Brahma is said to be the most knowledgeable person in every science subject. Also he is said to be the first former of Ayurveda. He wrote the first book on Ayurveda i.e. Brahmasanhita.
'Daksha Prajapati' and 'Bhaskara' were the first persons who got knowledge from Brahma about Ayurveda. There was dominance of rules (Siddantha) in tradition of Daksha and in Bhaskara's tradition treatment (Chikitsa) was dominant. The short description of some of the legends are as follows: Continue Reading > >
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Friday, August 01, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
All India Institute of Ayurveda to be set up in Delhi
The Union Cabinet today approved establishment of the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi as an autonomous organization under the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
The Cabinet also gave approval to appointment of a director with supporting staff to oversee the project implementation.The decision will facilitate scientific validation, quality control, standardization and safety evaluation of Ayurveda products; standardised Ayurveda-based tertiary health delivery; and to promote interdisciplinary research and education of Ayurveda at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels.
The Cabinet also gave approval to appointment of a director with supporting staff to oversee the project implementation.The decision will facilitate scientific validation, quality control, standardization and safety evaluation of Ayurveda products; standardised Ayurveda-based tertiary health delivery; and to promote interdisciplinary research and education of Ayurveda at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Ayurveda- A Complete Science of Life
Welcome to read about the most ancient and traditional science on one of the most modern systems, the Internet. How can this ancient system of health care be relevant to people of today, when technological advances have radically altered our lifestyles, our environment and our medicine?
The principles of Ayurveda are an invaluable link to understanding, in detail, naturally healthy living. People everywhere are realizing the importance and benefits of taking personal responsibility for one's own well being, making Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today's world.
Ayurveda is a science of life so to know more about it, we must know what is life? Life according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So it is clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to body or physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and social health.
The words like soul and spirituality might sound outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable. Actually, I don't feel that it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these things to us. We are always trapped in the attractions of outer material world to become happy and peaceful.
The modern society, education, culture and the television- everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is it so that most us are unhappy. There is unrest, anxiety, mental tension, fighting and terror every where despite best efforts being made to stop them. This is because some part of our body is not being nourished properly.
The principles of Ayurveda are an invaluable link to understanding, in detail, naturally healthy living. People everywhere are realizing the importance and benefits of taking personal responsibility for one's own well being, making Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today's world.
Ayurveda is a science of life so to know more about it, we must know what is life? Life according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So it is clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to body or physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and social health.
The words like soul and spirituality might sound outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable. Actually, I don't feel that it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these things to us. We are always trapped in the attractions of outer material world to become happy and peaceful.
The modern society, education, culture and the television- everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is it so that most us are unhappy. There is unrest, anxiety, mental tension, fighting and terror every where despite best efforts being made to stop them. This is because some part of our body is not being nourished properly.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Lower Production of B Cells
(HealthDay News) -- Certain drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) provide a powerful, previously unknown, benefit for the immune system, say University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.
They found that drugs known as anti-TNF compounds -- including Enbrel, Humira and Remicade -- help reduce the activity of abnormal B cells that play a role in autoimmune diseases such as RA and lupus. TNF is a chemical messenger that fires up the immune system. Anti-TNF drugs inhibit TNF.
The findings, published in the Jan. 15 issue of The Journal of Immunology, suggest that these drugs improve the health of patients in a way that hadn't been recognized, the researchers said.
"The most important considerations for any drug are: Is it safe, and does it work? The answer is certainly 'yes' to both questions for these anti-TNF compounds. The drugs have revolutionized the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. But it also turns out that, even though millions of patients been treated with these medications, we really haven't understood to a significant degree how they actually work," research co-leader Dr. Ignacio Sanz, a professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology, said in a prepared statement.
Sanz and his colleagues studied 45 adults with RA and 22 healthy adults. Some of the RA patients received the anti-TNF medication etanercept (Enbrel), some received an older medication called methotrexate, and others received both drugs.
Among patients who took etanercept, there was a 40 percent drop in the percentage of B cells in lymph tissue. The RA patients who took etanercept also had about 75 percent fewer germinal centers, and the germinal centers that did exist in these patients were smaller and less organized than those in patients who didn't receive anti-TNF therapy.
Germinal centers are structures in the lymph system that appear when people have infections. These centers produce B cells, which the body uses to mark invaders for destruction. In healthy people, germinal centers fade away after recovery from an infection. But in people with RA and other chronic autoimmune diseases, germinal centers remain active.
"This is a critical piece of the immune system. Germinal centers are where crucial education of the B cell takes place -- where they learn which cells to attack and which ones not to. Dysregulation in germinal center reactions may play a role in many autoimmune diseases," study co-leader Dr. Jennifer Anolik, an assistant professor of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
Anti-TNF drugs appear to disrupt the formation of special cells (follicular dendritic cells) that link germinal centers, which decreases the number of abnormal B cells, Anolik said.
"There is a lot of excitement about the role of B cells in autoimmune disease. The connection between TNF-targeted therapy and B cells in rheumatoid arthritis really hasn't been appreciated," she said.
Anolik is about to launch a study to compare how two different anti-TNF drugs affect B cells in RA patients. The findings could help explain why some RA patients respond well to certain drugs but not others.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about autoimmune disorders.
They found that drugs known as anti-TNF compounds -- including Enbrel, Humira and Remicade -- help reduce the activity of abnormal B cells that play a role in autoimmune diseases such as RA and lupus. TNF is a chemical messenger that fires up the immune system. Anti-TNF drugs inhibit TNF.
The findings, published in the Jan. 15 issue of The Journal of Immunology, suggest that these drugs improve the health of patients in a way that hadn't been recognized, the researchers said.
"The most important considerations for any drug are: Is it safe, and does it work? The answer is certainly 'yes' to both questions for these anti-TNF compounds. The drugs have revolutionized the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. But it also turns out that, even though millions of patients been treated with these medications, we really haven't understood to a significant degree how they actually work," research co-leader Dr. Ignacio Sanz, a professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology, said in a prepared statement.
Sanz and his colleagues studied 45 adults with RA and 22 healthy adults. Some of the RA patients received the anti-TNF medication etanercept (Enbrel), some received an older medication called methotrexate, and others received both drugs.
Among patients who took etanercept, there was a 40 percent drop in the percentage of B cells in lymph tissue. The RA patients who took etanercept also had about 75 percent fewer germinal centers, and the germinal centers that did exist in these patients were smaller and less organized than those in patients who didn't receive anti-TNF therapy.
Germinal centers are structures in the lymph system that appear when people have infections. These centers produce B cells, which the body uses to mark invaders for destruction. In healthy people, germinal centers fade away after recovery from an infection. But in people with RA and other chronic autoimmune diseases, germinal centers remain active.
"This is a critical piece of the immune system. Germinal centers are where crucial education of the B cell takes place -- where they learn which cells to attack and which ones not to. Dysregulation in germinal center reactions may play a role in many autoimmune diseases," study co-leader Dr. Jennifer Anolik, an assistant professor of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
Anti-TNF drugs appear to disrupt the formation of special cells (follicular dendritic cells) that link germinal centers, which decreases the number of abnormal B cells, Anolik said.
"There is a lot of excitement about the role of B cells in autoimmune disease. The connection between TNF-targeted therapy and B cells in rheumatoid arthritis really hasn't been appreciated," she said.
Anolik is about to launch a study to compare how two different anti-TNF drugs affect B cells in RA patients. The findings could help explain why some RA patients respond well to certain drugs but not others.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about autoimmune disorders.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Nutritional supplement users better nourished and informed
A report published in the August, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association concluded that individuals who use dietary supplements have different attitudes concerning nutrition, are less likely to have an inadequate intake of a number of vitamins and minerals, and are more likely to recognize the importance of following a healthful diet than those that do not use supplements.
For the current research, Rhonda S. Sebastian and her associates at the United States Department of Agriculture examined data obtained between 1994 and 1996 in the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and Diet and Health Knowledge Survey of 4,384 men and women aged 51 and older. Results of 24 hour dietary recall questionnaires completed by the participants were used to divide the subjects into 1,777 daily nutritional supplement users, 428 infrequent users, and 2,179 nonusers.
The team found that nonusers of supplements were less likely to meet the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) from food alone for vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, zinc, and magnesium, and only half of both users and nonusers of supplements met the requirements of folate, vitamin E and magnesium from food. Regular supplement use reduced the percentage of participants with inadequate intakes of most nutrients by at least 75 percent. When dietary intake combined with supplement use of specific nutrients was examined, at least 80 percent of men and women who used supplements met the Estimated Average Requirement for vitamins A, B6, B12, C and E, folate, iron and zinc. Supplements particularly improved vitamin E and folate status.
Supplement users’ intake of vitamin E and folate from food was inadequate for 96 and 57 percent of this group, yet supplement use reduced these inadequacies to 17 and 6 percent.
While increased age and education were better predictors of supplement use among men, Caucasian race, residence in the western region of the United States and nonsmoking status emerged as stronger predictive factors for women. The only factor found to be a significant predictor of supplement use for both genders was a belief in the personal importance of consuming a diet consistent with Dietary Guidelines recommendations.
“A large proportion of older adults do not consume sufficient amounts of many nutrients from foods alone,” the authors conclude. “Supplements compensate to some extent, but only an estimated half of this population uses them daily. These widespread inadequacies should be considered when developing recommendations for supplement use for clients in this age group. Modifying dietary attitudes may result in a higher rate of supplement use in this at-risk population.”
For the current research, Rhonda S. Sebastian and her associates at the United States Department of Agriculture examined data obtained between 1994 and 1996 in the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and Diet and Health Knowledge Survey of 4,384 men and women aged 51 and older. Results of 24 hour dietary recall questionnaires completed by the participants were used to divide the subjects into 1,777 daily nutritional supplement users, 428 infrequent users, and 2,179 nonusers.
The team found that nonusers of supplements were less likely to meet the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) from food alone for vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, zinc, and magnesium, and only half of both users and nonusers of supplements met the requirements of folate, vitamin E and magnesium from food. Regular supplement use reduced the percentage of participants with inadequate intakes of most nutrients by at least 75 percent. When dietary intake combined with supplement use of specific nutrients was examined, at least 80 percent of men and women who used supplements met the Estimated Average Requirement for vitamins A, B6, B12, C and E, folate, iron and zinc. Supplements particularly improved vitamin E and folate status.
Supplement users’ intake of vitamin E and folate from food was inadequate for 96 and 57 percent of this group, yet supplement use reduced these inadequacies to 17 and 6 percent.
While increased age and education were better predictors of supplement use among men, Caucasian race, residence in the western region of the United States and nonsmoking status emerged as stronger predictive factors for women. The only factor found to be a significant predictor of supplement use for both genders was a belief in the personal importance of consuming a diet consistent with Dietary Guidelines recommendations.
“A large proportion of older adults do not consume sufficient amounts of many nutrients from foods alone,” the authors conclude. “Supplements compensate to some extent, but only an estimated half of this population uses them daily. These widespread inadequacies should be considered when developing recommendations for supplement use for clients in this age group. Modifying dietary attitudes may result in a higher rate of supplement use in this at-risk population.”
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Kids Living Near School Rarely Walk There: Study
(HealthDay News) -- Even though one out of three American children live within a mile of their school, barely half of those students regularly bike or walk to class, researchers report.
Children who live in the South, in rural areas or who have college-educated parents are among those least likely to bike or walk to school, notes the report, which is published in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Sarah Martin and colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studied data from more than 7,000 children between 9 and 15 years of age.
They found that almost 35 percent of the children lived within one mile of their schools. Children between 11 and 13 years old were more likely to walk or bike than 9-year-olds. Children whose parents had a high school education were more likely to bike or walk than children with college-educated parents.
"The majority of young people are missing an opportunity to increase daily physical activity by being active travelers," Martin said in a prepared statement.
According to the CDC, nearly one in five (18.8 percent) young people between 6 and 11 years old are overweight. Increased daily physical activity is one of the methods the CDC recommends to help manage weight in young people.
Martin and colleagues said that the reasons why children in urban areas might be more likely to bike or walk are complex. They cited the fact that schools may be in mixed-use neighborhoods where it is more possible to bike or walk, in contrast to suburbs where there may be fewer safe sidewalks.
More information
To learn more about overweight youth, visit Healthy Youth.
Children who live in the South, in rural areas or who have college-educated parents are among those least likely to bike or walk to school, notes the report, which is published in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Sarah Martin and colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studied data from more than 7,000 children between 9 and 15 years of age.
They found that almost 35 percent of the children lived within one mile of their schools. Children between 11 and 13 years old were more likely to walk or bike than 9-year-olds. Children whose parents had a high school education were more likely to bike or walk than children with college-educated parents.
"The majority of young people are missing an opportunity to increase daily physical activity by being active travelers," Martin said in a prepared statement.
According to the CDC, nearly one in five (18.8 percent) young people between 6 and 11 years old are overweight. Increased daily physical activity is one of the methods the CDC recommends to help manage weight in young people.
Martin and colleagues said that the reasons why children in urban areas might be more likely to bike or walk are complex. They cited the fact that schools may be in mixed-use neighborhoods where it is more possible to bike or walk, in contrast to suburbs where there may be fewer safe sidewalks.
More information
To learn more about overweight youth, visit Healthy Youth.
Monday, December 04, 2006
'Double Diabetes' a New Threat
(HealthDay News) -- Despite the flurry of public service campaigns and education efforts, the diabetes epidemic in the United States continues to escalate out of control.
An estimated 20.8 million Americans -- or 7 percent of the population -- are now believed to be diabetic. Of those, 6.2 million people have the disease but don't know it. And that doesn't include the 41million people with pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood-glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
In fact, the epidemic has become so pervasive that doctors are now finding patients who suffer from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes -- a phenomenon known as "double diabetes" or "hybrid diabetes."
"It's mostly people who have a type 1 diabetes who become overweight and show the profile of a type 2, with obesity and hypertension," said Dr. Stewart Weiss, an assistant clinical professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
Doctors and health-care experts are urging people to take the steps necessary -- basically proper nutrition and plenty of exercise -- to avoid joining the ranks of those already diagnosed with the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's inability to produce insulin, the hormone that ushers blood sugar -- called glucose -- to cells for energy. An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of Americans with diabetes have type 1 disease. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance -- the body's inability to properly use the hormone. Most Americans diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, and excess weight and lack of exercise are big contributors to this form of the disease.
But, doctors are now seeing strong indications that double diabetes is a growing phenomenon. For instance, recent studies suggest that as many as 30 percent of newly diagnosed diabetes cases among children involve youngsters with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Generally, double-diabetes sufferers will often look as though they have the more common type 2 version because they're overweight. But subsequent blood tests reveal they also have type 1 disease.
Double diabetes takes the suffering caused by the disease a step further, and complicates efforts to treat it.
Type 1 diabetics normally have to take daily injections of insulin to remain healthy, while type 2 diabetics require different medication and regular monitoring of their blood sugar. Doctors now are researching how to juggle treating both types of diabetes in the same patient, Weiss said.
"We have all sorts of medications that address different problems for different types of diabetes," Weiss said. "The question with double diabetes becomes, when can we use the different types of medications and what would be appropriate for different patients?"
Weiss suspects that double diabetes might be caused, in part, by type 1 diabetics who are taking insulin but haven't made the other lifestyle changes necessary to deal with the disease.
"One of the consequences of proper insulin use is weight gain," he said. "Often, patients who have not had a good understanding of how to eat are taking the insulin to cover what they normally eat."
The national trend toward unhealthy weight gain has spurred both the diabetes epidemic and this newer, more complex form of the disease, agreed Dr. Francine Kaufman, past president of the American Diabetes Association and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
"It's mirroring the obesity epidemic," Kaufman said.
Diabetes can cause a number of complications that range from life-damaging to life-threatening. They include heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, diseases of the nervous system, lower-limb amputations, dental disease and complications during pregnancy.
The best way to avoid these complications is to avoid contracting diabetes. A recent study conclusively showed that people on the verge of contracting type 2 diabetes prevented its onset through changes to their diet and increased exercise, according to the American Diabetes Association.
The federal Diabetes Prevention Program study found that diet and exercise actually worked better than some medications in delaying the development of diabetes, according to the association. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a five percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight, produced a 58 percent reduction in diabetes.
"People need to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle," Kaufman said.
Weiss recommends improving diet by eating more vegetables, fewer starches and more lean meat and fish. "I like to say there's no medication that can overcome a bad diet," he said.
He also said people should not only eat healthier, but they should try to eat less, too.
"The problem really is overeating in general," he said. "The portion size put before us is very large, so portion control is the single most important thing. You've got to know when to say when."
More information
To learn more, visit the American Diabetes Association.
An estimated 20.8 million Americans -- or 7 percent of the population -- are now believed to be diabetic. Of those, 6.2 million people have the disease but don't know it. And that doesn't include the 41million people with pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood-glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
In fact, the epidemic has become so pervasive that doctors are now finding patients who suffer from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes -- a phenomenon known as "double diabetes" or "hybrid diabetes."
"It's mostly people who have a type 1 diabetes who become overweight and show the profile of a type 2, with obesity and hypertension," said Dr. Stewart Weiss, an assistant clinical professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
Doctors and health-care experts are urging people to take the steps necessary -- basically proper nutrition and plenty of exercise -- to avoid joining the ranks of those already diagnosed with the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's inability to produce insulin, the hormone that ushers blood sugar -- called glucose -- to cells for energy. An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of Americans with diabetes have type 1 disease. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance -- the body's inability to properly use the hormone. Most Americans diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, and excess weight and lack of exercise are big contributors to this form of the disease.
But, doctors are now seeing strong indications that double diabetes is a growing phenomenon. For instance, recent studies suggest that as many as 30 percent of newly diagnosed diabetes cases among children involve youngsters with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Generally, double-diabetes sufferers will often look as though they have the more common type 2 version because they're overweight. But subsequent blood tests reveal they also have type 1 disease.
Double diabetes takes the suffering caused by the disease a step further, and complicates efforts to treat it.
Type 1 diabetics normally have to take daily injections of insulin to remain healthy, while type 2 diabetics require different medication and regular monitoring of their blood sugar. Doctors now are researching how to juggle treating both types of diabetes in the same patient, Weiss said.
"We have all sorts of medications that address different problems for different types of diabetes," Weiss said. "The question with double diabetes becomes, when can we use the different types of medications and what would be appropriate for different patients?"
Weiss suspects that double diabetes might be caused, in part, by type 1 diabetics who are taking insulin but haven't made the other lifestyle changes necessary to deal with the disease.
"One of the consequences of proper insulin use is weight gain," he said. "Often, patients who have not had a good understanding of how to eat are taking the insulin to cover what they normally eat."
The national trend toward unhealthy weight gain has spurred both the diabetes epidemic and this newer, more complex form of the disease, agreed Dr. Francine Kaufman, past president of the American Diabetes Association and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
"It's mirroring the obesity epidemic," Kaufman said.
Diabetes can cause a number of complications that range from life-damaging to life-threatening. They include heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, diseases of the nervous system, lower-limb amputations, dental disease and complications during pregnancy.
The best way to avoid these complications is to avoid contracting diabetes. A recent study conclusively showed that people on the verge of contracting type 2 diabetes prevented its onset through changes to their diet and increased exercise, according to the American Diabetes Association.
The federal Diabetes Prevention Program study found that diet and exercise actually worked better than some medications in delaying the development of diabetes, according to the association. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a five percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight, produced a 58 percent reduction in diabetes.
"People need to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle," Kaufman said.
Weiss recommends improving diet by eating more vegetables, fewer starches and more lean meat and fish. "I like to say there's no medication that can overcome a bad diet," he said.
He also said people should not only eat healthier, but they should try to eat less, too.
"The problem really is overeating in general," he said. "The portion size put before us is very large, so portion control is the single most important thing. You've got to know when to say when."
More information
To learn more, visit the American Diabetes Association.
U.S. Blacks Seek Answers to AIDS Epidemic
(HealthDay News) -- By now, most Americans know the drill: Practice safer sex, and HIV should leave you and your community alone.
Except that it's not really working out that way for America's blacks. Study after study shows that HIV infections continue to escalate among this community -- especially among gay and bisexual black men -- even though they practice safe sex at rates that equal or exceed those of whites.
For example, a study published in time for World AIDS Day on Friday in the American Journal of Public Health found that young black adults who had engaged in no sex over the past year, didn't drink, and didn't abuse drugs were still 25 times more likely to test positive for a sexually transmitted disease or HIV than whites who practiced similar behaviors.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fully half of the nation's new HIV infections occur among blacks, who make up just 13 percent of the population. That rate continues to soar, despite the fact that condom use among blacks now tops 50 percent, compared to just one-third for young whites.
According to the CDC, black women have 21 times the risk of white women of contracting HIV, while black males are eight times as likely to become infected as white men.
And, according to a recent five-city study conducted by the CDC, a staggering 46 percent of young gay black men in America now carry HIV -- a rate that equals or exceeds that of most nations in sub-Saharan Africa. By comparison, the infection rate among gay American white men hovers around 21 percent.
"However, black men who have sex with men (MSM) do not engage in higher rates of unsafe sexual behaviors compared to other MSM -- we found that in about 30 studies," said CDC HIV/AIDS investigator Gregorio Millet. He spoke at a Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) summit on the issue held earlier this week in New York City.
Millet noted that studies also show that gay and bisexual black men use illicit drugs at roughly the same rate as their white peers.
So, if black Americans are doing so much that is right, what is going wrong? Twenty-five years into the AIDS epidemic, no one really knows for sure.
Denise Hallfors, the author of the American Journal of Public Health paper, said that for too long, the CDC and other public health entities have looked upon HIV/AIDS from a solidly white perspective.
Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, most infections among whites were largely contained within specific groups, such as gay men and intravenous drug users. "The thinking was, you have to go after those very high-risk populations," said Hallfors, who is senior research scientist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Chapel Hill, N.C.
"So, those are the populations that the CDC focused on and did outreach with.
And if you look at the data from our study, that makes perfect sense -- whites have very low rates of STDs if they are not in those risk categories. As soon as they enter those risk categories, their rates triple."
But the black community appears to work differently, with the borders between low- and high-risk groups much more blurred. "High-risk individuals can and often do cross over into low-risk groups," Hallfors said. "Once they cross over into the low-risk group, then they spread infection to the much larger community."
Because of the higher death and incarceration rate of black men, black women -- who tend to partner with black men -- have a smaller pool of potential mates to pick from compared to whites, Hallfors added.
"So, if you are a young black female adult and you go to church every Sunday, you have a pretty conservative lifestyle, you don't drink, smoke or do drugs, and you have even one or two partners in your lifetime, if one of them happens to be infected, you're sitting there with an STD," Hallfors said. And since this woman's apparently low-risk, church-going partner may have unknowingly contracted his infection from a prior high-risk contact, she believes she is "safe" and thus doesn't get tested for HIV, or gets tested far too late.
The same may hold true among gay black men, Millet said. "Black MSM are also less likely than other MSM to be tested for HIV," at least on a regular basis, he said. That leaves them more open to unknowingly pass the virus on to other partners.
There could be many other reasons for the virulent spread of HIV among gay black men, but the data just isn't out there, he said. Gay black men may be at higher risk because of their genetics, their lower rate of circumcision (circumcision reduces infectivity), reduced access to health care, their pattern of sexual partners, and their higher rates of incarceration -- one in four black men will serve jail time vs. one in 24 whites. "Unfortunately, there are all these hypotheses where we just don't have sufficient data," Millet said.
Until recently, there's also been little outreach to this hard-hit community, Millet added. "This epidemic has been raging among black MSM for well over 20 years and for some reason there have not been enough HIV prevention programs directed at blacks," Millet said.
Damon Dozier, director of government relations and public policy at the National Minority AIDS Council, said it's taken the recent release of shocking statistics to wake policymakers from their focus on whites.
"I think that no one really paid attention to what was going on, but that 46 percent infection rate is a huge number," he said. "Because of that, the wool has been pulled from people's eyes."
But Dozier said that the CDC, especially, is less able to tackle these issues now than it was in the past. "The CDC prevention budget has been slashed over the past few years," he said. "It would take a number of dollars just to get them back to baseline. Our hope is that with this new Congress, with Ms. Pelosi [incoming House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat] as leader, that we can devote more money to prevention and direct those prevention dollars to that 46 percent demographic."
There are signs of a real turnaround at the CDC. Late in 2005, the agency's head, Dr. Julie Gerberding, met with black activists who had pasted signs reading 46% is Unacceptable to the front of their desks. As reported by The Advocate at the time, Gerberding told them that, "Whatever we are doing right now, it is not enough."
Since then, the agency has launched a flotilla of HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs aimed at specific black communities -- many with proven track records in turning attitudes and behaviors around.
And, on Thursday, Gerderding issued a statement noting that the CDC has "recently issued new recommendations to make HIV screening a routine part of medical care for all patients between the ages of 13 and 64." Most experts who deal with minority communities say getting individuals acquainted with their HIV status is key to helping them get treated, protect their partners, and slow the epidemic.
CDC investigator Millet said he believes the situation "is getting better, in that we are now asking the right questions -- there are more people from these affected populations who are doing the needed research."
Hallfors agreed. She said that papers like hers, and new data coming out of the CDC and elsewhere, "is really important, because policymakers can start to think differently. Whites and blacks are different, the dynamics are different, and you can't just treat these diseases the same for both groups."
More information
Find out more about HIV/AIDS from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Except that it's not really working out that way for America's blacks. Study after study shows that HIV infections continue to escalate among this community -- especially among gay and bisexual black men -- even though they practice safe sex at rates that equal or exceed those of whites.
For example, a study published in time for World AIDS Day on Friday in the American Journal of Public Health found that young black adults who had engaged in no sex over the past year, didn't drink, and didn't abuse drugs were still 25 times more likely to test positive for a sexually transmitted disease or HIV than whites who practiced similar behaviors.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fully half of the nation's new HIV infections occur among blacks, who make up just 13 percent of the population. That rate continues to soar, despite the fact that condom use among blacks now tops 50 percent, compared to just one-third for young whites.
According to the CDC, black women have 21 times the risk of white women of contracting HIV, while black males are eight times as likely to become infected as white men.
And, according to a recent five-city study conducted by the CDC, a staggering 46 percent of young gay black men in America now carry HIV -- a rate that equals or exceeds that of most nations in sub-Saharan Africa. By comparison, the infection rate among gay American white men hovers around 21 percent.
"However, black men who have sex with men (MSM) do not engage in higher rates of unsafe sexual behaviors compared to other MSM -- we found that in about 30 studies," said CDC HIV/AIDS investigator Gregorio Millet. He spoke at a Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) summit on the issue held earlier this week in New York City.
Millet noted that studies also show that gay and bisexual black men use illicit drugs at roughly the same rate as their white peers.
So, if black Americans are doing so much that is right, what is going wrong? Twenty-five years into the AIDS epidemic, no one really knows for sure.
Denise Hallfors, the author of the American Journal of Public Health paper, said that for too long, the CDC and other public health entities have looked upon HIV/AIDS from a solidly white perspective.
Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, most infections among whites were largely contained within specific groups, such as gay men and intravenous drug users. "The thinking was, you have to go after those very high-risk populations," said Hallfors, who is senior research scientist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Chapel Hill, N.C.
"So, those are the populations that the CDC focused on and did outreach with.
And if you look at the data from our study, that makes perfect sense -- whites have very low rates of STDs if they are not in those risk categories. As soon as they enter those risk categories, their rates triple."
But the black community appears to work differently, with the borders between low- and high-risk groups much more blurred. "High-risk individuals can and often do cross over into low-risk groups," Hallfors said. "Once they cross over into the low-risk group, then they spread infection to the much larger community."
Because of the higher death and incarceration rate of black men, black women -- who tend to partner with black men -- have a smaller pool of potential mates to pick from compared to whites, Hallfors added.
"So, if you are a young black female adult and you go to church every Sunday, you have a pretty conservative lifestyle, you don't drink, smoke or do drugs, and you have even one or two partners in your lifetime, if one of them happens to be infected, you're sitting there with an STD," Hallfors said. And since this woman's apparently low-risk, church-going partner may have unknowingly contracted his infection from a prior high-risk contact, she believes she is "safe" and thus doesn't get tested for HIV, or gets tested far too late.
The same may hold true among gay black men, Millet said. "Black MSM are also less likely than other MSM to be tested for HIV," at least on a regular basis, he said. That leaves them more open to unknowingly pass the virus on to other partners.
There could be many other reasons for the virulent spread of HIV among gay black men, but the data just isn't out there, he said. Gay black men may be at higher risk because of their genetics, their lower rate of circumcision (circumcision reduces infectivity), reduced access to health care, their pattern of sexual partners, and their higher rates of incarceration -- one in four black men will serve jail time vs. one in 24 whites. "Unfortunately, there are all these hypotheses where we just don't have sufficient data," Millet said.
Until recently, there's also been little outreach to this hard-hit community, Millet added. "This epidemic has been raging among black MSM for well over 20 years and for some reason there have not been enough HIV prevention programs directed at blacks," Millet said.
Damon Dozier, director of government relations and public policy at the National Minority AIDS Council, said it's taken the recent release of shocking statistics to wake policymakers from their focus on whites.
"I think that no one really paid attention to what was going on, but that 46 percent infection rate is a huge number," he said. "Because of that, the wool has been pulled from people's eyes."
But Dozier said that the CDC, especially, is less able to tackle these issues now than it was in the past. "The CDC prevention budget has been slashed over the past few years," he said. "It would take a number of dollars just to get them back to baseline. Our hope is that with this new Congress, with Ms. Pelosi [incoming House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat] as leader, that we can devote more money to prevention and direct those prevention dollars to that 46 percent demographic."
There are signs of a real turnaround at the CDC. Late in 2005, the agency's head, Dr. Julie Gerberding, met with black activists who had pasted signs reading 46% is Unacceptable to the front of their desks. As reported by The Advocate at the time, Gerberding told them that, "Whatever we are doing right now, it is not enough."
Since then, the agency has launched a flotilla of HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs aimed at specific black communities -- many with proven track records in turning attitudes and behaviors around.
And, on Thursday, Gerderding issued a statement noting that the CDC has "recently issued new recommendations to make HIV screening a routine part of medical care for all patients between the ages of 13 and 64." Most experts who deal with minority communities say getting individuals acquainted with their HIV status is key to helping them get treated, protect their partners, and slow the epidemic.
CDC investigator Millet said he believes the situation "is getting better, in that we are now asking the right questions -- there are more people from these affected populations who are doing the needed research."
Hallfors agreed. She said that papers like hers, and new data coming out of the CDC and elsewhere, "is really important, because policymakers can start to think differently. Whites and blacks are different, the dynamics are different, and you can't just treat these diseases the same for both groups."
More information
Find out more about HIV/AIDS from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Regular Exercise Helps Obese Teens' Hearts
(HealthDay News) -- Obese teens who start a regular exercise program can reverse or reduce early signs of heart disease, new research shows.
The finding suggests that continued exercise could decrease their risk of developing hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and strokes, said Dr. Andreas Alexander Meyer, of the University of Rostock in Germany.
"Obese young adults who were already obese in childhood have a high risk of developing serious cardiovascular events," Meyer said. "First events can occur between the age of 20 and 30 years."
Meyer's team studied 67 obese German teens with early signs of hardening of the arteries: decreased flexibility of their arteries and increased thickness in the linings of the carotid arteries of the neck.
"It was in the range we usually see in adults between the ages of 30 and 40," Meyer said. "This is clear evidence of vascular changes in obese children."
During the study, the researchers randomly assigned the teens, who averaged 15 years of age, to either a six-month exercise program or no change in their usual routine.
The exercise regimen included 60 minutes of swimming and water aerobics on Mondays, 90 minutes of team sports on Wednesdays and 60 minutes of walking on Fridays.
In the exercise group, the researchers saw an almost complete restoration of the arteries' flexibility, which resulted in improved blood flow. They also observed a significant reduction in the thickness of the linings of the youths' carotid arteries.
Because exercise also led to improvements in body-mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the researchers concluded that it could significantly reduce the teens' risk of developing heart disease. "Even children who did not lose weight showed improvements in vascular status and obesity-related risk factors," Meyer said.
The study results are published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Meyer cautioned that these benefits would quickly vanish if the teens did not maintain their healthy new lifestyle and strive to become even more physically active. "Generally, in children, we recommend moderate exercise of 45-90 minutes per day to keep cardiovascular risk low," he said.
Parental support is essential, Meyer said, but it can be difficult to convince parents -- who may themselves be obese and sedentary -- that their children's lives depend on eating right and exercising regularly.
"Most obese children don't get sufficient support in their efforts to reduce weight," Meyer said. "We have intensive talks with the parents about their children's medical and vascular status. We try to make clear that the whole family needs to change its risky behavior."
In recent years, childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, affecting an estimated 22 million children under age 5. In the United States, one-third of children are either obese or at risk of becoming obese, according to a 2006 federal report, Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?.
Between 2002 and 2004, the obesity rate for American children and teens increased from 16 percent to 17.1 percent and is expected to reach 20 percent by 2010, according to the report.
"All children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week," said Karen A. Donato, coordinator of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Obesity Education Initiative. She was not part of the study.
"According to the U.S. dietary guidelines for Americans, regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes," Donato said. "The National Institutes of Health has begun a national education program entitled We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition) to provide parents and primary caregivers of children with important information and tips on ways to increase physical activity in children and youth, as well as to decrease screen time, and eat a nutritious diet."
More information
For more on childhood obesity, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The finding suggests that continued exercise could decrease their risk of developing hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and strokes, said Dr. Andreas Alexander Meyer, of the University of Rostock in Germany.
"Obese young adults who were already obese in childhood have a high risk of developing serious cardiovascular events," Meyer said. "First events can occur between the age of 20 and 30 years."
Meyer's team studied 67 obese German teens with early signs of hardening of the arteries: decreased flexibility of their arteries and increased thickness in the linings of the carotid arteries of the neck.
"It was in the range we usually see in adults between the ages of 30 and 40," Meyer said. "This is clear evidence of vascular changes in obese children."
During the study, the researchers randomly assigned the teens, who averaged 15 years of age, to either a six-month exercise program or no change in their usual routine.
The exercise regimen included 60 minutes of swimming and water aerobics on Mondays, 90 minutes of team sports on Wednesdays and 60 minutes of walking on Fridays.
In the exercise group, the researchers saw an almost complete restoration of the arteries' flexibility, which resulted in improved blood flow. They also observed a significant reduction in the thickness of the linings of the youths' carotid arteries.
Because exercise also led to improvements in body-mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the researchers concluded that it could significantly reduce the teens' risk of developing heart disease. "Even children who did not lose weight showed improvements in vascular status and obesity-related risk factors," Meyer said.
The study results are published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Meyer cautioned that these benefits would quickly vanish if the teens did not maintain their healthy new lifestyle and strive to become even more physically active. "Generally, in children, we recommend moderate exercise of 45-90 minutes per day to keep cardiovascular risk low," he said.
Parental support is essential, Meyer said, but it can be difficult to convince parents -- who may themselves be obese and sedentary -- that their children's lives depend on eating right and exercising regularly.
"Most obese children don't get sufficient support in their efforts to reduce weight," Meyer said. "We have intensive talks with the parents about their children's medical and vascular status. We try to make clear that the whole family needs to change its risky behavior."
In recent years, childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, affecting an estimated 22 million children under age 5. In the United States, one-third of children are either obese or at risk of becoming obese, according to a 2006 federal report, Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?.
Between 2002 and 2004, the obesity rate for American children and teens increased from 16 percent to 17.1 percent and is expected to reach 20 percent by 2010, according to the report.
"All children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week," said Karen A. Donato, coordinator of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Obesity Education Initiative. She was not part of the study.
"According to the U.S. dietary guidelines for Americans, regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes," Donato said. "The National Institutes of Health has begun a national education program entitled We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition) to provide parents and primary caregivers of children with important information and tips on ways to increase physical activity in children and youth, as well as to decrease screen time, and eat a nutritious diet."
More information
For more on childhood obesity, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Researchers Find High Levels Of Potentially Toxic Heavy Metals In Herbal Medicine Products
Boston (December 14, 2004) -- According to a study to appear in the Dec. 15, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), one of five Ayurvedic herbal medical products (HMPs), produced in South Asia and available in Boston area stores, contains potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic.
"We tested Ayurvedic HMPs sold in Boston areas stores and found they had unacceptably high heavy metal content," said Robert Saper, MD, MPH, currently with the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) Department of Family Medicine and a former research fellow at the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Osher Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
"This study, yet again, highlights the need for Congress to revisit the way dietary supplements are regulated in the U.S.," said co-author David Eisenberg, MD, the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the HMS Division of Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. "Our first priority must be the safety of the public. Over-the-counter herbs and supplements with high levels of heavy metals are simply dangerous," he said.
Ayurvedic medicine originated in India more than 2,000 years ago and relies heavily on herbal medicine products. In India, an estimated 80% of the population uses Ayurveda. In the United States, Ayurvedic remedies have increased in popularity and are available from South Asian markets, Ayurvedic practitioners, health food stores, and on the Internet. Several recent reports of Ayurvedic medicine users developing life-threatening lead toxicity prompted the current study.
The researchers tested 70 HMPs at the New England Regional Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory and found 14 (20 percent) contained lead, mercury, and/or arsenic. Each of the 14, if taken as recommended by the manufacturers, could result in heavy metal intakes above regulatory standards. Several of the HMPs, such as Mahayograj Guggulu and Navratna Rasa, could result in lead and arsenic intakes of 1,000 - 10,000 times greater than the regulatory standards. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended by the manufacturers for use in infants and children. Eleven different manufacturers produced one or more HMPs containing heavy metals. Eighty percent of the 30 stores sold at least one HMP which contained significant amounts of heavy metals.
"Users of Ayurvedic medicines manufactured in South Asia may be at risk for heavy metal toxicity," said Saper, the lead author of the study and Director of Integrative Medicine in the Family Medicine Department at BUSM. "While the exact extent of Ayurvedic HMP use in the U.S. and abroad is unknown, the numbers of individuals at potential risk are substantial. Domestic and international public health and community organizations should issue advisories to current or previous users of Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia to consult their physicians about screening for heavy metal toxicity."
Because Ayurvedic HMPs are marketed as dietary supplements, they are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which does not require proof of safety or efficacy prior to marketing. The researchers believe that testing Ayurvedic HMPs should not only be mandatory, but call for reform that would require mandatory testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic heavy metals.
"In order to investigate the efficacy of commonly used dietary supplements including Ayurvedic remedies we need to test high-quality standardized products free of contaminants and dangerous toxins," said Eisenberg. "This study reminds us of the need for regulatory reform involving dietary supplements used by the American public."
"We tested Ayurvedic HMPs sold in Boston areas stores and found they had unacceptably high heavy metal content," said Robert Saper, MD, MPH, currently with the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) Department of Family Medicine and a former research fellow at the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Osher Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
"This study, yet again, highlights the need for Congress to revisit the way dietary supplements are regulated in the U.S.," said co-author David Eisenberg, MD, the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the HMS Division of Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. "Our first priority must be the safety of the public. Over-the-counter herbs and supplements with high levels of heavy metals are simply dangerous," he said.
Ayurvedic medicine originated in India more than 2,000 years ago and relies heavily on herbal medicine products. In India, an estimated 80% of the population uses Ayurveda. In the United States, Ayurvedic remedies have increased in popularity and are available from South Asian markets, Ayurvedic practitioners, health food stores, and on the Internet. Several recent reports of Ayurvedic medicine users developing life-threatening lead toxicity prompted the current study.
The researchers tested 70 HMPs at the New England Regional Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory and found 14 (20 percent) contained lead, mercury, and/or arsenic. Each of the 14, if taken as recommended by the manufacturers, could result in heavy metal intakes above regulatory standards. Several of the HMPs, such as Mahayograj Guggulu and Navratna Rasa, could result in lead and arsenic intakes of 1,000 - 10,000 times greater than the regulatory standards. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended by the manufacturers for use in infants and children. Eleven different manufacturers produced one or more HMPs containing heavy metals. Eighty percent of the 30 stores sold at least one HMP which contained significant amounts of heavy metals.
"Users of Ayurvedic medicines manufactured in South Asia may be at risk for heavy metal toxicity," said Saper, the lead author of the study and Director of Integrative Medicine in the Family Medicine Department at BUSM. "While the exact extent of Ayurvedic HMP use in the U.S. and abroad is unknown, the numbers of individuals at potential risk are substantial. Domestic and international public health and community organizations should issue advisories to current or previous users of Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia to consult their physicians about screening for heavy metal toxicity."
Because Ayurvedic HMPs are marketed as dietary supplements, they are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which does not require proof of safety or efficacy prior to marketing. The researchers believe that testing Ayurvedic HMPs should not only be mandatory, but call for reform that would require mandatory testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic heavy metals.
"In order to investigate the efficacy of commonly used dietary supplements including Ayurvedic remedies we need to test high-quality standardized products free of contaminants and dangerous toxins," said Eisenberg. "This study reminds us of the need for regulatory reform involving dietary supplements used by the American public."
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Definitions of types of complementary and alternative therapies
Here is a definition of the types of the most common complementary and alternative therapies
Acupuncture
("AK-yoo-pungk-cher") is a method of healing developed in China at least 2,000 years ago. Today, acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
Aromatherapy
("ah-roam-uh-THER-ah-py"): involves the use of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs, and trees to promote health and well-being. >
Ayurveda
("ah-yur-VAY-dah") is a CAM alternative medical system that has been practiced primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment.
Chiropractic
("kie-roh-PRAC-tic") is a CAM alternative medical system. It focuses on the relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function, and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. Chiropractors use manipulative therapy as an integral treatment tool. Dietary supplements. Congress defined the term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs.
Electromagnetic fields
(EMFs, also called electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines of force that surround all electrical devices. The Earth also produces EMFs; electric fields are produced when there is thunderstorm activity, and magnetic fields are believed to be produced by electric currents flowing at the Earth's core.
Homeopathic
("home-ee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine is a CAM alternative medical system. In homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that "like cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.
Massage
("muh-SAHJ") therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.
Naturopathic
("nay-chur-o-PATH-ic") medicine, or naturopathy, is a CAM alternative medical system. Naturopathic medicine proposes that there is a healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting this power, through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements, medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy, and treatments from traditional Chinese medicine.
Osteopathic
("ahs-tee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes diseases arising in the musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying belief that all of the body's systems work together, and disturbances in one system may affect function elsewhere in the body. Some osteopathic physicians practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-body system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore function, and promote health and well-being.
Qi gong
("chee-GUNG") is a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term given to what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
Reiki
("RAY-kee") is a Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that when spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the patient's spirit is healed, which in turn heals the physical body.
Therapeutic Touch
This is derived from an ancient technique called laying-on of hands. It is based on the premise that it is the healing force of the therapist that affects the patient's recovery; healing is promoted when the body's energies are in balance; and, by passing their hands over the patient, healers can identify energy imbalances.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
This is the current name for an ancient system of health care from China. TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is proposed to result from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and remedial massage.
NCCAM, National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov
Acupuncture
("AK-yoo-pungk-cher") is a method of healing developed in China at least 2,000 years ago. Today, acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
Aromatherapy
("ah-roam-uh-THER-ah-py"): involves the use of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs, and trees to promote health and well-being. >
Ayurveda
("ah-yur-VAY-dah") is a CAM alternative medical system that has been practiced primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment.
Chiropractic
("kie-roh-PRAC-tic") is a CAM alternative medical system. It focuses on the relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function, and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. Chiropractors use manipulative therapy as an integral treatment tool. Dietary supplements. Congress defined the term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs.
Electromagnetic fields
(EMFs, also called electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines of force that surround all electrical devices. The Earth also produces EMFs; electric fields are produced when there is thunderstorm activity, and magnetic fields are believed to be produced by electric currents flowing at the Earth's core.
Homeopathic
("home-ee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine is a CAM alternative medical system. In homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that "like cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.
Massage
("muh-SAHJ") therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.
Naturopathic
("nay-chur-o-PATH-ic") medicine, or naturopathy, is a CAM alternative medical system. Naturopathic medicine proposes that there is a healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting this power, through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements, medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy, and treatments from traditional Chinese medicine.
Osteopathic
("ahs-tee-oh-PATH-ic") medicine is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes diseases arising in the musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying belief that all of the body's systems work together, and disturbances in one system may affect function elsewhere in the body. Some osteopathic physicians practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-body system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore function, and promote health and well-being.
Qi gong
("chee-GUNG") is a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term given to what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
Reiki
("RAY-kee") is a Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that when spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the patient's spirit is healed, which in turn heals the physical body.
Therapeutic Touch
This is derived from an ancient technique called laying-on of hands. It is based on the premise that it is the healing force of the therapist that affects the patient's recovery; healing is promoted when the body's energies are in balance; and, by passing their hands over the patient, healers can identify energy imbalances.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
This is the current name for an ancient system of health care from China. TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is proposed to result from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and remedial massage.
NCCAM, National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov
Some ayurvedic products have toxic amounts of heavy metals
Doctors in the USA are becoming alarmed at the toxic amounts of heavy metals found in some ayurvedic products. Ayurvedic medicine is ancient Hindu science of health and medicine. Ayurvedic products generally means herbal products. An analysis of a sample of Ayurvedic herbal medicine products found that 20 percent contained metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic at levels that could be toxic if taken as directed, according to a study in the December 15 issue of JAMA.
According to background information in the article, approximately 80 percent of India's one billion population uses Ayurveda, a medical system that originated in India more than 2000 years ago and greatly relies on herbal medicine products (HMPs). Ayurveda's popularity in Western countries has increased. Because Ayurvedic HMPs are marketed as dietary supplements, they are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which does not require proof of safety or efficacy prior to marketing. Herbs, minerals and metals are used in Ayurvedic HMPs.
Recent reports of serious lead poisoning associated with taking Ayurvedic HMPs were the impetus for the current study. Robert B. Saper, M.D., M.P.H., formerly of Harvard Medical School, Boston, (currently with the Boston University School of Medicine) and colleagues examined Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia and sold in Boston-area stores in order to examine their heavy metal content.
From April to October 2003, the researchers purchased 70 different Ayurvedic HMPs at stores within 20 miles of Boston City Hall. Concentrations of lead, mercury and arsenic were measured in the samples. The potential amount of daily metal ingestion, estimated by using manufacturers' dosage recommendations, was compared to U.S. Pharmacopeia and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory standards.
The researchers found that 14 (20 percent) of the 70 HMPs contained lead, mercury and/or arsenic, and that if taken as recommended by the manufacturer, each of these could result in heavy metal intake above the published regulatory standards. Lead was found in 13 HMPs; mercury in six HMPs; and arsenic in six HMPs. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended for children. The 14 HMPs containing heavy metals were manufactured by 11 different companies. Of the 30 stores visited, 24 sold at least one heavy metal-containing HMP. "… the presence of heavy metals in Ayurvedic HMPs and the numerous reports of associated toxicity may have important public health, clinical, and policy implications in the United States and abroad.
Although the prevalence of heavy metal-containing Ayurvedic HMP use is unknown, the number of individuals at potential risk is substantial," the authors write. "Public health and community organizations should consider issuing advisories to current or previous Ayurvedic HMP users, encouraging them to consult their physicians about heavy metal screening." "Our findings support calls for reform of DSHEA that would require mandatory testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic heavy metals," they conclude.
(JAMA. 2004; 292: 2868-2873.
Available post-embargo at http://www.jama.com)
Editor's Note: For funding and financial disclosure information, please see the JAMA article.
Contact: Gina DiGravio617-638-8491
JAMA and Archives Journals Website
According to background information in the article, approximately 80 percent of India's one billion population uses Ayurveda, a medical system that originated in India more than 2000 years ago and greatly relies on herbal medicine products (HMPs). Ayurveda's popularity in Western countries has increased. Because Ayurvedic HMPs are marketed as dietary supplements, they are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which does not require proof of safety or efficacy prior to marketing. Herbs, minerals and metals are used in Ayurvedic HMPs.
Recent reports of serious lead poisoning associated with taking Ayurvedic HMPs were the impetus for the current study. Robert B. Saper, M.D., M.P.H., formerly of Harvard Medical School, Boston, (currently with the Boston University School of Medicine) and colleagues examined Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia and sold in Boston-area stores in order to examine their heavy metal content.
From April to October 2003, the researchers purchased 70 different Ayurvedic HMPs at stores within 20 miles of Boston City Hall. Concentrations of lead, mercury and arsenic were measured in the samples. The potential amount of daily metal ingestion, estimated by using manufacturers' dosage recommendations, was compared to U.S. Pharmacopeia and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory standards.
The researchers found that 14 (20 percent) of the 70 HMPs contained lead, mercury and/or arsenic, and that if taken as recommended by the manufacturer, each of these could result in heavy metal intake above the published regulatory standards. Lead was found in 13 HMPs; mercury in six HMPs; and arsenic in six HMPs. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended for children. The 14 HMPs containing heavy metals were manufactured by 11 different companies. Of the 30 stores visited, 24 sold at least one heavy metal-containing HMP. "… the presence of heavy metals in Ayurvedic HMPs and the numerous reports of associated toxicity may have important public health, clinical, and policy implications in the United States and abroad.
Although the prevalence of heavy metal-containing Ayurvedic HMP use is unknown, the number of individuals at potential risk is substantial," the authors write. "Public health and community organizations should consider issuing advisories to current or previous Ayurvedic HMP users, encouraging them to consult their physicians about heavy metal screening." "Our findings support calls for reform of DSHEA that would require mandatory testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic heavy metals," they conclude.
(JAMA. 2004; 292: 2868-2873.
Available post-embargo at http://www.jama.com)
Editor's Note: For funding and financial disclosure information, please see the JAMA article.
Contact: Gina DiGravio617-638-8491
JAMA and Archives Journals Website
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Medicate Migraines While Breastfeeding?
Medicate Migraines While Breastfeeding? Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I am a breastfeeding mom who suffers from migraines. Are there supplements that can prevent migraines but are still safe to use when breastfeeding? What about treatments when I have a migraine - are any of them safe to use? --Kehwie J. A: Fortunately for about 70 percent of women who suffer from migraines, pregnancy improves matters, at least temporarily. If you're very lucky, the migraines might not return now that your baby is born. But if they do, dealing with them can be tricky, especially if you're breastfeeding. You don't want your baby ingesting potentially harmful drugs that might be excreted in your breast milk.
You can safely take several supplements to prevent migraines while you're breastfeeding. Not all of them work for everyone, but they're certainly safe and worth a try. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) can be helpful, as can magnesium and the herb feverfew, which is available at health food stores. The recommended dose of riboflavin is 400 mg daily - a pretty high dose, which needs to be prescribed by a physician. Recommended dosage for magnesium is anywhere between 400-600 mg daily, sometimes higher. Dosage of feverfew is 100-250 mg of an extract standardized to .7 percent parthenolides.
Another herb, butterbur, which recently has proved to be as effective and safe as some prescription drugs for migraine prevention isn't recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because the appropriate safety studies haven't been done. In addition to supplements, you might also consider biofeedback as a non-drug approach to reducing the frequency and intensity of your migraines. Certain medications used to prevent migraines are safe to use while breastfeeding. They include some of the beta blockers (drugs used to treat high blood pressure that can also effectively prevent migraines).
While you have to be careful about medications used to treat headaches that do develop, some are safe for use by nursing mothers. You can get a complete list of which ones are safe to take and which ones should be avoided at the Web site for the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE): www.achenet.org/women/preg. ACHE is the patient education arm of the American Headache Society, a professional organization of health professionals who specialize in headache treatment. You'll see that some widely used medications for pain are okay to use while nursing. Unfortunately, the "triptans," drugs especially designed for migraine treatment, must be used with caution since the medication can be excreted in breast milk. If you have a prescription for one of these drugs, I suggest that you consult your physician before using them while nursing.
Andrew Weil, MD
Last Reviewed: August 2005
Q: I am a breastfeeding mom who suffers from migraines. Are there supplements that can prevent migraines but are still safe to use when breastfeeding? What about treatments when I have a migraine - are any of them safe to use? --Kehwie J. A: Fortunately for about 70 percent of women who suffer from migraines, pregnancy improves matters, at least temporarily. If you're very lucky, the migraines might not return now that your baby is born. But if they do, dealing with them can be tricky, especially if you're breastfeeding. You don't want your baby ingesting potentially harmful drugs that might be excreted in your breast milk.
You can safely take several supplements to prevent migraines while you're breastfeeding. Not all of them work for everyone, but they're certainly safe and worth a try. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) can be helpful, as can magnesium and the herb feverfew, which is available at health food stores. The recommended dose of riboflavin is 400 mg daily - a pretty high dose, which needs to be prescribed by a physician. Recommended dosage for magnesium is anywhere between 400-600 mg daily, sometimes higher. Dosage of feverfew is 100-250 mg of an extract standardized to .7 percent parthenolides.
Another herb, butterbur, which recently has proved to be as effective and safe as some prescription drugs for migraine prevention isn't recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because the appropriate safety studies haven't been done. In addition to supplements, you might also consider biofeedback as a non-drug approach to reducing the frequency and intensity of your migraines. Certain medications used to prevent migraines are safe to use while breastfeeding. They include some of the beta blockers (drugs used to treat high blood pressure that can also effectively prevent migraines).
While you have to be careful about medications used to treat headaches that do develop, some are safe for use by nursing mothers. You can get a complete list of which ones are safe to take and which ones should be avoided at the Web site for the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE): www.achenet.org/women/preg. ACHE is the patient education arm of the American Headache Society, a professional organization of health professionals who specialize in headache treatment. You'll see that some widely used medications for pain are okay to use while nursing. Unfortunately, the "triptans," drugs especially designed for migraine treatment, must be used with caution since the medication can be excreted in breast milk. If you have a prescription for one of these drugs, I suggest that you consult your physician before using them while nursing.
Andrew Weil, MD
Last Reviewed: August 2005
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Ayurveda- A Complete Science of Life
By: Dr.Shashikant Patwardhan
Ayurveda is a science of life so to know more about it, we must know what is life? Life according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So it is clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to body or physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and social health. The words like soul and spirituality might sound outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable. Actually, I don't feel that it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these things to us. We are always trapped in the attractions of outer material world to become happy and peaceful. The modern society, education, culture and the television- everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is it so that most us are unhappy. There is unrest, anxiety, mental tension, fighting and terror every where despite best efforts being made to stop them. This is because some part of our body is not being nourished properly. Be open minded and try to understand. What is Ayurveda? Ayurveda literally means "science of life and longevity." and is considered to be the traditional system of medicine of India. Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind. Historians have not pin-pointed the exact time Ayurveda came into being. Most agree that Ayurvedic classical texts were written in India between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago.At this time, philosophy and medicine were not separated. Therefore, philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.What is unique about Ayurveda ?There are several aspects to Ayurveda that are quite unique:Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in analyzing individual patient constitution and understanding variations in disease manifestation. The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for a whole state of health, again unique to each case.Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, and even spiritual practices to restore and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and the body, a huge amount of information is available regarding this relationship.This understanding that we are all unique individuals enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers explanation as to why one person responds differently than another.Physiology of Ayurveda All matter is thought to he composed of five basic elements ( panchamahabhutas ) which exhibit the properties of earth (prithvi), water (jala), fire (tejas), wind (vayu) and space (akasha). These elements do not exist in isolated forms, but always in a combination, in which one or more elements dominate. According to Ayurveda, the human body is composed of derivatives of the five basic elements, in the form of three humors(dosha - 3 ), tissues (dhatus -7 ) and waste products (malas-3 ). Disease Process(Pathology) in Ayurveda Under normal conditions, the doshas, dhatus and malas correspond to certain standards regarding their quantity, quality and function. However, this situation is not static, and due to several endogenous and exogenous factors, the doshas may become unbalanced, resulting in disease. Every disease is related to an imbalance of the doshas. Other coherent factors can be: the disturbance of the biological factors (agnis), the formation and accumulation of undigested nutrients (ama), obstruction of the body channels (shrotorodha), and a disturbed assimilation in the tissues. Disease Management(Pharmacology and Treatment) in AyurvedaThere are four main classifications of management of disease in Ayurveda: shodan, or cleansing; shaman or palliation; rasayana, or rejuvenation; and satvajaya, or mental hygiene.Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas (Prakruti) and thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a persons health challenges. When any of the doshas ( Vata, Pitta or Kapha ) become imbalance, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing or increasing the doshas that has become imbalance. The drugs used in Ayurveda are made by several processes from vegetable and mineral raw materials. Mostly plant alkaloids are the active ingredients. Obviously barring some chemical changes it is mostly natural deviates.If toxins in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known as "Pancha Karma" is recommended to eliminate these unwanted toxins.This "panchkarma" or Five internal cleansing methods,is a most profound therapy in Ayurveda.
Article Source: http://updateforyou.com
Dr.Shashikant Patwardhan is practicing as 'Ayurvedic Consultant' He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a 'Comprehensive website on Ayurveda - http://www.ayurveda-foryou.com/ He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format.Up till now he has written ten ebooks
more info at:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayurvedic.htm
Ayurveda is a science of life so to know more about it, we must know what is life? Life according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So it is clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to body or physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and social health. The words like soul and spirituality might sound outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable. Actually, I don't feel that it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these things to us. We are always trapped in the attractions of outer material world to become happy and peaceful. The modern society, education, culture and the television- everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is it so that most us are unhappy. There is unrest, anxiety, mental tension, fighting and terror every where despite best efforts being made to stop them. This is because some part of our body is not being nourished properly. Be open minded and try to understand. What is Ayurveda? Ayurveda literally means "science of life and longevity." and is considered to be the traditional system of medicine of India. Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind. Historians have not pin-pointed the exact time Ayurveda came into being. Most agree that Ayurvedic classical texts were written in India between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago.At this time, philosophy and medicine were not separated. Therefore, philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.What is unique about Ayurveda ?There are several aspects to Ayurveda that are quite unique:Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in analyzing individual patient constitution and understanding variations in disease manifestation. The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for a whole state of health, again unique to each case.Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, and even spiritual practices to restore and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and the body, a huge amount of information is available regarding this relationship.This understanding that we are all unique individuals enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers explanation as to why one person responds differently than another.Physiology of Ayurveda All matter is thought to he composed of five basic elements ( panchamahabhutas ) which exhibit the properties of earth (prithvi), water (jala), fire (tejas), wind (vayu) and space (akasha). These elements do not exist in isolated forms, but always in a combination, in which one or more elements dominate. According to Ayurveda, the human body is composed of derivatives of the five basic elements, in the form of three humors(dosha - 3 ), tissues (dhatus -7 ) and waste products (malas-3 ). Disease Process(Pathology) in Ayurveda Under normal conditions, the doshas, dhatus and malas correspond to certain standards regarding their quantity, quality and function. However, this situation is not static, and due to several endogenous and exogenous factors, the doshas may become unbalanced, resulting in disease. Every disease is related to an imbalance of the doshas. Other coherent factors can be: the disturbance of the biological factors (agnis), the formation and accumulation of undigested nutrients (ama), obstruction of the body channels (shrotorodha), and a disturbed assimilation in the tissues. Disease Management(Pharmacology and Treatment) in AyurvedaThere are four main classifications of management of disease in Ayurveda: shodan, or cleansing; shaman or palliation; rasayana, or rejuvenation; and satvajaya, or mental hygiene.Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas (Prakruti) and thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a persons health challenges. When any of the doshas ( Vata, Pitta or Kapha ) become imbalance, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing or increasing the doshas that has become imbalance. The drugs used in Ayurveda are made by several processes from vegetable and mineral raw materials. Mostly plant alkaloids are the active ingredients. Obviously barring some chemical changes it is mostly natural deviates.If toxins in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known as "Pancha Karma" is recommended to eliminate these unwanted toxins.This "panchkarma" or Five internal cleansing methods,is a most profound therapy in Ayurveda.
Article Source: http://updateforyou.com
Dr.Shashikant Patwardhan is practicing as 'Ayurvedic Consultant' He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a 'Comprehensive website on Ayurveda - http://www.ayurveda-foryou.com/ He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format.Up till now he has written ten ebooks
more info at:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayurvedic.htm
Monday, December 05, 2005
Fifth International Seminar on Ayurveda
Dear Sir/Madam,
With great pleasure we announce the schedule of the fifth International Seminar on Ayurveda is to be organised on 5-7 January 2006. The circular of the Seminar is attached herewith. As all of you are aware regarding the importance of our interaction during the Seminar, we hope that you will find out a time to attend the same.
Dr M S BaghelDirector International Center for Ayurvedic StudiesGujarat Ayurved UniversityJamnagar
More informations here:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayurvedic.htm
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/education/education.htm
With great pleasure we announce the schedule of the fifth International Seminar on Ayurveda is to be organised on 5-7 January 2006. The circular of the Seminar is attached herewith. As all of you are aware regarding the importance of our interaction during the Seminar, we hope that you will find out a time to attend the same.
Dr M S BaghelDirector International Center for Ayurvedic StudiesGujarat Ayurved UniversityJamnagar
More informations here:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayurvedic.htm
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/education/education.htm
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Kamaraja
