Unorthodox therapy for trauma faces struggle for acceptance

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/11/24//news/top_stories/10_02_7611_23_06.txt

By:JOE BECK - Staff Writer
VISTA -- An alternative form of therapy based on the principles of acupuncture has gained a following among a few counselors in the San Diego area who say it eliminates the effects of combat stress among military members.Advocates of the therapy, known among its practitioners as the emotional freedom technique, will take a step toward gaining greater exposure to the public next year when Palomar College is scheduled to broadcast a four-part series about the technique on a local cable TV channel reserved for educational programming.
The technique involves manipulation of energy found in and around the body to relieve emotional traumas that create psychological problems such as fears, anger, phobias, depression, sadness, compulsions and obsessions. The goal, advocates say, is to eliminate destructive emotions associated with memories from events that may be decades old.Gary Craig, an engineer at Stanford University who developed the technique in the 1990s, describes it on his Web site as resembling acupuncture, but instead of needles, "you stimulate well-established meridian points on your body by tapping on them with your fingertips. The process is easy to memorize and is portable so you can take it anywhere."Craig describes the technique as a "common sense approach that draws its power from (1) time-honored Eastern discoveries that have been around for more than 5,000 years and (2) Albert Einstein, who told us back in the 1920s that everything (including our bodies) is composed of energy."The television show will include one military member among clients who will be used to demonstrate the technique, said Tom Ventimiglia, a professor and counselor at Palomar College. Ventimiglia won approval from Palomar administrators to broadcast the show after obtaining what he regarded as successful results with the technique among some of his student clients at the college.Ventimiglia said he has been using the technique for about five months in his practice. Before that, he experienced the technique as a client himself, seeking relief for chronic fatigue and other problems."When I first heard about this, I was skeptical. I thought it was weird energy medicine," he said. "It works just about every time I work with a student."The technique still has plenty of doubters among mental health professionals. Clayton King, chief of social work at the La Jolla Veterans Administration Medical Center, said information from reputable, scientifically based studies must be weighed in determining the safety and effectiveness of any therapy tried at the medical center.So far, such research into emotional freedom technique is completely missing, King said."We just don't have people come in here and make up their own treatment. That's dangerous," King said.Nevertheless, the medical center does not flatly ban the use of the technique. King said one of the social workers he supervises gained experience with the technique when she worked at Naval Center San Diego treating clients for post-traumatic stress syndrome. She uses the technique with some of her clients at the VA center, he said.The social worker was unavailable for comment.Wilbur Hurley, a Navy petty officer and corpsman, said he visited an emotional freedom technique practitioner after struggling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome a few weeks after returning to Camp Pendleton from Iraq in the fall of 2004.Hurley, 22, said he was plagued by anxiety, depression, disturbing memories of mortar attacks and witnessing a Marine commit suicide.After conventional therapy failed to relieve his anguish, Hurley said one of his commanding officers suggested he try the emotional freedom technique. Taking the advice, Hurley said he found Sue Hannibal of Vista, a practitioner of the technique. Hurley said his symptoms completely disappeared after the third of four 90-minute sessions and haven't returned since."At the time I didn't know much about it," he said of the technique. "At times, it seemed kind of like a weird technique but I'm a pretty open-minded person, and I just went for it. And I was pleased with the results."Hannibal is helping Ventimiglia plan the television program and will appear in the series. She called traditional therapy techniques used at veterans centers, in which clients talk to social workers, as "old-fashioned and limited.""You can't talk somebody out of trauma, it just doesn't work," Hannibal said. "All you can do is give them coping skills to manage their pain and maybe suppress it with drugs."Hannibal said the name emotional freedom technique is inspired by the calming effect that clients feel from the elimination of energy blockages that burden the part of the brain that holds their emotions. She estimated she has successfully treated more than 1,000 clients for psychological disorders linked to traumatic experiences "and I've never had somebody return to me and say 'it's back.' ''

Alternative medicine is defended Therapists have defended their use of complementary medicines after a cancer expert said patients needed protection from "exploitation".
Professor Jonathan Waxman, of Imperial College London, wants laws against "the snake oil salesmen that peddle cures and exploit the desperate".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6179374.stm

But Dr George Lewith, who has studied the use of complementary medicine, said most patients find it "helpful".
He said professor Waxman's view was interesting but it was a personal one.
In an article for the British Medical Journal Professor Waxman said: "Claims made by companies to support the sales of such products may be overtly and malignly incorrect."
Our.. survey did not find these patients are anti conventional medicine or using wacky diets Dr George Lewith
He called for them to be reclassified as drugs, rather than food supplements, so they would be subject to pharmaceutical testing.
Professor Waxman also said that when treatments are unsuccessful "the patient has failed, not the alternative therapy, and the patient has let down the alternative practitioner".
Dr Lewith, of Southampton University, worked on a government-funded study on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients that was published earlier this year.
He said their information showed that CAM was used for around 30% of cancer patients.
'Great benefit'
"Our.. survey did not find these patients are anti-conventional medicine or using wacky diets," he said.
Responding to the call for legislation to regulate the industry Dr Lewith said: "You're starting from an assumption that is not grounded in fact."
Supporting Dr Lewith, Beverly Martin, a trustee of the charity the Institute for Complementary Medicine (ICM), said the treatment of cancer requires "training of the highest standard" whether conventional or complementary.
"There are published cases suggesting the great benefit to some patients of naturopathic treatment including radical detoxification and dietary changes," she said.

Doerksen wants $$ for naturopathy

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2006/11/24/2474281-sun.html

By DARCY HENTON, LEGISLATURE BUREAU

Victor Doerksen wants to invest millions of taxpayers' dollars into establishing a naturopathy fund.
The Red Deer Tory leadership candidate says that a $2 million initial investment and $10 million annually should be employed to research the effectiveness of natural, complementary and preventive medicines.
"Albertans are already speaking with their pocketbooks on the use of these complementary approaches," he says. "This fund will help support their choices and help our health-care system determine what alternative approaches have merit."
- - -
Ted Morton says $36 million a day is leaving Alberta in the form of taxes and transfers to Ottawa and he's not convinced Alberta is getting good value from those dollars. He told a radio phone-in show yesterday that he's committed to reviewing that to make sure Albertans get a fair return. But he told a caller to CHED's Rutherford Show that he wasn't interested in pulling the province out of Confederation. "If you don't want to be a part of Canada, you can go join the Separatist Party," he said. "That's not what I am interested in." A new poll of party members suggests Morton is trailing front-runner Jim Dinning by a few percentage points.
- - -
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, none of the eight candidates vying for the leadership has an ideal platform, but the organization liked what it saw in many of their responses.
Most of the candidates had specific suggestions for spending restraint. Ed Stelmach and Dinning vowed to end unbudgeted spending sprees, while Morton promised to cap spending increases at the rate of growth in the private sector plus inflation.
Stelmach, Dinning and Mark Norris pledged to give a greater role to all-party legislature committees.

Tradition Under Microscope

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/740178/tradition_under_microscope/index.html?source=r_science#

While the recent debate to abolish traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from official medical system has been fading from media spotlight, it has ignited a wide and continuous discussion on the approaches for the TCM modernization.
"The primary reason for the call to abolish TCM from the medicine is it is less scientific. It seems to me that the term 'scientific' has been used in a misleading way," said Zhang Shitian, a former drug evaluator at the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) and now a consultant to Health, Welfare and Food Bureau of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The debate on the fate of TCM was aroused by Zhang Gongyao, a professor of philosophy of science at Changsha-based Central South University.
In early October, Zhang posted an article in his blog (http:// hexun.com/zhgybk), suggesting the government abolish TCM from the official medical system but still retain it as an unfunded, grass- roots service. He said that TCM had too many unscientific components, high toxicity and uncertain therapeutic effects.
The blog article quickly triggered wide-spread public debate. By the end of last month, most denounced Zhang as ignorant of TCM.
An online survey launched by the popular news portal Sina.com.cn attracted more than 40,000 votes by the end of October, and more than 80 per cent supported TCM.
The professor fell, not answering calls and responding to any e- mail.
Zhang's call to abolish TCM from official medical system occurred amidst several widely reported cases concerning TCM toxicity and irregular practices.
In August, the UK drug authorities banned a TCM Fufang Luhui Jiaonang, a capsulated compound based primarily on aloe used as nutritious supplements in that country because they have been found with high amount of mercury 11,700 times of the UK standard.
In mid October, three kinds of anti-diabetes TCM were found by Shanghai drug authorities to illegally contain chemical compounds. These compounds were found to have a fast effect to reduce blood sugar, but their side effects were so major that they had been banned in the mid 1980s.
In China, adding chemical compounds into TCM to compose a Chinese- Western joint medicine is theoretically legal, as long as it is strictly reviewed and approved by the SFDA.
However, Song Jun, a TCM doctor with Beijing Xiyuan Hospital affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS), said if the TCM makers add chemical compounds to their medicine, their drugs were very unlikely to be approved.
Mao Qun'an, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, has rebuffed Zhang's proposal by saying it is ignorant of the Chinese history.
While calling Zhang's proposal an irresponsible farce, Fang Shuting, deputy director of the State Administration of TCM, vowed that China will continuously support the development of TCM and its modernization.
Meanwhile, at a time when genes and proteins are dominating the attention in the medical researches, studies have yet to reveal the genetic or molecular mechanism of TCM-based therapies in lab experiments.
For Wang Xudong, a professor of TCM at Nanjing University of TCM, however, the medicine's lack of results in the molecular level should not be considered as its failure. "Modern Western medicine and TCM are two totally different approaches. For the previous one, all therapeutic approaches are based on a clear understanding of the pathogenic targets; but for TCM, its role is mainly embodied in strengthening the natural human functions. You cannot bet everything (of TCM) be clearly understood in the molecular level before using it," Wang said.
Most doctors and experts involved in the TCM debate, however, say that the prosperity of TCM relies on how well TCM comply with modern medical sciences. "You cannot explain all the traditional philosophy such as yin and yang backing TCM to an era featured with genes and proteins," said Wang Zhao, a professor of natural medicine at Tsinghua University.
Yet Zhang Shitian argued that TCM's complying with modern medical sciences does not mean it must be totally evaluated with the paradigm of modern sciences.
"It has been stressed that TCM is not modernized until each pharmaceutical molecule of a TCM prescription is well understood and its function in human bodies clearly elaborated in the molecular level," Zhang said at the 10th Healthcare Industry Forum, organized by Beijing Pharma and Biotech Centre late last month.
"But for TCM, which commonly involves several herbal ingredients for a single prescription, this is impossible and often unnecessary, because they have been tested in human bodies for thousands of years," Zhang Shitian told China Daily.
Despite the accumulated efforts in China over the past 50 years, no more than 10 TCM-based herbals have been clearly understood in the single molecule level.
Wang Zhimin, director of natural herb department at the CACMS, argued that the lack of research results in the molecule level does not mean the scientific studies on TCM are less successful.
"In the process of the studies, we have better understood the TCM mechanism and our understanding can be accelerated with the better combination of TCM and modern molecular biology," Wang said.
Zhang said that the right way is to use modern chemistry or molecular biology to purify and standardize the most pharmaceutically active compounds of TCM no matter they are a single molecular or a group of molecules whose very names remain unknown.
"In this way, we can ensure to maximize the therapeutic effects of TCM while minimizing its side effects and toxicity," Zhang said.
Ye Zuguang, a famous researcher at CACMS, agreed. While the molecular studies on TCM herbs are necessary in the basic research, strict procedures for clinical trial can be introduced to re- evaluate the efficiency and safety of the existing TCM and newly approved ones, Ye said.
"The molecular studies and the practical re-evaluation of TCM can be combined together. With this innovative approach, TCM can keep a new and booming life in China," Ye concluded.

Job Stress Fuels Disease

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20061122/sc_livescience/jobstressfuelsdisease

Jeanna BrynerLiveScience Staff WriterLiveScience.com2 hours, 52 minutes ago
The daily rigors of work, such as tight deadlines and long hours, can lead to job burnout, a state scientists are beginning to link with serious ailments.
Studies have shown that workplace stress can lead to an increase in rates of heart disease, flu virus, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure. One study found that stress can negate the heart-healthy aspects of a physically active job, leading to thicker arteries in physically active and stressed workers compared with active, non-stressed employees.
A new study of 677 workers in Israel showed those who experienced job burnout were 1.8 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, in which a person's body becomes resistant to the sugar-regulating hormone called insulin. The results held even when factors like age, sex, exercise and obesity were taken into account.
Some studies have found stress can cause unhealthy behaviors, such as eating poorly or drinking more alcohol, which can then lead to health problems. In the new study, the researchers suggest stress can have a more direct effect, disrupting the body's ability to process glucose, leading to diabetes.
The results show that burnout could boost the risk of illness by a "magnitude similar to other risk factors, such as high body mass index, smoking and lack of physical exercise," said study lead author Samuel Melamed of Tel Aviv University in Israel.
Job burnout
When work stress becomes unmanageable, job burnout can lead to a combination of three symptoms:Emotional exhaustion Physical fatigue or exhaustion Cognitive weariness (slow thinking)
This state differs from a temporary malaise that passes after a period of rest. Causes of burnout include chronic stresses, such as lack of rewards, job insecurity, regular physical abuse and sexual harassment, as well as daily hassles and sudden traumas.
Work life
The scientists studied Israeli workers, who were apparently healthy initially, from 1998 to 2003. Nearly 77 percent of the workers were men, with an average age of 43 years. The subjects had a range of occupations, which the scientists divided into five categories: senior management, middle management or supervisory—jobs like engineers, teachers and computer workers— nonprofessional and self-employed persons.
A burnout questionnaire revealed about half of the 677 subjects experienced high burnout. Of the workers, 17 developed Type 2 diabetes during the study period, with 3.2 percent of burned-out workers becoming diabetic compared with 1.8 percent of the other workers.
To figure out if the cause of diabetes was mediated by blood pressure, the researchers examined a subset of the subjects—507 workers—for which they had tested for blood pressure. The burned-out workers showed lower blood pressure levels, indicating that it was not hypertension—high blood pressure—causing diabetes. An alternative explanation could be that stress triggers a spike in fatty acids in the blood and a drop in the "good" cholesterol, HDL—both factors associated with diabetes.
Stress factor
The job burnout may be only part of the picture, Melamed said.
"It is possible that these people are prone to diabetes because they can't handle stress very well," he said. "Their coping resources may have been depleted not only due to job stress but also life stresses, such as stressful life events and daily hassles."
Stress in general can disrupt the body's ability to process glucose, especially in people whose genetics make them vulnerable, said Richard Surwit of the Duke University Medical Center.
Surwit, who was not involved in the study, said the results should be replicated in a much larger group of subjects to see if the same results prevail.
The scientists suggest, in the November/December issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, that the results confirm the need for effective interventions to reduce stress before it becomes burnout. Anger is Good For You Study: Office Bullies Create Workplace ‘Warzone' Image of the Day: Psychological Stress in the Healthy Human Brain Study: American Women Need More Vacations Top 10 Mysteries of the Mind Original Story: Job Stress Fuels Disease
Visit LiveScience.com for more daily news, views and scientific inquiry with an original, provocative point of view. LiveScience reports amazing, real world breakthroughs, made simple and stimulating for people on the go. Check out our collection of Science, Animal and Dinosaur Pictures, Science Videos, Hot Topics, Trivia, Top 10s, Voting, Amazing Images, Reader Favorites, and more. Get cool gadgets at the new LiveScience Store, sign up for our free daily email newsletter and check out our RSS feeds today!

Practicing medicine with a natural approach

http://origin.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/special_packages/business_monday/16042203.htm

Naturopathic physicians take a unique and qualified approach to medicine.
BY MARY ELLEN SLAYTERWashington Post Service

Would you like a little botanical medicine with your blood work-up?
Maybe you should see a naturopathic physician, such as Lise Alschuler.
Alschuler is a healthcare provider trained in alternative as well as conventional medical practices. Naturopathic doctors emphasize nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine and counseling to promote overall wellness.
Training is similar to that of an MD. After finishing their undergraduate degrees, NDs attend a four-year graduate medical program, such as that at Bastyr University near Seattle, where Alschuler studied. Increasingly, school is followed by a residency.
BIG EXPENSE
It's also similar in cost to a traditional medical education -- an accredited naturopathic doctor's degree costs more than $100,000. The pay usually compares to the low- to mid-range of what family-practice doctors make. ''Very few people enter this field to get rich,'' said Alschuler, 39.
The field is growing quickly, but Alschuler said it's important that anyone interested choose a school carefully. ``There are quite a number of unaccredited programs.''
In the United States, naturopathic physicians are licensed to diagnose and treat disease in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Alschuler is licensed in Washington state. But because she works at a cancer treatment center in Illinois, which doesn't have licensing, her role is chiefly as a consultant.
BETTER HOURS
Hours vary but are usually more regular than those in other health jobs. NDs rarely see more than 10 patients a day, Alschuler said.
Her favorite part about the job? Being able to provide someone with the information that increases their sense of well-being. ''And that it's something I get to experience most days,'' she said.
Her least favorite? That there are still many places in this country that don't recognize the profession.

Hypnosis, Reiki may get ‘legal seal’Aloke TikkuNew Delhi, November 22, 2006

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1850397,00500005.htm

In a move likely to face opposition from practitioners of alternative medicine, the government is considering a law to recognise new systems of medicine.The Union health ministry has finalised a draft legislation to address issues relating to the recognition of new systems of medicine—like Reiki, electro-homoeopathy and reflexology—and penalise unauthorised practices and those illegally teaching these systems.The draft Bill—on the drawing board since last year—is expected to come up for the Union Cabinet's approval on Thursday. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the government to regulate such systems and therapies, which were not recognised by the government. The recognition will come only if alternative medicines meet the basic criteria.The health ministry had set up a group of experts in 2002-03 to report on the efficacy and merits of various streams of alternative medicines. Most of the new-age health systems had failed to pass the test.The committee did not recommend recognition of any of the alternative systems, barring the traditional ones like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homeopathy and Yoga and Naturopathy, which were already recognised and were found to fulfill the essential and desirable criteria developed by the committee to recognise a system of medicine.The committee recommended that certain practices such as Acupuncture and Hypnotherapy, which qualified as modes of therapy, could be allowed to be practised by registered practitioners or trained personnel.

Homeopathy: Out of the Shadows and into the Mainstream

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2006/11/15/health/doc45196dbad9359346756257.txt

BY LAURA WASSON WARFEL, SOUTHERN HEALTH CONTRIBUTOR
"Homeopathy starts peeling off layers until you get to the core of the problem," says W. Todd Pierson, N.D., a naturopathic doctor who practices locally in Herrin and Murphysboro. "Instead of just treating symptoms, homeopathy goes much deeper into the human organism. With homeopathy, we are treating the whole person, the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person."Today this natural treatment option is taking its place in the offices of healthcare providers, on the shelves of major retailers, in the homes of those who are seeking healthier lives and even in hospitals. In fact, in the federal government's 2004 National Health Information Survey, 3.6 percent of Americans reported using some form of homeopathic medicine; and more than 76 percent reported using complementary and alternative medicine.The Definition of HomeopathyHomeopathy - from the Greek words homoios (like) and pathos (suffering) - is a medical approach to treatment that respects the wisdom of the body. Allopathic (conventional) medicine is a method of treating disease with remedies that produce effects that are different from those produced by the disease itself. Homeopathic medicine uses remedies that have been proven to produce effects similar to those produced by the disease itself.According to "A Modern Understanding of Homeopathic Medicine" by Dana Ullman, MPH (1991, www.homepathic.com), the goal of homeopathy is to stimulate the body's own immune and defense system for healing. A person's symptoms are often assumed to be the problem, and many medical treatments focus on treating the symptoms. With homeopathy, symptoms are considered to be signs of deeper problems and signs of the body's efforts to deal with stress or infection.
With medicines made from plants, minerals and even animals, homeopathy individualizes small doses of medicines for each patient. The body's vital force then responds to the vital force in the medicines and the body's healing power is stimulated to recover from disease and fight illness in the future. The goal is thus complete restoration of the person's overall health.Diagnosis and TreatmentEach person is considered an individual in homeopathy. Even when individuals are dealing with the same illness, they may have different symptom patterns. Ideally, healthcare providers who use homeopathy, spend an hour or more with each patient on the first visit to gather enough information to get a total picture of the person. The patient must be honest in his or her responses in order to ensure accuracy.Used in the treatment of acute diseases and illnesses, such as chicken pox, measles, earaches, colds, coughs, headaches, sore throats and flu; Homeopathic medicines may also be used to treat chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis and sinusitis. Depression, insomnia, menopausal difficulties and indigestion are also known to respond well to homeopathic treatment. There are even homeopathic remedies to treat bites, leg cramps, and bruising and swelling from injuries."I use homeopathic medicines mostly for toxicity issues," says Virginia Steiner, DC, Alternative Health Care and Injury Center, in Marion. "Homeopathic medicines stimulate the body to take care of itself and the problems it is experiencing. They help the body use its own defenses to heal itself."Steiner says that homeopathy can also be a good alternative method to handle emotional and mental stress. "I don't cookbook any of my patients," says Steiner. "I don't say, 'You have this condition, so I'm giving you this to treat it.' I examine the patient, listen, look at all other medications and supplements the person is taking and consider the person's lifestyle. Everything is individualized.""Homeopathy needs proper diagnosis and needs to be individualized to the whole person," says Steiner. "I am involved in healthcare, not sick care. The body needs to be in thriving mode to heal and repair. When we treat what isn't working well, we give the body energy to repair itself."Prescribing Practitioner vs. Self-PrescribingAccording to the National Center for Homeopathy (www.homeopathic.org), no diploma or certificate from any school or program is a license to practice homeopathy in the United States. A healthcare provider who uses homeopathy must have some type of medical certification.In Illinois, active members of the Illinois Homeopathic Medical Association are licensed medical doctors (MD), osteopathic doctors (DO), chiropractic doctors (DC), and dentists (DDS). These are licensed healthcare providers who use homeopathically prepared medicines to treat their patients."When you're looking for a homeopathic practitioner, make sure you find someone who is thoroughly trained," advises Linda Hostalek, DO, Holistic Healing Arts LLC, in Pomona and Herrin. "For treating a condition, don't just go to the health food store. See someone who is trained in homeopathy."Following the guidelines of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may be a good approach. For acute illnesses, an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy may work well. Some acute illnesses and chronic illnesses that require medical supervision need homeopathic remedies that are prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider."I tell my patients that I can't take them off the medications they are already taking," says Carol Perkins, ND, a naturopath who practices in Lexington, Kentucky, and Carmi, Illinois. "With homeopathy, I work to get them to a state of health so they will no longer need those medications. Homeopathy helps to get their organs working and turn their life force around so that the body can heal itself."According to Hostalek, homeopathy works very well with true osteopathy. "Osteopathy works on straightening out the vibrational structure of the body," says Hostalek. "Homeopathy works on the same level. They are perfect partners.""Open communication with any primary care physician is important," says Pierson. "I always tell my patients to keep all providers informed about what they are taking and doing."Remedies and CombinationsHomeopathic remedies are legally considered as drugs. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov), homeopathic remedies are regulated under the provisions of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act if they are sold for self-limiting conditions, such as colds, headaches and minor health problems.If they claim to treat serious diseases, such as cancer, they can be sold by prescription only. A licensed healthcare provider must do the prescribing.Extremely safe because they are given in small doses, homeopathic medicines have minimal side effects, and few complaints have ever been reported to the FDA."With homeopathy, you just can't make mistakes," says Hostalek. "The carrier substance is an inert substance. The vibration is responsible for healing in homeopathy. The less of the substance there is, the higher the vibration. This is counterintuitive for most people."Combination remedies or complexes involve placing together in a single medicine three to eight substances which are commonly given for a certain type of condition. The goal is to help a broad number of patients who are suffering from a specific complaint.Taking homeopathic medicines can be different from taking conventional medicines. Medicines come in three forms: tablets, dilutions and topicals. For adults and children, a tablet is placed under the tongue to dissolve. For infants, the tablet can be placed in the cheek. Liquid dilutions are dropped directly onto the tongue with an eyedropper. Topicals are applied directly to the skin. It is important that no food or liquid be ingested for fifteen minutes before or after taking the medicine."Homeopathic medicines are safe for children, pregnant women and older adults," says Perkins. "They don't do harm. They will either help or do nothing. I have seen excellent results of homeopathic treatment in patients with seasonal allergies, menopausal issues, men's issues, bedwetting, colds and flu.""It's best to use one substance at a time and without anything else, if possible, to see how it works," says Pierson. "I tell my patients to discontinue any supplements they are taking so we can see how well the homeopathic medicine is working. They can resume the supplements once we see the effects. I've never seen or heard of any interaction between homeopathic medicines and prescription medicines."Limitations of HomeopathyJust as with any type of healthcare treatment, homeopathy does have some limitations. One of the most common is alternative medicine practitioners who make exaggerated claims about homeopathic remedies' ability to cure diseases. This may lead to another drawback: patients who refuse conventional medical care when it is indicated."When indicated, I refer my patients to MDs who are open to naturopathy," says Perkins.Homeopathy also requires a practitioner who is experienced and willing to devote time to finding the right remedy for the patient. The patient needs to be disciplined and diligent as well. "Conventional medicine is fast, and it's easy to take a pill," says Pierson. "A person has to have a lot more discipline when using homeopathy. In addition to homeopathic medicines, the person needs a healthy diet and exercise. This means addressing the whole person instead of just taking a pill."Homeopathic medicines are safe but, just like any other medicine, can be misused. It is best to use them under the care of licensed healthcare providers who have training and experience in homeopathy.Homeopathy TodayAccording to a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a trial was undertaken in the setting of an emergency department regarding the "wait-and-see" prescription (WASP) for acute otitis media (ear infection).WASP involves waiting for 48 hours before administering antibiotics to treat the infection. Results of this study showed that WASP reduced the use of antibiotics by 56 percent in children between six months and 12 years of age.Experts say that 48-hour time period is an ideal situation for considering homeopathy. During that time, children may experience much discomfort, fever, pain, irritability and sleeplessness. Brands like Hyland's homeopathic Earache Tablets and Earache Drops, available at many pharmacies and retail stores, are already filling this therapeutic gap, before antibiotics are given for the infection. Locally, Neighborhood Co-op Grocery in Carbondale, Wal-Mart, Walgreen's and area pharmacies may carry these and other homeopathic remedies."An integrated model for healthcare is emerging," says John P. (Jay) Borneman, chairman and CEO of Hyland's; director of The National Center for Homeopathy; editor and chairman of the Council on Pharmacy for the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States. "With all treatment modalities, we can all be healthier."Info Box* National Center for Homeopathy 703-548-7790 www.homeopathic.org* American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists www.homeopathicpharmacy.org* Boiron 800-264-7661 www.boironusa.com* Hyland's 800-624-9659 www.hylands.com

Interaction Between Lymph And Liver Cells May Affect Immune Response

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061101150925.htm

A new study on the ability of liver cells to interact with T cells (lymph cells that play a role in regulating the immune response) found that such interactions do occur and demonstrated the mechanism by which they may take place. The results may help explain the altered immune responses that occur with aging and other conditions and may be useful in developing therapies for viral hepatitis and autoimmune diseases.
The results of this study appear in the November 2006 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Hepatology is published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The liver possesses an unusual ability to stimulate immune tolerance, possibly due to its distinctive architecture that allows T cells normally activated in the lymph system to become activated by liver cells. Normally, endothelial cells that line blood vessels form a physical barrier that prevents naïve (unactivated) T cells from accessing surrounding tissue; these cells must typically be activated by specialized cells known as professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) before they are able to migrate across the endothelium and interact with organ cells. Recent studies have shown that the liver is an exception in that liver cells may be able to act as APCs, activating T cells independently of the lymph system, a process which makes them less efficient. However, the question remains as to how T cells can cross the endothelial barrier to interact with liver cells.
A collaborative work between Alessandra Warren and David Le Couteur of the Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), Concord RG Hospital and Patrick Bertolino of the Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Australia, has led to the first study investigating the interactions between lymphocytes (T cells), liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and hepatocytes (liver cells) using electron microscopy. LSECs are highly specialized endothelial cells that line the walls of hepatic sinusoid cells (gossamer-like structures that form the rich capillary network of the liver) and are perforated by fenestrations, or openings. The researchers hypothesized that the fenestrations could provide a portal through which liver cells and T cells could interact or that the interaction could take place across gaps between LSECs.
The study was conducted using mice whose livers had been injected with lymphocytes. The mouse livers were examined with two types of electron microscopy. Analysis of the images showed a large number of intrahepatic lymphocytes (IHLs) that had extensions similar to the dimensions of the fenestrations of the LSECs. These extensions were seen within the fenestrations and were observed to be in contact with minute projections on liver cells (hepatocyte microvilli). There were no observable gaps between LSECs and hepatocyte microvilli did not seem to interact with circulating lymphocytes. Further investigation showed that naïve T cells displayed the same extensions as IHLs and were also able to interact with liver cells through LSEC fenestrations. The authors propose the term "trans-endothelial hepatocyte-lymphocyte interactions" (TEHLI) to describe these interactions.
The discovery of TEHLI is the first demonstration by electron microscopy of the interaction between naïve T cells and liver cells in a living organism, which shows that the liver is an exception to the rule that T cells need to be activated by professional APCs in order to cross the endothelial barrier, and that hepatocytes can function as APCs. In fact, this T cell activation in the liver during early hepatitis C infection may contribute to the impaired immune response seen in chronic hepatitis C.
"As well as providing insight into the normal immune system, our observations might have implications for liver conditions associated with altered LSEC morphology and in particular those conditions associated with loss of fenestrations such as cirrhosis and old age," the authors conclude. "We have shown [in previous studies] that old age is associated with dramatic reductions in the fenestrations of LSECs therefore the altered immune responses of older people might in part be mechanistically linked to reduced opportunity for TEHLI in old age."
In an accompanying editorial in the same issue, Erin F. McAvoy and Paul Kubes of the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada note that although the authors did not observe any interaction between hepatocyte microvilli and circulating lymphocytes, it is possible that this type of transient interaction is difficult to capture using electron microscopy. They suggest that the hepatocyte microvilli could function as a rapid screen for circulating lymphocytes, which might then decide to adhere and start the TEHLI process. "The notion that naïve T lymphocytes are capable of directly interacting with hepatocytes contradicts the dogma that naïve T cells cannot gain access to peripheral non-lymphoid tissues," the authors state, adding that the study furthers the notion that liver cells may be involved in hepatic immune tolerance. "Like any good study," they conclude, "the work of Warren et al., answers important questions but also raises some new and intriguing areas for further exploration."

In the dark of winter, the Light Cafe chases the blues away

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061115/hl_afp/afplifestyleswedenhealthwinter_061115081933

by Delphine TouitouWed Nov 15, 3:37 AM ET
It's pitch black outside in wintry Stockholm but indoors at the all-white Light Cafe, guests recline comfortably in white armchairs as they soak up a dose of artificial sunlight to fight off the winter blues.
In the depths of winter, daylight in the Swedish capital lasts from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm. The average office worker often goes to work in the dark and returns home in the dark, offering little opportunity for the body to get its much-needed fill of sunlight.
The day's first customers at the Iglo Ljuscafe, or Igloo Light Cafe, arrive early to undergo an hour of light therapy before work. They turn up before 7:00 am, enjoying their breakfast while sitting under special lights for one hour, the amount of time recommended by doctors.
"I opened the Ljuscafe three years ago after a deep depression because of the lack of light 10 years ago during my studies," 34-year-old Martin Sylwan tells AFP.
He said the idea of going to a hospital for treatment did not appeal to him.
"It wasn't very fun to go to the hospital, people are not very smiley. You feel very sick... And I had the idea of a cafe where you can come, take in the light and (have a) good time, read the newspaper, a kind of social place where people can talk together," he says.
From the outside, the Ljuscafe looks like any other coffee shop but indoors the difference is striking.
The whiteness is intense, but not blinding. The neon lights hanging from the ceiling create an aura of warmth and calm. Customers, who book a one-hour session in advance, are provided with long white robes at the door.
After placing their shoes in a locker they walk to the breakfast table in their socks, stocking up on healthy foods such as freshly squeezed exotic juices, organic cereals, yoghurts and fruits before taking a seat in one of the 10 comfy white chairs.
The hexagon shape of the room enables the light to reflect off the walls in all directions, and thick white curtains block out any outdoor light to maximize the effect of the white light.
The Ljuscafe fills up as the days get shorter toward the winter solstice, with some 50 people turning up each day.
Among them is Anki Lewer, a 29-year-old Stockholmer who works for an international aid organisation.
"In winter, everything seems boring, I have no energy, no motivation for anything and I'm so tired. I came here last year, I felt good, so why not this year if it's good for me," she says.
Jenny Olofsson, 30, and Malin Andersson, 28, are visiting the cafe for the first time, paying the 160 kronor (17 euros, 23 dollars) for an hour's therapy and breakfast. They're already sold on the idea.
"You know, the winter in Sweden is very hard, it can be awful with darkness all day long. Sometimes you don't have any sun between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm and we can get depressed," Olofsson says.
The Ljuscafe's concept is catching on and other similar cafes are now opening up across the country. It has also received the stamp of approval from doctors.
"It's a serious and professional light treatment alternative," explains Maj-Liz Persson, a psychiatrist at Stockholm's Karolinska Hospital.
Doctor Arne Lowden, of the national institute for psychosocial medicine, agrees.
"The cafe has very good ergonomics (and) it was studied for lux", a unit for measuring illumination, he says.
Some 0.5 to three percent of the world population suffers from winter depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often directly related to the lack of light in winter.
"The prevalence of SAD is more common in Sweden. It's about eight percent according to a report on winter depression conducted last year" in central Sweden, Persson said.
In summer, the body receives about 100,000 lux but only 1,500 in winter. The body needs 2,500 lux in order to secrete the hormone melatonin, which helps the body regulate its sleep and waking cycles in reaction to darkness.
In winter, Swedes in the north of the country "can have zero hours of sun per day," Lowden says.
"A very good (sunny) day is about 2,000 lux. When it's a cloudy day you have more light inside (the cafe) than outside. On a cloudy day you have only 300 lux," compared to 3,000 lux inside the Ljuscafe.
The Ljuscafe "is a very good solution for many people," Lowden says.
However, he notes that people react differently to the lack of light and for many people, an afternoon walk or a few hours of skiing on the weekend -- popular pastimes for the outdoor-loving Swedes -- are enough.
"There are individual differences. It depends on the time you spend outside," he says.
For light therapy to be most effective, Lowden recommends that people undergo one hour of light therapy five days a week for two weeks. Then, once a week or as the need arises.

Couple strives for balance in city's growing complementary medicine market

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06319/738298-28.stm

Wednesday, November 15, 2006By K.L. Holsopple
"Can acupuncture help me lose weight?" is one of the most common questions Melissa Sokulski hears at the Birch Center for Health, the South Side practice she shares with her husband, David.
Her answer is a resounding "Yes," which could explain some of the success the couple has had since opening their center for traditional Chinese medicine, massage and acupuncture early last year.
Acupuncture is a centuries old therapeutic technique in which fine needles are strategically inserted into the skin. The goal is to free blocked energy in the body so that the Qi, the Chinese concept of life energy, is balanced, alleviating pain and disease. The World Health Organization has identified a wide range of conditions that can be treated effectively with acupuncture, including infertility and depression.
Though practiced all over the world and widely in the United States, acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been slow to take root in Pittsburgh. The Greater Pittsburgh Yellow Pages lists only 13 names under "Acupuncture." In contrast, when Ms. Sokulski practiced in Boston in the late 1990s there were about 100 acupuncturists within a few blocks of her practice, including one in the same building.
Boston is home to the New England School of Acupuncture, the oldest school of acupuncture in the United States, where the couple received master's degrees in acupuncture and Chinese herbology.
The American Association of Oriental Medicine, an advocacy group , reported a 59 percent growth rate in licensed practitioners from 2000 to 2004.
Pittsburgh is experiencing a growing interest in alternative healing too, as evidenced by the success of area centers for holistic medicine, such as the Nuin Center in Highland Park.
The trend has benefited the Sokulskis . Their Birch Center for Health took only four months to become self-sustaining after the initial investment in renting the building and getting their Pennsylvania acupuncture licenses, which are regulated through the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine. They already owned massage and acupuncture tables and supplies from their previous practice in Boston. In a typical week, each of them have 10 to 12 private appointment slots on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and some Saturday mornings. Regular clients fill most of the available slots.
They built their client base from referrals from other clients, a comprehensive Web site and their quarterly newsletter, In Health, which is mailed to 200 clients and distributed to health stores and other like-minded businesses around the city. Ms. Sokulski sees building trust with existing and potential clients as the key to growing their business.
"Both Dave and I take the time to explain what we are doing and seeing, from our perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, to our patients and clients, and take time to answer their questions," she says.
Her perspective is doubly convincing because she came to acupuncture first as a patient. Having studied pre-med at Bryn Mawr , Ms. Sokulski became uncomfortable with traditional Western medicine's reliance on prescription medication and surgery. That led her to study at the Stillpoint School of Massage Therapy in western Massachusetts. While a student there, she developed a painful digestive condition for which her medical doctors could offer no solution. But an acupuncturist who had come to speak at her school was able to treat the problem and the condition has never returned.
Because their private consultations are so successful, the Sokulskis are able to offer a sliding scale clinic on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Mr. Sokulski sees about five clients each clinic day, but with three treatment rooms, there is room to see about five more. The clinic is designed for walk-in clients who are in acute pain or for those who may need consecutive treatments to stop addictions, which could be cost prohibitive for many.
The Sokulskis do not accept insurance, but provide receipts to their clients that can be submitted to insurance companies, many of which will cover treatments up to 80 percent.
The clinic is one of several services that set the Birch center apart from other practices. Though the birch tree represents beginnings and birth, the name of their center is also an acronym for Brain Injury Recovery for Children, a nod to one of their own daughters born with a brain injury. In fact, the couple moved to Pittsburgh to be closer to Mr. Sokulski's family, which provides support for their daughter's specialized treatment program. In their office, they offer Consilience Energy Management classes and treatments, dealing with the electromagnetic and vibrational systems in the body, to help other parents and families with brain injured children.
Mr. Sokulski, a former chemist, also practices facial rejuvenation acupuncture, a natural alternative to smoothing wrinkles without using chemicals or Botox. The treatment attracts clients from 20 to 70 years old at a cost of $1,200 for the 12 treatments in the regimen.
The couple hopes that their experience and training, coupled with the services that they offer at the Birch Center, will create more business for them and an opportunity to educate more people about the benefits of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. But even if Pittsburgh becomes a mecca for acupuncturists, they don't worry about competition.
"I'm sure that there are going to be more people moving to Pittsburgh in this field," Mrs. Sokulski says, "But I think more people are looking for alternatives and are willing to try new things."
She says in Boston there was never a shortage of clients because even though there were so many more practitioners, there were always plenty of people wanting treatment.
However, their business is not entirely market-driven. It also gives them satisfaction to work in a field they both believe in. "I actually really love doing acupuncture, and so does Dave," Ms. Sokulski says.

Scholar tries to move China forward on medicine

http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2006/11/15/features/health_and_medical/292809835983434.txt

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE BEIJING - In the space of a few weeks, Zhang Gongyao has gone from a little-known scholar of medical history to one of China's most notorious intellectuals.Once accustomed to a low-key life at a provincial university in southern China, he now feels he must avoid the news media and is nervous even about walking the streets in case he is recognized.It's all because he dared to question one of his country's most cherished beliefs: Chinese traditional medicine.Zhang's comments have provoked a storm of protests and a national debate. He has been cursed on Web sites, denounced as a traitor and subjected to scornful attacks by the Chinese government.This is a country where traditional medicine has become a patriotic symbol. It is enshrined in the country's constitution, taught in universities and protected by government agencies. It has become a $10-billion industry - representing a quarter of the entire medical system - with an estimated 300 million customers every year.Even in Western countries, traditional Chinese medicine has become fashionable as an alternative to mainstream health care.Acupuncture and herbal remedies are increasingly popular in Canada and the United States.Yet despite all the forces against him, Zhang has dared to challenge the establishment. He has warned that traditional medicine is often unscientific, unreliable, dangerous, a threat to endangered species and even fatal to humans in some cases.Zhang, a professor at Central South University in Hunan province who has been studying medical history for more than 30 years, is urging the government to stop promoting traditional medicine. He has launched an online petition to seek its removal from the constitution and the official medical system. And he wants China's traditional-medicine practitioners to get mainstream medical training."From the viewpoint of science, Chinese traditional medicine has neither an empirical nor a rational foundation," he wrote in an article that ignited a furor when it found its way onto China's Internet. "It is a threat to biodiversity. And it often uses poisons and waste as remedies. So we have enough reasons to bid farewell to it."In fact, there is strong evidence to support his concerns. British health officials recently warned that Chinese herbal remedies can contain poisonous plant extracts and toxic ingredients such as arsenic, mercury and asbestos. One herbal remedy has an ingredient that is reportedly linked to bladder cancer and kidney damage. And another Chinese herb, ephedra, was banned by Health Canada after it was suspected of links to heart attacks and strokes.But this evidence was of little interest to Zhang's enemies, who condemned him for "betraying" the Chinese people. Web sites sprouted with insulting attacks on the professor. Even the government jumped into the fray.A spokesman for the Chinese Health Ministry, Mao Qunan, accused the professor of being "ignorant of history." At a news conference in Beijing, Mao seized on patriotic arguments to criticize the professor. "Traditional Chinese medicine, being among the quintessence and treasures of Chinese culture, represents many of her salient features and superiority," he said. "It is an inseparable and indispensable part of China's medical and health-care system, just as it has contributed so much to the development of our nation during China's long history."The attacks may be vitriolic, but Zhang has triggered an important debate in Chinese society. It has revealed that many Chinese feel distrustful of traditional medicine, especially as their country moves into the global mainstream.Chinese newspapers pointed out that China has about 270,000 traditional-medicine practitioners today, far fewer than 800,000 in the early 20th century. Meanwhile, the number of physicians trained in Western medicine has soared from 87,000 in the early 20th century to about 1.75 million today."If the government wants people to trust traditional medicine, it must make a greater effort to prove the reliability and scientific basis of traditional medicine," the respected newspaper Southern Daily commented. "Otherwise, traditional medicine will keep decliningevery day."