Latest Global Natural Health News

[Soroush Ebrahimi]

The Swiss Government – through their Social Insurance Office (FSIO) - have just published the results of their report on Homeopathy, commissioned in 2006.

Its conclusion is that Homeopathy is a valuable addition to conventional healthcare.

Pls see below
From: ComplementaryMedicalAssociation@sut1.co.uk [mailto:ComplementaryMedicalAssociation@sut1.co.uk] On Behalf Of Jayney Goddard
Sent: 14 December 2011 10:32
To: finrod@finrod.co.uk
Subject: Latest Global Natural Health News
















The Latest Global Natural Healthcare News

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Excellence in Complementary Medicine

December 2011




Homeopathy Works: It’s Official







The Swiss Government – through their Social Insurance Office (FSIO) - have just published the results of their report on Homeopathy, commissioned in 2006.

Its conclusion is that Homeopathy is a valuable addition to conventional healthcare.

This conclusive finding overturns previous negative studies in Switzerland from authorities like the Swiss Complementary Medicine Evaluation Programme (PEK).

Rather than take the rigid, schematic and exclusively quantitative (negative) outcome approach of PEK, or the meta-analytical and systematic approach of the Cochrane Collaboration, the new study looks not just at the effectiveness of a particular homeopathic intervention, it also looks at the effectiveness of homeopathy in everyday use.

So it has taken into account the real world effectiveness of homeopathy in terms of how it is used, its safety and its cost-effectiveness.

In the report the authors comment on the Shang et al 2005 study on Homeopathy and explain that : “We can say with certainty that the Shang et al 2005 study does not prove that homeopathy has no effect.”

The 300 page report, looks at all the scientific literature in homeopathy and summarises 22 reviews, 20 of which show positive results for homeopathy.

Four of these show strong evidence that homeopathy, as a system of medicine, is efficacious.

The English translation of the Swiss Health Technology Assessment (HTA) report on Homeopathy is called ‘Homeopathy in Healthcare: Effectiveness, Appropriateness, Safety, Costs.’and is printed by Springer.

More . . .






And Homeopathy is Now ‘Legal’ in Sweden







The European Committee for Homeopathy has just reported that it is now legal – for doctors – to ‘openly’ prescribe homeopathic remedies to their patients.

Until recently homeopathy had not been accepted by the Swedish health authorities as an official therapeutic approach. They have now changed their minds. It’s official.

The Swedish Supreme Administrative Court has now ruled that Swedish doctors can openly recommend homeopathy to their patients.

More . . .






5 Ways to Boost Your Orgasms -and Libido Naturally







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A blog by Mark A. Moyad, Director of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center has looked at natural ways women can improve their orgasms and overall sex drive.

Moyad points out that only about 20% of women experience orgasm on a regular basis with their partner:

He also explains that around 30% of women have issues with sexual desire, arousal, or orgasm and that a low libido, or feelings of desire is/are the most common complaint women have about their sex lives.

His solutions include supplementation (with supplements including ingredients including L-arginine, Panax ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, damiana leaf, and various vitamins and minerals): the use of massage oil: lubricants: and key lifestyle changes.

More . . .








Commonly Used Drugs Linked to Memory Disorders







Pharmaceutical experts have recommended that all Health Professionals should notify any memory disorders they come across in patients – especially elderly ones as they may be “strongly associated” with commonly prescribed drugs.

These include serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) , hypnotics and newer anticonvulsant drugs.

Their study,published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, identified over 500 cases of memory loss based on almost 200,000 (188, 284) “adverse drug reactions”, recorded in the French PharmacoVigilance Database.

The authors went as far as to say that a “strong association” was to be found between memory problems and benzodiazepine-like hypnotics such as zolpidem and zopiclone, as well as from analgesics including morphine, nefopam and tramadol.

More . . .






The Positive Effects of Lemon Verbena and Omega-3 on Joint Pain







In an article in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine researchers have tested the efficacy of an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory supplement containing lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla, Lippia citriodora) extract and fish oil omega-3 fatty acid in a human pilot trial as an alternative treatment for joint management.

The pilot study has shown that supplementation with lemon verbena combined with omega-3 fatty acids may be considered for further investigation as a complementary and alternative treatment for improving joint status in subjects with joint discomfort.

More . . . .







Recommendations For Lowering the Risks of Getting Breast Cancer













The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the US, an organisation which is an advocate of complementary medicine, has reviewed the environmental factors that could lead to a higher risk of breast cancer amongst women.

Under the auspices of The Cure®, the IOM has reviewed this topic and has come to the conclusion that whilst many advances have been made in understanding breast cancer, one effective approach to study in this area is a Life – Course approach.

They conclude that there are real opportunities to reduce the risk of breast cancer through a change towards the way we live. Key to this is the avoidance of medical radiation by women, as well as not smoking or drinking alcohol, and exercising more. They also recommended that women avoid using any oestrogen–progestin hormone therapy. Post menopausal women were encouraged not to gain weight.

More . . .






In Arizona Lawmakers Are Encouraged to Include “Alternative Medicine” in Health Care Insurance Provision













In Arizona they are setting up a Health Insurance Exchange in order to allow people to compare and choose a Health Insurance Plan that suits them.

The Exchange is to be one where people can choose a plan that is affordable and which meets their needs.

One respected commentator, Rich Evans, has put forward the opinion that in order to provide an effective health insurance choice, they should be inclusive and reflect reality – in the sense of taking account of what methods of healthcare the people of Arizona already find effective and economic.

He feels that all too often legislators assume that all people use allopathic or western medical methods when, in fact they look for effective alternatives as they find this approach to be costly and not always effective.

He feels that traditional health professionals are skilled, very devoted to patient health and work long hours in a system that has often reached capacity. The techniques involved, whether surgical or pharmaceutical, are costly. The patient may not see the cost, but the insurers do.

He advocates that lawmakers should take a serious look at including reliable complementary or alternative approaches as these can be more cost effective and ease the demand on allopathic medicine and that there are already so many citizens in Arizona who use these kinds of health care approaches.

As around $34 billion a year is already spent across the US on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), he argues, it would be foolish to leave this out of the discussion on Arizona’s health care insurance system. He believes that including CAM will help relieve the stresses on the current system and will increase patient access to cost effective, effective treatments that will produce healthy outcomes.

More . . .







Systematic Review of Bowenwork®






Published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (November 2011), it initially considered all 309 published studies, but eventually focussed on what the researchers considered were the most robust studies (15).

They noted that around half (53%) of the studies showed that Bowenwork was effective for pain reduction and 33% reported improved mobility.
More . . .







Hundreds of Benefits of Supplements Taken by Millions of People Rejected by the European Food Safety Authority













In their wisdom the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found no evidence to suggest that the health claims on around 2,300 of the 2,500 food products they have reviewed, products already taken by millions of people across Europe, can be substantiated.

These products include claims for supplements like royal jelly, green tea and glucosamine.

Amongst the 200 claims that were upheld included ones such as calcium being needed for the maintenance of healthy bones and that reducing salt could regulate blood pressure.

Remember the EFSA ruled that bottled water (whilst it can be seen to keep people healthy and cool) did not prevent dehydration in October.

All health claims for herbal and plant-based supplements are currently on hold and a further 2,000 health claims are still awaiting assessment.

More . . .







Managing Distress During Menopause with Homeopathy













In an article published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a group of Indian researchers have reported on their study on the successful use of homeopathy in the management of various symptoms encountered during the menopause.

They undertook an observational study over a 1 year period which centred on assessing 15 predefined symptoms of menopause.

They found that homeopathy was useful in relieving hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, palpitation, depression and insomnia.

More . . .









In Nigeria Alternative Practitioners Tackle the Government and Doctors







The All Nigeria Homeopathic Medical Association has taken legal action against their own Federal Government and have won as the Lagos State High Court has issued a formal order which urges the Federal Ministry of Health to establish a Central Alternative Medical Board.

This is to ensure that CAM practitioners do not have to stay on a group with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN, which has been a bone of contention amongst Complementary and Alternative Medicine practitioners.

The group alleged that although the MDCN is supposed to ‘regulate’ alternative medicine, it has not advanced any therapies in any way.

CAM members issued a formal statement, signed by 35 of its members, which stated that having the MDCN involved in its affairs is anathema.

It said: “In fairness, homoeopathy, such as the CAM practitioners should not be in the same council with the orthodox medical practitioners. In addition to all these, the CAM Stakeholders Forum observed that the MDCN may not be knowledgeable in matters affecting Complementary and Alternative Medicine.”

The stakeholders commended the efforts of the Minister of Health and the Ministry for repositioning CAM in the Nation and in establishing a Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine but they also urged the National Assembly to pass a Bill to establish the Complementary and Alternative Medical Council of Nigeria (CAMCN) to promote the growth and regulate the practice of alternative medicine. This Bill has already gone through its second reading.
More . . .







The Malaysian Government Formalises Role of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (as Medicinal Claims Are Allowed)







The Malaysian Ministry of Health has submitted the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill to the Attorney-General and hopes to table it to parliament early next year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the act will protect the rights of Malay, Chinese and Indian Traditional Medical practitioners and its main objective is to protect the public and instil confidence in Traditional Medicine.

The Ministry of Health is also formalising the legal framework for Traditional Medical health claims.

Liow continued, “We have formed a working committee to look into an approved list of claims for traditional medicine. Two categories have been identified for traditional claims – for ‘traditional health use’ and ‘traditional treatment’... the ministry, through its working committee, is also looking at expanding the claims allowed for traditional medicine and health supplements.”

Suppliers who want to register their products and make claims must have clear-cut evidence on what their traditional and complimentary medicines can do, but they cannot say it can be used to treat a disease.

So far over 11,750 traditional medicines have registered with the ministry.

More . . .









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Dear Soroush



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In This Issue:
Homeopathy Works: It’s Official
Homeopathy is Now ‘Legal’ in Sweden
5 Ways to Boost Your Orgasms Naturally
Commonly Used Drugs Linked to Memory Disorders
The Positive Effects of Lemon Verbena and Omega-3 on Joint Pain
Recommendations on Lowering the Risks of Getting Breast Cancer
Arizona Lawmakers Encouraged to Include “Alternative Medicine” in Health Care Insurance
Systematic Review of Bowenwork®
Hundreds of Benefits of Supplements Rejected by the EFSA
Managing Distress During Menopause with Homeopathy
Malaysia Formalises Role of TCM and CAM
Government and Doctors Taken to Court by Alternative Practitioners in Nigeria







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Global Health News

Round Up:
Whole-Grain Lessens Chronic Disease Risk and Weight Gain Among Adolescents
This study looked at whether eating whole grains had any positive effects on weight gain and on the tendency towards chronic illness amongst adolescents – a previously under researched group.

http://bit.ly/sneMRy
New Predictive Model of Rate of Weight Loss
Researchers set out to discover what factors influence the rate of weight loss obtained in clinical studies and found that age and current weight as well as the frequency of contact with a dietary counsellor and the patient’s prescribed energy deficit were key factors.

The researchers believe that their findings provide a tool for investigators and clinical dieticians to predict the rate of weight loss that can be expected within a population given the age, initial body weight, frequency of dietary counselling, and energy deficit prescription.

http://bit.ly/sneMRy
Electro-acupuncture could be effective in treating Type 2 Diabetics and Obese Patients
Researchers from Kyoto University have discovered that repeated treatments with electro-acupuncture improves (diet-induced) insulin resistance (in rats).

They believe that this is because the electo-acupuncture activates AMPK signalling pathways in skeletal muscle.
http://bit.ly/tjDU98
Acupuncture (with Moxibustion) and Endometriosis Treatment

Researchers have found that treating endometriosis with ‘point injection’ and moxibustion (an established TCM approach using ground up mugwort, which they use with acupuncture needles, or burnt straight onto a patient’s skin), was highly effective (over 80% success rate).

They explained that this kind of treatment serves to both regulate the immunity system and has a positive effect on the endocrine functions in the whole body. They also saw that it promoted the circulation of Qi and blood flow.

http://bit.ly/uDc8lo
Homeopathy “Thriving” on the NHS in Liverpool

The Faculty of Homeopathy reports that the new Liverpool Medical Homeopathy Service (LMHS), staffed by medically trained homeopaths, which provides treatments on the NHS is proving particularly popular.

Liverpool PCT has commissioned the new service from the LMHS which is a Community Interest Company, a limited company created to provide a service for the benefit of the community and not purely for private advantage. The setting up of the clinic also highlights the new approach to commissioning NHS services being adopted as part of the government’s NHS reforms.

Dr Hugh Nielsen, Clinical Director at the clinic said: "Patient satisfaction with Liverpool homeopathy is very high. A patient experience survey conducted by Liverpool Community Health during 2010 at the NHS Liverpool department of homeopathic medicine showed that of 165 people questioned, 80% rated the service as excellent, 14% deemed it very good and 5.5% rated it as good."
http://bit.ly/uV4fVZ
Homeopathy Clinical Trials for Encephalitis in India
The Indian Health Ministry’s Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) has approved clinical trials using homeopathy to treat encephalitis – a disease that has already killed around 1,000 in the country so far this year.

A control group will be treated with allopathic medicine, while a second group will be treated using both allopathy and homeopathy. Previous research at Kolkata's School of Tropical Medicine and the CCRH showed that homeopathic Belladonna prevented infection in chick embryos infected with the Japanese encephalitis virus.
http://bit.ly/uDDU2j
Review of Clinical Trials of Homeopathy for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue
“A well-conducted systematic review from a research team in the USA has scrutinised randomised placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) of homeopathy in psychiatric conditions and found that 5 of the 6 studies on functional somatic syndromes found that homeopathy.”
http://bit.ly/t1ydgB
Homeopathy and Alzheimer’s

A research paper on the effect of homeopathy on treating Alzheimer’s has been presented to neuroscientists from around the world at the Neuroscience Convention in Washington. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have estimated, there were around 27m cases of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide in 2006.

By 2050, they expect this number to quadruple. 1 in 85 people will be affected by then.

Lead researcher Dr. Bernd Seilheimer from Heel explained:

‘This homeopathically prepared medication (a “multitarget medication based on low dose natural substances”), leads to significant changes in the gene networks associated with synaptic function and plasticity. It significantly reduces the gene expression of APP and BACE, responsible for the formation of β-amyloid plaques which hallmark Alzheimer’s disease. Upon treatment, axons of neurons even grew faster and longer than under saline control conditions.”

(Heel is a pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and distributes medications based on natural substances. It claims to be the global leader in homeopathic combination preparations. The company also works in the field of scientific research in natural healthcare.)

http://bit.ly/sQk9Iz

Psychological Therapy Demonstrates Positive Benefits

A report into the care received by patients with anxiety and depression across more than 350 NHS-funded psychological therapy services in England and Wales has revealed good overall standards of care, but substantial variation in quality.
The audit found that services are generally good at providing evidence-based psychological treatments recommend by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Some 83% of patients with a diagnosis for which there is a NICE guideline were given the recommended therapy for their condition. However, not all services record the diagnosis of their patients, making it difficult to know whether or not the care they are providing is appropriate for their patients.
Many services, particularly larger ones, are effective at ensuring that patients are seen quickly once referred. However, this standard was not met by all services, with one in seven people in the audit waiting more than three months for their first appointment. Waiting times are important – patient feedback indicates that long waits can have a negative impact on a person’s mental health.
The report also identified concerns about the number of sessions being offered to some patients. At a service level, 56% of patients either received the recommended minimum number of sessions or recovered. Of those who did not receive the recommended number of sessions, 41% neither recovered nor made reliable improvement.
http://bit.ly/rB43I5




















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