically diverse women. Results will be presented May 2 at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ 2006 Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The meeting is the largest academic pediatric gathering in the world.
Pamela High, M.D., served as lead. High is a clinical professor of pediatrics at Brown Medical School and director of developmental-behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She is also head of the Infant Behavior, Cry and Sleep Program run by the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, which is supported by Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.
The research team also included staff from the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Division of Family Health, who provided data and analytical support. They are Hannah Kim, senior epidemiologist; Samara Viner-Brown, chief of data and evaluation and director of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, or PRAMS; and Rachel Cain, PRAMS coordinator.
High warned that the work does not show a direct cause-and-effect relationship between a fussy baby and a depressed mom. “We can’t say that inconsolability causes depression or that depression causes inconsolability,” High said. “However, we did find a link between the two. And this won’t surprise anyone who knows a mother coping with a fussy baby.”
High directs the Infant Behavior, Cry and Sleep Program – known locally as the Colic Clinic – in Providence. High and other Colic Clinic staff have helped hundreds of families having trouble with their infants’ crying. After conducting an exam and taking a medical history, clinic staffers help new mothers and fathers console their babies, pinpoint the cause of the crying, and take care of their own needs.
A 2005 Brown Medical School study of 93 mothers seen at the Colic Clinic showed that 45 percent reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Barry Lester, head of the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, led the study.
“At the clinic, it is not unusual to see mothers who are very tired and sometimes very anxious and depressed,” High said. “Moms are trying hard to understand their child’s needs and meet those needs. Sometimes they feel inadequate when they can’t console their baby.”
The study is based on responses to the Rhode Island PRAMS, an ongoing, confidential survey of women who have recently given birth. The state is one of 32 participating in PRAMS, which is funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and aims to improve the health of new mothers and their babies. Each month, women are randomly chosen to receive the survey, which covers topics such as prenatal care, smoking, and nutrition and breast-feeding.
High is a member of the Rhode Island PRAMS steering committee. The committee was able to choose a few state-specific questions that would be added to the standard survey. The survey already asked about depression. Wondering if there was a connection to colic, High suggested another: “How inconsolable is your baby?”
The new question appeared on Rhode Island’s first PRAMS survey, administered in 2002, and again in 2003. A total of 4,214 new mothers got the questionnaire and 2,927 responded. The majority of mothers were white, married, had household incomes of more than $40,000 per year and had health insurance. Most of their babies were between two and four months of age.
The results: 19 percent of mothers reported moderate to severe symptoms of postpartum depression, and 8 percent reported that their babies were difficult to console. Responses showed a strong connection between the two. Mothers reporting depression were more than twice as likely to report infant inconsolability, and women with inconsolable babies were more than two times as likely to report depression. Even when other variables were controlled – such as age, race and income – the two were closely related.
“Depression and inconsolability are strong predictors of one another,” High said. “One in three women with fussy infants acknowledged that they were depressed.”
Researchers say the study sends a clear message to pediatricians: If you are treating a colicky baby, check on the moms, too. Ask them how they are feeling and if they have support from family and friends. When appropriate, refer women to mental health providers.
“This study is a terrific example of the use of survey data to further our understanding of maternal and child health issues and develop recommendations for improving public health practices,” Viner-Brown said. “It also shows the benefits of partnerships between state governments, universities and hospitals.”