Healthcare Reform Bill Passed March 21 to be Signed by President Obama

On Sunday, March 21, the House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or H.R. 3590). The final vote was 219 to 212, as reported on the NPR website, and the bill will now go to President Obama to be signed.

More than 30 million Americans will now have access to healthcare. The $940 billion bill will "extend health coverage to most Americans," as reported on NPR. "Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to the poor and disabled, will be expanded to cover all adults earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level."

Additional highlights of the healthcare bill include:

• Individuals and small companies will have access to private health insurance via exchanges run by the states
• Those who do not buy insurance, and "most employers who do not offer coverage to workers," face fines
  
• "All but about 5 percent of non-elderly Americans will ultimately be covered"--about half through Medicaid and half through private insurance
• "There will be a broad education effort, so that people understand what's in the legislation," said Executive Director of Families USA Ron Pollack
• The Congressional Budget Office "has estimated that the legislation will reduce the federal deficit by $143 billion over the next 10 years"

>> To read the original NPR article "House Passes Historic Health Care Bill", click on this link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124997304

>> To read the related article "What Are The Immediate Effects of Health Bill Passing?", click on this link http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124999058&ps=rs, which includes specific information about help for the uninsured, healthcare changes we may see in 2010, Medicare, coverage of kids, changes to insurance, and tax credits for businesses.

Workplace Wellness Programs Help Employees Lose Weight, Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

Workplace wellness programs DO help employees to lose weight, and lower their cholesterol and blood pressure. In a new study, U.S. researchers followed 757 hospital workers who volunteered for a 12-week wellness program focused on diet and exercise. Researchers recorded information about participants' weight, lifestyle and heart disease risk factors at the start and at the end of the wellness program one year later.

"At the start of the study," as reported by HealthDay, "33 percent of participants were overweight (body mass index, or BMI, of 25 to 29.9) and 30 percent were obese (BMI of 30 or more). The researchers found that obese participants lost the most weight -- 3 percent at 12 weeks and 0.9 percent at one year -- and were most likely to reduce their intake of dietary sugar. Overweight participants did almost as well, with an average weight loss of 2.7 percent at 12 weeks and 0.4 percent at one year."

All participants, though, showed improvement in levels of physical activity, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduced waistlines at the end of the year-long program.

The Massachusetts General Hospital researchers concluded that: "Voluntary wellness programs can successfully address weight loss and lifestyle behaviors for employees in all weight categories, but more work is needed to improve long-term changes."

>> To learn more about wellness consulting and holistic wellness programs, visit the American College of Healthcare Sciences here.

April 4-10 is National Workplace Wellness Week: "Initiated by the American Heart Association and introduced by Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and Charles Boustany (R-LA), the week serves to encourage private and public employers across the country to invest in the health of their employees by creating worksite wellness programs and to share their best practices with other employers."

>> To read more about National Workplace Wellness Week, including National Start! Walking Day, and the Healthy Workforce Act, checkout the American Heart Association website here.

NAHA Now Offers Mini Marketing Tips for Aromatherapy Professionals

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy e-news now features a mini-marketing tips section written by Kayla Fioravanti, RA (who also is responsible for the blog Essential U). If you don't yet follow NAHA, now's the time. This is a very practical article for aromatherapy students and professionals, as well as holistic health professionals who adjunct aromatherapy with the primary practice.

In this first edition of NAHA Mini-Marketing Tips Kayla suggests "Determine Your Best Sellers-Cut the Dead Ends." She recommends focusing "on the top 20% of your products and services that bring in 80% of your sales. Phase out the rest unless they are support products for your top sales items. On a spreadsheet list every single product and service and put the total dollars sold next to each item. Sort them from highest to lowest and then determine which products make up the top 80% of total sales. You will find that they will be your top 20% of products or services. That means in almost every business, that 80% of your inventory is only doing 20% of your sales. But you are spending most of our money keeping those 80% of products or services available for that customer that uses them once a year."

>> To read more from the NAHA blog, click here: http://worldofaromatherapy.blogspot.com/

3 Safe and Simple Health Tests You Can Do At Home

The February 24 issue of The Oregonian featured an article by Joe Rojas-Burke, "Safe, simple health tests you can do at home," which stated that one of the most informative tests has proved "to be the cheapest: blood pressure measurements, taken lying down and then standing." Though low-tech approaches aren't flashy, researchers have developed some simple tests that have "proven accurate at predicting future health problems. The advanced warning can provide time to avoid illness by making changes in diet, exercise, sleep and other habits, and if necessary, taking medications to stay healthy."

Each test is simple and safe to try at home. If, however, you have any questions or concerns or experience any negative results, contact your primary care physician immediately.

Resting Heart Rate
Resting heart rate is an early warning for heart attack. To test yourself, you should first sit quietly for five minutes, then use your fingertips to find your pulse at your throat or wrist. Then "count the beats in 30 seconds and multiply by two. If your rate is above 75, consider talking to a medical caregiver about whether you need to make changes to lower your heart attack rick."

Waist Size
Waist size is an early warning for diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. To test yourself, first measure your bare waist across the belly button. Don't compress your skin. If your measurement is greater than 35 inches (woman) or 40 inches (men), it may " signal high risk for diabetes and heart disease. In children, the measures are less certain, says Dr. Sudhir Ken Mehta, a pediatric cardiologist at Case Western Reserve University and Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, whose research has linked waist size to heart problems in children. Mehta says its worth talking to a doctor if by age 5 your child's waist size exceeds 24 inches; by age 10 years it's more than about 30 inches; or by age 15 it's more than 35 inches."

Sit-Up Capacity
Sit-up capacity is an early warning for premature death. To test yourself, lie on your back, place your hands behind your head, and bend your knees at a right angle. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Then curl at the waist, toward your knees, and return to your starting position. Count the number of repetitions you can complete in one minute: " If your performance is below average, more strength training would do you good. Average is 14 sit-ups for women in their 40s, nine in their 50s, and six in their 60s. For men, it's 23 sit-ups in their 40s, 18 in their 50s, and 12 in their 60s."

>> For more try-at-home health tests, and to read the original research, download the full-length article from The Oregonian here:
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2010/02/safe_simple_health_tests_you_c.html

University of Illinois Botanical Symposium in Chicago March 23

The American Botanical Council (ABC) just let us know about a botanical symposium taking place next month in Chicago. The Developments in Botanical Dietary Supplements Research from 1994 to Today symposium will be held March 23 at the Holiday Inn, Mart Plaza, in Chicago.

The day-long botanical dietary supplements research symposium is being offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago Botanical Center (UIC), and will feature the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) head Dr. Paul Coates, as well as representation from NCCAM.

The symposium will feature scientists from the U.S. and abroad, who will talk about their botanical research. A full agenda is available from UIC. For more information, check out their website at: http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/centers/uic_nih_botanical_dietary_supplement_research/news/Symposium_Agenda.php

For more information about supplements, check out Dr. Arianna Staruch's blog post "The How and Why of the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 Proposed by Senator McCain."

>> If you're interested in learning more about botanicals and nutrition, check out the ACHS website at www.achs.edu!

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is Changing Directions

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is "expected to focus less on the large human clinical trials common in the past and more on fundamental research," according to an article released by the American Botanical Council (ABC).

The Center, which is entering its second decade of operations, will continue to dedicate more than 50% of its research to human studies, but will move towards a more "patient-centered approach," focusing on "effectiveness-based studies emphasizing interventions in real-world settings."

Dr. Josephine P. Briggs, NCCAM Director, told ABC that "All of us recognize that assessing how modalities work in real world settings is critical,” and she noted a study that "uses existing data, including 5 years of insurance claims, to compare outcomes, quality of care, and costs of patients who use CAM providers for back pain treatment with those who do not."

You can read more about potential areas of focus for NCCAM research, as well as how these changes may influence CAM modalities and the general healthcare system, from Herbal Gram: http://cms.herbalgram.org/heg/Volume7/02%20February/NCCAM_Future.html?t=1265060114

ACHS hires Amy Swinehart and Roberta Gamache as Assistants to the Registrar

Amy Swinehart (pictured far right) and Roberta Gamache have been hired as Assistants to the Registrar for the American College of Healthcare Sciences. ACHS is based in the John’s Landing area of Portland, Oregon, and is the only accredited, fully online college offering degrees, diplomas, and career-training certificates in complementary alternative medicine.

Swinehart, who had previously worked for the ACHS Student Services and Admissions Deparments for about ten years, and Gamache, who has several years’ experience working in the service industries, will job-share the Assistant to the Registrar position. Assistant to the Registrar works with current ACHS students to help them meet their financial and educational goals.

“I became familiar with holistic health while assisting prospective and current students during their studies with ACHS,” Swinehart said. “Our students are working hard to enhance or further their holistic health knowledge in order to assist others in leading natural, healthy lives. I am proud to, again, be a part of this college and look forward to reconnecting with the students, assisting them in any way with their current and/or future goals with holistic health.”

Swinehart graduated with a BA in Sociology from Washington State University in 1995, when she relocated to the Portland area. Gamache relocated to Portland more recently in 2008 to be closer to her family.

“Holistic health has been a way of life for me personally,” Gamache said. “Having grown up with illness, I learned early on to take care of myself through diet and exercise, to get to the root of the real problem. This being the case, I am very excited to work in the holistic health field, to help ACHS students gain knowledge and a career for their future.”

For more information about holistic health courses and community wellness events from the American College of Healthcare Sciences, visit: www.achs.edu

Clearing Clutter for Holsitic Health Featured on NAHA Aromatherapy Blog

"Clearing Clutter for Holistic Health," originally featured in the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) January newsletter, is now available on the NAHA blog as an E-News Going Green article as well.

Here are a few of the aromatherapy tips featured in the article by ACHS President Dorene Petersen:

1. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) essential oil has been shown to repel mice, so put cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil in areas where you suspect a mouse problem. (Avoid placing the cotton balls in areas that are accessible to children and pets).

2. Check your oils. While some oils like Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) will last for years if stored correctly, others (like the citrus oils) will begin to oxidize after a few months. (It is best to store your citrus essential oils in the fridge.) If you've taken the time to train your olfactory memory, you may be able to discern when your oils are past their best. No need to throw them out: Use them to clean the house! (But avoid skin contact as oxidized citrus essential oils can cause irritation.) And don't use them to wash the dog: Fido's skin is sensitive too!

3. Aromatherapy baths are an effective relaxation activity, and also a great reward for accomplishing a goal. To create a soothing aromatherapeutic bath, try a blend of Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and Rose (Rosa damascena).

To read the full-length article, including tips for clearing clutter and promoting optimum health, check out the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy blog here: http://worldofaromatherapy.blogspot.com/

Dr. Weil tells Portland "Why Our Health Matters"

Last Thursday, October 15, we went to hear Dr. Andrew Weil give a talk in downtown Portland. (Here's a picture of ACHS President Dorene Petersen with Dr. Weil outside the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.) Dr. Weil, author of 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, has a new book, Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future, which addresses many of our current healthcare myths and challenges, as well a “Call to Action” for change.

Did you know, for example, that the World Health Organization has ranked the U.S. 37th in the world for healthcare outcomes, which puts us on par with Serbia? We hear about healthcare and disease everyday, but do we really know what all the information circulating about means for our health? "We don't have healthcare," Dr. Weil said. "We have disease management."

Dr. Weil attributes the root problems causing "disease management," to the unimaginable and rising cost of healthcare. We literally cannot afford to get sick. Why the high costs? Dr. Weil talked about two main reasons: 1. We don't talk about prevention (or, not enough); and 2. Medicine is dependent on high-cost technology.

Why, then, aren't we serious about prevention? What's holding us back? What can we do?

"The real meat of prevention is lifestyle medicine," Dr. Weil said. And, "if we are going to see meaningful healthcare reform, it will have to come from you."

So, how can you get started?

Here are some changes we can demand immediately, Dr. Weil's Call to Action. This list has been adapted from information included in "Why Our Health Matters" program materials.

1. Ban direct-to-consumer marketing and advertising by big pharma.

The pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable in the country, with sales totaling about $643 billion a year. Most pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of their budget on advertising, which has created a skewed view of how health care works, that there is a “pill for every health problem.”

2. Create a National Institute of Health and Healing at the NIH and fund it generously.

Medicine needs to “return to its roots,” to focus on the natural healing power of humans. Research into the body’s ability to defend itself and regenerate will help achieve this. As a result, we will create and improve treatment and therapies that are less invasive and expensive.

3. Create an Office of health and Promotion within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and fund it appropriately.

Obesity kills about 400,000 people a year; yet, we spend 40 times more on the health risks of terrorism than obesity. The emphasis should be on prevention, not on treating disease. Education about nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to “defeat the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and conditions that lead to life-threatening diseases.”

4. Teach health promotion and integrative medicine at medical schools and residency programs.

We need “hands-on primary care physicians” who can education their patients about prevention of disease in addition to strategies for disease management and crisis intervention.

5. Require insurers to cover health promotion and integrative care.

Today, millions of Americans are taking supplements, practicing yoga, and using other natural modalities, which are all preventative measures that will “keep them out of the doctor’s office and drive down the costs of treating serious problems like heart disease and diabetes.” Yet, insurance companies do not cover these activities.

6. Establish an Office of Health Education within the U.S. Department of Education.

Healthy habits needs to start young. An Office of Health Education would make nutrition, diet, an integral part of every child’s education and would promote new and more meaningful ways to teach health.

7. Learn how to take care of yourself.

“You can’t afford to get sick, and you can’t depend on the present health care system to keep you well.” You have to make the right lifestyle choices to protect and maintain your body’s health.

ACHS featured in Real Authentic Woman magazine

In 1978, Dorene Petersen founded a college in New Zealand, designed to bring distance-learning and study of Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) a.k.a. holistic health, to interested students, living outside the college geographic locale. In 1989, Ms. Petersen brought ACHS to the United States, establishing the college in Oregon, where it has grown and expanded during these 20 years.

The value and necessity of holistic health practice and treatment, which considers the person--mind, spirit and body--as a whole, has increased tremendously since 1989, as Western medicine has consistently been shown to be incomplete in its approach to treatments of many conditions (especially preventative practices). Often Western medicine will damage a system of the body, in treating another system, such as is the case with chemotherapy. Holistic health knowledge and practice has never been more pertinent and ACHS is the leader in the holistic, alternative healthcare world, providing serious instruction and guidance to hundreds of students, most of whom have eyes on a career as alternative healthcare practitoners--but also "hobbyists" who wish to apply these ancient, time-tested principles of healing and health maintenance to themselves and their families.

>>Download the complete article about ACHS in PDF format here

© 2009 Emerson Sandow, Real Authentic Woman Magazine: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=21687

Adverse Event Reporting for Registered Aromatherapists

BY Arianna Staruch, ND, ACHS Academic Dean

According to the FDA, a dietary supplement is a product intended to supplement the diet, which must be labeled as such and intended for ingestion. Ingredients in dietary supplements can include vitamins, minerals, herbs or botanicals, amino acids, dietary substances used to increase the entire dietary intake, concentrates, metabolites, constituents, extracts, or combination of these ingredients. If ingested, then, essential oils can be considered a dietary supplement and should be treated with the same precaution as more traditional supplements.

For that purpose, Registered Aromatherapists (RAs) should familiarize themselves with the new guidance information released by the FDA regarding Adverse Event Reporting and Recordkeeping for Dietary Supplements as Required by the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act. Though this Act does not require reports of adverse effects for foods other than dietary supplements, voluntary submission of reports of "serious adverse events associated with all FDA-regulated foods " are encouraged.

The FDA website defines an adverse event is considered "any health-related event associated with the use of a dietary supplement that is adverse." For RAs who use essential oils internally with their clients, reporting of any adverse events will not only increase general safety but will actively develop a database of current research to help the professional community better understand the potential effects and applications of botanical-based products.

To submit a report of a serious adverse event to the FDA, a MedWatch Form 3500A should be used. This form is also called a FDA Form 3500A. When submitting a form, the submitter is asked to include: an identifiable patient, an identifiable initial reporter, the identity and contact information for the responsible person, a suspect dietary supplement, and a serious adverse event or fatal outcome. (The FDA defines a 'serious adverse event' as one that results in a: death, life-threatening experience, inpatient hospitalization, persistent/significant disability or incapacity, congenital anomaly or birth defect, or an outcome previously listed that requires medical or surgical intervention to prevent.)

References:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/ucm085568.htm

>> This article first appeared in the Aromatherapy Registration Council September 2009 newsletter. CLICK HERE to download the complete newsletter.

>> Read "Natural perfume making with essential oils" on the ACHS website

Swine flu is coming: 10 things you should know

Since April, 2009, the swine flu epidemic has made more than 1 million Americans sick and killed 500, as reported by the Associated Press.

According to a White House report, about 30-50% of the population has the potential to catch swine flu and anywhere from 30,000-90,000 could die.

So, what can you do need to know about swine flu and your health? Here are 10 tips to support your immune system this fall.

1. Don’t panic.
2. The swine flu virus is “tougher” on some. (Children younger than two, pregnant women, people with health problems like asthma and diabetes, and young adults are more vulnerable to swine flu.)
3. Wash your hands.
4. Vaccinate your kids.
5. Get your flu shots early.
6. Be patient. Immunity takes a while to “kick in.”
7. Vaccines are being tested in eight cities around the country.
8. If an outbreak occurs, stay away from heavily populated areas, like the mall, and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
9. Pay attention to your body and seek proper medical attention.
10. Swine flu and pork, a myth! (Swine flu is not actually spreading from meat.)

>> Click here to read more about herbal medicine and swine flu, and lifestyle tips for staying healthy this fall.

>> To read the full-length article from the Associated Press, visit:
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2009/09/swine_flu_is_coming_10_things.html

Americans Spent $34 Billion Out-of-Pocket on CAM in 2007

Adults in the United States spent nearly $34 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and on purchases of CAM products, classes, and materials in 2007, according to findings released in July from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).1

“With so many Americans using and spending money on CAM therapies, it is extremely important to know whether the products and practices they use are safe and effective,” said Josephine Briggs, MD, director of NCCAM in a press release.2 “This underscores the importance of conducting rigorous research and providing evidence-based information on CAM so that healthcare providers and the public can make well-informed decisions.”

The survey found that nearly two-thirds of the total out-of-pocket costs that adults spent on CAM were for self-care purchases ($22 billion), and the majority of out-of-pocket dollars spent on CAM self-care purchases went towards nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (which includes herbal preparations).1 Purchases of these products equaled $14.8 billion and accounted for 44% of all out-of-pocket costs for CAM in 2007. Visits to CAM practitioners resulted in an estimated out-of-pocket cost of nearly $12 billion.

The approximately $34 billion spent on CAM visits and purchases equates to 1.5% of total healthcare expenditures in the United States and 11.2% of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures for 2007. The $14.8 billion amount spent on nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products is approximately 31% of the amount that the public spent out-of-pocket for pharmaceutical drugs in 2007 ($47.6 billion).

Prior to the release of the NHIS survey data from 2007, the latest estimate of CAM out-of-pocket expenditures was from a telephone survey conducted 10 years earlier. The greatest difference between the2 surveys’ results is that the 1997 survey found that most CAM costs were based on visits to CAM practitioners, while the 2007 survey found that most expenditures stem from self-care CAM purchases. These discrepancies may result in part from differences in the surveys’ methodologies. However, the 2007 results are consistent with industry sales data, which also demonstrate a large increase in expenditures for nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products over the past decade.

The NHIS is an annual survey of health and illness-related experiences of Americans conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Information on out-of-pocket costs for CAM from the 2007 NHIS is based on data from interviews of 23,393 American adults.

A previous analysis of results from the 2007 NHIS found that approximately 38% of adults and 12% of children in the United States use CAM, with the most commonly used CAM therapy of both adults and children being nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products, including herbals. Those findings were released in December of 2008, and an article regarding that data was published in the February issue of HerbalEGram.3

© Courtney Cavaliere, American Botanical Council

References

1.Nahin RL, Barnes PM, Stussman BJ, Bloom B. Costs of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Frequency of Visits to CAM Practitioners: United States, 2007. National Health Statistics Reports, Number 18; July 30, 2009.
2. Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on complementary and alternative medicine [press release]. Bethesda, MD: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; July 10, 2009.
3. Cavaliere C. Government survey finds over one-third of American adults use CAM. HerbalEGram, February 2009;6(2). Available at: http://cms.herbalgram.org/heg/volume6/02%20February%20/CAM_Survey.html. Accessed August 10, 2009.

American spend billions on alternative medicine

According to a July 30 article on WebMD, Americans "spend almost a third as much money out-of pocket on herbal supplements and other alternative medicines as they do on prescription drugs."

In a new government report, out-of-pocket spending on alternative medicines like herbal supplements, chiropractic visits, and meditation was estimated at about $34 billion in one year.

“The bottom line is that Americans spend a lot of money on CAM products, classes, materials and practitioner visits,” National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Director Josephine P. Briggs, MD, said. “We estimate that this (represents) approximately 11% of the total out-of-pocket spending on health care.”

Highlights from the report released by NCHS and NCAAM include:

• In 2007, 38 million adults spent $12 billion on about 354 million visits to CAM practitioners.
  
• Two-thirds of the out-of-pocket spending did not involve a practitioner, but alternatives like over-the-counter herbal therapies, classes, and materials.
  
• The largest single expenditure was for "non-vitamin, non-mineral herbal supplements and other products (almost $15 billion) followed by practitioner visits ($12 billion), stretching and meditation-related classes such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong ($4 billion), homeopathic medicines ($2.9 billion) and relaxation techniques ($0.2 billion)."

Briggs further commented that chronic pain, back pain in specific, is the most common reason people use alternative medicine. “Americans," Briggs said, "turn to treatments like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy to deal with these painful conditions,” adding that groups like the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society are on record as endorsing these therapies as useful options for the treatment of chronic back pain.

>> Click here for more information about CAM training

>> Click here to read the complete WebMD article on CAM

Americans Spend Billions on CAM

In 2007, Americans spent nearly $34 billion out of pocket on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to the National Health Interview Survey, (NHIS). CAM includes many different types of healthcare practices and products that are not generally considered to be conventional or allopathic medicine.

The CAM component of this survey was developed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‚ National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Of the 2,055 American adults surveyed, about 38 percent used some form of CAM over the previous 12 months. Although the amount of money spent on CAM accounted for only 1.5 percent of total healthcare expenditures, it represented 11.2 percent of total out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures. These estimates do not include vitamin and mineral supplements, which account for almost $5 billion in annual sales.

The greatest amount of money (about $22 billion), was spent on self-care therapies that do not require a healthcare practitioner, such as nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products; homeopathic remedies and yoga. More than half of this money (about $14.8 billion) was spent on nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products, which is almost one-third of the amount spent on prescription drugs.
Additionally, about $11.9 billion was spent on an estimated 354 million visits to CAM practitioners, such as chiropractors and acupuncturists. This is about equal to 25 percent of the total out-of-pocket expenses for conventional physician visits.

As CAM therapies continue to gain popularity in the United States, information about safety and effectiveness becomes increasingly important. Many people turn to herbs, supplements and modalities to help treat and prevent various medical condition. However, natural does not always mean safe. Like conventional drugs, herbs and supplements may cause side effects and interact with other therapies. Natural Standard Research Collaboration rigorously reviews scientific data to provide objective information about the safety and effectiveness of therapies, thereby helping people make more informed and safer therapeutic decisions.

References

1. Barnes PM, Bloom B, Nahin RL. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and Children: United States, 2007. National health statistics reports; no 12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.

2. Nahin, RL, Barnes PM, Stussman BJ, and Bloom B. Costs of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Frequency of Visits to CAM Practitioners: United States, 2007. National health statistics reports; no 18. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2009.

3. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): http://nccam.nih.gov

4. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS): www.cdc.gov/nchs

5. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine: www.naturalstandard.com Copyright © 2009.

6. Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditure Data for 2007. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

© Natural Standard Integrative Medicine Newsletter, August 2009

Slim down with scent?

Like almost every dieter in America, Wendy Bassett has used all sorts of weight-loss products. Nothing worked, she said, until she tried Sensa: granules she scatters on almost everything she eats, and which are supposed to make dieters less hungry by enhancing the smell and taste of food.

“Every time I touch a piece of food, I pour it on,” said Ms. Bassett, 34, an accountant in Tyler, Tex. She has been using Sensa since February. So far, she said, she has lost 30 pounds.

The maker of Sensa claims that its effectiveness is largely related to smell: the heightened scent and flavor of food that has been sprinkled with Sensa stimulate the olfactory bulb — the organ that transmits smell from the nose to the brain — to signal the “satiety center” of the hypothalamus. Hormones that suppress appetite are then released.

But can the manipulation of smell really lead to weight loss? A handful of niche products would have you believe just that.

In addition to Sensa, which has been available since last summer, there is SlimScents, aromatherapy diet pens filled with fruity or minty odors; a peppermint spray called Happy Scent; and the vanilla-doused Aroma Patch, which you wear on your hand, wrist or chest.

Last month, Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., began human trials on a nasal spray designed to do the opposite of what Sensa does: to curb the appetite by blocking rather than enhancing smell.

“Eighty percent of what you perceive as taste is actually smell,” said Christopher Adams, a molecular biologist and the company’s founder. “The hypothesis is that if we can alter your sense of smell we can make food less palatable, because the hedonic effect — that is, the pleasurable effect you get from eating chocolate — won’t be there.”

Using smell to manipulate appetite may be an appealing premise, but only a few studies have been conducted, and some experts have doubts.

Click here to read the full length article.

© Abby Ellin, The New York Times, June 17, 2009: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/fashion/18skin.html

Obama sees alternative medicine as a practical avenue for prevention

During an April 29 Town Hall meeting in Arnold, MO, President Barack Obama said, "We should do what works," expressing his openness to including complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in the U.S. healthcare system.

Obama went on to say, “I think it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments—or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions.”

According to a press release on the Nutraceuticals World website, "The response followed a question posed by a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist, who asked the president how alternative medicine would fit into his new healthcare system."

The press release goes on to say:

"'I think one basic principle that we know is that the more we do on the prevention side, the more we can obtain serious savings down the road,” he added after commenting directly on acupuncture. President Obama also stressed the importance of changing the current logic of the healthcare system, which focuses only on reducing costs in the near-term.

“Reimbursement for healthcare provided by CAM practitioners not only would support the health of the public,” said Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, MD, “it represents a significant opportunity for products used and prescribed by CAM practitioners and a major step forward in the development of an innovative and wellness-based healthcare system.'"

To read the original press release on the Nutraceuticals World website, click here.

ACHS has a new name to celebrate 20th anniversary in the United States

Australasian College of Health Sciences announced today that, effective May 1, it will change its name to American College of Healthcare Sciences to celebrate its 20th year of operations in the United States.

“2009 is our 20th Anniversary of starting operations in the Oregon. To celebrate this history, the College has voted to change its name to reflect its geographical location more accurately and to represent our exciting new plans in the US in the next five years and beyond,” said Senior Vice President Erika Yigzaw.

Australasia is the geographical region of Australia, New Zealand, and the lower South Pacific. ACHS was founded in New Zealand in 1978, after splitting off as the extra mural (or distance learning) department of the South Pacific College of Natural Therapeutics.

ACHS opened its US office in Lake Oswego in 1989 and became a stand-alone institution in 1993. It became a State Licensed Vocational School in 1998 and transitioned to a degree granting Institute of Higher Learning in 2007. It earned accreditation from the DETC in 2002 and was reaccredited in 2008.

“As Australasian College of Health Sciences, we have changed the face of healthcare education in the US, achieving many industry firsts, including first Aromatherapy distance learning programs, first CAM degrees, first online CAM programs, and many more. We have been very attached to the name Australasian and will be sad to say goodbye” said ACHS President and Founder Dorene Petersen, “but in creating our Strategic Plan for 2009 we realized that the name no longer represents the School or our future plans. This name change reflects our thanks to the thousands of American based students and graduates of ACHS who have joined us for their health and wellness education journey.”

Another factor in this decision was market research conducted at a number of trade shows this past year which indicated 98% of visitors thought the School was in Australia.

“We realized this was an issue for students and graduates. We do not want any confusion about the school’s location, approvals, or the training of its instructors as our graduates move into their careers,” said Erika Yigzaw. “Although the name Australasian College had extremely high recognition in the holistic health industry early on, as the CAM industry exploded in popularity and continues to move into the mainstream, name association is increasingly important for our students and graduates.”

Various funding options are available including in-house financing, veterans funding, post-911 GI bill, and private student loans. ACHS’s participation in SOC and other military organizations also precipitated this change.

“We had feedback from our military students and graduates that they were having to explain that they were attending an American college to their clients, friends, and family,” said ACHS Military Liaison Kate Harmon.

Founded in 1978, ACHS is one of the oldest Institutions teaching holistic health, otherwise known as CAM or Complementary Alternative Medicine and offers the only accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in CAM offered fully online.