The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Parkinson’s' Category

Tai chi benefits in Parkinson’s disease

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have impaired balance, which affects function and increases the risk of falling. Exercise is routinely encouraged by healthcare providers, but few programs have been proven effective.

Researchers at the Oregon Research Institute, in Eugene, studied whether a tailored tai chi program could improve postural control in patients with Parkinson’s disease. (more…)

Testing exercise to prevent falls in Parkinson’s disease

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Researchers at the University of Exeter, in the UK, evaluated the effectiveness of an exercise program in people with Parkinson’s disease who have a history of falls. (more…)

Reviewing the reviews of tai chi

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and a colleague critically evaluated the systematic reviews of tai chi for any improvement of medical conditions or clinical symptoms. (more…)

Review: Broad benefits with the Mediterranean diet

Monday, September 26th, 2011

A couple of years ago, researchers at the University of Florence, in Italy, reviewed the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the risk of death and the occurrence of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases.

Now, they’ve updated their findings. (more…)

Review: Black chokeberry

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Products derived from the black chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, are claimed to be beneficial in disorders or diseases associated with oxidative stress. But these claims are based primarily on laboratory and animal research.

Researchers at Hebrew University, Jerusalem reviewed the evidence in people. (more…)

Theater to improve quality of life in Parkinson’s disease

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

Medical treatments of Parkinson’s disease are intended reduce motor symptoms, but many patients still report a deterioration of their daily lives.

Researchers at IRCCS Neuromed, in Pozzilli, Italy hypothesized that participation in theater might reduce clinical disability and improve quality of life. (more…)

Product review: CoQ10 and ubiquinol

Monday, April 25th, 2011

CoQ10 and its activated form, ubiquinol, are popular supplements for treating or preventing a range of conditions including congestive heart failure, migraine headache, high blood pressure, and Parkinson’s disease — although none of the evidence is conclusive.

ConsumerLab.com tested 31 products for content and dosing. (more…)

Benefits of cough training for Parkinson’s disease

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Cough helps remove material that cannot be adequately removed by normal physiological processes.

Researchers from the University of Florida, in Gainesville studied the value of expiratory muscle strength training in men with Parkinson’s disease. (more…)

Improving balance in fibromyalgia using whole-body vibration

Friday, March 11th, 2011

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a treatment where a patient stands on a platform that oscillates at a particular frequency and amplitude, causing muscle contractions through stimulation of sensory receptors.

These devices are available over the Internet and generally viewed as a fad.

Researchers at the University of Extremadura, in Caceres, Spain, studied the effects of WBV on dynamic balance (balance while moving) in women with fibromyalgia. (more…)

Vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson’s disease

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Almost everyone is deficient in vitamin D, and this deficiency is implicated in several diseases.

Now, researchers at the National Institute for Health and Welfare, in Helsinki, Finland, look for an association with Parkinson’s disease. (more…)

Antioxidant primer

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Dr. Manouchehr Saljoughian from the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, California has reviewed antioxidants.

Lets define terms. (more…)

Balneotherapy: 2 reviews of the evidence

Friday, October 29th, 2010

This review of balneotherapy comes from the Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), in Athens, Greece. (more…)

Consumer Alert: FDA warns about OTC chelation products

Friday, October 15th, 2010

8 companies of over-the-counter (OTC) chelation products were told that they are selling unapproved drugs and devices and are violating federal law with respect to unproven claims about these products.

These products purport to treat a range of diseases by removing toxic metals from the body. Some also claim to treat autism spectrum disorder, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and other serious conditions. (more…)

Benefits of mental singing in Parkinson’s disease

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have gait disturbances that can be improved with the use of appropriate visual and auditory cues.

Researchers from Mie University School of Medicine in Tsu, Japan report their experience using mental singing. (more…)

Benefits of Tango for patients with Parkinson’s disease

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, Missouri compared the effects of Tango, Waltz/Foxtrot, and tai chi. (more…)

High-intensity exercise in Parkinson’s disease

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Small improvement is reported by researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. (more…)

Probiotic treatment of allergic rhinitis

Sunday, April 5th, 2009

The Institute of Food Research in the UK reports that a milk drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) might be useful. (more…)

Tai chi in Parkinson’s disease

Friday, February 6th, 2009

Professor Ernst from the Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth UK has reviewed the literature and concludes that studies of “tai chi for PD (Parkinson’s disease) are feasible but scarce.” (more…)

Michigan voters say OK to medical marijuana

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Another result from Tuesday’s US election — 63% of voters in Michigan approved of letting people who are ill grow their own pot. (more…)

Mediterranean diet and the risk of death and disease

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Researchers from Florence, Italy tell us if it changes the risk of death and the occurrence of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases. (more…)