Bird flu Virus Mutates into Tamiflu-resistant Strain

Egypt has announced it is on high alert after the World Health Organisation found a mutated H5N1 strain of bird flu that was more resistant to the Tamiflu vaccine - the primary treatment governments are counting on in the event of an outbreak.

The mutated strain was announced by WHO last week, which said it had been discovered in northern Egypt after tests came back from a 16-year-old girl and her uncle living with their family in the area, and who succumbed to the disease in late December. The mortality rate for the virus in Egypt was about 50 percent in the first half of 2006, but none of the patients treated with Tamiflu in recent weeks have survived. However, in a statement from the organisation assured people that there was no evidence of the strain spreading.

‘At this time there is no indication that Tamiflu resistance is widespread in Egypt or elsewhere,’ the statement said.

The doctors have gained some hope from treating the two Egyptians. The virus seemed to be slightly weakened by other antiviral drugs, so a cocktail of drugs could end up becoming the primary weapon of health caregivers. According to a spokesperson for the Egyptian health ministry, additional Amantadine antivirals are now being given to bird flu patients to complement Tamiflu.

Eleven people have died from H5N1 since it first appeared in the country a little less than a year ago, making Egypt the hardest-hit country outside of Asia. In response, the Egyptian government has mounted an awareness and education campaign to help lessen the spread of infection to those raising domestic poultry.

Some patients in Vietnam also showed a Tamiflu-resistant strain of bird flu, the New England Journal of Medicine reported in 2005, but the strain did not spread. The H5N1 strain of bird flu is the only strain that has resulted in human fatalities - 163 worldwide, according to WHO - but scientists are worried that the strain may eventually mutate into a form easily transmittable between humans.

According to WHO, there are no plans to change the June 2006 recommendations for treating H5N1 patients, because the level of resistance of the mutations have not been determined, and the strain is only moderately resistant. A department of health spokesperson said WHO had noted the level of preparedness and antiviral stockpiling program in Egypt did not require changing, and said the government is attempting to obtain at least 20 million Tamiflu vaccines by the middle of the year. This would enable authorities to treat 15 to 20 percent of the population if H5N1 becomes pandemic, he said.

A professor of microbiology at Hong Kong University was less optimistic, however. Leo Poon Lit-man said that the latest announcement from WHO could mean that the virus is mutating rapidly, which would mean that people should not use Tamiflu too much if they wish to benefit from it. He added that the public should remain vigilant.

Skinbuddy to the Rescue!

Early in December last year a lady from Betty TV contacted me (writes Mike Harmon). They were filming a TV series for the BBC and could I help them with one of the episodes? Of course I was intrigued and asked for more details. The programme was Spendaholics and Rebecca Tapley from Surrey was the subject of the programme. Having got into debt in a variety of ways, style guru Jay Hunt and psychologist Benjamin Fry come up with alternative ways of saving money whilst still having the champagne lifestyle the person was used to.

Rebecca's weakness was for skincare products. She was regularly spending over £100 a time for a facial at a trendy London spa and then buying the recommended creams from them. Her favourite shall remain nameless but cost £80 for 30ml and its ingredients include liquid paraffin and petrol. Not great for someone with problem skin and not a good idea to use on the skin anyway in my opinion.

Skinbuddy to the rescue! I met up with the film crew at a chic hotel just off the King's Road and we started filming. In less then an hour, Jay and Rebecca had made a superb skin cream using Shea Butter and organic vegetable oils along with a very effective clay masque. Rebecca had previously paid over £200 for something far inferior. These two cost £2 to make. What an amazing difference and as Jay pointed out, she was in total control of all the ingredients that went into the face cream.

I found it fascinating to watch how a programme like that was actually put together. We started off with me talking Jay through the procedure for making the cream. She was very quick to learn and understood the principles of what to do. I left some notes for her out of camera view but close enough for her to read to prompt her when she needed it. The cameraman swung his camera between Jay and Rebecca as they chatted and zoomed in for close ups of the cream they were preparing. So far so good, the cream came out perfectly and everyone was very impressed. The film crew soon had half the amount on their faces and hands - nothing goes to waste when there is a film crew around!

Then it was time for the cut in shots. You see these all the time on TV but I hadn't realised how they were done before. The cameraman got down onto the floor and aimed the camera up at quite a high angle so he could see the bowl of cream on the table and the two ladies faces. The cream was already made but Jay had to go through the whole sequence again so that these shots could be cut in to the other footage to make the whole sequence more vibrant and lively. Then onto another angle and go through it all again. I was starting to get worried how the cream might perform under these circumstances. Normally, after making it, it is put straight into the pot and labelled. Here it was being heated again and beaten again and the heat from the film lights was very strong. I was happy to see that the cream held together very well even under the extreme circumstances. After that, the ladies make the clay masque in a similar way.

Then it was time for the ‘noddies’ These are the reactions of the presenter whilst Rebecca is answering her questions. This is actually the one who asks the questions as sound is not used but the facial reactions and the little signals we give when chatting to each other are filmed and again inserted into the final footage to keep it looking real.

This was the last day of a gruelling session of exterior filming for the crew and Jay was exhausted so she collapsed onto the hotel bed whilst the director did the noddies for Rebecca. Well what's the point of having a Naturopath on hand if you don't take advantage so off came her shoes and I started working on her feet with Reflexology. Well there has to be some perks of the job for every presenter!

The entire crew worked so professionally together and afterwards there was talk of putting together a small TV series on making skincare products. We'll let you know when it happens.

Unfortunately when the episode aired the filmed section had to be cut to save 5 minutes on the total programme so we never got our 5 minutes of fame and you didn't even get to see the footage!

Web: http://www.skinbuddy.com

Need help Starting your Practice or Boosting your existing Client Base?

‘True Success is an amazing new, easy to follow course to sky rocket your success in setting up a practice in the complementary and alternative medicine field. Here’s what a few people in the industry have to say about it:

Andrew's programme is an ideal springboard into creating a successful private practice. It is the perfect collection of practical advice and thought-provoking perspectives that encourage the listener to think for themselves, whilst at the same time serving as an authoritative and friendly guide through the jungle that is setting up business in this field.

Andrew demonstrates wisdom and depth throughout, and with a well structured format, workbook and easy listening style, partners you as you explore all aspects of what it takes to build a successful private practice.

He successfully applies one of his own maxim's in the programme – ‘...extending your comfort zone, not getting outside it...’ - which demonstrates a congruency so important when choosing who to invest in when it comes to building a successful private practice.

Our choice of coaches, advisors and mentors in the early stages (and on our quest for success) is key to laying solid foundations on which to build and propelling us to even greater heights.

I recommend this programme as a great ally to anyone wishing to make a success of their private practice - I will be doing so to all of my students!

Congratulations Andrew...this is an invaluable contribution to our field.’

http://www.altmedzine.com/Pages/ProductsOct06.html#TrueSuccessCourse

Soil Association Action For Climate Friendly Food And Farming

The Soil Association Standard's Board decided at a meeting this week that it will consult on a range of options to tackle the environmental impact of airfreighting organic food.

The board will publish a consultation paper outlining options ranging from labelling produce and carbon offsetting to an outright ban on airfreighting. This outline document will lead to a formal recommendation given to the Soil Association elected council within 12 months. The Soil Association, as an independent certification body, will introduce through its standards whatever measures are deemed appropriate - regardless of any parallel actions taken by the British Government or the European Union.

‘There is a strong demand, from the public and many of our licensees, to reduce food miles,’ said Soil Association director Patrick Holden, speaking from the Soil Association conference in Cardiff. ‘Although there is very little airfreighting of organic produce, we believe there is an urgent and pressing need to make every contribution to curbing climate change that we can. This is a complex issue though: especially for producers in developing countries where it involves equity and ethical trading issues, and that's why we shall actively engage a wide-range of stakeholders to ensure we get it right.

‘The Soil Association, and the organic farming movement, must continue to lead the way on real, practical measures to tackle the impact of food production and distribution on climate change, and work towards a climate friendly food and farming future.’

Life-cycle studies for the Government show that, on average, organic farming requires about 15% less energy to produce the same amount of food. Typically organic farming is around 30% more energy efficient, but it is less energy efficient for poultry and glasshouse vegetables. The main reason for its lower energy use is because it uses natural rather than industrial processes, in particular not using energy-intensive fertilisers.[1]

Holden was speaking on 26th January at the sold-out Soil Association conference in Cardiff: 'One Planet Agriculture - preparing for a post-peak oil food and farming future' (25 -27 January). Speakers addressed the real threats of peak oil and climate change, the urgent need to create climate-friendly food and farming systems, and the crucial role for grassroots, community action.

This Conference provided every delegate with a practical tool-kit to take action and they had the opportunity to input their ideas and suggestions into a detailed citizen action manual, to be produced post-conference.

Patrick Holden, will call for urgent, community-based, grassroots action to achieve a post-peak oil, and climate-friendly, food and farming future:

‘This Conference is the most important in the Soil Association's 60 year history, confirming the vision of our founders in highlighting the unsustainability of the post-war shift to industrial farming, long before the term sustainability had been coined. But the scale and urgency of the challenge to get farming and food production globally onto a sustainable, climate-friendly footing is greater than those organic pioneers could have envisaged. Individual, grassroots action is at the heart of our Conference agenda, neither the Soil Association, the public or the planet have the appetite or time for more political rhetoric.’

Holden was grilled on this new phase of the Soil Association's work by Jonathan Dimbleby, BBC Radio 4's 'Any Questions?' presenter, and Soil Association president.

Some other conference highlights included:

Leading experts on peak oil and climate change
Colin Campbell (founder of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil), Jeremy Leggett (author of Half Gone: Oil, Gas, Hot Air and the Global Energy Crisisand CEO of Solar Century), Richard Heinberg (author of The Party's Over, Powderdown, and his latest book, The Oil Depletion Protocol), Rob Hopkins and other speakers, prioritised this Conference as a key platform to raise awareness and build momentum for action.

Climate-friendly food and farming
The Soil Association's policy director, Peter Melchett, highlighted organic farming's ability to deliver climate-friendly food and sustainable agriculture as well as identifying areas for improvement. David Miliband commented in The Guardian paper recently, ‘Organic farming...in many, but not all cases, produces fewer greenhouse gases.’

Life after oil for our cities?
Urban areas are likely to be hit hardest by the gathering energy crisis. Supermarkets' 'just in time', long-distance food distribution networks are vulnerable to disruption (The fuel protests of 2000 brought London to within three days of running out of food). More diverse, regional and local food networks offer greater resilience to rising energy costs and reduced oil availability. At last year's Soil Association Conference, Mayor of London, Ken Livingston called for London, ‘To set a standard for other cities around the world to follow in reducing its own contribution to climate change. How we deal with food will play an important role in this.’

The Soil Association would like to thank its Conference sponsors: The Countryside Council for Wales, Ecover, Triodos Bank, Welsh Assembly Government, Yeo Valley Organic and Rachel's Organic.

[1] Williams, A.G., Audsley, E. and Sandars, D.L. (2006) Determining the environmental burdens and resource use in the production of agricultural and horticultural commodities. Main Report. Defra Research Project IS0205. Bedford: Cranfield University and Defra. Available on http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk, and http://www.defra.gov.uk

Web: http://www.soilassociation.org

Smarter Working Organisation Backs Stress Down Day

Work Wise UK, the national campaign backed by the TUC and CBI to promote smarter working practices has announced its support for national Stress Down Day, which took place today, February 1st.

Stress Down Day is the creation of the charity Samaritans, which using a national series of fun events, aims to raise awareness of the serious issue of stress in the workplace and encourages people in looking after their mental health.

Phil Flaxton, Work Wise UK’s, chief executive said: 'As an organisation which promotes the benefits of smarter working practices, particularly reduced stress through a better work life balance, we support strongly the aims of Stress Down Day. Our long working hours culture, fixed around a 9 to 5 day working at a central location, wastes time and reduces the freedom for people to develop a life beyond work. However, this is largely unnecessary. Through smarter working people have more control over their lives, allowing more time for family or simply just enjoying life.'

One aspect of working life where smarter working can particularly offer a solution is cutting stress caused by commuting: 'Workers in the UK commute on average 47 working days per year. This is almost an extra working day per week', explained Flaxton. 'Smarter working can reduce the stress of commuting by reducing the number of journeys, through for example working from home, while flexible working allows people to stagger their travel outside peak periods.'

Work Wise UK, which has broad backing from business and the unions, supported by the TUC, CBI, BT, Transport for London, the RAC Foundation, Association of Commuter Transport, Scope, Henley Management College, Technology Means Business and British Chambers of Commerce, is a five-year campaign to encourage smarter working practices. It was launched in May 2006 with the objective of half the working population having the opportunity of adopting working practices by 2011.

Further details about Work Wise UK can be found on the website http://www.workwiseuk.org.

Summit Health Centre Opens in Highgate

Highgate's alternative therapy industry is in top shape this week after the opening of a £1.2million health clinic. The Summit health centre at 40 Highgate West Hill - the site of the old Fox and Crown inn - is the project of businessman Jeffrey Salmon.

‘The vast majority of private health centres are in converted houses with people crammed into two or three rooms. Generally they are a bit shabby.

‘We think we have come up with the ideal place for both practitioners and clients,’ he said.

It houses five treatment rooms and a basement gym and each of the seven consultation rooms has been decked out with original 1950s classic Italian furniture.

The Summit will eventually offer everything in alternative medicine from acupuncture, chiropractic and osteopathy through to pilates and t'ai chi classes, services already offered by Highgate Health Centre on the High Street.

But Highgate Health Centre manager Ronald Smith believes the new competition will be good for the area.

He said: ‘There's plenty of room in Highgate for another complementary health centre and I am sure the new clinic will complement ours. There's been an interest for many years in this side of treatment and I'm sure it will continue to grow.’

ConsumerLab Product Review: Multivitamins

Eleven multivitamins for people and one for pets failed ConsumerLab.com tests. A number of products were short of important vitamins or minerals. A children's vitamin contained too much vitamin A - exceeding tolerable levels. A women's vitamin was contaminated with lead. And three products failed to break apart properly, suggesting that they might go through the body not fully used.

‘In this Review, you get ConsumerLab's test results for thirty-two multivitamin/multimineral supplements and information about seven similar products. We help you choose carefully so you'll understand the potential benefits and risks,’ says the company.

Products include tablets, caplets, capsules, chewables, liquids, strips, gummies, and powders and include those marketed specifically for seniors, women, men, pre-natal use, children, general use and pets.

Brands in Report
AARP One Source (Perrigo)
Centrum Pet-Tabs
Dr. Fuhrman Pixie-Vites Pharmanex
Eniva Pregnancy Plus - Dr. Grunebaum
Flintstones Puritan's Pride
Floradix (Salus-Haus) Swanson
Healthy Moments Vitamin Strips The Greatest Vitamin in the World
Kirkland (Costco) The Vitamin Shoppe
Member's Mark (Sam's) 21st Century Pet Nutrition
Nature's Bounty TwinLab (IdeaSphere)
Nature's Plus Vitamin World
NOW WEIL
Nutrilite WinFuel
One A Day (Bayer) Yummi Bears (Hero Nutritionals)

Web: http://www.consumerlab.com

The Vitamin Shoppe Calls for Independent Testing Procedures

Following the withdrawal of its women's multivitamin product - as a result of allegations of high lead content by ConsumerLab.com - the Vitamin Shoppe has expressed both its desire to get to the truth of the matter and for industry to devise new testing methods.

NutraIngredients-USA ran an article on the Vitamin Shoppe's decision to withdraw its ‘Especially for Women’ multivitamin. The decision was sparked by the highly publicized results of a study conducted by industry watchdog ConsumerLabcom that pinpointed 11 products - out of 21 tested - as not meeting their labelled contents and standards.

The Vitamin Shoppe has said it is investigating the case, but has also questioned the integrity of ConsumerLab's testing and intentions - raising the question of who should regulate the dietary supplement industry.

‘Our industry badly needs an independent testing procedure that truly has the best interests of the consumer at heart,’ said the Vitamin Shoppe CEO Tom Tolworthy, although he did not elaborate on what form testing could take or where funding for such an entity could come from.

ConsumerLab said the Vitamin Shoppe's multivitamin was contaminated with 15.3 micrograms of lead per daily serving. This is more than ten times the amount of lead permitted without a warning label in California - the only state to regulate lead in supplements - and several times the normal daily exposure to lead.

‘We have no proof that our Especially for Women Multivitamin has been contaminated,’ said Tolworthy.

‘Lead is a naturally occurring element within nature and exists in the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we eat. Nevertheless, while we remain convinced that the product is safe, as directed, we have committed to keep the health and safety of our customers first and foremost by removing the item from sale while we conduct our investigation.’

The Vitamin Shoppe said it has not received the complete and unedited test results with the allegedly high lead content from ConsumerLab. The retailer said it received a summary only, which does not name labs doing the tests - nor the methodology, protocols or certification used in these labs.

This, said the company, has meant it has not yet been able to perform the same tests as those contracted by ConsumerLab.

‘At this time, we have no way to independently authenticate or replicate results.’

In an interview with NutraIngredients-USA, ConsumerLab president Tod Cooperman said his organisation does in fact make its tests readily available to companies.

The Vitamin Shoppe has also stood by its assertion that its products are manufactured according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

‘We have strict checks and record keeping requirements that follow ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ for food and all products delivered to our distribution facility.’

Draft current GMPs were published in 2003, but the final version of the guidelines are reported to still be going through a law-making process at the Office of Management and Budget.

‘There is a proposed regulation for GMPs that are specific for dietary supplements that have been in discussion since 1995, said Tolworthy. ‘We regularly audit our contract labs to assure that they are complying with our educated best guess as to what these proposed regulations will entail and for the legally required compliance with food GMPs.’

Chocolate Addicts Don't Need to Feel Guilty

The results of a consumer survey on healthy chocolate suggests that the substance once considered solely as a sweet confectionery item has made strides towards acceptance as a health food.

The survey was conducted on behalf of cocoa manufacturer Barry Callebaut through telephone or face-to-face interviews with around 1000 consumers in each of Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. On average 35.6 per cent of people asked signalled that they would buy chocolate that promised health benefits.

Although the survey results are, understandably, being used as to boost marketing of Callebaut's products and ingredients (particularly those based on its ActiCoa polyphenol-preserving process), the findings may hold good news for the healthy chocolate sector at large.

It appears that consumers in major European markets grasp the difference between chocolate with a cocoa content of over 70 per cent which has been researched for its preventative role in relation to serious conditions like heart health and dementia, and sugar-laden confections.

The latter, which have lower cocoa levels and therefore less polyphenols, are considered to be junk food of little nutritional value.

What is more, market researchers generally advise that only foods that have a basic healthy profile should be considered as carriers for healthy ingredients, as otherwise they are seen as novelties that contradict the aim of promoting wellbeing.

Some food companies are already using high-cocoa chocolate as a vehicle for functional ingredients. For instance, a chocolate bar called Attune containing DSM's Lafti brand probiotic launched recently in the US.

Mars, which is one of the other leading lights in healthy chocolate innovation besides Callebaut, has also added plant sterols to its CocoaVia healthy chocolate bars.

As for Barry Callebaut, chief innovation officer Hans Vriens said: ‘A large number of people associate eating chocolate with feelings of guilt. We are working hard on that - unjustified - 'guilty feeling' with the development of 'guilt free' chocolate.’ In addition to the ActiCoa process, the company has also come up with a way to naturally reduce the sugar content in chocolate by as much as 40 per cent.

The highlights of the survey released by Barry Callebaut also contain an insight into the relationship between added health value and consumers' readiness to reach into their pockets.

The British came across as most sceptical about the benefits. Just 23 per cent believed in the morale claim, 20 per cent that it revitalises you, six per cent that it boosts memory and seven per cent that it aids the cardiovascular system.

Employers Urged to Improve How they Handle Mental Health at Work

The UK government has called on employers to improve how they handle mental health in the workplace. Local businesses just across the South West are estimated to be losing more than £572 million every year because of mental health problems at work.

Employers at the conference held at Engineers' House in Clifton, Bristol, were encouraged to sign up to a new national initiative to improve the emotional wellbeing of workers and tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health illness.

Organisations are being asked by the Department of Health to adopt 'Action on Stigma' - six principles which include making staff aware of top tips for looking after their mental well-being (2), warning signs to look-out for and the need to seek help early on if they develop a problem.

Senior managers are being told that workers in the South West are taking nearly 6.2 million days' sick leave a year because of stress and other mental health problems (1), with one in six people suffering from a mental health problems at any one time (3).

In a video address, Health Minister Rosie Winterton told the conference that adopting these principles could significantly improve people's mental well-being.

She added: 'We've seen much progress in recent decades in tackling discrimination at work in areas such as gender and race. But the issue of mental ill health in the workplace has remained shrouded in secrecy, fear and ignorance.

'Because of this, when someone does develop a problem at work, they often do not get the support they need to help them recover. Now, is the time to tackle this.'

'Employers can help by raising awareness of mental health issues amongst workers, supporting those affected and combating discrimination against employees and customers. This is good for staff and good for employers, who we know will benefit from reduced staff turnover and sickness absences.'

The initiative is also intended to improve the recruitment of people with mental health problems.

Rosie Winterton said: 'Many people with mental health problems have told me, it's often not their health that stands in their way to getting back on their feet again. It's the fear, ignorance and discrimination they face once they tell potential employers about their diagnosis.'

'With the right support and a change in attitudes on the part of employers, people with mental health problems can fulfil their true potential to contribute to society and the economy.'

Service user Kath Lovell said: 'Sometimes it feels like admitting to having had mental health problems is worse than having a criminal record. Employers dismiss you out of hand.'

Minister for Disabled People Anne McGuire said: 'An event like this is very important as employers have such a crucial role to play in changing attitudes towards those with mental health conditions. Forty per cent of today's incapacity benefits claimants have a mental health condition and yet the vast majority of them want to work.

'Through the Welfare Reform bill, we aim to make it easier for those with any kind of disability to work, but this is a two way process with employers being prepared to employ them. Campaigns such as 'Action on Stigma' help to challenge negative attitudes towards those with mental health problems and prove they can be an asset to a business like anyone else.'

Only about 20% of people with severe mental health problems are employed and even for people with more common types of mental illness, such as depression, only about half are employed. This is despite the fact that people with mental health problems have the highest 'want to work rate' with up to 90% wanting to work, compared to 52% for disabled people generally4.

The event, one of five being held around the country, was part of a 'listening exercise' to give local businesses the chance to tell the Government what help they need to adopt the initiative. An Action Plan for launching the initiative will be announced in the spring by the Department of Health and Shift, the government campaign to tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.

References:
(1) These figures from the Shaw Trust were calculated by taking the number of employed people in the region and the average wage in the region (both from the Labour Force Survey) and multiplying by the CBI figure of 2.5 days sick leave taken per person a year because of stress, depression and anxiety. Nationally, an estimated 80 million working days are being lost each year.

(2) Top tips for staying happy:
1. Keep physically active
2. Eat well
3. Drink in moderation
4. Value yourself and others
5. Talk about your feelings
6. Keep in touch with friends and family
7. Care for others
8. Get involved, make a contribution
9. Learn a new skill
10. Do something creative
11. Take a break
12. Ask for help
Reference: Making it possible: Improving Mental Health and Well-being in England (CSIP 2005)

(3). Goldberg, D. 'Filters to Care' in Indicators for Mental Health in the Population. Jenkins, R. & Griffiths, S. (ed), The Stationery Office, 1991

(4). Shunned: Discrimination against people with mental illness, Prof. Graham Thornicroft, 2006

UK Mental Health Patients Overdosed

Mental health patients in UK trusts are routinely prescribed medications in excess of the highest recommended dose, and most patients are not granted proper access to consultations with pharmacy staff, according to a new report by the Healthcare Commission.

The Commission - a healthcare system watchdog group - recommended that pharmacists become more involved in mental health patient care, and management improve its treatment of patients, calling its findings ‘concerning’.

‘Managing medicines safely, effectively and efficiently is central to the delivery of high quality care that is focused on the patient and gives value for money,’ said Healthcare Commission CEO Anna Walker.

Walker appealed to primary care trusts and mental health trusts (public-run health facilities) to re-examine their management of patient medications.
Mental health patients in trusts also told the Commission they were not involved in their own medication decisions as much as they would like, Walker said.

‘This needs to be addressed if trusts expect service users to take their medicines as prescribed,’ she said.

The Commission's report found that when pharmacists reviewed patients' medications, 70 percent of cases resulted in a change in the patient's medication, while 46 percent of patients whose medication was reviewed were found to be taking their doses improperly.

The report also found that while 14 percent of patients in acute trusts were not visited by pharmacy staff members, 24 percent of mental health trust patients received no visits. In addition, 64 percent of acute trust patients visited with pharmacy workers more than five hours per week, compared to 14 percent of mental health trust patients.

Professor Louis Appleby, National Clinical Director for Mental Health, said safe and effective medicine management is vital to proper mental health patient care.

‘This report will help services address a very important issue and ensure that patients are fully involved in decisions about - and get the most from - their medicines,’ he said. ‘We are not complacent and more work is needed to ensure that all Trusts reach the standards of the best.’

MRSA Shows Downward Trend but C. difficile up

New figures published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) on 30th January showed the third consecutive reduction in MRSA levels in England - down 5.0% from the same period in 2005. There was however, a 5.5% increase in cases of Clostridium difficile.

Welcoming the reduction in MRSA levels, Health Minister Lord Hunt asked the NHS to work even harder to tackle C difficile rates and reminded the NHS of the new local target for C. difficile which the Government announced in December 2006.

He also revealed that Trusts had applied for 90% of a £50 million Government fund to help hospitals install new facilities to tackle infections.

Lord Hunt said 'The NHS has been working hard to tackle infections and I commend those trusts that are showing improvement. The £50 million funding will give a cash injection to trusts to boost infection control measures.

'We recognise that, more work is needed to reduce C difficile and from April, PCTs and Trusts will have to set a local target to significantly reduce the number of cases.

A local rather than national target is necessary because of the large variation in C.difficile rates between Trusts. Where there is currently a high level of infections there is greater scope for improvement and it might be reasonable to expect a reduction of at least 25% in year. In Trusts where the current rate may be as low as one case per 1000 bed days per annum, it would be unreasonable to expect the same reduction.

Objectives set at local level will help ensure appropriate targets according to the current rates of infection in trusts.

Reiterating the Governments pledge to use the Hygiene Code, introduced last October to confront those Trusts that are not taking adequate measures Lord Hunt continued,

'Trusts that do not take adequate measures to comply with the Code of Practice are at risk of receiving an improvement notice and may ultimately be reported to the Secretary of State. Those who think that the Code has no teeth are mistaken. Safety must come first and should be a constant consideration for managers and clinicians.'

There are however, many examples of good progress. Peter Wilson, Consultant Microbiologist at University College London Hospitals spoke of the success of interventions at UCLH.

'Even though UCLH had high levels of MRSA bacteraemia in 2001, we have been successful in reducing them substantially by being focussed on the task and gaining the full support of the Chief Executive.

'We have been able to get business cases approved for wound surveillance and rapid MRSA screening in addition to increased use of hand gel and hand hygiene education. Any hospitals using similar strategies should be able to achieve the MRSA target. Antibiotic control has also ensured low levels of C difficile.'

Lord Hunt highlighted further measures implemented to successfully reduce rates of MRSA.

He continued; 'In Kingston, the trust has taken hand hygiene compliance very seriously and adopted a key performance indicator at board level. Staff have been supported to challenge poor practice and the Trust has seen an improvement from 51% to over 96% in hand hygiene compliance - and a 53% fall in MRSA numbers.

'Trusts must have good policies on prescribing and clinical practice to control infection because ultimately, patients have the power to choose care in hospitals that are cleaner and have lower infection rates.'

To further support Trusts, DH has commissioned updated national guidance for all staff for preventing healthcare associated infections. The Thames Valley University will publish these evidence-based guidelines, known as epic2, in the Journal of Hospital Infection this February.

Epic2 provide comprehensive guidance for preventing infections associated with the use of medical devices, as well as revised information on effective hand hygiene and the correct use of personal protective equipment. These measures support the DH delivery programme to reduce HCAIs (Saving Lives).

Professor Robert Pratt, the Director of the Guideline Development Teams said:
'Although not all healthcare-associated infections can be prevented, many can. The most effective way of minimising this risk and protecting patients and healthcare staff is to ensure that all healthcare practitioners incorporate the recommendations in the epic2 guidelines into their everyday clinical practice. If this is done consistently throughout the NHS, rates of preventable healthcare associated infections will plummet.

'It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that these guidelines, developed by the professions and based upon the best available evidence of effectiveness, are used as the core principles in all clinical areas for preventing infections in hospitals.'

Natural Salt Products Boast Healing Benefits that Cannot be Ignored

With users finding relief from respiratory ailments, improvements in skin condition, increased energy levels, pain relief, stress relief and more, mineral rich, unrefined and crystallized natural salt delivers an array of health benefits.

These hard-to-ignore benefits, paired with the fact that The Salt Institute estimates that there are more than 14,000 uses for salt and recognise it as ‘a necessity to healthy living,’ prompted the development of an environmentally-focused wellness company that has emerged as the leading provider in natural salt products.

Called Solay Wellness, the company was founded by Isabella Samovsky, who spent the last 10 years providing shoppers worldwide with eco products and most recently, the highest quality natural salt products available today.
Originally, it was her fascination with salt lamps and their purifying capabilities that served as a catalyst for the business venture, and after experiencing the healing powers of natural salt firsthand, and witnessing countless others do the same, she expanded her product line and even manufactures her own natural salt-based products including Solay Simple, Solay Therapy Pillows, and more.

Samovsky's passion for natural salt and natural living, along with her strong commitment to help others achieve higher levels of wellness through the use of natural salts has catapulted Solay Wellness to online success.

Based on ancient holistic treatments, the natural salt products found at http://www.SolayWellness.com can help users combat earaches, head aches and backaches, with the Solay Salt Lamps able to gently clean and purify the air, and the Salin Device & Salt Pipe capable of providing respiratory protection and relief, and more.

‘Natural, mineral rich salt is essential. Our bodies are 90% salt water and using the right salt can help us live healthier; but, it's not just that,’ Samovsky explains. ‘Salt is also antibacterial, and has been used for centuries to help people look and feel better, whether through adding salts to their baths to alleviate sore muscles and skin conditions such as excema, using salty water for sinus irrigation in ayurveda, or through breathing ionized, bacterial free salty air in salt mines (like the famous Polish salt mine that has been turned into a Hospital.)’

‘Also if you look at the list of ingredients in home cleaners before the advent of synthetic chemical cleaners, salt was the main ingredient used to clean your home and even for oral care,’ Samovsky points out. ‘Mix it with lemon, baking soda, or even on its own, and you've got a multi purpose solution. Of course, you can also sprinkle natural salt to get rid of odour, or even to make a paste to remove wine spills.’

Most recently, and based on customer demand, Samovsky has created Solay Simple Natural Cleaners with Himalayan salt, a cleaning line which is non-toxic, unscented and biodegradable. Solay Smile natural tooth powder with Himalayan salt, Solay Gourmet Granola, and other salt wellness products coming soon for people and pets.

Samovsky and her loyal clients will attest, Solay Wellness natural products people sleep better, provide pain relief and can even be counted on to improve breathing conditions and even to help relieve stress so users feel more calm and relaxed.

‘The bottom-line is this: Salt is worth its weight in gold when it comes to our well-being and because of its many uses and countless benefits, it truly can do something positive for everyone’ Samovsky concludes.

About Solay Wellness
Isabella Samovsky founded world renowned Solay Wellness when she was just 29-years-old, after falling in love with a Salt crystal lamp. As she tells it, she was instantly drawn to the lamps striking beauty and energy, as well as its strong health benefits. But, Samovsky didn't stop there. After doing research, she learned how beneficial natural salt is and about it's many uses, as well as how it can be used to help people look and feel better. This prompted her to create Solay Wellness and to eventually launch her own top-selling product line, which now includes Solay Simple, a line of 100% natural, non-toxic cleaners, Solay Gourmet, a natural food line that includes Solay Gourmet Granola and natural Himalayan salts for seasoning, Solay Smile, a natural tooth power, Solay Therapy Pillows for people and pets and more.

Solay Wellness Inc.
8051 N. Ridgeway Ave
Skokie, IL 60076
Contact: Isabella Samovsky
312-224-2710

Crackdown on Therapists who Abuse Vulnerable

The role of alternative therapists is to be regulated by the government in a new crackdown on medical professionals who abuse their patients, including inappropriate sexual relationships.

A white paper to be published next month on tackling rogue doctors will also signal that the growing number of therapists and alternative health practitioners, who can now set up with no form of registration or fear of sanctions, will in the longer term be brought under regulatory control.

While doctors can be struck off for incompetent or unethical behaviour - the General Medical Council's latest proposed code of conduct bans not only sex with current patients for fear of exploitation, but with ex-patients after treatment stops - there is no compulsory regulation for counsellors, therapists and practitioners of techniques such as acupuncture or hypnotherapy, who have regular contact with vulnerable people, usually women.

The need for the new regulations to provide clarity for alternative practitioners is highlighted by an Observer investigation into one of Britain's best known alternative therapists, whose actions have triggered complaints of alleged sexual misconduct.

The 'Barefoot Doctor' - known to millions from his TV career, his range of products stocked by high-street chemists and a form of healing based on Tao philosophy - has been forced to issue an extraordinary statement admitting to having sex with ex-patients in the past.

Jonathan Coe of Witness said:

'Movement is shifting more towards the provision of talking treatments and our view is there needs to be proper regulation in place in order that people are protected,' he said. 'The public wants change, the government wants change and I think they are going to have to see that through.' Currently, Coe said, victims of non-regulated therapists had no alternative but to pursue civil lawsuits for breach of trust.

The Health Minister, Andy Burnham, is to publish the white paper that calls for the extension of the regulations and will also call for a shift from criminal to civil standards of proof in GMC prosecutions of doctors, making it easier to convict those who indecently assault patients - cases usually involving one person's word against another's.

Burnham's paper is expected to argue that justice must not only be done but be 'seen to be done' against rogue doctors, accepting GMC proposals to put an equal number of lay people alongside doctors on its adjudicating panels. It is also expected to recommend shifting the burden of proof, although ministers will say that in cases where a doctor faces the removal of his livelihood the evidence must be more robust. A Department of Health spokesman said the plans were not yet fully finalised, but added: 'We are committed to a system of professional regulation that ensures patient safety and is fair to professionals.'

Doctors Far from Talking Herbals to Patients, Survey

Another survey has highlighted a need for better communication between consumers and their physicians over the use of herbal supplements.

In a survey of 1,559 people age 50 and older, while 63 percent have used one or more complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, only 31 percent of these have discussed it with their doctors. The survey, conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the nonprofit AARP, defined CAM as including products and practices such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic care and acupuncture.

The survey adds to the body of reports and studies raising the issue of a lack of sufficient communication and information on herbals, which could hamper both the efficacy of these supplements - and, in some instances, result in interactions.

For example, a recent study at Yale School of Medicine suggested that black cohosh, a plant commonly used by breast cancer patients to alleviate the menopause-like side effects of therapy, may alter the effects anticancer drugs.

Other studies have linked herb drug interaction between St Johns Wort and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or the contraceptive pill.

Yet, if the medical establishment does not address the practice of taking herbals, patients will not feel comfortable raising the issue with their doctor.
The main reason respondents cited for not telling their doctors about CAM therapies was that their doctors never asked.

The lack of dialogue is even more noteworthy when combined with findings from the study that pinpoint word-of-mouth as the predominant method respondents used to get CAM information.

Twenty-two percent of those surveyed said friends and family were their primary source of information on CAM. Next in line as a source of information on the subject was physicians, at 12 percent.

As such, the medical establishment could help to bridge the knowledge gap between consumers and their supplements.

'...communication between patients and physicians about CAM and conventional therapies is vital to ensuring safe, integrated use of all health care approaches,' said the report. 'It allows patients and physicians the opportunity to identify CAM practices that might be beneficial and also minimizes risks to a patient from potential therapy interactions.'

The report also reveals that consumers with a higher education are more likely to take herbals, as part of their greater tendency towards all CAM therapies. Seventy-one percent of respondents using CAM therapies had a college degree or higher.

Those who graduated from college were also more likely to discuss CAM therapies with their doctors - 30 percent - compared with high school graduates - 16 percent.

While the use of CAM therapies is very slowly making inroads into mainstream Western medicine, it remains still very much isolated as an 'alternative' viewpoint and is therefore not taught in medical schools.

‘Many physicians feel uncomfortable discussing CAM with their patients,’ said the study authors. ‘They cite a lack of knowledge about CAM.’

The survey is entitled ‘Complementary and alternative medicine: what people 50 and older are using and discussing with their physicians’ and was conducted in spring of 2006.

Chlorinated Water Found to Increase Risk of Bladder Cancer

Drinking, or even immersing yourself in, chlorinated water may increase your risk of bladder cancer, says a new study.

The new study is the first to suggest that chlorine is harmful to humans when ingested or absorbed through the skin, according to study leader Cristina M. Villanueva of the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona and her colleagues.

Chlorine itself is not harmful, but its byproducts increase the risk of cancer. Trihalomethanes are the most prevalent by-product, and they can be absorbed into the body through the skin or by inhalation. When THM is absorbed through the skin or into the lungs, they hold stronger carcinogenic properties because they aren't detoxified through the liver, Villanueva and her team found in their research.

Villanueva and her team surveyed 1,219 individuals with bladder cancer and 1,271 control individuals without the disease, polling them about their exposure to chlorinated water, including their bathing, swimming and tap water drinking habits.

The researchers also looked at the THM levels in the water systems of 123 municipalities.

People who live in households with more than 49 micrograms per liter of THM were at double the risk of bladder cancer versus households that have below 8 micrograms per liter of THM.

In industrialised countries, the common level is 50 micrograms per liter, the researchers note.

The researchers also found that use of swimming pools increased the risk by 57 percent and that people who drank chlorinated water held a 35 percent greater risk. Taking long showers and bathing also increases the risk in households that has water with higher levels of THM.

In the United States, an estimated 67,160 new cases of bladder cancer are expected to occur in 2007, and 13,750 deaths, according to statistics from the American Cancer Society.

‘If confirmed elsewhere, this observation has significant public health implications in relation to preventing exposure to these water contaminants,’ the researchers said in their report.

The study was published in the January issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Flu Patients Recover Twice as Fast by Taking Elderberry Extract

Millions of Americans who will get the flu this season can shorten its duration with the help of clinically proven Sambucol® black elderberry extract.

Just because the holidays are over does not mean flu season has passed. According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), flu season in the U.S. most often peaks in February. Yet if this year's flu season is like last year, it may not peak until March - and it can last as late as May.

It is not too late to get a flu shot, which is the best way to prevent flu. But when flu strikes, Sambucol black elderberry extract is one of the most effective ways to shorten the duration and reduce the severity of symptoms.

In a clinical trial, flu patients given Sambucol recovered in 3.1 days compared to 7.1 days for those given placebo. Fifty-four patients with verified type A flu and six with type B (29 females/31 males aged 18 to 54 years) were enrolled in the double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the International Journal of Medical Research. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups, one given Sambucol (1 tbsp) and the other placebo four times a day for five days.

A previous study published by The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that nearly 90 percent of flu patients given Sambucol were completely free of symptoms within two to three days, as compared to at least six days with placebo.

‘Sambucol is very effective, especially when taken at first sign of symptoms,’ says Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, a prominent virologist and developer of the Sambucol elderberry extract. ‘The speed at which flu patients recover and their reduction in symptoms is quite amazing.’

Russell Greenfield, M.D., a leading practitioner of integrative medicine and clinical assistant professor at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, also advocates elderberry. ‘It has no known side effects or negative interactions,’ he says. But don't expect grandma's elderberry jam to ease flu-related body aches, cough and fever warns Dr. Greenfield. ‘Sambucol is the only black elderberry preparation shown effective in clinical studies.’

Sambucol is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Nature's Way Products, Inc., and is widely available at health and nutrition stores. Sambucol is a dietary supplement, rather than a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention, cure or treatment of the flu. It is not intended as a substitute for flu vaccine, which is advisable for children and adults, especially those over age 50 or with compromised immune function.

Web: http://www.naturesway.com

Government NICE Guidelines Advise Expert Dietitians

The latest NICE Guidance released by the government this month - 'Management of Obesity' - has once again stressed the importance of working with trained experts such as dietitians to advise on healthy eating. It reiterates the 2004 paper 'Choosing health: Making healthy choices easier' which states that each PCT area should have a specialist obesity service with access to a dietitian.

A nutritious diet can be one of the best ways of preventing disease and ill health, yet in this age of fast living and convenience, we often compromise our health unknowingly by missing meals and eating a unbalanced diet. Obesity has become increasingly prevalent in the United Kingdom especially amongst the younger generation and some of this has been attributed to being raised on frozen, easily prepared or convenience foods.

There are also those, who due to the rapid pace of modern life, are forced to eat on the 'go' as they are too busy to prepare a proper meal. The advent of new technologies such as the microwave, has revolutionised the way we eat. We can prepare nutritious meals quickly but eating convenience food as part of a diet that is not balanced can contribute to the poor quality of our diets.

The Freelance Dietitians Group (FDG) is a specialist group of registered independent dietitians affiliated to the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

Dietitians are the only health professionals dedicated to providing advice on nutrition who are regulated by the government. Their website http://www.freelancedietitian.org helps members of the public locate a freelance dietitian who specialises in specific areas of health and nutrition in their local area.

Through the promotion of training and education in the practice of dietetics, FDG aim to advance awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and optimum nutrition.

Holistic Nursing Achieves American Nursing Association Speciality Status

The profession of Holistic Nursing has attained new levels of acceptance, now officially recognised by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a nursing speciality with a defined scope and standards of practice. Standing behind this great achievement is the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), the non-profit support organisation for nurses and holistic healthcare professionals. To apply for speciality approval, the AHNA submitted a 76-page document to the ANA that clearly describes holistic nursing as a focused area of nursing practice.

AHNA President, Carla Mariano states that ‘this is a phenomenal step forward and a very special achievement for holistic nursing. Having holistic nursing recognised as a speciality gives us legitimacy and authority within the mainstream of our profession and credibility in the eyes of the health care world. It also acknowledges our unique contribution to the health and healing of people and society’. She applauds the hard work of everyone involved throughout the years.

In order to qualify for speciality status, the ANA required the completion of a proposal explaining why holistic nursing should be granted speciality status, the development of a scope of practice statement indicating the ‘who, what, when, where and why’ of holistic nursing practice, and the articulation of a defined set of standards depicting the details and complexity of holistic nursing practice.

The Holistic Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (2006) define what holistic nursing is, what holistic nurses do, and those responsibilities for which holistic nurses are accountable. These are consistent with the definition, values, assumptions and standards of nursing as outlined by the Nursing's Social Policy Statement, Second Edition (ANA, 2003) and Nursing: Standards of Practice (ANA, 2005).

Specifically, holistic nursing is a speciality practiced nationwide that is based on a body of knowledge, evidence-based research, sophisticated skill sets, defined standards of practice, and a philosophy of living and being that is grounded in caring, relationship, and interconnectedness. Obtaining speciality status also means that clients/patients now have the assurance that any person practicing holistic nursing as a specialty must hold a license as a Registered Nurse from a State Board of Nursing.

‘Achieving speciality status will have major implications for the future of holistic nursing and the AHNA,’ states Jeanne Crawford, AHNA's Executive Director. In addition to legitimacy and authority, specialty status provides holistic nurses with clarity and a foundation for their practice, strengthening the voice of the entire profession and allowing clients/patients to trust that they will receive quality care that facilitates health and healing of the whole person.

The AHNA will co-publish Holistic Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice with the ANA. The book will be available for purchase through ANA and the AHNA online bookstore in the summer of 2007. It will serve as an essential resource for nurses and others in related healthcare work, including care providers, educators, researchers and administrators, and those involved in funding, legal, policy and regulatory activities.

The AHNA was founded in 1981 and promotes the education of nurses, other healthcare professionals, and the public in the philosophy, concepts, practice, and research of holistic caring and healing.

Web: http://www.healthy.net/index.asp

Infinite Health Resources Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Infinite Health Resources, www.infinitehealthresources.com, an online one stop destination offering support for a new healthy lifestyle, is celebrating its first anniversary. This web site has over 3,000 natural and organic products that are good for newborns up to the elderly. In addition, this online web site is convenient and is secure for online ordering.

‘The public has been quite receptive and kind to us,’ remarked Thomas Affatato, President of Infinite Health Resources.

‘The second year looks to be a blowout in both traffic and sales. The demand for our product line has brought us into, what we feel, is a natural business expansion that includes environmentally friendly and green living products. Our planet is facing some difficult times. I personally worry what the future holds for my four children and their children. Recycled products, solar energy and conservation are just a few of the keys to unlocking the future health of our planet. We will be adding new products monthly throughout the year to meet this growing concern. Currently, we add approximately 100 new products a month to our natural and organic product line.’

‘I want to thank our supporters through their paid advertising’ commented Thomas Affatato, ‘Without their support through this first year we may not be where we are today. Last and surely not the least, I thank our many vendors. Their professional service and dedication to the natural and organic lifestyle has made us who we are today and who we will be in the future.’

In late 2006 IHR added a service to its health store. Charitable organisations are now offered the opportunity to raise funds on the company’s web site. The set up service is free and the profit split is generous beyond the imagination. The staff at IHR performs all the day-to-day operations including customer service, credit card transactions, payables and receivables.

IHR's Health Centre continues to be read monthly by thousands for its no nonsense reporting about the truth in living well. With daily RSS feeds from prestigious organisations such as ‘Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,’ ‘The Organic Consumers Association’ and the ‘Cancer Project’ these articles offer advice and guidance in healthy living.

For more information visit Infinite Health Resources at http://www.infinitehealthresources.com.

Magnesium for Teenagers may Boost Bone Health

Magnesium supplements during adolescence, a key time for bone formation, boosted bone health in 120 girls in the US - research that suggests the mineral could have long-term benefits.

There are two main approaches to prevent osteoporosis. First, optimise bone mass acquisition during adolescence, and secondly, minimise bone loss after menopause. About 35 per cent of a mature adult's peak bone mass is built-up during puberty.

Results of a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, one-year double-blind trial, published recently in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, indicate that regular magnesium supplements during this important age could significantly improve bone mineral density, and could have benefits later in life concerning osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is characterised by low bone mass, which leads to an increase risk of fractures, especially the hips, spine and wrists. An estimated 10 million people suffer from osteoporosis in the US alone, while another 34m are believed to have low bone mass, which puts them at risk of developing the disease.

Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

Further research is necessary to investigate the role of magnesium supplements on bone health in other racial groups and magnesium replete subjects.

Dietary sources of magnesium include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts, and milk. Earlier dietary surveys show that a large portion of adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men).

Source: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Volume 91, Number 12, Pages 4866-4872
‘A Randomised Controlled Study of Effects of Dietary Magnesium Oxide Supplementation on Bone Mineral Content in Healthy Girls’
Authors: T.O. Carpenter, M.C. DeLucia, J. Hongyuan Zhang, G. Bejnerowicz, L. Tartamella, J. Dziura, K. Falk Petersen, D. Befroy and D. Cohen

Tai Chi Can Help Peripheral Neuropathy

According to a recent study, a new application has been found for the venerable Chinese exercise Tai Chi: the treatment of the effects of peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is a systematic degenerative condition that affects the peripheral nervous system, which is responsible for the transmission of signals from the brain and spinal cord to all other parts of the body.

The study, conducted and funded by the Louisiana State University's department of Kinesiology, was launched in 2004 by LSU professor of kinesiology, Li Li. Initially, the study was only intended to have a duration of a few months, but because of the effectiveness of the treatment, it has persisted to date.

‘People wouldn't come if it wasn't doing something,’ said Li. ‘I mean, some of these people travel 50 to 100 miles round trip just to make it to our classes. For many of them, if they couldn't come to our sessions, which are offered free of charge, they couldn't afford to go anywhere else.’

The group currently has roughly 75 participants. Though, as word of the effectiveness of Tai Chi on the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy spreads, the waiting list to join the group grows.

There are 150 individuals in the Baton Rouge area alone waiting to join the study.

‘I have really been helped by the programme. My legs felt like they had bands around them and my feet would burn constantly,’ said Marian King, who has been a participant in the group for the past nine months. ‘Since I've been here, I've only had two episodes of severe burning and the bands, where as it was on a daily basis before.’

‘Tai Chi is an outstanding form of therapeutic body movement that helps prevent numerous degenerative diseases,’ said Mike Adams, a natural health author. ‘Tai Chi boosts circulation, immunity, mental alertness, strength and balance, while calming the mind and body. It massages internal organs, moves lymph and boosts circulation throughout the entire body.’

However, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a group that sponsors studies of several potential treatments of peripheral neuropathy (most of which are pharmacological), has yet to embrace Tai Chi as a credible form of treatment.

There is no known cure for peripheral neuropathy.

Texas Authorities Force Cancer Patient through Chemotherapy Against her Will

Months after a Texas teenager was diagnosed with cancer, state authorities have finally decided to let her return home to her family after a long legal battle in which Texas officials - not the girl's parents - attempted to determine the course of treatment for her disease.

Thirteen-year-old Katie Wernecke was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes, in January 2005. The teenager underwent chemotherapy after being taken to the emergency room with what her parents had suspected was pneumonia, and doctors recommended she also receive radiation treatments. However, Katie's parents, Michelle and Edward Wernecke, refused the treatments for fear it could cause complications such as an increased risk of breast cancer, learning problems or stunted physical growth. That's when Texas authorities intervened, making private matters public in a way that many feel violated parental rights as well as principles of health freedom.

In what amounted to an attempt to force the Werneckes to submit their daughter to radiation treatments, officials with Texas' Child Protective Services took Katie away from her parents in June, after receiving a tip that Katie and her mother were hiding out at a family ranch in order to avoid the radiation that doctors claimed she needed to survive. Authorities promptly took Katie into custody and arrested her mother on charges of interfering with child custody.

Although Michelle Wernecke was released on $50,000 bond shortly after her arrest, she returned home to find her family in shambles. The state had - in effect - kidnapped her daughter, placed her three sons in a foster home and labelled her and her husband neglectful parents, even though they were only trying to protect their daughter from conventional medicine's harsh cancer treatments. Thus began a long and difficult struggle for the family that received national attention and raised significant questions about medical freedom and parental rights.

On a June 9th episode of NBC's Today show, Michele Wernecke said of her daughter: ‘I think they should treat her for what her body calls for and not for standard protocol. Nobody will look at that. Not every cancer is the same. Nobody understands that. Her body is not standard, and her cancer is not standard.’ A videotaped statement, recorded by Katie's parents, shows the girl saying, ‘I don't need radiation treatment. And nobody asked me what I wanted. It's my body.’

On October 21st, Texas District Judge Jack Hunter ruled that the Werneckes would be allowed, as they had hoped, to take Katie to Kansas for a consultation with a physician on alternative intravenous vitamin C treatments. However, the judge also ruled that, before her parents could pursue the alternative treatment, Katie must first receive five days of traditional chemotherapy at the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. This once again thwarted her parents' efforts to protect their daughter from treatments they fear will result in side effects that are more harmful than her actual disease.

Throughout the Werneckes' battle with CPS and the Texas legal system, the family has maintained a blog dedicated to their daughter and her condition at http://prayforkatie.blogspot.com. There, they post news articles, charity information, letters and prayers from people concerned for Katie and disturbed by the drastic actions taken by Texas officials to keep her out of her parents' care.

An October 23rd post on the site reads, ‘Katie has been left all alone in M.D. Anderson undergoing this fourth round of chemotherapy. CPS has not allowed the parents to be present in the hospital during this treatment. I don't have the right words and enough words to express how awful I feel about that. It is unbelievably cruel and just sickening that Katie would have to suffer through that ordeal all alone with no parent beside her. That is emotional abuse and child abuse on the part of CPS.’

Although the Werneckes have stuck to their beliefs about what they feel is best for their daughter's health, they have been continuously met by the threats and scare tactics used by CPS. As a result, their daughter has not only suffered through treatment she does not want - and arguably does not need - but she has done so without her parents comfort and support.

On October 31st, Judge Hunter finally ruled that Katie should be returned to her family, saying, ‘CPS and the Werneckes are never, ever going to agree,’ according to the New York Times. Katie will be allowed to go home after a round of chemotherapy in Houston, but what course her treatment will take after that is unknown. However, her father said at Monday's hearing that the family ‘wanted to try other treatments for Katie before considering radiation as a last resort,’ the New York Times reported.

The good news is, Katie was able to return to her family and receive their love and support, but the decision seems long overdue. The Werneckes' situation over the past months is a prime example of how modern medicine has gotten out of control in the USA. It seems we now live in a terrifying world where medical professionals are able to enlist the help of government agencies in order to force people into medical treatments that can actually pose significant health dangers. It is a climate in which diagnosis and medical treatment may be accompanied by threats and legal action for those who dare to select an alternative path of healing for themselves or their loved ones. It is an atmosphere in which parents can actually lose their sick children to the system of modern conventional medicine.

A disease like cancer is traumatic enough; it does not need to be complicated with the stresses of custody battles and legal threats. What a child really needs when suffering through something as daunting as cancer is her parents. The Werneckes may have been fighting to block the treatment of their daughter with conventional cancer treatments that can cause severe health problems, but Texas authorities, in the past months, were playing a much more dangerous game by fighting to remove Katie from the love and support of her parents, which is some of the best medicine.

Web: http://www.NewsTarget.com

Heart of Healing

At the upcoming Heart of Healing Conference, the following teachers will educate and inform the audience, both professional and public who have a desire to understand complementary forms of healing and health options. The format of the conference offers dialogue, discussion and interaction as teachers share ‘take home’ health and wellness ideas, tips, and tools with participants.

There are two days structured around the teacher's talks, presented in a comfortable theatre style learning environment. At the end of the day, the speakers will convene in a cohesive, moderated panel with Drs. Max Barish-Wreden, & Kay Judge, and take written questions from the audience, for a focused and lively discussion of the day's issues.

You are invited to learn from the following Mind-Body-Energy Medicine teachers:

Guided Imagery expert, Belleruth Naparstek speaks on Gifts of the Imagination: Where Mind, Body & Spirit Meet to explain the power of Guided Imagery- a form of deliberate, directed daydreaming - and, what characterizes effective healing imagery.

An expert Oncologist and Psychologist team, Bill Buchholz, MD and Susan Weiss Buchholz, Ph.D., will speak on Cancer as Myth: a Disease of Cellular Mis-information to help us understand how healthy cells become cancerous, and what are cellular misprints that can lead to disease.

Dr. Mimi Guarneri, founder of Scripps Institute of Integrative Medicine will explore the whole heart in her talk The Heart Speaks: Are You Listening?, which includes the mental heart, emotional heart, intelligent heart, spiritual heart, and the universal heart.

Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D introduces us to Energy Medicine: Healing the Luminous Body, as he shows how the luminous energy field holds a record of emotional, physical and spiritual traumas, our ‘Karmic’ issues and possible illnesses.

Eric Pearl, DC, explains The Essence of Healing philosophy and the most current research supporting vibrational medicine and how light and information impact DNA in our bodies.

Carol Ritberger, Ph.D, Medical Intuitive explains Health and Healing through the Eyes of a Medical Intuitive as she shows dynamic energy medicine techniques, and how our thoughts and emotions are stored in different parts of our body.

You will come away understanding what Mind-Body-Energy Medicine is and how to incorporate it into daily living for better well-being and health. You will learn practical health and wellness ideas, tips, and tools, and you can participate in a moderated panel about the day's issues with your written questions to the speakers. The result? An educated and informed look at Mind-Body-Energy Medicine and how it affects your way of healing.

Web: http://www.insightjourneys.com

$175 per day or $325 for both days (early registration)
Continued education units offered.
The Heart of Healing Conference
March 24 & 25, 2007, 9-5:30
The Crest Theatre, Sacramento CA
530-265-9255
Contact: Suzie Daggett
admin@insightjourneys.com

Coral Calcium Watchdog Releases Product Reviews

In the competitive coral calcium market, companies often source the least expensive ingredients in order to survive or thrive, and the consumer ends up with a low grade finished product. Coral Calcium Watchdog was formed to help the consumer gain a clearer understanding of what coral calcium really is and how to wade through all the marketing and choose the best product for their needs.

Coral Calcium Watchdog, a non profit web site that analyses and reviews coral calcium products, has released the latest results from its coral calcium product reviews. In the highly competitive coral calcium market, companies often source the least expensive ingredients in order to survive or thrive, and the consumer ends up with a low grade finished product. Coral Calcium Watchdog was formed to help the consumer gain a clearer understanding of what coral calcium really is and how to wade through all the marketing and choose the best product for their needs.

‘People will be surprised by what we have found in our calcium supplement reviews, the early results are showing that a new plant sourced calcium supplement will emerge as a star in the health supplement world' Mel Stevens of Coral Calcium Watchdog adds ‘coral calcium has received a lot of bad press over the years due to infomercials and unethical marketing practices but I can assure you coral calcium is neither a fountain of youth, nor a scam. Coral Calcium is an excellent source of calcium and minerals which are in an exceptionally bio-available form. When people lacking calcium and trace minerals finally absorb them, some exciting benefits may occur creating this fountain of youth idea. No clinical trials of any significance have been done, so there is no medical evidence one way or the other.’

Coral Calcium Watchdog provides extensive coral calcium product reviews and comparisons, including scientific analysis of the ingredients found in coral products. The site also provides a list of the competing companies and their web site addresses so the consumer can easily continue researching products for themselves.

After analysing over 200 different coral calcium brands, Coral Calcium Watchdog has weeded out the low grade coral calcium and the list is now down to the top 9 coral calcium products. The coral calcium products were rated by quality and value to the consumer, taking into consideration ingredients, dosages and formulas.

Finishing in top spot was Brazil Live Coral Calcium, a live harvested coral calcium from the northern shores of Brazil that is distributed by HL Distribution Co. Second spot went to True Blue Coral Calcium, an above sea coral calcium from Okinawa Japan, distributed by CFU Distribution Co.

Next, on the horizon for Coral Calcium Watchdog is calcium supplement product reviews, ‘people will be surprised by what we have found in our calcium supplement reviews, the early results are showing that a new plant sourced calcium supplement will emerge as a star in the health supplement world’ says Mel Stevens.

The full results from the coral calcium product reviews can be seen at compare coral calcium: http://www.coralcalcium-watchdog.com/compare.htm

Pfizer Ends Development of Cholesterol Drug after Patient Deaths

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that it has ended a clinical trial for the highly anticipated cholesterol drug torcetrapib - which raises levels of 'healthy' HDL cholesterol - after a high number of patients participating in the trial died or experienced cardiovascular problems.

Pfizer, the world's largest drug firm, was informed that an independent board monitoring a study of torcetrapib found that 82 patients out of 7,500 who were taking the drug had died. Fifty-one patients out of 7,500 in the same study who were taking Lipitor - Pfizer's best-selling cholesterol drug - also died, though the company said it was not concerned over Lipitor's safety.

According to Pfizer spokesman Paul Fitzhenry, the company is requesting that all clinical investigations of torcetrapib be halted, and patients taking the drug stop immediately. Previous studies had shown the drug to slightly increase blood pressure, but researchers were unclear on whether high blood pressure contributed to the patients' deaths or heart troubles.

Pfizer - which spent roughly $800 million on the development of torcetrapib - was counting on the success of the drug to invigorate slow sales. Several patent expirations are projected to cost the company $14 billion in annual sales between 2005 and 2007, and its patent on the world's best-selling drug, Lipitor, could expire by 2010.

Pharmaceutical industry critics say Pfizer's decision can be credited largely to more intense scrutiny of the safety of clinical trials following Merck's withdrawal of the painkiller Vioxx from the market in late 2004.

Consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of ‘The Seven Laws of Nutrition,’ called Pfizer's decision to halt trials of torcetrapib a ‘tremendous victory’ for the health and safety of patients around the world.

‘I believe this decision would never have been reached without the increased scrutiny now being directed at Big Pharma,’ Adams said. ‘In my opinion, if this drug had been developed five years ago, the trial results would have been tweaked to make it appear safer, and the drug would have been released anyway.’

Members of the committee that oversaw the study said they were surprised to discover the increased death rates, since earlier study results had been promising. However, Adams says the decision to abandon testing of torcetrapib - which was made prior to FDA evaluation of the drug - averted possible disaster in light of the FDA's shoddy track record of approving unsafe drugs.

‘Pfizer announced just two days before this decision that it was seeking FDA approval for the drug,’ Adams said. ‘No one in their right mind should believe that the FDA would have denied approval for this drug, especially while the agency continues to support Vioxx, a drug that has killed more than 50,000 Americans.’

In spite of the loss of projected ‘blockbuster’ torcetrapib, Pfizer emphasised at a recent analyst meeting that it still has 242 research programmes and other drugs in the pipeline.

Web: http://www.NewsTarget.com

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