Newsletter Archive

April 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

2012-04-04T18:50:00Z

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4 April 2012

"It's all in your head."

Who hasn't heard -- or said -- those words in a multitude of circumstances? When you're on the receiving end, this is sometimes a comforting concept. But sometimes, it sounds pejorative or dismissive. It might also be factual. According to the Tampa Bay Times, new evidence in brain scan technology is showing that meditation changes the brain's reaction to pain. So the pain from the brain can be tamed ... with a lot of practice, focus and perseverance. Still, an encouraging idea and for dedicated meditators, life-altering. Must be why this was the #2 most-read Classical Medicine Journal story in March.

What held that #1 spot? Thanks to the vagrancy of the Internet, a story we ran last March about The Who front-man Roger Daltrey crediting homeopathy with saving his son's life. Some celebrities have an eternal shelf life and it's always nice when one voices support for a non-mainstream alternative. Their words resonate.

A handful of the other top stories were focused on "don'ts." No one likes a know-it-all so we're glad readers forgave us a bit of crowing about our early reports on some statin complications (new FDA warnings); and kept reading even though the news discouraged diet soda consumption (potential link to heart disease); and even pushed through a study on the perils of eating red meat (increases risk of heart disease and cancer by 20%).

But don't let this news keep you up at night. No, really; don't. Because another new study warns of the danger of consistent use of sleeping aids thought safe until very recently. Reactions among MDs are mixed but it's well worth a read if you or anyone you love uses the products on a regular basis.

Looks like there's only one answer: we need to grow our own vegetables, eat no meat, drink no diet sodas and above all else, meditate. If the Debbie Downer news we share today isn't sufficient motivation to practice the latter, watch a classic except from Bill Moyers' ground-breaking special on China that features a qi gong demonstration by Master Shi. There is no trick photography at work here. The slight elderly man is literally up-ending the young bucks with a flick of his wrist. If that.

If you're in the Tampa Bay area and want to learn a little qi gong for yourself, class info is here. If you want to veg, check out PCRM's Kickstarter Plan. But above all else, vow to make this your summer quaff:

Cheers!

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March 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

2012-03-01T19:52:00Z

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4 March 2012

The season may be over but fan interest never wanes, as one of the most-read stories in February was about the diet of Baltimore Raven linebacker Ray Lewis. The story caught our eye for Lewis' admission that he probably takes 50 pills of various vitamins and supplements a day. As anyone who uses supplements can attest, you can rather quickly acquire the "handful habit." Lewis' continued NFL success at the ripe old age of 36 (ahem) attests to the benefits of adhering to his clean regimen of diet-and-supplements. Not to mention, he gets more exercise than do most of us non-pros. It's only a tiny bit ironic that an equally popular story in February was about a compound from Chinese herbology that may offer relief for hangovers and potentially ease the Central Nervous System symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Since we clearly do not have enough to worry about in these troubling times, CMJ readers learned why suburbs may be hazardous to our health (reliance on cars decreases natural, daily exercise; isolation promotes depression and stress) and even why we should be suspicious of our olive oil (from an NPR interview with Tom Mueller, author of "Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil"). Not-so-fun fact from the suburbs article: "In 1974, 66 percent of all children walked or biked to school. By 2000, that number had dropped to 13 percent." Ouch.

An opinion piece from the New York Times questioning the long-term efficacy of ADD drugs got a lot of attention. L. Alan Sroufe, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development outlines a compelling argument for limiting long-term use but acknowledges the limitations of virtually all traditional treatment options. Of course, classical homeopathy can be a dramatic help -- but the remedy prescription is only as good as the homeopath making it and the therapy requires a lot of involvement and commitment from the patient (or parent). As in every profession, there are brilliant and not-so brilliant practitioners, not to mention vast differences in training and specialties. A good resource for finding homeopaths with the board-certification Certified in Classical Homeopathy is the Council for Homeopathic Certification (check the "Find a homeopath" link).

While top-tier homeopaths may be rare, Tai Chi classes are getting much more common and a new study shows Parkinson's Disease patients may benefit from a Tai Chi prctice. Specifically, Tai Chi can help improve balance and lower the risk of falls. While we're on the topic of Oriental Medicine: you might want to visit your local Acupuncturist before scheduling surgery to see if you find that acupuncture helps relieve carpal tunnel symptoms.

Until next month...stay away from tornadoes and oak pollen!

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February 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

2012-02-01T19:26:00Z

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5 February 2012

Bet you thought the Chinese New Year began on January 23rd, didn't you? Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first new moon of the first month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system (this year, 1/23). But in fact, the year of the Water Dragon began yesterday, because February 4th was the first day of 2012, or the first day of the 4,709th Chinese year, in the Chinese Astrological Calendar system. Called the Start of Spring, yesterday delineates the point where a new animal sign begins in Chinese astrology. In other words, that restaurant menu list you've been using all your life? If your birthday is right around now, you might be in for a surprise. To update your personal animal status, here's one of many sites that can waste 20 minutes of your life if you're not careful.

Given the weather lately, it really does feel like the start of spring -- or here in Florida, summer.

January brought a ton of new visitors to the Classical Medicine Journal thanks in part to our post on the 256-year old Qi Gong master being picked up by "discovery engine" StumbleUpon. And here's another inner-Internet-workings time-line: on January 4, CMJ posted a story on urban fish farming which originally ran in the Baltimore Sun on December 26; on January 28, the Los Angeles Times reprinted the same story. Ha! We do try to bring you stories of interest on varied topics and put a premium on information that might not otherwise be easy to find in regular media.

Speaking of, a story that is at once exciting and ludicrous got attention. Many readers were shocked -- shocked! -- to learn that acupuncture may relieve stress. In all seriousness, a study from Georgetown University Medical Center has shown molecular proof of acupuncture's ability to reduce a protein-like substance linked to chronic stress. So far, only rats have experienced the phenomenon. The millions of people for thousands of years who could also vouch for this finding? Purely anecdotal; but soon, perhaps, not written off as placebo.

Finally, readers continue to check the update on Vidatox, the Cuban “homeopathic” cancer drug made with the venom of the blue scorpion. While we're happy to provide a platform for sharing this information, isn't it a bit amazing you haven't heard of this anywhere else?

Until next month, be well and exercise your inner Water Dragon.

P.S. Check out Martin Keane's very first venture into video on the Classical Medicine homepage (scroll down to lower right corner). We're working on a series of informational videos and will put them all together on a Classical Medicine YouTube channel. This first one is intended to introduce the practice. (Gulp) Tell us what you think?

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January 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

2012-01-01T19:22:00Z

This post covers December 2011 - January 2012

3 January 2012

Where did the lovely holiday season go so quickly? And oh, what an interminable horse race we face in 2012. Even tonight, it begins. A recent Classical Medicine Journal post casts a surprising slant on why our divided selves can't seem to see each other's point of view. A simple experiment performed by researchers at New York University and UCLA shows that liberals and conservations actually think differently. This news falls somewhere between extremely encouraging and highly depressing; but no matter what, it's an interesting read. Both Right and Left might want to heed research published in theJournal of Neuroscience that reveals increasing the concentration of magnesium in the brain increases cognitive ability, the facility that controls fear and anxiety. More magnesium leads to less anxiety. So, instead of arguing politics, perhaps we should all break broccoli together?

End-of-the-year reading brought some treats for people interested in homeopathy: a summary of results from an observational study in Austria that showed homeopathic allergy treatment delivered success without side-effects; an announcement from India of the first study using humans to test the effectiveness of homeopathy to combat Japanese Encephalitis (JE); and an almost poetic look at new research into the possibility of water retaining "memory."

Another popular post profiled Mr. Li Qing Yun, a Chinese medicine physician, herbal expert and qi gong master who was believed to be 256 years old when he died in 1933. Mr. Li's advice for achieving such longevity? “Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon, sleep like a dog.” He drank goji berry tea but not "hard liquor." A vegatarian and non-smoker, he embodied the "early to bed, early to rise" adage. He also liked to play cards and gamble, doing both badly and always maintaining a cheerful demeanor while losing. There has to be a lesson in all that. If you're in the Tampa Bay area, you can learn some of his daily qi gong routine at these weekly classes. BYO goji juice.

By the way, it's probably best to severely limit the amount of time any laptop device spends in your lap. A study in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that exposure to radiation from laptop WiFi for four hours damaged sperm DNA and decreased motility. Of course, this adverse effect was only observed in sperm. But could it be good for ovaries, either? Might just have to dust off one of those old paperbacks. You knew you kept some around for a reason.

Happy New Year. Let's all resolve in 2012 to eat broccoli, not words -- or friends with differing views.

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November 2011 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

2011-11-10T20:05:39Z

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9 November 2011

Now that yoga is virtually mainstream and everyone has an older relative with at least one tai chi DVD sitting around (albeit dusty -- and perhaps it's a video tape), can qi gong be far behind?

This begs the question: what exactly is qi gong? Cue a stock photo of a contemplative person, probably a man, holding up his hands at 90-degree angles and peering off with a compassionate but firm look about him. Instead, here's a definition from the International Institute of Medical Qigong:

"Qigong is a combination of two ideas: "Qi" (pronounced chee), which means air, breath of life, or vital life-force energy; and "Gong" (pronounced gung, as in lung) which is the skill of working with, or cultivating, self-discipline and achievement.

Qigong is a mind-body practice that improves ones mental and physical health by integrating postures, movement, breathing techniques, and focused intention."

Articles recently posted in the Classical Medicine Journal highlight benefits of a regular qi gong practice (practice being the operative word here, as all once and future yogis will appreciate); perhaps making time for a regular qi gong class will become the next big thing. Here's some inspiration for that aspiration:

First, new research suggests practicing qi gong can help control diabetes symptoms. And too, practicing qi gong can help regulate high blood pressure (it's in with the "Breathe Deeply" set of recommendations). Perhaps the most dramatic is an article published in the CMJ today which reports on new research suggesting qi gong massage for young children with autism, administered by a trained parent, "resulted in improvement of measures of autism as well as improvement of abnormal sensory responses and self-regulation." This is pretty exciting news by our accounting. Time to learn how to breathe deeply while standing and staring contemplatively off in space. Just teasing -- there's a lot more to it. But qi gong has to be the easiest form of "exercise" ever invented, and it was invented a long, long time ago.

More good news for couch potatoes (ie, most of us): even 15 minutes a day of exercise is beneficial. The excuses are getting harder and harder to find.

No sense in fretting over the inevitability of our need to "eat less, move more." Readers sought out an article on nine different foods that naturally elevate moods for good reason. How about some walnuts and sunflower seeds for that cottage cheese? Go ahead and binge on avocados and oranges. But somehow, bananas in lentils just doesn't sound appetizing.

One more story to check out if you missed it comes from Cuba, whose research seems trapped behind an iron curtain still. Then again, due to a lack of infrastructure and funding, Cuba has liberally experimented with various forms of alternative medicine and consequently, has large samples for their results. Good news about alternative therapies is not welcomed in all quarters of our own country, despite our much-touted freedom of the press. The recent article is about the release of the world's first the world's first therapeutic vaccine against lung cancer. Previously published articles detail stunning results using a homeopathic vaccine to divert a projected outbreak of a vile tropical fever -- not to mention the article about Vidatox, the so-called homeopathic anti-tumor cancer drug developed in Cuba from the venom of the blue scorpion.

Wishing you a peace-filled Thanksgiving and a happy holiday season. Don't let any scorpions bite you -- unless they're blue.

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October 2011 Classical Medicine Health & Wellness Newsletter

2011-10-01T19:00:00Z

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10 October 2011

Happy Columbus Day! How many of you, upon hearing or reading those words, cannot help but think: "In fourteen-hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue..."? And now you scratch your head to try to remember the rest of it, when you know those first lines so well.

If memory is an issue, you might want to check out an article about how eating beets can improve cognitive functioning. We posted this research last fall; but, for reasons that remain a mystery, this was one of the most-read Classical Medicine Journal stories in September. The people in this study drank beet juice for breakfast for two days and then had MRIs done to measure blood flow to their brains. The MRIs showed that drinking beet juice improved blood flow to the white matter of the brain’s frontal lobes, the area that degenerates in dementia. Will beets replace Wheaties as the "breakfast of champions?" Drink a big glass and then say with confidence: "He had three ships and left from Spain; He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain."

Speaking of research, a very interesting brief published by the National Institutes of Health summarizes research from Mumbai, India that was designed toobserve and measure the action of homeopathic medicines on heart rate and blood flow. Amazingly enough (at least to western scientists), it turns out that the impact of homeopathic remedies can be measured by physiologic parameters of the autonomic nervous system. So see...it's not all in your head! And your infants and animals are not necessarily demonstrating the power of placebo when they improve after a dose or two of a correctly-prescribed remedy.

Speaking of "in your head," did you get this far? "He sailed by night; he sailed by day; He used the stars to find his way. / A compass also helped him know How to find the way to go." Ouch. Maybe the best lines are in that first couplet?

While not a medical topic, our re-post of a New York Times story about how the earth's carbon cycles are revealed by inclusions in diamonds drew CMJ readers. Read carefully to learn how the ocean floor seems to function like some kind of giant conveyor belt, continually drawing slabs down to a distance of over 400 miles beneath the earth’s surface, recycling carbon between the oceans and the earth’s mantle -- the shell of rock, about 1,800 miles thick, that lies directly beneath the earth’s surface. The impurities in the diamonds formed during this process provide clues about the composition of ancient seabeds and also hold evidence of the distances these rocks have traveled, cycling from ocean floor down to the earth's mantle and then eventually, slowly, back up again.

No matter how much beet juice you consume, bet you (happily) forgot this passage: "Ninety sailors were on board; Some men worked while others snored. / Then the workers went to sleep; And others watched the ocean deep. / Day after day they looked for land; They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand." Do the prehistoric diamonds have similar dreams as they make their 100-million-year journey?

Finally, readers are watching a video clip from CBS Newsreporting on how cancer patients -- even extremely young ones -- are finding vital support from a variety of alternative therapies. Acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditation and homeopathy are just a few of the therapies that some cancer patients are using to support their journies through chemotherapy and radiation. It's an inspiring story and an idea whose time is long past-due.

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September 2011 Classical Medicine Newsletter

2011-09-01T13:23:00Z

5 September 2011

Since today is a national holiday, and since the weather is rainy in some parts of the country, we start our monthly recap with a highly unusual suggestion: Take the time to read the most amazing article you didn't (yet) see in the Classical Medicine Journal.

Published in last week's New York Times Science section, and promptly picked up on public and alternative radio, this fascinating analysis explains how scientists are using bacterial genome sequencing to solve medical mysteries ranging from random individual infections to plagues. Let your imagination run wild to imagine future applications. And once you're hip to the language and hooked on the subject, read the follow-up story detailing how scientists are trying to use the genome of bacterium from skeletons in a 14th-century graveyard in London to figure out what caused the Black Death.

"In other news..."

Most-read story in August was about break-through research and collaboration between Ayurvedic medicine and nanotechnology that is resulting in a very promising new treatment for prostate cancer. Seems that infusing gold nanoparticles in a chemical soup partly prepared from herbs such as tea leaves and cinnamon can eradicate some tumors without side effects, radiation, or chemotherapy. Another exciting example of East and West working together for the greater good of all.

Concerns about a possible link between diabetes and statin drugs continued to draw readers who are researching options for therapy. Since stopping these drugs can be dangerous, people taking a statin must work with their MD on any reduction. But before starting, consider trying some of the safer, natural alternatives first.

Another surprising story about mammograms and breast cancer mortality: Analysis of data from six European countries shows that the prevalence mammogram screening cannot statistically explain the reduction in breast cancer mortality in the countries. Any lower mortality rate is a good thing and breast cancer screening is a good thing but for reasons not yet understood, the later does not depend on the former. But no, this should not be viewed as an excuse to skip the screening method you choose.

Finally, some really good reasons to combine two super-foods for a tasty treat that's good for every part of you: Avocados and Cilantro. Fresh guacamole, anyone? Enjoy the flavors and aromas of summer as we prepare for the seasons to change anew. At leas, that will happen in some parts of the world. Here in Florida, we long for the season when every glass surface isn't covered with the condensation of the humid air outdoors.

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August 2011 Classical Medicine Newsletter

2011-08-01T13:20:00Z

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This is a particularly long hot summer no matter where you live. Why not catch up on some Classical Medicine Journal highlights with a tall glass of something good, sweating from ice cubes? But think twice before pouring diet soda over that ice -- you just might be making your waistline larger instead of smaller. Seems the aspartame may be to blame. Then check out an op-ed from New York Times columnist Mark Bittman who advocates using tax incentives to encourage healthy dietary choices and imposing penalties for those who chose to eat or drink otherwise. Some will rightly argue that people should opt for what's best without "government intrusion," a perfectly valid position. But junk food and junk drinks are a staple of the so-called Standard American Diet (with the delicious acronym, SAD) and consumption is not likely to decrease without some motivation, be that philosophical or economic or perhaps both.

Last month, this newsletter called attention to research that begins to quantify the physiological benefits of acupuncture, findings deemed revolutionary by those who disregard thousands of years of experiential data. More troubling might be one of this month's hot topics: Is Science Catching Up With Homeopathy? Gracious. What will we have to accept -- rather than reject -- next?

Speaking of new medical frontiers and not-so-new prejudices, a story about one man's choice to use SonoPhoto Dynamic Therapy to treat his kidney cancer generated attention. SonoPhoto uses chlorophyll which all cells absorb but which, for reasons unknown, cancer cells alone cannot expel. Sound and light frequencies are used to identify the chlorophyll-filled cancer cells. Creating photosynthesis causes an explosion of free radical oxygen in the cancer cells which kills them (no surprise there). Not yet recognized in the United States, the therapy is used in Mexico, China, England, Australia and the EU. Don't miss the reaction of the man's oncologist.

Some findings must annoy Big Pharma like gnats or mosquitoes in the summer twilight. In a story first published in the New York Times in late June, you can almost hear the frustrated media consultants spinning their best to discount the results of a massive study on statin drugs that clearly show many questions remain about the long-term impact of the long-term use of these drugs. Another surprise comes from a European study on breast cancer mortality which found that early detection (mammograms) cannot explain the decline in deaths from breast cancer in three pairs of European countries. Not the result anyone was expecting, obviously.

Perhaps the middle way, the way between the extremes of nothing alternative and nothing conventional bears the greatest hope for future healthcare options and protocols. An article reprinted from Acupuncture Today serves up a double-dose of optimism with its report on new drugs that employ the ancient wisdom of Chinese herbology with the testing and precision of modern pharmacology. Each system is enhanced by collaboration with the other. Recalls an old Egyptian proverb: "One foot isn't enough to walk with."

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July 2011 Classical Medicine Newsletter

2011-07-01T13:17:00Z

2 July 2011

Happy 4th of July to you and yours. Here's hoping it's a pleasant weekend in your part of the world.

It just so happens that homeopathy shows up as a common thread in the three most-read posts on the Classical Medicine Journal last month, in three completely different situations from three different parts of the world. And in honor of our nation's Independence Day, read on to learn about ground-breaking research into the mechanics of acupuncture being performed by a team from the U. S. of A. (the U. of Rochester Medical Center, to be specific). The best of the east meets the best of the west and the whole world is the better for it.

Leading the pack is the one story to read if there's time to read no others - the results of a landmark research study using a homeopathic vaccine to immunize millions of people against leptospirosis, a particularly awful sounding flu-like affliction spread by contaminated water in steamy climates. It has descriptive common names like Swineherd's disease; Rice-field, Cane-cutter, Swamp and/or Mud fever; oh, and also, Rat Catcher's Yellows. Very rare in the continental US, leptospirosis is still a big problem in poor counties with tropical climates. Countries like Cuba. In 2007, in the face of a projected crisis, 2.1 million Cubans took a homeopathic vaccine made from four strains of leptospira. An amazing 90% decrease in disease incidence was recorded in the vaccinated area. Great results in '08, too. So why no headlines when this was first published in 2010? Perhaps because the vaccine cost only $200,000 and took just one week to manufacture? Or because the research came from Cuba? Or because it's a bit difficult to dismiss the results as placebo effect?

British rocker Roger Daltrey, lead singer and founder of The Who, needs no convincing. He's an out-spoken proponent who pronounced in a (London) Times Online interview, "Homeopathy saved my son's life." His son Jamie, now adult, was 9 months old when he developed gastrointestinal issues so severe he became completely emaciated. Doctors exhausted all the conventional tests and treatments but Jaime got sicker and sicker. In desperation and ready to try anything, Daltrey called a local homeopath whom he found listed in the Yellow Pages.Within two weeks of treatment, Jamie was gaining weight and on his way to recovery. Now just for the sake of asking, isn't the placebo effect hard to argue when the patient is only 9 months old?

On the other side of the globe from London, reports on the impact of the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown in Japan continue to surface and CMJ readers continue to be drawn to the excerpt from a longer Huffington Post story by Dana Ullman, Homeopathy for Radiation Poisoning.

And tried-and-true acupuncture is beginning to get a little more respect as new research identifies a beneficial link between the molecule adenosine and acupuncture. Published online May 30 in Nature Neuroscience, the research furthers western scientists' understanding of acupuncture's pain-killing effects. "It’s clear that acupuncture may activate a number of different mechanisms,” says Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. “This carefully performed study identifies adenosine as a new player in the process. It’s an interesting contribution to our growing understanding of the complex intervention which is acupuncture." Too bad mice have to suffer the hurt paws and genetic modification and all, but it's encouraging that some researchers are opening their eyes to the benefits of a system that's been continually practiced for over 4,000 years. It's interesting (and a bit disturbing, perhaps) that the next idea is to use these benefits to magnify the impact of pharmaceuticals.

The CMJ is updated as soon as we find news to share and we welcome your suggestions for topics (there's an email link at the bottom). If you'd prefer not to receive these monthly updates, please use the "unsubscribe" link.

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April 2011 Classical Medicine Newsletter

2011-05-05T13:14:00Z

5 May 2011

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today is the day we pause to celebrate all aspects of Mexican heritage. Since chili peppers have been cultivated in Mexico since prehistoric times, this seems a very good day to venerate cayenne. Here's a story that explains how spice-makes-nice for weight loss. Ole!

April brought a shower of readers to the Classical Medicine Journal with more people visiting than ever before. New readers caught up on some older news, particularly the story on homeopathic flu remedies and the darling video of two Third Graders discussing their experience with qi gong healing. But everyone was understandably drawn to a shocking story from Britain's Telegraph newspaper which reported that Chinese scientists have succeeded in creating cows that produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk. Kind of a conversation stopper, isn't it? Paying careful attention to solid, well-researched information about genetically modified food is going to be critical as science and technology race ahead, exploring new frontiers and bursting through all sorts of boundaries.

MOST-READ STORIES OF THE MONTH:

Stories about food were a focus in April. Maybe readers were thinking about preparing Easter and Passover feasts? One ingredient to include whenever possible is maple syrup. New research, presented at the American Chemical Society's National Meeting in Anaheim, California, suggests there's much good to be found in maple syrup's phenolics (ie, it's antioxidant compounds), which might even prove helpful for controlling aspects of type 2 diabetes.

And don't forget the broccoli. Scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham looked at how specific components in foods can activate genes that suppress tumor growth and silence genes that promote cancer development. The food at the top of the heap: Broccoli. One more reason to go green.

For dessert, think of something with walnuts. Also from the American Chemical Society's meeting came results showing walnuts have a higher combination of antioxidants -- and higher quality antioxidants -- than any other nut, out-ranking peanuts, almonds, pecans and pistachios. But don't sing walnuts' praises too loudly or too publicly. The FDA recently determined that Diamond Foods could not legally market any health benefits from the nuts because walnuts "are not generally recognized as safe and effective" for the medical conditions Diamond Food listed on their website. In order to keep selling them, Diamond Foods had to remove all claims of any benefits from eating walnuts. Since the CMJ is not selling walnuts, and since we do not agree with the FDA that they should be considered "drugs," we hereby encourage you to have a handful. Often.

Speaking of drugs, in a story the CMJ posted on April 1 (but sadly, no joke), findings from the U.S. Government Accountability Office's price index for the top 100 commonly used drugs prove that drugs are expensive and their prices are rising higher and faster than other medical costs. The GAO report found the price of the 100 drugs compared (55 brand-name and 45 generic) increased by an annual average of 6.6 percent from 2006 through the first quarter of 2010, compared with a 3.8 percent average annual increase in the consumer price index for medical goods and services. Walnuts, anyone?

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