Call to Remove Complementary Medicines Courses from Universities

A group called Friends of Science in Medicine has written to the vice-chancellors of 19 Australian universities calling on them to axe alternative and complementary medicine degrees. The group includes world-renowned biologist Sir Gustav Nossal, the creator of the cervical cancer vaccine professor Ian Frazer, and more than 400 doctors, medical researchers and scientists. The group criticises chiropractic studies, naturopathy, iridology,  acupuncture and homeopathy as courses in “quackery” that are being given “undeserved credibility” by universities who teach them “as if they were science”.

The group’s vision statement is to “reverse the current trend which sees government-funded tertiary institutions offering health-care ‘science’ courses not based on scientific principles nor supported by scientific evidence”.

Dr Valerie Malka, surgeon and former director of trauma services at Westmead Hospital, responded by saying, “as a qualified medical specialist and surgeon, I am ashamed of the medical profession when it so blatantly displays its ignorance and persists in attacking a profession from which we have much to learn.”

“There is nothing better than modern medicine when it comes to surgery, emergency and trauma, but for almost everything else, traditional, natural or alternative medicine is far more effective – particularly for chronic illness which modern medicine is completely unable to treat or cure. These therapies, unlike modern medicine which focuses on symptom control, work to treat the entire person, recognising and stimulating the body’s innate capability to heal the root cause of illness.

Modern medicine actually suppresses and thwarts that innate healing mechanism by unbalancing the complex human organism and its systems, particularly the immune system, with the liberal use of drugs and ignorance of the importance of diet and lifestyle.With conventional medicine’s birth came the slow and deliberate move by the medical profession to discredit what became labelled ”alternative medicine”. I can only presume that what lies at the heart of it is the threat to conventional medicine’s power base and the unhealthy relationship it has long enjoyed with the trillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry.

It is about time the Australian medical profession started educating rather than medicating. It is unfortunate that it is the public’s disillusionment with modern medicine and its inability to treat many diseases, as well as the dreadful side-effects of any treatment offered, that have increased the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine. It should have been due to the interest, enthusiasm and reason of doctors, scientists, researchers and politicians.”

You too can feel great again – take a good look at the foods you are eating and make a note of how many of these foods have been processed.

If you require any assistance with good nutrition, please arrange an appointment on 07 3287 3015.

Please read the following reports on Genetic Modification and Herbicide Sprays.

Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, a condition that is often linked to iodine deficiency. Ironically, new research has shown that taking too much iodine may also lead to a subclinical version of the condition, which is a milder form that is often missed by laboratory tests. Along with sometimes exhibiting many of the same symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and difficulty losing weight, people with subclinical hypothyroidism may have an increased risk of heart disease.

As long as the Australian Government does not publish medical statistics, all references here relate to the United States.  However, I don’t think we will be very different.

Dr Mercola reports that:

More than 11 percent of all Americans—and more than 15 percent of American women of child-bearing age—presently have urine iodine levels less than 50 mcg/L, indicating moderate to severe iodine deficiency.ⁱ An additional 36 percent of reproductive-aged women in the U.S. are considered mildly iodine deficient (<100 mcg/L urinary iodine). Iodine levels have significantly dropped in the United States in recent decades due to several factors, including:

• Bromine exposure: When you ingest or absorb bromine (found in baked goods, plastics, soft drinks, medications, pesticides and more), it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate — cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today.
• Declining consumption of iodine-rich foods, such as iodized salt, eggs, fish, and sea vegetables
• Soil depletion
• Less use of iodide in the food and agricultural industry
• Fluoridated drinking water
• Rocket fuel (perchlorate) contamination in food

What’s this doing to our country’s health? The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.

There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer rates in Japan are a result of their substantially higher iodine levels, as iodine has documented antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties.

What are the best sources of natural iodine?  Toxin-free sea vegetables and spirulina haravested from uncontaminated waters.  Organic free range eggs also contain iodine.  Any supplements should be obtained after an assessment of your iodine needs.  Quality practitioner-only products which meet stringent TGA guidelines are recommended over purchasing on line where there is no guarantee of quality.

Some more interesting facts about iodine:

Iodine deficiency causes fibrocystic breast disease and cyclic breast pain.  An iodine deficiency manifests as hyperplasia:

• goitre = cysts, nodules, scar tissue, enlargement
• ovary = cysts, nodules, scar tissue, enlargement (polycystic ovarian syndrome).
• breasts = cysts, nodules, scar tissue, enlargement, tenderness (fibrocystic breast disease).  Breast tissue uses more iodine than the thyroid, hence iodine deficiency increases dramatically during puberty (breast
  tissue development).
• ŸEndometrium = cysts, nodules, scar tissue, enlargement
• ŸPossible link to cysts in kidneys, liver and brain as most tissue is iodine dependent.

Goitre increases risk of endometrial, breast and ovarian cancers.

Enzymes in tissue that aid in iodine absorption are destroyed by fluoride and bromide.

Use of thyroid hormone in women doubles the risk of developing breast cancer (AMJ 1976) as it inhibits the body’s ability to absorb iodine.  Risk increases exponentially with length of medication.

Bromide inhibits iodine absorption.  In the 1800’s Dr Grove used bromide to “fatten up your children”.   1920’s Bromoselsa was used to relieve hangovers, nausea and headaches being then linked to schizophrenia and primary psychoses (enters nerve tissue) (NEJM).

Bromide is added to Gatoraid, oils, softdrinks, Mountain Dew (to disperse citrus flavour), as well as baking products and added to flour.  Bromide is used to spray fruit (especially strawberries) and injected into soil.

Bromide used to solidify vegetable oils (margarine type spreads).  Bromide is a Central Nervous System depressant.  The high amounts of caffeine  added to soft drinks  counteracts the depressive effect.

Iodine removes bromide from cells.  Many suspected cases of ‘iodine allergy’ are actually increased rates of removal of fluoride and bromide from the body rather than a detrimental reaction to the iodine itself.
There are many more functions of iodine, including chelation of heavy metals and protecting brain tissue.  More at www.helpmythyroid.com

The wet weather brings with it another threat – mould.  Moist air provides a breeding ground for mould and fungus, especially in rooms and places that are poorly ventilated – air conditioning units, carpets, curtains and other fabrics can harbour lots of mould. You may be surprised at how many health issues are related to fungal afflictions. Apart from the more common conditions such as fungal nails and asthma, eczema and psoriasis also flare up. Fungal infections can also exacerbate lymphodoema, chest infections, coughs, sinus infections, fatigue and behavioural problems, even arthritic pain.

Addressing environmental mould is essential – washing affected surfaces with a water + vinegar solution to remove the spores. Washing and completely drying carpets, rugs and all fabric in the room is essential. Have your airconditioners professionally cleaned as only the professionals can gain access into the inner parts of the units. Clean the filters regularly and wash with a solution of vinegar and lemon essential oil.

Once in the body, fungus must be eliminated in order to prevent serious health risks. If mild, a good Vitamin C product taken three times daily after meals may suffice. The Vitamin C should be alkaline – that is contain Sodium ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate, Magnesium ascorbate and NOT just ascorbic acid – and include bioflavinoids such as rutin and hesperidin, some zinc citrate and perhaps Vitamins E and A. A powder is best as this can be dosed more accurately than a tablet.

Fungal infections can be treated very successfully – assessment is by live blood analysis. If you feel that fungus may be an issue, call Dagmar on 07 3287 3215 today.

Mammography screening: truth, lies and controversy, from Radcliffe Publishing, spells out the findings of the Nordic Cochrane group for laywomen, rather than for scientists. The data, Gøtzsche has maintained for more than a decade, does not support mass screening as a preventive measure. Screening does not cut breast cancer deaths by 30%, it saves probably one life for every 2,000 women who go for a mammogram. But it harms 10 others. Cancerous cells that will go away again or never progress to disease in the woman’s lifetime are excised with surgery and sometimes (six times in 10) she will lose a breast.

                      Treatment with radiotherapy and drugs, as well as the surgery itself, all have a heavy mental and physical cost. “I believe the time has come to realise that breast cancer screening programs can no longer be justified,” Gøtzsche said. “I recommend women to do nothing apart from attending a doctor if they notice anything themselves.” The book is published as a UK review of the evidence for breast cancer screening, triggered by the Nordic Cochrane group’s publications in scientific journals, gets under way.

                      In October, the cancer tsar Sir Mike Richards promised an independent investigation of the data. It will be chaired by Sir Michael Marmot and will include some eminent statisticians, none of whom have been involved in the breast screening controversy before. Richards has promised to act on its findings. “Should the independent review conclude that the balance of harms outweighs the benefits of breast screening, I will have no hesitation in referring the findings to the UK national screening committee and then ministers,” he wrote at the time. Women in the UK are called for breast screening every three years from the age of 50, and the age range is being extended to encompass all from 47 to 73.

                      The NHS screening program has consistently disputed the Nordic Cochrane Collaboration’s work. In July last year, in response to a paper that showed no difference in death rates between similar pairs of countries that had introduced or not introduced screening, Professor Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS cancer screening programs, said: “We can’t comment on screening programs in other countries but here in England we do know that the best evidence available shows that women aged 50-69 who are regularly screened are less likely to die from breast cancer.” She cited an estimate from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation which said mortality was reduced by 35% through screening — a figure Gøtzsche disputes in his book.

                      Gøtzsche’s book tells of personal attacks on him and on other researchers by the pro-screening lobby, some of whom had financial interests in the continuation of screening programmes, he alleges. He compares screening advocates to religious believers and argues that their hostile attitudes are harmful to scientific progress. A lot of false evidence has been put forward to claim that the screening effect was large, he writes. Those who tried to expose the errors came under personal attack, as if they were blasphemers.

  “I cannot help wonder why many people shrug their shoulders when they learn of scientific misconduct and why many scientists don’t care that they deceive their readers repeatedly and betray the confidence society has bestowed on them, whether for a political gain, for fame, for money, for getting research funding or for any other reason.

                      People may keep on being dishonest, may get away with it and may publish in the same journals time and again, to the hurrahs of likeminded people who are often editors of the same journals,” he writes. Some of the screening trials were biased or badly done, the book says, for instance by deciding on the cause of death of a woman after researchers knew whether she had been screened for breast cancer or not. The best trials, it says, failed to prove that lives were saved by screening.

                      Gøtzsche’s group also found that one in three cancers detected by screening was misdiagnosed. Breast cancer deaths have gone down, he says, but better treatment and better aware women, who go to the doctor as soon as they find a lump, are responsible. Half of all breast cancers are found between screenings, he says. Gøtzsche and his group have been highly critical of the leaflet sent to women by the NHS screening program, which, they say, inflates the benefits and discounts the harms. He says he is hopeful that something good will come of the review.

                      Klim McPherson, professor of public health epidemiology at Oxford University, has been a critic of the information given to women by the NHS and is also hopeful. He gives credit to Gøtzsche for his assiduous work over many years to get to the truth. “His Cochrane reviews of breast cancer screening are of extremely high quality and not to be lightly dismissed,” he said.

                      Gøtzsche says his work is focused on helping women understand the risks and benefits of screening. In the book, he says one of the leaders of the Swedish trials claimed mammography was the best thing that had happened for women during the last 3,000 years and added: “There are still people who don’t like mammography. Presumably they don’t like women.”

                      Gøtzsche sees it differently. “People who like women, and women themselves, should no longer accept the pervasive misinformation they have consistently been exposed to,” he writes. “The collective denial and misrepresentation of facts about overdiagnosis and the little benefit there is of screening, if any, coupled with the disregard of the principles for informed consent and national laws, may be the biggest ethical scandal ever in healthcare.

  “Hundreds of millions of women have been seduced into attending screening without knowing it could harm them. This violation of their human rights is the main reason we have done so much research on mammography screening and also why I have written this book.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk

These findings again highlight the importance of healthy digestive microflora in infancy.  The intestinal microflora of a newborn is very different to that of a young child or adult.  For this reason it is important to provide your baby with quality probiotics made especially for them – even if you are breastfeeding.  It is also important to introduce solid foods to your child in the correct manner so as to avoid undue stress to their delicate digestive system. 

A little attention to health in early years can prevent serious complications later in life.  Call Dagmar on 07 3287 3015 today.

Iron is a mineral that is widely available in foods, it can be found in meat, poultry, nuts, seeds, whole grains  and vegetables. The human body absorbs iron in animal products faster than iron in plant products. However, if animal sources of iron are consumed at the same time as plant sources, the absorption from those plant sources greatly increases. Iron is an essential part of haemoglobin; the red colouring agent of the blood that transports oxygen through our bodies.  Furthermore, iron is an essential mineral used in many biochemical reactions in our body and is widely distributed in many tissues, not only the blood.

An excess of iron in the body may lead to aggressive behaviour, migraines, high blood pressure, joint pain and cirrhosis. Absorption of iron can be increased by alcohol. Increased iron stores can also result during times of severe bacterial infection and inflammation.

A more common problem is iron deficiency, which leads to anaemia. Other common deficiency signs and symptoms are shortened attention span, pica, dysphagia, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, poor sleep and susceptibility to infections. Dairy products can reduce iron absorption as can tea consumption. As vitamin D improves calcium absorption it is important that both are taken away from iron so as to not block iron absorption.

An acidic environment in the stomach is essential for proper iron utilisation, otherwise intestinal absorption is compromised. Minerals such as sodium and potassium may improve iron absorption in the body as will vitamin C and B group vitamins. Toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and aluminium will compete with iron absorption so it is essential to ensure that these metals are reduced or non-existent for effective iron metabolism.

Medications and drugs affecting iron absorption or metabolism include antacids, aspirin, indomethacin, methyldopa, neomycin, tetracycline, penicillamine as well as excess intake of some minerals – another reason not to self-prescribe supplements.

An excellent method of assessing iron levels as well as heavy metal toxicity is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.  Quick, easy and non-invasive, this test gives accurate results.  Call 07 3287 3015 today to arrange your personalised health assessment.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are a group of drugs that inhibit gastric acid production. They are commonly used prescription medications whose trade names
include Nexium, Prevacid, Zegerid, Protonix and are also available as overthecounter products (OTC) including Prilosec OTC, Prevacid 24 HR and Zegerid OTC. These drugs are mostly prescribed to treat reflux, heartburn and other forms of digestive discomfort.

Over the last several years, low serum magnesium levels have been in found in patients who were longterm users of PPI’s. Patients were experiencing a number of symptoms, such as muscle cramps, tetany, cardiac arrhythmia, vertigo, convulsions and seizures.

There have also been reports of an increase in hip fractures in patients using PPI’s over long periods. Studies of these patients show low serum magnesium as
well as low serum calcium, in those people who have been taking PPI’s for a period of time. 

Kuipers, MT, et al. Hypomagnesaemia due to the use of proton pump inhibitors – a review. J.O.M. 67, 5, 2009. Wright, MJ, et al. Proton pumpinhibiting drugs, calcium homeostasis, and bone health. Nutr.Rev. 66,2, 2008. Cundy, T., et al. Severe hypomagnesaemia in longterm users of protonpump inhibitors. Clin.Endocrinol. 692, 2008.

Most cases of reflux and heartburn are actually linked to low rather than too much stomach acid.  Stress is the number one factor in decreasing stomach acid production.  Adequate stomach acid is essential in order to properly break down foods to enable nutrients to be absorbed further on down the digestive tract.  If you suffer any form of digestive discomfort, cramping, vertigo, fatigue, constipation, diarrhoea, call 07 3287 3015 today to arrange a personalised health assessment.