More Than 70 Percent Of Adults With Cancer Use Alternative Therapies
Science Daily reports that more than 70 percent of adult cancer patients in western Washington use alternative therapies—and almost all report substantial improvements in well-being as a result of using alternative medicine.
The results of this Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center survey—the first population-based study of its kind to look at predictors, motivators and costs of different types of alternative-medicine use in adults with cancer—first appeared in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Research on Paradigm, Practice and Policy. Lead author Ruth E. Patterson, Ph.D., R.D., said, "This is the first study to specifically inquire about patients' attitudes regarding the effectiveness of alternative treatments," Patterson said. Patients were considered users of alternative medicine if they received care from an alternative provider within the past year or had used at least one alternative supplement or therapy. Depending on the type of therapy, 83 percent to 97 percent of patients surveyed said they used alternative medicine for general health and nearly all reported that use of these therapies improved their well-being.
Glucosamine could have potential in fight against MS A report published in the December 1 2005 issue of The Journal of Immunology revealed that glucosamine, a natural product shown to be of benefit against arthritis, may also be helpful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative disease of the nervous system for which there is currently no cure. |
Vitamin strategy may curb risk of second stroke(Reuters Health) - A high-dose vitamin supplement may help reduce the risk of a second stroke, as well as death and cardiac events, according to a study published in the journal Stroke this month. The supplement consisted of vitamins B9 (folate), B6, and B12, which are known to reduce blood levels of homocysteine -- an amino acid linked to heart disease. |
Herbal extract may treat prostate cancerAn olive-oil based herbal extract preparation called Zyflamend suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells and induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, according to a new study. Zyflamend has the ability, in culture at least, to reduce prostate cancer cell growth by as much as 78 percent and induce cancer cell death or "apoptosis," scientists report in the journal Nutrition and Cancer. |
Mediterranean Diet After A Heart Attack Adds Years To LifeA healthy diet "rich in potentially protective nutrients: antioxidants such as vitamin E from fruits and vegetables, monounsaturated fatty acids from olive oil and polyunsaturated fatty acids" — the Mediterranean diet — can help keep heart disease patients alive for years, even after a devastating heart attack. Scientists have long known the health benefits of eating properly, and this study confirms that a low fat diet with lots of raw vegetables and fruits enables your cardiovascular system to fight off degenerative disease. |
Diet and exercise show immediate changes in biomarkers for cancer risk Diet and exercise might not be the sexiest tools researchers have in the field of cancer prevention, but they are the ones that seem to work most reliably. Top scientists and clinical researchers in the field of cancer prevention gathered for the American Association for Cancer Research's second annual meeting devoted to the subject of prevention. |
US heart doctors recommend new dietary guidelines The American Heart Association confirms the importance of a healthy diet. The new guidelines include five servings of fruit or vegetables, six servings of whole grain or legumes (not ground grain, such as bread), and a small selection of protein foods such as fat-free dairy, meat or poultry. the AHA also recommends eliminating trans fats, increasing exercise and eating at least two meals a week of fish to get adequate omega 3 fatty acid intake. |
Early Detection of High Cholesterol Levels in Young Adults |
Multivitamin Supplements and HIV Disease Progression and MortalityMultivitamin supplementation with vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E significantly delayed the progression of disease among HIV-infected women, as reflected by the relative risk of progression to WHO stage 4 or death from AIDS-related causes, as well as other measures of disease progression. |
Lifestyle modification beneficial in diabetes careDr. S. J. Redmond responds to a BMJ editorial suggesting that diet and lifestyle changes have not shown a benefit to diabetic patients. Dr. Redmond suggests there is little clinical evidence simply because there have been few clinical trials to test it. He blames funding of studies, which usually are designed to test a particular drug, and asks, "has anyone proved by a randomized controlled trial that appendicectomy is beneficial in appendicitis?" |
From Presumed Benefit to Potential Harm—Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has joined many other medical and professional organizations acknowledging hormone therapy for cardiovascular disease simply doesn't work. In fact, it may actually be harmful. |
Exercise Seen As Help In Cancer Fight New nutrition and fitness guidelines for the 9.5 million Americans living after a cancer diagnosis say appropriate exercise can help even the weakest eat better, feel less fatigue and recover faster. |
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