February 7th, 2010
Dr Jacob Teitelbaum (left) and Dr David Russell were interviewed by Dr Carl O. Helvie on the Holistic Health Show last night. Dr Teitelbaum, a Board Certified Internist and Medical Director of a National Chain of Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers (www.fibroandfatigue.com)suffered from and overcome these diseases. He is senior author of landmark studies in these areas and author of the best seller From Fatigue to Fantasy and also author of additional books mentioned earlier on this website. More information is available on www.Vitality101.com
My second guest, Dr Davids Russell, holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and is competing another Doctorate of Divinity and is the Founder and Director of the non-profit organization Caritas Traditionalis whose goal is to create a self-sustainable medical presence in economically depressed communities. He has studied classical medicine around the world including Europe, Nepal and the Middle East. More information can be found on an earlier blog here.
Their interviews follow. I hope they are informative for you.
Tags: acupuncture, antiinflammatory, arthritis, ayurveda, black pepper, cherry, chinese medicine, chondroitin, classical medicine, curcumin, detoxing, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr David Russell, Dr Jacob Teitelbaum, endpain, energy, exercise, fibromyalgia, fish oil, food additives, ginger, glucosamine, heat, herbs, homeopathic, infection, movement, muscle ache, NAET, natural solutions, naturopathic, nutrition, sauna, Shine protocol, sleep, stretching, sugar elimination, toxins, willow bark
Posted in Podcast, Vitamin and Minerals, arthritis, complementary, exercise, herbs, homeopathic, naturopathic medicine, nutrition, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis | 2 Comments »
February 5th, 2010
Research reported in the BMJ formerly called the British Medical Journal within the last two weeks reported that people with early lung cancer who quit smoking can double their chances of survival if they quit smoking. Previous data from 10 studies were analyzed to determine how long smokers survived after being diagnoses with early lung cancer. Those who continued smoking had a 29 to 33 percent chance of surviving five years but those who quit had a 63 to 70 percent chance of surviving 5 years. Lung cancer is the top cancer worldwide and the prognosis is usually poor. When diagnosed early the prognosis is much better.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
February 3rd, 2010
A 24 month unblinded, random intervention study to compare the effects of strength training programs, self-management programs, and a combination of both carried out at the University of Arizona Arthritis Center found that physically inactive, middle aged people with symptomatic osteoarthritis benefited equally from strength training regimes, self-management programs, or a combination of the two. In this study, known as the Knee Study the researchers hypothesized that combining the two treatments might enhance the outcome.
Two hundred seventy three study participants between the ages of 35 and 65 who had reported pain and disability due to knee pain on most days in one or both knees for a period of not more than five years, and had a Kellgren/Lawrence classification grade 2 radiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis in one or both knees were included.
Study participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups-strength training, self management program, and the combination group. The strength training group spent the first 9 months improving the core areas of stretching and balance, range of motion and flexibility, and isotonic muscle strength. This was followed by 15 months of developing independent, long-term exercise habits. The second group participated in a 2-phase self-management program to educate participants and provide one on one treatment advice. The combined group participated in both the complete training and self-management program. Two hundred one of the original 273 participants completed the two year program with the self management group having the highest compliance rate.
Despite the lack of differences in finding in the three groups, all groups demonstrated improvements in physical function tests and decreased self-reported pain and disability. The researchers stated that because the self management group demonstrated higher compliance and there was no differences found in the outcome of the three groups, self-management might be a less intrusive and equally effective early treatment for knee osteoarthritis. More information is available in the January 2010 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Tags: arthritis, exercise, Knee-Study, osteoarthritis, research, self-management
Posted in arthritis, exercise, osteoarthritis | No Comments »
January 31st, 2010
ON SATURDAY MY GUESTS ARE DR. JACOB TEITELBAUM (LEFT) AND DR. DAVID RUSSELL. DR TEITELBAUM, A BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNIST AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF A NATIONAL CHAIN OF FIBROMYALGIA AND FATIGUE CENTERS (WWW.FIBROANDFATIGUE.COM) SUFFERED WITH AND OVERCOME THESE ILLNESSES IN 1975. HE SPENT THE NEXT 30 YEARS CREATING, RESEARCHING, AND TEACHING ABOUT EFFECTIVE THERAPIES FOR FATIGUE AND PAIN. HE IS THE SENIOR AUTHOR OF THE LANDMARK STUDIES EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME AND FIBROMYALGIA-A PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDY AND OF EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME AND FIBROMYALGIA WITH D-RIBOSE.
DR TEITELBAUM LECTURES INTERNATIONALLY AND IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BEST-SELLING BOOK FROM FATIGUE TO FANTASTIC. HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THREE STEPS TO HAPPINESS:HEALING THROUGH JOY AND THE RECENTLY RELEASED PAIN FREE 1-2-3-A PROVEN PROGRAM TO GET YOU PAIN FREE BY MCGRAW HILL PUBLISHERS IN 2006. AS A PATIENT ADVOCATE DR TIETELBAUM HAS A POLICY OF NOT TAKING MONEY FROM ANY PHARMACEUTICAL OR NATURAL PRODUCT COMPANIES, AND 100% OF THE ROYALTIES FROM HIS PRODUCTS GO TO CHARITY. HIS WEBSITE IS: www.vitality101.com
MY SECOND GUEST IS DR DAVID RUSSELL WHO HOLDS A DOCTORATE IN NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE AND IS COMPLETING ANOTHER DOCTORATE OF DIVINITY AND IS THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CARITAS TRADITIONALIS, AN INTERNATIONAL PROJECT WHOSE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SELF-SUSTAINABLE MEDICAL PRESENCE IN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED COMMUNITIES. HE ALSO MAINTAINS CONSULTATION ON INTEGRATED HEALTH IN TUCSON, ARIZONA AND DENMARK. . FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS HE HAS TAUGHT CLASSICAL MEDICAL DISCIPLINES IN EUROPE, NEPAL AND THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS DIAGNOSTICS AND HOMEOPATHY IN NATUROPATHIC SCHOOLS IN DENMARK AND NORWAY.
IN ADDITION TO HIS DOCTORAL DEGREE HIS EDUCATION INCLUDED STUDYING AND PRACTICING WITH CLASSICAL MASTERS IN EUROPE, NEPAL, AND THE MIDDLE EAST. HE HOLDS CERTIFICATION IN REFLEXOLOGY, HOMEOPATHY, ACUPUNCTURE, BIOCHEMISTRY, IRIDOLOGY, AND KNEIPP THERAPY. HE IS ALSO QUALIFIED IN CHINESE, TIBETIAN, AYURVEDIC AND ISLAMIC MEDICINE.
HE LIVED IN DENMARK FROM 1969 TO 1991 AND HAS WORKED IN THE HEALTH FIELD SINCE 1974, DURING THAT TIME HE BECAME A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE DANISH SOCIETY FOR INTEGRATED MEDICINE AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHING THE THREE MAJOR CLINICS FOR INTEGRATED MEDICINE IN DENMARK. HE IS ALSO A MEDICAL CONSULTANT FOR A DANISH CLINIC FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE.
DAVID IS THE AUTHOR OF HEALTHY SOLUTIONS: A GUIDE TO SIMPLE HEALING AND HEALTHY WISDOM, FOR WHICH HE RECEIVED THE ARIZONA BOOK AWARD FOR BEST HEALTH/NUTRITION/WELLNESS BOOK. HE LECTURES WIDELY AND HAS BEEN FEATURED AT EVENTS AND CONFERENCES INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF PROBIOTIC MEDICINE, INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF BIOLOGICAL DENTISTRY, CANCER COTROL SOCIETY, JUNGIAN SOCIETY, AND THE U OF ARIZONA.
Tags: acupuncture, arthritis, chinese medicine, chronic fatigue, classical medicine, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr David Russell, Dr Jacob Teitelbaum, fibromyalgia, iridology, Islamic medicine., natural interventions, reflexology, Tibetian medicine
Posted in arthritis, functional medicine, homeopathic, integrative medicine, naturopathic medicine, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatology, supplements | 8 Comments »
January 29th, 2010
Forthcoming research carried out at the University of Oklahoma to be published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology concluded that a new treatment not only killed large cancer tumors but also reduced the need for mastectomies by almost 90%. Dr William Dooley is leading a group of researchers from The University of Oklahoma and 4 other research sites who are working on a treatment called Focused Microwave Thermotherapy.
In their current research, they tested the therapy on tumors that were from one inch to one and a half inches in size that usually require mastectomies. Using the heating therapy within two hours of giving chemotherapy, tumors were more suceptible to chemotherapy and shrunk rapidly. The percentage of patients needing mastectomies were reduced from 75% to 7%. The researchers plan to repeat the trials to see if the therapy is effective on tumors larger that 1 1/2 inches but smaller than 5 inches.
Posted in breast cancer, cancer | 1 Comment »
January 29th, 2010
In an effort to let lung cancer patients avoid invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsies or cancer producing high radiation procedures such as CT scanning and to develop a more accurate diagnostic procedure researchers are investigating blood tests. In a study presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer Dr Steve Dubinett and colleagues at the Lung Cancer Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles developed a 40-marker panel of potential lung cancer biomarkers based upon investigation of 90 patients with lung cancer and 56 controls believed to be at high risk because of smoking histories. These biomarkers correctly identified those with lung cancer 88% of the time and correctly identified those without lung cancer 79% of the time. Thus, the tests had a good sensitivity and specificity (ability of the test to correctly identify those who had the disease when they had it and to correctly identify those who did not have the disease when they did not have it). Although the researchers said the findings are preliminary and would not be available for several years, the fact that 21 of the 40 biomarker panel were significantly different between patients with stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer and the controls is promising.
Tags: biomarkers, diagnosing, lung cancer, sensitivity, specificity
Posted in cancer, lung cancer | 1 Comment »
January 27th, 2010
A new study published in the December issue of PM&R: The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation concluded that running shoes exert more stress on knee, hip and ankle joints than running barefoot or walking in high-heeled shoes.
Sixty-eight healthy young adults who run at least 15 miles a week in typical running shoes (37 women and 28 men) and who had no musculoskeletal injuries were included in the study. Each was given a pair of typical running shoes and observed running barefoot and with shoes on a treadmill. Data was collected at each runner’s comfortable running pace after a warm-up period.
The researchers observed increased joint torques at the hip, knee and ankle with running shoes. An average 54% increase in the hip internal rotation torque, a 36% increase in knee flexion torque, and a 38% increase in knee varus torque were measured when running in running shoes compared with barefoot. This is even higher than the earlier reports of knee joint torque reported for high heeled shoes. The researcher concluded that the goal of new footwear designs should be to reduce joint torque in footwear to that of barefoot running while providing meaningful footwear function.
Tags: ankle, hip, knee, running shoes, torque
Posted in arthritis, body alignment | No Comments »
January 24th, 2010
Last night Dr Carl O Helvie, Host, Holistic Health Show interviewed Dr Ross Hauser (left) and Dr Thom Lobe (right).
Dr Hauser talked about prolotherapy a medical procedure of injecting natural substances into a site such as the knee to regenerate cartilage. He has been performing this procedure sucessfully for 12 years and studied with the physician who invented the procedure., He has also written books on the procedure. More of his biography was presented on this site earlier and can be found at http://www.caringmedical.com
My second guest was Dr Thom Lobe who is the founder and medical director of Beneveda Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California. He has been first many times such as successful separation of siamese twins, establishment of first pediatric surgery training program in the south, first textbook on pediatric surgery, first medical journal devoted to advanced surgical treatments in children and others. He is also a long time host and moderator of a medical talk show on GHS television in Germantown, Tennessee called “Whats Up Doc?”. Others aspects of his biography were identified earlier on this site and can be found at www.beneveda.com Dr Lobe talks about natural ways to deal with arthritis.
The interview follows. I hope you enjoy it.
Tags: acupuncture, alkaline producing diet, alvocado, analgesics, bing cherry, borage, degenerative arthritis, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr Ross Hauser, Dr Thom Lobe, eastern medicine, exercise, fibromyalgia, fish, glucosamine, herbs, human growth hormone, inflammation, joint arthritis, joint instability, lemons, ligament injury, motion, non-steroidal drugs, nutrition, omega 3. energy medicine, osteoarthritis, physical therapy, platelet rich plasma, regenerate cartilage, weight bearing joint, western medicine, willow bark
Posted in Podcast, arthritis, body alkalinity, body-mind-spirit | No Comments »
January 22nd, 2010
A study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology noted that a 21-gene test that predicts whether early breast cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy is influencing the decision for type of treatment ordered by physicians and patients. In their study the researchers reported that as a result of the test the physicians changed their treatment plan for 31.5 % of the cases, and patients changed their treatment plan 31.5% of the time.
The multigenetic test, Oncotype DX, examines 21 genes from a tumor sample to determine how active they are. A test score between 0 and 100 predicts the likelihood of the cancer recurring. If women have a low score, chemotherapy is not recommended. Since the test became available in 2004 (for patients with estrogen recepton-positive breast cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes) , over 120,000 breast cancer patients have undergone the test. There are about 100,000 cases of breast cancer that fall within this category yearly.
This study looked at 89 breast cancer patients who received the gene test. They were treated by 17 medical oncologists. Doctors changed decisions for 28 patients and in 20 of these they changed from hormone therapy plus chemotherapy to hormone therapy alone. Twenty-four patients changed their decisions including 9 who dropped chemotherapy. Doctors reported the test increased their confidence in their treatment decision in 76% of the patients. The cost of the test is $3,910 and most insurance plans will cover it.
Tags: 21-gene test, breast cancer, chemotherapy, hormone therapy
Posted in Uncategorized, breast cancer, cancer | No Comments »
January 20th, 2010
Tocilizumab, brand-named Actemra, is a new biologic drug for treating moderate to severe rheumatoid arthtritis that is not well controlled by other medications. It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and should be available for patients during the week of January 18. It is the first drug that blocks a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) which is overproduced in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. The drug is given once a month by intravenous infusion and is powerful and fast acting. However, there are safety concerns so it must be used cautiously. Side effects experienced by people taking it during clinical trials included elevated LDL or bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, elevated liver enzymes and gastrointestinal perforations. Thus, its use is recommended only for those who have not responded to other therapies and the FDA is requiring the manufacturer to monitor it’s long term safety. Specifically the FDA is interested in evaluating the long term effect of elevated LDL, cholesterol and blood pressure on the cardiovascular health of those on the drug. If this drug is recommended, make sure you have frequent testing by your primary health care provider.
Tags: Actemra, cautious, elevated liver enzymes, FDA approval, gastrointestinal perforation, high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, Tocilizumab
Posted in arthritis, drugs, rheumatoid arthritis | No Comments »
