Researchers from the Norwegian University tell us, “The benefits of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for humans with mental disorders have been well-documented using cats and dogs.”

But what about farm animals? (more…)

“Acupuncture reduced by half the hot flushes caused by tamoxifen in… 59 breast cancer patients after surgery,” according to this study presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC) in Berlin. (more…)

A recent study casts doubt on the ability of Ginkgo biloba to affect blood flow in the eye. This might be important for people with cataracts and glaucoma, but the findings are at odds with the prevailing point of view.

Here’s some perspective. (more…)

About 1 in 13 babies in the US is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams). They’re considered low birth weight and at increased risk of serious health problems.

Might preventing low birth weight be another benefit of omega-3 fatty acids? (more…)

The British Association for Psychopharmacology does not rank massage among CAM options for dementia. Apparently, there are too few studies available for them to evaluate.

Based on what is available, here’s what we know.

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Jan Bronk (a mime actor) and Pieter Devriese (an ear, nose, and throat doctor) developed mime therapy in the 1970s. It applies the principles of mime for patients suffering from a lack of facial movement or uncontrolled movements.

Does it work?

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 Two doctors from the VA Medical Center in Sepulveda, California have written a review of curcumin (turmeric) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Anyone looking for evidence of the effectiveness of curcumin when taken by people with AD will be disappointed. (more…)

In postmenopausal women, calcium from dietary sources is associated with more favorable effects in bone health than calcium from supplements. (more…)

Trying to eliminate caffeine from your diet? Chances are you’ll have to try harder. Here’s a comparison of the caffeine content in a variety of coffees.

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Vitamin D treatment during infancy might protect from the development of type 1 diabetes, according to this review of the medical literature by researchers from the Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals in the UK. (more…)