Monday, August 9, 2010

Homeopathy Associated With Dramatic Reduction In Leptospirosis Infection

Homeopathy Associated With Dramatic Reduction In Leptospirosis Infection In Cuban Population


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Main Category:
Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Also Included In:
Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 09 Aug 2010 - 0:00 PDT


A report of the largest study of homeopathy ever undertaken, based on data from over 11 million people (the entire population of Cuba), is published in the journal Homeopathy.1 It provides fascinating evidence that a highly dilute substance, prepared according to homeopathic principles, may contribute to the prevention of Leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis (also known as Weil's Disease) is an infectious disease carried by rats and caused by bacteria called spirochetes. People contract the disease through contact with contaminated water. Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, but it is most common in the tropics during periods of heavy rain.

In Cuba, Leptospirosis is recorded by an efficient national surveillance programme. Its incidence correlates closely with heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding. In late 2007, in response to a developing epidemic, and with only enough vaccine to treat 15,000 high-risk people, the government decided to treat the entire population of the region, over one year of age, with a homeopathic medicine. This was prepared from the inactivated causative organism by the Cuban National Vaccine Institute.

The homeopathic medicine was given to the 2.3 million population of the provinces usually worst affected. Within a few weeks the number of cases had fallen from the forecast 38 to 4 cases per 100,000 per week, significantly fewer than the historically-based forecast for those weeks of the year.The 8.8 million population of the other provinces did not receive homeopathic treatment and the incidence was as forecast. The effect appeared to be sustained: there was an 84% reduction in infection in the treated region in the following year (2008) when, for the first time, incidence did not correlate with rainfall. In the same period, incidence in the untreated region increased by 22%.

"Infectious diseases are still the bane of humanity, particularly in the developing world", states Dr Sara Eames, President of the Faculty of Homeopathy. "Anything which appears to reduce infection rates in a potentially fatal infection, particularly when it can be prepared and delivered quickly, safely and cost effectively, has to be taken seriously and studied further."

Dr Peter Fisher, Editor of Homeopathy, notes "This is a very large study and its results, if confirmed, have huge potential impact. We need more research into the effectiveness of homeopathic preparations in preventing infectious diseases, complications, and the economic viability of a homeopathic approach."

Reference

1.Bracho G, Varela E, Fernández R, et al. Large-scale application of highly-diluted bacteria for Leptospirosis epidemic control. Homeopathy 2010; 99: 156-166.

Source: Elsevier


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

More Research Funds For Homeopathy Needed

Monday, 19 July 2010, 1:05 pm
Press Release: Council of Homeopaths
More Research Funds For Homeopathy Needed

The New Zealand Council of Homeopaths (NZCH) would like to see more
Research and Development money made available for homeopathic research
following the presentation by a Nobel Prize winner for Physiology and
Medicine, Dr. Luc Montagnier. Dr Montagnier received the Nobel prize
for his work on isolating the HIV virus.
Dr Montagnier spoke to his colleagues at the Lindau Nobel Laureate
meeting in Germany about his research on using a new method to detect
viral infections, by looking for radio waves that are emitted by
viruses in high dilutions. In 2009, Dr Montagnier published research
[2] on the effect of viruses on extreme dilutions (D12). The study
found that electromagnetic waves are detectable after stimulation.

Dr Montagnier's work shows that extremely attenuated particles can
still be detected in a water medium. The NZCH believes these links are
a step forward in the understanding of homeopathy and its place in
science.
Homeopaths have been discovering the fingerprint of their medicines by
trialing the effects of their remedies on healthy people and observing
the effects that are produced. These are then matched to the symptoms
of an animal or person thus defining the homeopathic term "like cures
like".
Dr Montagniers work is very exciting for Homeopaths and comes just
after recognition by Rural Women earlier who awarded Tineke Verkade
and her business Homeopathic Farm Services the Supreme Enterprise
Award. Her homeopathic products are used successfully by many farmers.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

homeopathy really does work

I don't know how, but homeopathy really does work

More of a mystery is why scientists continue to debunk it despite mounting evidence that homeopathy is effective

I was a dedicated scientist about to begin a PhD in neuroscience when, out of the blue, homeopathy bit me on the proverbial bottom.

Science had been my passion since I began studying biology with Mr Hopkinson at the age of 11, and by the age of 21, when I attended the dinner party that altered the course of my life, I had still barely heard of it. The idea that I would one day become a homeopath would have seemed ludicrous.

That turning point is etched in my mind. A woman I'd known my entire life told me that a homeopath had successfully treated her when many months of conventional treatment had failed. As a sceptic, I scoffed, but was nonetheless a little intrigued.

She confessed that despite thinking homeopathy was a load of rubbish, she'd finally agreed to an appointment, to stop her daughter nagging. But she was genuinely shocked to find that, after one little pill, within days she felt significantly better. A second tablet, she said, "saw it off completely".

I admit I ruined that dinner party. I interrogated her about every detail of her diagnosis, previous treatment, time scales, the lot. I thought it through logically – she was intelligent, she wasn't lying, she had no previous inclination towards alternative medicine, and her reluctance would have diminished any placebo effect.

Scientists are supposed to make unprejudiced observations, then draw conclusions. As I thought about this, I was left with the highly uncomfortable conclusion that homeopathy appeared to have worked. I had to find out more.

So, I started reading about homeopathy, and what I discovered shifted my world for ever. I became convinced enough to hand my coveted PhD studentship over to my best friend and sign on for a three-year, full-time homeopathy training course.

Now, as an experienced homeopath, it is "science" that is biting me on the bottom. I know homeopathy works, not only because I've seen it with my own eyes countless times, but because scientific research confirms it. And yet I keep reading reports in the media saying that homeopathy doesn't work and that this scientific evidence doesn't exist.

The facts, it seems, are being ignored. By the end of 2009, 142randomised control trials (the gold standard in medical research) comparing homeopathy with placebo or conventional treatment had been published in peer-reviewed journals – 74 were able to draw firm conclusions: 63 were positive for homeopathy and 11 were negative. Five major systematic reviews have also been carried out to analyse the balance of evidence from RCTs of homeopathy – four were positive (Kleijnen, J, et al; Linde, K, et al; Linde, K, et al; Cucherat, M, et al) and one was negative (Shang, A et al). It's usual to get mixed results when you look at a wide range of research results on one subject, and if these results were from trials measuring the efficacy of "normal" conventional drugs, ratios of 63:11 and 4:1 in favour of a treatment working would be considered pretty persuasive.

Of course, the question of how homeopathy works is another matter. And that is where homeopathy courts controversy. It is indeed puzzling that ultra-high dilutions of substances, with few or no measurable molecules of the original substance left in them, should exert biological effects, but exert biological effects they do.

There are experiments showing that homeopathic thyroxine can alter the rate of metamorphosis of tadpoles into frogs, that homeopathic histamine can alter the activity of white blood cells, and that under the right conditions, homeopathic sodium chloride can be made to release light in the same way as normal sodium chloride. The idea that such highly-diluted preparations are not only still active, but retain characteristics of the original substances, may seem impossible, but these kinds of results show it's a demonstrable fact.

Surely science should come into its own here – solving the riddles of the world around us, pushing the frontiers of knowledge. At least, that is the science I fell in love with. More of a puzzle to me now is the blinkered approach of those who continue, despite increasing evidence, to deny what is in front of them.

In the last few years, there has been much propaganda and misinformation circulated, much of it heralding the death of homeopathy, yet the evidence shows that interest in complementary and alternative medicine is growing.

In February, the "sceptics" campaign had a breakthrough – a report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committeerecommended no further NHS funding for homeopathy, despite a deeply flawed hearing.

The Society of Homeopaths – the largest body representing professional homeopaths – was refused permission to give oral evidence. Also notable by their absence from the panel were primary care trusts who currently commission homeopathy and representatives of patients who use homeopathy. Yet oral evidence was heard from a journalist previously investigated by the Press Complaints Commission for unsubstantiated criticism of homeopaths, and a spokesperson for a charity that has long publicly opposed homeopathy. It is significant that one of the four MPs asked to vote on the report abstained due to concerns about the lack of balance in the evidence heard.

Homeopathy is well-established in the UK, having been available through the NHS since its inception in 1948. More than 400 GPs use homeopathy in their everyday practice and the Society of Homeopaths has 1,500 registered members, from a variety of previous professions including pharmacists, journalists, solicitors and nurses.

And yet the portrayal of homeopathy as charlatanism and witchcraft continues. There is growing evidence that homeopathy works, that it is cost-effective and that patients want it. As drugs bills spiral, and evidence emerges that certain drugs routinely prescribed on the NHS areno better than placebos, maybe it's time for "sceptics" to stop the witch hunt and look at putting their own house in order.

It's all a far cry from the schoolgirl biologist who envisioned spending her life in a laboratory playing with bacteria.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Battle of Homeopathy

Homeopathy works for babies and even pets. Certainly, intellect and patient belief system are not in play here. Homeopathy became popular in the United States and Europe in the 1800s.

The strongest advocates were European royalty, American entrepreneurs, literary giants, and religious leaders. As it gained widespread popularity, it became the object of animosity and opposition from mainstream medicine.

The conflict between homeopathy and orthodox medicine was protracted and bitter.

The battle goes on

We know who won the first round of this conflict. The results of the second round is left to be seen.

Hopefully, we will soon discover that a "fight" over healing is inappropriate and that various approaches to healing are necessary to build a comprehensive and effective healthcare system.

The history of homeopathy begins with the discoveries of its founder, Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician disillusioned with the medical practice of the time. He first coined the word "homeopathy".

"Homoios" in Greek means similar. "Pathos" means suffering. This refers to the pharmacological principle, the law of similars, that is its basis.

The law of similars was previously described by Hippocrates (the Father of Medicine) and Paracelsus, and was utilised by many cultures, including the Mayans, Chinese, Greeks, Native American Indians and Indians.

But it was Hahnemann who codified the law of similars into a systematic medical science. His first comments about the applicability of the law of similars were in 1789, when he translated a book by William Cullen - leading physicians of the era.

At one point in the book, Cullen ascribed the usefulness of Peruvian bark (Cinchona) in treating malaria due to its bitter and astringent properties.

Similars

Hahnemann wrote a bold footnote in his translation, disputing Cullen's explanation. He asserted that the efficacy of Peruvian bark must be for other factor.

He noted that there were other substances and mixtures of substances decidedly more bitter and astringent than Peruvian bark that were not effective in treating malaria.

He described himself taking repeated doses of this herb until his body responded to its toxic dose with fever, chills and other symptoms similar to malaria.

Hahnemann concluded that this herb was beneficial because it caused symptoms similar to those of the disease it was treating. That was a mind blowing and paradigm changing idea that day! Hahnemann was clearly a brilliant mind.

He was translating Cullen's work, which indicates that he was one of the more respected translators of his day. When he was only 24, Hahnemann could read and write in at least seven languages.

He ultimately translated over 20 major medical and scientific texts. This story reveals Hahnemann as both an avid experimenter and a respected chemist.

He had authored a four-volume set of books called The Pharmaceutical Lexicon, which was considered one of the standard reference texts for apothecaries or pharmacists.

Rebel

Hahnemann was an audacious rebel. He was unafraid to speak his mind, even if it meant correcting the analysis of a very respected physician.

He was unafraid to question commonly accepted truths. After translating Cullen's work, Hahnemann spent the next six years actively experimenting on himself, his family and a small but growing group of followers.

In 1796, he wrote about his experiences with the law of similars in Hufeland's Journal, a respected medical journal in Germany.

Coincidentally, in 1798, Edward Jenner discovered the value of giving small doses of cowpox to people in an effort to immunise them against smallpox. While Jenner's work was generally accepted into orthodox medicine, Hahnemann's was not. Hahnemann was particularly disliked by the apothecaries because he recommended the use of only one medicine at a time and prescribing limited doses of it.

As he recommended only small doses of each medicine, the apothecaries could not charge much for them. And because each medicine required careful preparation, Hahnemann found that the apothecaries were not always making them correctly or were intentionally giving his patients different medicines.

As he grew to distrust the apothecaries, he chose to dispense his medicines, an illegal act at the time in Germany. The apothecaries then accused Hahnemann of "entrenching upon their privileges by the dispensing of medicines".

He was arrested in Leipzig in 1820, found guilty and forced to move.


Prosecuted

He moved to Kothen, where he was delegated special permission to practice and dispense his medicines by Grand Duke Ferdinand, one of the many European royalties who supported homeopathy.

Despite the persecution, homeopathy continued to grow, not just because it offered a systematic approach to treating sick people, but also because orthodox medicine was ineffective and dangerous in some instances, especially for chronic diseases.

Indeed, there is general agreement among medical historians today that orthodox medicine of the 1700s and 1800s in particular frequently caused more harm than good. Besides bloodletting and leeches, orthodox physicians used medicines made from mercury, lead, arsenic and various strong herbs to help purge the body of foreign disease-causing matter.

Despite the fact that historians and scientists today consider medicine of the 18th and 19th Century as unscientific and barbaric, orthodox physicians had the audacity to call homeopathy "quackery", "unscientific", "cultish", and "devilish".

Homeopathy lost out with the masses. But it remained popular with the elite as it was effective, safe and did not cost much.

Indeed, the great Mahatma Ghandi, while studying law in the UK, noticed homeopathy was "safe, cheap and effective" and brought it back for the masses in India. Wide range Homeopaths treat a veritable array of problems.

These include allergies, anorectal disorders, asthma, arthritis, back pain, neuralgia, colic, coughs and colds, cystitis, depression, eczema, gynaecological problems, hair loss, heartburn, hyper-pigmentation, insect bites, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, leg cramp, menopausal problems, migraines, morning sickness, nausea, obesity, phobias, pre-menstrual syndrome, sexual disorders, stress, teething pains, tumours and warts.

Most homeopaths regularly treat chronic or recurrent conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue disorders, asthma, migraine, dysmenorrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, recurrent upper respiratory or urinary tract infections and mood disorders. Patients with ill-defined illness that defy conventional diagnosis are also treated.

Significantly, homeopaths treat children more often than other complementary practitioners.

Homeopathy is most popular in the UK, where the Royal Family has had homeopathic physicians since the 1830s. In England, as many as 45 per cent of conventional doctors (MDs) refer patients to homeopaths.

The treatment is part of the National Health Scheme (NHS). This is of course, highly unscientific and anecdotal in nature. But the Queen Mother lived to 100 and wherever she went, she took her homeopathy kit. And she walked upright although she had arthritis.


Source:asiaonehealth

Monday, April 19, 2010

The homeopathy alternative

2010/04/19

Rajem M.

In England, as many as 45 per cent of conventional doctors refer patients to homeopaths

LAST week, I talked about my moment of “epiphany” that resulted in me turning dramatically to the world of natural medicine.

I realised quickly that much of the world used natural medicine most of the time.

So did our grandmothers and their grandmothers.

But homeopathy itself stood very uncomfortably as it was seen as “nothing” in sugar globules.

Indeed, in a 1997 letter to the editor of The Lancet, titled Homeopathy — Much Ado About Nothing?, Nasir Ali Asfar of the Department of Pharmacology, Zainudduin Medical College in Karachi, bluntly suggested that it was placebo and based on superstition. Placebo Sure, it is based on “energy medicine”.

The Queen Mother took her homeopathy kit wherever she went. She  lived to 100
The Queen Mother took her homeopathy kit wherever she went. She lived to 100

There is sometimes nothing left of the “active substance” of numerous dilutions.

So the claim of placebo comes to mind as it may be seen playing on the patient’s mind and belief systems.

There is a problem with this argument.

Homeopathy works for babies and even pets.

Certainly, intellect and patient belief system are not in play here.

Homeopathy became popular in the United States and Europe in the 1800s.

The strongest advocates were European royalty, American entrepreneurs, literary giants, and religious leaders. As it gained widespread popularity, it became the object of animosity and opposition from mainstream medicine.

The conflict between homeopathy and orthodox medicine was protracted and bitter.

The battle goes on We know who won the first round of this conflict.


The results of the second round is left to be seen.

Hopefully, we will soon discover that a “fight” over healing is inappropriate and that various approaches to healing are necessary to build a comprehensive and effective healthcare system.

The history of homeopathy begins with the discoveries of its founder, Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician disillusioned with the medical practice of the time.

He first coined the word “homeopathy”.

“Homoios” in Greek means similar.

“Pathos” means suffering.

This refers to the pharmacological principle, the law of similars, that is its basis.

The law of similars was previously described by Hippocrates (the Father of Medicine) and Paracelsus, and was utilised by many cultures, including the Mayans, Chinese, Greeks, Native American Indians and Indians.

But it was Hahnemann who codified the law of similars into a systematic medical science.

His first comments about the applicability of the law of similars were in 1789, when he translated a book by William Cullen — leading physicians of the era.

At one point in the book, Cullen ascribed the usefulness of Peruvian bark (Cinchona) in treating malaria due to its bitter and astringent properties.

Similars Hahnemann wrote a bold footnote in his translation, disputing Cullen’s explanation.

He asserted that the efficacy of Peruvian bark must be for other factor.

He noted that there were other substances and mixtures of substances decidedly more bitter and astringent than Peruvian bark that were not effective in treating malaria.

He described himself taking repeated doses of this herb until his body responded to its toxic dose with fever, chills and other symptoms similar to malaria.

Hahnemann concluded that this herb was beneficial because it caused symptoms similar to those of the disease it was treating.

That was a mind blowing and paradigm changing idea that day! Hahnemann was clearly a brilliant mind.

He was translating Cullen’s work, which indicates that he was one of the more respected translators of his day.

When he was only 24, Hahnemann could read and write in at least seven languages.

He ultimately translated over 20 major medical and scientific texts.

This story reveals Hahnemann as both an avid experimenter and a respected chemist.

He had authored a four-volume set of books called The Pharmaceutical Lexicon, which was considered one of the standard reference texts for apothecaries or pharmacists.

Rebel Hahnemann was an audacious rebel.

He was unafraid to speak his mind, even if it meant correcting the analysis of a very respected physician.

He was unafraid to question commonly accepted truths. After translating Cullen’s work, Hahnemann spent the next six years actively experimenting on himself, his family and a small but growing group of followers.

In 1796, he wrote about his experiences with the law of similars in Hufeland’s Journal, a respected medical journal in Germany.

Coincidentally, in 1798, Edward Jenner discovered the value of giving small doses of cowpox to people in an effort to immunise them against smallpox. While Jenner’s work was generally accepted into orthodox medicine, Hahnemann’s was not. Hahnemann was particularly disliked by the apothecaries because he recommended the use of only one medicine at a time and prescribing limited doses of it.

As he recommended only small doses of each medicine, the apothecaries could not charge much for them.

And because each medicine required careful preparation, Hahnemann found that the apothecaries were not always making them correctly or were intentionally giving his patients different medicines.

As he grew to distrust the apothecaries, he chose to dispense his medicines, an illegal act at the time in Germany.

The apothecaries then accused Hahnemann of “entrenching upon their privileges by the dispensing of medicines”.

He was arrested in Leipzig in 1820, found guilty and forced to move.

Prosecuted He moved to Kothen, where he was delegated special permission to practice and dispense his medicines by Grand Duke Ferdinand, one of the many European royalties who supported homeopathy. Despite the persecution, homeopathy continued to grow, not just because it offered a systematic approach to treating sick people, but also because orthodox medicine was ineffective and dangerous in some instances, especially for chronic diseases.

Indeed, there is general agreement among medical historians today that orthodox medicine of the 1700s and 1800s in particular frequently caused more harm than good.

Besides bloodletting and leeches, orthodox physicians used medicines made from mercury, lead, arsenic and various strong herbs to help purge the body of foreign disease-causing matter.

Despite the fact that historians and scientists today consider medicine of the 18th and 19th Century as unscientific and barbaric, orthodox physicians had the audacity to call homeopathy “quackery”, “unscientific”, “cultish”, and “devilish”.

Homeopathy lost out with the masses.

But it remained popular with the elite as it was effective, safe and did not cost much.

Indeed, the great Mahatma Ghandi, while studying law in the UK, noticed homeopathy was “safe, cheap and effective” and brought it back for the masses in India.

Wide range Homeopaths treat a veritable array of problems.

These include allergies, anorectal disorders, asthma, arthritis, back pain, neuralgia, colic, coughs and colds, cystitis, depression, eczema, gynaecological problems, hair loss, heartburn, hyper-pigmentation, insect bites, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, leg cramp, menopausal problems, migraines, morning sickness, nausea, obesity, phobias, pre-menstrual syndrome, sexual disorders, stress, teething pains, tumours and warts.

Most homeopaths regularly treat chronic or recurrent conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue disorders, asthma, migraine, dysmenorrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, recurrent upper respiratory or urinary tract infections and mood disorders. Patients with ill-defined illness that defy conventional diagnosis are also treated.

Significantly, homeopaths treat children more often than other complementary practitioners.

Homeopathy is most popular in the UK, where the Royal Family has had homeopathic physicians since the 1830s.

In England, as many as 45 per cent of conventional doctors (MDs) refer patients to homeopaths.

The treatment is part of the National Health Scheme (NHS).

This is of course, highly unscientific and anecdotal in nature.

But the Queen Mother lived to 100 and wherever she went, she took her homeopathy kit.

And she walked upright although she had arthritis.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Traditional Chinese Medicine Reads the Body to Detect Disease

How Traditional Chinese Medicine Reads the Body to Detect Disease

Most people don't realize that their face provides information about what's going on beneath the surface. Your body speaks a unique language to communicate the imbalances within it. Chinese medicine has mastered the art and science of reading the body's language over its five thousand year practice. Each part of your face reflects a different element from the Chinese 5-Element network (fire, earth, water, metal, and wood), which in turn, corresponds to a particular organ grouping. Your reflection offers visual cues to what may be happening within your internal systems--such as your heart, stomach, hormones and even your mind and spirit.

In some situations visual cues will immediately alert you of an issue, and you can take measures immediately. But the real value of self-inspection is in detecting subtle imbalances and dealing with them preventively through diet, herbal supplementation, and lifestyle practices. By reading your body, you can take care of small problems before they become big health issues.

The Forehead

According to Chinese medicine, the forehead corresponds to the fire element. This is associated with the heart and small intestine organ network, as well as the mind and spirit.

Forehead: Fire Element - Heart/Small Intestine

When examining your forehead, look for redness or small blood vessels that appear as discoloration, which could indicate a heart problem. Skin discoloration could also be caused by a recent emotionally-charged experience, such as a breakup or loss. It is common for people whose emotions are regularly in turmoil to have a constant furrow between their eyebrows.

A heart attack can often be foretold by a subtle bluish-green hue on the forehead. If you have discoloration on your forehead accompanied by heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, and tingling or pain in your left arm, schedule an appointment with a cardiologist or visit an emergency room, if necessary.

Your Nose

Your nose corresponds to the earth element, indicating a connection to the stomach, spleen and pancreas network.

Nose: Earth Element - Spleen/Pancreas/Stomach

Symptoms of internal discord typically show up as a pimple on the tip or side of your nose. Think back to your meals from the previous day. Did you eat a lot of spicy, deep-fried, fatty, or rich foods? How about chocolate? If the answer is "yes," your choice of cuisine could be the problem. As a result, you may suffer from indigestion,constipation, or diarrhea.

Broken capillaries or redness across the bridge of the nose could reveal alcohol abuse, or it may simply mean excessive worry and stress, which taxes your earth element network. I had a patient who would de-stress from her taxing executive job with alcohol and sweets, and her nose always gave these indiscretions away. I recommended she calm her nerves in healthier ways, like meditation and other stress-releasing techniques.

Your Chin

The chin area is related to the water element, which is internally associated to your kidney and bladder organ network, including the hormonal system and glands.

Chin: Water Element - Kidney/Bladder

Blemishes, discoloration and dark patches of skin around the chin and mouth could indicate problems within the kidneys or bladder. Recurrent acne breakouts around your chin may signify a hormonal imbalance. The problem is most often due to the body producing excess estrogen or testosterone and tends to be coupled with irregular menstruation in women and prostate symptoms in men.

Be sure to also look at your philtrum, the indentation just above your lips. This small area relates to the uterus and ovaries in women and the prostate and genitals in men. Horizontal lines, blemishes or discoloration across the philtrum may indicate infertility issues due to problems such as endometriosis or uterine fibroid cysts.

According to Chinese medicine, people who have a small chin are genetically predispositioned to weakness in their kidney and bladder network. However, this doesn't mean that small-chinned people will develop kidney disease. The information is simply an alert that a tendency may exist, and patients can choose to make lifestyle changes to prevent the development of a condition.

Your Right Cheek

Your right cheek corresponds to the metal element, meaning this area of your face is connected to the lung and large intestine network.

Right Cheek: Metal Element - Lung/Large Intenstine

Problems in the lung and large intestine network present themselves as discoloration, blemishes and skin problems on your right cheek. A mild acne breakout, eczema patch or slight redness may mean a cold is coming on. Lung illness or upper respiratory ailments also trigger visual symptoms on the right cheek.

People who are prone to respiratory allergies or asthma have a tendency to have a reddish, scaly eczema, a slight rash or slight bluish-green hue along the right cheek--showing too much heat or inflammation in the respiratory system, or a lack of oxygen from bronchial constriction. One of my many pediatric patients who suffered from allergic asthma always displayed an eczema-like patch right before a flare up of her allergy attack, a very useful tip off. I instructed her mother to treat her right away with herbs for allergies to avert an asthma attack.

Your Left Cheek

The left cheek corresponds to your wood element, or the liver-gallbladder network.

Left Cheek: Wood Element - Liver/Gallbladder

Broken capillaries and redness, especially up next to the bridge of your nose, indicate heat, inflammation or congestion of toxins in the liver. Bulging veins, redness, and rash sometimes signal high blood pressure and pent-up anger. A yellowish hue under the left eye may indicate gallstones or high triglycerides or cholesterol, which are processed by the liver-gall bladder network.

Problems in this part of the face can also reveal emotional issues, such as anger and depression, since the liver and gallbladder network includes the nervous system.

Please keep in mind that there are many ways that your body alerts you to imbalances. As you learn this visual method, you'll want to be able to confirm your findings from one body part with observations from others, such as the eyes, tongue, and nails. Want to learn more? Get your own copy of Secrets of Self-Healing, where you can find in-depth information.

Keep all five elements healthy and get a whole body tune-up with a balanced combination of 44 traditional Chinese herbs that support healthy function of the bodily systems, the Five Elements of Health Formula.

I hope this article helps you find out what your face is telling you! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

This blog is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Placebo Effect: It Works Because You Say So

2010-01-22-pills5733.jpg

You go to a doctor. The doctor gives you a pill. You get better. Then you find out the doctor gave you a sugar pill and you got better anyway. There are two reasons this can happen. The first is because you might have gotten better without bothering to go to the doctor at all. The second is called the Placebo Effect. Many scientists believe it is what makes homeopathy and herbal cures work, and it has some folks in the UK pretty ticked off.

On January 30, a group called 10:23 is organizing an event to protest an English drug store chain's decision to sell homeopathic remedies. Boing Boing carried the story that 300 unbelievers across the UK are each planning to swallow an entire bottle of homeopathic pills. It's a mass "overdose" intended to show that homeopathic remedies are nothing but sugar pills and fake medicine. The event should be interesting, particularly if any of the protesters go into a sugar-induced coma.

Homeopathy is based on three central ideas: First, the Law of Similars: whatever causes your symptoms can also cure them. If you can't sleep, try caffeine. Second, the Law of Infinitesimals. When you dilute a cure in water, it gets stronger. Third, the Law of Succussion, which states that each time you dilute your cure in water you are to tap the bottle to "potentize" it. Homeopaths believe this allows the water to retain the memory or vibration of the cure.

If you believe in homeopathy, this information is unbearably exciting. If you don't, it sounds like superstition and "magik" from 1796, which is when homeopathy was invented by one Samuel Hahnemann.

But what if it's not about what's in the pills at all? What if their potency is predicated upon the intent of the user, the mystique surrounding the pills, or the package they came in? In 1955, an anesthesiologist named Henry Knowles Beecher said that a drug or doctor's success is due to the patient's expectation of a desired outcome. His research suggested that more than 30 percent of the time, patients felt better when they believed the treatment was going to make them feel better. Subsequent researchers say Beecher's research was flawed, but there's no denying that when people in white coats and medical degrees on the wall say reassuring words, people feel better. It also works when the people are wearing feathers and a loin cloth if that's the cultural norm of what a healer looks like.

Expectations are powerful: Reference a puzzling study from the 1920s. A research team wanted to know if making factory lighting brighter would improve worker productivity. It did. But then worker productivity also improved when researchers made the lighting dimmer. The secret? The workers came to expect that any change would make them more productive, no matter whether they could see or were working in the dark.

We're still in the dark regarding the Placebo Effect. It might prove to be the real mechanism for understanding healing energy based on intention and belief. It might be a vestige of old superstitions and "magik." It certainly reveals a lot about how people heal.

A Brief Overview of Homeopathic Hemorrhoid Treatment

A Brief Overview of Homeopathic Hemorrhoid Treatment

Homeopathy is another form of hemorrhoid treatment aimed at relieving the symptoms. The practice has been used for more than two centuries as a form of alternative remedy for a wide range of diseases. This here is a simple referential guide to give you a general idea of homeopathy. It’s still essential to consult a medical professional first to know the best treatment course for your hemorrhoids.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy, as previously mentioned, is an alternative medicinal procedure that differs from traditional medical treatment. Unlike its counterparts, homeopathic hemorrhoid treatment uses diluted substances to jumpstart the body’s healing abilities.

The alternative medicine is based on the theory that like cures like. Although homeopathic hemorrhoid treatment is generally free from harmful side-effects, instances of toxicity are still possible, which is why trying the treatment method on your own without help from a certified homeopathic practitioner is clearly not advised.

Curative elements of homeopathy

Homeopathic hemorrhoid treatment is always in the form of diluted preparations. The key to a successful and safe homeopathic therapy is to incredibly dilute the curative components used. At first glance, the ingredients of homeopathic preparations will seem odd and dangerous, especially at high quantities. But the process of preparing these ingredients greatly reduces the risks. On the other hand, the remedies shouldn’t be handled alone as it’s easy to make a harmful error.

Furthermore, homeopathic practitioners use a potency scale to gauge the strength of the remedies. The acceptable potency level is 30 and below, anything higher is reserved for extreme cases and should only be administered by an experienced homeopathic practitioner.

The preparations are also always taken orally, which should cause the recipient to exercise control whenever taking the diluted solution. Too much homeopathic remedy may either cause specific levels of toxicity or even subpar effects. Fortunately, instructions are always provided for self-medicating patients.

Beyond homeopathy

Like other hemorrhoid cures, immediacy is of critical importance. Result is the single-most crucial component any hemorrhoid remedy must provide. In the case of homeopathic hemorrhoid treatment, three doses without any result should prompt you to stop the therapy. This type of treatment is used to address a specific combination of symptoms: The right combination of ingredients for pain will be different for the medication used for itching or bleeding. It is helpful to know everything you can about this treatment approach before trying it out on your own, or better yet, consult an experienced homeopathic therapist first to learn more about this alternative solution to hemorrhoids.

Mark Michael Ferrer
Hemorrhoid Treatment

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sceptics plan 'mass overdose' in protest against homeopathic medicine

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:12 PM on 22nd January 2010

  • Woman swallowing pill

Hundreds of people will swallow a bottle of pills in protest against the prolific sale of homeopathic medicine

Hundreds of homeopathy sceptics are planning a 'mass overdose' of pills in protest at the continued marketing of the 'useless' medicines by high street chemist Boots.

More than 300 people will each swallow an entire bottle of pills or drink large quantities of homeopathic fluids in order to prove their claim that the medicines are ineffective.

The protest will take place on high streets across the country at 10.23 on January 30.

The group behind the stunt, known as 10.23, has lobbied the NHS to reduce its £4billion annual budget on homeopathic medicines and is now targeting Boots.

The popular chemist boasts large quantities of remedies including arnica, St John's wort, flower remedies and calendula cream.

The system of complementary medicine claims to treat and prevent disease by using greatly diluted forms of herbs and minerals.

It has grown into a multi-million pound industry in the UK, with Prince Charles among its advocates.

But critics say there is little scientific backing for its claims to ease conditions including asthma, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis and depression.

Group 10.23 has accused Boots of profiting from what is an 'unscientific and absurd pseudoscience.'

Martin Robbins, a spokesman for the society, said: 'The remedies themselves may not be directly harmful, but there is a real danger in misleading customers into thinking that homeopathy is somehow equivalent to real medicine.

'Patients may believe that they are treating themselves or their children adequately, and delay seeking appropriate treatment; or they may receive dangerous advice after consulting with homeopaths rather than their GPs.'

Boots sells a wide range of homeopathic medicines including rhus tox, belladonna, sulphur and nux vom

Boots sells a wide range of homeopathic medicines including rhus tox, belladonna, sulphur and nux vom

He added: 'The 'overdose' is a dramatic way of demonstrating to the public that these remedies have literally nothing in them. If eating an entire box of homeopathic sleeping pills fails to send one person to sleep, then how on Earth can their sale be justified?'

The debate over homeopathic medicine was reignited in October when Boots' professional standards director Paul Bennett told a committee of MPs that there was no medical evidence that homeopathic pills and potions work.

'There is certainly a consumer demand for these products,' he said. 'I have no evidence to suggest they are efficacious.

'It is about consumer choice for us and a large number of our customers believe they are efficacious.'

Mr Bennett made his comments to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, which is investigating the scientific evidence behind homeopathy.

This week Mr Bennett defended the chemist's right to sell homeopathic remedies.

'Boots UK is committed to providing our customers with a wide range of healthcare products to suit their individual needs, we know that many people believe in the benefits of complementary medicines and we aim to offer the products we know our customers want,' he said.

'Our pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals and are on hand to offer advice on the safe use of complementary medicines.'

The protests will take place in Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Southampton and London, with sympathy demonstrations in Australia, Canada and the United States.