By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
There is an increasing acceptance that Holistic Health Care [HHC] is more effective than Traditional Western Medicine. Humans are complex, multi-dimensional beings who respond to positive stimulus on all levels—mind, body and spirit—and that to leave one aspect out also denies the others. Wellness is more than physical. Healthy and fulfilled individuals make better contributions to themselves and the world.
Holistic Health Care practices seek to work with the entire being so that all aspects of life are positive, productive and balanced. The society of the future realizes that being healthy and self-realized, results in a happier life.
A growing number of medical schools have begun teaching courses in Holistic Health Care; more private insurance plans have begun to recognize the utility of some forms of HHC and have offered coverage in conjunction with conventional treatments; and, in 1992, a Congressional mandate established the Office of Alternative Medicine, a small entity within the National Institutes of Health that was chartered to assess alternative therapies. Its annual budget has grown every year since 1993 and, between 1997 and 1998, increased from $12 million to $20 million.
According to a nationwide government survey released in May 2004, 36 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over use some form of HHC. NCCAM, National Institutes of Health A Prevention Magazine 2002 survey of consumer use of dietary supplements revealed that an estimated 158 million consumers use dietary supplements and spend approximately $8.5 billion per year. An estimated 22.8 million consumers use herbal remedies instead of prescription medicine, and an estimated 19.6 million use them with a prescription product. Similarly, an estimated 30.3 million use herbals instead of an over-the-counter drug (OTC), while approximately 19 million use herbals and OTC's together.
In 2002, Geoffrey Cowley, Senior Editor of NEWSWEEK reported, “We make more visits to non-conventional healers (some 600 million a year) than we do to MDs, and we spend more of our own money for the privilege--about $30 billion a year by recent estimates.”
Use of Holistic Health Care in the U.S:
In the United States, 36% of adults are using some form of Holistic Health Care. When megavitamin therapy and prayer specifically for health reasons are included, that number rises to 62%.
Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) describes a $228.9 billion U.S. marketplace for goods and services focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living. The consumers attracted to this market have been collectively referred to as Cultural Creatives and represent a sizable group in this country. Approximately 36 percent of the adults in the U.S., or 60 million people, are currently embracing a holistic lifestyle.
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Thursday, May 29, 2008
Holistic Health Care Increasing in Popularity Worldwide
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Estrogen fuels competitive drive in women
Study: The hormone works in women the way testosterone does in men
Reuters
updated 8:56 p.m. ET, Wed., April. 30, 2008
WASHINGTON - Estrogen fuels feelings of power and competition in women in much the same way testosterone does in men, researchers said on Wednesday in a study that shows the need to win is every bit as feminine as it is masculine.
Estrogen levels shot up in power-motivated women when they won and plummeted when they lost, while the opposite was true in women who appeared not to be interested in power, the researchers found.
“The biology of dominance in women has been vastly under-researched. On top of that, it sets up very nice parallels with men and testosterone,” said Steven Stanton of the University of Michigan, who conducted the study.
Earlier this month, British researchers reported that male financial traders made more money when their testosterone levels were high.
Be kind to Mother Nature and go green at work
Tensions can run high in the workplace when it comes to environmental matters.
This has been revealed in a North American survey released by Xerox to measure environmental consciousness in the workplace.
The survey found that work colleagues may have some strong objections to those who don't walk-the-green-talk at the office.Results of the survey show that almost 40 percent of US respondents said their number one office environmental pet peeve was mindless printing resulting in abandoned pages at the printer, followed closely by leaving the lights on in unused offices (37 percent).A review of the other top office pet peeves included:
- Lack of recycling bins (33 percent);
- Excessive air conditioning or heating (29 percent);
- Excessive use of paper products - like plates and cups (27 percent);
- Co-workers who don't recycle (27 percent); and
- Co-workers who print single-sided instead of double-sided documents (24 percent).
"As we talk with our customers, we often find that people are environmentally aware at home, but the office is still a breeding ground for bad habits," says Rob Abraham, MD of Bytes Document Solutions, distributor of Xerox in 24 African countries. "Yet, as this survey shows, it takes just a few small steps to make a big difference."
Abraham has the following advice:
- Use the technology available in the office to cut back on paper use, reduce waste and reduce energy consumption. That can mean simply setting the office printers to default to two-sided printing, which cuts office paper use in half.
- Replace single-function printers and copiers with multifunction systems, as this slashes energy use.
Cocoa can be 'boost to diabetics'
BBC NEWS / HEALTH
23:45 GMT, Monday, 26 May 2008 00:45 UK
A cup of enriched cocoa may help improve the working of blood vessels in diabetic patients, research suggests.
Doctors prescribed three mugs of specially formulated cocoa a day for a month, and found "severely impaired" arteries regained normal function.
The German study, featured in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, suggests chemicals called "flavanols" may be responsible.
But charity Diabetes UK said eating more normal chocolate would not work.
People with diabetes are at greater risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and strokes, partly due to the effects of high blood sugar on the linings of blood vessels, which stops them being able to expand as much when needed by the body.
This can result in higher blood pressure, which can then cause further problems.
While a healthier lifestyle can reduce the risks, it often does not solve the problem completely.
"Our results demonstrate that dietary flavanols might have an important impact" Dr Malte KelmUniversity Hospital Aachen
Cocoa naturally contains "flavanols", antioxidant chemicals which are also found in some fruit and vegetables, green tea and red wine, and has been linked with health benefits by other studies.
The type of cocoa used in the study cannot be found in the shops and is a version enriched with far higher concentrations of the chemicals.
Other studies are looking at whether flavanol-enriched chocolate could benefit patients.
Summer Skin SOS
Fast Fixes for the Season's Five Biggest Problems
By NORINE DWORKIN
May 27, 2008 —
As anyone who's ever had a scorching sunburn or a nasty case of poison ivy can attest, summer can be hard on the skin. Luckily, most of the damage is easy to remedy. Here are fast fixes for five common seasonal snafus, plus steps to safeguard your skin through Labor Day and beyond.
The problem:
You're breaking out on your back, shoulders and chest and your regular soap isn't helping.
The fix: Wash with a body cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, ingredients that unblock pores and dry up excess oil. (Don't scrub; it may inflame skin.) To try: Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub ($6; drugstores). To prevent breakouts, dust talcum powder on your back and chest to help absorb perspiration, and look for oil-free products that won't clog pores.
Avoid form-fitting clothes that hold heat and moisture close to your skin and change into fresh gear ASAP after perspiring heavily.
Click here to continue reading article at ABC Health News
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Fruit, veggies may lower head and neck cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables may have a lower risk of developing cancers of the head and neck.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that among more than 490,000 Americans age 50 and up, those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables were the least likely to develop cancers of the mouth, throat or voice box.
Smoking and heavy drinking are two major risk factors for head and neck cancers, but even when the researchers accounted for such lifestyle factors, fruits and vegetables remained linked to lower cancer risks.
Certain foods emerged as particularly protective. Legumes -- including dried beans, peas and string beans -- as well as peppers, tomatoes and carrots were linked to lower cancer odds. The same was true of rosaceae fruits, which include apples, nectarines, peaches, plums, pears and strawberries.
Dr. Neal D. Freedman and his colleagues report the findings in the International Journal of Cancer.
Past studies have suggested that fruits and vegetables and the nutrients they contain -- including various antioxidant compounds -- might help protect against head and neck cancers.
But most of those studies compared cancer patients with healthy individuals, rather than following the same group of people over time to see whether fruit and vegetable intake helped predict cancer development.
For their study, Freedman and colleagues used data on 490,802 older adults who were surveyed about their diet and other health factors, then followed for 4 years. During that time, 787 men and women were diagnosed with cancers of the mouth, throat or voice box.
In general, the study found, cancer risk declined as fruit and vegetable intake climbed. For example, participants who ate the most vegetables -- typically between three and four servings a day -- had a one-third lower risk of developing head and neck cancers than their counterparts who ate the fewest -- less than one serving per day.
A closer look at the data showed that certain fruits and vegetables were linked to a protective effect. The reasons are not clear, according to Freedman's team. Each of the foods, the researchers say, contain "numerous potentially beneficial compounds," and it is not possible to pinpoint which of those might be responsible.
However, they conclude, the results "support the hypothesis" that fruits and vegetables somehow offer protection from head and neck cancers.
In general, experts advise that adults strive for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day for the sake of their overall health.
Scientists find something good about a big bottom
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A type of fat that accumulates around the hips and bottom may actually offer some protection against diabetes, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
They said subcutaneous fat, or fat that collects under the skin, helped to improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
Mice that got transplants of this type of fat deep into their abdomens lost weight and their fat cells shrank, even though they made no changes in their diet or activity levels.
"It was a surprising result," said Dr. Ronald Kahn of Harvard Medical School in Boston, whose study appears in the journal Cell Metabolism.
"We actually found it had a beneficial effect, and it was especially true when you put it inside the abdomen," Kahn said in a telephone interview.
Kahn said he started the study to find out why fat located in different parts of the body seems to have different risks of metabolic disease such as diabetes.
Researchers have known for some time that fat that collects in the abdomen -- known as visceral fat -- can raise a person's risk of diabetes and heart disease, while people with pear-shaped bodies, with fat deposits in the buttocks and hips, are less prone to these disorders.
Now it turns out that subcutaneous fat -- fat found just under the skin -- may be actively protecting people from metabolic disease.
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The Science Behind Aromatherapy
By Juliana Goodwin
Pam Samson discovered aromatherapy when her sister was battling cancer.
Samson's sister used aromatherapy to relax and combat nausea caused by her treatments. Samson, manager at Incense & Peppermints in Springfield, Mo., has been hooked ever since: "I'm an enthusiast."
Aromatherapy is the use of scent to support good health. It has been around for thousands of years, and was used by the Chinese, Indians, Egyptians and others.
Aromatherapy incorporates essential oils, which the National Cancer Institute defines as scented liquids taken from certain plants using steam or pressure. Essential oils contain the natural chemicals that give the plant its "essence" (odor and flavor). They often are inhaled or applied topically.
Essential oils are highly concentrated. For example, it takes about 220 pounds of lavender flowers to make about one pound of essential oil, according to the institute.
There is mixed research on whether aromatherapy is truly beneficial. Believers say it can aid digestive problems, ease nausea, boost the immune system and promote relaxation, among many other physical and mental benefits. It's commonly used in conjunction with massage therapy.
Aromatherapy is not regulated, and advocates say people interested in it need to be aware of what real aromatherapy is before they try it.
"They can practice on their own, but you really have to know what you are doing," says Mary Witman, an instructor at the Professional Massage Training Center in Springfield, Mo., who has used aromatherapy for years. "It can be dangerous without knowing the quality of the oils."
There are two main schools of thought on why aromatherapy might be effective, according to the National Cancer Institute.
One thought: Essential oils are derived from plants, so they might affect the body in unique ways.
Essential oils do have benefits in nature, says Dr. Lance Luria, the medical director of St. John's Integrative Medicine Program.
"Their function in the plant community is to help the plant's immune system," Luria says. Plants use chemicals to fight off bacteria and fungi. "They even battle back against the harmful effects of sunlight by making phytonutrients we call antioxidants. Both fungi and plants make chemicals to protect themselves from bacteria, and so we think of these substances as antimicrobial."
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Celery, green peppers may help brain
URBANA, Ill., May 21 (UPI) -- University of Illinois researchers report a compound found in celery and green peppers can disrupt a component of the inflammatory response in the brain.
Rodney Johnson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduate student Saebyeol Jang found that a plant flavonoid, luteolin, inhibited a key pathway in the inflammatory response of microglia -- brain cells key to the body's immune defense.
The findings have implications for research on aging and diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis, Johnson says.
Jang studied the inflammatory response in microglial cells and found those exposed to luteolin showed a significantly diminished inflammatory response. Jang showed that luteolin was shutting down production of interleukin-6 -- used in cellular communication -- in the inflammatory pathway by as much as 90 percent.
"This was just about as potent an inhibition as anything we had seen previously," Johnson says in a statement.
The study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Incense can alleviate anxiety, depression
BALTIMORE, May 22 (UPI) -- Religious leaders contend burning incense is good for the soul, but U.S. and Israeli researchers say it can be good for the brain as well.
An international team of scientists, including researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, describe how burning frankincense -- resin from the Boswellia plant -- activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression.
Study co-author Raphael Mechoulam said the findings suggest that an entirely new class of depression and anxiety drugs might be right under our noses.
The researchers administered incensole acetate to mice and found that the compound significantly affected areas in brain areas known to be involved in emotions as well as in nerve circuits that are affected by current anxiety and depression drugs.
"In spite of information stemming from ancient texts, constituents of Bosweilla had not been investigated for psychoactivity," Mechoulam said in a statement. "We found that incensole acetate, a Boswellia resin constituent, when tested in mice lowers anxiety and causes anti-depressive-like behavior. Apparently, most present day worshipers assume that incense burning has only a symbolic meaning."
The findings were published online in The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Apples, apple juice shown to prevent early atherosclerosis
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Researcher Kelly Decorde from the Universite Montpelier in France was part of the European research team that found apples have similar cardiovascular protective properties to grapes. The researchers also observed that processing the fruit into juice has the potential to increase the bioavailability of the naturally-occurring compounds and antioxidants found in the whole fruit.
Using a variety of established analytical techniques, aortic plaque was evaluated to determine the effectiveness in decreasing plaque that is associated with atherosclerosis.
According to the research, “This study demonstrates that processing apples and purple grapes into juice modifies the protective effect of their phenolics against diet induced oxidative stress and early atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters.”
Researchers also noted, “These results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apples and purple grapes, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that the processing can have a major impact on the potential health effects of a product.”
In summary, the researchers stated that their work would help provide encouragement that fruit and fruit juices may have significant clinical and public health relevance.
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