September 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

 

  

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September 3, 2012

 

Seems only fitting to send an update on Labor Day, seeing it's been two months since last we wrote. Happily, CMJ readers kept busy without any prompting and new readers continue to seek out the topics we scour the web-world to bring you.

 

Away from the shores of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, it's been a long hot summer -- perhaps one reason why Mark Bittman's opinion post on some consequences of the greenhouse effect drew a lot of interest. In food news, a love-letter to the avocado details the nutritional value and cancer-fighting compounds in this potassium-dense fruit. Speaking of, it's been recently discovered that strawberries contain compounds that may protect skin against the adverse effects of UV-A radiation. Sunscreen never tasted so good? Anyone with arthritis might want to try swigging some tart cherry juice; do your own version of the study and drink it twice a day for three weeks. Best case, inflammation is reduced; worse case, you get a tasty tart reminder of summer everyday.

 

High-tech medicine continues to make headlines for advancements that hold great promise for treating a host of serious conditions with a minimum of side-effects. There's exciting research from USF using hyperbaric chambers to treat brain injuries (current tests may lead to improved treatment for wounded veterans); a study has begun in Japan using minimally-invasive cryoablation to treat early-stage breast tumors; and from the University of Missouri, a study showing a compound in tea delivered via radioactive gold nanoparticles may be an effective treatment for prostate cancer.

 

Low-tech medicine has a place, too. An article first published in Family Practice News suggests regular qigong may reduce chronic fatigue symptoms (only 30 minutes a day, three times a week). Thanks to the 2012 Olympics, there were stories galore about athletes and alternative therapies: acupuncture for the Korean women's volleyball team; acupuncture and homeopathy for Usain Bolt; and even McKayla Maroney finds acupuncture impressive for emergency rehab (although with such a severely broken toe, it's amazing she was able to compete at all).

 

But now it's time to say adieu to summer and focus on remaining sane, polite and patient with each other as issues are debated, accusations fly, and civil discourse gets lost in the cacophony. Of course, the hottest of topics is the future of heath care in America, meaning mainstream medicine. Here's a new article from the venerable New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) challenging doctors and hospitals and insurance companies to consider that we the people want health as opposed to after-the-fact care. Might not sound radical for a CMJ reader but for the NEJM, it's a bold start to asking new questions.

 

Happy Labor Day and welcome back from the summer.

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please call (727) 821-7771 or write

          

May 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

 

  

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May 3, 2012

 

Who, within a fairly wide certain age band, doesn't remember the blistering line from A Few Good Men when Jack Nicholson snarls at Tom Cruise: "You can't handle the truth!" Classical Medicine Journal readers stared down the temptation of blissful ignorance and learned the truth about dangers lurking in our food supply through two breaking stories detailing the surprising cocktail of drugs found in factory-farm-raised chicken and a more detailed explanation of the drug residue in chicken and feather meal which is fed back to chickens. Surely motivation to opt for organic whenever possible, hoping against hope that the "USDA certified organic" label has teeth.

 

CMJ readers turned from snarling Jack to sweet, smiling Mahatma with other top stories, seeking simple ways to "be the change" by adding foods to reduce stress (all good stuff like salmon, basil, blueberries, Greek yogurt, broccoli, quinoa, edamame), learning about new research into aspirin's benefits (traces reportedly found in medicines from as long ago as 400 BCE) and getting suggestions for foods high in vitamin C to help alleviate allergy symptoms (usual citrus and fruit suspects but also sweet peppers, broccoli again, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and peas). Yum. Eating right is sounding better and better -- and like a perfect diet for summer.

 

But we cannot tell a lie and the truth is, one story in April clobbered all the others in number of new readers. Once again, some random Internet robot phenomena happened and our post on a new documentary highlighting the successful results of a small study using topical cannabis extract to treat skin cancer blew up. This is a purely medical application of a drug which has suffered under a propaganda campaign since the 1930's. At some point, clearer heads must prevail and its benefits investigated in a sober manner. No joke.

 

If you want to get a jump on next month's "hot topics," check out the story just posted about a researcher using folk wisdom passed along by her grandmother to address oil spill clean-up. Maybe there's more truth than we realize in old knowledge?

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please call (727) 821-7771 or write

          

February 2012 Classical Medicine Health and Wellness Journal

 

  

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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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For appointment information or to send a message to Martin Keane, AP, CCH

please call (727) 821-7771 or write