Erin Youngerberg noticed a small mole, the size of a pencil eraser, on her back. She was told not to worry. But it was stage IV melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. Doctors went on to find tumors all over her body. This is her story.

In April 2009, doctors told 32-year-old Erin Youngerberg that the mole on her back was nothing and “it wasn’t serious.” The mole continued to bother her, but she was repeatedly told not to worry. Unfortunately, a year and a half later, it was serious. When they finally removed the mole at Erin’s request, leaving a 7-inch scar, they discovered melanoma, stage 4.

They also had to remove all of the lymph nodes in her right arm because the cancer had spread.

“[The lymph node removal] was one of the worst surgeries I’ve ever had because it takes 6 to 8 weeks before you get flexibility in your arm back,” Erin says.

More bad news came just three months later. Doctors found 12 tumors on her lungs and had to remove a large portion of her left lung to remove two of them.

“It’s amazing how your body can still function after wedges of your lungs have been taken out,” she says.

Soon after the lung surgery, there was a glimmer of hope. The other 10 tumors that hadn’t been removed had somehow disappeared on their own, in what doctors refer to as spontaneous remission.

Her oncologist said he had only heard about it in medical school, but had never actually witnessed it.

Erin wasn’t out of the woods. A year later, the cancer had spread again — this time to her small intestines. Doctors had to remove another tumor the size of an orange, along with eight inches of her small intestine.

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to remove all of the cancer. One tumor still remains in a lymph node near her small intestines. But it’s shrinking, thanks to continued treatment.

Erin’s best advice is to be your own advocate. “You know your body best, so don’t be afraid to get a second opinion,” she says. “Doctors have the best intentions, but they also get busy. If you feel something isn’t right, follow your instincts.”

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

At just 6 weeks of age, Piper Beatty was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, or CF. Doctors told her parents to love her for as long as they could because she would live only to 15 or 16 years at most. But so far, with good treatment and a lung transplant, she’s outlived that prediction by 10 years.

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal disease that attacks the lungs and the digestive system. It causes thick mucus build-up in the body, ultimately leading to complete lung and digestive failure. Day-to-day life with CF is marked by an extremely fragile and suppressed immune system, and many patients also live with diabetes. Approximately 30,000 people in the United States have CF, and their average life expectancy is 37.8.

Piper describes the disease as a full-time job. “I take anywhere between 30 and 40 pills a day and a minimum of five shots a day, sometimes more. If I eat more, I take more shots and pills,” she says.

Sadly, she had to quit her job as a lawyer, just two years out of law school, so she could manage the disease.

At age 26, Piper’s lungs were failing and she needed a transplant. Her doctors were worried her lungs would completely fail within two years. Luckily, they were able to secure a drug, not yet on the market, to keep lung infections at bay while she awaited transplant. Piper calls it her “miracle drug” because it kept her alive during the agonizing 11-month wait until she received the news that she finally had a donor.

The transplant saved Piper’s life, but it’s not a cure-all. She still has CF and deals with complications from the transplant, like a recent pulmonary embolism.

Piper couldn’t get through the constant challenge of managing CF without the help of her “cysters,” a group of women who all have CF, around the same age, and living in New York. They’re her lifeline.

Piper is grateful she has outlived her original prognosis by far. She’s hopeful that in the next 5 to 10 years, the disease will look entirely different than it does now. There are drugs in the pipeline that could change the face of cystic fibrosis. Sadly, there remains no cure.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

There are few things more inviting than a cool, clear pool on a hot summer day. But a new federal report will have you thinking twice before dipping a toe in the water.

Fifty-eight percent of pool filter samples taken from Atlanta area pools last summer contained E. coli, a bacteria found in human feces.

The report is a sign that swimmers often contaminate pool water when they have a “fecal incident” in the water, or when human waste washes off their bodies because they don’t shower thoroughly before hitting the water, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And while the study only focused on pools in the Atlanta region, the researchers said it’s likely thatfecal contamination from swimmers is a problem in public pools throughout the country. The study did not look at water parks, residential pools or other types of recreational water.

“Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy,” Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program, said in an agency news release. “However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming.

“Remember,” she added, “chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly. That’s why it’s important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea.

image c/o: www.dontgetmewrong.org

The CDC says all swimmers should take the following steps to keep feces out of pools and to prevent infections:

• Don’t swim if you have diarrhea.
• Shower with soap before swimming.
• Take a rinse shower before getting back in the water.
• Go to the bathroom every 60 minutes.
• Wash your hands with soap after using the toilet or changing diapers.
• Don’t swallow the water you swim in.

Parents of young children should take the following steps:

• Take children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes or check diapers every 30 to 60 minutes.
• Change diapers in the bathroom or diaper-changing area and not at poolside where germs can rinse into the water.

Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the new study “highlights the importance of practicing good hygiene anytime we swim in a pool, since the potential for contamination with fecal organisms, which could lead to severe diarrheal illnesses, remains an ever present concern.

“From a public health standpoint,” he added, “it is especially important for people to avoid swimming when they have diarrhea, as other swimmers could swallow germ-laden water and potentially become ill.

The study reveals a “true public health concern, and reinforces the need to practice safe and effective swim hygiene as the summer approaches,” Glattner said.

The study appears in the May 17 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Its release is timed in advance of Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, May 20-26. The goal of the prevention week is to “raise awareness about healthy swimming, including ways to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWIs). Germs that cause RWIs are spread by swallowing, breathing in the mists or aerosols from, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, water parks, hot tubs, interactive fountains, water play areas, lakes, rivers, or oceans,” according to the CDC.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

As many as one in five American children under the age of 17 has a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, according to a new federal report.

Released Thursday, the report represents the government’s first comprehensive look at mental disorders in children. It focuses on diagnoses in six areas: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral or conduct disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorders, substance abuse, and Tourette syndrome.

The most common mental disorder among children aged 3 through 17 is ADHD. Nearly 7 percent — about one in 15 children — in that age group have a current diagnosis, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For other disorders, 3.5 percent of children currently have behavioral or conduct problems, 3 percent suffer from anxiety, about 2 percent have depression and about 1 percent have autism. About two children out of 1,000 aged 6 to 17 have Tourette Syndrome.

Among teens, about 5 percent had abused or were dependent on illegal drugs within the past year. More than 4 percent were abusers of alcohol, and nearly 3 percent reported being regular cigarette smokers.

The report, which supplements the May 17 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, also noted gender differences in mental disorders.

“Boys are more likely than girls to have most of the disorders overall,” said Ruth Perou, the team leader for child development studies at the CDC.

Boys specifically are more prone to ADHD, behavioral or conduct problems, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety and Tourette syndrome, and are more likely to be smokers than girls, Perou said. They’re also more likely to die by suicide.

image c/o: www.cbc.ca

“On the other hand, girls are more likely to have depression or an alcohol-use disorder,” she said.

Although this is the first time the CDC has tried to compile prevalence estimates for some of the most common mental disorders in a single report, the agency has long tracked rates of many of these illnesses through population surveys.

“We are seeing increases across the board in a lot of mental disorders,” Perou said. Some of the biggest jumps have been in ADHD and autism. “We don’t know if it’s due to greater awareness, or if these conditions actually are going up,” she said.

Perou said that is a question they will try to answer as they continue to track children’s mental disorders going forward.

“The good news is that mental disorders are diagnosable and treatable,” she said. “If we act early, we can really make a huge difference in children’s live and in families’ lives overall.”

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

image c/o: www.ontariohealth.org

Dr. Thomas Bellavia transformed his traditional medical practice in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., into a so-called medical home where patients are seen by teams of doctors and nurses. He says it has paid off in better, more coordinated care for his patients and healthier income for the nurse practitioners and physicians in his group.

Dr. Mark Holthouse took a different tack — limiting his El Dorado, Calif., clinic to 400 patients a year, and adding services such as acupuncture and fitness coaching. He said he and his team now spend more time with patients, who pay a monthly fee of $220 for a package of basic services, on top of what their insurance plans reimburse the practice.

Like Bellavia and Holthouse, many doctors are changing how they work in response to turmoil in the health care system. Both newly minted and veteran physicians face economic uncertainty amid sharpening demands from the government and insurers to improve quality while curbing costs – trends that accelerated under the 2010 health care overhaul.

The buzz, and anxiety, in the medical profession is palpable – trade magazines tout new coping strategies, doctor groups discuss the transformation of practices. Physicians are experimenting with business models and new practice techniques, hoping to find work that is both financially and personally rewarding.

“It’s not just the financial piece,” said Dr. Susan Turney, executive director of the Medical Group Management Association, a practice management consultant firm.

“It’s also the clinical — it’s bridging a gap so you can make the best decisions all around.”

The changing landscape is reflected in the growing number of doctors who are employed by others, rather than working for themselves. Consulting firm Accenture reported in 2012 that the proportion of independently practicing physicians, working in groups or solo, will fall to 36 percent this year. One-third of those will choose a subscription-based model like Holthouse’s.

The majority, though, are seeking steadier salaries and hours: about 91,300 doctors and dentists were employed by community hospitals in 2010, according to the American Hospital Association, 30,000 more than in 1998.

But clinicians remaining independent must invest and innovate.

Bellavia’s goal of offering integrated care has cost him an estimated $300,000 since 2011 for staff training and equipment. The medical home model’s focus on preventive care includes newer technologies, like a weighing scale that reports a patient’s weight directly from home to the clinic, and reminders to patients of routine diabetes or cancer screenings. The Heights Medical Center, as the practice is called, has also expanded from two to five doctors and nurses, and hired a patient coordinator who organizes doctor visits, referrals and prescriptions.

image c/o: www.marshall.edu

With a medical home accreditation from the nonprofit National Committee for Quality Assurance, the Heights receives higher reimbursement payments per patient from insurance companies like HorizonBlue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Aetna.

“It was all experimental,” Bellavia said. “I had to transform my staff and the way I practice. But it has paid me back considerably.”

While Bellavia figured out how to increase his insurance reimbursements, doctors like Holthouse are trying to insulate themselves from the insurance system and government budget cuts.

In 2005, Holthouse started what is sometimes called a functional medical practice – a setup that incorporates acupuncture, herbal medicines and a nutrition and exercise program. He soon found that the only way to remain profitable was to increase the number of patients treated at the practice, now called the n1Health Center for Functional Medicine — something he thought would compromise the quality of care.

“We couldn’t deliver the kind of care we wanted to with regular insurance,” he said.

With the subscription, or concierge, model that he introduced in January, Holthouse will treat about eight to 10 patients a day who pay about $2,600, in addition to the reimbursements paid by their insurance plans. By contrast, each provider at Heights Medical Center treats up to four patients per hour. Holthouse also has an herbal pharmacy with supplements and nontraditional remedies, and an acupuncturist on staff as part of his effort to offer alternative treatments along with traditional medicine.

Patients at Holthouse’s practice are still responsible for an insurance copayment for medical services that aren’t covered under the monthly fee, which accounts for basic diagnostic tests, physicals and screening. Despite the monthly costs, Holthouse said his patients supported the changes after the practice held 15 “town hall” meetings to explain the new model.

“By the time we did the conversion, one hundred percent understood why we were doing it,” he said. “They feel like they’re getting time and quality care.”

He also said that patients were spending less on medications and hospital fees, making the subscription a worthwhile investment.

Holthouse, like Bellavia, does not accept patients with Medicaid, the state-federal program for low-income people, because of the low reimbursement rates. He puts little confidence in the federal government when it comes to paying physicians fairly or streamlining the high cost of health care– one impetus for choosing the subscription-based model.

But James Doulgeris, a health care strategist at research and marketing firm HCP, said physicians who adopt innovative practices will benefit from the federal health law, because it gives financial incentives to doctors and hospitals that hold down costs while improving quality.

“It’s a 180-degree change, but physicians will have a great incentive to provide optimal care and focus on wellness,” he said.

Holthouse, however, is not convinced. “Unless you remain independent, you will have no say in what kind of medicine you practice,” he said.

Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy research and communications organization not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

Eating out could be costing your heart even more than your wallet. Restaurant meals are dangerously high in sodium, and the numbers may only be increasing, according to a pair of studies published today in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

“Our food supply is loaded with excess salt and it’s killing people,” said Stephen Havas, MD, MPH, a preventive medicine specialist at Northwestern University and an author of one of the new studies. A high-sodium diet can contribute to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

In one report, researchers at the University of Toronto analyzed more than 3,500 breakfast, lunch, and dinner combinations at 19 sit-down chain restaurants in Canada. The average meal clocked in at 2,269 milligrams of sodium, or 151 percent of the amount most U.S. adults are advised to consume in a full day of eating.

Though the report analyzed meals at Canadian establishments, experts say restaurant offerings in the U.S. are just as loaded with salt. A plate of lasagna at Olive Garden tops 2800 milligrams of sodium, for example, while the Chipotle Chicken Panini sandwich at Panera Bread delivers 2,140 milligrams before factoring in salty sides like potato chips.

The University of Toronto study also revealed that the restaurant meals contained more than 50 percent of the average daily calorie requirement and nearly a day’s worth of saturated fat, which can also harm heart health when consumed in excess.

People who are 51 and older, as well as those who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease — groups that together account for nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults — should consume no more than 1500 milligrams sodium per day, according to the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Americans currently take in more than twice that amount — 3300 milligrams per day — and restaurant fare is a major contributor to our salt surplus.

Eating too much salt may contribute to 15 percent of all heart-disease deaths around the world, according to an analysis published earlier this year.

And sodium levels in restaurant meals may be rising, despite heavy pressure from health organizations to cut back on salt. In a second study, Dr. Havas and colleagues analyzed changes in the sodium content of seven common fast food menu items, including cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches, at Burger King, McDonald’s, KFC, and other chains between the years 2005 and 2011. Sodium increased by 2.6 percent on average in the 78 foods analyzed, with the largest jump seen in French fries.

The researchers also examined sodium levels in a selection of 402 processed foods, including sandwich bread, salad dressing, canned soup, cheese, and deli meat, over the same time period. The sodium content of packaged foods decreased by 3.5 percent on average during the six-year window.

The changes may not seem significant — and that’s just the point, according to Havas. “The fact is that during this time period, when there have been numerous calls for reduction in sodium, processed and restaurant foods haven’t been changing,” he said. “I think this has enormous significance for the health of the American public.”

In the last five years, many food manufacturers and restaurant chains, including Campbell’s, ConAgra, General Mills, Hormel, McDonald’s, and Subway, have made voluntary commitments to reduce the sodium in their offerings. And in 2011, retail giant Walmart announced it would reformulate many of its grocery items, including deli meats, salad dressings, and frozen entrees, to reduce sodium by 25 percent by 2015, and called on suppliers to do the same.

Yet, at least in the sampling of food products and fast food items evaluated in the new analysis, the cuts have been slow and inconsistent. In response, Havas and his fellow study authors are urging the U.S. government to begin setting mandated targets for sodium reduction.

“As long as there’s no regulation at the federal level, there will be minimal progress,” Havas contended. “One company doesn’t want to do it if the other companies aren’t doing it. They think it might be a competitive disadvantage.”

“Restaurants have made significant progress in developing lower sodium menu options,” Joy Dubost, PhD, RD, the Director of Nutrition for the National Restaurant Association, said in a statement. “The industry is highly diverse, including restaurants that provide a wide range of dining options. On the whole, our members have evaluated their product lines to determine the areas in which sodium can be reduced, reformulated existing menu items when feasible, and considered sodium levels as part of new product development. The industry’s proactive and ongoing efforts will better enable the gradual reduction of sodium in the food supply.”

Dining Out Without the Salty Side Effects

image c/o www.sciencedaily.com

It’s very difficult for people to keep their sodium below the recommended 1500 milligrams a day, even if they’re preparing most of their meals at home, said Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian and author of Read It Before You Eat It. “If you really want to follow a very low-sodium diet, you would need to eat out much less often,” she said.

However, dining out is an important part of most people’s social life, and you don’t have to give it up completely to comply with dietary restrictions, said Jessica Goldman Foung. Better known as “Sodium Girl,” Goldman Foung shares recipes and tips to help people limit sodium without sacrificing flavor onher popular health blog. Goldman Foung began following a very low-sodium diet after suffering kidney damage as complication of lupus, but the majority of her readers are looking to cut back on salt because of high blood pressure or other heart health concerns.

Chain restaurants may not offer much flexibility for those looking for lower-sodium options, because the meals are often prepared in advance and can’t be adjusted to accommodate personal requests, Goldman Foung noted. For that reason, she suggests dining at local restaurants whenever possible, where it is often easier to speak with the chef and ask for meals to be prepared without added salt andhigh-sodium ingredients.

Follow these other suggestions to keep salt to a minimum when eating away from home:

• Eat just half of the portion served, advised Goldman Foung. You’ll automatically reduce the sodium by 50 percent.
• It’s difficult to accurately gauge the sodium content by reading a menu description or looking at a plate of food. Our experts suggest checking the nutrition stats on the restaurant’s website before leaving home or using a smart phone to identify lower-sodium choices.
• Avoid “red flag” menu descriptors like pickled, marinated, breaded, and fried, which indicate dishes are likely to be high in sodium. Look for dishes that are steamed, poached, or boiled, which are typically (but unfortunately not always) lower in salt.
• Round out your meal with an order of steamed or grilled vegetables, as opposed to a side dish that’s high in sodium. As a bonus, you’ll be eating more health-boosting produce, Taub-Dix said.
• Order sauces, which are often highly seasoned, on the side. “This way, you can add the amount you like or just occasionally dip your food in there,” recommended Taub-Dix.
• Carry your own low-sodium seasonings with you. Goldman Foung keeps a bottle of Mrs. Dash in her purse at all times for flavor emergencies. With a quick sprinkle, she can transform a plate of boring steamed veggies or plain poached fish into a tastier, more delightful entrée.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

High-salt diets have long been linked to high blood pressure, but new research finds that those with the condition may have a far greater preference for salty foods than those with normal blood pressure.

In a small study of older adults, researchers from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil found that participants with high blood pressure, or hypertension, favored bread dusted with the highest concentration of salt more than twice as much as those with normal blood pressure. Adding other seasonings to the salted bread, however, diminished the preference for salt across both groups.

The question remains: Are people with high blood pressure naturally drawn to salty foods, making them more prone to the condition?

“This is difficult to answer, but I believe that the genetic factor to salt appetite can be the beginning of the process,” said study author Patricia Villela, a nutritionist and doctoral student at the university. “I was surprised by the fact that added seasonings may have changed the preference of the elderly, decreasing [their] appetite for salt.”

The study was scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension, in San Francisco. Research presented at scientific conferences has typically not been peer-reviewed or published, and results are considered preliminary.

About 67 million American adults — roughly one in three — have high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as do nearly 1 billion people worldwide. The condition puts people at risk for heart disease, kidney damage, strokes and vision loss, among other health problems.

image c/o: healthland.time.com

Villela and her team analyzed 44 seniors with an average age of 73, including 16 with normal blood pressure readings. All were initially given three pieces of French bread with varying amounts of salt on each. In that test, 68 percent of participants with high blood pressure preferred the bread with the highest concentration of salt, compared with 31 percent of those with normal blood pressure.

Fifteen days later, participants underwent a similar test, but this time other seasonings had been added to the salted bread. In that case, only 14 percent of patients with hypertension and none with normal blood pressure favored the bread with the highest salt content.

Dr. Domenic Sica, president-elect of the American Society of Hypertension, said the findings may have been influenced by the limited number of patients involved.

“The concept of taste retraining in hypertensive patients, either young or old, is at the foundation of this [research] and is studied in a creative manner,” said Sica, a professor of internal medicine and nephrology at Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond. “How rapidly salt preference fell in this study is surprising, and may relate to the small number of subjects studied and a possible training effect.”

Some previous studies have pointed to a genetic predisposition to craving salty foods, Villela said, and although there is no way of knowing who may have this predisposition, patients should know it is important to avoid salt despite the cravings.

“[In future research], it would be important to demonstrate that changes in habits can be maintained in the long term and the effect of these changes is reducing cardiovascular risk,” she said.

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

Inhaling ultrafine particles from so-called “nanomaterials” — which are used in a growing number of household and commercial products, including sunscreens, ink in copy machines and lightweight sporting equipment — can cause lung inflammation and damage, a team of U.S. scientists says.

The findings of the study — which looked at the two most common types of engineered nanomaterials — are important because of the large quantities of nanomaterials being used in industry, electronics and medicine, the researchers said.

Nanomaterials are used to make product stronger and more flexible.

Earlier studies had found that breathing nanomaterials could harm the lungs, but this study is believed to be the first in which different laboratories across the country produced similar results regarding the risk.

The findings should help in creating policy for the safe development of nanotechnology, according to the authors of the study, which was published online recently in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

“This research provides further confirmation that nanomaterials have the potential to cause inflammation and injury to the lungs,” Kent Pinkerton, a study senior author and the director of the Center for Health and the Environment at the University of California, Davis, said in a university news release. “Although small amounts of these materials in the lungs do not appear to produce injury, we still must remain vigilant in using care in the diverse applications of these materials in consumer products and foods.”

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.

In the ongoing battle against malaria, bacteria may be our secret weapon, according to a study published recently in the journal Science.

Although mosquitoes don’t become infected with malaria, they can carry the parasite around, where it reproduces in their stomachs. The bacteria Wolbachia acts as a vaccine against malaria in mosquitoes and not only stops the parasite from reproducing, but also stops them from spreading the parasite to humans. The findings, researchers said, could help stop the deaths caused by malaria worldwide every year.

“Wolbachia-based malaria control strategy has been discussed for the last two decades,” Zhiyong Xi, study author and assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at Michigan State University, said in a statement. “Our work is the first to demonstrate Wolbachia can be stably established in a key malaria vector, the mosquito species Anopheles stephensi, which opens the door to use Wolbachia for malaria control.”

Wolbachia commonly infects insects, not humans, and is passed from females to their offspring, researchers said. The bacteria spread quickly throughout mosquito populations, according to the study, which means that it may only have to be applied once.

“We developed the mosquito line carrying a stable Wolbachia infection,” Xi said. “We then seeded them into uninfected populations and repeatedly produced a population of predominantly Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.”

This technique, though still years away, is promising, said Johanna Daily, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology & immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In areas of the world where malaria is prevalent, such as Africa and Southeast Asia, they use pesticides to kill mosquitoes. However, the pesticides are becoming less effective, she said.

“The problem with spraying pesticides is that mosquitoes have become resistant in many areas,” she said. “We have a few different kinds of pesticides, but not enough to keep up with how fast the mosquitoes are adapting.”

The problem of resistance, she added, would likely be eliminated if Wolbachia is used.

“It’s unlikely that mosquitoes will be resistant to bacteria because it’s not killing them,” Dr. Daily said.

Malaria is a big problem in parts of the world, and despite attempts at using bed nets and spraying to prevent it, malaria continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people every year. Using the bacteria could be a safe and effective way to help bring the infection rate down, Daily said.

“There area of the world where malaria is very endemic,” she said. “People there may have hundreds of infectious bites every year. We have a good sense of where these areas are, but it’s been hard to get the transmission rate down. This should help.”

Dr. Fredda Branyon has dedicated her life to the advancement of complementary medicine, and has worked diligently to educate both patients and physicians on the true power of hope. Throughout her illustrious career, she has studied with some of the world’s most renowned alternative oncology experts from Germany, Israel, Japan, and Mexico.