Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients articles from December 2003

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients archives from December 2003

Letter from the publisher.
December 1, 2003... Last month the Nobel Prize Committee awarded the prize in medicine to two individuals who transformed the arcane theory of chemistry known as nuclear magnetic resonance into one of the most highly used technologies in medicine, the MRI imaging...

In memoriam; Jack M. Blount, MD.
December 1, 2003... Jack M. Blount, MD was born in Hickory, Mississippi, August 28, 1921. He received his undergraduate degree at "Ole Miss" (University of Mississippi) and his MD degree at George Washington University, Washington, DC. Even prior to entry in...

CHRF News File reprinted from file #53.
December 1, 2003... The CHRF News Files, a product of the Collaboration for Healthcare Renewal Foundation (CHRF), reports on collaborative initiatives and business developments of relevance to the emerging integrative medicine industry. Your receipt of the News...

CHRF News File reprinted from file #53; NCCAM director calls for trained CAM researchers.
December 1, 2003... The 18th Annual Convention of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), "Exploring the Terrain of Natural Medicine," was held August 13-16 in Portland, Oregon. More than 750 people attended, and there were more than 140...

CHRF News File reprinted from file #53; naturopaths fine-tune Research Agenda.
December 1, 2003... The AANP Convention also included "Special Topics" sessions focusing on the current two-year process for developing a North American Naturopathic Medical Research Agenda. Leanna Standish, ND, PhD, LAc, principal investigator on the project and...

CHRF News File reprinted from file #53; cost increases drive benefit plan changes by large employers.
December 1, 2003... Due to skyrocketing healthcare costs, most US employers are preparing to communicate major healthcare benefit changes to employees this enrollment season. Preliminary HMO rate increases for large employers are averaging 17.7%, compared with 21%...

CHRF News File reprinted from file #53; new publications.
December 1, 2003... A new book from Elsevier Science/Churchill Livingstone, titled Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Rehabilitation, offers a welcome overview of this important field. Edited by Eric Leskowitz, MD, clinical instructor in psychiatry at...

Literature review & commentary.
December 1, 2003... Magnesium treatment of narcotic addiction Eighteen patients on a methadone-maintenance program who were continuing to use illicit opiates and cocaine (as determined by urine testing) were randomly assigned to receive oral magnesium (Mg; 732...

Herbal history in the US.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... The rivalry between orthodox medicine (the one with official recognition and power) and alternative, often populist, medicine has existed for centuries. In the late 1700s, Samuel Thomson challenged orthodox practitioners by promoting a popular,...

Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... In January 2003, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released the Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. The first report, released in March 2001, measured the presence of 27 metals and chemicals in blood and...

Prescription drug dosage.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... A 2002 Georgetown University study reported that over 20% of pharmaceutical drug labels undergo revision after they enter the marketplace. In 80% of the revisions, the original dosage was reduced, or new contraindications or restrictions for...

Meridian Stress Assessment.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Meridian Stress Assessment (MSA), also called Electro-Dermal Screening, is a computerized assessment of organs and glands using acupuncture points and meridians. The technology sprang from the work of German doctor Reinhold Voll, who used an...

Irradiation.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Irradiation is being promoted as a way to destroy harmful bacteria in food as well as extend its shelf-life. According to Consumers Report (August 2003), "The government considers irradiation so effective that it allows tainted ground beef that...

Testing for enzyme deficiency.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Genetic tests are now available that can help doctors prescribe drugs more effectively and with fewer adverse effects. Doctors know that some people have the intended reaction, some react adversely, and some experience no effect at all. It is...

Live transplant donors.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Thousands of people offer to donate a kidney or part of their liver to people needing transplants each year. Often, donors are friends or relatives, but as Mark S. Zelermyer relayed in his piece for Newsweek, some donors are merely...

Alternative interpretation of nanobacteria-induced biomineralization.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... In 1998, E. W. Kajander and N. Ciftcioglu reportedly isolated coccoid-shaped nanobacteria from human kidney stones and suggested that they were the source of pathological extraskeletal calcification [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95, 8274-8279]. John...

Stem cell migration.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Researchers at the US National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (Bethesda, Maryland) have evidence that stem cells from bone marrow can develop into brain cells. Four women who had received bone marrow transplants from men were...

New transplant drug regimen.(Shorts)
December 1, 2003... Transplant recipients at the University of Pittsburgh's medical center are receiving a new drug regimen to prevent rejection of the donated organ. Until recently, transplant recipients have been required to take immune suppressive drugs for the...

The war on cancer.
December 1, 2003... Does Traveling for Treatment Increase Survival? There was a surprising study in a recent Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital studied the impact that traveling for treatment had on...

Pulse diagnosis in Chinese medicine.(Chinese Medicine Update)
December 1, 2003... Keywords: Chinese medicine, Chinese pulse examination, pattern discrimination [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Professional Chinese medicine bases its treatment on two diagnoses (liang zhen). There is the disease diagnosis (bian bing) and the...

Testing, quality control, and scientific marketing for non-synthetic pharmaceuticals.(Medical Anthropology)
December 1, 2003... Introduction In part due to consumer interest and in part due to the great costs associated with total synthesis and economic un-productivity of chemical methods of drug discovery, the pharmaceutical industry is gradually winding its way...

Amino acid profiling clinical guidelines for determination of preferred specimen choice.
December 1, 2003... Introduction Profiling of amino acids in plasma and urine has been used to elucidate a rapidly growing number of aminoacidopathies since the introduction of partition chromatography methods in 1945. (1) The question of whether plasma or...

New diagnostic tools for evaluating digestive function.
December 1, 2003... Introduction Sound nutrition and digestion are fundamental to long-term health. Without proper digestive function to ensure adequate breakdown and assimilation of nutrients, even the most nutritious diet may be ineffective for optimizing...

The desensitization of the allergic patient using a new technique of bioresonance.
December 1, 2003... Abstract The art of Chinese medicine is over 5,000 years old and the use of acupuncture and its meridians have been used since then in both health and disease. Western medicine is a lot younger and does not embrace the theory of a network...

Chromium status and health: accurate and precise analysis using High Resolution ICP-MS.
December 1, 2003... Abstract Accurate and precise measurement of chromium (Cr) in biological specimens is critical for valid assessment of the status of this essential element. Appropriate Cr supplementation is clearly justified for all forms of diabetes,...

Laboratory evaluation of estrogen metabolism.(Estrogen Metabolism)
December 1, 2003... Recent enthusiasm about the potential benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), using conjugated equine estrogens and synthetic progestins for menopause, has undergone a remarkable reversal. Studies of this form of HRT failed to...

Trace elements and glucose disorders.
December 1, 2003... The incidence of diabetes worldwide is expected to double in the next 10 years, affecting over 200 million people. It is known that dietary modifications can help considerably in improving bloodglucose control and therefore reduce the many...

Clinical importance of delayed immune reactions to antigens and haptens detected by functional Lymphocyte Response Assays (LRA by ELISA/ACT tests) in primary management of chronic disease--part 1.
December 1, 2003... Immune defense and repair in good health and ill health This article addresses our immune system's role in defense and repair. Emphasis is on comprehensive, functional, ex vivo tests of individual delayed allergy reactions. Clinically...

Vaccination: an analysis of the health risks--part III.
December 1, 2003... In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we examined factors countering our beliefs that vaccines are safe and effective. We also discussed the effects of specific vaccines, including those for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, polio, chickenpox,...

AMA & Consumers Union join in attacks on DSHEA using Senate bill S.722 as their weapon; a call to arms for defeating US Senate bill S. 722.(Medical Journalist Report of Innovative Biologics)
December 1, 2003... This column is primarily written by Randall Walker, edited by Morton Walker, DPM & contributed to by legislative advocate Clinton Ray Miller of Statesville, North Carolina. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On February 16, 2003 when 23-year-old...

Preventing amputations for peripheral vascular disease.(Letters to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Editor: There are far too many amputations among our older people. I have heard a figure of 60,000 such diabetic amputations each year in the USA. There could be very few such amputations. I am age 92 and in 1929 at age 17 I was hit by...

Urinary markers of intestinal yeast.(Letters to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Editor: The detection of clinically significant intestinal yeast growth is challenging. Because of the serious life-threatening nature of invasive candidiasis for immunosuppressed individuals, there is strong interest in markers that...

Environmental toxicity: an alternative way of assessing heavy metals.(Letters to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Editor: Numerous scientists worldwide are supporting the view today that all life processes are being determined by subtle electromagnetic and photon phenomena [see Prof. Dr. A. Popp, Dr. Voll (EAP), Dr. Schimmel (Vega System) and many...

The Wolff-Chaikoff effect of increasing iodide intake on the thyroid.(Letters to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Editor: In 1948, Wolff and Chaikoff published a landmark paper, (1) on the thyroid effect of increasing amounts of iodide (Potassium salt), injected intraperitoneally in rats. The authors stated: "Organic binding of iodine within the...

Before you order that lab test ...(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... The purpose of a laboratory test is to acquire diagnostic information that cannot be obtained from a history or physical examination, or to confirm or refute clinical impressions that arise from the history and physical. I was taught in medical...

The marketing of fear.
December 1, 2003... The Myth of Osteoporosis: What Every Woman Should Know About Creating Bone Health by Gillian Sanson Published by MCD Century Publications, LLC, 2035 Hogback Road, Suite 107, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105 USA Softcover, 2003, $19.95, 220pp. ...

Chronic multi-system illnesses.
December 1, 2003... The Clinical Neurobiology of Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain: Therapeutic Implications Robert M. Bennett, MD, editor The Haworth Medical Press[R], 10 Alice Street, Birmingham, New York 13904 USA Softbound, 2002, 267 pp., $34.95...

Integrative medicine: making it work.
December 1, 2003... Own Your Health: Choosing the Best from Alternative & Conventional Medicine by Roanne Weisman with Brain Berman, MD Published by Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442 USA Quality...

Nuritional supplements as health aids.
December 1, 2003... User's Guide to Nutritional Supplements edited by Jack Challem Basic Health Publications, 8200 Blvd E, North Bergen, New Jersey 07047 USA Oversized quality paperback, Selected References, Index, $19.95, USA; $31.95 CAN, 327 pages,...

Schisandra--the complete liver herb.(Phytotherapy Review & Commentary)
December 1, 2003... Introduction The theme for this edition of the Townsend Letter is the value and use of alternative laboratory tests in the assessment and management of various health problems. One such diagnostic test that is widely used is the assessment...

The reviews this month are an attempt to connect the dots between PNIE and other holistic areas of interest including behavior, exercise and nutrition.
December 1, 2003... Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology describes the unity of mental, neurological, hormonal and immunological functions with its many potential applications. PNIE addresses the impact of cognitive images of the mind (whatever its elusive definition)...

Assessing individual susceptibility to endocrine disruption caused by the ingestion of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Part 1.(Medicinal Properties in Whole Foods)
December 1, 2003... This month's article is the first of a two-part discussion that will focus on GMO foods, and in particular, milk products produced with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), and herbicide-resistant foods that play a role in...

How to safely & effectively use adrenal hormones and glandulars.(Highly Effective Treatments for Pain and Fatigue)
December 1, 2003... Adrenal hormones are essential for life. But, as with any hormone, too much can be dangerous. In the early studies using adrenal hormones, the researchers had no idea what dose was normal and what was toxic. When they gave injections of the...

Treating psychiatric patients in your homeopathic practice.(Healing with Homeopathy)
December 1, 2003... Using homeopathic medicine as primary treatment for psychiatric patients raises a number of considerations for the practicing homeopath. Because there is no specialty training available in homeopathic psychiatry, it is important to assess one's...

The effect of puncturing the network vessels and cupping on the partial pressure of oxygen & partial pressure of carbon dioxide in persistent asthma.(Acupuncture and Moxibustion)
December 1, 2003... Blood gas analysis, also called arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, is a test that measures the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood as well as the acidity (pH) of the blood. An ABG analysis evaluates how effectively the lungs are...

Laboratory testing in nutritional medicine--part 1.(Nutritional Influences on Illness)
December 1, 2003... Malnutrition A number of laboratory studies have been used in the nutritional assessment of malnutrition; however, they are unlikely to uncover marginal malnutrition. Although plasma or serum albumin is a popular measure, sick patients may...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... CALL FOR ABSTRACTS for 1st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PARADOXICAL EFFECTS IN BIOPHYSICS & MEDICINE. Conference is December 12-17, 2004 @ Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. The Symposium will provide a platform for exchange...

Research and medical update.(Women's Health Update)
December 1, 2003... Red Clover Isoflavone Extract No More Effective than Placebo Tice J, Ettinger B, Ensrud K, et al. Phytoestrogen Supplements for the Treatment of Hot flashes: The Isoflavone Clover Extract (ICE) Study. JAMA 2003;290(2):207-214 The most...

Chemical Body Burden--part 1.(Web Page Potpourri)
December 1, 2003... A column devoted to informative alternative health resources on the internet A Guide to Biomonitoring of Industrial Chemicals http://www.childenvironment.org/pdfs/bmguide.pdf The Guide to Biomonitoring at childenvironment.org offers...