Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/complementary_medicine/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113759.php Researchers at the University of Reading have found that an over-the-counter Artichoke Leaf Extract (ALE) from the globe artichoke plant can lower cholesterol in otherwise healthy individuals with moderately raised levels. Cardiovascular diseases are the chief causes of death in the UK, and are associated with raised circulating levels of total cholesterol in the plasma. Once plasma cholesterol reaches a certain level, drugs such as statins are often prescribed to help reduce it. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113521.php Often, a gentle hand on your shoulder when you're upset is all it takes to ease your mind and calm your nerves. Now, UC researchers are looking at a similar occurrence by pairing a complementary therapy known as Healing Touch with mild sedation to see if the technique truly calms patients undergoing minor procedures. Healing Touch is a series of techniques that balance energy for wholeness within a person's body, mind and soul. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113301.php Physician, author, speaker, researcher and consultant, Dr. Marty Rossman, creator of the Guided Imagery for Self-Healing Book and CD set and founder of The Healing Mind will appear on the July 9th Access to Health Experts teleseminar series. He will discuss his theory of guided imagery and share his long-standing interest in the practical importance of attitude, beliefs, emotions, and mind/body practices in medicine and health. According to Dr. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113291.php Smokers wishing to quit would be wasting their money if they use complementary therapies such as hypnotherapy or acupuncture - smoking cessation experts claim today (Monday, June 30). This and other issues around the most effective ways to help smokers quit will be discussed at the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference in Birmingham on 30 June & 1 July 2008. Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113179.php A research team of scientists from Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands has succeeded in further unravelling and manipulating the glycosylation of proteins in plants. This is the result of the research soon to be published in the renowned scientific magazine The Plant Cell. The scientists expect that this knowledge will allow plants to be applied more often in the production of therapeutic proteins, an important type of medicine. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112856.php Many people use "alternative" or complementary products because they see them as a more gentle form of medicine. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care has now analysed the latest research on several products and released the results along with a guide for consumers. St John's wort (hypericum), for example, could help ease mild depression, but it does not help with severe depression. Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112234.php Market America announced that it is in the development and testing stages of a new line of nutraceutical products that will support the health of children with autism and related neurodevelopmental challenges. Specialized laboratory testing often demonstrates sub-optimal levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids in people with autism, which can be addressed with nutritional supplements. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112246.php Recent news of proposed regulations that will apply to herbal medicine practitioners has stimulated yet more debate over the safety of herbal medicines. According to Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112202.php Ukrainian company Ekomed LLC announced this week that it had published Phase II clinical trial of its herbal supplement Dzherelo (Immunoxel) in patients with HIV and tuberculosis. The study appeared in June issue of International Immunopharmacology (2008; Volume 8(6): Pages 845-851). Abstract of the paper can be found online at PubMed -- medical information service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111991.php In a move that will strengthen efforts to focus the nation's attention on the benefits provided by dietary supplements and other natural products, the Natural Products Foundation (NPF) announced that the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA) has become part of the foundation. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111890.php For those patients who receive the nearly 40 million intramuscular injections per year to treat their B12 deficiency, a new oral option may soon exist. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of conditions, such as anemia, dementia and reduced cognitive functioning. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a significant health issue. Nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population is B12 deficient (Tufts University, Boston). Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111733.php You can get Vitamin D from the sunlight on a warm sunny day, from drinking a cool glass of milk or from supplements at the store, but no matter how you get it, a healthy dose of Vitamin D may be doing more good than first thought. In the laboratory, scientists have discovered that high doses of this common vitamin may help slow or prevent the growth of cancer cells. Building miniature ships is a tedious hobby, but David Rose doesn't mind. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111698.php Based on medical traditions more than 2,000 years old, Chinese self-massage techniques can help release tension and reduce anxiety -- without the cost of visiting a professional therapist. Called Dao yin (DOW-in), these techniques are part of a larger branch of Chinese medicine called qi gong (che-kung), meaning "energy work." The purpose of self-massage is to maintain and restore balance and harmony of the body's various parts. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111571.php HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese Vice Minister of Health Wang Guoqiang to foster collaboration between scientists in both countries in research on integrative and traditional Chinese medicine. The signing marks the opening of a two-day traditional Chinese medicine Research Roundtable at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The roundtable features scientific presentations by researchers from China and the United States. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111554.php The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) welcomes the report out from the Department of Health Steering Group on the Regulation of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The report recommends the statutory regulation of acupuncture through the Health Professions Council as soon as is practicable. This has brought a successful conclusion to a process in which the BAcC has been involved for well over a decade and to which it has made a major contribution. Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111306.php CancerAssistanceCenter.org announces the immediate availability of free information packets for cancer patients and physicians regarding Poly-MVA, a dietary supplement that has been shown to be very effective in clinical studies conducted by a renowned board-certified oncologist, Dr. James Forsythe. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110992.php Advancements in biotechnology, biomaterials and tissue engineering are driving growth in the worldwide wound care market -- which reached $12.3 billion in 2007 -- as new products and devices enter the market at lightning speed. Meanwhile, according to a new report by Kalorama Information, "World Wound Care Markets 2008," new research is shining a light on some very familiar substances that have powerful medicinal properties -- including honey and silver. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110827.php Neuliven Health, a leading innovator of scientifically formulated natural products designed to address America's pressing health issues, announced the launch of Glucocil™, the first breakthrough complete and natural herbal formula that helps Type 2 diabetics stabilize post-meal blood sugar levels, reduce the absorption of sugars and carbohydrates and suppress appetite. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110507.php St. John's wort does not appear to improve the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and teens in comparison with a placebo, according to an article released on June 10, 2008 in JAMA. Hypericum perforatum, also called St. John's wort, is a flowering plant often used in alternative medicine to treat depression. Many studies have been used to test its efficacy for this and other indications. Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110440.php The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched Time to Talk, an educational campaign to encourage patients - particularly those age 50 or older - and their health care providers to openly discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM ). Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110213.php How best to alleviate chronic pain, a leading cause of disability and employee absenteeism, continues to perplex both patients and their doctors. A review of recent studies on pain medicine appearing in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports that while various approaches and combinations of therapies to treat pain have advantages and disadvantages, researchers don't yet know how to determine which is best for individual patients. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110036.php Swindon Magistrates' Court has ruled that a bogus practitioner describing himself as an osteopath has broken the law. Mr Julian Midda of Calne, Wiltshire pleaded guilty on 30 May to two charges of describing himself as an osteopath when not registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). He was fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of over £870. The charges related to information contained on two websites advertising Mr Midda's services. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109691.php The June 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes a groundbreaking study on genetic factors and nearsightedness, a cautionary tale on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients' vitamin use, and good news for people who have had an acute attack of optic neuritis. Strong Evidence for a Genetic Marker for Nearsightedness Research by Gu Zhu, M.D. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109639.php Although a researcher has found considerable evidence that ingestion of baking soda prior to an event heightens performance, he believes the method should be banned as an ergogenic aid. Ronald W. Deitrick, Ph.D., FACSM, presented his findings at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Thu, 29 May 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109070.php The Institute for Progressive Medicine (IPM), a revolutionary medical clinic that emphasizes safe, natural and alternative treatments in combination with traditional medical techniques, announced the clinic's IV Therapies, including one of their most popular therapies - the Stress Drip.