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altmedzine ISSUE 10 18th January 2007
Herbalist
Exemption Under Review
Section
12 (1) of the Medicines Act is commonly referred to as the ‘herbalist
exemption’ and permits unlicensed remedies to be made up and supplied
by a practitioner to meet the needs of an individual patient following
a one to one consultation. The existence of this regime is greatly valued
by herbal practitioners and by many members of the public. However, there
are widely acknowledged weaknesses in the public health protection afforded
by the regime.
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on this Story]
FHT
Unveils New Website
The
Federation of Holistic Therapists has introduced a comprehensive new
website which effectively represents the forward-facing organisation
it has become. www.fht.org.uk reveals a contemporary new look for the
FHT and contains layer upon layer of essential information for both
the practicing therapist and members of the public.
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Get
Totally CAM!
The
dates have been announced for this year's Total CAM Show Brighton
- March 11th & 12th 2007. The first Total CAM show was launched
at the Natural Trade Show Brighton 2006 and it's back this year
and bigger than ever.
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on this Story]
Parasites
'May Help MS Patients'
Having
millions of parasites living in your gut may actually be a benefit
if you also have multiple sclerosis, a study has found. The
methods used by the creatures to stop our immune systems wiping
them out could be keeping the illness at bay.
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Traditional
Chinese Medicine Slimming Aids
Dieters
should be cautious when considering using a traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM) slimming aid to help weight loss, following the
discovery of a number of potentially dangerous and illegal TCM
slimming aids on the UK and international markets.
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Organic farmers have hit back over a government minister's claims that their produce is no healthier than food grown conventionally. Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, David Miliband said there was no conclusive evidence that organic food was better than products grown by conventional methods.
Tomato
Plus Broccoli - Added Benefits for Prostates?
Tomatoes
and broccoli, independently known for their anti-cancer
benefits, may have an extra effect against prostate cancer
when both are part of the daily diet than when they're eaten
alone, if results from an animal study can be replicated
in humans.
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on this Story]
Calcium
Offers Prolonged Protection from Colorectal Cancer, says
Study
The
potential protective effects of calcium supplements against
colorectal cancer may carry on for five years after people
stop taking the supplements, research has revealed.
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Australian
Cancer Organisation Warns Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid
Soy
The
Cancer Council of New South Wales recently announced that
it will change its position on consumption of soy products
in response to growing public debate over their safety,
according to The Age.
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Vitamin
C for Cancer Therapy Gets FDA OK
Federal
approval of a clinical trial on intravenous vitamin C as
a cancer treatment lends credence to alternative cancer
care, U.S. researchers said.
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on this Story]
Capsaicin
Found in Chillies Can Kill Cancer Cells Safely
UK
scientists have shown that capsaicin, the chemical
that burns your mouth when you eat chillies and
an active ingredient of over the counter drugs,
can kill cancer cells with little or no harmful
side-effects.
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Red
Meat Increases Diabetics' Heart Disease Risk
New
research by Harvard researchers has found that
diabetics' risk of coronary heart disease shoots
up by 50% on account of heavy consumption of red
meat and intake of heme iron in the diet.
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Study
Finds that Adding Milk Reduces Healthy Benefits
of Black Tea
Previous
studies have suggested that black tea's antioxidative,
anti-inflammatory and vasodilating effects can
help protect against cardiovascular diseases,
but researchers from the Charité- Universitätsmediz
in Berlin report that adding milk - even skimmed
milk - may diminish those effects.
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Traffic
Lights Show the Way to Healthy Food Choice
As
food and drink retailers announce a £4
million advertising campaign to explain
a new GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) food
labelling scheme, Which? asks why they are
so scared to use traffic light labelling.
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on this Story]
OFT
takes Action against 'Miracle Slimming
Chocolate'
The
OFT has obtained assurances from a Hong
Kong based company that it will no longer
market its slimming chocolate in the UK.Global
DM Licensing sent mailings to UK consumers
claiming that by eating 'Slim-Choc' you
could lose at least 20 pounds in 20 days,
without dieting or exercising, and promised
that 'the more you eat the more you lose!'
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The OFT has lodged an appeal against a ruling by a Dutch Court that the mail order company 'Best Sales B.V.' had not breached Dutch law. Best Sales B.V. trading as 'Best Of' and 'Oliveal', have been sending unsolicited mailings to UK residents offering household goods and health remedies by mail.
Magnopulse Ltd, a company which manufactures and sells magnetic therapy products for humans and animals, including leg wraps, back pads and neck wraps, pet collars and pet beds, has agreed to change its advertising following action by the OFT.
Complaints Against Procter & Gamble Not Upheld
Five complaints objecting to a TV ad, for the ThermaCare heat wrap on behalf of Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Ltd, Egham, Surrey were not upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Complaint
Against Avon Cosmetics Ltd UK
Ltd Upheld
A
complaint objecting to a catalogue
ad for 'Face-Left' product 'ANEW'
from Avon Cosmetics Ltd, was upheld
on all of the three objections
according to information published
by the Advertising Standards Authority
(ASA).
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on this Story]
Expert
Advice Online on Alternative Medicine
As
alternative medicine becomes more
popular, a growing number of people
are accessing the internet for
information. The problem is sifting
through tons of web pages, and
deciding what is reliable and
what isn't. Hence the creation
of www.safealternativemedicine.co.uk.
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on this Story]
I
Put my Inhaler Away and just Learned
how to Breathe Properly
If
you think of asthma, you probably
think inhalers. But one Worcestershire
woman has found an alternative
way to be in control of her condition
- and it just involves learning
how to breathe correctly.
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on this Story]
Magnet
Therapy Challenged
Magnet
therapy refers to healing with
static magnets, the kind of basic
magnet commonly found holding
up notes and crayon artwork on
a refrigerator. It's a 5 billion
U.S. dollar worldwide business,
according to the National Centre
for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine.
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on this Story]
altmedzine ISSUE 9 4th January 2007
Mining
of Ancient Herbal Text Leads to Potential New Anti-Bacterial Drug
A
Mayo Clinic collaboration has revived the healing wisdom of Pacific Island
cultures by testing a therapeutic plant extract described in a 17th century
Dutch herbal text for its anti-bacterial properties. Early results show
that extracts from the Atun tree effectively control bacteria that can
cause diarrhoea, as claimed by naturalist Georg Eberhard Rumpf, circa
1650.
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on this Story]
Homeopathic/Herbal
Remedies Prescribed by 60% of Surgeries in Scotland
Sixty
per cent of doctors' surgeries in Scotland prescribe homeopathic or
herbal remedies, according to a study of nearly two million patients,
published in the December issue of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
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on this Story]
Folic
Acid may Prevent Age-Related Hearing Loss
Supplements
of folic acid may prevent age-related hearing loss in older men
and women, says a new double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled
trial from the Netherlands.
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on this Story]
In depth interviews with a group of low income mostly female African Americans, all of whom had severe asthma, revealed that all participants used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in combination with conventional medicine.
People who ate the most fish on a weekly basis - putting them in the top quarter of a study population - were nearly 50 percent less likely to develop the mental deterioration known as dementia over time than participants in any of the other three quarters.
Fish
Oil Given to Pregnant Women Found Helpful to Babies
Fish-oil
supplements given to pregnant women boost the hand-eye coordination
of their babies as toddlers, reveals a small study published
ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood (Fetal
and Neonatal Edition).
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on this Story]
Prebiotics
could Reduce Artery Hardening, Boost Heart Health
Dietary
supplementation with the prebiotics inulin and oligofructose
reduced the build up of fatty plaques associated with atherosclerosis,
reports an animal study from France.
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on this Story]
Probiotic
Supplements - Lack of Bacteria Found by ConsumerLab
Sales
of supplements containing beneficial organisms (probiotics)
have grown rapidly, but recent tests by ConsumerLab found
seven with fewer viable organisms than claimed or generally
known to be effective. And one of these was contaminated
with mould.
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on this Story]
Complaint
against Pomegreat Upheld by ASA
A
complaint objecting to 'unauthorised medicinal claims' in
an advertising feature for Pomegreat, a pomegranate juice
from RJA Foods Ltd, was upheld according to information
published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
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on this Story]
Former
Vicar Punished for Illegally Selling Unlicensed
Medicines
Walter
Wright (63) of South Wales recently received 120
hours of community service and fined £1,000
costs at Swansea Crown Court for illegally selling
unlicensed medicines claiming to treat a number
of medical conditions, including strokes and heart
disease. T
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West
Midlands Man Guilty of Selling 'Spiritual Creams'
Harminder
Johal pleaded guilty to two Medicines Act offences
on Monday 18th December and was ordered to pay
£7,000 in fines and costs. Mr Johal was
selling creams loaded with steroids which he was
recommending for use to treat eczema in children.
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Charity
Wall-Planner Hits the Final Wall
Jones
& McGovern Ltd has been wound up in the High
Court following an investigation by the Companies
Investigation Branch (CIB) of the Insolvency Service.
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on this Story]
Dahab
in Sinai to Become Egypt's Top Destination
Dahab
in Sinai Egypt is now becoming Egypt's top
destination for alternative and new you
holidays. Once a Bedouin village with Oasis
and then a diver's paradise, Dahab is now
becoming just as famous for its land based
activities including yoga retreats and much
more.
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NZ
Doctors more Accepting of Alternatives
Alternative
medicine is becoming more accepted by
mainstream doctors, with more than 95
per cent of New Zealand GPs referring
patients to therapies such as acupuncture,
naturopathy and osteopathy.
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on this Story]
The ANZTPA bill had its first reading in New Zealand's parliament last month. These new laws favour the commercial interests of the establishment and aim to restrict and outlaw much of the flourishing complementary health industry, says the Association of Chinese Medical Herbalists (ACMH).
British Columbia Institute of Technology's Natural Health Products Research Group has announced the completion of the first round of its natural health products analytical laboratory proficiency programme using the herbal goldenseal.
China's Traditional Medicine Experts for Integrated Hospital
Traditional medical specialists from three renowned universities in China will help out in the implementation of the Integrated Hospital Concept, a special hospital offering a combination of western and traditional medicine treatments, in Kuala Lumpur next year.
Vanderbilt
Mixes Alternative with Conventional
to Heal
Dr.
Dainia Baugh, owner of Nima Holistic
Wellness in Nashville, is one
of a handful of local doctors
who combine unconventional therapies
with Western medicine, such as
drugs and surgery, in an approach
called integrative medicine.
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Nestle
Confirms Novartis Medical Nutrition
Buy
Swiss
food giant Nestle has confirmed
its plan to purchase Novartis
Medical Nutrition for US$2.5bn
- a move that propels it from
a minor player in healthcare nutrition
to the world number two.
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on this Story]