Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna think “omega-3 fatty acids may be an effective treatment for children with autism.” (more…)

According to researchers from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, there was no association between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and total cancer deaths. But higher blood levels of 25(OH)D levels were associated with lower mortality due to colorectal cancer.

More interesting is the possible reason for this effect. (more…)

Here is a key point about Hoodia and its active ingredient (P57) based on a supportive article. (Italics added for emphasis.) “P57 is an appetite suppressant with … no effects on behavior.”

Perhaps you heard the story of the Kalahari Bushmen who live off the land and eat part of the hoodia stem to ward off hunger and thirst during hunting trips.

OK, I understand how it might work for them, but…

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Dr. Peter Stanton has commented before on this blog. He’s a board certified chiropractic orthopedist practicing in Burke, Virginia and graciously sent a list of studies that support chiropractic for back pain.

I listed the two studies first and the two reviews next.

Clinical trials
Author: Koes, 1992 (more…)

Dr. Charles Blum has published a report of one patient with diabetes who was successfully treated with dietary modification and exercise.

Oh yes, the patient also got chiropractic manipulations.

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Neuropathic pain occurs when damaged or dysfunctional nerve fibers send incorrect signals to pain centers leading to feelings of tingling, numbness, and shooting and burning pain. It’s very discomforting to the patient and difficult to treat.

Here’s a study where cannabis showed benefit. (more…)

Cranberries are often used to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Is it worth the effort? (more…)

Here’s a study of the effectiveness of usual mainstream medical care for acute low back pain with and without the option for patients to add acupuncture, chiropractic, or massage to their treatment.

It comes from the Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at the Osher Institute in Boston.

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The association between stroke/cerebrovascular accident and manipulative procedures performed to the cervical spine is an issue that gets lots of attention from the media and critics of chiropractic.

Supporters of chiropractic counter that the critics take the “very remote” risk of vertebral artery dissection (VAD), which results in a stroke, and disproportionately magnify the “fear factor” in the general population.

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As part of our ongoing fascination with whiplash injury, here is a report on the value derived when victims watched a brief video as part of their initial care in the emergency room or urgent care center.

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Yes, they teach CAM at osteopathic and allopathic medical schools.

This survey concludes we need less advocacy and more reliance on evidence-based medicine (ie, combining research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values).

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In an earlier post, women complained that they did not know the proper dose of soy-containing products to treat the symptoms of menopause, and had low confidence in the ability of healthcare professionals to provide this information.

Maybe now we know why.

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Cosmeceuticals represent a marriage between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Like cosmetics, cosmeceuticals are topically applied, but they contain ingredients that influence the biological function of the skin. Cosmeceuticals improve appearance, but they do so by delivering nutrients necessary for healthy skin.

Interested in learning more?
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I am not sure where the news is in this statement, but researchers in Toronto just published the results of a study that concluded, “Mild emotional stress or sadness can reactivate depressive thinking in patients with a history of depression, which may increase the risk of relapse.”

Probably of greatest interest is the finding that those who received antidepressant medication alone showed a poorer response following an event that caused a sad mood than people who received cognitive behavioral therapy.

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Concern that black cohosh, a popular alternative to prescription hormonal therapy for treating menopausal symptoms, can cause liver toxicity has prompted agencies in the U.K. and Australia to require manufacturers to add safety warnings to their labels.

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Current recommended daily intakes of vitamin D are 200 international units (IU) for younger adults, 400 IU for those aged 51 to 70 years, and 600 IU for those older than 70 years.

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Elemene is an extract from the ginger plant and an antitumor drug, which is approved to treat cervical cancer and cancer of the lung, liver, and brain in China.

There is some evidence that it kills lung cancer cells in the lab. Here is a Cochrane Library review of the data on lung cancer in humans. (more…)

In Popular Science, here’s a fascinating article about meat grown on factory racks for human consumption.

Think of it as Spam for the 21st century.

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NewsWise reports that research presented during the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, supports the role of chewing gum as an easy, practical tool for weight management. (more…)

Coming to the University of Connecticut on October 25th. (more…)