Daily consumption of magnesium-rich whole grains took a 30% bite out of the risk of diabetes among a cohort of more than 40,000 Black women, according to a recently published transatlantic study.
Hemorrhoids are a very common problem during pregnancy, affecting roughly 25% of all pregnant women. Diosmin, an anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive compound derived from a variety of Mediterranean sweet oranges, can safely reduce incidence and severity of hemorrhoids during pregnancy.
Market research from the Hartman Group, Bellevue, WA, indicates that 60% of parents surveyed indicated that doctors were the most important sources of information on dietary supplements for their children.
Psoriasis is thought to be the result of T-cell activation initiated by unidentified antigens. These activated T-cells release cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) that lead to keratinocyte proliferation. This hyper-proliferative response decreases epidermal transit time from the normal 28 days to 2–4 days, ultimately leading to the erythematous scaly plaques that characterize the disease.
The coriolus or “Turkey Tail” mushroom is a common denizen of dead tree stumps worldwide. But it is proving to be uncommon medicine for a number of cancer types. Used for centuries in Asian medicine, coriolus extracts are now being studied in modern medical settings.
The natural products industry has done a poor job of regulating itself thus far, making it difficult for many doctors who are committed to natural medicine to know which products they can trust. An overhaul of the regulatory system is long overdue.
For years, industry consultant Ian Newton has been trying to convince health insurers that they ought to cover multivitamins. To do so, he developed a comprehensive computer modeling system that allows insurance execs to see the kinds of savings and health benefits they would gain. While institutional inertia has prevented most of them from moving, increasing cost pressures are starting to open some eyes.
Packed with lipid-lowering plant sterols and several types of fiber, Right Direction chocolate chip cookies are a drug-free way of helping mildly dyslipidemic patients reduce their cardiovascular risk.
A massive French study suggests that the type of progesterone used in postmenopausal HRT is the decisive factor in determining the breast cancer risk associated with hormone therapy. Synthetic progestins appear to increase risk, while bio-identical progesterone does not. Digital mammography can improve detection of breast cancers in younger women with dense breasts, but the cost is high.
Despite its conservative orientation toward natural medicine, the North American Menopause Society annual meeting is a great place to catch up on the latest menopause-related research. Dr. Tori Hudson offers her gleanings from this year’s meeting.
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