Homeopathy ineffective. No substance to that substance

A study released today by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council found homeopathic medicine to be about as effective for treating health conditions as sugar pills. 

Homeopathy, according to the National Institute of Health is "is an alternative medical system that was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago." It relies on the theory that " 'like cures like'—the notion that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people; and 'law of minimum dose'—the notion that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness." 

176 controlled studies were analyzed and, according to the researchers, found that the homeopathic substances were so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain thus rendering the treatment entirely ineffective. 

Studies that have demonstrated homeopathy's effectiveness were "poorly designed" and excluded form the meta- analysis.

Yikes! Too bad since Americans pay $170 million annually for these medicines and another $2.9 billion for visits to homeopathic practitioners. 

What is your opinion of homeopathy? Have you used it with success in the past? Do you agree or disagree with the researcher's findings?

For the article from Al Jazeera documenting the findings, click here.

The Power of the Fork

I am presenting to the Utah State Cancer Support Group tomorrow night. Come on out and have a listen, or check your iPhone for Instagram updates while I speak. I'm used to it.

Click here for more info.

            

December 3rd at 6:30 PM

                   Sorenson Unity Center

                  1383 South 900 West, SLC

Anjee Barber, MS, RD, CD

Clinical Dietitian at Huntsman Cancer Hospital

“Take Charge:  The Power of the Fork”

Let’s get ready for the holidays and New Year’s resolutions with information about the best healthy diet.  She will inform and motivate.  Questions are strongly encouraged.

       As usual, the presentation will be for about an hour; the second hour will deal with any issues raised by us.

ALSO:  We will have a lot of Christmas/holiday prizes for those who attend.  Let’s make this a party.

The Prostate Cancer Support Group is sponsored by the Utah Urologic Society and is a member of US TOO.  Refreshments provided by Abbie.  Meetings are at the Sorenson Unity Center on the first Wednesday of each month (except holidays) at 6:30 PM.

Call John Merryweather (801-278-0234) or David Dodd  (801-560-2542) about  meeting information or mailing list.

Park in the lot on the south side of the building; come in the southwest door.  If the lot is full, park on 13^th South to the north of the building or across 13^th S. in the Head Start lot.  DO NOT PARK ON 9^th West.

Shameless Self Promoting

Do you or someone you know need nutrition guidance?  Well you are in luck! I am available for  consulting with a focus on oncology, special dietary needs, weight management (loss OR gain) and general healthful eating.

Check out Anjee Barber on Thumbtack or click here and/or message me for more info. I regularly run deals for new clients, so lets chat!

The alkaline diet

Oncology is a field where those of us living and/or working in it can become desperate. Desperate for answers, for a fix. Desperate to feel better, to live life again like before. Desperate for a cure.

A cancer diagnosis is terrifying; suddenly everything feels like it is out of control. Your body is hijacked, and your treatment plan can include any number of things with so many syllables and consonants you'd swear it was a settlement in Russia and not something that was about to go into your body. One of the (many) things still in your control, however, is your nutrition. And for this reason foods get a LOT of attention in the cancer world.

With so much information on the Internet (including this little blog), it is so hard to find solid sources you can trust. One thing I get asked about a lot is a basic (or alkalizing) diet.

Rather than subject you to my poor writing skills, I am going to link to this AMAZING site which sums up why trying to alter the pH of your blood is a waste of time. What I DO like about this type of diet, however, is that it promotes some types of fresh fruits and vegetables which have been scientifically proven to aid in the fight against cancer (and more importantly prevent it from happening in the first place).

So give it a read and remember that peer reviewed, scientific journals are your best source for info-and they are healthily and heavily cited in Authority Nutrition's content.

As always, keep fighting.

The gut-brain connections in Autism

Well look how timely this article on the gut-brain connection and autism is! Right after a post about yogurt.

This article is an absolute must read....

Eating your bacteria

I LOVE this article from Supermarket Savvy regarding yogurt and cultures contained in various forms of yogurt and supplements.

It's critical that the cultures in yogurt or a supplement are live for them to do the good stuff: aiding with constipation, diarrhea, bloating and gas. Organic yogurts tend to be preferable because processing can lead to the death of many microorganisms.

Diarrhea and constipation can be particular issues for people undergoing chemotherapy because of the damage it can do to the gut. Additionally, many patients undergoing cancer treatment may receive some forms of antibiotics because of infections that can arise from complications of treatment. Lastly, radiation induced enteritis can cause serious GI issues.

A good source of probiotics can help replenish some of the beneficial bacteria lost during treatment. And as this article and many others have point out: supplements typically don't have as many of the live cultures they say they do (I've read anywhere from 1-10% of the live cultures the label claims).

So grab yourself a container of Greek yogurt and dose up on some good bacteria!

Nausea and vomiting and frankincense. Oh my.

Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is probably one of the most textbooks side effects of going through cancer treatment.  While there are a number of anti-emetic meds to help with these side effects (Zofran, Ativan, Compazine, etc.,) sometimes a good old-fashioned home remedy can be helpful.

I have begun recommending ginger chews and ginger beer to patients who struggle with CINV. The research is varied on its effectiveness but this study found ginger to be more favorable than a placebo when it came to controlling these symptoms in breast cancer patients. A couple other studies have also found ginger to be helpful in retro viral therapy , however, a recent review article does confirm the need for more research regarding the role of ginger as an anti-emetic.


Another remedy I have received recent information on is frankincense oil.  I know, three wise men, blah, blah. However, I have it on good authority that taking a whiff of the sidekick to myrrh right when you feel the nausea coming on ameliorates the effects quite well. I should mention here my "good authority"  is an uncle of mine going through cancer treatment who is very anti "all these hippie therapies", so I feel if he is willing to endorse it, it may actually be worth looking into. Anyway, you can find the oil for a very reasonable price online.

You can try these remedies as ways to help control your symptoms a bit better if you are struggling with CINV, and feel free to share any of your own ideas; I'd love to hear what works for you.