Dr. Jeff White's Gems of Health

New Secrets for Youthful Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:28:00 +0000

Blame sun and smoking for early wrinkles. What will erase these marks of time?

Every woman dreads the day when she glimpses the first wrinkle in her otherwise smooth skin. But for many, that day is arriving even earlier than they expected. Dermatologists say that the increasing popularity of tanning beds and smoking among young women over the last two decades has spawned a generation with premature wrinkles or worse. "We're seeing many more women with sun damage at earlier ages today," says Dr. Roy Geronemus, a New York dermatologist. And, he adds, "the number of young women with skin cancer is startling."

Sun and cigarettes in adolescence and early adulthood are also the culprits behind age spots, broken blood vessels and irregular pigmentation by the time you're in your 30s. Dodging those two is the best way to keep skin looking young as long as possible. But if the damage is done, don't lose hope. Going under the knife isn't the only option. Even though you can't completely erase the effects of aging and unhealthy habits, you can take advantage of a growing array of skin-care products that may help hide these flaws-from $20 drugstore wrinkle remedies to laser procedures that can cost hundreds of dollars.

Here's a rundown of advice from the experts:

• SUNBLOCK: It seems obvious, but dermatologists say many people still wrongly assume that sun protection is required only for a day at the pool or beach. In fact, you need it every day. "When you're walking your dog, or even sitting next to a window for a long time, you're getting incidental sun exposure-and over time, that adds up to sun damage," says Dr. Diane Berson, assistant professor of dermatology at Cornell University's medical school. Pay attention to the sun-protection factor (SPF). While lotion with an SPF of 15 blocks about 96 percent of the sun's rays, a 45 SPF sunblock cuts out about 99 percent. That can make a big difference to someone who's fair-skinned. Wonder what your skin would look like if you'd kept it protected from the sun? "Look at your butt," says Dr. Steven Cohen, chief of the dermatology department at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. "It's smooth, without wrinkles."

     • MOISTURIZERS: Besides causing wrinkles and other damage, aging and sun exposure can exacerbate dry skin. Experts recommend regular use of a moisturizer once a woman is in her late 20s or 30s to smooth and soften skin. Look for ingredients like petrolatum, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and cyclomethicone-all of which help prevent water loss from your skin. Cohen prefers Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Cream, a nongreasy formulation. He recommends avoiding hot or frequent showers (which can remove the body's natural oils) and disinfectant soaps, which can be abrasive.

     • WRINKLE ERASERS: Antioxidants like topical vitamin C or E neutralize free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules that break down skin cells, damage DNA and exacerbate wrinkles) and can improve the skin's appearance and protect it from sun damage. Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) help remove dead cells for smoother skin, stimulate collagen production to ease wrinkles, and even out skin tone. Renova and Avage, available by prescription, are the only such products approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat wrinkles. But brands with similar but milder ingredients like retinol are available over the counter. These include Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream, RoC Retinol Correxion creams and L'Oreal Line Eraser.

               • SPOT REMOVERS: To specifically target "sun spots" and even out skin color, dermatologists recommend products with hydroquinone, which gradually bleaches the skin. Side effects include redness and irritation. Avoid these products if you're pregnant because they can hurt a developing fetus.

     Citation:

Barrett, Jennifer. "New Secrets for Youthful Skin." Newsweek Vol. CXLVII, No. 18. 24 Apr 2006: 74+. SIRS Researcher. Web. 14 Nov 2010.

The most effective, natural HCG formula available - how it works:

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:07:00 +0000

HCG is a natural, quick-absorbing hormone that triggers the hypothalamus to release and mobilize abnormal (extra) fat you are carrying for your body to use as an energy, or “food” source. Therefore, when you go on a very low calorie diet (VLCD), HCG helps the body make up the difference in the calories it needs to
function by using your stored fat as food. The result is rapid weight loss. By using the HCG drops, the Dr. Simeons protocol will help you establish a lower body weight “set-point”. There are three major benefits from the release of this abnormal fat:
• You will lose weight (up to 1-2 pounds daily)
• Your stored fat will help support your daily caloric needs
• You will burn fat from areas that are typically hard to
reduce HCG Platinum’s homeopathic formula is taken orally, under the tongue and does not negatively affect the normal (healthy) fat or muscle tissue.

Loose a pound a day - it really works!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:30:00 +0000

Best facial cleanser available - not drying

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:04:00 +0000

Try this amazing Facial Toning System - Keep facial muscles toned = fewer wrinkles

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +0000

2 MINUTES A DAY TO WEIGHT LOSS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:28:00 +0000

What a cool way to lose 5-10 quickly! Check this out, within the privacy of your own dwelling, you can lose weight with 2 minutes of JUMPING JACKS per day! Now this is not EASY....... You really have to work to get to two minutes :). The key is to work up a small sweat and get your heart out of it's Lazy State. This triggers fat burning! Plus: you vibrate and shake the BELLY....this helps clean out toxins and burn fat cells where you need it the most! Have you ever seen a fat runner? LOL ! NO - because they're bouncing and shaking all the fat off! Good Luck and Good Health! I've done it. It works. Try and you will see results After one week.
PS: along the way, try to cut few intake calories! Dr. JW

Vitamin D Gets Its Day in the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Researchers struggle to balance the potential benefits of the “sunshine” vitamin with proven skin cancer risks.
For years now, dermatologists have taught us to slather on sunscreen at ever-higher SPF levels, don hats, and dodge deadly solar rays. Recently, however, the scientific community has been split by a debate over a startling claim: Maybe a little sunshine is good for us, because those same ultraviolet rays we’ve been warned against also enable the skin to make Vitamin D. And Vitamin D, which can be difficult to obtain in adequate amounts from food or pills, has been linked to possible protection from colon and prostate cancer, as well as osteoporosis.
In a single issue of the National Cancer Institute’s Journal (Feb, 2005), two epidemiological studies suggested that sunlight may reduce the risk of non-Hodgins Lymphoma and may be associated with increased survival rates in patients with – of all things – early stage melanoma. At least a dozen studies are under way to test vitamin D’s effectiveness at cancer prevention, according to Peter Greenwald, M.D., chief of cancer prevention for the NCI. Other researchers are looking at vitamin D as a potential treatment for prostate and lung cancer.
It’s far too soon to declare vitamin D a wonder drug. However, Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a professor of medicine and nutrition at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, co-authored an NCI-funded study that found a relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and subsequent risk of colon cancer among older women. The women, ages 60 and up, with the highest level of vitamin D showed a 46% lower risk than those with the lowest levels of the vitamin.
Does that mean it’s OK to – cautiously – venture back out into the sun for a natural dose vitamin D? According to the dermatology academy, the answer is still a resounding “No!” According to Vincent DeLeo, M.D., a dermatologist at Columbia University, “Under no circumstances should anyone be misled into thinking that natural sunlight or tanning beds are better sources of vitamin D than nutritional supplements.”
Some researchers, and even a few dermatologists, are cautiously disagreeing because dietary sources of vitamin D are relatively scarce. They include fortified milk, fortified brands of cereals and orange juice, and only fish such salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines. Vitamin D is one reason you may have been made to take cod-liver oil as a kid.
An eight-ounce glass of fortified glass of fruit or juice contains only about 100 IUs of vitamin D. The National Academy of Sciences’ recommended daily dietary intake of vitamin D varies by age: 200 IU for ages 19 to 50; 400 IU for ages 51 to 70; and 600 IU for 70 and older. Many experts also think those levels should be set higher. Dr. Giovannucci, for example, says his research show as much as 1,500 IU daily might be needed to have an anti-cancer effect.
Bess Dawson-Hughes, M.D., director of Bone Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts’ Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, suggests older adults need at least 800 IUs of vitamin D as part of a program of osteoporosis prevention. “Vitamin D promotes the absorption of dietary calcium,” she explains. “You need an adequate vitamin D level to make use of calcium.”
Supplements can help, but they’re no panacea. Taking “extra” multivitamins to boost vitamin D can mean getting too much vitamin A. Also, taking too much vitamin D in pill form can cause an unhealthy build-up of calcium in the body.
There’s no such limit on the body’s natural vitamin D, which the skin makes from cholesterol when exposed to ultraviolet light. So, Dawson-Hughes is among those who think it’s a good idea to get a little sun – up to 15 minutes – before applying sunscreen. “It doesn’t take a lot of sun to get vitamin D protection, without getting so much as to be toxic in terms of skin cancer.”
Whether you side with the dermatology establishment or are persuaded by researchers like Dr. Giavannucci, a few things are clear: First, avoid sunburn, a known risk factor for melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer. Second, there’s no prescription for tanning beds. Ultimately, more research will be needed to answer the questions about vitamin D. According to William J. Blot, Ph.D, of the International Epidemiology Institute, “In view of the major potential public health consequence of these results, further studies of sunlight and the vitamin D connection to cancer are certainly warranted.” SOURCE: TUFTS UNIVERSITY HEALTH & NUTRITION LETTER Aug. 2005, Vol. 23, No. 6 pp4-5

Racing vs. Resting

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:25:00 +0000

A flood of bills, demands, papers, school, work, duty, children,meetings, lists, do do do, become, pressure , etc all can lead to a racing stressed chaotic out of control lifestyle! How often do we lose loved ones or friends to cancer or heart attack WAY TOO EARLY in thier lives? Other cultures don't have so much stress... Neither do they have so many DISeases! The reason is they know how to REST. Now by this, I mean rest the MIND, not so much the body. HOW? Think SLOW. Practice breathing techniques, postures like Chi Qong. Meditation. Hypnosis. Get in nature. The wind, the air, the stars, the ground, the trees, the birds all have a energy that is natural and free (not trapped and stressed). Remember a little goes a long way. Be Free, Live Long. Dr. JW

Winter Health

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:03:00 +0000

The one week plus COUGH
over the past months I have seen a lot of patients and friends get the
flu bug and suffer for 4-7 days and then recover EXCEPT for one thing:
A lingering pestering cough that will not seem to go away. It
sometimes will stay and aggravate the person for MONTHS! how can you
get rid of this nagging cough? 1- colloidal silver spray (I prefer the
one that does not have tee tree oil added) 2- stream room / or hot
long shower because the heat is the enemy of the virus that is
surviving in the cool cilia(hair) of the throat. Good luck and good
health! - Dr. JW

Save over $2 when eating out & be healthier too

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:35:00 +0000

My wife and baby and I like to go out to eat once in a while, but findit VERY Expensive (25$ plus). Here is a way to improve your health, lose weight, and Save 2-4$ each meal. ----> try ordering hot water and lemon instead of coke/etc. Why? It's zero cost and you will increase your digestive capability! Lemon cleanses the body and promotes full digestion of food. Further, hot drinks are recommended by Chinese medicine over cold ones because they improve energy. So, save $$$$$ and try elimination of all the caffeine and sugar/asparatame (known to cause. Alzheimers)!! Good luck and good health - Dr. JW

Save

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Save 2$ every meal!My wife and baby and I like to go out to eat once in a while, but findit VERYExpensive (25$ plus ). Here is a way to improve your health, loseweight, and Save 2-4$ each meal. ----> try ordering hot water andlemon instead of coke/etc. Why? It's zero cost and you will increaseyour digestive capability! Lemon cleases the body and promotes fulldigestion of food. Further , hot drinks are recommended by Chinesemedicine over cold ones because they improve energy. So, save $$$$$and try elimination of all the caffeine and sugar/asparatame( known tocause. Alzheimers) !! Good luck and good health - Dr. JW

Children's Health

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:13:00 +0000

My little 3 month old boy had a cough recently and I gave him some vit c and children's ibuprofen . It actually made him worse. My deduction was it was all the sugar added to those childrens products that fueled the reproduction of the virus/bacteria/bug that was in his throat. What helped him? A dropper of Colloidal Silver (1/4 of a dropper) and liquid vitamin C (no sugar) found at drug emporium Longview TX. The conclusion: use non sugar filled products to help with coughs and colds with the little ones/big ones(adults) too!

Light Therapy for Winter Depression

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:51:00 +0000

If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, you don’t need to wait for longer days to get some relief.
Most of us welcome the sun’s effect on our mood, especially after a stretch of gray days. But for some people, reduced daylight during fall and winter can bring on full-blown depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, almost always worsening during the darker winter months and returning every year at roughly the same time. It is also known as “winter depression” or “winter blues.”
The condition accounts for about 10% of all cases of major depression and occurs mostly in women. SAD makes you feel unhappy, anxious, tired and irritable. Interestingly, people with winter depression are often happy and productive the rest of the year. SAD usually begins in a woman’s late teens or early 20’s and often disappears after menopause. While no one know what causes winter blues, there’s some evidence implicating melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain.
Many physiological functions are rhythmic, that is, they cycle in 24-hour intervals – including sleeping and waking, the release of certain hormones, and body temperature. This circadian rhythm is essentially under the control of our genes, but it can adjust to environmental cues, such as changes in the light/dark cycle. Cells in the retina of the eye respond to the varying levels of light, signaling a pacemaker-like structure in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which controls some of the body’s rhythms. One of the cycles this brain area regulates is the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin levels rise in the evening helping to induce sleep, and fall in response to morning light.
According to one theory the body clocks of people with SAD don’t adjust to winter’s later dawns and earlier sunsets. Melatonin thus remains elevated during their waking hours. It’s also possible that people with SAD are hypersensitive to melatonin or over-produce the hormone in response to longer period of darkness.
The influence of light doesn’t completely explain SAD. Nonetheless, light therapy is uniquely (though not universally) effective in treating winter depression.
The most common light therapy device is a box containing fluorescent lights mounted on a metal reflector. The box is fitted with a plastic screen to filter out damaging ultraviolet frequencies. The screen also diffuses the emitted light, reducing glare. The important thing is the intensity, not the spectrum of light.
There are several light box models. Some are portable and others can sit on a tabletop or desk. They can also be adjustable to height and light intensity. Light boxes work best when the user sits nearby at a prescribed distance and height, keeping her eyes open and looking ahead or slightly downward. Looking directly at the box is not advisable.
Using a standard measure of brightness, experts usually recommend about 10,000 lux, which is more or less equivalent to early morning sunlight. In the changing daylight of autumn, 15 minutes of 10,000 lux once a day, right after waking, may suffice. Light exposure can then be increased to 30-45 minute sessions. Severe SAD may require longer exposure, perhaps up to two sessions. If symptoms don’t improve after two weeks, the use of light therapy should be re-evaluated and other measures considered.
Light therapy has few side effects – mainly headache, fatigue, irritability and eyestrain. These usually subside with lowering the dose with either shorter sessions or increasing distance from the light source. The course of treatment is around $150 to $300 and is usually covered by insurance.
Treating depression should being with a diagnostic consultation. If the diagnosis is winter depression, then light therapy may work. If not, then usually antidepressant drugs, chiefly selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, such as Prozac and Celexa, have been found effective for seasonal blues in controlled trials. People with seasonal mood changes may also benefit from psychotherapy.
For milder seasonal mood changes, adding more regular lamps to the house, sitting near windows, or spending more time outdoors may help. One study found that walking for an hour in the winter sunlight was as effective as 2 ½ hours of artificial light. (Summarized from Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Feb. 2005, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp 6-7. Copyright© 2005 Harvard Women’s Health Watch. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. February 2005.

TREAT THE BODY HEAL THE MIND

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:48:00 +0000

As every psychiatrist knows, miracle drugs don’t always lead to miracle cures. Sometimes the inevitable side effects of psychiatric drugs – ranging from chronically dry mouth to panic attacks- become too much for a patient.
One practitioner, James S. Gordon, has a radical new approach to depression. Gordon is certainly well-acquainted with the nuances of depression. But for the past 15 years, as founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Gordon has helped patients replace their drug prescriptions with a program of alternative therapies. He’s convinced that holistic medicine can be as effective as antidepressants. Most people with chronic depression, he believes, don’t need drugs to feel good.
Gordon’s approach is quite controversial in psychiatry, where the ability of antidepressants to correct abnormal brain chemistry isn’t questioned, and the idea of asking seriously depressed patients to gamble on unproven alternatives is viewed with alarm. Yet, Gordon has had many successes. Jim Norman, an epidemiologist at the National Institutes of Health suffered from depression. He tried for years to stabilize himself with tranquilizers, and then he tried Gordon’s recommended therapies. Five years later, Norman finally feels he can control his moods without drugs. “The ups and downs still exist,” he says, “but they’ve leveled out.”
Should you try mind-body medicine? Depression is not an illness to fool with. If you are depressed and haven’t consulted a psychiatrist or psychologist, go see one. But if your depression is mild, or if you’re already being treated for it, but find you have other ailments, you can consider the approach of James Gordon. But, be discriminating. Two alternative practitioners rarely have the same training or philosophy, let alone the same track record.
Following are some of the alternative therapies to consider:
Acupuncture – Employs the use of needles inserted at certain points in the body. Some experiments suggest needle treatment spur higher levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain. These chemicals may be involved in improving mood and lessening pain. However, there’s little evidence that acupuncture mental anguish.

Herbal Remedies – Need to be suited to one’s needs by someone trained in Chinese or botanical remedies. Few herbs have been studied as antidepressants, but a review of research in Germany involving the use of St. John’s Wort showed that it worked against moderate depression as well as synthetic drugs. However, herbal remedies are unregulated in this country, and must be used under the supervision of a physician or pharmacist who has studied herbs.

Exercise – By focusing mind and body on a rhythmic activity, exercise lessens anxiety and other negative emotions. Seriously depressed people, though, have a hard time making the effort to exercise on their own.

Meditation – Regularly taking ten to 20 minutes to focus thoughts on a single phrase or image can lower blood pressure, decrease pain and reduce anxiety. However, there’s no direct evidence that meditating helps seriously depressed people. Yet, it does induce a “relaxation response”, a calm state that turns off the “fight or flight” reaction that is part of many anxious and depressed patients.

Nutrition – Gordon and other alternative medicine physicians believe that certain foods, particularly caffeine and sugar, strain the endocrine system and promote depression. No one should fast without a doctor’s supervision; some people are too run down to stop eating. For most people, the best food therapy may come down to good nutrition.

(Summarized from HEALTH Jan. / Feb. 1997 pp 72-78. Article by: Peter Carlin, Reprinted from HEALTH, Copyright © 1997.)

Unusual and Promising Approaches to Allergy Prevention and Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:57:00 +0000

As strange as it may seem, early exposure to pets, peanuts, and intestinal worms might actually be good for you. Evidence to support this view has been mounting for more than a decade. But now, for the first time, researchers are beginning to test remedies based on these theories in patients. Other doctors are trying to make use of novel approaches to retrain the immune system once it’s too late and allergies set in.

“What we’ve learned is that it may, in fact, be important to be exposed early on to a sufficient quantity of allergy-causing substances to train the immune system that they are not a threat,” says Andy Saxton of the University of California – Los Angeles. “And in people who already have allergies, we see for the first time where the problems lie, and we have new opportunities to tweak the system.”

If the new approaches work, millions might benefit. More than 50 million people have allergic diseases, which are the sixth-leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to the National Intitute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In fact, allergies cost the health system $18 billion a year.

If educating the immune system is tough, re-educating it after allergies set in appears to be tougher. Allergy shots work, but they’re costly and often must be continued for years. Then the protection fades over time. There are two new strategies being developed that may improve treatment.

One strategy, pioneered by researchers at Dynavax Technologies in Berkeley California, involves disguising a key ragweed protein with DNA from a bacterium. The goal is to create a short course of allergy shots that tricks the immune system into permanently thinking that ragweed is a bacterium, so it will attack it like a germ and not mount an allergic response. The approach has appeared to work in early trials at John Hopkins University.

A second strategy, now being developed by Saxon and his colleagues at UCLA and licensed to the biotech firm Biogen Idec, involves fusing a cat allergen with a snippet of a powerful antibody call IgG. This IgG snippet turns off cells that make histamine, the chemical that produces allergic symptoms. Researchers hope the combo will turn off histamine-producing cells, and in time, retrain the immune system to accept that cats are harmless.

The new approach to allergy prevention and treatment arises from a paradox. Known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” it suggests that growing up in cities and suburbs, away from fields and animals, leaves people more susceptible to a host of immune disorders, including allergies and asthma.

It has been shown through a study by Dennis Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia that children exposed early in a home with two or more cats or dog, are 45% less likely to test positive for allergies than other kids. The study appeared in the August 28, 2002 Journal of the American Medical Association. One possible explanation is that dogs and cats shed a substance called endotoxin from bacteria. A related study by Andy Liu of National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver reported in 2002 that infants with the most endotoxin exposure were the least likely to have allergies.

Researchers have also found that worms also have potential as allergy-busters. Weinstock, and his collaborator, David Elliott of the University of Iowa found that worm infections appear to regulate the immune system so that it functions normally. Robert Coffman, vice president of the biotech firm Dynavax Technologies says that the immune system developed two sets of responses: one for bacteria and viruses, and one for worms. Called Th1 for germs and Th2 for worms, they work in opposition. When Th1 is active, Th2 takes a break, and vice versa. All of the symptoms people link with allergy are part of the Th2 response.

Weinstock, Elliott, and other researchers believe that a low-grade infection with intestinal worms – pig whipworms because they cannot reproduce in humans - can restore the immune system. In fact, a small-scale study proved that of 29 people with Crohn’s disease who drank a brew of Gatorade and whipworm eggs, 23 responded to the treatment and 21 of those 23 had complete remission.

Whether it is endotoxin or worms, scientists continue to investigate all of the factors that can confer protection against allergy and other immune diseases.

(Summarized from: USA TODAY, March 19, 2006, article by: Steve Sternberg; Copyright© 2006 USA TODAY. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services. March 19, 2006.)

Studying the Benefits of Massage

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:21:00 +0000

As a healing aid, hands-on therapy is being studied to win over skeptics to understand its healing benefits
Longmont United Hospital in Colorado has a massage therapist on staff around the clock for patients who need or request it. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, 11 massage therapists are on a staff team and work with hundreds of patients. Yet, those who advocate massage therapy say that some hospital administrators are wary of introducing such a “touchy-feely” element to clinical practice.
“Clearly there are medical benefits to massage,” said Dr. Gregory P. Fontana, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In a study of heart patients measuring the effectiveness of nontraditional therapies, such as massage, in helping speed recovery after surgery, ninety-five percent of the 50 massage patients reported that massage was a “very important” part of their recovery, according to Fontana.
However, many doctors remain skeptical of the research suggesting a medical benefit to massage, saying more rigorous studies are needed. There are several new studies underway. Some are being funded by NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, is working on two NIH-funded studies: one measuring the effect of massage on premature babies; the other measuring the effect of massage on pregnant mothers who are depressed. Currently, Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers are undergoing studies that measure how effective massage can be in alleviating the pain of cancer patients.
Advocates of massage therapy hope that the scientific and medical research will continue to support the benefits, safety, and cost-effectiveness of massage treatments. (Summarized from Los Angeles Times, Nov. 22, 2004, pp. F1+; Copyright © 2004 Los Angeles Times, Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

Music as an Alternative Therapy for Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:28:00 +0000

“Pain is a silent epidemic,” said Celeste Johnston, past president of the Canadian Pain Society and associate director for research at the McGill School of Nursing. About 17% of Canadians suffer chronic pain from such ailments as osteoarthritis, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines and menstruation.
Last year alone, Canadians spent more than $2 billion purchasing prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medication to alleviate their pain. However, recent reports about the side-effective of COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx and Celebrex and the addictive potential of Oxycontin have spurred public interest in alternatives.
Researchers are studying alternative therapies, ones that traditionally were thought to be taboo by medical experts, said Dr. Marc Ware of the McGill University Pain Centre. Beyond drug therapy, other alternative treatments can include relaxation techniques, physiotherapy psychotherapy, acupuncture, yoga, massage, and even music therapy.
A University of Montreal study measured the effects of music on pain relief. The results of the study showed that music triggers emotional reactions in listeners, and these feelings can decrease their pain up to15%. In the study, university students were exposed to painful stimuli while listening to different types of music. The degree of pain relief was directly related to the musical tastes of the subjects. When the study subjects listened to music they liked, their pain was eased more than if they listened to music they disliked or to no music at all.
In addition to music therapy, researchers are studying other alternative, non-pharmaceutical ways to reduce pain. SOURCE: SPECTATOR (Hamilton, Canada) Jan. 14, 2005, p.A10 (Original article by Ross Marovits)

Alternative Treatments for Heavy Metal Poisoning

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Heavy metal poisoning is the toxic accumulation of heavy metals in the soft tissues of the body. The metals that cause poisoning in most individuals can be lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. People may come in contact with heavy metals in occupations such as industrial type work, manufacturing, or agriculture.
The symptoms of heavy metal poisoning will vary according to the nature and quantity of the metal, as well as how the exposure occurred. Symptoms can range from gastrointestinal symptoms when a heavy metal is ingested, to burns on the skin, when the skin is exposed to mercury, to neurological symptoms. In severe cases of heavy metal poisoning, patients exhibit obvious impairment of cognitive, motor and language skills. The expression “mad as a hatter” comes from the mercury poisoning prevalent in 17th century France, when hatmakers soaked animal hides in a solution of mercuric nitrate to soften the hair.
Heavy metal poisoning is diagnosed through tests that can include, blood, urine, and x-rays, as well as measuring amounts of the metal on things like hair and nails.
Heavy metals such as lead and mercury are readily diagnosed through blood tests, while arsenic is better tested through the urine since arsenic is rapidly removed from the blood. On the other hand, arsenic can remain on hair and nails for months.
Alternative treatments for heavy metal poisoning include chelation, dietary changes, and the use of nutritional supplements and herbs. In addition, homeopathic remedies have been recommended to prompt the body’s detoxification mechanisms. SOURCE: HEAVY METAL POISONING By Douglas Dupler, Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine

The Theory of Magnetic Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Magnetic Therapy utilizes the power of magnets as a treatment to alleviate pain throughout the body. With a long history, magnets are believed to possess healing powers, especially effective in treating muscle pain and stiffness. “Lodestones” or stones that were recognized to have magnetic properties have been used by the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Chinese, and their use has been mentioned in the treatment of diseases in the Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures.
In the 17th century, Sir William Gilbert was purported to utilize magnets to relieve Queen Elizabeth I’s arthritic pain. In modern times, American interest grew in magnetic therapy starting in the 1990s when professional athletes attested to the power magnetic devices had in alleviating pain.
Advocates of Magnetic Therapy attribute many benefits to the use of Magnets: pain relief; reduction of swelling; restful sleep; increased tissue and cellular oxygenation; improved blood circulation; improved tissue alkinalization; and relief of stress.
Fundamentally, magnetic therapy operates under two sets of theories. One theory asserts that magnets create a small electrical current, which stimulates the body’s natural painkillers at the site of application. The second theory argues that magnets cause the area’s cells to boost blood circulation, oxygen flow, and ion exchange to the painful area. The boost in oxygen present in the tissues and bloodstreams is purported to increase how quickly the body heals.
SOURCE: Magnetic Therapy - Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by Kim Sharp

Environmental Nutrition Offers Primer on Alternative Arthritis Remedies, but All Need to be Proven

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0000

With no cure in sight for over 43 million Arthritis sufferers, and limited medical options for alleviating symptoms, it’s not surprising that two-thirds of sufferers have tried diet, vitamins and herbs as alternative treatments.

Those therapies that have shown the most promise in recent studies are the following:

The Glucosamine/Chondroitin Combo was touted in the 1997 book, The Arthritis Cure, and in the 1998 book, Maximizing The Arthritis Cure, by Jason Theodosakis, M.D. who speculates that these two substances have a synergistic effect. While evidence supports Glucosamine’s role in the relief of pain, swelling and tenderness of OA, evidence also suggests that it may also halt the breakdown of cartilage. On the other hand, Chondroitin draws fluid into the cartilage making it spongy and protecting it from destructive enzymes.

An analysis of 15 studies from the past 30 years that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association found evidence to support some degree of effectiveness of both compounds. However, an editorial warned of varying purity and strengths of supplements on the market.

Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals – Some researchers theorize that free radicals – natural but harmful compounds formed when substances in the body react with oxygen – exacerbate the damage and inflammation in arthritic joints. Therefore, antioxidant nutrients such as Vitamin C and E, beta-carotene and selenium may offer some protection. Several small clinical studies show Vitamin E supplements help reduced inflammation and pain in both OA and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Vitamin D – has long been known to be important in bone health. In fact, research from the University of California at San Francisco has found older women with low levels of vitamin D in their blood to be at increased risk of OA of the hip. Other research reveals that dietary and supplemental D can slow progress of OA.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Americans tend to consume more Omega-6 Fatty acids such as vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, cottonseed and soybean, rather than Omega-3 oils from fish, canola oil, flaxseed and avocado. Omega-6 affects the hormone-like substances called prostaglandins produced in the body by lessening production of them. Omega-3 Fatty Acids then would help foster prostaglandin production which in turn would fight inflammation.

The downside to depending on Omega-3 Fatty Acids for relief of OA is that the benefits may not be seen for at least 12 weeks.

There are other potentially promising therapies to relieve the pain and progression of arthritis, including “Arthritis Diets,” fasting, herbal remedies, and substances called SAM-e and GLA. However, none of these therapies have been proven yet to make a difference.

The bottom line is that people with arthritis need to carefully assess the benefits and risks of alternative therapies. Before you make any changes, or try a new supplement, discuss the options with your doctor so that you can incorporate the appropriate therapies into your treatment plan.

(Summarized from Environmental Nutrition, April, 2000; article by Betsy Keller, M.S., R.D. – Copyright© 2000 by Environmental Nutrition, Inc. and R.L. Polk& Co. All rights reserved)

Arthritis Types – Characteristics, Treatment and Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:24:00 +0000

There are three major types of arthritis: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout. Each have different characteristics, but all can cause varying degrees of pain, swelling, warmth and stiffness. Following are guidelines on understanding and finding the best treatments for your particular arthritis type.

Osteoarthritis (OA) – is one of the most common diseases in the country. Millions of adults and half of all people age 65 and older are troubled by OA. This type of arthritis starts when bone cartilage begins to become ragged and wears away. You are most likely to have OA in your hands, neck, lower back, or large weight-bearing bones of your body, such as knees and hips.

Growing old is what most often puts people at risk for OA. Being overweight, injuries or overuse can lead to risk of OA in hands, knees or hips.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – can occur at any age, and is particularly prevalent in women. It is an autoimmune disease, meaning that your body attacks the lining of a joint, as if it were trying to protect your joints from injury. Generally, people with RA do not feel well and may have a fever, in addition to the pain, swelling, and stiffness. The major characteristic of RA is that, as an autoimmune condition, it can also attack organs such as the heart, muscles, blood vessels, nervous system, and eyes.

Gout – is one of the most painful forms of arthritis. It usually lasts for just a few days, but can reoccur. It begins when crystals of uric acid form in the connective tissue and/or joint spaces. The deposits lead to swelling, redness, pain and stiffness. Gout often follows certain rich dietary habits. Also, using alcohol or being overweight puts one at risk. Gout is felt mostly in the big toe, but can affect other areas.

WARNING SIGNS

Arthritis has certain warning signs, such as lasting joint pain, joint swelling, and / or stiffness; tenderness or pain in a joint; problems in joint movement, and / or warmth or redness of a joint. You need to see your doctor if you have any of these signs longer than two weeks. However, if you also feel ill and have a fever in conjunction with these signs, see your doctor as soon as possible.

TREATMENTS

There are some arthritis treatments that span all types of the disease. These relate to those medicines that manage pain, such as Acetaminophen or Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory agents, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxan. These latter agents may or may be sold over the counter, depending upon dosage. However, there are possibly dangerous side effects of these drugs that must be discussed with your doctor before beginning use. The FDA warns of these effects on the packaging, and you can contact the FDA for more information.

Other treatments relate to the particular type of arthritis. For Osteoarthritis in a joint, a doctor might give shots to help increase movement and reduce pain. For Rheumatoid Arthritis, there are certain antirheumatic drugs, called DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) that can slow damage from the disease. Gout is treated with NSAIDs or corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to reduce swelling.

An important arthritis therapy includes many different types of exercise, including: range-of-motion, strengthening exercises, and aerobic or endurance exercises. These are key to relieving stiffness, lessening pain, and strengthening the muscles around the joints.

Contact the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at 800-222-2225 to order a booklet on how to start and stick with an exercise program, or visit them at www.nia.nih.gov. The NIA also has other publications in both English and Spanish.

There are other things you can do to help relieve arthritis pain. Maintaining a proper weight, applying heat and cold, soaking in a warm bath, or swimming in a heated pool are just some options. For severe injury to joints that lead to major pain and disability, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Unproven Remedies

Beware of unproven remedies for arthritis. Some may not only be worthless, but can be very harmful. The use of snake venom falls into this category. Lotions and creams are not proven, and the consumer may not even be made aware of side effects.

Treatments Requiring More Research

The following treatment options may offer some hope. These include Chinese acupuncture, and the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. Research is showing that these substances may help lesson OA pain.

Talk to Your Doctor

Most importantly, discuss your condition with your doctor. You and your doctor should work together to safely lessen pain and stiffness and hopefully avoid further damage to your joints.

For more information about arthritis, you can contact the following organizations:

National Society for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
888-644-6226
888-464-1615 (TTY)
www.nccam.nih.gov

Meditation and the Traditions of East Asian Healing

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:26:00 +0000

The cherished East Asian idea of the body is built on a foundation of of self-cultivation - derived mostly from meditation. In Buddhism, Daoism and Shintoism, meditation is a technique for observing and becoming attuned to the intricate workings of the life-supporting energy system that exists beyond or beneath the psych-physiological activity of the living human body.

In the East Asian meditational perspective, the "flow body" is compared to a river with pristine and transparent water. The body that flows is invisible to the senses in everyday life, and most of us are relatively unconscious of it, unless we are engaging in the heightened state of awareness from meditation.

Ki-energy is that which is tapped through acupuncture, as ki-energy travels through circuits or “ki-meridians” underneath the skin. For example, the practice of acupuncture manages the absorption process and release of the energy - for most of us - unconsciously, between the comprehensive body and its environment.

According to East Asian tradition, then, healing occurs in several ways: (1) religious healing, (2) acupuncture, (3) visualization and (4) enlightenment.

The East Asian traditions of meditation and related healing practices transform one's daily consciousness, allowing the individual to develop harmony with creative energies of nature, awakening their spirit and body to natural, healing powers.

(Summarized from UNESCO COURIER, April 1997 pp15-20, by Shigenori Nagatomo)

The Origin of Qigong

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:14:00 +0000

The practice of Qigong started at least 5000 years ago. The word Qi stemmed from ancient Chinese philosophy, asserting that Qi is the foundation upon which the universe is built. In ancient Chinese civilization, Qi was considered to be the building block of all matter, the immaterial energy that constitutes all material form.

This viewpoint greatly influenced the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Generally speaking, the Qi in TCM denotes both essential substances of the human body, which maintain its vital activities, and the functional manifestations. Qi, then, has two aspects: one refers to the vital substances comprising the human body and maintaining life activities, such as the Qi of water or food, or breathing. The other refers to the physiological functions of viscera and bowels, such as the Qi of the heart, the lung, etc.

The phrase Qigong was initially developed by a Daoist Chinese monk named Xu Xun in his book, Teaching the Record of Jing Ming Zong (Quiet and Clear Sect). Qigong was next mentioned in the 19th century through literature composed by Donghao on a special treatment for Tuberculosis. However, there was not a complete explanation of the meaning, until the 1950's when Liu Guizheng authored and published Practice in Qigong Therapy.

From the history of modern science, we know that a new concept develops based upon the science and theory in the world at that time. Qigong is no exception. Over time, the concepts of Qigong are continuously enriched, developed, and perfected.

(Summarized from POSITIVE HEALTH (Portsmouth, England) Issue 114. Aug, 2005, pp42-45. Article by: Dr. Lianting Zhao, Copyright© 2005 Positive Health. )

Challenges in Studying the Relationship of Population, Health and the Environment

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:51:00 +0000

The field of population, health, and environment studies has encountered a number of barriers, most notably a limited theoretical framework and incompatible methodologies. Population, Health, and the Environment interact in complex ways, and we need to address them in an integrated fashion and improve the way we study, document and communicate the relationships.

Following are some of the many factors that affect the relationship among population, health and environment.

Demographic – these trends strongly affect the way humans change the natural world. The regional distribution of population, population age, birthrate, health, and migration patterns all have to be taken into account.

Policies and Institutions – can affect can have positive or negative effects and human and environmental well-being. For example, the emission standards for chlorofluorovcarbons (CFCs) enacted through the 1987 Montreal Protocol, slow the deterioration of the ozone layer. Farm subsidies, on the other hand, while helping farmers support their families and grow their businesses, contribute unintended consequences of wasteful resource use, excessive environmental damage, and growing financial strains on governments.

Culture – Together with policies and institutions, cultural factors – beliefs, values, and traditions – influence public support for public policies and the ways that humans interact with their environment. As an example, women’s social status in many less developed countries limits their access to land and education.

Poverty and Wealth – Poverty may promote environmental degradation in a variety of ways. Poor rural families are more likely to support themselves with subsistence slash and burn agriculture, use forest products as fuel, and live in ecologically fragile zones. Disadvantaged minorities are more likely to live in areas that are heavily polluted and that have substandard sanitation and health services.

At the other end of the spectrum, wealth brings greater environmental management opportunities and challenges. As societies grow wealthier, some human-induced environmental problems, such as access to water and sanitation, are expected to improve, while others – such as the generation of solid waste and greenhouses gases – get worse.

Land, Food, and Agriculture – The imbalance between food supply and demand often reflects political and social inequities. Famines generally occur because food is not available where people need it, rather than from overall shortage.

Deforestation – The direct causes of deforestation are themselves symptoms of underlying demographic, social and economic connections. More developed countries such as Japan and the United States can drive deforestation in less developed countries by importing tropical hardwoods. In addition, rising paper consumption has also encouraged overcutting of forests.

Energy Use – Global energy production and consumption have risen steadily for several decades, and this has the greatest potential impact on climate. The vast majority of the world’s energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels, in liquid (petroleum), solid (coal or Lignite), or gas (natural gas) form. Average energy use per person is more than nine times greater in developed than in less developed regions.

Climate Change – Carbon dioxide and other gases naturally trap heat as it is radiated from Earth’s surface back to the atmosphere. This “natural” greenhouse effect keeps Earth’s temperature about 60 degree Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be!

Water Availability – About one-third of the world’s population lives in countries suffering from moderate to high amounts of water stress – where water consumption is more than 10 percent of renewable freshwater resources. Lack of access to safe water supplies also results in hundreds of millions of cases of water-related diseases and more than 5 million deaths every year.

Despite the lack of common methodologies to study these various factors in relation to population, health and environment, there is an increasing body of empirical data about the population and health impacts of such things climate change, land degradation, and forest loss. Accordingly, there is greater agreement among scientists about global changes and the factors that contribute to those changes. Satellite and other types of images are providing clearer evidence of what is happening over time.

The ability to track information from different sources with geographic information systems and remote sensing is opening new areas of study. Patterns and trends in human distribution and land and resource use may be analyzed in relation to economic and market activity and changes in geographic and biological measurements.

(Summarized from POPULATION BULLETIN, Sept. 2003 pp3-43, Article by Roger-Mark DeSouza, John S. Williams, and Frederick A.B. Meyerson. Copyright© Population Reference Bureau, Inc., September, 2003.

Going Under: Artists on the Healing Power of Artmaking

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jeff White) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:05:00 +0000

Researchers are beginning to find that the creative euphoria artists feel as they work can have a salutary effect on the body. Some say there’s a connection between artmaking and the process of healing. According William Poole, in THE ART OF HEALING, “Many cancer patients find it healing to express their fears, hopes and feelings about their illnesses through art.” Poole states, “For years, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York has encouraged such artistic expression.” Patients said their art work allowed them to forget post-operative pain, to express anger, frustration or fear, and to cope with their situations.

These health-related approaches to art are not available only to the visual artist, and not only to professional or serious artists. Art therapists teach people to make art in a way that helps them express the “stuck” emotions associated with illness. Her work with patients is based on the idea that an emotional release also triggers a physiological release of chemicals in the body that are associated with healing.

What happens when professional visual artists are faced with illness? Does their artmaking help them heal automatically? Are they immune to the effect of artmaking as they make art all the time? Is it just a momentary escape from their illnesses, or does something deeper happen?

Clearly, being an artist does not make them immune to illness. It did not keep Tom Miller and Deryl Mackie from contracting AIDS. I did not halt Ellen Powell Tiborino’s cancer. Tumors invaded Carolyn Mazloomi’s brain. Richard Yarde’s kidney failed. So did Charles Miller’s heart. However, these artists, some consciously and some unconsciously, turned their creative gift toward themselves, and opened their artists’ eyes to their bodies. And each found some power in the connection between their work and healing.

When Richard Yarde began to paint again after what he believes was a spiritual healing in church after many months of illness and weakness, he said that he felt as if he was “laying hands” on himself. And the process was healing. He was on dialysis, but when he was painting he said, “I’d get into a state that I just didn’t experience the dialysis as a difficulty.”

Carolyn Mazloomi was diagnosed with two brain tumors, each 15 years apart. Each time the doctor broke the bad news and told her to go home and prepare to die. She went home and made quilts again. The fear she felt, the worry that might otherwise have inhabited her thoughts, she instead “poured into my work.”

Can one say that to make art is to heal? Perhaps not, but Mazloomi and Yarde were given up for dead. Yet, years later they are still working, exhibiting, traveling, and what is more - telling the story of their personal miracles through their art.

Even those artists that may not make it still reap the rewards of their artmaking. Ellen Powell Tiborino was diagnosed with cervical cancer. After it was radiated, it came back 12 weeks later. Finally, surgery excised it for good, but Tiborino was left in and out of hospitals because of the treatments. But no matter how weak she was, she did her work.
Even in the last moments of her life, she maintained her vow to her art. At one point, she revived from a coma, and came home to die in her own bed with her family and her colors around her.

(Summarized from the INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OR AFRICAN ART, Vol. 16, No. 4, 2000, pp 3-15. © published by the Hampton University Museum