December 2005 Alternative Medicine&Natural Health Newsletter

The Alternative Medicine & Natural Health Newsletter is sponsored by ALTERNATIVE HEALTH INSURANCE SERVICES.

Since 1985, Alternative Health Insurance Services has helped businesses and individuals find the best value in health insurance with an emphasis on coverage for alternative medicine and natural therapies. Please visit www.AlternativeInsurance.com to learn about options for your personal or group health insurance.

NEW VISION BENEFITS are now available from America's largest provider of eyecare coverage. Normally these benefits are only available to employees of large companies, but you can participate through our special program. For more details, click on the Vision Benefit link on our website.

Welcome to the December 2005 edition of our newsletter. Our goal is to provide you with information and articles that are of interest to you and may be of value to you. Information we include is gathered from a variety of publications.

We hope the information we provide is of value to you. If you have not read our previous newsletters, they are also posted on our website.

A Special Message from Steve Gorman, Founder of Alternative Health Insurance Services:

Since our last newsletter where I mentioned my wife's battle with breast cancer, we have had many encouraging calls and e-mails. Both Elaine and I appreciate the positive feedback and I personally want to thank everyone for their support.

Vitamin Angel Alliance is a non-profit organization that provides health education and nutritional supplements to individuals, families, and communities that are medically underserved or at risk of a specific condition or illness.

Most of Vitamin Angel's work involves the provision of nutritional supplements to charitable, indigenously managed health care facilities and programs around the world, including the United States. Healthcare providers and community members are given information and nutritional supplements to help counteract the devastating consequences of poverty and inadequate food resources. Support is given to grassroots community programs that promote and strengthen self sufficiency.

Your support will enable Vitamin Angel Alliance to continue and expand the excellent work that they do. Visit www.vitaminangel.org for more details.

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Sunflower Seeds, Pistachios Among Top Nuts for Lowering Cholesterol
Chemists at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, in a study appearing in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry analyzed some 27 nut and seed products and found that pistachios and sunflower kernels had the highest levels of phytosterols among the nuts and seeds that are most commonly consumed as snack foods in the United States.
Internet Resources:
Press Release on NPIcenter

Research boosts debate over cancer-stress relationship
New findings on the activities of cancer cells are adding fuel to the long-held suspicion by many that stress and cancer are linked. The research suggests that cancer cells make proteins that signal the immune system to leave them alone, but many experts still say they are not convinced that cancer growth is linked to stress-related immune system changes. The New York Times (free registration) (11/29)

Researchers Review Therapeutic Role of Melatonin for Cancer
According to an article on News-medical.net, citing a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Pineal Research, researchers reviewed 10 randomized clinical trials that included a total of 643 cancer patients with a variety of different solid tumor cancers, examining the effect of large doses of melatonin (10-40mg/day) on survival rates at one year. According to the article, the researchers noted an association with an increased survival rate at one year, suggesting additional North American clinical research.
Internet Resources:
Article on News-medical.net

Herbal Extract May Treat Prostate Cancer
According to a Retuers Health article citing research published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, an olive-oil based herbal extract preparation called Zyflamend suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells by as much as 78% and induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct. According to the article, a Phase 1 clinical trial is currently underway.
Internet Resources:
Reuters Health Article

Study Finds Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Decrease Postpartum Depression
A randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging, non-placebo controlled pilot trial, conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine(Acta Psychiatr Scand 2005: 1-5) used EPAX Omega-3 oil to analyze the effect of omega-3 fatty acid consumption on postpartum depression. The research indicated that scores on depression measures decreased by approximately 50 percent, and were statistically significant. Additional clinical research is currently underway.
Internet Resources:
EPAX Press Release on NPIcenter
Abstract

Hospital noise levels impact staff, patients
Rising noise levels in hospitals take a toll on both patients and staff, causing stressed workers, increasing the risk of medical errors and possibly even interfering with healing and recovery, according to researchers. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (11/30)

Ingredient in Olive Oil May Improve Circulation
According to a Reuters Health article, Spanish researchers, in a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, (November 15 2005) compared the effect of consuming phenol-rich olive oil or olive oil with most of its phenol content removed in a group of 21 volunteers with high cholesterol, and then measured the ability of the blood vessels to respond to rapid changes in blood flow after consumption of a high fat meal. The researchers observed that blood vessel function was improved after the high-phenol olive oil meal, while no function improvement was observed after consumption of the low-phenol olive oil meal. According to the article, the researchers also found increased levels of the blood vessel dilating molecule nitric oxide and reduced levels of oxidative stress after consumption of the high-phenol meal.
Internet Resources:
Reuters Health Article

Study Examines Association Between Iron and Calcium and Lung Cancer
According to a Reuters Health article citing research from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School published in Epidemiology, (November 2005), there might be a correlation between dietary iron and calcium intake and the risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers. According to the article, the researchers examined dietary intake of iron, zinc and calcium in 923 patients with lung cancer and healthy controls using a food-frequency questionnaire, observing that iron and calcium, through food or supplementation, correlated with a higher risk, while zinc correlated with a lower risk of lung cancer.
Internet Resources:
Reuters Health Article

ABC's Letter Regarding Low Dosage in Echinacea Trial Published in New England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine [NEJM] has published a letter to the editor from the American Botanical Council (written by ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal and Norman R. Farnsworth, PhD, Research Professor of Pharmacognosy and Senior University Scholar at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago) regarding the low dosage of Echinacea extracts used in a recent clinical trial. The letter suggested that the dosage administered in the trial may have been too low to produce an appreciable benefit.
Internet Resources:
Press Release on NPIcenter
ABC Website

REPORTS & STUDIES:

The number of Americans who have tried organic food jumped to 65% in 2005 from 54% in 2003 and 2004, according to the 2005 Whole Foods Market Organic Trend Tracker. The annual survey also found a quarter of 1,000 survey respondents said they are consuming organic food more than they did a year ago, and 10% said they consume organic food several times per week, up from 7% last year. The top three reasons for buying organic food are pesticide avoidance (70.3%), freshness (68.3%), and health and nutrition (67.1%). More than half (55%) buy organic to avoid genetically modified foods. More than half of all respondents agreed that organic foods and beverages are "better for my health" (52.8%) and better for the environment (52.4%).

UK Study Indicates That Homeopathy Helps 70% of Patients with Chronic Diseases
According to an article on Medical News Today, citing a 6 year study on over 6,500 patients conducted at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, UK, more than 70% of patients with chronic diseases said homeopathy helped them feel better.
Internet Resources:
Article on Medical News Today

Broccoli Sprouts Found to Boost Body's Ability to Eliminate Cancer-Causing Toxins in Human Study
[2005/11/17][Brassica Protection Products LLC]
A team from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, in collaboration with scientists at the Qidong Liver Cancer Institute, Jiao Tong University in Shanghai and the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, in a blinded placebo-controlled study published in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, have observed that broccoli sprouts can help the body detoxify carcinogens, which may reduce the risk of developing liver cancer. The study used Three-day-old broccoli sprouts with known levels of sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS(TM)) and involved 200 subjects in total

Study Links Low Selenium Levels With Higher Risk Of Osteoarthritis
Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined 940 patients in a federally supported investigation of osteoarthritis and found that for every additional tenth of a part per million of selenium in participants' bodies, there was a 15-20% decrease in their risk of knee osteoarthritis.
Internet Resources:
Press Release on NPIcenter

Americans Consuming More Organics than Ever: Whole Foods Survey
NOVEMBER 21, 2005 -- AUSTIN, Texas -- The number of Americans who've tried organic foods has jumped to 65 percent in 2005, compared to 54 percent in 2003 and 2004, and a quarter of 1,000 people responding to a survey said they're consuming organics more than they did a year ago, said Whole Foods Market here. more

Alternative Health Insurance Services now includes a free benefit for our individual and group clients that provides up to 20 acupuncture and/or chiropractic visits per year with a $20 co-payment for each visit. This complimentary benefit is a bonus for doing business with us and is included with most of the health insurance plans we offer.

We have contracted with Landmark Healthplan of California, Inc. to provide a combined chiropractic and acupuncture benefit that utilizes Participating Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. A directory of these providers may be found on the Landmark website at www.LandmarkHealthcare.com or from Alternative Health Insurance Services.

Participants will have a co-payment of only $20 per visit and can receive up to 20 visits per year. Treatments must be medically necessary to treat an injury or illness. After an initial visit, subsequent visits need to be pre-authorized by Landmark. Each participant will receive a Schedule of Benefits and other materials that fully describe their benefits, limitations, and exclusions.

This benefit is being provided at no cost to California clients of Alternative Health Insurance Services who are actively participating in a permanent health insurance plan where commissions are being paid to either Alternative Health Insurance or Steve Gorman. These benefits are being provided only to each primary policyholder and their spouse/partner.

This program is only available as a complimentary benefit to clients who have purchased their health insurance plans through Alternative Health Insurance Services and can not be purchased as a "stand-alone" benefit.

Information in this newsletter is obtained from various sources and you are encouraged to conduct further research into any areas that you find interesting. Nothing contained in this newsletter is intended to recommend any treatment or therapy. Our intent is solely to share articles, information, and data that we believe is of interest to you. Some of the articles contain links where you can obtain additional information related to the subject of the article.