BERKELY - Seaweed extract may eventually emerge as a lymphoma treatment, according to laboratory research presented at the second AACR Dead Sea International Conference on Advances in Cancer Research.

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system and is classified into Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s types, which are then further classified into B-cell and T-cell groups.

“Some forms of B-cell lymphoma are especially resistant to standard treatment and thus new therapies are needed,” said Mohammad Irhimeh, Ph.D., assistant professor of hematoncology and stem cells at the Hashemite University in Jordan. “In this study, we looked at a new treatment strategy using novel active compounds derived from a natural source seaweed.”

Seaweeds containing fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide similar to heparin in chemical structure, have been reported to have anti-tumor activity in mice and some cell lines.

For the current study, Irhimeh and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, and Royal Hobart Hospital in Australia treated lymphoma cell lines with a commercially available seaweed extract.

They found that the extract had an inhibitory effect on the growth of lymphoma cell lines, while leaving the control healthy cells intact. The researchers also noted a significant pattern of activity in the genes known to be linked with apoptosis, or cell death, in lymphoma.

Irhimeh said they would continue to study the mechanism of action for these biological effects and had a goal of conducting phase II or III clinical trials.

One in four U.S. parents believes some vaccines cause autism in healthy children according to the Associated Press at the end of February 2010. The federal government disputes heavily this idea, so much so that it denigrates these parents and ignores the medical science that suggests a strong association between the nerve poison Thimerosal and neurological impairment

It is a closed case as far as the medical officials are concerned as stupid as that might sound. The former Chairman of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Dr. Bernadine Healy does not agree saying, “The question has not been answered.” The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2004 report on thimerosal and autism even stated, “The committee cannot rule out, based on the epidemiological evidence, the possibility that vaccines contribute to autism in some small subset or very unusual circumstances.”

Some doctors are taking a tough stand, asking vaccine-refusing parents to find other doctors and calling such parents “selfish.” A statement from a group practice near Philadelphia outlines its doctors’ adamant support for government recommended vaccines and their belief that “vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.” Doctors routinely take these stances though the former head of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Louis Cooper says, “There’s been grossly insufficient investment in research on the safety of immunization.”

It has taken us a long time to appreciate the fact that we are wasting time arguing with the government; it has not done anyone any good. We might as well argue with a heavily armed robber or psychopath, serial killer or terrorist none of whom even have the capacity or motive to listen. People and institutions with no ‘heart’ can not be reasoned with and should be avoided like the plague. Governments are the real plague and are a pandemic even up to the level of attacking our precious babies with injectable neurological poisons.

I would like to offer a way for doctors to redeem their credibility in the face of their peers, their professional organizations, humanity and God on at least on one important issue that is cracking the foundations and integrity of contemporary medicine. We are dealing with soul issues here because we are talking about the deliberate injection of newborns, children, and adults with the third most toxic substance known to man and that is mercury. Mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive element on Earth, and The World Health Organization said that there are no levels of mercury that can be considered safe.

Everyone in the United States over the age of six

months should get seasonal influenza vaccines every

year, federal vaccine advisers said on February 25, 2010.

All forms of organic mercury cross the blood-brain barrier easily, probably due to formation of a complex with the amino acid cysteine. It is eliminated from the organism slowly, therefore it has tendency to bioaccumulate. In the form of dimethylmercury a sniff can kill you. Anyone who listens to any justification of the practice of injecting organic mercury into babies should have their head seriously examined just the same as if they were justifying child sexual abuse (which some psychologists most incredulously have).

Danger! Poison! May be fatal if inhaled, absorbed through skin or swallowed. Contains material which may cause damage to the following organs: kidneys, respiratory tract, skin, eyes, central nervous system.  Section 8 – Exposure Controls: Personal Protection: Splash goggles, Full suit, Dust Respirator, Boots, Gloves, a self-contained breathing apparatus. Section 11 – Toxicology Information: Acute Oral Toxicity. Extremely hazardous in case of skin contact. May be fatal if absorbed. Extremely hazardous in case of inhalation. May be fatal if inhaled. Extremely hazardous in case of ingestion. May be fatal if swallowed.  Danger of cumulative effects.

What I am proposing is a clear declaration to the governments and medical boards around the world that we doctors and health care professionals will recommend to all our patients that they immediately reject and refuse all vaccinations until every government and medical body eliminates “all” use of the highly toxic vaccine preservative Thimerosal, which is fifty percent methyl-mercury by weight. We would not recommend to our patients that they drive around in a car with defective breaks or a sticking accelerator one more day nor should we let our patients remain ignorant of the dangers of Thimerosal. We need to collectively back government, health, and medical official’s backs against a hard wall giving them not a millimeter to sleaze away.

Mercury was taken out of animal vaccines 20 years ago

because it was too toxic, so why I ask my peers are

we allowing it to continue to be given to babies?

We have been deaf, dumb and blind to what is happening in the area of childhood vaccination, meaning we are allowing our medical colleagues to get away with murder and we are all guilty by implication. There are certain constraints or lines that must not be crossed and one is the injection of a cross and bones poison. If we support such medically insane and barbarous practices we should sign a form stating we agree with the principles and practices of the Nazi doctors who routinely injected medical subjects with lethal injections for experimental purposes. No one can say that vaccines don’t kill children for they do that all the time in what is officially known as “rare” occurrences.

There is no sitting on the fence on this issue either you support and favor the injections of poison into babies and people or you do not. It is black and white though those who think in grey shout the loudest and have most of the bullhorns in the public arena. 15% of women in America (Rh Neg) get Rhogam Thimerosal laden shots and have 50% of autistic children. If a woman has 10 or more mercury dental fillings, her chances of having an autistic child go up 27%. Boys get autism 4 to 1 more than girls. When they put mercury in Petri dishes with brain cells they get 40% cell death. Estrogen and mercury in Petri dishes somehow protected cells for only a 3% cell death. Testosterone & mercury yields 100% cell death.

Thimerosal-preserved vaccines are significant causal factors in

the development of regressive neuro-developmental disorders

including autism and related disorders/syndromes/diseases.

Dr. Paul King

A review of medical literature indicates that the characteristics of autism and of mercury poisoning (HgP) are strikingly similar. The parallels between the two diseases are so thorough as to suggest, based on total Hg injected into U.S. children, that many cases of autism are a form of mercury poisoning. Professor John Oxford of Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry states: From Alzheimer’s disease to a devastating lineup of other neurological disorders including Parkinsons, ALS, MS, autism and AD – mercury is known to be a potent neurotoxin that either is the prime cause of such disorders or certainly is seen to exacerbate them. He says, “If there is “any doubt whatsoever” about the safety of mercury in vaccines then it should be removed.”

Thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines given to children is a high crime against our civilization and all that is good in the field of medicine. Recommended and given to children 6 months and older by pediatricians since 2004, and annually to children until they turn 18, (and in 2009 in the A-H1N1 vaccine) one can only wonder where we have gone so utterly wrong injecting our babies and children with the third most toxic element known to mankind. “These injections exceed the EPA RfD mercury amount by a factor of 125 when the Thimerosal doses are 0.25-mL in each vaccine and by 250 times when the doses are set at 0.5-mL per injection. Typically a child getting the 0.25-mL dose weighs less than 18 kg (and at six months much less) and the older children who gets the 0.5-mL dose typically weighs much less than 70 kg,” reports Dr. Paul King.[1]

It seems like Pediatricians just cannot do the math or are just too lazy to do so. The EPA’s reference dose (RfD) for mercury is 0.1 microgram of mercury per kilogram of weight per day for ingested mercury, which is the legally considered adequate safety level. So how can anyone in their right mind inject a small child with a 25-microgram dose when that passes the legal dose for a humongous adult? To meet the EPA standard a person would have to weigh 551 pounds to receive the 0.5-mL vaccine dose (50 mcg) and the little baby would have to weigh 225 pounds to redeem the attending pediatrician. In some countries they inject newborns on their first day of life with 50 mcg doses and one can only wonder what children today would be like in the third world if they did not receive the Hepatitis B shots at birth.

Dr. King asks, “How can Thimerosal used as a preservative be safe when the toxicity studies required by law (21 CFR 610.15(a)) since the late 1960s have NOT been conducted (as the FDA and the vaccine makers have repeatedly admitted or failed to refute? How is a dose of mercury that exceeds the putative “safe level” (the putative no observed adverse-effect level [NOAEL]) for injected Thimerosal-related mercury (based on a chronic toxicity study in rats that is cited and recognized by the FDA) of < 0.0042 micrograms of mercury per kilogram of weight per day for developing humans by more than a factor of 2900 for a 0.25-mL dose or more than a factor of 5900 for a 0.5-mL dose be considered either safe or minuscule?”.

A quote from researcher David Geier, MD, PhD: “We went to Atlanta,” he continues, “to the CDC, and looked at the VSD [Vaccine Safety Data] data. There is thimerosal-containing DTaP [diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine] and thimerosal-free DTaP, so we asked a question: Among children that got a minimum of either three consecutive thimerosal-containing DTaPs or   three consecutive thimerosal-free DTaPs, was there a difference in the number of autism cases in the two groups? We found mega differences. More than 20 times higher. The rate of autism in the children that got more than three doses of thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines was much, much higher. Almost all the children that have autism in that group were the ones that got the thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccine. The more thimerosal the greater the cases of autism.”

A 1991 Merck memo (released 2005) shows that at least one major manufacturer was aware of the vaccine mercury concern much earlier. The 1991 memo stated 6-month-old children who received their shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than guidelines (FDA) for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish. “When viewed in this way, the mercury load appears rather large,” said the memo from Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman, an internationally renowned vaccinologist to the president of Merck’s vaccine division. “It is reasonable to conclude” that it should be eliminated where possible, he said, “especially where use in infants and young children is anticipated.”

A special federal court ruled against parents who claimed childhood vaccines had caused their children to develop autism. The “vaccine court” examined the evidence presented and concluded, “It was abundantly clear that the petitioners’ theories of causation were speculative and unpersuasive.” What is abundantly clear is that a court ruling has nothing to do with either science or the reality of one of the most toxic substances known to man and its effect on children. It does not matter what anyone says; nothing and no one will remove the skull and crossbones label from Thimerosal, meaning no one can remove the immanent dangers to child if this substance is injected.

“There is no convincing evidence that thimerosal is a factor in the onset of

autism” is the mantra of medical officials, and no matter how wrong, mean,

stupid, and ugly these officials are they remain publically and legally right.

Not everyone has been convinced nor has anyone approved the government’s effort to cover up the dangers of thimerosal. Rep. Dan Burton, a Republican from Indiana, oversaw a three-year investigation of thimerosal after his grandson was diagnosed with autism. “Thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines is directly related to the autism epidemic,” his House Government Reform Committee concluded in its final report. “This epidemic in all probability may have been prevented or curtailed had the FDA not been asleep at the switch regarding a lack of safety data regarding injected thimerosal, a known neurotoxin.” The FDA and other public-health agencies failed to act, the committee added, out of “institutional malfeasance for self protection” and “misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical industry.”

Few studies of the toxicity of Thimerosal in humans have been performed and yet the CDC and the FDA consider it safe. What is clear is that these organizations do not protect the public from obvious dangers having sold their souls to pharmaceutical interests. Cases have been reported of severe poisoning by accidental exposure or attempted suicide, with some fatalities to Thimerosal. Animal experiments suggest that Thimerosal rapidly dissociates to release ethyl mercury after injection; that the disposition patterns of mercury are similar to those after exposure to equivalent doses of ethylmercury chloride; and that the central nervous system and the kidneys are targets, with lack of motor coordination being a common sign.

So display some medical integrity and join with all doctors and healers everywhere and just say no to this madness. Tell your patients to avoid vaccines like the plague because the umbrella organizations like the CDC and the FDA have been compromised and cannot be trusted. One must not lay ones child on the alter of the dirtiest bastards that have ever walked our earth, monsters that would defend the injection of newborn babies with thousands of trillions of molecules of ethyl-mercury.

Defending the use of mercury in vaccines is a direct vote for this practice anywhere on the planet it is happening and makes one responsible, in part, for it. We have all inadvertently defended its use, for we continue to allow it to happen, but it has not been clear how to stop the medical officials and all those who support them.

Let’s at least turn our backs on the medical establishment on this one form of medical lunacy that implicates us all in a civilization disruptive practice that targets the young with illegal and humane medical mistreatment. Even if you are afraid to go on public record as taking a medical stand against medical officials and their untrustworthy pronouncements commit oneself to quietly handing out this document to patients telling them that we cannot support any part of the vaccination program because you cannot trust the principle organizations and people involved because of the Thimerosal cover-up. Explain to them that just like you would not support the use of a dangerous car or spoiled and tainted foods you cannot support the outrageous stonewalling of Thimerosal and its use one more day.

Nearly 50% of Americans residing in the United States use some type of vitamin or vitamin supplement ever day. Even though they may take vitamins, most are unaware of the fact that nearly 90% of the nutrients and minerals found in the vitamin isn’t properly absorbed by the body, which means they are virtually watered down and most of their benefits proven to be not effective.

Almost all individuals who take vitamins use the pill form. Pills were once thought of to be the best, simply because they were the only vitamin sources. These days, liquid vitamins are much more effective, and people are starting to realize it. Although many use pills or chewable vitamins, they aren’t getting near the benefit they think they are.

Vitamins and supplements are very popular, especially for those who have active lifestyles and find it difficult to consume the necessary vitamins and minerals they need from the proper meals. Therefore, those with busy lifestyles turn to vitamins and supplements to give their bodies what it needs to carry out day to day activities. Even though you should never replace food with vitamins, vitamins can help you to get the nutrients and minerals you need on a daily basis.

The main reason why liquid vitamins are more effective than pills and tablets is due to the nature of their liquid base. With the vitamins being liquid, they are easier for the body to digest and easily absorbed into the digestive tract as well. Chewable tablets and pills will pass through the body in hard form, making them hard to digest. Liquid is always digested when it passes through, so it will go through your body quicker and take effect faster.

Due to the body having to work less to break down and absorb liquid vitamins, they will pass through the body much faster. The nutrients and minerals contained in liquid vitamins will reach vital areas faster through the bloodstream, and they are easier to use by the most important organs in your body that need them the most. Liquid is also easy to swallow as well, as you can add the liquid vitamin to your favorite juice or just take it right out of the bottle if you prefer.

With pills or chewable vitamins, the majority of the nutrients and minerals that are contained in the vitamins aren’t normally broken down in the digestive system. With these types of vitamins being in hard form, they are harder for the body to pass at the most crucial moments, where the body needs to have nutrients and minerals. Unless you completely chew up the vitamin, it can stay in hard form until it passes through when you go to the bathroom. If this happens, you are normally just wasting the vitamin as it doesn’t have a chance to get into the bloodstream.

Liquid vitamins have proven themselves to be the best way to get the minerals and nutrients your body needs. As more and more people discover the benefits of liquid vitamins and how easy they are to digest, they make the switch. Liquid is far superior to tablets and pills, simply because it tastes better, it’s easier to digest, and it travels through the body faster. You can find many different flavors and types of vitamin supplements at your local nutrition store, or get online and order what you need there. Either way you go - you’ll find liquid vitamins to be the ideal way to get the nutrients you need for you body on a daily basis.

By – P. Stevens

LONDON - Drivers who listen to songs by artists such as Eminem, Dizzee Rascal and Jay-Z in their cars are most at risk of accidents, claims a new study.

According to a survey of over 2,000 drivers by Auto Trader magazine, almost half of the volunteers admitted that rap or hip hop music affects their mood adversely while driving.

Nearly one in five drivers say that makes them aggressive behind the wheel.

Just six per cent said that listening to rap or hip hop helps relaxes them on the road, reports The Telegraph.

Neil Grieg, director of policy and research at road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: “We all know the drivers who play loud, pounding rap music where you can hear the ground shake before they arrive.

“Police crash investigation reports do not say what music people were listening to before an accident, so it comes down to self-reporting, opinion research.

“If people recognize within themselves that they were listening to a certain type of music when they had road rage problems or crashes, it would be worth them considering changing the music.

“But if you listen to rap music in the car, you are most likely to be young and male and unfortunately that is the target group least likely to listen to road safety advice.”

It has been hypothesized that wild yam ( Dioscorea villosa  and other  Dioscorea  species) possesses dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-like properties and acts as a precursor to human sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Based on this proposed mechanism, extracts of the plant have been used to treat painful menstruation, hot flashes, and headaches associated with menopause.

However, these uses are based on a misconception that wild yam contains hormones or hormonal precursors - largely due to the historical fact that progesterone, androgens, and cortisone were chemically manufactured from Mexican wild yam in the 1960s. It is unlikely that this chemical conversion to progesterone occurs in the human body. The hormonal activity of some topical wild yam preparations has been attributed to adulteration with synthetic progesterone by manufacturers, although there is limited evidence in this area.

The effects of the wild yam saponin constituent “diosgenin” on lipid metabolism are well documented in animal models and are possibly due to impaired intestinal cholesterol absorption. However, its purported hypocholesterolemic effect in humans and the feasibility of long-term use warrant further investigation.

There are few reported contraindications to the use of wild yam in adults. However, there are no reliable safety or toxicity studies during pregnancy, lactation, or childhood.

Atlantic yam, barbasco, batata silvestre, black yam, China root, colic root, devil’s bones,  Dioscorea ,  Dioscorea barbasco ,  Dioscorea hypoglauca ,  Dioscorea macrostachya ,  Dioscorea opposita ,  Dioscorea villosa , Dioscoreae (family), diosgenin, Mexican yam, natural DHEA, phytoestrogen, potassium, rheumatism root, shan yao, white yam, wild yam root, yam, yellow yam, yuma.

Note: “Yams” sold in the supermarket are members of the sweet potato family and are not true yams.

These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

High cholesterol

Animal studies have shown that wild yam can reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the gut. Early studies in humans have shown changes in the levels of certain sub-types of cholesterol, including decreases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides and increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good cholesterol”). However, no changes in the total amount of blood cholesterol have been found. More studies are needed in this area.

Menopausal symptoms

Most studies have not shown a benefit from wild yam given by mouth or used as a vaginal cream in reducing menopausal symptoms. However, replacing two thirds of staple food with yam for 30 days was shown to improve the status of sex hormones, lipids, and antioxidants in a recent study in postmenopausal women. The authors suggest that these effects might reduce the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Further research is needed before a recommendation can be made.        C

Hormonal properties (to mimic estrogen, progesterone, or DHEA)

Despite popular belief, no natural progestins, estrogens, or other reproductive hormones are found in wild yam. Its active ingredient, diosgenin, is not converted to hormones in the human body. Artificial progesterone has been added to some wild yam products. The belief that there are hormones in wild yam may be due to the historical fact that progesterone, androgens, and cortisone were chemically manufactured from Mexican wild yam in the 1960s.          

Antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, asthma, bile flow improvement, biliary colic, breast cancer, breast enlargement, cancer prevention, cardiovascular disease, carminative (prevents gas), childbirth, cramps, croup, decreased perspiration, diverticulitis, energy improvement, excessive perspiration, expectorant, intestinal spasm, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, libido, liver protection, low blood sugar, menstrual pain or irregularities, morning sickness, nerve pain, osteoporosis, pancreatic enzyme inhibitor, pelvic cramps, postmenopausal vaginal dryness, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), rash, rheumatic pain, spasms, urinary tract disorders, uterus contraction, vomiting.

The below doses are based on scientific research, publications, traditional use, or expert opinion. Many herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested, and safety and effectiveness may not be proven. Brands may be made differently, with variable ingredients, even within the same brand. The below doses may not apply to all products. You should read product labels, and discuss doses with a qualified healthcare provider before starting therapy.

Adults (18 years and older)

Allergies

Rubbing the skin with  Dioscorea batatas  (a yam species related to  Dioscorea villosa ) has been reported to cause allergic rash. Workers exposed to  Dioscorea batatas  in large amounts and for a prolonged time have developed asthma that is made worse by exposure to the yam. A person who is known to have an allergy to  Dioscorea batatas  may also be allergic to other  Dioscorea  types.

Side Effects and Warnings

Rubbing the skin with  Dioscorea batatas , a related yam species, has been reported to cause a rash at the site of contact. Wild yam cream caused no rash in 23 healthy women in one reported study. In another study, wild yam given by mouth was reported to cause stomach upset at high doses.

Wild yam was believed in the past to have properties similar to the reproductive hormone progesterone, but this has not been supported by scientific studies. It has been suggested that some wild yam creams might be tainted with artificial progesterone. Based on theoretical hormonal properties and possible progesterone contamination, people with hormone-sensitive conditions should use wild yam products with caution. This caution applies to people who have had blood clots or strokes and to women who take hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills. In addition, women with fibroids, endometriosis, or cancer of the breast, uterus, or ovary should be aware that these are hormone-sensitive conditions that may be affected by agents with hormonal properties.

Caution is advised in patients with diabetes or low blood sugar and in those taking drugs, herbs, or supplements that affect blood sugar. Blood sugar levels may need to be monitored by a healthcare provider and medication adjustments may be necessary.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Use of wild yam is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to a lack of safety information. Wild yam is believed to cause uterine contractions and therefore use is discouraged during pregnancy. Wild yam was once thought to have effects similar to those of reproductive hormones, although this has not been proven in scientific studies. Artificial progesterone may be added to some products.

InteractionsReturn to top

Most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested for interactions with other herbs, supplements, drugs, or foods. The interactions listed below are based on reports in scientific publications, laboratory experiments, or traditional use. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy.

Interactions with Drugs

It is not clear whether blood sugar is lowered by  Dioscorea villosa  (wild yam). Dioscoretine, a compound found in the related species  Dioscorea dumentorum  (bitter or African yam), has been shown to lower blood sugar levels, but this has not been shown for  Dioscorea villosa . Effects on blood sugar in humans have not been reported. Nonetheless, caution is advised when using medications that may also lower blood sugar. People taking diabetes drugs by mouth or insulin should be monitored closely by a qualified healthcare provider. Medication adjustments may be necessary.

Early evidence suggests that wild yam lowers blood levels of indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and reduces irritation of the intestine caused by indomethacin. Human studies have not been reported in this area and it is not clear if wild yam affects the blood levels of other anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®).

Diosgenin, thought to be the active substance in wild yam, has been found in animals to reduce absorption of cholesterol from the intestine and to lower total cholesterol levels in the blood. Studies in humans show no change in the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, although the amounts of specific types of cholesterol in the blood may be changed; low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides may be lowered and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good cholesterol”) may be increased. It is thought that wild yam may enhance the effects of other cholesterol-lowering medications, including fibric acid derivatives such as clofibrate (Questran®), gemfibrozil (Lopid®), and fenofibrate (Tricor®). In animals, wild yam has been found to improve the effect of clofibrate in lowering cholesterol levels.

Tinctures of wild yam may contain high amounts of alcohol and may lead to vomiting if taken with disulfiram (Antabuse®) or metronidazole (Flagyl®).

An early study suggests that wild yam may interfere with the body’s ability to control levels of the reproductive hormone progesterone. Progesterone is a key ingredient in some hormone replacement and birth control pills. There are reports that some wild yam products may be tainted with artificial progesterone. Women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy should speak with a licensed healthcare provider before taking wild yam.

Wild yam may also interact with steroids, although human evidence is lacking.

Interactions with Herbs and Dietary Supplements

It is not clear whether  Dioscorea villosa  (wild yam) lowers blood sugar levels. Although dioscoretine, produced by the related species  Dioscorea dumentorum  (bitter or African yam), has been shown to lower blood sugar, this reaction has not been seen with  Dioscorea villosa  and has not been reported in humans. Nonetheless, caution is advised when using herbs or supplements that may also lower blood glucose. Blood glucose levels may require monitoring and doses may need adjustment.

Diosgenin, thought to be the active substance in wild yam, has been found in animals to reduce absorption of cholesterol from the intestine and to lower total cholesterol levels in the blood. Studies in humans show no change in the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, although the amounts of specific types of cholesterol in the blood may be changed; low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides may be lowered and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good cholesterol”) appears to be increased.

In an early study, a wild yam preparation was reported to block the body’s natural production of progesterone. However, this finding was not supported by later research. There have been several reports that some wild yam products are tainted with synthetic progesterone. Because wild yam may contain progesterone-like chemicals, the effects of other agents believed to have hormone-like properties, in particular those with estrogen-like properties, may be altered.

Wild yam may also interact with potassium vitamin C or steroids, although human evidence is lacking.

HAVANA -  The effects of anamú tablets, a drug made from the leaves of this plant, will be on trial from March in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba.

Developed by East Pharmaceutical (LFO), the first natural Cuban stimulant is aimed at treating patients with cancer and AIDS whose immunological system is depressed as a result of the disease and aggressive treatments.

In statements published in Juventud Rebelde newspaper, Zoe Lemus, the laboratory specialist explained that they have concluded the industrial scale production of some 160 000 tablets.

These pills will be introduced in specialized consultations at the Conrado Benitez oncology hospital, and the HIV-Oriente Center, located in the Juan Bruno Zayas hospital, in Santiago de Cuba.

Anamu is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows up to 1 m in height. It is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and tropical areas of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

The plant has a long history in alternative medicine in all of the tropical countries where it grows. In Brazilian herbal medicine, it is considered an antispasmodic, diuretic, menstrual stimulant and sweat promoter. In other countries is used to treat edema, arthritis, malaria, rheumatism, and poor memory and as a topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory for skin diseases.

Following successful animal testing and the registration of the new drug, the immediate initiation of studies in patients can be interpreted as an achievement of science from Santiago de Cuba. This was the result of integration between specialists of the LFO, the Center for Toxicology and Biomedicine and the Regulatory Bureau for Health Protection in the said province.

Classical music, aromatherapy, massage tables…these are things you’d expect to find at a day spa.  But these mind-relaxing modes are now being used for a different purpose…medicine.

It used to be that hospitals kept to traditional, or what’s known as western medicine.

But more medical facilities in Maine are realizing that treating the problem isn’t enough, you have to mend the person as well.

“In the last decade or so, the word integrative medicine has been used more and more.”

Dr. john Woytowicz should know. He’s the Director of Integrative Medicine at Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency in Augusta. The physician started studying herbs at the request of his patients.

“Over time, I’ve incorporated botanical medicine into my practice,” says Dr. Woytowicz.

At one time, holistic healing was considered alternative medicine. But now, Dr. Woytowicz and other physicians around Maine are offering it to their patients as an enhancement option for more traditional treatments.

“I try to use it as another service to provide to them, another set of skills that might help them,” the herbalist says.

Dr. Woytowicz says many common health problems can be treated with botanical medicines.

“Things like headaches, arthritis, digestive problems is a very, very common area where herbal medicines can be very, very useful. Herbs are different from pharmaceuticals in many ways. I mean, they have active ingredients, but there’s many active ingredients in a plant. And they’re balanced in some ways.”

Sherrie Woodward is the Senior Vice President for Patient Services at Maine General Medical Center.

“I think we’re coming out of a generation that looked for a pill to be the answer for everything.”

Maine General has incorporated integrative medicine into many of its patient services. Things like art and music therapy, reiki, accupuncture, and massage.

“We try to look at the patient as an individual and as a whole. And what works for you may not work for me,” says Woodward.

Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor also uses integrative medicine, particularly in its rehab and cancer centers.

Reiki, a type of touch therapy, is provided to patients as well as family members.

“Patients have had very positive responses,” says Martha Wildman, director of volunteer services at EMMC. “We’re tracking our sessions, Reiki sessions, and the patients have overwhelmingly had very positive responses. They don’t all necessarily know exactly what’s happened but they are very comfortable with it and feel very comforted and much less pain in a lot of situations.”

“I think as we’re learning, that often times healing comes from within and that there are many different modalities of what we need to do,” says Woodward.

A call to hospitals around the area revealed that integrative medicine is still a new idea.

Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover Foxcroft does offer accupucture at one of its family practices.

St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor offers an art therapy program for folks with diabetes.

Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast did offer reiki and massage therapy, but was forced to stop because of budget cuts.

CHICAGO - Doctors at Rush University Medical Center are offering pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses acupuncture therapy to help ease the pain and negative side effects like nausea, fatigue, and vomiting caused by chronic health conditions and intensive treatments. The confluence of Chinese and Western medicine at Rush Children’s Hospital is part of a study to analyze and document how acupuncture might help in reducing pain in children and increase quality of life.

“Treating children with acupuncture is a new frontier,” said Dr. Paul Kent, pediatric hematology and oncology expert, Rush Children’s Hospital. “We are looking to see if there is an effective pain management therapy we can offer that does not have the serious side effects that can be caused by narcotics and other serious pain medications.”

The lack of options for pain management in children has been reported as one of the most difficult aspects of providing care to pediatric patients. Research indicates that up to 70 percent of pediatric patients experience pain and those with chronic illnesses often do not have adequate relief or prevention of pain.

“Acupuncture could be a potential solution to this dilemma of controlling pain in pediatric patients,” said Angela Johnson, Chinese medicine practitioner at Rush.

Acupuncture is the use of tiny, hair-thin needles which are gently inserted along various parts of the body. The therapy is based on the premise that patterns of energy flowing through the body are essential for health. This energy, called Qi, flows along certain pathways. It is believed that placing the tiny needles at points along the pathways reduce pain and improve the healing process.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has published a statement concluding that acupuncture is effective for treating adults for nausea following chemotherapy and for pain after dental surgery. The agency also said that the therapy might be useful in treating other health issues such as addiction, migraines, headaches, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, arthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma. In some pediatric studies, both patients and parents have stated that acupuncture treatments were both helpful and relaxing.

Rush will be offering acupuncture therapy to pediatric patients between the ages of 5-20 years of age, who are experiencing pain. A practitioner who is licensed in acupuncture by the State of Illinois and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will be giving the treatments. Study participants will receive eight acupuncture treatments at no charge.

“Many children with chronic or acute health issues turn to complementary or integrative approaches after all other conventional treatment options are exhausted,” said Johnson. “Parents should be aware that integrative therapies like acupuncture can be helpful from the onset of disease and can have a tremendously positive influence on a child’s quality of life.”

Compared with 2008, 27 states improved, 18 deteriorated, and 5 unchanged

by Elizabeth Mendes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hawaii’s residents had the highest well-being in the nation in 2009, pulling ahead of 2008 leader Utah, and coming in with a new high state Well-Being Index score of 70.2. Utah and Montana are also among the top well-being states in the country, sharing the same score of 68.3. Kentucky (62.3) and West Virginia (60.5) have the two lowest well-being scores, as they did in 2008.

Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index 2009 state-level data encompass more than 350,000 interviews conducted among national adults aged 18 older across all 50 states. Gallup and Healthways started tracking state-level well-being in 2008. The Well-Being Index score for the nation and for each state is an average of six sub-indexes, which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.

The Well-Being Index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 would represent ideal well-being. Well-Being Index scores among states vary by a narrow range of 9.7 points. The 2009 Well-Being Index score for the country is 65.9, unchanged from 2008.

Nine of the top 10 well-being states — Hawaii, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and Alaska — are in the Midwest and the West. Seven of the 11 lowest well-being states are in the South. The general geography of well-being in 2009 remained similar to 2008.

In addition to having the highest overall Well-Being Index score, Hawaii was best in the nation on three of the six well-being sub-indexes, Life Evaluation, Emotional Health, and Physical Health. At the opposite end of the spectrum is West Virginia, which performed the worst on the same three sub-indexes. Utah does the best on the Work Environment Index, with a score more than 10 points higher than that of the worst state on this measure, Delaware. As in 2008, Mississippi is at the bottom on the Basic Access Index, and Kentucky scores the worst on the Healthy Behavior Index.

Each state’s sub-index score reflects the average of the positive percentages found for each of items detailed in the chart above. For example, Mississippi’s Basic Access Index score of 77.3 means that, on average, more than three-quarters of its residents do have access across each of the basic necessities asked about in the sub-index, but that still leaves a large number who are in need, representing millions of people.

Change in Well-Being From 2008 to 2009

Generally speaking, well-being has been fairly stable over time; most states exhibited little change from 2008 to 2009. Only four states — South Dakota, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Iowa — saw an increase of two or more points in their Well-Being Index score from 2008 to 2009. Wyoming saw the largest decrease at 1.3 points. Overall, 18 states moved in a negative direction, 27 in a positive direction, and 5 remained unchanged.

Some of the six sub-indexes scores are more likely to move because of several factors including the number of questions included in the sub-index and the content of the questions. For example, the Life Evaluation Index, which is calculated using two questions asking respondents to rate their lives now and in the future, score changes a good deal throughout the course of the year. Across states, 2008 to 2009 change in Life Evaluation Index scores ranged from 11.0 in Maine to -1.7 in Wyoming. After Maine, two of the biggest gains in Life Evaluation scores from 2008 to 2009, 10.7 and 10.5 points, were in North Dakota and South Dakota, respectively, also the two states with the highest percentage of residents who were satisfied with their standard of living in 2009. Although Wyoming was the only state in which the Life Evaluation Index score decreased last year in comparison to 2008, the downtick is not statistically significant.

Basic Access Index scores, on the other hand, are less likely to change over time. This sub-index is made up of 13 individual questions, many of which are items that require community, business, or governmental intervention to change such as if the city where the respondent lives in is getting better or worse as a place to live and if it is easy to get affordable fruits and vegetables where the respondent lives. The year-over-year range of change on this measure is from 0.8 points to -2.1 points and most of the change is not statistically significant, meaning that access to the basic necessities a person needs to have high well-being is essentially stagnant across the United States. However, cities and communities potentially have the opportunity to move the needle on the Basic Access metric by taking significant steps to improve the health and well-being of their residents.

While certain metrics are in the control of the individual and others fall upon businesses and the government to change, what is clear is that a much bigger society-wide effort is needed for more Americans to move their Well-Being Index score closer to the optimal level of 100 points.

Recent media reports have covered research announced ahead of the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Annual Meeting in April which suggested that milk during pregnancy may lower a baby’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life.

The theory from the researchers in Boston, announced in an AAN press release, was based on a survey of American mothers.

It was claimed that MS risk was lower among women born to mothers with high milk or dietary vitamin D intake in pregnancy.

Unfortunately UK media reports focused on the milk link ; however it is in fact the case that there are only trace elements of vitamin D in milk consumed in this country.

Unlike America, most of Britain’s milk is not fortified with vitamin D and so whatever quantity of milk is ingested, vitamin D levels in the body are likely to remain unaffected.

While it may be true that vitamin D has previously been shown to potentially play a role in MS, maintaining a healthy, balanced diet including oily fish and exposing skin to safe levels of sunshine are the best ways to increase levels of vitamin D.

SYDNEY - Walking less than two miles a couple of times a week and taking a natural supplement can significantly ease the crippling pain of arthritis, a new study shows.

 Walking further or for five days a week did not make patients feel substantially better, the study also shows.

Experts recommend that most people walk for much longer, around 10,000 steps a day, to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

But there has been confusion over how much exercise those with osteoarthritis, the ‘wear and tear’ form of the condition, thought to affect around eight million people in Britain, should take.

Dr Kristiann Heesch, from the University of Queensland in Australia, who led the study, said: “These findings provide preliminary evidence that osteoarthritis sufferers can benefit from a combination of glucosamine sulphate and walking 3,000 steps per day for exercise, in bouts of at least 1,500 steps each, on at least three days per week.”

The supplement, glucosamine sulphate, which is made from the shells of shellfish, has previously been linked to easing the pain of arthritis, although the evidence has not been conclusive.

Volunteers took the supplement for six weeks, by the end of which their pain levels had fallen by 13 per cent.

They were then asked start taking regular exercise on top of the supplement.

By the end of six months patients reported that both their levels of pain and stiffness had halved, the findings, published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy, show.

Jane Tadman, from the Arthritis Research Campaign, said: “We know that exercise and keeping mobile is very important for people with arthritis to keep the muscles that support the joints strong and supple.

“But we don’t really know what the appropriate amount of exercise is, and this study is an attempt to answer that.”

She added: “Recent studies into the effectiveness of glucosamine have been very mixed, although anecdotally lots of people with osteoarthritis report some benefit.”

Jane Spence, from Arthritis Care, said: “Maintaining a healthy weight and taking a mixture of appropriate exercise and rest as advised by your health professional is sensible for people to manage their condition.

“Exercise is good for overall wellbeing, helps mobility, and actually lifts low spirits by releasing endorphins – the body’s natural ‘painkillers’ – into the bloodstream.”

The University of Queensland team admit that there study was small, with only 36 patients completing the full six months – in part because some were advised to drop out of the trial by their family doctor, concerned that they should not take too much exercise.

They have called for larger studies to validate their findings.

Last year similar research suggested that practising Tai Chi could ease the pain of arthritis.

The NHS performs 65,000 knee replacements a year, many on patients with arthritis of the knee.

TORONTO - As if people needed any more reason to eat chocolate - now scientists find a bar a week could stop you from having a stroke.

A study of nearly 50,000 people found that those eating chocolate were 22 per cent less likely to suffer a stroke than those that didn’t.

And those who did suffer a stroke but had indulged in chocolate were 46 per cent less likely to die as a result.

The reason is believed to be that the food is rich in flavanoids, a healthy anti-oxidant, although researchers at the University of Toronto are keen to carry out extra studies.

Sarah Sahib, the study author of the University of Toronto in Canada, said: “More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others.”

She worked alongside colleague Dr Gustavo Saposnik and they found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 per cent less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate.

A second study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate.

The researchers found only one additional relevant study in their search of all the available research. That study found no link between eating chocolate and risk of stroke or death.

However, Dr Saposnik warned: “Eating too much chocolate can make you fat as chocolate also contains saturated fats.

“Further investigation needs to be done. We need to study specific chocolate consumption.”

The findings are due to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto.

CAIRO - A nasal spray containing the hormone linked to bonding helps people with autism become more sociable and trusting, scientists have found.

Autism impedes the ability to communicate or form relationships. Many people with the condition find eye contact difficult.

“Under oxytocin, patients with high-functioning autism respond more strongly to others and exhibit more appropriate social behaviour,” wrote Elissar Andari, of the Institut des Sciences Cognitives, a French government centre for neuroscience research.

In a summary of her presentation to the Mediterranean Conference of Neuroscience, held in Egypt, she said the results “suggested a therapeutic potential of oxytocin through its action on a core dimension of autism”.

About 500,000 Britons have autism, with many suffering exclusion from school and long-term unemployment because of the associated behavioural problems.

As well as communication problems, people with autism can also experience over or under sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.

The researchers pointed out that the effects of the nasal spray were transient and the findings did not mean that a therapy was imminent.

Any proposed medication would have to undergo extensive testing, which could take years.

In the study, the subjects were asked to inhale oxytocin and then to undergo two tests to see if the hormone had altered their behaviour.

One test involved playing a simulated ball game on a computer with three virtual players.

After inhaling oxytocin, the 13 patients could work out which of the virtual players was most co-operative and trustworthy much more effectively than subjects who had received a placebo.

The 13 subjects were next asked to look at pictures of faces to test their ability to look into people’s eyes.

Ms Andari wrote: “Oxytocin selectively increased patient’s gazing time on the socially informative region of the face such as the eyes.”

Gina Gómez de la Cuesta, research leader at the National Autistic Society, said:

“A number of studies have found that oxytocin appears to play a key role in social behaviour and social understanding.

“However further rigorous scientific evaluation necessary before we can fully assess any potential benefits.

“As autism is a spectrum condition, which affects people in very different ways, any intervention that may help one person may not be effective for another.”

SHEFFIELD - Researchers have found that the traditional favorite, like many red vegetables, contains cancer killing chemicals.

And baking the plant for 20 minutes – like in a crumble or pie – dramatically increases their concentration.

Now it is hoped that extracting the substances from the plant could come up with new drug treatments for cancers such as leukaemia.

The findings showed the chemicals, called polyphenols, could kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells and could be used to develop new, less toxic, treatments for the disease.

It could even be used in cases where cancers had proved resistant to other treatments.

The study, by Sheffield Hallam University, is the first time the benefits of British garden rhubarb, specifically a variety grown in south Yorkshire, have been studied.

Previous research focused on Oriental medicinal rhubarb, which has been recognised for its health benefits and used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

Academics now hope to discover the best combination of rhubarb’s polyphenols and chemotherapy agents needed to kill leukaemia cells.

Dr Nikki Jordan-Mahy, of Sheffield Hallam University’s biomedical research centre, said: “Our research has shown that British rhubarb is a potential source of chemicals that may be used to develop new anti-cancerous drugs.

“Rhubarb has been shown to have some very interesting polyphenols that have anti-cancerous properties. Eating a nice crumble will be good for you.

“But if we can extract the polyphenols they may be useful in helping to fight cancer along with chemotherapy.

“Current treatments are not effective in all cancers and resistance is a common problem as is toxicity.

“Cancer affects one in three individuals in the UK so it’s very important to discover novel, less toxic, treatments, which can overcome resistance.”

LONDON - The heir to the throne, who is a long-standing supporter of complementary and alternative medicine, made his comments on Friday morning after meeting ordinands at St Mellitus College, London’s newest Anglican theological training institution.

Discussing the trainee priests’ decision to go into the church, the Prince said: “It would seem in today’s world that this was a frightfully unfashionable thing to do, but ladies and gentleman, you are, in some extraordinary way, bucking the trend.”

He praised the work of the evangelical Alpha Course, which was founded by the parish vicar, Nicky Gumbel of Holy Trinity Brompton.

The Prince, who would become Supreme Governor of the Church of England if he is crowned king, said: “The fact that you are able to plant churches and help encourage congregations in some of these previously redundant, unused churches is again enormously encouraging and I greatly admire Nicky Gumbel and indeed his son for the work they are doing and for the work they are inspiring among so many of you.”

He went on: “One of the reasons I started my Foundation for Integrated Health was to try and encourage people to appreciate the fact that we are made up of mind, body and spirit.

“One of the great tragedies, it seems to me, about today’s world is the way in which it has become so fragmented that we can no longer see the whole picture, we no longer see the unity of things let alone our relationship and inter-connectedness with nature, because after all we are nature but somehow we are taught that we apart from it and not a part of it.”

The Prince referred to Marylebone Health Centre, which he opened in the crypt of a church in 1987 as the first NHS practice to use complementary therapies such as massage, acupuncture and homeopathy.

It is linked to a Healing and Counselling Centre where patients can receive “healing prayer” and “spiritual direction” with Christian priests.

The Prince said: “The thing I thought was so wonderful about that particular clinic was the fact that they used the Church of England spiritual healing mission.

“So often the doctors would tell me they would be able to send a patient down the corridor to the Church of England spiritual healing mission, who would have time to listen and it was the listening to the particular problem that people had, that actually helped the healing process.

“And again, so often those people that had been healed would come back to help with others.”

He went on: “It always seemed to me that in today’s world because of the fragmentation and the disconnection, the greatest challenge it seems is how do you reconnect people to anything like a spiritual understanding? It seemed to me that one way possibly was through healthcare, if you can reintroduce people to the mind, body and spirit element in their make up.”

Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they can manifest real physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating, having a serious impact on daily life.

People often experience a general state of worry or fear before confronting something challenging such as a test, examination, recital, or interview. These feelings are easily justified and considered normal. Anxiety is considered a problem when symptoms interfere with a person’s ability to sleep or otherwise function. Generally speaking, anxiety occurs when a reaction is out of proportion with what might be normally expected in a situation.

Anxiety disorders can be classified into several more specific types. The most common are briefly described below.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social Anxiety Disorder is a type of social phobia characterized by a fear of being negatively judged by others or a fear of public embarrassment due to impulsive actions. This includes feelings such as stage fright, a fear of intimacy, and a fear of humiliation. This disorder can cause people to avoid public situations and human contact to the point that normal life is rendered impossible.

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by thoughts or actions that are repetitive, distressing, and intrusive. OCD suffers usually know that their compulsions are unreasonable or irrational, but they serve to alleviate their anxiety. Often, the logic of someone with OCD will appear superstitious, such as an insistence in walking in a certain pattern. OCD sufferers may obsessively clean personal items or hands or constantly check locks, stoves, or light switches.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is anxiety that results from previous trauma such as military combat, rape, hostage situations, or a serious accident. PTSD often leads to flashbacks and behavioral changes in order to avoid certain stimuli.

What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?

Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by high levels of anxiety when separated from a person or place that provides feelings of security or safety. Sometimes separation results in panic, and it is considered a disorder when the response is excessive or inappropriate.

What is Panic Disorder?

Panic Disorder is a type of anxiety characterized by brief or sudden attacks of intense terror and apprehension that leads to shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing. Panic attacks tend to arise abruptly and peak after 10 minutes, but they then may last for hours. Panic disorders usually occur after frightening experiences or prolonged stress, but they can be spontaneous as well. A panic attack may lead an individual to be acutely aware of any change in normal body function, interpreting it as a life threatening illness - hypervigiliance followed by hypochondriasis. In addition, panic attacks lead a sufferer to expect future attacks, which may cause drastic behavioral changes in order to avoid these attacks.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive, long-lasting anxiety and worry about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations. GAD sufferers often feel afraid and worry about health, money, family, work, or school, but they have trouble both identifying the specific fear and controlling the worries. Their fear is usually unrealistic or out of proportion with what may be expected in their situation. Sufferers expect failure and disaster to the point that it interferes with daily functions like work, school, social activities, and relationships.

What is a Phobia?

A Phobia is an irrational fear and avoidance of an object or situation. Phobias are different from generalized anxiety disorders because a phobia has a fear response identified with a specific cause. The fear may be acknowledged as irrational or unnecessary, but the person is still unable to control the anxiety that results. Stimuli for phobia may be as varied as situations, animals, or everyday objects. For example, agoraphobia occurs when one avoids a place or situation to avoid an anxiety or panic attack. Agoraphobics will situate themselves so that escape will not be difficult or embarrassing, and they will change their behavior to reduce anxiety about being able to escape.

Cancer treatment can be more beneficial and efficient when Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners understand each other better.

CAN Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) join hands to treat cancer patients?

If you asked Prof Li FuMin, a Singapore-based consultant TCM practitioner who specialises in immunology and oncology, the answer is yes. In fact, an integration of both techniques is more beneficial than using any of them alone, he says, but only if doctors from both sides talked to each other more often.

In China, where Western medicine and TCM are deemed equal, there is generally greater integration in their approaches to cancer treatment

“Both Western and TCM have their individual strengths and weaknesses. And cancer is a unique disease that neither of them can treat nor cure fully,” Li, 68, explains when met in Kuala Lumpur recently. “That is why integrating the two might be more efficient in treating the disease.”

Although his statement might appeal to conventional logic, barriers to an integrative approach in cancer treatment have thus far prevented it from becoming a widespread reality. The lack of communication and mutual trust between practitioners from both systems are among two of them.

“In China, where Western medicine and TCM are deemed equal, and medical students from both systems are required to have basic knowledge of the other medical system, there is generally greater integration in the approach,” Li said. In other places, where complementary medicine is still regarded with a huge dose of scepticism, patients can find it more difficult to benefit from both systems.

“Sometimes patients are told to completely avoid consuming traditional Chinese medicines when they are on conventional cancer treatment,” Li laments. But on the contrary, TCM can play a supportive role to cancer treatment, he added.

Elaborating on the way Western medicine and TCM are usually integrated in cancer treatment today, Prof Li offered: “Usually, patients will go through the conventional therapies like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy first before they go for TCM therapies.

“It can act as a complementary therapy that could help alleviate some of the side effects of these cancer treatments, regulate patients’ body systems to improve their quality of life and prevent the recurrence of cancer once the disease is stabilised.”

This is the way Li would suggest his patients go about it too. “After being diagnosed with cancer, many patients will consult many doctors, trained both in Western medicine and TCM. But I would always advise my patients to seize the opportunity to remove the tumour or go for chemotherapy or radiotherapy first.

“After that, TCM can help them with side effects and their recovery. It can also help

The reason for this approach is a very practical one, because TCM practitioners could not diagnose cancer.

“The claim that traditional Chinese medicine practitioners could diagnose cancer is a fallacy,” Li emphasised. First of all, many cancers have little or no symptoms until it reaches a late stage, which make diagnosis through the TCM way (observation of external symptoms and enquiries into a patients’ lifestyle) difficult, if not impossible.

Second, as TCM practitioners deduce the presence of a disease or ailments by relating certain groups of external symptoms to unhealthy changes inside the body, it is also difficult to diagnose a highly variable disease like cancer accurately.

“Cancers can manifest in very different ways in individuals, and we now know that external symptoms may sometimes mislead us in our diagnosis,” Li said. “That is why, to diagnose cancer, or other diseases, for that matter, we need to use modern diagnostic facilities,” he added.

Besides leaving the diagnosis to Western medicine, Li also stressed the importance of communication between attending doctors from both systems of medicine, particularly when a patient goes for conventional cancer treatment and TCM at the same time.

“When patients go for both treatments separately without informing their doctors about the other treatment, they may risk being repeatedly treated, over-treated, or mistreated. For instance, if you are about to go for a surgery, a traditional Chinese herb that increases your blood flow may cause you to bleed excessively during the procedure,” he said.

You would also be better off if you consult a TCM doctor who specialises in cancer treatment and understands conventional cancer treatment.

“In cancer treatments, only when the TCM doctor understands his patient’s condition and the procedures his patient had undergone completely will he be able to prescribe the best treatment to suit his patient’s needs,” said Li, who also reads his patients medical records, X-rays and laboratory results when they are referred to him.

“And just like Western Medicine, TCM doctors can specialise in the treatment of certain diseases as well,” Li said.

Datuk Dr Mohd Ibrahim Wahid … Maybe by working together, patients can have the best of both worlds and they can be reassured that we are doing the best we can to give them the best possible care

In Malaysia, although there are efforts in integrating TCM and other traditional complementary medicine systems into public hospitals, the recognition of TCM as a complementary therapy for cancer treatment is still limited.

However, said Malaysian Oncological Society president Datuk Dr Mohd Ibrahim Wahid, many cancer patients undergoing treatment still seek alternative treatment, with or without their oncologists’ consent or knowledge.

“So, even if we strongly oppose it, it doesn’t help the total care of the patient,” he said.

And since his patients are going to go for alternative medicine like TCM anyway, he prefers to know about it. “If (TCM) is used as a complementary therapy, and if it has no unsafe or untoward interactions with the treatments we are giving our patients, then we have no problems with that,” he said.

“We are only concerned when patients rely solely on traditional treatments as an alternative to conventional treatment and delay appropriate treatment. This is because it will jeopardise our chances of curing or treating the cancer,” he added.

So, if cancer patients undergoing treatment are taking alternative medicine, Dr Ibrahim strongly advises them to inform their oncologists.

“Even when we are still not exactly sure how these medicines interact with conventional cancer treatment, we can monitor our patients’ condition with blood tests to ensure that their condition do not worsen as a result,” he says.

The way forward, as Dr Ibrahim sees it, is for oncologists to work together with TCM practitioners for the benefit of cancer patients. “We can’t say that Western medicine can cure every ailment, and we can’t say that Chinese medicine can cure every ailment too.

“Maybe by working together, patients can have the best of both worlds and they can be reassured that we are doing the best we can to give them the best possible care,” he said.