Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients back issues from April 2004:
Letter from the publisher.
Apr 01, 2004; ... In Seattle most of the alternative and chelating physicians did their real "internship" not in the hospital, but at a low-cost clinic set up by the Well Mind Association in an older Victorian home. The clinic was part charity work, part street advice, and part "orthomolecular ...
Getting in tune with nature.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Staying Healthy with the Seasons by Elson M. Haas, MD Celestial Arts, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, California 94707 USA; www.tenspeed.com Lge. Softcover, 1981, 2003, $16.95, 266 pp. Whoever wishes to investigate medicine should proceed thus: In the first ...
Rife Conference 2003 summary.
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Rife Conference 2003 in Seattle was a whopping success with about 400 people attending. The exhibitors had their many types of machines on display, and there was even a Multi-Wave Oscillator to see, as well as a recreation of the late 1950's AZ-58 Rife Ray machine! The nutritional ...
Mental health without drugs? Doctors, scientists share latest research.
Apr 01, 2004 ... At the age of 29, Donna, a mother of two, working on a post-graduate degree, was jolted when her doctor told her she had generalized anxiety disorder. "He immediately wrote me a prescription for Paxil and Valium. I waited three weeks before filling the prescriptions as the panic ...
IBCMT workshop in the Philippines.
Apr 01, 2004 ... On January 3-6, 2004, the International Board of Metal Toxicology (IBCMT) held its first Philippine workshop at the Watergate Hotel in Cebu, Philippines. Nearly 50 medical doctors attended, including doctors from Hong Kong and Malaysia. The workshop was sponsored by the Philippine College ...
Niacinamide for depression.
Apr 01, 2004 ... The world was still deep in the Great Depression when William Kaufman, MD, PhD had already begun treating osteoarthritis with two to four grams of niacinamide daily. Now, over 60 years later, his pioneering work in orthomolecular medicine is receiving the recognition it so well deserves. ...
Key ingredient missing in some arthritis supplements for people and pets according to ConsumerLab.com.
Apr 01, 2004; ... ConsumerLab.com has announced test results for supplements used in treating osteoarthritis that contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and/or MSM. These ingredients accounted for $790 million in product sales in 2002 according to Nutrition Business Journal and are also popular supplements for ...
Shorts.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Depression in Japan Until very recently, the Japanese viewed depression as "a figment of the imagination" that should be overcome with willpower, says The Wall Street Journal (9 October 2002). The Japanese attitude toward depression was so negative that Eli Lilly chose not to ...
Literature review & commentary.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Chromium for dysthymic disorder ... Following a patient's report of a dramatic response to the addition of chromium supplementation to sertraline (Zoloft) therapy for dysthymic disorder, the authors initiated a series of single-blind and open-label trials of chromium picolinate ...
The war on cancer.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Beans Against Cancer? " ... and let them give us pulse to eat and water to drink." -Daniel 1.12 Beans are among our most ancient foods. The major problem in discussing Phaseolus vulgaris is, well, its vulgarity. No other kind of food elicits as much low humor as "the ...
Homeopathic cartography: a roadmap to finding remedies.(Healing with Homeopathy)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Homeopathic Geography The sheer number of existing homeopathic remedies is daunting- over two thousand. More new medicines are becoming available than ever before due to new provings and to the rapidly growing demand for substances not yet proven to be prepared homeopathically ....
Fragrance alters mood and brain chemistry.(Health Risks and Environmental Issues)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Fragrance materials are added to give products a scent, to mask odors of other ingredients, and in some cases to alter mood. Fragrance materials may be synthetic, natural, or a combination of both. Using scented products causes exposure to skin, upper airways, and olfactory pathways to the ...
Phytotherapy review & commentary.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Ginkgo and Bleeding Tendency: Guilt by Association? Ginkgo biloba as the 50:1 standardized extract (EGb) has been used as an herbal treatment for "cerebral insufficiency" and intermittent claudication for almost 40 years.(1) It is often assumed that, given these vascular ...
Pathways to healing.
Apr 01, 2004; ... When people talk about the Integrative Medicine Department at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare System, their voices change. "I chose to work here specifically to be in a team environment, because I like to share information, I like to learn from others, and I think it's the best way to ...
Depression & Chinese medicine.(Chinese Medicine Update)
Apr 01, 2004; ... During the Cultural Revolution and for some time after, depression was a politically incorrect term in the People's Republic of China. What is now called depression was, for many years, referred to as "neurasthenia" in China. However, today, depression is accepted as a valid medical ...
What's in a name? Terming non-standard medical treatment.(Townsend's New York Observer)
Apr 01, 2004; ... In 1987 the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), a late research arm of Congress, set to work on a report about cancer treatments that lie outside standard care. The OTA mulled over a number of terms for these treatments, none of which satisfied proponents and critics of non-standard ...
The Anti-Dementia effect of Lion's Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceum) and its clinical application.(Lion's Mane)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Introduction Medicinal Mushrooms have become a hot item in the mass media in the last few years but the information being disseminated about them is not always scientifically accurate. Most of the studies on the efficacy of medicinal mushrooms that are available to the public ...
Lithium, part 2: other effects.
Apr 01, 2004; ... What would you call a substance associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of homicide, suicide, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, mental hospital admissions, and drug addiction-related arrests? Some would call such a substance a "miracle drug," others would call it a godsend ....
SSRIs: are they as safe as promised? Part 1.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Sixteen years have passed since Prozac, the antidepressant drug, was introduced to the US market and quickly achieved the label of a "wonder drug." During that time, Prozac has indeed helped many people who suffer from severe depression. But the early claims that Prozac would alleviate ...
Insomnia options; natural medicine choices.
Apr 01, 2004; ... When supplied with correct and ample amounts of nutritional factors, brain chemistry can be altered in such a way that nutritional treatments for conditions of the mind can be more easily executed. Current and past medical research contains a large amount of evidence showing the use of ...
Why nutritional therapies fail in patients who need them the most.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Even though I do not have multiple sclerosis, the Letter from the Publisher in the November 2003 issue struck a familiar chord because I also have been trying to understand why nutritional therapies that benefit the majority of people, fail to help the patients who need them the most. In ...
Fibromyalgia: clinical management improves outcomes, reduces treatment complications.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Fibromyalgia (FM) is a 'medical mystery syndrome' characterized by disabling, treatment-resistant pain localized in tender ('trigger') points. (1) The classic definition requires that 11 or more of 17 specific points show significant tenderness. (2) Concurrent substantial fatigue is ...
Guided digital medicine: the law of unintended consequences and non-disease treatment of diseases--part 1.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Once upon a time (a real story), there was a beautiful, large lake plentiful with fish that had fed many generations of tens of thousands of people in the vicinity. Yet, one day, some industrious folks had decided to bolster its fishing capacity and introduce big fish into its midst. So, ...
GPC (GlyceroPhosphoCholine), ortho-nutraceutical for active living and healthy aging.
Apr 01, 2004; ... GPC or GlyceroPhosphoCholine (pronounced gli-sero-fos-fo-ko-lean) is a small molecule with a large place in the scheme of life. It is a cell protectant, a pro-phospholipid building block for cell membranes, a chemical transmitter source, and widespread in metabolism. Functionally, GPC is ...
Food allergy and food intolerance: specific versus innate immunity.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Nomenclature The concept of allergy was fairly well understood when von Pirquet, an Austrian physician, first introduced the term in 1906. It was intended to denote an altered reaction to a normally innocuous substance. Two decades later allergists in Europe agreed to narrow the ...
Meat trees to provide a 'carnucopia'?(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: As I read the opening of Gina Nick's December column on genetically modified foods, in which she discusses the development by British scientists of trees that bear fruit with "meat flavored, textured and smelling pulp" (Medicinal Properties in Whole Foods, TLfDP, ...
Hair analysis study flawed.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: Dr. Alan Gaby's review of the Seidel, et. al. hair analysis report in the January 2004 issue was unfortunate. He mentioned none of the flaws in the study and just accepted its incorrect conclusion. Even JAMA published several excellent rebuttals to this terribly flawed ...
Favorable outcome with removal of amalgams.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: Dr. Gaby's comments on silver amalgams in the November 2003 commentary don't make real sense to me. Metals in the mouth conduct more heat and cold than plastics and should give more sensitivity than a good composite ...
Hair analysis can permit accurate diagnosis and treatment.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: It was with the greatest of interest I read the January 2004 TLfDP which highlighted Alternative Laboratory Examinations. In my practice as an Orthomolecular Nutritionist, I began specializing in Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis [HTMA] two years ago after interning with ...
Completely natural cholesterol reduction nature's perfect statin[R].(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: Vitamin C is the original HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. The hot selling statins, such as Lipitor[R] and Zocor[R], lower cholesterol by blocking the coenzyme HMG-CoA reductase. The first statin drugs were released to the US in 1987, and the manufacturing and promotion of ...
The potential health benefits of purple corn.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: As a health-conscious consumer, I find it a daunting task to read grocery store labels in order to ensure that I eat what is best for my health. It seems that most companies are more interested in producing low cost consumables without much concern for the consumer's ...
Curcumin (turmeric) to prevent blood clots.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: This is about the benefits of curcumin, often called turmeric. It is the herb curcuma longa. I am taking my information from firms selling this herbal remedy but it is worth reading about. First is the publication of Vitamin Research Products of November 2000 ...
Dr. Don Carrow's tale.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: I read the article and story about Dr. Don Carrow's untimely death, his background, education, and multiple medical and non-medical specialty interests he had, in the January 2004 issue of Townsend Letter. Like Dr. Carrow, I have practiced anesthesia and pain management ...
The benefits of medical freedom.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: "My brother-in-law Tex has been told he has, maybe, one week to live with Stage IV liver cancer. Do you have any suggestions?" The question was posed in late November, 2002, to an American who has established an expertise in tracking down breakthrough medical ...
Caffeine anaphylaxis-stage II: obsessive-compulsive disorder.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: With toxicity progressing, simultaneously or after manifesting as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ongoing caffeine anaphylaxis continues poisoning the brain and generates the repetitive, obsessive behavior noted in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). ...
Integrative psychiatry.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Editor: This is from a subscriber to your excellent publication for several years now and I am enclosing a copy of my "Statement of Professional Policy" which has been placed in my waiting room for the patients of the Brief Therapy Center to read and take with them. ...
Statement of professional policy.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004 ... To All My Patients The practice of psychiatry has in recent years come under the influence of many parties with divergent motives, financial interests, and orientations. These have, in my opinion, corroded the prevailing protocols and traditions of the profession and have gone ...
Antioxidant activity of fruit juices.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: The antioxidant activity of fruits, vegetables and grain products is probably a reflection of their phenolic content. (1) We wished to ascertain this for commercial fruit juices and, hence, the in vitro antioxidant activity of various juices as well as their total ...
Our evolving maladaptation.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: Congratulations (belatedly) on your wonderful 20th birthday issue (April 2003). In it you featured the work of two visionaries in medicine, Dr. Alfred Plechner and a review of the book September 11, 2005, by Dr. Majid Ali. This is a landmark issue! The work of these two ...
Mental illness may really be infectious disease.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Editor: I'm going to give my psychoanalyst one more year then I'm going to Lourdes .... Woody Allen Psychological treatment of chronic "mental illnesses" is often lengthy and of limited efficacy. Carolyn Raser was a healthy, energetic and upbeat Psychologist who ...
The medical malpractice crisis.(Editorial)
Apr 01, 2004; ... America has the only medical-care system in the world in which patients get to play simultaneously, both Russian roulette and the lottery. On the one hand, many conventional medical treatments or diagnostic procedures carry an unacceptably high risk of injuring or killing those whom they ...
Why the 'healthy heart diet' isn't healthy.
Apr 01, 2004; ... The Modern Nutritional Diseases and How to Prevent Them by Alice Ottoboni, PhD & Fred Ottoboni, MPH, PhD Vincente Books Inc, P.O. Box 50704, Sparks, Nevada 89435-0704 USA;VBI@775.net Softbound, ISBN 0-915241-03-X, c. 2002, 216 pp, $29.95 For ...
Amino acids & health.
Apr 01, 2004; ... The Healing Nutrition Within (3rd ed.) by Eric R. Braverman, MD Basic Health Publications, 8200 Blvd. E, North Bergen, New Jersey 07047 USA, 201-868-8336, fax 201-868-2842 432 pgs, quality paperback, $17.95 US, $28.95 Canada, 2003 The ...
Ethical medicine.
Apr 01, 2004; ... Professionalism and Ethics in Complementary and Alternative Medicine by John Crellin and Fernando Ania Haworth Integrative Healing Press, 10 Alice Street Binghamton, New York 13904-1580 USA Hardcover, ISBN: 0-7890-1225-1, 2002, 252 pp., $49.95 ...
Environmental illness at home.
Apr 01, 2004; ... The Sick House Survival Guide by Angela Hobbs New Society Publishers, P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, British Columbia VOR IXO, Canada, 1-800-657-6772 Softcover, 2003, 160 pp., $18.95 CAN, $27.95 US In the distant future, it may be possible for ...
Quality milk: a nutritious food.
Apr 01, 2004; ... The Untold Story of Milk, Green Pastures, Contented Cows and Raw Dairy Foods by Ron Schmid, ND, foreword by Sally Fallon New Trends Publishing, Washington, DC 20007 USA Quality paperback, 4 pages of color illustrations, appendices, 455 pages, $19.95, 2003 ...
Medicinal properties in whole foods.
Apr 01, 2004; ... The Disease-Fighting Effects of Hyaluronan Hyaluronan (also known as hyaluronic acid) is a naturally occurring, ubiquitous, safe and non-toxic chemical (1) that is demonstrating surprising results for addressing inflammation and pain. Its principle characteristics include ...
A column devoted to informative alternative health resources on the internet.(Web Page Potpourri)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Mad Cow Disease http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow.htm The emergence of Mad Cow in the United States, while shocking to many, was no surprise to longtime readers of this site. It's a huge treasure-trove of news and information. Site users may sign a petition ...
Migraine headache, brain chemistry & the "Matrix" point formula.(Acupuncture and Moxibustion)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Recent Western medical research on migraine headaches suggests that one cofactor producing these vascular events may be improper serotonin metabolism. (1) Since it is also well documented that acupuncture has a powerful impact on brain chemistry as well as a variety of neurologic ...
In a good mood: culture and the reinvention of happiness.(Medical Anthropology)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Recently, I watched the film Whale Rider, on the Maori culture in New Zealand and their struggle to maintain their cultural heritage in the face of modernization. In writing this column I thought about my experience in some of these cultures, as well as the relevance to modern mental ...
Mood disorders, depression, brain chemistry relationship to weight loss and sleep disorders.(Psychotherapist Review and Commentary)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Low back pain-hypnosis Fifteen adults 18-43 years of age with chronic low back pain (mean duration 4 years) were found to be moderately/highly hypnotizable based on the modified 11-point Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. Somatosensory event-related potential correlates of ...
How CFS, Fibromyalgia, or stress can make you gain weight.(Highly Effective Treatments for Pain and Fatigue)
Apr 01, 2004; ... In addition to the myriad other problems they have to bear, a recent study of ours found that Fibromyalgia and CFS patients have an average weight gain of 32 pounds. Because of the metabolic problems that occur, it is almost impossible to lose and keep the weight off in these syndromes ...
Calendar.(Calendar)
Apr 01, 2004 ... MARCH 15: DEADLINE FOR PAPERS & POSTERS for the International Conference on System Science in Health Care (September 1-4 in Geneva, Switzerland). CONTACT: http://www.unige.ch/formcont/icsshc2004 MARCH 19-20: INTEGRATIVE HEALING SEMINAR presented by Dr. David Satloff in No ....
Insomnia and sleep disorders in women.(Women's Health Update)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Overview of the Problem Inadequate or dissatisfying sleep is the most common sleep disturbance in America. As many as 40% of adult Americans report at least occasional insomnia, and of those, nearly 20% have severe insomnia. Severe insomnia is defined as difficulty initiating or ...
Nutritional influences on sleep.(Nutritional Influences on Illness)
Apr 01, 2004; ... In this month's column, we will review both how marginal nutritional deficiencies may interfere with sleep, and how supplementation (even in the absence of evidence of deficiency) may improve it. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vitamins Folic acid Deficiency ...