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Friday, September 20, 2002
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A hat was passed around a church congregation to take up an offering for the visiting minister. Presently it was returned to him...embarrassingly empty.
Slowly the parson inverted the hat and shook it meaningfully. Then raising his eyes heavenward, he exclaimed, "I thank you, Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation."
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1:03:49 PM 
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By Darin Ingels, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (September 19, 2002)—Taking echinacea (E. purpurea and E. angustifolia), by itself or in combination with larch arabinogalactan, may enhance the functioning of a specific part of the immune system, according to a study in Alternative Medicine Review (2002;7:138–49). This is one of the first human studies to examine how echinacea affects immune function.
Echinacea is widely used in Europe and is one of the most popular over-the-counter herbal supplements sold in the United States. Several studies have shown that echinacea helps reduce the time to recover from colds and flus, but the mechanism by which it has this effect has not been clearly identified. A few small studies have shown that larch arabinogalactan (derived from Larix occidentalis) may also have immune-stimulating properties. The goal of this current study was to determine if echinacea, larch arabinogalactan, or their combination would have an affect on immune function.
Forty-eight healthy women were assigned to receive one of six treatments for four weeks: (1) an extract of E. purpurea, (2) E. purpurea and E. angustifolia, (3) ultra-refined E. purpurea and E. angustifolia, (4) E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and larch arabinogalactan, (5) larch arabinogalactan, or (6) placebo. Measurements of complement properdin, a marker of immune function, were taken initially and at the completion of the study.
After four weeks of treatment, those taking E. purpurea and E. angustifolia and also those taking E. purpurea, E. angustifolia plus larch arabinogalactan had significant increases in complement properdin by 21% and 18%, respectively. Individuals in those two treatment groups also showed improvements in overall physical and emotional health.
The findings of this study suggest that echinacea, with or without larch arabinogalactan, may boost a part of the immune system that is ultimately responsible for destruction of viruses and bacteria. Larch arabinogalactan by itself did not increase complement properdin, but, based on previously published studies on larch, the duration of the study may have been too short to notice any significant change in immune function. Although it is still not entirely clear how these herbs work, both substances are reasonably safe and may be useful for the short-term treatment of colds and flus.
Darin Ingels, ND, MT (ASCP), received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. Dr. Ingels is the author of The Natural Pharmacist: Lowering Cholesterol (Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments for High Cholesterol (Prima, 2000). He currently is in private practice at New England Family Health Associates located in Southport, CT, where he specializes in environmental medicine and allergies. Dr. Ingels is a regular contributor to Healthnotes and Healthnotes Newswire.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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12:37:14 PM
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By Matt Brignall, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (September 19, 2002)—An extract of willow tree bark is as effective as a common prescription medication for the treatment of low back pain, according to a new study published in Rheumatology (2001;40:1388–93).
In this study, 228 individuals with low back pain were randomly assigned to daily treatment with four capsules of a standardized extract of willow bark (containing 240 mg of salicin per day) or one 12.5-mg tablet of the anti-inflammatory drug rofecoxib (Vioxx® ) for four weeks. In all measures of pain relief, willow bark treatment was found to be as effective as rofecoxib.
Willow bark (Salix alba) has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory agent. In the late nineteenth century, aspirin was developed based on the chemical structure of the willow bark constituent salicin.
Drugs such as rofecoxib are part of a new class of anti-inflammatory agents known as COX-2 inhibitors. These drugs are considered to be an improvement over older anti-inflammatory medications because they are less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects. Regardless, more than twice as many participants in the rofecoxib group as in the willow bark group had to leave the study because of severe gastrointestinal complaints (7.9% vs. 3.5%).
The amount of rofecoxib used in the study is the smallest available. Four capsules of willow bark extract per day were still 40% less expensive than the single daily capsule of rofecoxib.
Like aspirin, willow bark extracts are thought to have the potential to cause gastrointestinal ulceration when used over a long period of time. Because of this, people taking willow bark for more than a month should be supervised by a physician.
Despite this precaution, willow bark is generally well tolerated. Previous European clinical trials have shown the incidence of side effects to be approximately 4%, the most common being allergic reactions.
Matt Brignall, ND is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Bastyr University. He works at the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, where he specializes in complementary medicine approaches to cancer. He has been published in several journals, including Alternative Medicine Review, Coping With Cancer, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Brignall also teaches clinical nutrition at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. He is a regular contributor to Healthnotes, Healthnotes Newswire, and the Healthnotes Quick!Reference series.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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12:36:39 PM
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By Alan R. Gaby, MD
Healthnotes Newswire (September 19, 2002)—Atmospheric pollution, by blocking some of the ultraviolet rays of the sun, can promote the development of vitamin D deficiency, according to a report in Archives of Disease in Childhood (2002;87:111–3).
Severe vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets, which leads to permanent deformities of the bones. In adults, severe vitamin D deficiency results in softening of the bones (osteomalacia) and muscle weakness. A milder deficiency of the vitamin can lead to impaired balance, possibly increasing the risk of falling down. In one study, elderly individuals who received a vitamin D supplement (800 IU per day) fell down 47% less often over a one-year period than did those who received a placebo.
In the new study, blood levels of vitamin D were measured in two areas of Delhi, India: one with high levels of air pollution and the other with significantly less pollution. The average vitamin D concentration was 54% lower in the former than in the latter. Forty-six percent of the children in the heavily polluted area had subnormal blood levels of vitamin D and in 12% of the children the deficiency was severe enough to cause rickets. In contrast, none of the 31 children living in the less polluted area had vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D is present in only a few foods (e.g., cod-liver oil, egg yolks, and vitamin D-fortified dairy products); most of the vitamin D in the body is produced by a chemical reaction in the skin triggered by exposure to sunlight. People who do not receive adequate amounts of sunlight are at increased risk of developing vitamin D deficiency. Factors that might promote a deficiency include staying indoors, covering one's body when outside, and having dark skin (which filters the sunlight). In addition, people who live at high latitudes receive less sunlight and therefore have a higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency, compared with those who live closer to the equator.
Vitamin D deficiency is more common than most people realize, occurring in up to 40% of healthy people in some studies and in more than half of hospital patients on a general medical ward.
It does not take a lot of sunlight exposure to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Experts recommend that an elderly person living in a climate with less sun exposure (such as Boston) receive 5 to 30 minutes of sunlight per day, depending on their skin sensitivity. In areas where the sun is stronger (such as Florida), even less exposure time can do the job. Adults who are unable to go out in the sun may benefit from a vitamin D supplement in the amount of 200 to 1,000 IU per day. Long-term supplementation with more than 1,000 IU per day should be supervised by a doctor. The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin D for children is 200 IU per day.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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12:36:01 PM
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Citing evidence that thousands of Americans unwittingly take toxic — and potentially fatal — doses of acetaminophen, a panel of expert scientists today urged stronger warning labels for the painkiller, the main ingredient in nearly 200 over-the-counter cold and headache remedies, including Tylenol.
The committee voted nearly unanimously, 21 to 1, to advise the Food and Drug Administration to adopt the stronger warnings, and the agency typically follows such advice. The vote came after F.D.A. officials presented evidence that 100 people die and more than 2,000 are hospitalized each year as a result of liver damage from unintentional overdoses of acetaminophen. [NYTimes]
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10:16:40 AM
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Burnadette Devlin. "To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else."
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10:12:01 AM
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Niels Bohr. "The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."
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10:11:25 AM
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Stem Cells Key to Diabetes Cure. A new therapy for diabetes -- in which stem cells play a crucial part -- promises to eliminate routine insulin injections and ease symptoms for those with the disease. By Kristen Philipkoski. [Wired News]
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10:05:22 AM
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© Copyright
2002
Rick@Leaders.net.
Last update:
11/18/2002; 10:53:08 PM.
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