Hidden Health Science

Posts Tagged ‘Health’

from ANH-USA

Not only are doctors being advised to reject chelation therapy—they’re being asked to report on their colleagues who practice it.

The American College of Medical Toxicology held a conference at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this past February about the “use and misuse” of chelation therapy—a misleading title suggesting some semblance of scientific objectivity, which was nowhere in evidence. The conference was more like a Salem witch hunt in which chelators played the role of the accused witches and warlocks.

Why is chelation so threatening to mainstream medicine? There is no disputing that heavy metals are extremely toxic. The human body is engineered to remove small amounts daily, but not the large amounts we often pick up from modern sources. One of those sources has of course been vaccines, which have used mercury as a preservative (it is still used in the US flu shot). Another source has been dental “silver” amalgam, which also contains mercury. This may be part of the reason for the hostility to chelation.

How does the therapy work? One method involves injecting into the patient’s bloodstream organic chemicals, which can bind and remove the heavy metals in the bloodstream (metals which are toxic to humans and interfere with various physiological functions). There are also oral or suppository supplements for chelation, and some foods are natural chelators (e.g., cilantro and chlorella).

Read the rest here.

A new study into cannabis and its relation to weight gain or loss has found that, interestingly, it is associated with weight loss and should be further studied as a possible obesity-fighter.

From the abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an organic cannabis extract on ?-cell secretory function in an in vivo diet-induced obese rat model and determine the associated molecular changes within pancreatic tissue. Diet-induced obese Wistar rats and rats fed on standard pellets were subcutaneously injected with an organic cannabis extract or the vehicle over a 28-day period. The effect of diet and treatment was evaluated using the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IPGTTs) and qPCR analysis on rat pancreata harvested upon termination of the experiment.

The cafeteria diet induced an average weight difference of 32 g and an overall increase in body weight in the experimental groups occurred at a significantly slower rate than the control groups, irrespective of diet. Area under the curve for glucose (AUC_g) in the obese group was significantly lower compared to the lean group (p < 0.001), with cannabis treatment significantly reducing the AUC_g in the lean group (p < 0.05), and remained unchanged in the obese group, relative to the obese control group. qPCR analysis showed that the cafeteria diet induced down-regulation of the following genes in the obese control group, relative to lean controls: UCP2, c-MYC and FLIP. Cannabis treatment in the obese group resulted in up-regulation of CB1, GLUT2, UCP2 and PKB, relative to the obese control group, while c-MYC levels were down-regulated, relative to the lean control group. Treatment did not significantly change gene expression in the lean group. These results suggest that the cannabis extract protects pancreatic islets against the negative effects of obesity.

The study was conducted by R-A Levendal, D. Schumann, M. Donath, and CL Frost of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa and at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland.  Find out more about it here.

by Dr. Mercola

Did you know there are two types of vitamin D, and they are NOT interchangeable?

In fact, taking the wrong one could do you more harm than good…

Drisdol is a synthetic form of vitamin D2—made by irradiating fungus and plant matter—and is the form of vitamin D typically prescribed by doctors.

This is not the type produced by your body in response to sun or safe tanning bed exposure, which is vitaminD3.

A recent meta-analysis by the Cochrane Databaseⁱlooked at mortality rates for people who supplemented their diets with D2 versus those who did so with D3, the form naturally produced by your body, highlighting the significant differences between the two.

The analysis of 50 randomized controlled trials, which included a total of 94,000 participants, showed:

• A six percent relative risk reduction among those who used vitamin D3, but
• A two percent relative risk increase among those who used D2

According to the Vitamin D Councilⁱⁱ:

“You would think a paper that took a look at tens of thousands of subjects and analyzed the efficacy of prescription vitamin D (D2) and over-the-counter vitamin D (D3) would warrant a news story or two.

To my knowledge, these papers are the first to paint such a clear picture about the efficacy between D3 and D2.

While there may be explanations for D3′s superiority other than improved efficacy, for the time being, these papers send doctors a message: use D3, not D2.”

The Difference Between Supplemental Vitamin D2 and D3

The notion that vitamin D2 and D3 were equivalent was based on decades-old studies of rickets prevention in infants. Today, we know a lot more about vitamin D, and the featured study offers compelling support for the recommendation to take vitamin D3 if you need to take an oral supplement—which is the same type of D vitamin created in your body when you expose your skin to sunlight.

Supplemental vitamin D comes in two forms:

1. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2)
2. Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3)

I personally recommend getting your vitamin D from safe sun exposure (or a safe tanning bed), as there’s compelling reason to believe the vitamin D created in your skin in response to sun exposure has some slight but important differences that make it even more beneficial than supplemental vitamin D3. I will address this more in just a moment, but first, let’s review the differences between the two types of supplemental vitamin D. Aside from the featured findings that supplemental vitamin D3 reduced the relative mortality risk by six percent, while D2 actually INCREASED mortality risk by two percent, the two types differ in the following ways:

• According to the latest research, D3 is approximately 87 percent more potentⁱⁱⁱ in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than does D2.
• Regardless of which form you use, your body must convert it into a more active form, and vitamin D3 is converted 500 percent faster than vitamin D2.
• Vitamin D2 also has a shorter shelf life, and its metabolites bind poorly with proteins, further hampering its effectiveness.

What about Dietary Sources? Animal-Based versus Plant-Based Vitamin D

Aside from taking an oral vitamin D supplement, you can also obtain small amounts of vitamin D from your diet. Here too, it’s important to realize that not all food sources provide the same kind of vitamin D. Plant sources provide you with D2. The more beneficial D3 can only be had through animal-based sources such as:

• Fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
• Egg yolk
• Raw milk

Dairy processors producing pasteurized milk have also been fortifying milk with vitamin D since 1933. Today, about 98 percent of the milk supply in the U.S. is fortified with approximately 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per quart. While dairies used to fortify their milk with vitamin D2, most have now switched over to D3. But, if you still drink pasteurized milk (which I don’t recommend), check the label to see which form of vitamin D has been added. (If you drink raw milk, then you’re getting the naturally-occurring vitamin D in the milk fat.) Keep in mind that although milk is fortified, other dairy products such as cheese and ice cream does typically not contain added vitamin D.

Vitamin D Can Make or Break Your Health, So Get the Right Kind!

There’s overwhelming evidence that vitamin D is a key player in your overall health. This is understandable when you consider that it is not “just” a vitamin; it’s actually a neuroregulatory steroidal hormone that influences nearly 3,000 different genes in your body. Receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your bones.

Just one example of an important gene that vitamin D up-regulates is your ability to fight infections, as well as chronic inflammation. It produces over 200 antimicrobial peptides, the most important of which is cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrum antibiotic. This is one of the explanations for why it can be so effective against colds and influenza.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels should be at the top of the list for virtually everyone, regardless of your age, sex, color, or health status, as vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases, such as:

Cancer	Hypertension	Heart disease
Autism	Obesity	Rheumatoid arthritis
Diabetes 1 and 2	Multiple Sclerosis	Crohn’s disease
Cold & Flu	Inflammatory Bowel Disease	Tuberculosis
Septicemia	Signs of aging	Dementia
Eczema & Psoriasis	Insomnia	Hearing loss
Muscle pain	Cavities	Periodontal disease
Osteoporosis	Macular degeneration	Reduced C-section risk
Pre eclampsia	Seizures	Infertility
Asthma	Cystic fibrosis	Migraines
Depression	Alzheimer’s disease	Schizophrenia

The IDEAL Way to Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels

While this article is focused on the two types of oral vitamin D supplementation, it’s important to realize that the IDEAL way to optimize your vitamin D levels is through appropriate sun or safe tanning bed exposure. While your skin does create vitamin D3 in response to sun light, which is theoretically the same as the D3 you get from an oral supplement, there’s cause to believe that the vitamin D created from sun exposure may have additional health benefits, and here’s why:

• When you expose your skin to the sun, your skin also synthesizes high amounts of cholesterol sulfate, which is very important for heart and cardiovascular health. In fact, according to research by Dr. Stephanie Seneff, high LDL and subsequent heart disease may in fact be a symptom of cholesterol sulfate deficiency. Sulfur deficiency also promotes obesity and related health problems like diabetes
• When exposed to sunshine, your skin also synthesizes vitamin D3 sulfate. This form of vitamin D is water soluble, unlike oral vitamin D3 supplements, which is unsulfated. The water-soluble form can travel freely in your bloodstream, whereas the unsulfated form needs LDL (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) as a vehicle of transport. According to Dr. Stephanie Seneff, there’s reason to believe that many of the profound benefits of vitamin D are actually due to the vitamin D sulfate. As a result, she suspects that the oral non-sulfated form of vitamin D might not provide all of the same benefits, because it cannot be converted to vitamin D sulfate
• You cannot overdose when getting your vitamin D from sun exposure, as your body has the ability to self-regulate and only make what it needs

So essentially, getting regular sun exposure has much greater health ramifications than “just” raising your vitamin D levels and preventing infections. Sun exposure also appears to play a role in heart and cardiovascular health, and much more!

If you cannot get your vitamin D requirements from sun exposure, I recommend using a safe tanning bed (one with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ballasts, to avoid unnecessary exposure to EMF fields). Safe tanning beds also have less of the dangerous UVA than sunlight, while unsafe ones have more UVA than sunlight. If neither of these are feasible options, then you should take an oral vitamin D3 supplement. It will certainly be better than no vitamin D at all.

How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?

Some 40 leading vitamin D experts from around the world currently agree that there’s no specific dosage level at which “magic” happens; rather the most important factor when it comes to vitamin D is your serum level (the level of vitamin D in your blood). So you really should be taking whatever dosage required to obtain a therapeutic level of vitamin D in your blood.

That said, based on the most recent research by GrassrootsHealth—an organization that has greatly contributed to the current knowledge on vitamin D through their D* Action Study—it appears as though most adults need about 8,000 IU’s of vitamin D a day in order to raise their serum levels above 40 ng/ml.⁴ For children, many experts agree they need about 35 IU’s of vitamin D per pound of body weight.

At the time GrassrootsHealth performed the studies that resulted in this dosage recommendation, the optimal serum level was believed to be between 40 to 60 ng/ml. Since then, the optimal vitamin D level has been raised to 50-70 ng/ml, and when treating cancer or heart disease, as high as 70-100 ng/ml, as illustrated in the chart above.

What this means is that even if you do not regularly monitor your vitamin D levels (which you should), your risk of overdosing is going to be fairly slim even if you take as much as 8,000 IU’s a day. However, the only way to determine your optimal dose is to get your blood tested regularly, and adjust your dosage to maintain that goldilocks’ zone.

For more information, including an in-depth explanation of everything you need to know before you get tested, please see Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency.

by Dana Ullman, Huffington Post

The Swiss government has a long and widely-respected history of neutrality, and therefore, reports from this government on controversial subjects need to be taken more seriously than other reports from countries that are more strongly influenced by present economic and political constituencies. When one considers that two of the top five largest drug companies in the world have their headquarters in Switzerland, one might assume that this country would have a heavy interest in and bias toward conventional medicine, but such assumptions would be wrong.

In late 2011, the Swiss government’s report on homeopathic medicine represents the most comprehensive evaluation of homeopathic medicine ever written by a government and was just published in book form in English (Bornhoft and Matthiessen, 2011). This breakthrough report affirmed that homeopathic treatment is both effective and cost-effective and that homeopathic treatment should be reimbursed by Switzerland’s national health insurance program.

The Swiss government’s inquiry into homeopathy and complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments resulted from the high demand and widespread use of alternatives to conventional medicine in Switzerland, not only from consumers but from physicians as well. Approximately half of the Swiss population have used CAM treatments and value them. Further, about half of Swiss physicians consider CAM treatments to be effective. Perhaps most significantly, 85 percent of the Swiss population wants CAM therapies to be a part of their country’s health insurance program.

It is therefore not surprising that more than 50 percent of the Swiss population surveyed prefer a hospital that provides CAM treatments rather to one that is limited to conventional medical care.

Beginning in 1998, the government of Switzerland decided to broaden its national health insurance to include certain complementary and alternative medicines, including homeopathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, anthroposophic medicine, and neural therapy. This reimbursement was provisional while the Swiss government commissioned an extensive study on these treatments to determine if they were effective and cost-effective. The provisional reimbursement for these alternative treatments ended in 2005, but as a result of this new study, the Swiss government’s health insurance program once again began to reimburse for homeopathy and select alternative treatments. In fact, as a result of a national referendum in which more than two-thirds of voters supported the inclusion of homeopathic and select alternative medicines in Switzerland’s national health care insurance program, the field of complementary and alternative medicine has become a part of this government’s constitution (Dacey, 2009; Rist, Schwabl, 2009).

Read the rest at this link.

from BreastCancer.co

Breast cancer survival rates are higher now than they’ve ever been in the past, but health challenges including high rates of depression are still a problem. Researchers at the University of Missouri have been testing how meditation techniques can help with this.

The researchers in the Sinclair School of Nursing have found that breast cancer survivors’ health improves after they learn Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a type of mindfulness training that incorporates meditation, yoga, and physical awareness.

“MBSR is another tool to enhance the lives of breast cancer survivors,” SSN doctoral student Jane Armer says. “Patients often are given a variety of options to reduce stress, but they should choose what works for them according to their lifestyles and belief systems.”

The MBSR program includes eight to ten weeks of group sessions where the participants learn the MBSR skills. The study found that survivors who utilized MBSR had improved moods, more mindfulness, and less depression overall. It can be used for anyone in post-diagnosis, during or after surgery or treatment.

Americans are using more alternative and preventive medicine as costs for traditional healthcare swells. 38 percent of American adults use alternative and complementary medicine, according to the National Institutes of Health. An increasing reliance on alternative and preventative medicine is not surprising when healthcare costs rise 8 percent each year, nearly three times the rate of inflation.

What may surprise some, though, is how effective alternative and preventative medicine can be. Elderberry, used medicinally in Europe for hundreds of years, received some long-overdue respect when researchers in Norway confirmed that it effectively relieves flu symptoms.¹ Even ardent fans of Dr. Oz may have a hard time pronouncing this funny-sounding herb after he featured it on one of his episodes, but Umckaloabo is gaining recognition as an immunity booster since The Journal of Family Practice cited four encouraging studies before saying that Umckaloabo “represents a promising treatment” for viral upper respiratory infections.² And while licorice may go down better than a spoonful of sugar, several studies show that it may be a promising treatment for ulcers as well.

While alternative treatments and herbs have shown promise when used in conjunction with traditional medicine for existing illnesses, the real promise in curtailing healthcare costs lies in prevention. According to the Prevention Institute, even a 5 percent reduction in preventable illnesses and injuries could mean substantial healthcare savings.

While genetics and lifestyle have long been the primary focus of preventative measures, recent science points to the immune system as a powerful predictor of illness. According to the Integrative Medicine Department at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, the immune system is the deciding factor between who gets sick and who doesn’t.

An epidemiologic study conducted amongst middle and high school students in Michigan showed that an alarming 1 in 5 of them have abused prescription drugs in the past year.  The study shows that abuse rates amongst adolescents are as high as they are for young adult and adult populations, highlighting concerns that Rx medications are now the drug of choice.

This adolescent age group is a particularly vulnerable one, said Sean Esteban McCabe, PhD, research associate professor at the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center and Institute for Research on Women and Gender in Ann Arbor, and the study’s lead author. “Adolescence represents an important period to monitor controlled medications because individuals often become responsible for their own medication management during older adolescence,” Dr. McCabe said in an email to Pain Medicine News. “In addition, adolescents serve as the leading diversion source for their adolescent peers and many adolescents report using their own leftover medication nonmedically.”

The study was published in the August issue of the journal Archives of Pediatric Medicine (2011; 165:729-735) and it covered four classes of prescription drugs: pain, stimulant, sleeping and anti-anxiety.  It asked specific questions regarding the medicines’ use, including misuse and diversion.  It also included the DAST-10 and CRAFFT mnemonic, both measures of drug or alcohol dependence.

18% of those responding were prescribed the medication in question and 22% of those misused the prescription within the past year.  Close to 10% said they used their prescription meds to intentionally get high or increase the effect of other drugs or alcohol.

Overall, students abused pain drugs more than any other, but these were the least popular (9.8%) for intentionally getting high – that class of drug was actually least used for this purpose.  That dubious honor goes to sleeping pills (17.1%) and anti-anxiety drugs (15.8%).  Not surprisingly, those who abuse prescription drugs are also more likely to abuse other substances like alcohol.

Since the mid-1990s, all four of the drug types in question have been prescribed to younger and younger people.  Given the penchant for older populations to abuse these drugs the more they’re prescribed, seeing children doing it is not surprising. They have both role models (young adults, adults) doing so and easier access.

from NCCAM

Relaxation Training

Scientific Evidence

• One review article noted that relaxation training significantly reduced headache activity compared to other forms of therapy.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people.
• There have been rare reports that certain relaxation techniques might cause or worsen symptoms in people with epilepsy or certain mental illnesses, or with a history of abuse or trauma. People with heart disease should talk to their doctor before doing progressive muscle relaxation.

Biofeedback

Scientific Evidence

• A review article reported that adding biofeedback to a combination of an antidepressant and high blood pressure medication was more effective in treating tension-type headaches than medication alone.
• Results from one study indicated that biofeedback provided no additional benefit over relaxation therapy in reducing headache frequency and severity.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Biofeedback is generally thought to be safe; however, it may not be appropriate for certain people.

Acupuncture

Scientific Evidence

• In a review of two large trials in people with tension-type headaches, researchers found that adding acupuncture to the use of pain relievers was more effective than using pain relievers alone.
• A review that analyzed results from two large and three small trials comparing true acupuncture with sham acupuncture (in which needles were either inserted at incorrect points or did not penetrate the skin) demonstrated a slightly better effect for true acupuncture in treating tension-type headaches.
• Results of another review article determined that adding acupuncture to acute treatment or routine care may be beneficial in reducing migraine frequency and intensity.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Acupuncture is considered safe when performed by a qualified and competent practitioner using sterile needles.
• Few complications have been reported.
• Serious adverse events related to acupuncture are rare, but include infections and punctured organs.

Tai Chi

Scientific Evidence

• Results from a small clinical trial suggested that a 15-week program of tai chi was effective in reducing the impact of tension-type headaches when compared to a wait-list control group.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Tai chi is a relatively safe practice; however, some health care providers may advise their patients to modify or avoid certain tai chi postures due to acute back pain, knee problems, bone fractures, sprains, and osteoporosis.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Scientific Evidence

• It has been suggested that cognitive-behavioral therapy may offer additional relief when combined with medication used for preventing migraines.

Massage

Scientific Evidence

• Only a few studies have rigorously examined the role of massage as a headache treatment.
• A 2008 pilot study involving 16 participants suggested that massage may be beneficial in reducing the frequency of tension type headaches as well as the intensity and duration of pain.
• In another small study, researchers observed that a specific type of massage called craniosacral therapy, which involves light touch and manipulation of the skull and spine to release restrictions in tissues, was more effective than no treatment in relieving pain from a tension-type headache but suggested that larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy of massage as a headache treatment.
• Researchers are also investigating whether massage therapy may help prevent migraines. In a 2006 study, researchers randomly assigned 24 people with migraines to receive six 45-minute massages that focused on the muscles of the back, shoulders, head, and neck while 24 people without migraines acted as a control group. Although there was no change in the average intensity of migraines experienced, the researchers observed a significant reduction in migraine frequency among those who received massages.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Massage therapy appears to have few serious risks—if it is performed by a properly trained therapist and if appropriate cautions are followed. The number of serious injuries reported is very small.
• Side effects of massage therapy may include temporary pain or discomfort, bruising, swelling, and a sensitivity or allergy to massage oils.
• Cautions about massage therapy include the following:
  • Vigorous massage should be avoided by people with bleeding disorders or low blood platelet counts, and by people taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin.
  • Massage should not be done in any area of the body with blood clots, fractures, open or healing wounds, skin infections, or weakened bones (such as from osteoporosis or cancer), or where there has been a recent surgery.
  • Although massage therapy appears to be generally safe for cancer patients, they should consult their oncologist before having a massage that involves deep or intense pressure. Any direct pressure over a tumor usually is discouraged. Cancer patients should discuss any concerns about massage therapy with their oncologist.
  • Pregnant women should consult their health care provider before using massage therapy.

Spinal Manipulation

Scientific Evidence

• Literature reviews suggest that spinal manipulation (a technique often practiced by chiropractors) may offer some benefit for tension-type headaches and that it also may prevent migraines as well as the medication amitriptyline.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Except for high-speed neck manipulation, which is associated with the very rare but serious risk of arterial tearing or stroke, spinal manipulation is not likely to be harmful.
• Side effects from spinal manipulation can include temporary headaches, tiredness, or discomfort in the parts of the body that were treated.

Riboflavin, Coenzyme Q10, and Magnesium

Scientific Evidence

• Some research suggests that the supplements riboflavin and coenzyme Q10 may be helpful headache treatments.
• Studies using magnesium to prevent migraines were inconclusive.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Riboflavin and coenzyme Q10 are generally well tolerated, but magnesium supplements may cause diarrhea.
• Riboflavin supplements are not recommended for pregnant women.

Feverfew and Butterbur

Scientific Evidence

• The herbs feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) and butterbur (Petasites hybridus) have been used historically for headache relief.
• Study results have indicated that feverfew and butterbur may help reduce migraine frequency.

Side Effects and Cautions

• In clinical trials, use of feverfew was associated with mild side effects such as open sores in the mouth and upset stomach.
• Butterbur is generally well tolerated but may cause mild gastrointestinal upset.
• Some butterbur products contain potentially harmful chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). If seeking a butterbur product, look for one labeled or certified as PA-free.
• Feverfew and butterbur are not recommended for pregnant women.

by Marla Manhart

Many women are choosing to self-treat their own breast cancer, according to a survey conducted by TMD Limited, a medical tourism company.  When faced with the possibility of losing a breast or being side-lined by chemotherapy, some women are going the natural route and treating themselves.

The internet offers hundreds of products and websites that tout cures and advice on self-treatment.  Teas, castor oil packs, vitamins, salves that pull tumors out of the body, Brazilian healers and wheat grass enemas are favorites when it comes to self treatment.  And it seems, according to the cancer patients surveyed, that these therapies appear to work in the beginning.  Patients feel more energy, and think their tumors are shrinking.  They could be experiencing a placebo effect, or in some cases may actually see their tumors temporarily reduce in size.  Eventually, these patients end up getting medical treatment, some after years of treating themselves.

According to the American Cancer Society, 230,480 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 39,520 women will die from breast cancer in 2011.  With so many women self-diagnosing and choosing their own treatments, one wonders what the real numbers would be if women who are self-treating were included.

Sharon Massey first discovered her breast lump when she was 32.  ”I just knew it was cancer.  But I did not want to lose my breast.  My mom died of breast cancer and I was not going to do the conventional treatments she did,” Massey said.  ”I went to a nutritionist, and took hundreds of supplements.  I changed my diet to all raw foods, exercised and refused to think about cancer.  I became a health nut, and no one knew about my lump.”

Massey self treated for 11 years.  Eventually, the mass grew so large it broke through her skin, bleeding and causing pain.  Finally, she saw an oncologist, and had a radical mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.  ”I shouldn’t have waited,” she said.  ”Maybe if I had been treated earlier, I could have saved my breast.  Fear kept me from seeing a doctor all those years.”

Cheryl Watts was 49 when she found a mass in her right breast.  She was newly married to her second husband, and starting a new career as a real estate agent.  ”I had so much going on, I just didn’t have time for cancer,” Watts explained.  ”I ran 25 miles a week, had a busy social life and was so happy in my new marriage.  The thought of a mastectomy, or of losing my hair to chemo just made me feel ill.  So I kept it to myself, and just did everything I could to stay healthy.  When my husband eventually felt the mass, he insisted I get medical help.  I compromised, and went to an alternative clinic in Mexico.  And I have been in remission now for 6 years, and I still have my breast.”

TMD’s study included hundreds of women who sought help from clinics south of the border.  Tumor size when patients finally sought help ranged from walnut to grapefruit size, and many had broken through the skin and were growing around the chest and armpit.  For these women, the average length of time between finding a lump and getting treatment was 5.3 years.  All cited fear of mastectomy and the experience of watching a loved one die after undergoing radiation and chemotherapy as the main reason they avoided conventional treatment.  Lack of insurance was also a big factor.

According to TMD’s survey, more and more women are taking charge of their own health and making their own treatment decisions.  This may be a good thing – but even alternative doctors caution patients to seek some kind of medical treatment early – when the cancer can be treated successfully.

One physician who has seen this shift treats many patients that have not had any conventional treatment.  Dr. Antonio Jimenezof Hope4Cancer Institute used to mainly treat patients who had been through chemo and radiation, and had been told to get their affairs in order.  ”Today we are seeing many breast cancer patients that self-treated for years.  They generally take good care of themselves, watch their diet and are careful not to compromise their immune system.  These patients tend to fare better than those who have undergone extensive surgeries and chemotherapy.  Unfortunately, cancer treatment is not a do-it-yourself project.”

Raised in New Jersey, Jimenez has practiced in Baja, Mexico for over 20 years, first as medical director of a large hospital there, and since 2001 as medical director and chief physician of Hope4Cancer Institute.  He does not use chemotherapy or radiation, and offers non-invasive therapies from around the world.  His breast cancer success rate rivals anything conventional medicine has to offer.

“We see more and more women who have spent thousands of dollars on supplements and ‘wonder cures’ they used at home, Jimenez says.  ”When those treatments fail, they look for a clinic that can help.  Often, they will go to alternative treatment centers in the US, but those clinics can only offer immune support and detox.  In the US, clinics are not legally able to use the ‘big guns’ like medical hyperthermia and SonoPhoto Dynamic Therapy that attack the cancer.  These are not alternative therapies – they are actually mainstream cancer treatments in many countries around the world that have better healthcare systems that the US.  Just because they have not been submitted for approval in the US does not make them alternative therapies.”

“When all else fails, they look outside the US for a clinic that can help.  By then, the tumors are often so large the patient has to undergo debulking surgery before we can treat them.  There are many options out there other than surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.  Being pro-active doesn’t mean you have to go it alone.  It’s just a matter of finding the right doctor and the right clinic.”

Author Marla Manhart is a medical writer and patient advocate.  She can be reached at:  marlamanhart@hotmail.com.

by Carmen Louv

Chiropractic therapy is very good for relieving a variety of heath problems as well as personal injuries as a result of a car accident. This form of alternative medicine can also improve posture, alleviate muscle pain and issues concerning the central nervous system. Consultation and further advice will be available from an Austin chiropractor.

This form of therapy involves subtly adjusting the spine’s vertebrae. The spine is a vertebral column with 24 articulating vertebrae running down the back from the base of the head to the tail bone. In the center of the spine is the spinal cord that carries nerves from the brain to the rest of the body.

The nerve functions can become compromised if any of the vertebrae becomes out of place. This can cause health problems and pain in the rest of the body. The practitioner readjusts the vertebrae with gentle pressure from the hands. This repositions the vertebrae allowing for the proper functionality of nerves.

The patient could be laying down, sitting or standing up during the chiropractic intervention. Sometimes, a chiropractor will use a specially designed table to aid with the readjustments. Sometimes the doctor will put special cushions under the patient’s body in order to allow the weight of the torso to realign the spine.

Chiropractic is considered to be a form of complimentary medicine, it will not replace traditional medicine, but it can prevent health problems and help people recover from personal injuries. Regular intervention will help prevent health issues, and promote better posture and is a good part of a healthy lifestyle. Children may also benefit from regular therapy, as they are growing and will improve posture and may prevent health conditions later.