ACHS Graduates Its First Masters in CAM Student: Congratulations Roma!

Congratulations Roma-Dakini Alexander, our first Masters of Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) graduate!

“I always had a passion for herbal medicine,” Roma says. “I come from Europe and my grandmother was a Shamanic medicine woman. I was very happy to find a college that offers an MS in CAM and is also accredited by [a body approved by] the U.S. Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation.”

Roma is a licensed radiation therapist and is Radiation Therapy Program Director for the Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences in Richmond, California. She plans to use her ACHS CAM education to organize seminars and meetings, such as the interaction of drugs with herbs and supplements, and to share her knowledge with other medical professionals.

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Read more about Roma and the ACHS Masters of Science in CAM HERE!

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

Swine flu false claims infecting supplement industry

Swine flu false claims are starting to infect the supplement industry. What is the long-term effect of irresponsible marketing, products claiming to "cure" swine flu? Read this blog post by the Nutrition Business Journal for more information:

"The FDA is bracing for an onslaught of dietary supplements and other products making false or misleading claims for the H1N1, or swine flu, virus. A quick Internet search found that a number of U.S. companies are currently touting products they say can prevent or cure the H1N1 virus. In an effort to get out in front of what could be a public relations nightmare and provide fuel for tighter supplement regulation in the future, a coalition of supplement industry trade associations issued a statement today urging supplement manufacturers and retailers to “refuse to stock or sell any supplements that are presented as treating or curing swine flu” and to “refrain from promoting any dietary supplement as a cure or treatment for swine flu.”

"The groups backing the statement are the American Herbal Products Association, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the Council for Responsible Nutrition and the Natural Products Association. In their statement, the groups also noted that “federal law does not allow dietary supplements to claim to treat any diseases, including swine flu” and that they are “unaware of any scientific data supporting the use of dietary supplements to treat swine flu.”

"The statement did note that “there are dietary supplements that have much to offer in terms of enhancing general immune function. However, therapies for the treatment of swine flu should only be recommended by qualified healthcare professionals or public health authorities.”

"Given mounting public anxiety in the United States and beyond over the fast-spreading H1N1 virus, the associations’ action is an important step in encouraging the supplement industry to act responsibly and legally in the face of a potential health crisis. Let’s just hope companies heed their warning rather than put the industry in jeopardy by attempting to milk profits from public fear."

Related links:

Natural Products Foundation Urges full Enforcement of the Law Regarding False Advertising for Dietary Supplements

Industry Making Strides in Improving Tarnished Image of Weight-Loss Supplements

Avian Flu: Consumer Scenarios and Responsible Marketing

© Accessed 5/6/09: Nutrition Business Journal: http://tinyurl.com/dcnuzf

Hydroxycut recall begs stricter controls for dietary supplements?

The voluntary recall of 14 Hydroxycut products by Iovate Sciences has people talking. Should there by stricter controls on dietary supplements?

The Hydroxycut recall was triggered by a consumer warning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued May 1. In response, Loren Israelsen, executive director of the United Natural Products Alliance and a member of Nutrition Business Journal’s editorial advisory board said in a Nutrition Business Journal, “This is a big deal for the dietary supplement industry because it will inevitably invite comparison to the ephedra AER [adverse event reporting] episode, and critics of the industry will no doubt call for some review of DSHEA [the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act] as a result."

Ongoing problems with Hydroxycut and similar products have people wondering if supplement regulations should be firmer, which does not seem like a priority for Congress right now. And, until it is, how can consumers protect themselves?

According to Nutrition Business Journal, "consumers bought $1.67 billion worth of weight-loss pill-form supplements in 2007, and Hydroxycut was the top-selling weight-loss supplement brand sold at supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchandise outlets (excluding Wal-Mart). Weight-loss supplement sales have been hurting since the 2004 ephedra ban, and this event is likely to take a hefty toll on 2009 sales."

In other words, we know there is no "quick fix" or instant solution for health challenges, yet, people continue to buy the products. Perhaps consumers can best protect themselves by asking the question, "Why?" Why, when we know so much about the many successful applications of alternative medicines and holistic health do we buy pills? Why do we continue to support "short-term fixes" instead of long-term health when studies show that these choices may, in fact, be hurting us more?

Will this recall of Hydroxycut products influence consumer purchases? Should there be more supplement regulation to protect the consumer? Tell us what you think....

Click here to read the full article in the Nutrition Business Journal.

Protect CAM and Health Freedom: HealthRevolutionPetition.org

Health freedom is one of the primary challenges faced by the U.S. today. Though we aren't all suited for frontline politics, the health freedom fight does not have to be all or nothing. There are many ways we can influence, and accomplish, change from our homes and from within our communities. Such as:

1. Ask your employer about natural medicine insurance alternatives.

2. Honor and protect your personal health first.

3. Be a grassroots promoter: Scour your community for the services you want. If they don't exist, ask for them. If they do exist, help to promote natural medicine and CAM services, and the longevity of the businesses that provide them.

4. Support community wellness education.

5. Familiarize yourself with health freedom laws in your state.

6. Help HealthRevolutionPetition.org to reach their goal of 100,000 signatures.

HealthRevolutionPetition.org is a new, grassroots petition that demands revolutionary changes to the health care system in America. It includes reforms of the FDA, drug company advertising, school lunch programs, coverage of natural therapies, and much more. See it and sign it online at HealthRevolutionPetition.org.

Hawthorn, known for its show-stopping bright-red berries, is an all-star performer in the winter garden. But, did you know...

Hawthorn is your heart's best friend.

Native to northern temperate zones in East Asia, Europe, and eastern North America, hawthorn fruit has been used as food and medicine in Europe for centuries. But, why...

Hawthorn has been shown to increase coronary blood flow and reduce oxygen consumption.

Medicinally, research shows hawthorn is beneficial for use with congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary circulation problems, and arrhythmias. It is also used to increase cardiac output reduced by hypertension or pulmonary disease, to support hypotension and hypertension, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, and Buerger’s disease.

In addition, hawthorn can also be used as a sedative, antispasmodic, astringent, and diuretic. It is also used for gastrointestinal conditions like indigestion, enteritis, epigastric distension, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

For more information about hawthorn, including clinical studies, download a free monograph from the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe.

To help fortify your heart, save 30% off featured heart healthy products from the Apothecary Shoppe.
CLICK HERE.

Gwyneth Paltrow shares seven-day detox on her site goop.com

The February 22 New York Times featured an article in the Style section about a relatively new website called Goop, nourish the inner aspect.

The originator of the site is Gwyneth Paltrow. Although most known for her work as a movie actress—and more recently for her marriage to musician Chris Martin from Coldplay—Paltrow launched Goop.com last September to provide readers with short, blog-style entries about positive thoughts, parenting anecdotes, and healthy living tips, to name a few categories.

But perhaps most interesting and useful for the holistic health practitioner is an entry posted under the “Make” category called “Detox.” Here Paltrow tells her readers that: “You can detox easily and effectively while you continue to eat as long as you are cutting out the foods and other substances that interfere with the detoxification process. Make sure you check with your doctor before you start any detox. Drink A LOT of water.” All sound advice.

Paltrow also includes a user-friendly seven-day meal plan for detox, including recipes for dishes like Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing, Detox Teriyaki Chicken, and Steamed Salmon and Greens. All of the recipes include nutrient-rich foods easily prepared in 30 minutes or less, including downloadable PDFs to store in your dietary toolbox or holistic health library.

For the full recipes, and more information from Paltrow’s personal doctor, go to: www.goop.com.

Tested a recipe? Would you recommend it? Tell us what you think.

Have a response to the site in general, share with the community. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo © LA Times: latimesblogs.latimes.com