First lady, Michelle Obama tells us that drinking more water will improve the health of kids and all Americans.
Really? Here’s what we know. Continue reading Does water really improve health?
Category Archives: CAM Politics
Too fat to live in New Zealand
If campaigns to promote more healthful eating are ineffective, how else might society address the obesity epidemic?
MailOnline reports that deportation is an option. Continue reading Too fat to live in New Zealand
What’s trending now in visits to homeopaths
Two recent studies report marked differences in the use of homeopathy.
First, homeopathy in the US. Continue reading What’s trending now in visits to homeopaths
Ethics of alternative vs traditional medicine
Ms. Elaine Hirsh is a reader of this blog and has authored this comment on several issues that should concern people who opt to use CAM options. She is interested in a wide range of topics ranging from education to technology to public policy. She is currently working as a writer for a masters degree website. Continue reading Ethics of alternative vs traditional medicine
No regulatory double standard for natural health products
That’s the editorial position of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Here’s their reasoning. Continue reading No regulatory double standard for natural health products
Failed policy: Banning sugar-sweetened drinks in schools
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago determined the effect of state policies that regulate beverages among adolescents. Continue reading Failed policy: Banning sugar-sweetened drinks in schools
Increasing the legal age for tanning
Medical New Today reports that the youngest legal age for using tanning beds has gone up from 14 to 18 years in California now that Governor Jerry Brown signed a new bill into law. Continue reading Increasing the legal age for tanning
Herbal supplements: Caveat Emptor
Researchers at the University of Leeds, in Woodhouse, evaluated written information provided with commonly used herbal products in the UK in advance of a European Union Directive that tightens regulations for some herbal products, including requirements to provide safety information. Continue reading Herbal supplements: Caveat Emptor
Kaiser points out the 800-pound gorilla
“14 states and the District of Columbia have launched a medical experiment that doesn’t follow any of the rules of science. By approving the use of marijuana as a medicine, they are bypassing the federal government’s elaborate processes for approving medicines.”
It has happened only once before. Continue reading Kaiser points out the 800-pound gorilla
High percentage of supplements are contaminated
The New York Times reports, “Nearly all herbal dietary supplements tested in a Congressional investigation contained trace amounts of lead and other contaminants, and 16 of the 40 supplements tested contained pesticide residue that exceeded legal limits.
Here are the details of what the Government Accounting Office found. Continue reading High percentage of supplements are contaminated
Rising risk of infection from acupuncture
In the British Medical Journal, Prof. Patrick Woo from the University of Hong Kong describes what might be “the tip of the iceberg.”
He calls for more rigorous infection control guidelines. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine responds. And success in treating these infections is summarized as part of an update to this original post. Continue reading Rising risk of infection from acupuncture
Potential for licorice-drug interactions
Glycyrrhizin is a major ingredient of licorice, which is sometimes used in the treatment of various diseases such as chronic hepatitis.
In animals, licorice or glycyrrhizin alters the activity of the CYP3A drug-metabolizing enzyme. Researchers at Central South University, in Hunan, People’s Republic of China looked for an effect in people. Continue reading Potential for licorice-drug interactions
New recommendations for salt intake for Americans
Here’s the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. It tells us, “Americans consume excessive amounts of sodium and insufficient amounts of potassium.”
Their latest recommendations follow. Continue reading New recommendations for salt intake for Americans
Alcoholic energy drinks being banned by FDA
Deaths and hospitalizations have been reported in young people, according to New York Senator Charles Schumer. Continue reading Alcoholic energy drinks being banned by FDA
Do you trust advice from your local supplements sales clerk?
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented to congress the results of a “secret shopper” investigation, which found that in some stores, salespeople made inappropriate or illegal claims about dietary supplements.
What to do? Continue reading Do you trust advice from your local supplements sales clerk?
Food is healthier since banning trans fatty acids
That’s the conclusion by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Harvard Medical School, in Boston. Continue reading Food is healthier since banning trans fatty acids
Benefits and potential risks of artificial sweeteners
Surprisingly, only about 15% of Americans use sugar substitutes.
What might be the public health issues associated with recommending a switch from sugar to artificial sweeteners? Continue reading Benefits and potential risks of artificial sweeteners
The cost of obesity
Obese people spend an additional $1429 a year — or 42% more — on healthcare than their normal-weight counterparts, according to research by RTI international and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading The cost of obesity
Prevalence of CAM use in England
The English commonly combine CAM with prescription drugs.
Let’s compare these findings by Prof. Ernst and colleagues to CAM use in other countries. Continue reading Prevalence of CAM use in England
Placebo effect with homeopathic vs conventional drugs
Wikipedia states, “Claims of homeopathy’s efficacy beyond the placebo effect are unsupported by the collective weight of scientific and clinical evidence.”
But this study from Germany concludes that the evidence doesn’t support this belief. Continue reading Placebo effect with homeopathic vs conventional drugs