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.

May 2006

Welcome to the May 2006 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. 

If you have not read our previous newsletters, they are also posted on our website.

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

In our last newsletter, I mentioned the challenges facing the independent natural foods retailer and my concerns about how that could affect the natural products industry.  Our first story this month mirrors those same concerns about the manufacturers of natural products.  The story below comes from the newsletter of Organic Consumers Association.  I encourage you to subscribe to their newsletter and support their efforts.  Visit www.organicconsumers.org for more information.

The second story in this issue confirms that you need to beware of products that do not contain what they promise.  Many of us rely on natural products to help restore health and complement conventional medical treatment, especially for things like cancer.  When a company misrepresents what they put in their products, they put peoples' lives in jeopardy.  Natural and organic product companies claim to be operating on a higher level and should be held to a higher standard.

I hope you find our newsletters to be of value.

A MOUTHFUL OF MONEY: THE CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF ORGANIC FOODS

• Kraft Foods bought small natural cereals producer Back to Nature in
  2004. The company is a subsidiary of Altria Group, which also owns Phillip Morris Companies Inc., one of the largest cigarette makers in the world. Kraft also owns Boca Burger Inc.
• Odwalla Inc., which produces natural and organic fruit juices, was purchased by Coca-Cola in 2001.
• Dean Foods Co., the largest dairy company in the U.S., bought out Horizon Organic in 2003, in addition to Silk soymilk and White Wave tofu.
• Kellogg's has acquired several natural and organic brands: Kashi Cereal and Morningstar Farms.
• General Mills purchased Cascadian Farm, in 2000. The brand consists of items such as frozen fruit, vegetables, granola bars and fruit spreads. General Mills also bought out Muir Glen, which produces ketchup, tomato sauce, and salsa.
• Unilever bought out Ben & Jerry's for $326 million.
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. is purchasing Tom's of Maine, which specializes in natural oral and personal care products.

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm

Consumerlab.com Tests Green Tea, Selenium, and Lycopene Supplements
[2006/04/27][Consumerlab.com]
ConsumerLab.com announced results from its new Product Review of Supplements for Cancer Prevention covering 22 products, including those containing green tea, lycopene or selenium.  But problems were detected in three green tea products: Two were contaminated with lead and another contained only 71% of its claimed level of EGCG, a key compound in green tea. One selenium supplement contained only 38% of its ingredient.  Brands covered in the review include those from Bluebonnet, Canadian Sun, Country Life, GNC, Food Science of Vermont, Futurebiotics, Herbal Select, Jarrow, KAL, Life Extension, Metabolic Maintenance, Nature's Answer, Nature's Bounty, Pharmanex, Puritan's Pride, Schiff, Vitamin World, and Whole Foods.  You must subscribe to get the full test results for 22 products and ConsumerLab recommendations.

Low Vitamin D Levels Associated With Increased Total Cancer Incidence
According to an article on news-merical.net citing research involving 47,800 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study cohort, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers noted 4286 cases of cancer and 2025 cancer deaths, estimating vitamin D levels by recording each man's dietary intake and supplementation, skin pigmentation, adiposity, geographic residence, and leisure-time physical activity. According to the article, the authors observed that an increase in vitamin d levels of approximately 1500IU daily correlated with a 17% reduction in total cancer incidence and 29% reduction in total cancer mortality.
Internet Resources:
Article on News-medical.net
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Editorial

Study: Sleep problems costing nation billions
Nearly 30 million Americans, or more than one in 10, suffer from chronic insomnia, and as many as 70 million have some kind of chronic sleeping problem, according to a new study. The problem is costing the nation billions in medical expenses, as the lack of sleep can hamper the immune system, cause memory impairment and reduce concentration.   MSNBC/Associated Press (4/4)

Dietary fibre could reduce inflammation, CVD
People who eat a diet high in fibre have significantly lower levels of a protein that is associated with inflammation, diabetes and heart disease, say scientists, giving yet more support for high-fibre diets... Read

Insoluble fibre could protect against diabetes, more evidence
A German clinical trial has reported that eating a fibre-enriched bread for only three days improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese women by eight per cent, as the evidence for fibre protection against... Read

Low GI diet could protect eyes against AMD
Eating a low GI diet could reduce the risk of the incurable eye disease, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by more than 60 per cent, says a new study... Read

Researchers Examine Link Between Vitamin K Deficiency and Osteoarthritis
According to a Reuters Health article citing research published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, researchers from bostin University examined over 650 patients to determine whether vitamin K deficiency is associated with features of osteoarthritis on x-ray examinations. The results indicated that patients with the lowest phylloquinone plasma levels (phylloquinone is a primary form of vitamin K found in the diet through green leafy vegetables and in cheese, liver, coffee and green tea) were also the ones whose x-rays most often revealed the presence of large osteophytes, or "bone spurs" -- small outgrowths of the bone common in arthritis.
Internet Resources:
Reuters Health Article
Abstract

Live healthy, save money
As aging Americans begin facing retirement, financial analysts say one of the best investments they can make in their financial future is to take care of their health now. Keeping healthy with exercise and a good diet will help prevent chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes in later years, leading to savings on medical bills and prescriptions.   USA TODAY (4/13)

Study: Devils Claw , White Willow Bark And Cayenne Effective Treatment for Lower Back Pain
According to an article on Best Syndication citing a report by the Cochrane Collaboration, the herbal supplement Devil's Claw given in a daily dose of 50mg (or 100 mg harpagoside), Willow Bark, in a standardized daily dose of 120 mg and 240 mg of salicin, and cayenne all reduced pain more than placebo, with a 60mg dose of Devil's Claw, or Willow Bark in a standardized daily dose of 240 mg, as effective as a daily dose of 12.5mg of Vioxx. According to the article, the researchers looked at ten randomized controlled short term trials that included 1567 adults with non specific acute or chronic lower-back pain.
Internet Resources:
Coverage on Best Syndication

Mouse Study Indicates That Combination of Lycopene and Vitamin E Inhibits Growth of Prostate Tumors
According to a BASF releases citing research to be published in the May issue of May issue of the Journal of Nutrition, a study has shown that the combination of lycopene and vitamin E suppresses tumor growth in mice by 73 percent and increases survival time by 40 percent. This study also indicated that lycopene alone tends to inhibit tumor growth and to prolong survival time as well, but less effectively (53 percent and 19 percent, respectively).
Internet Resources:
Press Release on NPIcenter

Mediterranean Diet May Cut Alzheimer's Risk
According to an AP article citing research published in the Annals of Neurology, which followed 2,258 elderly northern Manhattan residents for an average of four years, those who consumed a Mediterranean-style diet were up to 40 percent less likely than those who avoided it to develop Alzheimer's during the course of the research. The diet included eating lots of vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals and fish, while limiting intake of meat and dairy products, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol and emphasizing monounsaturated fats, such as in olive oil, over saturated fats.
Internet Resources:
AP Article on Newsday.com

Study Publicizes Black Cohosh Substitution with Chinese Cimicifuga
An article in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry* reports that three of eleven black cohosh supplements purchased in the United States and tested did not contain black cohosh (Actaea racemosa syn. Cimicifuga racemosa). Instead, the three products contained less expensive extracts of Chinese cimicifuga (specific other Actaea spp.) that do not have all the same chemical compounds or clinical uses as the native North American plant. A fourth product indicated a probable mixture of the two plants.
Internet Resources:
AHPA Press Release on NPIcenter
Abstract

Pine bark extract may prevent inflammation
A daily supplement of the French maritime pine bark, Pycnogenol, could reduce the markers of inflammation by 15 per cent, says a joint German-Slovak study... Read

Study: Estrogen increases clot risk in older women
In the latest study suggesting hazards from hormone replacement therapy, researchers say estrogen pills increase the risk for blood clots in older women, but the risk is not as high as seen in supplements that also contain progestin. The study, using data from a landmark government study of more than 10,000 women, found that the risk was highest among women who had previous clots, and the researchers discouraged estrogen use among such women unless they take blood thinners.   Seattle Post-Intelligencer/Associated Press (4/11)

Study: Effectiveness of calcium supplements tied to compliance
According to an article originally form the Chicago Tribune, citing research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Australian researchers recruited 1,460 women over 70, providing half with 600 mg of calcium twice a day and half with a placebo, observing that among those who took at least 80 percent of the pills they were given (either active or placebo), the ones on calcium had 44 percent fewer fractures.
Internet Resources:
Article in The Sate
Abstract in Archives of Internal Medicine
Reuters Article

Health screenings available, but only half of Americans get them
Several factors prevent half of all Americans from getting the recommended diagnostic tests and screenings for medical problems, experts say. "As we have more entrenched screening, the risks seem less imminent, less of an immediate threat," one health care manager said, adding, "It's harder to convince healthy patients that a screening is important."   The Washington Post (free registration)

Milk, vitamin D linked to heavier birth weight
Women who have higher milk and vitamin D intakes during pregnancy give birth to heavier babies, says Canadian research... Read

CoQ10 may protect against Alzheimer's
Increasing intake of coenzyme Q10 may ward off the threat of Alzheimer's disease, if the results of an animal study can be applied to humans... Read

Researchers looking at heart disease in women
Coronary artery disease has become the leading cause of death among women over 25; and although women are less likely than men to develop heart problems before they reach their 60s, once the disease does occur, women often fare worse than men. Most improvements in the field have been among men, and researchers say more must be known about heart disease in the different genders in order to better treat it in women.   The New York Times (free registration)

Study reveals insurance coverage issues
A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund found more than 40% of moderate-income Americans did not carry health insurance for at least some part of 2005. The study also found that uninsured people were more likely to forgo some recommended health screenings.   Reuters (4/25)

Omega 3s could cut risk of second heart attack
A daily supplement of omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the risk of having a second heart attack, says a small clinical trial... Read

Blueberries show promise in protecting heart
Blueberries could strengthen blood vessels against oxidative stress that may lead to heart disease, says new research - news that could boost already impressive sales... Read

Study: Ill patients may be willing to accept some side effects
Patients with chronic illnesses may be more willing to accept treatments that could leave them functionally disabled than many believe, according to a new study. Researchers found that as people age and become disabled, they may be more willing to accept what some may consider a poor quality of life because they don't view it that way.   HealthDay News (4/28)

New devices expected to make diabetics' lives easier
Sophisticated new monitoring devices soon to hit the U.S. market are expected to make a tremendous difference in helping diabetics control their disease. Researchers hope that within a few years, the devices will allow diabetics to go for long stretches without having to resort to the finger lances that now are considered such a nuisance.   The Washington Post (free registration) (4/23)

You saw it here first:

Camel milk: the dairy product of the future
The future for camel milk is so bright that the product could appear one day on European supermarket shelves... Read

The healthy potential of sheep's milk
Sheep's milk has a higher content of essential vitamins and minerals than cow's milk and could be used to cater to consumers' appetite for healthy products. But presently it seems only small-time producers are... Read

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.

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.