News on Alternative Medicine

The term alternative medicine encompasses any healing practice that does not fall within the realm of conventional, western medicine. Some examples of alternative medicine include naturopathy, chiropractic, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, massage therapy, homeopathy and acupuncture, in addition to a range of other practices.  Often these practices are used in conjunction with traditional, conventional medicine as a complementary therapy.

 

03/23/2010 - News

Beware of Infections Due to Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the widely-practiced methods of alternative medicine. Because acupuncture needles are inserted up to several centimeters below the surface of the skin, acupuncture may pose risks the patients, the most important of which is infection. According to an editorial published March 18, 2010 in BMJ, healthcare professionals should have a high index of suspicion for acupuncture-related infections. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Echinacea Is Not Dead!

No sooner do the experts produce a report that echinacea - everybody's favorite cold cure - doesn't work, than out comes a study showing that it does! The pundits (and I) have to eat our words. A report in the Lancet Infectious Diseases describes the results of a meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials of the herb, aka the purple coneflower. The incidence of the common cold was reported as the odds ratio compared to people in the studies who were not taking echinacea. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Take Vitamin D and Live Longer?

There are plenty of studies that indicate that vitamin D is important for bone health, while some studies show that it may prevent some forms of cancer. A meta-analysis done by French and Italian scientists, which has now been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that daily vitamin D supplements reduces all-cause mortality. The medical literature was searched for all randomized clinical studies in which vitamin D supplements (vitamin D2 or vitamin D3) were examined for their effects on any health condition. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Non-Drug Treatments for Pain

Many people with chronic pain problems don't want to take painkilling meds, or can't take them because of unacceptable side effects. They turn to alternatives, some of which may be effective in their particular case. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Calcium from Food is Better than Supplements

Many women, mindful of their risk of developing osteoporosis, take calcium supplements. I know my wife does. Yet a new study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests there may be a better way of getting the same protection - eating calcium-rich foods. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Can Zinc Help Suppress Pneumonia in the Elderly?

There have been reports that zinc supplements can shorten the duration of the common cold, a virus infection. Now a study shows that they can shorten pneumonia and reduce antibiotic use in nursing home residents , which is commonly due to a bacterial infection. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Saturday Quack - Red Wine Pills

We all know by now that red wine is good for your health - in moderation (2 glasses a day for men, one for women). The 'active ingredient' has been postulated to be a substance called resveratrol, which has been linked to increased lifespan in mice . So it's not surprising that sales of red wine supplements (products that contain resveratrol) have increased 300% in the last year. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Saturday Quack - Piling On China

We're all been made well aware of the increased risk of lead in children's toys manufactured in China. And some toxic Chinese-made chemicals have found their way into pet foods . Now four Chinese medicines on sale in Britain are coming under attack. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Diabetics Taking Vinegar?

When I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 12 years ago, my physician said "we'll fix the fasting glucose, and after that it'll be easy". And he did, and it was. I started taking an oral antidiabetic drug, instituted a regular exercise program, and tried to eat less. My fasting blood glucose normalized, and I've merely had to add an additional oral medication to keep a reasonable daily glucose profile ever since. I was therefore interested in reading an article in Diabetes Care describing the benefits of a dose of vinegar taken at bedtime on the fasting flood sugar level. Read more

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12/22/2009 - News

Get Tai-Chi-ing!

Tai chi was originally created as a Chinese martial art. Today it's seen as a slow, graceful exercise program that some people call "a moving meditation". Its health benefits have been revealed in clinical studies. A recent one found that tai chi can boost immunity, helping protect older people against shingles. Other studies report lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Read more

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