scary salmon
 | genetically modified salmon declared 'safe' by the FDA |
September 5, 2010
Yikes. The FDA just announced that genetically modified salmon that can grow to market size on average of 17 months instead of 30 months time is safe. They based this on research on a few dozen fish given to them by the AquaBounty Technologies company, the company who has been trying for years to get this approved. This fish produces a growth hormone gene unnaturally by allowing it to turn and stay on year round. The fish also have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor, a molecule that can push cancer growth. It looks like these genetically altered fish will be on our shelves, likely unlabeled, in 2 to 3 years - another reason to call your congressperson and federal senator now. Picture of normal and genetically altered salmon - both salmon are the same age (Barrett & Mackay Photography).
visit NY Times for article
| The Ultimate in Public Health: Stopping Nuclear War |  |
| 65th anniversary of nuclear bombing in Japan |
August 6, 2010
Although natural medicine is important in all our lives, the threat of nuclear remains more over-arching than ever before. Two-hundred and twenty THOUSAND people perished with merely two relatively small atomic bombs 65 years ago. The technology and bombing capacity from both nations, as well as driven individuals, today is catastrophically immeasurable.
Please read the following paragraphs, which are is reprinted from Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR). If you believe in true health and healing and prevention of sickness and death, consider learning more about PSR and even supporting their efforts (http://www.psr.org/ ):
- - In the waning days of World War II, the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. The city was devastated almost instantly and an estimated 140,000 people were killed or died within months. Three days later, America detonated a second bomb over Nagasaki. Another 80,000 men, women and children lost their lives. Many died from injuries or the combined effects of flash burns, trauma and radiation burns, compounded by illness, malnutrition and radiation sickness. Others continue to suffer from leukemia and solid cancers attributed to their exposure to radiation.
The anniversary of that devastating day is a time to recommit ourselves to a world free of nuclear weapons. PSR Chapters across the country are hosting events commemorating the anniversary and using this historic opportunity to educate lawmakers and the public about why a world without these weapons is safer and more secure.
PSR Click Here
St. John's wort: Good for the Heart?
 | St. John's wort beats anti-depressants and helps Plavix work even better in patients with heart problems. |
7.20.2010
Known for its ability to stave off depression, it is not well known that the psychiatric-geared St. John’s wort (Latin name Hypericum perforatum) may be gaining ground in the field of cardiology. It has shown itself to work well to beat depression in patients with heart patients with less negative side effects on the heart. It also helps Plavix work in patients who did not do well on Plavix alone.
For patients with pre-existing conductive heart dysfunction or elderly patients, high-dose hypericum extract has found to be safer with regard to cardiac function than tricyclic antidepressants (such as Elavil, Imipramine, and Amitrpytiline). Some researchers are thinking that St. John’s wort may be indicated as a first line therapy for cardiac patients with depression.
Two new studies also suggest it may help patients lower the dose of platelet inhibitor Plavix, and help it work in the 20% of patients for whom it would normally not work. A studies using the platelet inhibitor clopidogrel found that 2 out of 10 patients using clopidogrel are poor responders, but in these patients 300mg of hypericum for two weeks found an increase of platelet inhibition of 20%. A previous study using 300 t.i.d had an increase of 36%. Furthermore, no negative change was seen in patients on statin medications. Hypericum may be a good choice in poor responders, or to help lower the dose necessary in normal responders who are having side effects.
“I think we can do this better with St. John’s wort,” - according to researcher WC Lau of Johns Hopkins.
References:
- Czekalla J, Gastpar M, Hubner WD, Jager D. The effect of hypericum extract on cardiac conduction as seen in the electrocardiogram compared to that of imipramine. Pharmacopsychiatry. 199730 Suppl 2:86-8.
- Lau WC, Gurbel PA. Annual Scientific Session Of The American College Of Cardiology. May 2010. Elsevier global medical news, accessed on July 7, 2010.
click for reference
| Marriage: best for health? |  |
| July 11, 2010 |
Overall, it seems marriage helps a person live longer. But interestingly, the research is somewhat mixed and seems to suggest marriage is better for the man, than for the woman. Possibly, it is thought this could be because men may engage in more risky behavior as a single person than a woman would.
According to one 2006 study sampling over 66,000 people, the death rate for people who were unmarried was significantly higher than it was for those who were married and living with their spouses.
But, much research suggests that generally, men may live longer when married - although, some studies have shown that married men tend to gain weight, which will have a negative impact on health.
Age disparity makes a difference: for women, for best results it may be helpful to marry a man of exactly her same age for an older husband shortens her life, and a younger one even more so. While marrying a younger woman tends to increase life expectancy for a man, women marrying a partner seven to nine years younger increase their mortality risk by 20 percent (in the United States, on average a groom is 2.3 years older than his bride). Also, by the time divorced men reach age 50, they can expect their health to deteriorate much faster than the health of those who are married.
Speculations for better health with marriage include increased sexual relations and better social support, which has been shown to help the immune system. One analysis in the British Medical Journal in 1997, showed that in a study of 918 men, those who had sex two or more times per week had a mortality risk less than half what it was for those who had sex less than once a month.
References:
1- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research http://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/press/1813.htm
2- Lee A. Lillard and Constantijn W.A. Panis, "Marital Status and Mortality: The Role of Health," Demography, 33(3):313-327, 1996.
3- Kaplan RM and Kronick RG. September 2006 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
4- Schoenborn. The National Center for Health Statistics. 2004.
5- Smith et al. Sex and death: are they related? Findings from the Caerphilly cohort study BMJ 1997315:1641-1644
Can Fat Affect Your Intelligence?
 | 7-4-2010 |
Homer, watch those doughnuts (doh!), for a significant inverse association was found between abdominal obesity and total volume of the brain in a computed tomography (CT scan) study of 733 people called the Framingham Offspring cohort published in the Annals of Neurology. The visceral fat (fat around and built up in the organs) is most associated with a smaller brain.
It is postulated that caloric excess increases insulin (the hormone responsible for putting sugar in the cells from the blood), which is a strong factor in depositing body fat. Increases in visceral fat around the organs increase inflammation in the body, which can cause neuronal loss in the brain.
So what’s wrong with having a smaller brain full of inflammation? These factors are associated with a higher risk of dementia, mood disorders, and a host of other cognitive problems. by Drs. Bongiorno and LoGiudice - www.InnerSourceHealth.com.
reference: Jefferson et al. Inflammatory biomarkers are associated with total brain volume: the Framingham Heart Study. reference: Jefferson et al. Neurology. 200768:1032-1038.
click here for original research
| Human Genome Project – and the Necessity of Naturopathy |  |
| june 22, 2010 |
by drs. peter and pina
About 14 years ago, while researchers at the National Institutes of Health, we attended a lecture about the progress of the human genome project given by the head of the project, the famous medical scientist, Dr. Francis Collins. To a roomful of top researchers from all over the world, Dr. Collins explained that the project was originally slated to be completed by 2001, but actually will be completed about a year or so ahead of schedule due to the wonderful advanced technology of the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) machines, a machine that can copy DNA.
He continued on to explain all the researchers and scientists present in this renown room of learning how this project would revolutionize medicine: chronic diseases would be understood at a much higher level, and drugs would be specifically designed to deal with the genetic problems unearthed.
Fast forward to a 2010 article published last week in the New York Times entitled “A Decade Later, Genetic Map Yields Few New Cures.” As a civilization, we are no closer to any cures, even with the work completed.
Why would this be? The project completed ahead of schedule and has all the information for which we have been searching. Now medicine and science can create the map of the human genome and compare healthy people maps to those with disease. We did learn that we an astonishingly small compared of genes, and these compare with those of lower animals like the laboratory roundworm and fruit fly. “The barely visible roundworm needs 20,000 genes that make proteins, the working parts of cells, whereas humans, apparently so much higher on the evolutionary scale, seem to have only 21,000 protein-coding genes.” So much for being supposedly more evolved.
Well, it is really about epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of gene expression (like the presence of disease) caused by factors other than the hard wired DNA sequence. What we are learning from the human genome projecxt is there are too many differences in the DNA from person to person (called variants), and these variants do not necessarily correlate to people having clinical disease because how we turn genes on and off are just as important as what genes we have and do not have. For example, when trying to predict heart disease researchers collected 101 genetic variants that had been statistically linked to heart disease. But the variants turned out to have no value in forecasting disease among 19,000 women who had been followed for 12 years. The old-fashioned method of taking a family history still turned out to be a better guide than using the technology of the genome project.
This is because there are many interactions between genes and environment. About 30% of genes are household genes – and these cannot really change much. Another words, one can personally work on stress and change foods as much as possible, but will still likely keep the same eye color one already has. However, about 70% of genes are changeable to various extents, depending on what we eat, our stressors, our external toxins, nutrient intake, etc… These lifestyle choices will turn up or down the volume of a gene not unlike how you can turn the volume control on a radio speaker.
These epigenetic controls are a reasonable argument for the need of naturopathic medicine and holistic care in the age of technology. Naturopathic medicine helps a patient outline all of these factors in detail, and helps each patient learn what he or she can do to mitigate disease and augment health. Food is information, and different foods send different signals to the body. For example, studies on brassica family foods (like broccoli or bok choy) have shown one cup of these ingested just once can help shut off potential oncogenes (cancer causing genes) for up to one month in colon cells.
This innate wisdom found in the interaction of nature, lifestyle and our bodies is where our research dollars should go next. Unfortunately, you cannot patent broccoli and grow rich on it, but it should still be studied.
click here to read NY Times article
Drs. P Join Organic Local Community Supported Agriculture
 | good food grows local |
6-7-2010
There are more vegetables in the fridge right now than we can cook. This week’s harvest includes all organic versions of rhurbarb, radishes, green lettuce, spinach, some peppery argula, and much more.
With our daughter Sophia and friends Dr. Chenel and his midwife wife Joelle, were shown around by Maggie wood the acres of organic wonder. The carrots were just starting out, the
The benefits of an organic CSA?
- less energy (oil and gas) used to ship
- no preservatives, pesticides
- supportive of local agriculture
We also should mention how healthy the gastrointestinal movements have been as well. ?
pictured: dr. pina and sophia. See more pictures on InnerSource Facebook
Please check out the Golden Earthworm for more information about this CSA.
| LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT |  |
| Naturopathic Docs in NY |
6-1-10
Thanks to your efforts the naturopathic medicine bill is up for a committee vote on Thurs, June 3rd! Two things are now crucial for us right now. We need your help. by Wednesday, June 2st:
1- Please email: we need you to contact your specific NY assembly member by Wednesday and tell him or her to support a vote on the bill. Click here: http://www.capwiz.com/naturopathic/issues/alert/?alertid=15095501&type=ML to do this.
2- call as many of the following Assemblymembers (below) and let them know:
- "I strongly support Assembly bill 1370"
- "I support the bill to allow naturopathic doctors to be excellent natural medicine and preventive primary care doctors in NY state"
- "I support licensing ND's for the best safety of the public"
- "New York has been very slow to adopt health systems that 16 other states enjoy, like Connecticut who has licensed ND's since 1922. I want this changed."
Assmblymembers:James D. Conte (Long Island) 518-455-5732
Amy Paulin (Westchester): 518-455-5585
Charles Lavine (Long Island): 518-455-5456
Steve Englebright (Long Island): 518-455-4804
Barbara Lifton (Cortland & Tompkins Counties): 518-455-5444
Albert Stirpe (Onondaga County): 518-455-4505
Jack Quinn (Erie County): 518-455-4462
Inez D. Barron 518-455-5912
Nelson L. Castro 518-455-5511
Michael J. Fitzpatrick 518-455-5021
Richard N. Gottfried 518-455-4941
Ellen Jaffee 518-455-5118
William Magee 518-455-4807
Joel M. Miller 518-455-5725
Joseph D. Morelle 518-455-5373
Audrey I. Pheffer 518-455-4292
Mike Spano 518-455-3662
Lou Tobacco 518-455-4495
The greatest opposition to naturopathic licensing is the Medical Society of the State of New York, who prefer not to see naturopathic doctors use natural medicines in New York State, and is using its powerful lobby and stall tactics to stop the natural medicine effort in New York.
YOUR HELP IS CRUCIAL and we thoroughly appreciate your continued help.
This may not be the last battle - this committee vote will hopefully pave the way for final positive Assembly vote soon. We will keep you updated.
thank you, thank you, thank you - drs. pina and peter
Click here to change healthcare in NY State
Children's Medicine and Money
 | Biased expert supports medication with suicide risk |
May 23, 2010
A few years back, it was reported that antidepressants could cause increase risk of suicide in teens. As a result, prescription rates decreased 18% to 20% in children
when the FDA added a warning to the medication. This spurred debate and an influential published report from a concerned psychiatry expert that the FDA warning may actually produce 'more harm than good.' Interestingly, last year, a congressional investigation convicted this same author of “failing to report a third of the income he received from companies whose drugs he was evaluating.” This is clearly a case of unfortunate bias, which may not be in the best interest of the children with depression. Antidepressant medications are known to be of help in adults with severe depression, but are not better than placebo in mild to moderate cases. Dr. Peter is publishing a book in a month called Healing Depression - this book will be the most complete book in the field of natural medicines for depressive illness. Stay tuned for more about it.
references:
1- Nemeroff CB, Kalali A, Keller MB, Charney DS, Lenderts SE, Cascade EF, Stephenson H, Schatzberg AF (2007). Impact of publicity concerning pediatric
suicidality data on physician practice patterns in the United States. Arch Gen
Psychiatry 64:466-472
2- Roy-Byrne P Antidepressants in Pediatric Patients: Benefits Might Outweigh Risks Journal Watch Psychiatry April 17, 2007
3- Denise Gellene, Thomas H. Maugh II Los Angeles Times October 04, 2008
4- Selvi B. Williams, MD, MPH, Elizabeth A. O’Connor, PhD, Michelle Eder, PhD, Evelyn P. Whitlock, MD, MPH Screening for Child and Adolescent Depression in
Primary Care Settings: A Systematic Evidence Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force Pediatrics 2009123:e716–e735
| YUM: Chocolate for Your Heart |  |
| 5-16-2010 |
Almost 40% reduction in heart attack or stroke were achieved by those who eat around 7.5 grams of chocolate a day versus those who ate little or no chocolate. Flavanones are the componenet that seem to help our vessels by releasing nitric oxide, which lowers blood pressure and improves platelet (clotting cell) function.
The authors of this large observational study of 19,357 people, aged between 35 and 65, remind us to continue to watch our weight if we add the chocolate: "be aware that 100 g of dark chocolate contains roughly 500 calories. As such, you may want to subtract an equivalent amount of calories, by cutting back on other foods, to avoid weight gain."
It is best to eat dark chocolate (we like 85%) with lowest sugar and dairy content.
Reference: Buijsse, B, Weikert C, Drogan D et al. Chocolate consumption in relation to blood pressure and risk of CV disease in German adults. Eur Heart J 2010
Wanna to Keep Your Knees?
 | be a Manhattanite |
April 30, 2010
A Darthmouth national study shows that NY City residents are least likely to get a knee replacement, likely because the extra walking keeps them from becoming obese. Only four Manhattan Medicare patients out of 1,000 had knee replacements. In comparision, the highest number of replacements were in Lincoln, Nebraska where 15.7 patients per 1,000 had to replace their knee. Congratulations NY City!
Pictured: knee anatomy from Grays' Anatomy.
Ref: Fisher E, Bell JE, Tomek I, Esty A and Goodman D. Trends and Regional Variation in Hip, Knee and Shoulder Replacement. In: A Dartmouth Atlas Surgery Report Published: Apr 15, 2010
Read original article here
| DAIRY FARM VISIT |  |
| Drs. P visit the land of the grass fed and free range... |
April 11, 2010
Litchfield, CT - although we really stay away from cow's milk products, it was a treat to visit a dairy farm in Litchfield, CT. Thanks to Dr. Peter's brother Joseph, we visited a working dairy farm and met the farmer and his wife, and two kids. How wonderful to see cows roaming free eating grass, and free range chickens walking amongst us, then going to their hen-house producing their eggs. Actually, the only reason they are in their hen-house is to protect them at night from other animals that may want to eat them. Sophia loved chasing the chickens, but she was a little scared of Bruno the cow (pictured right). Please visit our facebook site for more pictures.
more pictures
Statins for Everyone and Off Shore Drilling: What Do These Have In Common?
I read the news today oh – boy.
April 10, 2010
 | The March 31st NY Times had two side by headlines ('Plan To Widen Use of Statins' and 'Obama to Open Offshore Areas'). One discussed the interest in using Crestor, a cholesterol lowering drug on healthy populations. The other discussed government plans to open off-shore drilling to tap into more oil resources.
It struck me that both of these prospects begged the important question we were repeatedly taught to consider in naturopathic school: ‘what is the underlying cause, and can we treat that?’ Well, when it comes to cardiovascular disease, there are multiple places we can interject much more effectively: stress modification, exercise, dietary changes, and nutrients. All these can be used to modify the inflammation in the vessels and the improve the health of the intimal lining (the lining on the inside of the blood vessel). Why not focus on these before employing preventive medication that covers up symptoms (in this case, a lab test value), and has known side effects of rhabdomylsis and depletion of CoQ10, which is paradoxically known to be a problem for the heart. By the way, the article also explained that the drug company claims using the meds will cut the risk of heart attack in half. That sounds like a strong effect, yes? Well actually, when you look at the numbers about 500 people would have to take Crestor for the possibility of one person to actually avoid a ‘usually survivable heart attack’ and that the effect of Crestor was according to the article ‘statistically significant but not clinically significant.’ So, if you want to be treated like a statistic but with actually an only 1/500 chance of effect, then the drug is the way to go.
Like using a drug to lower a lab number to make us feel healthy, off shore drilling also is a method to cover of the symptoms, by increasing our barrels of oil to make us feel more secure. Again, why not treat the underlying cause – in this case our overuse of energy (the United States and China are the greatest offenders), and our inability to use our technology to create fuels out of renewable sources ( solar and wind power).
Is our future one of more oil consumption and statin popping to cover up an eventual demise, or one where we work on the problems head on, using clean energy, clean foods lifestyle changes that correct the causes of our dis-ease?
|
Risk Seen In Wider Use of Statins
SOY: GOOD or BAD?
March 28, 2010
Some people seem to think soy can cause cancer. The fact is soy contains ‘phytoestrogens’. These are plant chemicals that act like a very weak estrogen molecule (which is how tamoxifen, a breast cancer drug, works as well). These weak estrogens actually block the more aggressive, cancer-causing estrogens – as such, they lower the effect of cancer-causing estrogens. Additionally, soy isoflavones also help shut off genes that can cause cancer by acting as a methylator. Methylators help donate molecular groups which can lock up cancer genes so they are not expressed.
One nested case-controlled study from 2008 looked at over 24,000 Japanese women and found that those with the highest soy isoflavone level had the lowest cancer rates. Breast cancer in Western countries is much higher than Asia – where isoflavone levels is about 0.5% of that in the Asian countries. When consumed in very large amounts, soy may block thyroid, inhibit mineral absorption, or even become allergenic, but eaten in reasonable amounts, this is not typical.
reference: Iwasaki M, Inoue M, Otani T, Sasazuki S, Kurahashi N, Miura T, Yamamoto S, Tsugane S Plasma isoflavone level and subsequent risk of breast cancer among Japanese women: a nested case-control study from the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study group. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 126(10):1677-83. Epub 2008 Mar 3.
Here's Comes the Sun
 | Sunlight and Vit D Prevents Cancer |
March 18, 2010
Nature provides us with what we need to keep our bodies healthy. Along with fresh water, exercise, sleep and good food, adequate sunlight is an important part of nature to help keep our circadian rhythms in healthy motion, as well as help convert vitamin D in our skin.
One study from the National Cancer Institute in 2002 showed that ovarian and prostate cancers occurred less in people who get regular sun. And people who received regular sun as a part of their work day have even greater reductions in breast and colon cancer too (1). The only group that had increased cancer rates was in non-melanoma skin cancer – so people at higher risk for skin cancer may need to limit exposure.
One of the reasons sunlight may be helpful is due to the increased levels of vitamin D in our bodies from sunlight. Very recent and encouraging animal research even shows that tumors can start to disappear when injected with vitamin D (2). Other studies have shown deficiencies in vitamin D will contribute to breast cancer (3) and colo-rectal cancer (4). It seems when there is not enough vitamin D around, the cancer cells keep a signal going that allows them to grow further. Furthermore, the immune tends to remain more balanced with adequate vitamin D, which may be a reason it is helpful in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
To allow nature to heal, remember to go out and get regular sunlight – a reasonable amount is 15 minutes every morning during non-peak hours. Those at higher risk for skin cancer should speak with their doctors first.
1. Freedman DM, Dosemeci M, McGlynn K. Sunlight and mortality from breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, and non-melanoma skin cancer: a composite death certificate based case-control study. Occup Environ Med. 2002 Apr59(4):257-62.
2. Clarke S. In Tests, Vitamin D Shrinks Breast Cancer Cells. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/study-vitamin-d-kills-cancer-cells/story?id=9904415 accessed March 18, 2010.
3. Li Laine O. et al. Vitamin D Deficiency Promotes Human Breast Cancer Growth in a Murine Model of Bone Metastasis. Cancer Research 70, 1835, March 1, 2010. Published Online First February 16, 2010
4. Bischoff-Ferrari H. Health effects of vitamin D. Dermatol Ther. 2010 Jan23(1):23-30.
Supreme Court Blocks Ban on Corporate Giving
 | effect on healthcare? 1-25-2010 |
by Dr. Peter
In a 5 - 4 decision, the Supreme Court decided that the government is not allowed to limit how much a corporation can give a candidate for an election run. This is a disaster for us all.
Naturopathic medicine's tenet is to work on the underlying cause. If you would like to consider a major underlying cause of health care problems (United States is 37th - somewhere near Slovenia in terms of quality of care according to the World Health Organization), poverty, corporate greed, and pretty much every other ill of our potenitally wonderfully beneficient capitalist society, this is it.
This ruling means that the wealthiest will now, easily, and legally, have the most influence - period. Large insurance companies, drug companies and the AMA will solely run healthcare. I have learned in working on licensing of naturopathic medicine in New York State, that money is a key for moving any kind of legislation through. Without money, you cannot 'contribute' to political action committees and candidate funds. If you cannot contribute you do not deserve a legislator's attention. Despite this, a few rare, caring New York legislators actually support causes they believe in - and think naturopathic medicine would be best for the people. It seems the majority though, only care about who else already supports it, and how much in terms of contribution can you give.
My Mom always had a harsh saying: "Money talks and garbage walks." I always found this a bit cynical - but this ruling has made this a true statement in the United States of America.
Click here for NY Times article
Eczema can be relieved by acupuncture
Date: Jan. 5, 2010
Eczema can be relieved by acupuncture, according to a German study in 30 people. Acupuncture seems to calm the feeling of itchiness after allergen exposure. When patient were exposed a second time, there were decreases in the flare up reactions.
This study used three conditions: one where had their skin exposed to either pollen or dust-mite allergens, where patients received points used in Chinese medicine to lower allergic reaction. The second was placebo points, not correlated to Chinese medicine, and the third was a control, which received no acupuncture.
Reference: Pfab et. al. Allergy 2009.
Vaccine Advisors Have Conflict of Interest
December 19, 2009
by Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc
The NY Times reported yesterday that the majority of "experts" on advisory Centers for Disease Control (CDC) panels for the flu and cervical cancer turn out to have conflicts of interest that likely swayed their choice of recommending vaccines for the nation. While the flu itself remains front page news, and more people are getting vaccinated, this article appeared far back on page A28. Similarly, millions of young women are being encouraged to have the cervical cancer vaccine.
According to the NY Times: "As numerous medicines have been pulled from the market in recent years, worries have grown that experts may be recommending medical products — even ones they know to be unsafe — in part because manufacturers are paying them. "
reference: Harriss G. Advisors on Vaccines Often Have Conflicts. NY Times. December 17, 2009
Working Moms Undiagnosed for Depression
December 5, 2009
by Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc and Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc
An evaluation of national data on 2,130 mothers revealed that working mothers with depression were less likely to receive adequate treatment, possibly because excessive work hours do not allow time for proper care. It seems working mothers are greater risk for more difficulty from depression, for more than 65 percent of U.S. mothers with depression don"t receive adequate treatment, a new study has found. Even more, Black, Hispanic and other minority mothers are least likely to receive adequate treatment. Moms with health insurance are three times more likely to receive adequate treatment. Depression in mothers can have a major impact on the entire family, especially on the health and well-being of their children, the researchers noted. Treating depression in mothers can improve the long-term health of their families. Mothers with depression have children with higher incidences of a number of diseases, including asthma and psychological illness.
Commentary: Given this information, it seems crucial that the workplace becomes a place where working moms can have access to proper diagnostic techniques and integrative health solutions. Oftentimes, discussion of the condition with an empathic ear can be a part of the healing. Furthermore, there are numerous natural remedies that are very useful to help moms feel better while lifestyle and environmental changes are sought.
Note: Dr. Peter Bongiorno’s book: Naturopathic Treatments for Depression will be released in January of 2010 (CCNM Press).
Reference: Litzelman et al. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research e-publication ahead of print (November 2009)
Meditation Lowers Heart Attack Risk
Highest Risk Group of African Americans find benefit
November 21, 2009
by Dr. Peter Bongiorno and Dr. Pina LoGiudice
In most cases of naturopathic care, stress reduction techniques are a central part of helping the body to heal itself. In our practice, we find for virtually any condition, stress reduction modalities such as meditation, yoga, exercise, and acupuncture will help patients get healthier faster, decrease their dependence on medications, and sustain any gains. Heart disease is the number killer in the United States. One recent study announced at the most recent American Heart Association gives credence to this approach. A major study of stress reduction with the Transcendental Meditation program was associated with 43% reduction in risk for all cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke in a high-risk sample of African Americans. A selected stress reduction approach may be useful in the secondary prevention of atherosclerotic CVD. The subjects were 201 African American participants (half male and half female) with documented coronary artery disease. Subjects performed either Transcendental Meditation or another program called "health education control." Regular care was continued in all subjects. After 5 years of follow-up, the heart attack risk in the meditation patients was 43% reduced. Systolic blood pressure (the top number) decreased by mean of 5.1 mm Hg. Also, there were reductions in psychosocial stress in a high stress subgroup. There were no significant changes in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) or Body Mass Index. It was concluded that stress reduction with the Transcendental Meditation program was associated with 43% reduction in risk for all cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke in a high-risk sample of African Americans. A selected stress reduction approach may be useful in the secondary prevention of atherosclerotic CVD. It is likely that even greater benefits would be achieved in lower risk individuals. Also, greater benefits would probably result in those doing other lifestyle changes like exercise, the Mediterranean Diet, and proper nutrients. It is hard to know if other methods are equally as effective. If you are not including some kind of relaxation program as part of your health regimen, this is a great time to start. ref: Schneider R et al. Effects of Stress Reduction on Clinical Events in African Americans With Coronary Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Abstract 1177: Circulation. 2009;120:S461
Studies Show New Yorkers Are Stressed - Natural Medicine Can Help
Date: November 5, 2009
Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc
Almost half of New York residents say they are in less than very good health, according to a national study. “At every education level and in every racial or ethnic group, adults in New York are not as healthy as they could be,” the study concluded. New Yorkers rank 31st out of 50 states.
The study suggested that stress and anxiety may be a major factor in the low health. Many New Yorkers spend more energy and time trying to balance their finances by working more, and spending less time in leisure activities and with family. “Stress can trigger the body to release hormones and other substances that over time can damage immune defenses and vital organs,” the researchers said. “This ‘toxic’ and chronic stress can age people and lead to serious illness, including cardiovascular disease.” Another study shows New York State residents to be the third most neurotic according to scientists who study 'geographic personalities.'
Natural medicine has many methods of offering safe and effective anxiety relief that can help New Yorkers avoid medications like Xanax and Paxil. Exercise has been shown to decrease stress levels and help mood, as well as many medications. Strategies such as increased water, whole foods, and meditation can change a person’s physiology to lower stress hormones. Specific nutrients such as vitamin B6, niacinamide, tryptophan and theanine can work on the same mechanisms as the medications, but with a lower side effect profile. Passion flower, St. John’s wort and Kava kava have hundreds years of historical use to calm and center.
Dr. Bongiorno practices is Manhattan and Long Island, and recently authored Depression: Natural Medicine Treatments for publication in January of 2010 (CCNM Press).
References:
Susan Egerter, Paula Braveman, M.D., M.P.H., Catherine Cubbin, Ph.D., Mercedes Dekker, M.P.H., Tabashir Sadegh-Nobari, M.P.H., Jane An, M.H.S., Rebecca Grossman-Kahn, B.A. Reaching America’s Health Potential: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission 2009. www.commissiononhealth.org accessed 10-15-09
Rentfrow, Gosling and Potter. "Freedome in the 50 States: a study on the geography of personality", 2009
Prousky J. Anxiety: An Orthomolecular Approach. CCNM Press 2006.
SLEEP: better than the flu vaccine?
Date: Monday, October 5, 2009
What drug can improve your immune system 300%? Well, no one drug we know of, but it has been shown that people who get 7 hours of sleep or more a night will improve their immune status 3 fold over those who get less.
A study from the Archives of Internal medicine evaluated 153 people, and exposed them to a cold virus via nose drops. What was found was those who had less than 7 hours of sleep were three times as likely to catch the virus and get sick than those who had more than 8 hours of sleep1. Other studies have also shown inadequate sleep lowers natural killer cells, which are immune cells that fight cancer 2.
I had the enjoyment of attending my 17 month old daughter's music class today. A number of mothers there were talking about their worries for getting the various flu shots, for doctors did not have them. One woman was planning on visiting all the pharmacies in town to see who might schedule her in to receive shots for herself and child. No one discussed getting enough sleep though. If there was a vaccine or drug that had these same results, this would take top space in all media outlets. And yet, this information about sleep is practically unheard of. I do not believe there is any research that tells us the swine flu vaccine is as protective as sleep, and yet people are clamoring for their shot when they should think about clamoring to get to bed on time. Buona notte ('good night' in Italian).
References:
1Sheldon Cohen, William J. Doyle, Cuneyt M. Alper, Denise Janicki-Deverts, Ronald B. Turner, Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the Common Cold Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(1):62-67.
2M Irwin, A Mascovich, JC Gillin, R Willoughby, J Pike and TL Smith Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in humans Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol 56, Issue 6 493-498
"I Don't Sweat"
September 6, 2009
A number of patients we have spoken with claim: 'well, I just don't sweat'. This may be true if you are canine, for dogs do not have sweat glands, and must pant and keep their mouth open for regulation of temperature. There are certain human conditions that can cause lack of sweating: medications such as anti-psychotics or calcium channel blockers, significant nerve damage, or a rare disease called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. The rest of us should be sweating it out. If you exercise, and believe you still do not sweat, you may not be exercising hard enough yet - or possibly you are dehydrated, so your body is conserving its water.
The truth is, many of us do not sweat enough. Only 3 in 10 adults get the recommended amount of physical activity. We live and work in temperature controlled environments all day, then ride in trains, cars and buses with more air conditioning. Typically, we 'don't sweat' because we are not given the chance. There are very few methods humans can use to get rid of chemicals from the body: pooping, peeing, exhaling, and sweating it out. In us humans, sweat glands are known mostly to help regulate temperature by bringing warm moisture to the surface of the skin, which causes cooling as the water evaporates. But the secondary role as detoxifier is not a minor role. Known as the 'third kidney' your skin has over 2.6 million tiny pores that can help clear as much as 30% of bodily wastes through perspiring. Sweat is composed mostly water, but also has urea (a breakdown product of proteins the kidneys also discard), and trace metals and minerals.
Although experts believe sweating is mostly for temperature regulation, it has been shown that trace toxins do appear in sweat glands. Some evidence does suggest that the ability to sweat and excrete toxins like mercury will increase with repeated use of exercise or sauna. It see that hot wet steam saunas are more effective than dry saunas. Steam saunas create beads of moisture which adhere and coat the skin almost instantaneously. These prevent the body from losing heat through the process of evaporation. This may accelerate the detoxification and healing processes which take place within the body when body temperature rises. More studies on this are needed.
To help get the sweating going, consider starting an exercise routine if you do not currently have one. If you are not sweating during this routine, consider increasing the intensity of your workout: this could mean increasing your pace or possibly increasing the angle of incline of your cardio machine. Sometimes, working with a trainer will also help you safely find inspiration for perspiration. For those who have an exercise routine, consider adding a steam sauna for increased detoxification effect. Yoga enthusiasts may try bikram yoga, a yoga practiced in a 105 degree temperature for 90 minutes.
In Chinese medicine, sweat does contain qi (pronounced "chee") energy – so if someone is already expecially weak, extra sweating through exercise and saunas can deplete a person and make them even weaker. Accordingly, one needs to adjust any effort to sweat with their current health status.
High Blood Pressure in Kids from TV and Computers
August 8, 2009
by Dr. Pina LoGiudice
TV and computer screen time has been linked to high blood pressure in youngsters. Recent evidence shows that children who watch television for 1.5hrs to 5.5hours of televsion a day shows that even if a children is trim and active, they will still have higher blood pressure. A study of 111 children from age 3 to age 8 showed that the increased blood pressure wasn’t associated with the sedentary behavior overall, but specifically linked to increased TV viewing. Two possible reasons are because children tend to snack unhealthy foods while watching TV, or because they watch material that is stressful or represent overactivity for their minds and reduce the ability to keep an increased metabolism. One other possibility is because it cuts into sleep time, which is needed for a host of healthy body processes. Surprisingly, the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics recommend children watch no more than 2 hours of 'high quality' television a day. In light of this information, this recommendation needs to be lowered.
Invented in 1929, television was first introduced to the public at a World's Fair in 1939. The first licenses issued were for commercial stations - this fact tells us that the motivation for TV was to be a vehicle for selling advertising for goods and services while providing entertainment. In the early 1960s, the first educational stations (later Public Broadcasting) began offering programs with the aim to educate and enrich people's lives. Regarding computers, in 1953, the UNIVAC was the first commercial computer and was able to pick presidential winners. In 1983, Apple introduced the first home computer.
Although these inventions can enrich our lives, this study emphasizes how they can also disrupt normal physiology. It is important limit TV to the minimum possible, and keep computer use in balance with other, more natural and healthful activities. from the blog at www.InnerSourceHealth.com.
references:
http://www.mediafamily.org "the history of televsion" accessed August 8, 2009 Eisenmann J. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. August 2009
Chronic Disease Helped with Common Kitchen Item
Date: July 16, 2009
Daily supplementation with common sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) slows the progression rate of renal failure to end-stage renal disease and improves nutritional status among patients with chronic kidney disease. According to a recent study of 134 patients using 600 mg of oral sodium bicarbonate tablets, the patients taking the baking soda had lowered need for drugs and felt better using this simple and common kitchen ingredient.
It is possible the balancing of patient"s blood to become less acidotic (acidic) may be the reason for the benefit.
Although intake of sodium was higher for the sodium bicarbonate patients versus the control group, there was no increased blood pressure. For best safety, patients with kidney disease should speak to their medical doctors or nephrologists before changing their regimen of foods or adding supplements.
reference: DeBristo-Ashurst, American Society of Nephrology, published July 16, 2009
Why eat your broccoli?
Cruciferous Vegetables as Cancer Prevention
June 24, 2009
Consumption of cruciferous (also known as Brassica vegetables) of 4.5 servings a month help protect smokers against lung cancer. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy. In the United States, an estimated 26.2 million men (23.5 percent) and 20.9 million women (18.1 percent) are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of smoking lung cancer. And overall, at least 4.5 million American teens are addicted users of cigarettes. Findings were presented at the Seventh Annual American Association for Cancer Research International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, in November 2008 which shown that the risk of developing lung cancer was reduced by 22% to 50% among smokers who consumed at least 4.5 servings of raw cruciferous vegetables a month, compared with those who consumed less than 2.5 servings per month. An intake of fruits and total vegetables showed an even stronger association among never smokers, whereas significant inverse associations with cruciferous vegetable consumption were only observed among smokers and former smokers. Previous research also demonstrated that the intake of raw cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, was associated with a reduced risk for bladder cancer. There are many healthful components to cruciferous vegetables. Indole 3-carbinols have been shown to be cancer protective, and intake of soluble and insoluble fiber may also have benefit. Cruciferous vegetables are also unique in that they are rich sources of sulfur-containing compounds known as glucosinolates. The name comes from their four-petaled flowers, which look like a crucifer, or cross. Of course, the best protection is to avoid smoking completely. For those working on the process, the addition of cruciferous vegetable may add an important protection. Although not studied, it is likely these vegetables may also protect those exposed to second hand smoke as well.
references: http://www.americanheart.org/ http://www.smokingeffects.org Nelson R. AACR FCPR 2008: Cruciferous Vegetables Reduce Lung Cancer Risk in Smokers http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/583910 Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17:938-944 Seventh Annual American Association for Cancer Research International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research
Ginger Effective for Chemo Induced Nausea
Grandma was right when she recommended ginger for an upset stomach" - a 5-14-09 NY Times Article states
A randomized clinical trial has confirmed what many people suspect — that ginger can decrease nausea caused by chemotherapy. The effect goes beyond that provided by standard anti-vomiting drugs.
Patients taking ginger before chemotherapy found a 45% reduction in nausea and discomfort. This studies shows the benefit, and safety of using ginger with chemotherapy and anti-nausea medications.
According to the study"s author, Dr. Julie L. Ryan of the University of Rochester, the best results corresponded to a quarter to a half teaspoon of ground ginger, she said. She added that either the ginger that comes in spice bottles or the ginger capsules sold in health food stores would probably work.
The results will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which begins May 29 in Orlando, Fla.
The trial, financed by the National Cancer Institute, involved 644 patients, mostly women with breast cancer, who were undergoing chemotherapy at 23 oncology practices in the United States.
All patients also took a standard anti-vomiting drug on each day of chemotherapy. They also took specially made capsules containing either extracts of ginger root or a placebo for six days, starting three days before each round of chemotherapy.
They then rated the severity of their nausea four times a day. Those taking the ginger had a reduction of about 45 percent in severity compared with a previous round of chemotherapy in which they did not take the ginger. Those on the placebo had almost no change.
According to Medscape.com, the mechanism underlying ginger"s purported antiemetic activity is unknown, but there is speculation of a direct effect on the gastrointestinal tract, and one involving the central nervous system cannot be ruled out either since several of ginger"s components antagonize serotonin type 3 receptors. In vitro studies (cell studies) suggest that ginger may produce its anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting arachidonic acid metabolism in both the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways.
A-h1n1, Swine Flu update
getting better all the time
May 2, 2009: 11:01AM
Most happily, it seems like the flu that gained a lot of media and press earlier this week seems to be a bit weaker in its media and viral punch. Today"s New York Times reports the outbreak in Mexico may be considerably smaller than originally feared. According to Dr. Javier Torres, head of the infectious disease unit in Mexico the number of those exposed and infected has gone up, and the number of fatal cases has gone down. According to experts at the CDC, it seems this virus does not have the qualities of other, more deadly strains. All the pandemic viruses of the last century — the 1918, 1957 and 1968 flus — had a mutation in the gene coding for a protein known as PB1-F2 that is thought to make a virus more lethal. This mutation is not in the new Ah1n1 strain. Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said the death of a 23-month-old Mexican child in Texas did not mean that the outbreak was extraordinarily dangerous. Every year we see between 75 and 150 children die of flu, most of whom were previously healthy. More than likely, these so-called previously healthy children had some other health issues to begin with. Of course, we should take seriously precautions to stay healthy - see April 30th blog for specific information. Since it is a new strain, it may be worth being extra cautious in the event that the strain"s virulence changes, which according to history does not seem likely.
A-H1N1 or Swine Flu
Thursday, April 30, 2009 7am
Thoughts, Natural Approaches, Underlying Causes
Many patients have been asking us about this swine flu also known as Mexican Flu. The fact of the matter is that information is low, and unfortunately, media hype is high. This type A-H1N1 virus seems to be a combination of a pig, human and bird virus. As of this writing, there are 51 confirmed flu cases in New York State and 91 in the US, and 12 countries in total. Please remember as testing continues, the numbers will increase. To keep things in perspective, it should be remembered that in any given year, about 40,000 people in the US die from the common flu. This number has been consistent for many years. But, although worrisome and these are profoundly unfortunate deaths, we do not consider the common flu a pandemic. It is also important to note that even thought the World Health Organization states that 'pandemic is imminent', this description refers to the pattern of spread, not the severity of the virus. Thankfully, all cases of the H1N1 in the US seem to be relatively mild. The possibly worrisome piece about this particular flu is that in Mexico, it seemed to kill healthy young people. Normally, flu illness tends to kill people with lowered immune function, especially the elderly and very young. With this flu, it seems the immune reaction, known as a cytokine cascade - cytokines are molecules of the immune system components responsible for raising inflammation - causes lung swelling and damage which can cause death. Some doctors report that distinguishing this flu from others are difficult, but diarrhea and vomiting may occur in the swine flu. So, from a natural perspective what can we do? Unfortunately, there is very little direct information or research about using natural medicines to fight viral illnesses like this. Here are a few thoughts about this.
1 - STAY INFORMED - the CDC regarding local outbreaks in order to avoid these when possible. The H1N1 outbreak in our area is mild, and right now we have no reason to think it will become more virulent, but it is still good to avoid exposure it when possible. Try to not over-inform to the point that you are stressed - see point number 6. If you are not sure about symptoms you have, see a physician who can decide if treatment may be warranted. The World Health Organization website is: http://www.who.int/en/ and the CDC website is: http://www.cdc.gov/
2 - Observe the recommendations to WASH HANDS thoroughly. Use warm water.
3 - DO NOT TOUCH FACE and NOSE to avoid spreading virus to your mouth, eyes or respiratory system.
4 - Take your FISH OIL – fish oil is known to balance an over-inflammed immune system, and may be helpful to lower the overall cytokine cascade. Cod liver oil may be the best choice for it has extra D and A. Vitamin A helps protect respiratory passages and is anti-viral itself.
5 - VITAMIN D, VITAMIN C, ZINC – may be useful. According to Johnathan Wright MD, vitamin C and D may be a more potent anti-viral choice than even medications. Zinc is an anti-viral mineral that has inhibited viral replication in research.
6 - STRESS REDUCTION helps to lower our stress hormones and balance our immune function to help properly deal with any virus.
7 - Get plenty of SLEEP – sleep is another important immune balancer.
8 - AVOID SUGAR – which can lower your immunity and allow easier catching of any virus.
9 - Consider regular NASAL WASHES – if the virus is typically transmitted into the upper respiratory tract, clearing that area may help lower the load that enters our system.
10 - AVOID INFLAMMATORY FOODS – foods like milk and dairy, wheat for some people, and any food you know you are sensitive too. Excess inflammation in your body may contribute to more of an inflammatory cascade than is healthy.
11 - EAT ANTI VIRAL FOODS: garlic, onions, berries, green tea.
12 - There are a few ANTI-VIRAL HERBS worth considering. Licorice, PauD’Arco and Lemon Balm. These have a history of being helpful with flu and colds. There is no research using these in this swine flu period in place of conventional medications and we are not suggesting forgoing conventional medicines.
14 - EXERCISE – helps move your lymph tissue and blood in your body, which is needed to keep your immune surveillance at its best.
15 - Consider N95 masks if you need to go to a hospital or place with people who have the virus. The CDC has instructions for homemade mask at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no06/05-1468.htm#Figure. It is uncertain how well masks protect us, but a simple barrier like a mask may lower load that enters the nose and mouth.
From a naturopathic perspective, we may need to address the underlying causes of these viral illnesses. Some people believe it is really media hype that scares people not the actual illness, others think close-quarter farming practices have spurred avian and swine flu issues to become problematic and need closer monitoring, while others more suspecting people believe it is government hype used to spur pharmaceutical company contracts for anti-viral drugs and vaccine programs. Even more, some people suggest that these strains are actually man-made biologic weapon agents. There are certainly many theories, and some information to support each of these. Our hope is the authorities are looking for the best interest of the public and will begin to focus on possible underlying issues once this crisis has passed.
NEW LONG ISLAND CLINIC
Huntington, Long Island
March 2009
A peaceful space to sip tea, heal and balance with filtered air and water, and a surrounding built with eco-carpeting and eco-paints. This clinic will use 100 percent recycled paper and bio-cleaning supplies and reclaimed materials as much as possible. We anticipate the opening in mid-March 2009, and will have an official opening house on May 8th and 9th, with a lecture on the Naturopathic Pillars of Health by Dr. Pina on Saturday, May 9th. Click below for specific times and details. Please come by to say hi or bring a friend. The address is: 11 Stewart Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743.
To learn more about the Open House, click here
Acupuncture Bailout?
Follow Your Bliss
Clearly, one of the cities hit hardest by the financial crisis is New York and its environs. Many of you have found the solace of meditation, acupuncture and natural medicines more useful than ever. For most people, the feelings of anxiety, fear and sleeplessness are nothing more than our body telling us that something is unbalanced, and it is strongly encouraging to us to change something. The pharmaceutical path suggests the use of Xanax, Lexapro, Ambien and or Wellbutrin. However, this condition of stress and anxiety is really not a deficiency of these medications. It has been said that people with great wisdom take difficult times as an opportunity to learn to create and even better future. We have witnessed many cases where our patients have used this time of hardship to ask themselves: Am I doing what makes me happy? A philosopher named Joseph Campbell who has compared many world civilizations over his lifetime, suggests to us that the way to lower our anxiety is to realize who we really are by following our bliss. One simple way to start that process of following your bliss is by doing some breathing and meditation work everyday. The Chinese use qi gong. Breathing even for 5 minutes a day, you can start to clear your mind in order to be more open to the opportunities and beauty that is around us. Also, acupuncture points actually have spiritual associations and can help balance our mind and body to follow our dreams. One point near the wrist is called Shen Men also known as Heart 7. This point helps calm our spirit. The Gallbladder meridian is known to help a person muster the courage to make decisions and create goals, and the Liver meridian can help people actually make the plan to fulfill these decisions. Similarly, certain herbal remedies can help these issues from an internal standpoint. For instance, Passiflora Incarnata stands for passion incarnate, and has been used in western herbal traditions to help a person find their true passion. In our practice, we have seen qi gong or meditation, and acupuncture to be more useful than ever in this time of stress and spiritual revolution. These can help you balance as you look for and follow the bliss that is in your life.reference: Bill Moyers and the Power of Myth, Interviews with Joseph Campbell, DVD by Mystic Fire, circa 1986.
Sept 22, 2008: Acupuncture Offers Relief for Breast Cancer Patients
More studies are coming out showing the benefits of using acupuncture adjunctively to treat the side effects of breast cancer medication such as hot flashes, nausea, and lymphedema swelling due to removal of lymph nodes.
Although acupuncture may not be known to directly stop cancer growth, it is very helpful for patients going through conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Using fine needles inserted into the body acupuncture , or even pressure on certain points acupressure more and more studies are showing how this ancient method of treatment is helping more and more women. Some of these studies are listed below.
One study presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology this week studied acupuncture specifically in 47 women using anti-estrogen therapies such as Arimidex and Tamoxifen. These drugs are known to cause side effects of hot flashes, for which many women are treated with Effexor, an anti-depressant. The acupuncture worked equally as well as the medication Effexor to curb hot flashes and the acupuncture group also had more energy, less side effects and some had increased sex drive. This is certainly similar to the results we see in our practice for women using medications, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. Instead of using more drugs to balance side effects of the treatments, acupuncture is a wonderful adjunct that is virtually side effect free, and helps balance the spirit, as well as the body.
References:
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology annual meeting, 2008, Boston, MA.
He JP, Friedrich M, Ertan AK, Muller K, Schmidt W. Pain-relief and movement improvement by acupuncture after ablation and axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with mammary cancer. Clin Exp Obst Gynecol. 1999 26 2 :81-84.
NIH Consensus Statement: Acupuncture. National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director. 1997 15 5 :1-34.
Shen J, Wenger N, Glaspy J et al. Electroacupuncture for control of myeloablative chemotherapy-induced emesis. JAMA. 2000 284 21 :2755-2761
Towlerton G, Filshie J, O"Brien M, Duncan A. Acupuncture in the control of vasomotor symptoms caused by tamoxifen. Palliat Med . 1999 13 5 :445.
Aug. 2008: Screening for Prostate Cancer in Older Men Not Recommended
a blunder in thinking
- a more gentle toolbox
As recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, doctors are now urged not to screen for prostate cancer in older men via serum prostate specific antigen PSA for it has been ascertained that for older men, of a still undetermined age, subsequent treatment for prostate cancer may do more harm than good. And now, a study out of Europe is underway to help determine if it is detrimnetal to screen and treat younger men.
I do appreciate this attempt by conventional medicine to study itself a little more objectively, and I applaud what appears to be unbiased candor in releasing this information.
I do also think there are two important points for the public here. Firstly, this underscores a critical notion: that standard diagnosis and treatment for this second leading cause of men"s cancer has actually never been studied for effectiveness. We need to wonder how many other standard treatments like this are also not effective and possibly harmful. Right now, we do not know, and it is up to the individual patient to ask his or her doctor, whether a particular recommended testing series or treatment plan has truly been shown to work, or whether it is merely standard protocol without actual proof, as has been this treatment of prostate cancer for elderly. Having worked with a number of older men and offering natural support during chemotherapy treatment, I have seen first-hand the ravages of these chemotherapeutic regimens. Knowing that many of these cancers are exquisitely slow moving, it often never made sense to give these harsh chemicals. Einstein has said insanity is doing the same thing over and over and achieving different results.
A second point from an naturopathic perspective suggests to me that it would be more beneficial to keep the screening blood test, and only stop the conventional treatment of many of these cases. This is my thought - if we keep screening men, then we have a non-invasive opportunity to know whether there is greater prostate risk. In this case, we would know to use natural remedies more aggressively . Natural remedies such as garlic, lycopenes, flax meal, saw palmetto, inflammatory herbs, beta-sitosterols, hydrotherapy baths, acupuncture, etc..., which have been shown by research to help decrease prostate cancer progression, and increase prostate health. The conventional world would now prefer to give up screenings altogether for in the conventional world, positive findings only lead to harmful treatments. The naturopathic toolbox is quite a bit gentler. I submit that the screening is still a good non-invasive way to help your natural doctor provide more substantial care if necessary. - health, Dr. Peter
Over-Medicated Kids: how much is too much
Dr. Pina interviewed in Long Island Press
April 2008
Numbers of prescription medications for kids have skyrocketed. Read April Jimenez s informative article about the causes of this, and possible solutions. Experts are interviewed. Dr. Pina s comments start at the end of page three.
Click here to read article
Help License NDs
Tues, March 18, 2008 in Albany
14 states have licensed ND s. Help make NY next. Licensed states include CT, Washington DC, and Vermont. Come join New York state naturopathic doctors, including Dr. Bongiorno - and speak to your legislators to help make licensing happen! We will set up appointments and go with you to speak to your legislator in Albany. If you are a patient of Dr. Peter or Dr. Pina, or just want to support the effort, let us know, and we will set up an appointment with your legislators. It is a fun day to learn about the legislative process and met your politicians in person. Help license NY for naturopathic medicine, and change the course of health care here in New York State and the country. Contact Dr. Bongiorno for more information at drpeter@innersourcehealth.com
Pediatric Nutrition
Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 10 am to 1PM
Natural Gourmet School - New York City
Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc will be discussing the reasons why nutrition and natural medicine is greatly needed and desirable for best pediatric care. She will cover issues like the rising incidence of obesity, ADD, diabetes, neurodevelopmental disorders, etc… and what parents should know about how to safely use natural therapies in kids. This is definitely a great class for any parent or guardian who wants to know how to best support the health of a child. Contact the Natural Gourmet School at 212-645-5170 or info@naturalgourmetschool.com to sign up or for more details.
The Doctors P Talk to the Nation
Hallmark Channel, November 14, 2007 - 7AM
Healthy Aging and Naturopathic Principles
Dr. Pina and I discussed healthy aging techniques on New Morning with Timberly Williams. There are many wonderful choices in natural medicine to not only stave off disease and old age , but more importantly, these choices can help each person feel better at any age.
Besides discussing aging, Pina elaborated on the similarities and differences among naturopathic, allopathic and osteopathic doctors. Since this is a national broadcast, our hope is that it will bring the ideas and spirit of naturopathic medicine to a greater audience that will learn this is a choice we all have in our healthcare.
With naturopathic medicine and the vital force each one of us possesses, there is healing that can take place that may not always be apparent with conventional views of medicine. health, Dr. Peter
Click here to view the Hallmark Schedule
