Natural Standard Blog

Moxibustion and Fetal Health

A form of traditional Chinese medicine called moxibustion may not help turn breech fetuses over so that they are in a head-down position before birth, researchers report in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

During moxibustion, an herb (usually mugwort) is burned above acupuncture points to treat medical conditions. Treatment may be applied in the form of a cone, stick or loose herb. It may also be placed on the head of an acupuncture needle to manipulate the temperature gradient of the needle.

Moxibustion has a long history of use for breech fetuses and can be self-administered at home. However, the available evidence of effectiveness has been inconsistent.

The latest study included 212 pregnant women with fetuses in breech position at 24 to 26 weeks of pregnancy. The women were randomly assigned to receive either moxibustion or no therapy for the remainder of the pregnancy. A midwife trained in acupuncture used moxibustion to stimulate acupoints on the toes three times weekly. The patients were also encouraged to self-administer the therapy at home the other four days of the week.

The authors found that the number of fetuses that turned in the moxibustion group (18 percent) was similar to the number in the control group (16 percent). “We observed no beneficial effect of moxibustion to facilitate the cephalic version of fetuses in breech presentation. Despite this lack of proven effectiveness, women had positive opinions on the intervention,” the authors concluded.

For more information about moxibustion, please visit Natural Standard's Health & Wellness database.

Natural Standard Featured in CAM Journal

Natural Standard research articles on medical conditions will be published regularly in the journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies.

Each article begins with a general overview of the medical condition, followed by integrative therapy options. The therapies are organized based on their evidence of effectiveness.

The current issue features Alzheimer’s Disease: An Integrative Approach. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder in which neurons deteriorate, resulting in the loss of cognitive functions, primarily memory, judgment, reasoning, movement coordination and pattern recognition. The article discusses various therapeutic options, including ginkgo, sage, aromatherapy, bacopa and music therapy.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., provides the latest information on alternative therapies and how to integrate them into clinical practice. Topics include: botanical medicine, vitamins and supplements, nutrition and diet, mind-body medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, indigenous medicine systems, homeopathy, naturopathy, yoga, meditation, manual therapies, energy medicine and the effect of spirituality on health.

Natural Standard subscribers can receive a 20 percent discount on the journal by entering the discount code "natural" at checkout. To learn more about the journal and to subscribe please visit www.liebertpub.com.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishes authoritative peer-reviewed journals, books and trade magazines in the most promising areas of biotechnology, biomedical research/life sciences, clinical medicine and surgery, alternative and complementary medicine, law, philanthropy and environmental science and sustainability.

Frequent Nasal Irrigation May Increase Infections

New evidence suggests that daily nasal irrigation may increase the risk of sinus infections.

Nasal irrigation with warm saline has been promoted as way to cleanse the sinuses and help prevent infections. However, using this therapy too often may not be beneficial.

The latest study, presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) annual meeting, included 68 adults who used nasal irrigation frequently for one year and then stopped therapy for one year. The patients were compared to 24 control patients who did not discontinue nasal irrigation.

The researchers found that number of sinus infections decreased by 62.5 percent after the participants stopped using nasal irrigation. Additionally, after stopping nasal irrigation, they were 50 percent less likely to develop sinus infections than those who continued with daily therapy.

Mucus in the nose contains important immune system molecules that help the body fight against infections. Because nasal irrigation eliminates this mucus, the authors suspect that it may lead to an increased risk of infection.

For more information about nasal irrigation, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Major breast cancer organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, are joining forces this month as part of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program. The campaign aims to increase awareness and promote research about the disease.

As part of this effort, Natural Standard is working with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure© organization to provide consumer information about integrative therapies for breast cancer.

New evidence from the American Cancer Society suggests that in recent years, fewer Americans are dying from breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010 report suggests that from 1990 to 2005, the number of breast cancer-related deaths has decreased by about 27 percent.

Although fatality rates have decreased among African American, Hispanic and Caucasian women, disparities exist between some races. According to the findings, African American women have a 40 percent higher fatality rate than Caucasian women. The authors suggest that several factors, such as unequal access to medical care and late-stage diagnosis, may contribute to disproportional mortality rates.

Early detection of breast cancer remains essential for improving long-term outcomes. When breast cancer is diagnosed early, the survival rate is about 100 percent, but if diagnosed late, the survival rate is only about 20 percent. Yet, the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006-2008 only 30 percent of uninsured women had mammograms, compared to 70 percent of insured women.

Aside from regular cancer screenings, diet and lifestyle choices may factor into breast cancer risk and management. It is generally recommended that individuals eat healthy and well-balanced diets, maintain healthy body weight, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation (if at all). Many studies are testing the potential benefits of specific foods and diets on breast cancer.

For instance, a new study suggests that a "prudent diet" rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, yet low in sugars and processed meats may help cut the risk of breast cancer in some African American women.

After studying the diets and health of 50,778 African American women from 1995 to 2007, the researchers found that normal-weight women who followed the prudent diet were about one-third less likely to develop breast cancer than those followed a Western-style diet. However, benefits were not observed in overweight women.

The prudent diet was also associated with a 30 percent reduced risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women compared to post-menopausal women.

Another recent study found that a high-fiber diet may also decrease the risk of breast cancer.

The researchers analyzed data from 185,598 post-menopausal women who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Hormone receptor status, which indicates whether estrogen (ER) and/or progesterone (PR) fuel the growth of the tumor, was available for 2,391 patients.

After an average follow-up period of seven years, the researchers found that women who ate the most fiber were 13 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate the least amount. The association was stronger among those with negative ER/PR tumors compared to those with positive ER/PR tumors.

However, more studies are needed to fully understand the potential relationship between fiber intake and breast cancer risk.

Although some diets may be beneficial for breast cancer, some foods, herbs and supplements may increase the risk of the disease or interact with cancer treatment. For instance, soy red clover and black cohosh contain phytoestrogens, which act similarly to estrogen. For more information about the safety of integrative therapies, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements and Health & Wellness databases.

To screen for potential interactions with other therapies, including chemotherapy, please visit Natural Standard's Interactions Checker.

For more information about breast cancer, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

Natural Standard Handheld/Desktop Version

Natural Standard subscribers are eligible to receive free handheld and desktop versions of the database for one year plus a 15 percent discount on Skyscape references. This offer is available until January 2010.

With the handheld version, individuals can quickly access evidence-based information about integrative therapies, including herbs, supplements, alternative modalities, exercise and nutrition. This decision-support tool also cross-indexes with all of Skyscape's 500+ clinical, drug and diagnostic references.

The desktop version contains consolidated data on effectiveness, side effects, interactions, dosing, pregnancy, breastfeeding, historical background, practitioner accreditation, theory and safety. Individual subscriptions are also available for both handheld and desktop versions.

Simply e-mail info@naturalstandard.com and provide a complete e-mail address list of authorized subscribers who are interested in taking advantage of this special offer. Subscribers will receive personal codes to activate their handheld/desktop versions.

To receive a 15 percent discount on additional Skyscape references, please visit www.skyscape.com/naturalstandard and enter discount code: 93821.

Acupressure Therapy May Prevent Diabetic Complications

Acupressure therapy plus diet and exercise plans may inhibit the development of diabetic complications in patients with type 2 diabetes, a report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine suggests.

After an initial recruitment of 80 participants, the Chinese study followed 64 patients with type 2 diabetes for three years. All study participants were treated with conventional medications plus diet and exercise programs to manage high blood pressure and hyperglycemia. One group was randomly assigned to undergo 90-minute sessions of acupressure four to six times a week in addition to standard treatment.

At the end of the three-year follow up, patients in the acupressure group had lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol, and higher levels of HDL-cholesterol. Nerve conduction velocity was also significantly higher in the acupressure group, indicating preserved nerve function. Serum creatinine and urine protein, surrogate markers of kidney function, were similar between both groups at the end of study follow-up.

Given these suggestive results that acupressure may help prevent diabetic complications, such as kidney failure and nerve damage, further studies may be warranted. The Chinese diet and lifestyle may not be globally representative. However, if these results can be replicated in different populations, the authors suggest that acupressure may be an important adjunctive strategy to help prevent long-term complications of type 2 diabetes.

Non-pharmacological management already plays a significant role in the prevention of diabetic complications. Other integrative therapies have also been investigated in managing symptoms. For instance, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has consistently been shown to improve blood sugar levels among patients with type 2 diabetes. Ginseng and beta-glucan also have suggestive benefits in inhibiting the development of diabetes-related complications, although the data are not as compelling.

For more information about acupressure therapy, please visit Natural Standard's Health & Wellness database.

Natural Standard Social Networks

Join Natural Standard's social networks on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to receive live updates on product launches, new publications, job openings, upcoming events, news feeds and more.

These social media channels foster discussions about integrative medicine and present networking opportunities for students and professionals. Natural Standard's community encompasses health professionals, medical researchers and individuals who are interested in health and wellness topics.

Members are also encouraged to offer feedback about students programs, webinars and new products.

New Interactive Tools

This month, Natural Standard launched two new interactive tools to help clinicians and consumers make safer therapeutic decisions.

The nutrient depletion database allows users to quickly identify nutrients that are depleted by certain drugs, herbs or supplements. This decision-support tool is divided into two categories: drugs and herbs/supplements.

Natural Standard evidence-based systematic reviews have always featured nutrient depletion interactions, but now this information is conveniently compiled in one location.

Additionally, Natural Standard has developed a patient education portal that provides easy-to-understand information about herbs and supplements. The information is presented as "flashcards," which are concise versions of Natural Standard's professional monographs. The flashcards contain all of the pertinent information, including evidence of effectiveness, safety, side effects, interactions and dosing.

To try out these new innovative tools, please visit Natural Standard's Interactive Tools database.

Americans Spend Billions on CAM

In 2007, Americans spent nearly $34 billion out of pocket on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to the National Health Interview Survey, (NHIS). CAM includes many different types of healthcare practices and products that are not generally considered to be conventional or allopathic medicine.

The CAM component of this survey was developed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Of the 23,393 American adults surveyed, about 38 percent used some form of CAM over the previous 12 months. Although the amount of money spent on CAM accounted for only 1.5 percent of total healthcare expenditures, it represented 11.2 percent of total out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures. These estimates do not include vitamin and mineral supplements, which account for almost $5 billion in annual sales.

The greatest amount of money (about $22 billion), was spent on self-care therapies that do not require a healthcare practitioner, such as nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products; homeopathic remedies and yoga. More than half of this money (about $14.8 billion) was spent on nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products, which is almost one-third of the amount spent on prescription drugs.

Additionally, about $11.9 billion was spent on an estimated 354 million visits to CAM practitioners, such as chiropractors and acupuncturists. This is about equal to 25 percent of the total out-of-pocket expenses for conventional physician visits.

As CAM therapies continue to gain popularity in the United States, information about safety and effectiveness becomes increasingly important. Many people turn to herbs, supplements and modalities to help treat and prevent various medical conditions. However, “natural” does not always mean “safe.” Like conventional drugs, herbs and supplements may cause side effects and interact with other therapies. Natural Standard Research Collaboration rigorously reviews scientific data to provide objective information about the safety and effectiveness of therapies, thereby helping people make more informed and safer therapeutic decisions.

For more information about CAM therapies, please visit Natural Standard's Health & Wellness and Foods, Herbs & Supplements databases.

Caregiver Closeness and Alzheimer's

According to a new study, Alzheimer’s patients who have close relationships with their caregivers may experience slower mental and physical decline. These beneficial effects were similar to common Alzheimer’s drugs, including galantamine (Razadyne®), donepezil (Aricept®) and rivastigmine (Exelon®).

In the Cache County Memory study, researchers have been studying more than 5,000 older adults since 1994 to identify potential risk factors for age-related dementia.

The authors evaluated a subset of 167 people who developed Alzheimer’s disease and were being cared for by either a spouse or adult child. Patient evaluations, which included physical, behavioral, functional, and cognitive health tests, were conducted every six months for four years. The participants and caregivers were also asked about their relationships with the patients.

The researchers found that physical and mental decline was slowest among those who had the closest patient-caregiver relationships. In general, these beneficial effects were most apparent among patients who were cared for by their spouses.

It is unclear exactly why close relationships were linked to delayed disease progression. Growing evidence suggests that maintaining mental fitness and participating in social activities may help delay the onset of dementia. Some researchers suspect that lifelong mental exercise and learning may promote the growth of additional synapses, the connections between neurons, and delay mental decline. Other researchers argue that advanced education gives a person more experience with the types of memory and thinking tests used to measure dementia. Doing crossword puzzles, reading books and increasing social activities are recommended by healthcare providers.

For more information about Alzheimer's disease please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.