A study presented recently during the Society of Integrative Oncology’s Third International Conference in Boston showed that taking antioxidant supplements during external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer has no effect on PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels.
Continue reading Antioxidants are safe during external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer
An earlier post summarized the Cochrane Collaboration’s positive assessment of acupuncture to treat chronic neck pain. Now, there’s additional support based on a study of more than 14,000 patients.
Continue reading Acupuncture: Effective and possibly cost effective in treating chronic neck pain
Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those who are at high risk of heart disease or already have it. And I suppose when it becomes a prescription drug, it’s no longer complementary but integrated into mainstream medicine.
So, here’s one last (maybe) entry on N-3 PUFA (omega-3) taken from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Continue reading Recommendations for taking omega-3 fatty acids
Spinal manipulation (SM) is a traditional treatment practiced by chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists, and other healthcare providers mostly (but not exclusively) to treat musculoskeletal problems. SM can be described as the use of hands or force applied to the patient to achieve a therapeutic outcome.
The literature supports SM for treating back pain, but not much else.
After eating a meal, blood sugar levels increase and then peak before coming down, as shown on the graph above. This blood sugar “excursion” is exaggerated in people with diabetes compared to those who are not diabetic.
OK, but what’s this got to do with yogurt?
Continue reading Improving diabetes control with soy yogurt and blueberries
The available evidence suggests, “Ginger may be an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.”
Researchers from the University of Naples in Italy came to this conclusion based on their review of the medical literature, and the results of 6 well-designed clinical studies of 675 pregnant women.
Continue reading Treating pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting with ginger
A new study adds to the mystery of policosanol. Past posts here have summarized the ongoing debate over its effectiveness as a treatment for high cholesterol levels. Studies conducted by the Center of Natural Products at the National Center for Scientific Research in Havana report a dose-dependent reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol of up to 29%.
Outside of Cuba, the results are inconsistent. One proposed reason is the source of the policosanol.
But wait!
Continue reading McGill researchers report policosanol is ineffective in lowering cholesterol
A recent review of published studies concludes that practicing biofeedback is associated with a reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks. And better results are achieved when biofeedback is combined with home sessions.
OK, but let’s get specific.
Continue reading The status of biofeedback for treating migraine
Historically, a poultice was a soft moist mass of bread, meal, clay, or other adhesive substance. It was usually heated, with the active ingredient spread on cloth, and applied to warm, moisten, or stimulate an aching or inflamed part of the body. The poultice has been used to reduce fever, treat rattlesnake bites, and any condition of the skin that requires direct application of medicine.
Now, the poultice is being used with honey, Medihoney to be precise, in the treatment of wounds.
One of the major complications of diabetes mellitus is the change in small blood vessels called microangiopathy. It’s associated with kidney failure and blindness, as well as other conditions such as diabetic ulcers.
Here are the results of a study of pycnogenol in people with diabetic ulcers.
Continue reading Improvement in diabetic ulcers with pycnogenol
Here are the results from two studies that support the role of pycnogenol (pronounced pick-nah-geh-nol) to treat ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
Continue reading Positive effects of pycnogenol in children with ADHD
There are few studies of homeopathic treatment for pain in children. Here is the best of the lot, according to two pain specialists from UCLA.
Continue reading Homeopathic treatment of acute otitis media in children
A study of 30 patients found that regular classes of tai chi gave patients with heart failure better movement and significantly reduced BNP levels.
Here’s why lowering BNP is important.
Continue reading Tai chi really does improve congestive heart failure
The objective here is to illustrate how not to conduct a study on the value of homeopathy — or anything else for that matter.
This study does more to hurt the credibility of homeopathy than to support it.
Here’s why.
Continue reading A flawed study of homeopathy to treat anxiety, depression, and IBS
Researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China have reported on the effects of ginseng in 1455 patients with breast cancer who were followed for 4 to 6 years.
Here are the results.
Continue reading Survival and quality of life in patients with breast cancer who take ginseng
Ten years ago, Bandolier (the evidence based healthcare information service) stated that the best clinical studies “showed no difference between … acupuncture and sham acupuncture for pain relief.”
Since then, newer studies have been more positive.
Continue reading Acupuncture in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip
Chromium contributes to the action of insulin to control blood sugar levels. In addition, chromium blood levels tend to be low in people with diabetes. Now, conventional wisdom of the role of supplemental chromium is being re-evaluated.
Continue reading Positive results with chromium in type 2 diabetes
Pouchitis? In people who require an ileostomy, surgeons can use the intestines to create a “pouch” (as shown in the drawing) to store stool and decrease the frequency of passing fecal material through the opening. The pouch eliminates the need for an external bag to collect the feces. The Mayo Clinic has a nice review.
What?s the role of probiotics?
An earlier entry noted that updated guidelines for managing nausea and vomiting following surgery include acupuncture.
Five minutes of manual or electrical stimulation at the P6 acupuncture point (as shown in the illustration) is the primary point of treatment. Some supportive studies are listed here.
What issues remain to be address in clinical trials?
Continue reading Acupuncture for nausea and vomiting: where do we go from here?
In a previous