Archive for August, 2009
Monday, August 17th, 2009
Telephone interviews conducted by researchers at Boston University in Massachusetts point to parents as a significant contributor to poor asthma control in their children. (more…)
Asthma/Allergy, Children | Comments Off on Parents as a risk factor for poor asthma control
Monday, August 17th, 2009
Researchers from the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota reviewed treatments for nursing home residents with urinary incontinence.
Prompted voiding used alone and combined with exercise were associated with modest short-term improvement in daytime urinary incontinence. (more…)
Elderly, Incontenence: Urinary | Comments Off on Prompted voiding for urinary incontinence
Monday, August 17th, 2009
The Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine has published a review of everything a pediatrician ever wanted to know about CAM.
Here are just a few of the highlights. (more…)
A. ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, B. MANIPULATIVE METHODS, C. MIND-BODY THERAPIES, Children, D. ENERGY THERAPIES, E. DIETARY, F. BIOLOGICALS, G. BOTANICALS, H. CHEMICALS, I. PROTEIN/ENZYMES, J. CONDITIONS TO TREAT | Comments Off on American Academy of Pediatrics’ position on CAM
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
Is there benefit in prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostatitis? (more…)
Cancer, Prostate, Saw Palmetto, Selenium, Vitamins | Comments Off on Supplements and prostate health
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
Researchers from Columbia University in New York City looked at the evidence in breast cancer patients. (more…)
Cancer, Flavonoids (Soy), Melatonin, Vitamins | Comments Off on Is it risky taking antioxidants during cancer treatment?
Friday, August 14th, 2009
A company called Quincy Bioscience sells a product containing aequorin (Prevagen) that it promotes as “the first supplement to address aging through the restoration of calcium-binding proteins.”
A reader asked what I’ve heard about this product, which contains aequorin (Aequorea victoria), a calcium-binding protein found in the jellyfish. (more…)
Alzheimer's Dementia, Calcium | Comments Off on No human evidence that aequorin prevents dementia
Friday, August 14th, 2009
Researchers from the University for Regensburg in Bayern, Germany reviewed the evidence. (more…)
Exercise, Headache/Migraine | Comments Off on The role of exercise in migraine treatment
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
 Researchers from the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil evaluated the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy during the immediate postoperative period among patients who had elective upper abdominal surgery. (more…)
Breathing, Physiotherapy, Surgery | Comments Off on Chest physiotherapy after upper abdominal surgery
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Coronary artery calcification is the accumulation of calcified fatty deposits on the inside of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Their presence is a predictor of future coronary heart disease. Researchers from the University of Chicago in Illinois report that sleeping longer is associated with lower calcification.
Let’s review the research and reviews from 2008 that looked at CAM options to treat insomnia. (more…)
Acupuncture/ pressure, Exercise, Meditation, Melatonin, Sleep (Insomnia) | Comments Off on Short sleep duration and coronary artery calcification
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Researchers in the PREDIMED (Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea) Study in Spain report a reduction in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in older adults who followed the traditional Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts for just 1 year. (more…)
Bleeding Disorders, Cholesterol/Lipids, Diabetes Mellitus, Diet-Mediterranean, Fiber, Heart Disease, Stroke | Comments Off on 1 year on the Mediterranean diet
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Reviewers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland assessed the quality of scientific articles on traditional Indian medicine for HIV/AIDS treatment and care. (more…)
Ayurveda, HIV/AIDS, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Yoga | Comments Off on Traditional Indian medicine for HIV/AIDS
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
 Dr. Adrienne Olson of Breastlink in Rancho Palos Verdes, California reported during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that breast cancer patients might unknowingly expose themselves to estrogen by using certain skin moisturizers.
Yet, none of these products listed the estrogenic hormones among their ingredients. (more…)
Cancer, Consumer Alert | Comments Off on Caution: Moisturizing creams in breast cancer patients
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
 Researchers from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, India measured the effect of yoga on perceived stress. (more…)
Pregnancy, Relaxation, Yoga | Comments Off on Yoga benefits in healthy pregnant women
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
 That’s the conclusion by reviewers from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Kent, UK. (more…)
Alzheimer's Dementia, Aromatherapy, Elderly | Comments Off on Lack of evidence for aromatherapy in dementia
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
In addition to interacting with midazolam (Versed for sedation and anxiety), researchers from the FDA and the NIH studied ginkgo’s effect on the combination of lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra, Aluvia for HIV/AIDS).
But only the midazolam interaction with ginkgo biloba appeared to be significant for patients. (more…)
CAM Interactions, Ginkgo, HIV/AIDS | Comments Off on Ginkgo biloba interacts with midazolam
Monday, August 10th, 2009
 Based on studies in tens of thousands of patients, researchers from New Orleans and Baltimore suggest daily targets for treatment with omega-3. (more…)
Heart Disease, Omega-3 Fatty Acids | Comments Off on Omega-3 and cardiovascular disease
Monday, August 10th, 2009
 Researchers from the University of Toronto, in Ontario reviewed the evidence. (more…)
CAM Cost Effectiveness | Comments Off on Cost-effectiveness of natural supplements
Monday, August 10th, 2009
Reviewers from the University of Florida, College of Medicine in Jacksonville assessed the evidenced. (more…)
Black/Blue Cohosh, Menopause, Prof. Ernst | Comments Off on Black cohosh to manage menopausal symptoms
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
Researchers from the University of Miami Medical School, in Florida reported benefits in mothers and their offspring. (more…)
Anxiety (Panic)/Depression, Massage, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Benefits of massage on pregnancy and infants
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
 In this patient, it appears there was greater “blood thinning” effect when pomegranate was taken with warfarin (Coumadin), according to this report. (more…)
Bleeding Disorders, CAM Interactions, Pomegranate | Comments Off on Does pomegranate interact with blood thinners?