Yellow Doc

Big Pharma FAILS - 2010 Year in Review

2010-11-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

Comparative Stock Values of Pharmaceutical Companies referenced in this article.22 Nov 10A Press Release from the Department of Justice states that $2.5 billion in fines, forfeitures, restitution and disgorgement were recovered this year making it the largest in history. Most of the cases resulting in recoveries were brought to the government by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act.According

State Naturopathic Associations

2010-11-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

Alabama Association of Naturopathic PhysiciansPresident: Deborah Carter, NDThe Shoals Natural Health Care Center503 State Street, Ste: 3Muscle Shoals, AL 35661Phone: (256) 386-9804 Email: dacarter@bellsouth.netVice President/Treasurer: Linda Jarvis, NMDPhone: (256) 837-3448Alaska Association of Naturopathic Physicians President: Beth Laughlin, ND 222 Front StreetFairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: 907-451

Ninety Percent of Human Being Not Human

2010-05-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health recently published an analysis of 178 genomes from microbes that live in or on the human body, and have plans to expand their reference collection to nearly a thousand genomes. Dubbed the human microbiome, this set of fungi, bacteria, and viruses are known to outnumber human cells 10 to 1 and play a critical role in health and disease. According

The Physician's Oath

2010-05-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

Just as all public servants, physicians take an oath. It is the oath that sets physicians apart from other people in society. The oath has nothing to do with moral or intellectual superiority. Neither does it confer upon the physician a duty to present themselves as an avatar of health, or to appear infallible.The oath is actually quite simple. Although there are a few different versions out

Bunk Multivitamin Research Rears Its Ugly Head (Again)

2010-04-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

Every Spring, it seems, there are a flurry of articles published seeking to "debunk" the idea that multivitamins may be good for you. Considering the hundreds of billions of dollars spent annually on certain prescription drugs that have been proven ineffective (I am reminded in particular of a drug commercial stating that depression medications don't work in 2/3 of people) it is a constant

Preventive Medicine in the Health Care Bill - Part I

2010-03-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the House of Representatives passed H.R.4872, otherwise known as the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. This blog series will review the provisions of the bill as it relates to preventive care as described in Title IV, and intends to present the facts as taken directly from the bill, without interjection of opinion or commentary. This first section

USA Today Seemingly Resorts to Lying in Promotion of H1N1 Vaccine

2009-11-02T19:02:00.001-08:00

When it comes to controversial topics in health, one would expect there to be a fair amount of heated debate, conflicting expert opinions, and cherry-picking of research. When it comes to the swine flu vaccine, at least one major media outlet, it would appear, has resorted to outright lying.Within a 21 October piece in the USA today entitled "Doctors: Vaccine, not actual flu, best way to give

Preventive Care Doesn't Save Money?

2009-06-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Full story from AP.With all the talk on Obama's new health care plan, I was almost waiting for this one to come out.AP writer Carla K. Johnson recently wrote a neat little piece casting doubt on whether or not preventive care services actually save money.According to Ms. Johnson, "research shows" that for every person who receives personal lifestyle coaching, another six people get nothing out of

Vitamins Curb Exercise Benefits...?

2009-05-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Surely you’ve heard this one by now. . . a recent study shows that taking vitamins can reduce the positive effects of exercise. A closer look reveals that the study wasn’t quite what the headlines made it out to be.The study investigated the concept of mitohormesis. This theory posits that small, regular doses of toxins have a beneficial effect on health. In other words, the general idea that

The Mighty Chia Seed

2008-11-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

Originally known for their use in the novelty item, Chia Pets, chia seeds have recently gained much attention for their nutritional value. The seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, and is a member of the mint family that includes a number of the most common cooking herbs.In pre-Columbian Mexico, they were a staple of the Aztec and Mayan diets, much as quinoa was to the Inca in the

Protein Deficiency Leads To Fat Burning

2008-05-04T18:28:00.000-07:00

Full article from Science Daily. A study published in the January issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry observed an increase in fat burning activity in mice with a congenital protein deficiency. It is another blow to the heavily popularized, and often misunderstood, "high-protein" approach to weight loss.According to senior author Kamal Metha, professor of molecular and cellular

Focus On Exercise: The Limits of Carb Loading

2008-03-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

For endurance athletes, the most important factor to ensure success is the avoidance of fatigue during an event. Since the body can only store a limited amount of energy (glucose) as glycogen, it is also limited in the extent to which it can engage in strenuous activity for an extended period of time. When glycogen stores near depletion, the body will automatically shut down the supply of

Flu Shots Fail. . . and Why.

2008-02-23T14:59:00.000-08:00

Full stories from ABC, WebMD, and MedlinePlus. This year's flu season is likely to go down as one of the worst on record, after latest reports indicate an explosion of suspected flu cases throughout 49 states. Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by a family of RNA viruses known commonly as flu viruses.Vaccination against infection with the flu virus comes in both killed-virus,

Product Review: Lipozene®

2008-02-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I get asked questions about a new fat-burning or metabolic enhancement product that a client has seen advertised on television. Of course, everybody wants to know: Does it really work? A more instructive question would be: Is it worth the money?Lipozene® is one of those products. Marketed as a weight loss supplement that is "clinically proven to reduce body fat," this product is

New Vaccine Associated With Deaths In Children

2008-02-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

Full story from Reuters.An FDA statistical review of a new vaccine reported a statistically significant increase in convulsions, bronchitis, and pneumonia-related deaths in children to whom the vaccine was administered, in double-blind placebo-controlled trials.The live-attenuated viral vaccine is called Rotarix, and is intended to confer immunity against rotavirus, a pathogen associated with the

Financial Conflicts of Interest Affect Research

2008-02-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

Full story from Reuters.Many times in science it takes a formal study to officially declare something that everybody already knows before action is finally taken by those in the field.In this particular case, a team of researchers from the Association of American Medical Colleges, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Michigan, published a study today in the Journal of the

Artificial Sweeteners May Make You Fatter

2008-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

Full stories from BBC, ABC, CBS, CBC, and WebMD.A study published by Susan E. Swithers and Terry L. Davidson in the February online edition of the American Psychological Association journal, Behavioral Neuroscience, found that rats fed saccharin, the artificial sweetener marketed as Sweet'N Low, experienced increased body fat and weight, and reduced metabolic rates, as compared to those fed

Botox Is Toxic After All

2008-02-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

Full stories from AP, Reuters, CNN, MSNBC, and CBS.It is said that one can tell a lot from a name, and Botox is certainly no exception.First approved by the FDA in December 1989 for treatment of eye muscle disorders, Botox, or Botulinum Toxin Type A, is a neurotoxic protein produced by Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism, a rare, but potentially deadly disease that is

Resurgence of Iodine Deficiency in Americans

2008-02-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Full story from WebMD.A study published online in the January issue of Environmental Science and Technology raises new concerns that Americans are not getting enough iodine in their diet. It explains how "about three decades ago, there was a concern that the U.S. population may be getting too much iodine. Although no study ever established that such “excess iodine” caused a problem, certain

HPV Now Linked To Oral Cancer

2008-02-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

Full story from the AP.A new study by Dr. Maura Gillison published in this month's issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology identifies HPV as a risk factor for the development of oral cancer. She first reported the connection between HPV and specific throat cancers in 2000, supporting previous work by other investigators. HPV is a papillomavirus which causes warts and is spread by skin to skin

Vytorin: A Medical Mystery or Simple Physiology?

2008-01-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

Full stories from Reuters and WebMD. The FDA recently announced it will review a major study of the dual-action, cholesterol-lowering drug, Vytorin, after some surprising results revealed that it was not more effective at reducing the plaques which are associated with atherosclerosis than single-acting cholesterol reducers. The study, called Enhance, actually found that patients taking the drug

Why This Blog?

2008-01-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to Yellow Doc - Naturopathic Perspectives on Current Health News. I am Dr. Matthew Marturano, and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being here, and to let you know why I have chosen to create this blog.Yellow Dock, or Rumex crispus, is a botanical medicine used historically for its alterative properties. Alteratives are one of the oldest group of medicinal

New "Killer Cold Bug" Neither New Nor Killer

2007-11-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

Complete story from CDCA report released by the CDC last Thursday announced that a mutated version of the common cold virus was found to be associated with 10 deaths in the last 18 months. The adenovirus is known as Ad14, and made headlines earlier this year after an outbreak of respiratory infections at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, was found to be associated with the virus. Of

What Is Naturopathy?

2007-11-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Naturopathy is a distinct philosophy of health that seeks to maximize wellness by assisting the body's innate capacity to recover from illness and injury, and by increasing the function of biochemical processes that are necessary for health. Naturopathy may include any number of healing modalities, including herbal remedies, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, mechanotherapy, counseling, and