Townsend Letter back issues from May 2008:
Letter from the publisher.
May 01, 2008 ... In the December 2007 issue of the Townsend Letter, I expressed my ire with the current state of the long-term care life insurance (LTC) industry. Except for the occasional article reporting the increasing consumer complaints state insurance regulators receive about LTC insurance, there is ...
Dr. Abram Hoffer wins the Inaugural Dr. Rogers Prize.
May 01, 2008 ... Abram Hoffer has won the inaugural Dr. Rogers Prize for Excellence in Complementary and Alternative Medicine for his decades of work in establishing orthomolecular medicine. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The $250,000 award, funded by the philanthropic Hecht Foundation and ...
Recognition of differences between pharmaceutical and natural compounds is critical to study design, Metagenics says.(appointment of Jeffrey Bland)
May 01, 2008 ... Metagenics, Inc. recently announced that its Chief Science Officer, Jeffrey Bland, PhD, FACN, presented a keynote address, "Why the Controversy Concerning the Value of Natural Supplements?" at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine's 5th Annual Conference on Natural Supplements: An ...
Emord introduces cGMP compliance program.(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... In response to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) June 22, 2007 promulgation of cGMPs for dietary supplements, Emord & Associates has developed a comprehensive compliance and audit program for affected companies. "FDA estimates that 140 very small (20 employees or fewer) and 32 small ...
A case study in the medical journal Explore reveals a drug-free therapy for correcting asthma in children.(Case study)
May 01, 2008 ... As a nine-year-old boy with asthma, he struggled to keep up. His symptoms first appeared when he was only two months old. Although many specialists tried multiple medications to treat his pediatric asthma over the years, a cold always triggered asthma. He had pneumonia five times. When he ...
Meta-physician on call: why we feel sick all the time; Metaphysical "cures" for what ails us.
May 01, 2008; ... Many of us suffer from the "I feel sick syndrome." We are not truly ill, in the sense that we do not have a significant malfunction of an organ or organ system that can be readily diagnosed by traditional contemporary medical testing. But we certainly experience bouts of discomfort, pain, ...
Radiation hormesis: excited about healing.
May 01, 2008 ... The word "Hormesis" has its roots in a Greek word that means, "to excite." What's exciting many healing practitioners today is evidence that low doses of radiation can actually stimulate the immune system to heal diseases, including cancer, Crohn's disease, candida, diabetes, and more ....
Environmental pollution and diabetes may be linked: scientists call for more research into neglected area.
May 01, 2008 ... Cambridge scientists are advocating additional research into the little-understood links between environmental pollution and type 2 diabetes. In the January 25, 2008 edition of the Lancet, Drs. Oliver Jones and Julian Griffin highlight the need to research the possible link between ...
Urgent call to action: against irradiation of dietary supplements.
May 01, 2008 ... A food additive petition has been filed by Steris Corp. to allow the use of ionizing radiation for the control of microbial contamination on dietary supplements and dietary ingredients (FAP 2M4741). A Federal Register notice, first filed on May 9, 2003, states that this petition proposes ...
Asthma.(Shorts)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2008; ... Wheezing, chest tightness, increased effort to breathe, and decreased exercise tolerance are common symptoms of asthma. Not all asthma patients wheeze, however, and some people with asthma cough. Sleep disturbance can be another unrecognized symptom. Ware G. Kuschner, MD, explains what to ...
Craniosacral fascial therapy and pediatric asthma.(Shorts)(Case study)
May 01, 2008; ... Manipulation of the craniosacral and fascial (connective tissue) system can lessen, even eliminate, asthma symptoms in children, according to massage therapist Barry R. Gillespie. In a case study published in Explore (NY), Gillespie explains that trauma, held in connective tissue, affects ...
Asthma and the bowel.(Shorts)
May 01, 2008; ... A damaged bowel ecosystem and undiagnosed food sensitivities and mold allergy are the real causes of asthma, says Majid Ali, MD. "Exercise, stress, and environmental chemicals," Dr. Ali writes, "in such cases simply act as the last triggers." A healthy immune system, inflammatory response, ...
Acute sinusitis, antibiotics, and steroids.(Shorts)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... How effective is antibiotic and steroid treatment for acute sinusitis? Ian G. Williamson, MD, (University of Southampton, England) and colleagues performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to answer that question. Two hundred and forty adults with acute nonrecurrent sinusitis were ...
Honey.(Shorts)
May 01, 2008; ... Anecdotal reports claim/indicate that raw, local honey reduces hay fever and pollen allergy symptoms. Exposure to pollen, mold, and dust in a daily teaspoon of raw, local honey is said to help people build up immunity against the allergy triggers. Raw, unprocessed honey contains beneficial ...
Emotional Freedom Technique, allergies, and asthma.(Shorts)
May 01, 2008; ... Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has reduced allergic reactions and cleared food sensitivities in some people, according to anecdotal reports. EFT, developed by Gary Craig in the mid-1990s, is a psychotherapeutic tool derived from Roger Callahan's Thought Field Therapy (TFT) techniques ....
A screening tool for adults with risk from asthma.(Shorts)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Robin A. Yurk, MD, MPH, and colleagues at Johns Hopkins have developed a questionnaire screening tool that helps physicians identify which adult asthma patients are at-risk for hospitalization, emergency department visits, and other adverse outcomes in the coming 12 months. The tool lets ...
Osteopathic manipulative treatment and pediatric asthma.(Shorts)
May 01, 2008; ... "Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is an underutilized noninvasive treatment method for patients with asthma," Peter A. Guiney, DO, and colleagues write in the introduction to "Effects of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment on Pediatric Patients With Asthma: A Randomized Controlled ...
Regulators and farm-to-consumer agriculture.(Shorts)
May 01, 2008; ... Some farmers who sell meat, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized cider directly to consumers are finding themselves in conflict with federal and state agricultural and health authorities. Regulators say it's a matter of public safety. The farmers believe that authorities are ...
Where have all the honeybees gone?(Health Risks & Environmental Issues)
May 01, 2008; ... In 2006, beekeepers began reporting massive die-offs and, more strangely, the complete disappearance of entire colonies of honeybees. Over the past 20 years, there have been serious bee losses due to mites, viruses, bacterial infections, and extreme weather conditions, but never on a scale ...
Homeopathy: highly effective for hay fever.(Healing with Homeopathy)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2008; ... Hay Fever is Here Again If you have a general or family practice or specialize in allergies or eyes, ears, nose, and throat problems, your phone, like ours, will start ringing to announce the opening of hay fever season. It is fascinating how such a comparatively mild condition ...
Probiotics for seasonal allergies.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
May 01, 2008; ... Forty-four patients (mean age, 36 years) with Japanese cedar pollinosis were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, Bifidobacterium longum strain BB536 or placebo for 13 weeks during the pollen season. The dose of the probiotic was 5 x [10.sup.10] colony-forming units in ...
Case report: intravenous vitamins and minerals for seasonal allergic rhinitis.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Case study)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... A 38-year-old man had a long history of seasonal allergic rhinitis, occurring each spring and lasting about a month. Symptoms were severe and included nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and fatigue. Conventional treatments provided only minimal benefit. During a symptomatic period, an ...
Vitamin D for tuberculosis.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Sixty-seven Indonesian patients with moderately advanced pulmonary tuberculosis who did not have AIDS were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, 10,000 IU/day of vitamin D (not specified whether this was vitamin D2 or vitamin [D.sub.3]) or placebo during the initial six ...
Soy lowers blood pressure.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Sixty healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned in a crossover design to consume a low-fat diet or a diet of similar macronutrient content in which one-half cup per day of unsalted soy nuts (providing 25 g of soy protein and 101 mg of isoflavones daily) replaced 25 g of non-soy ...
Pre-operative iron supplementation.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Forty-five patients scheduled to undergo surgery for colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to receive 200 mg of ferrous sulfate three times per day or no iron supplementation (control group) for two weeks preoperatively. Operative blood loss did not differ significantly between groups ....
Low DHEA levels associated with macular degeneration.(Literature Review & Commentary)(di hydroxy epi androsterone)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... In a case-control study in Wisconsin that included 67 patients with exudative (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 75 patients with non-exudative (dry) AMD, and age- and gender-matched controls, the mean serum DHEA concentration (measured as DHEA-S) was significantly lower in ...
Borage oil enhances weight loss.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Forty-five formerly obese patients (mean age, 48 years) who had lost a mean of about 30 kg were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, 5 g per day of borage oil (providing 890 mg per day of gamma-linolenic acid) or placebo (olive oil) for one year. After 12 patients in each ...
Lemonade prevents kidney stone recurrences.(Literature Review & Commentary)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Eleven patients with recurrent kidney stones associated with hypocitraturia (low urinary citrate excretion) who had been on long-term lemonade therapy were evaluated after a mean treatment period of 3.7 years. Lemonade therapy consisted of 120 ml per day of concentrated lemon juice ...
Study clarifies role of antioxidants during radiation.(War on Cancer)
May 01, 2008; ... An important paper on the interaction of antioxidants and radiation therapy has been published in the International Journal of Cancer. Despite the importance of its findings, this study has received little attention from the scientific community or the media. As background, in April 2005, ...
New herbal leads for asthma management.(Phytotherapy Review & Commentary)
May 01, 2008; ... Given that asthma occurs with such a high frequency in children and adults, it should not be surprising that herbs to assist in its management are being actively researched. Previous Phytotherapy Review columns (Townsend Letter, April 2006;273, May 2006; 274) provided a comprehensive ...
Why food and nutrients should be the front seat treatment for riding out allergic rhinitis.(Optimizing Metabolism)
May 01, 2008; ... This is the time of year the streets are paved with gold. Or so it seems until the wind blows and the golden pollen flies into homes, cars, and nasal passages. Runny noses during the pollen season are as common as tears when you cut an onion. Allergies are ordinary. Just avoid going ...
History of mesotherapy.
May 01, 2008; ... In 1952, Dr. Michel Pistor, a generalist practicing in rural France, administered 10 ml of procaine intravenously in an attempt to abort an acute asthmatic attack in a patient. While the treatment did not ameliorate the patient's respiratory status, upon follow-up, the patient reported a ...
Curanderismo.
May 01, 2008; ... Used by many Mexican-Americans to supplement conventional medicine, curanderismo is a mind-body-spirit healing approach steeped in tradition and ceremony. Although meant to enhance wellness at many levels, curandersimo especially targets the soul. Because of the growing societal role ...
The industrialized history of asbestos.
May 01, 2008; ... Introduction Asbestos is a dangerous mineral, mined for its extensive use in commercial products. It has been linked to asbestosis (asbestos-derived lung disease), lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer of the mesothelium. Despite previous efforts to ban ...
A novel antimicrobial Moist-Towelette inhibits aerobic bacteria, yeast, and mold-fungus growth on human skin.
May 01, 2008; ... A novel antimicrobial moist towelette was selected to determine if, after a single application, it inhibited aerobic bacteria, yeasts, molds, and fungal proliferation on human skin. This moist towelette carries a host of natural anti-microbial substances found in peppermint oil, basil oil, ...
A blend of unique herbs may have wide clinical application.
May 01, 2008; ... Could a novel herbal formula be as effective as steroids in alleviating asthma symptoms? According to a 2006 landmark study from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the Weifang Asthma Hospital and the Weifang School of Medicine in China, it may well be. In the original study, ...
"Even most doctors have chronic pain--who knew?" Here's what happened when a chiropractor tried to show 325 medical doctors at American College for advancement of medicine how to stop chronic pain in seconds.
May 01, 2008; ... "Can chronic pain really be turned off for good by using only simple neurological reflexes?" This is the question several hundred MDs, DOs, and NDs asked at a recent demonstration of Pain Neutralization Technique (PNT)[TM]. The basic premise of PNT (described in detail in Townsend Letter, ...
Refusal to Vaccinate forms raise ethical questions.
May 01, 2008; ... One response to growing concerns about vaccinations and reported increases in the number of vaccine legal exemption claims has been physicians' use of "Refusal to Vaccinate" forms. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that doctors require non-vaccinating patients to sign its ...
Disputing food allergy types.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... I am writing to strongly criticize the article in Townsend Letter concerning food allergy testing (January 2008; 71). There is no real scientific evidence that food allergies can be divided into Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV, Combs typing. There is certainly Type I, or ...
On Richard Leviton's physician.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... I am responding to a strong urge to send you the following statement about the book Physician, by Richard Leviton. In my opinion, Richard Leviton has done an outstanding job in presenting the arcane thinking of Rudolph Steiner as it relates to medical healing. Unfortunately, these concepts ...
Vitamin C argument: a rebuttal.(Letters to the Editor)
May 01, 2008; ... <Pre> The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds. R.D Laing </Pre> I am one of those ...
An alternative to allergy therapy.(Letters to the Editor)
May 01, 2008; ... An eight-year-old boy with a learning disability problem entered my office with the mother's complaint that he couldn't read well or write. I had him write the phrase, "My dad is the best!" He had no problem writing the phrase, but after an injection of a soy antigen under the superficial ...
Sins of omission: drug companies twist the evidence about antidepressants.(Editorial)
May 01, 2008; ... A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has exposed what looks like a deliberate and systematic attempt by the drug industry to make antidepressants appear more effective than they really are. According to the report, this misrepresentation of the evidence alters the ...
Compound fractures: the battle between Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and the compounding industry over bioidentical hormones.(Guest Editorial)
May 01, 2008; ... Bioidentical hormones are manufactured solely by compounding pharmacists. They are purported to have the exact molecular structure as endogenous hormones made in the human body and, in theory, produce the same physiological responses. Upwards of two million women in the US use such ...
Shopping for whole foods.(Book review)
May 01, 2008; ... A Whole Foods Primer by Beatrice Trum Hunter. Basic Health Publications, Inc., 28812 Top of the World Drive, Laguna Beach, California 92651; 949-715-7327 www.basichealthpub.com ISBN 978-1-59120-086-4 Softbound; c. 2006; $15.95 (US), ...
Anthrax--from plagues to weapons of mass destruction.(Book review)
May 01, 2008; ... Spores, Plagues, and History: The Story of Anthrax by Chris Holmes, MD Durban House Publishing, 7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, Texas 75231 Softbound; c. 2003; $15.95; 227 pp. In October and November 2001, our nation was truly frightened by ...
The most widespread problem in our society.(Book review)
May 01, 2008; ... Freedom from Addiction by David Simon, MD, and Deepak Chopra, MD Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442 Softcover; c. 2007; $14.95; 202 pp. <Pre> How use doth breed a habit William Shakespeare If you drive down ...
Compounds in fruits and vegetables that protect against cancer and heart disease: recent research.(Townsend's New York Observer )
May 01, 2008; ... I've published four columns in the past year about physicians closely associated with nutraceuticals. Three columns were devoted to interviews with Stephen A. DeFelice, MD, the "father" of a mainstream initiative to establish a separate, quicker approval track for nutraceuticals. (1) The ...
Hair mineral analysis: a review and update based on current research.(Chelation Corner)
May 01, 2008; ... We believe what we like to believe. Much of this applies to hair mineral analysis, a test that appears controversial, because few other laboratory assessments are surrounded by as much half-truths as this one. Can hair analysis evaluate the sodium or potassium status of a patient? No, it ...
Asthma and breathing control.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Clinical report)
May 01, 2008; ... Buteyko breathing teaches subjects how to change the depth and rate of respiration. Thirty-nine patients (age 12-70) with asthma were recruited and, after stratification for severity based on daily use of salbutamol or comparable bronchodilators, randomly assigned either to receive general ...
Asthma and biofeedback.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)
May 01, 2008; ... In 94 adult outpatient asthmatic volunteers, four interventions were randomly offered: (1) heart rate variability biofeedback and abdominal breathing through pursed lips and prolonged exhalation; (2) heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback alone; (3) placebo EEG biofeedback; and (4) a ...
Asthma/biofeedback and relaxation.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... In 16 recruited asthmatic adults, mean forehead muscle tension fell from 1.9 to 1.3 [micro]v (p = 0.02), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) fell significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.001), and [FEV.sub.1]/FVC percentage improved from 78 to 83 (p = 0.044) from baseline to post-training in ...
Asthma and hypnosis.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... At a summer camp for asthmatic children, 17 patients age seven to 15 were treated with one hypnotherapy session. Comparisons of before/after 30 minutes of therapy included increases in forced vital capacity (FVC) from a mean of 102 to 130 L/min; increases in peak flow from 54 to 75 L/min; ...
More on asthma and hypnosis.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... During hypnosis, 16 hospitalized asthmatics experienced decreased minute volume in voluntary hyperventilation (p<.005), decreased respiratory rate in voluntary hyperventilation (p<.05), and decreased respiratory rate in quiet breathing (p<.01). They experienced decreased length of hospital ...
Asthma/allergic rhinitis and hypnosis.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Many suffer from hay fever. Hypnosis is a useful adjunct in the treatment of conditions where allergic phenomena play an important role. Seventy-nine patients (mean age 34) with mild allergic asthma and moderate to severe allergic rhinitis to grass or birch pollen of equal to or greater ...
Asthma and emotions.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... This is a review of psychological factors in asthma. Asthmatics have higher levels of negative emotional involvement in life events. Asthma exacerbations tend to occur disproportionately at highly emotional times. The physiological relationships include vagal and alpha-sympathetic ...
A case history; Asthma: emotions out of control.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)(Case study)
May 01, 2008; ... I received a call from the Emergency Room staff that a patient of mine had arrived by Aid Car. She was described as being in a state of extreme status asthmaticus. Occurring occasionally in persons with bronchial asthma, this condition manifests typical asthmatic bronchospasm so ...
Insight from a house call.(Seasonal Allergies and Bronchial Asthma)
May 01, 2008; ... D. and A. were four-year-old twins. They belonged to one of the families in my medical practice, although I had never seen the mother or father as individual patients. When their mother brought them for the first time, it was because the twins had asthma. New in town, they sought ...
Cough-variant asthma and Chinese medicine.(Chinese Medicine)
May 01, 2008; ... Cough-variant asthma (CVA) is a type of asthma in which the main symptom is a dry, non-productive cough. People with CVA often have no other "classic" asthma symptoms, such as wheezing or shortness of breath. Cough-variant asthma is sometimes called "chronic cough" to describe a cough that ...
New report proposes health care savings plus increased value.(Pathways to Healing)
May 01, 2008; ... A new report on policy options for the US health care system is generating a great deal of interest and serving as a way for the states, national health care organizations, and interested citizens to clarify their thinking about possible ways to improve US health care. ...
Calendar of events.(Calendar)
May 01, 2008 ... CALL FOR ABSTRACTS for 6th ANNUAL WORLD CONGRESS ON THE INSULIN RESISTANCE SYNDROME -- The Cardiovascular Connection @ Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles, California on SEPTEMBER 25-27. All abstracts will be published in Diabetes & Vascular Disease Research. CONTACT: 818-342-1889; ...
Vitamin E lowering the risk of venous thromboembolism.(Research Update)
May 01, 2008; ... In women, supplementing with vitamin E may reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (either deep vein thrombosis [DVT] or pulmonary embolism), especially in those who have higher risk factors. The Women's Health Study (WHS) prospectively evaluated VTE as a secondary endpoint, after ...
Pueraria mirifica and vaginal health.(Research Update)
May 01, 2008; ... It's not often that we see a study on the effects of a botanical on vaginal symptoms, vaginal health, vaginal cytology, or vaginal pH, so I was encouraged to see this research being done. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of healthy postmenopausal women aged 45 ...
Black cohosh extract in Chinese women with menopausal symptoms.(Research Update)
May 01, 2008; ... Two-hundred and forty-four menopausal women aged 40-60 were randomized in this double-blind, controlled, three-month study and were assigned to either a 40 mg isopropanolic extract of black cohosh per day (Remifemin) or 2.5 mg tibolone per day, a drug known to reduce hot flashes. The ...
Herbal formulations relieve menopause symptoms.(Research Update)
May 01, 2008; ... This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated an herbal product containing 72 mg/dose of isoflavones of different plants along with additional plant extracts in 125 menopausal women. The study objectives were to assess the effectiveness of an ...