Having trouble getting in to see your allergy specialist MD today? Well, it's going to be worse in the future. A growing shortage of allergists in the United States may soon impact the quality of patient care for asthma and other allergic diseases, according to a report published by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). This comes at a bad time, because just about everyone will tell you that allergy problems are increasing--not getting any easier.
“Without intervention, the number of allergy-immunology specialists is projected to decline by 7 percent while demand will increase by 35 percent over the next dozen years,” said ACAAI President Daniel Ein, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and chief of the division of allergy at GWU Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
“The decline in the number of qualified allergists-immunologists is primarily due to the decrease in Graduate Medical Education (GME) training programs because of limited federal funding. To cover attrition and keep up with the growing demand, training programs must increase their graduation rate by 120 allergy-immunology physicians each year,” Dr. Ein said.
Asthma and other allergic diseases have become more prevalent in the United States in recent years. They affect as many as 50 million people, or more than 20 percent of the population. The incidence of asthma alone has more than tripled over the past 25 years and currently affects more than 22 million Americans.
I'd like to recommend that if you are having trouble getting in to see your allergist MD, try an alternative approach such as a Naturopath. My local Chiropractor was able to recommend a supplement that was of great value for me at allergy season here in Sedona.
Dave
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Wham: Andrographis for Sinusitis and Summertime Colds!
In the newly released June issue of Prevention Magazine, the author of an article discussing "3 New Superhealers You Should Know About" (linked to the headline of today's post) describes the effects of a summer cold and why it is worth seeking out alternative and complementary products. Summer colds can last longer than the usual cold, and they are particularly annoying, because they come at a time when you should be out enjoying special days with family and friends. Nothing worse than having your vacation ruined by sniffles, sore throats or fatigue.
Here's what Prevention had to say about one of those "3 new superhealers" . . .
Dave
Here's what Prevention had to say about one of those "3 new superhealers" . . .
Verde Botanica's IMMUNICITY consists of not only Andrographis, but Eleuthero as well, which wasn't noted in the article above. The combination makes it totally unique -- clinical trials such as those reported on above are most often done with this combination of two herbs. Great support to ward off summer colds, support healthy sinuses, or any other required immune boost.
Andrographis: Shorten Summer Colds
Andrographis does a great job of relieving upper-respiratory infections, such as colds or sinusitis, says new research. A study in the journal Phytomedicine reported that the herb eased symptoms such as fatigue, sleeplessness, sore throat, and runny nose up to 90%.
Maximize the benefits: Roberta Lee, MD (medical director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City) and Terry Graedon, PhD (coauthor with her husband, Joe, of Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy recommend Kan Jang® (available at ProActive BioProducts), an herbal extract produced by the Swedish Herbal Institute and used in several of the trials.
Dave
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Wham: Cranberry for Urinary Tract Infections
An interesting small research study was done in the scientific journal Phytomed recently (2007;14:237-241), providing additional evidence that shows how Cranberry extract reduces urinary tract infections. Hopefully, these positive results will lead to more detailed larger studies. A full abstract of this trial, reported upon in HerbClip from American Botanical Council, is linked to today's headline. Quoting from Herbclip:
"Common in women, the elderly, and infants, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are defined as the "presence of a certain threshold number of bacteria in the urine (usually greater than 100,000 per mL)." One in four women who have a UTI will have a recurrence. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) products are often used to prevent UTIs. The journal authors report on a study to test the effects of concentrated cranberry extract on women with recurrent UTIs.Most UTIs are caused by one type of bacterium -- Escherichia coli.
The authors conducted an open-label pilot study for 4 months at Helios Integrated Medicine, PC in Boulder, Colorado. Twelve women aged between 25 and 70 years with a history of 6 UTIs in the past year took 1 cranberry capsule twice daily for 12 weeks. Each capsule contained 200 mg cranberry extract standardized to 30% total phenols (much higher than dried cranberries and dried juices), produced by Phenolics, LLC (El Granada, CA), by selective extraction of the berries. The total cranberry proanthocyanidin intake during the study was approximately 100 mg per day. None of the women developed a UTI during the study, based on symptoms or laboratory results.
After 2 years, a follow-up was done, and the same medical history questionnaire was reviewed with each woman. At that time, eight of the women reported no changes in their health since the study began. They all continued to take various cranberry supplements prepared by different manufacturers in doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg per day, and they continued to be free from UTIs. Four women stopped taking cranberry supplements for various unrelated medical reasons. Of those, one remained free of UTIs and two developed symptoms, which resolved after resuming the supplementation. The fourth developed a UTI confirmed by urinalysis and was treated with antibiotics. She then resumed the cranberry supplements and did not have any further symptoms.
This study adds evidence to three previous studies cited by the authors that indicate the effectiveness of cranberry products in preventing UTIs in women. These study results are unique, however, in that none of the women had a recurrent infection during the study period. Also, this study used a unique cranberry product standardized to 30% phenolics."
As always, Sham vs. Wham would recommend that readers remember the tests done were of a specific brand of extract, and that if you want the same results, you buy the same brand as in the study.
Dave
"Common in women, the elderly, and infants, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are defined as the "presence of a certain threshold number of bacteria in the urine (usually greater than 100,000 per mL)." One in four women who have a UTI will have a recurrence. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) products are often used to prevent UTIs. The journal authors report on a study to test the effects of concentrated cranberry extract on women with recurrent UTIs.Most UTIs are caused by one type of bacterium -- Escherichia coli.
The authors conducted an open-label pilot study for 4 months at Helios Integrated Medicine, PC in Boulder, Colorado. Twelve women aged between 25 and 70 years with a history of 6 UTIs in the past year took 1 cranberry capsule twice daily for 12 weeks. Each capsule contained 200 mg cranberry extract standardized to 30% total phenols (much higher than dried cranberries and dried juices), produced by Phenolics, LLC (El Granada, CA), by selective extraction of the berries. The total cranberry proanthocyanidin intake during the study was approximately 100 mg per day. None of the women developed a UTI during the study, based on symptoms or laboratory results.
After 2 years, a follow-up was done, and the same medical history questionnaire was reviewed with each woman. At that time, eight of the women reported no changes in their health since the study began. They all continued to take various cranberry supplements prepared by different manufacturers in doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg per day, and they continued to be free from UTIs. Four women stopped taking cranberry supplements for various unrelated medical reasons. Of those, one remained free of UTIs and two developed symptoms, which resolved after resuming the supplementation. The fourth developed a UTI confirmed by urinalysis and was treated with antibiotics. She then resumed the cranberry supplements and did not have any further symptoms.
This study adds evidence to three previous studies cited by the authors that indicate the effectiveness of cranberry products in preventing UTIs in women. These study results are unique, however, in that none of the women had a recurrent infection during the study period. Also, this study used a unique cranberry product standardized to 30% phenolics."
As always, Sham vs. Wham would recommend that readers remember the tests done were of a specific brand of extract, and that if you want the same results, you buy the same brand as in the study.
Dave
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wham: Reduce Itching, Pain from Mosquito Bites
It's summertime already in Arizona. Today we have our evaporative coolers on full blast . . . it was 96 degrees yesterday in Sedona. But, as much as I love summer, that's our season for annoying bugs and pests. One of the worst is the mosquito, which in the last couple of years has been bringing along the threat of West Nile virus. I got my first bite last night on a walk around the neighborhood.
Mosquito bites seem to come with summer. It’s best to think ahead and apply an insect repellent – some even are combined with sunscreen to give double protection from summer hazards – before going out. But if you forgot and get an itchy welt, Ken Haller, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University, suggests this treatment.
"Dab a bit of roll-on antiperspirant directly on the bug bite and the itching will stop. The aluminum salts in the antiperspirant help the body to reabsorb the fluid in the bug bite. The swelling goes down and the itching goes away," he says.
Dave
Mosquito bites seem to come with summer. It’s best to think ahead and apply an insect repellent – some even are combined with sunscreen to give double protection from summer hazards – before going out. But if you forgot and get an itchy welt, Ken Haller, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University, suggests this treatment.
"Dab a bit of roll-on antiperspirant directly on the bug bite and the itching will stop. The aluminum salts in the antiperspirant help the body to reabsorb the fluid in the bug bite. The swelling goes down and the itching goes away," he says.
Dave
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Wham: Pomegranate Strikes Again
A couple of months ago I was out in Anaheim for the biggest trade show of the year for the natural foods and supplements industries. This meeting, Expo West, is always a blast to attend. You go to so many parties, and walk away with so many bags of free goodies, it's almost embarrassing.
At one of the cocktail parties I attended, this one for the American Botanical Council (the wonderful organization that is behind so much of our knowledge about botanicals and herbs), I met a fellow who is the research head of the world's largest consortium of Pomegranate growers. His job, which I kidded him about, is to manage clinical trials for his favorite fruit.
"How many clinical trials do you have to manage at any one time," I asked with a smile. (After all, I'm from the drug industry, and those are serious clinical trials . . .) When he told me about the extent of the work that is being done on Pomegranate, I was floored. I listened to story after story about this ancient and so-long-overlooked fruit, and how it has been proven to have a very significant health benefit.
Lo and behold, today's WHAM is about a little known benefit of Pomegranate -- besides tasting great and being good for you, it also helps to fight dental plaque. In fact, it is so good at this job that in the clinical trials linked to the headline of today's post, it was equivalent to the nasty chemical chlorhexidine, which is most commonly used in ingredients for plaque removal.
Because chlorhexidine has so many nasty side effects (teeth staining and loss of taste and sensation in the mouth to name a couple) this leads me to believe that we'll soon be trekking down to the local Whole Foods to buy . . . a Pomegranate mouth wash.
Dave
At one of the cocktail parties I attended, this one for the American Botanical Council (the wonderful organization that is behind so much of our knowledge about botanicals and herbs), I met a fellow who is the research head of the world's largest consortium of Pomegranate growers. His job, which I kidded him about, is to manage clinical trials for his favorite fruit.
"How many clinical trials do you have to manage at any one time," I asked with a smile. (After all, I'm from the drug industry, and those are serious clinical trials . . .) When he told me about the extent of the work that is being done on Pomegranate, I was floored. I listened to story after story about this ancient and so-long-overlooked fruit, and how it has been proven to have a very significant health benefit.
Lo and behold, today's WHAM is about a little known benefit of Pomegranate -- besides tasting great and being good for you, it also helps to fight dental plaque. In fact, it is so good at this job that in the clinical trials linked to the headline of today's post, it was equivalent to the nasty chemical chlorhexidine, which is most commonly used in ingredients for plaque removal.
Because chlorhexidine has so many nasty side effects (teeth staining and loss of taste and sensation in the mouth to name a couple) this leads me to believe that we'll soon be trekking down to the local Whole Foods to buy . . . a Pomegranate mouth wash.
Dave
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Wham: Selenium --The Evidence Keeps Coming In
For anyone who reads the daily news about vitamins and supplements, there is one inexpensive and previously undervalued supplement that has really become hot lately . . . Selenium. What a great ride the makers of Selenium products must be on right now, because this supplement is looking more and more effective in a number of areas. It is rapidly becoming one of those "must have" ingredients in your daily vitamin regimen.
As the wire services reported yesterday and today, Selenium supplementation has now been found to potentially combat HIV. Some very significant evidence is accumlating that Selenium may help the immune system fight back against the virus that causes Aids, and this comes after a huge wave of interest in Selenium by those who want to protect themselves against Prostate Cancer. Recent evidence there has been very positive as well.
The University of Miami found a lower HIV viral load in patients who took selenium supplements for nine months. And this was't some abnormally large amount of Selenium. . . this was a 200 microgram daily dose, which is the usual amount of Selenium contained in small yeast-derived supplements selling on the market for as little as $2 or $3 for a month's supply.
Selenium deficiencies have been recorded in HIV patients, and evidence suggests the mineral can improve the function of the immune system. In fact, the Archives of Internal Medicine study suggests the supplements may be a cheap and easy way to help keep HIV in check, as a useful addition to traditional combination therapy.
From the BBC World News (linked to the headline of this post) . . . Over nine months, the University of Miami team gave 91 HIV patients a daily capsule containing 200 micrograms of high-selenium yeast, and another 83 patients a daily placebo capsule. Those with higher selenium levels in their blood were more likely to have a lower HIV viral load, and higher numbers of CD4 cells, which play a key role in fighting off infection.
If you are going to add Selenium to your daily mix of supplements, make sure that you check your multiple vitamin for it's Selenium content and then add extra to reach the recommended 200 mcg dosage. (Like many other supplements, there is no advantage in "doubling up").
Dave
As the wire services reported yesterday and today, Selenium supplementation has now been found to potentially combat HIV. Some very significant evidence is accumlating that Selenium may help the immune system fight back against the virus that causes Aids, and this comes after a huge wave of interest in Selenium by those who want to protect themselves against Prostate Cancer. Recent evidence there has been very positive as well.
The University of Miami found a lower HIV viral load in patients who took selenium supplements for nine months. And this was't some abnormally large amount of Selenium. . . this was a 200 microgram daily dose, which is the usual amount of Selenium contained in small yeast-derived supplements selling on the market for as little as $2 or $3 for a month's supply.
Selenium deficiencies have been recorded in HIV patients, and evidence suggests the mineral can improve the function of the immune system. In fact, the Archives of Internal Medicine study suggests the supplements may be a cheap and easy way to help keep HIV in check, as a useful addition to traditional combination therapy.
From the BBC World News (linked to the headline of this post) . . . Over nine months, the University of Miami team gave 91 HIV patients a daily capsule containing 200 micrograms of high-selenium yeast, and another 83 patients a daily placebo capsule. Those with higher selenium levels in their blood were more likely to have a lower HIV viral load, and higher numbers of CD4 cells, which play a key role in fighting off infection.
If you are going to add Selenium to your daily mix of supplements, make sure that you check your multiple vitamin for it's Selenium content and then add extra to reach the recommended 200 mcg dosage. (Like many other supplements, there is no advantage in "doubling up").
Dave
Monday, May 7, 2007
Sham: The Dangers of Energy Drinks
Everyone likes a kick in the pants in the morning to wake up. For years, I was a big coffee drinker, and I still enjoy an espresso now and again. But there was a time in my life when I was totally and completely hooked on that caffeine buzz to get my day started.
Luckily, that bad habit has fallen away, mostly due to a product called Arctic Root® that I take each morning. (Arctic Root® is an adaptogen and it has a clinically proven effect to "clear the mental fog" without stimulating the body as caffeine does. We'll discuss it and other adaptogens in more detail in a future post.)
However, a recent visit to a college campus taught me that not only are kids enjoying lots of coffee to get a kick start, they are literally pouring down energy drinks of every kind and description. Just a few years ago, Mountain Dew was the energy drink of choice and now there are more than 100 varieties, all with huge amounts of caffeine and herbal stimulants. The worst part of this trend is that these drinks are often used as mixers for alcohol, which is a really bad combination. (See the attached link to this headline).
When you combine alcohol with a stimulant, you deprive your body of the natural fatigue that sets in to let you know that you've had too much -- that you are drunk. Sure, you can consume more alcohol when it is mixed with a stimulant, but what a mistake that is. There have been a number of deaths attributed to this trend . . . people get behind the wheel thinking that they are "alert" with far more than the legal limit of alcohol in their blood.
Energy drinks push your body into an abnormal level of energy. They literally borrow from tomorrow to keep your body going today, and in this "overextended" mode, your body goes into high-stress and you leave yourself far more open to colds, flu, etc. Plus, the massive amount of sweeteners in these beverages bring along their own set of problems, especially if you are like many of us who are trying to keep the weight off.
It's very deceiving to package a product containing herbs like Guarana and labels such as "natural energy" or "herbal energy." While it is correct that these caffeine-containing herbs are "natural," it certainly isn't different than any other stimulant. Stimulants are not good for you -- period.
Dave
Luckily, that bad habit has fallen away, mostly due to a product called Arctic Root® that I take each morning. (Arctic Root® is an adaptogen and it has a clinically proven effect to "clear the mental fog" without stimulating the body as caffeine does. We'll discuss it and other adaptogens in more detail in a future post.)
However, a recent visit to a college campus taught me that not only are kids enjoying lots of coffee to get a kick start, they are literally pouring down energy drinks of every kind and description. Just a few years ago, Mountain Dew was the energy drink of choice and now there are more than 100 varieties, all with huge amounts of caffeine and herbal stimulants. The worst part of this trend is that these drinks are often used as mixers for alcohol, which is a really bad combination. (See the attached link to this headline).
When you combine alcohol with a stimulant, you deprive your body of the natural fatigue that sets in to let you know that you've had too much -- that you are drunk. Sure, you can consume more alcohol when it is mixed with a stimulant, but what a mistake that is. There have been a number of deaths attributed to this trend . . . people get behind the wheel thinking that they are "alert" with far more than the legal limit of alcohol in their blood.
Energy drinks push your body into an abnormal level of energy. They literally borrow from tomorrow to keep your body going today, and in this "overextended" mode, your body goes into high-stress and you leave yourself far more open to colds, flu, etc. Plus, the massive amount of sweeteners in these beverages bring along their own set of problems, especially if you are like many of us who are trying to keep the weight off.
It's very deceiving to package a product containing herbs like Guarana and labels such as "natural energy" or "herbal energy." While it is correct that these caffeine-containing herbs are "natural," it certainly isn't different than any other stimulant. Stimulants are not good for you -- period.
Dave
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