Daily Archives: March 8, 2022

A charity that promoted complementary and alternative medicine to cancer patients has decided to wind down following engagement with the Charity Commission.

Gerson Support Group, which aimed to promote treatments based on diet, nutritional supplements and enemas, has been removed from the charity register after the regulator opened a compliance case into its work.

Charities that promote alternative medicine or therapies must provide objective, scientific evidence in support of their claims, according to commission guidance which was updated in 2018.

The commission said GSGs own board acknowledged it would not meet the criteria for registration if it applied today.

GSG was registered as a charity in 1997 to support cancer patients and advance Gerson nutritional therapy.

The commission opened a case to scrutinise GSG in 2019, a year after concluding a consultation into public benefit offered by alternative therapy charities.

That consultation recommended that charities offering alternative cures and treatments must provide scientific evidence to back their claims.

The regulator said that during its assessment it identified concerns about the extent to which GSG provided public benefit, and that the charitys trustees also acknowledged that the evidence to support Gerson nutritional therapy would not now meet the commissions criteria for registration as a charity.

Helen Earner, director of regulatory services at the commission, said: I welcome the decision by the trustees of GSG to wind it up, having recognised our concerns regarding its claims to cure people from life-threatening diseases.

Charitable status is a special status that comes with clear expectations and responsibilities. The law is clear that all organisations which wish to hold that status must demonstrate public benefit.

It is right that, following the commissions intervention, the organisation has been removed from the register of charities.

The regulator said that there was a number of other ongoing cases concerning other alternative therapy charities and that it would take firm and robust action where necessary.

A spokesperson for GSG told Third Sector: The trustees of the Gerson Support Group are extremely sad that the charity had to close down.

They are aware of many thousands of people worldwide who have been helped by Dr Gersons therapy, and personally know people who believe they would not be alive today but for Dr Gersons work.

The commission decided to review its guidance on alternative therapy charities shortly after the Good Thinking Society, which says it battles against irrationality and pseudoscience, threatened to bring legal action over the regulators stance.

Michael Marshall, project director of the Good Thinking Society, said: It is extremely encouraging to see that the GSG will no longer be able to use their charitable status to promote a disproven and wholly ineffective therapy to vulnerable cancer patients.

As the Charity Commission has noted, however, this is far from the only example of an organisation using its charitable status to encourage the public to put their trust in unproven and potentially harmful forms of treatment. It is not even the only charity spreading misinformation about cancer.

Marshall described todays news as a good first step in protecting the public and the reputation of the charity sector as a whole but it is only the first step. We will be watching with keen interest what steps follow.

See the rest here:

Alternative medicine charity winds down after regulator 'identified concerns' about its public benefit - Third Sector

Another massive study has shown the power mindfulness-based therapy can have on the brain.

A randomized clinical trial by Utah researchers compared the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapy withcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in reducing both opioid use and pain in chronic pain patients.

The trial, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in February 2022, was the latest in a series of studies that use mindfulness-based techniques to reduce pain and opioid use in people with chronic pain. The lead study author,Eric Garland, PhD, a licensed clinical social worker, distinguished professor, and the director of the Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, designed the Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) approach. It combines mindfulness training, changes to the course of negative thoughts, relearning how to appreciate positive experiences, and positive psychology, which encourages people to focus on their strengths rather than weaknesses.

The randomized clinical trial included 250 adults with chronic pain who were misusing the opioids they were prescribed to treat their pain. Half met criteria for opioid use disorder (OUD) at the time they were enrolled in the trial. Roughly half the patients underwent group mindfulness training for eight weeks using MORE. The control group received standard CBT in a group setting.

The researchers encouraged the patients to do what was right for them and did not force anyone to wean themselves off medication. For patients who wanted or needed to remain on opioids, MORE helped them reduce their risk of misuse and relieved pain.

Opioid misuse decreased by an average of 45 percent in the MORE group, double that of the CBT group. More than 35 percent of people in the MORE group cut their opioid use by at least half. The people in the MORE group also reported less pain, opioid cravings, and emotional distress, even though they were taking fewer pain pills. The effects lasted at least until the researchers nine-month follow-up period. And although the effects appeared to plateau between six and nine months for the MORE group, the effects of CBT actually waned in the control group.

Its difficult to make blanket statements about chronic pain since its so different in everyone, but there seems to be a way of modulating how ones relationship with pain modulates the amount of craving they have for a drug, saysFadel Zeidan, PhD, an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of California in San Diego and the director of the Pain, Health, and Mindfulness Lab, who was not involved in the new research.

Dr. Garland and his colleagues also asked the participants to record their own mindfulness practices for the first month following their eight-week treatment.

Those data show that the more people practice, the greater the benefit they get, says Garland, noting that future research will focus on the longevity of mindfulness-based treatment for chronic pain and opioid use.

The new research was the longest and most advanced of the trials that tested the specifically designed mindfulness intervention in chronic pain patients who misused opioids. The goal with these patients is twofold: Reduce opioid dependence and still manage pain.

We need adjunctive, non-opioid therapies that are safe and effective that can help address unrelieved pain, says Garland. This study demonstrates the efficacy of an intervention that can help people who are prescribed opioids continue to get the adequate pain relief they need while reducing opioid-related risks and harm.

According to Dr. Zeidan, what makes the MORE approach unique is its focus on helping people who have used opioids long-term learn how to savor pleasure again.

Because of opioids, their reward systems are completely out of whack. The physiology has been changed in a way where the drive for the drug has taken over their reward pathways, he says. Garland is showing that this component of savoring, something that opiate-using chronic pain patients have a deficiency in, can be modulated through this very multimodal approach.

One thing Garland notes is that despite relatively high doses of opioids, people in the trial were still suffering from high levels of chronic pain.

Thats because opiates dont work for chronic pain, says Zeidan.

Rather, opiates like morphine can relieve acute pain that is temporary, such as post-surgery pain. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is often lifelong. According to Zeidan, this makes mindfulness a particularly good modality for helping people cope with chronic pain.

From the research weve seen to date, the immediate effect that mindfulness can have is on pain, says Zeidan. It's one of the only techniques that can immediately reduce pain, and were just now starting to understand that.

According to Zeidan, research has so far shown that the effect mindfulness has on pain perception is not just a placebo effect, and unlike other pain-relieving modalities, it appears to work outside the bodys internal opioid system.

Medications like prescription opioids, and even over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, work within the bodys opioid system to block signals from reaching the brain, where they are processed and perceived as pain.

Mindfulness engages neural and physiological processes that are quite unique. The theory is we cannot relieve pain outside of the opioid system using any other method, says Zeidan.

In recent years, theres been a debate about whether chronic pain has psychological origins.

I take issue with this idea that chronic pain is mostly psychological, says Garland. There are certainly psychological factors that influence people's pain, but people also suffer from medical conditions that are very painful, and we shouldnt reduce all their pain to being psychological.

Even when pain is coming from a purely physiological source, like a herniated disk or an arthritic knee, mindfulness can still be a great way to reduce pain.

That is not because pain is psychological. Its because all pain is processed in the brain and mindfulness changes how the brain processes the signals of damage from the body, says Garland.

The latest MORE trial showed that mindfulness can also quell the emotional side effects of living with chronic pain. At the beginning of the trial, nearly 70 percent of patients met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). By the end of the trial, people treated with MORE showed reduced symptoms of depression that no longer qualified as MDD.

According to Zeidan, this effect is just as important as pain relief and reduced dependence on opioids.

In chronic pain patients, the pain will always be there. The pain is not the problem; its the snowball effect of the depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, suffering, and inability to savor the joys in life that makes you become your pain, he says.

Zeidan views a multimodal approach,rather than pain medications, to be the core of chronic pain management.

I dont think of mindfulness-based therapies, physical therapy, or exercise as alternative therapies, says Zeidan. They are central.

See more here:

Mindfulness Reduces Opioid Misuse for Chronic Pain - Everyday Health

Women are evolving in every part of the world with their unswerving dedication and out-of-the-box approach. There is no doubt that if a woman tries, she can surely succeed in building something of an empire. Making us believe that the importance of womens emancipation cannot be limited.

As we celebrate International Womens Day, we bring forward strong opinions about women showing great courage by making their mark in the health industry. These influential women have an unshakeable desire to push their boundaries and create an impact.Below are the opinions of female doctors and coaches from different domains guiding people on the route to a healthy lifestyle. As they say building a healthy lifestyle should be a continuous process, not a one-time event.

Ojaswini Kapoor, CEO Bloom IVF Group, Indias leading chain of fertility & IVF centres

Todays women are reaching newer heights every moment and juggling countless responsibilities in the process. It is heartening to see the recognition of women's intellect and power in all industries and fields. Along with opting for unconventional career paths, women are also aware & decisive about their lifestyle and reproductive choices. However, I strongly feel that women often tend to ignore their own wellness and mental health needs. It is crucial to give attention to a healthy diet and an exercise regime with yoga & meditation. This really aids you to be more productive while taking care of yourself at the same time.

DrRichika Sahay, Founder - India IVF Clinic & Fertility

While a woman is labeled as "barren", we choose to overlook the fact that men also play a fairly crucial role in conception, as the ever-dominant male ego goes into self-denial. DrRichika said. This led her to start the Flertility and India IVF clinic, which has a scientifically validated complete end-to-end, holistic, emotional, medical management, and support solution. It has created a platform that doesnt look scary, alien, or medical, but clear, fresh, and "normal," packed full of trusted information. She is convinced she can bring happiness with her dedication and hard work. Dr. Richika is an IVF specialist and a gynecological laparoscopic surgeon with over 20 years of experience. She wants to help couple to dream of having their perfect family.

Neha Sawhney, a certified happiness coach and founder of happy Heads

Many women in India suffer from mental disorders like depression or anxiety. Due to a lack of awareness, these issues are considered taboo. As a result, people refrain from seeking professional help. I suffered from acute depression myself, due to which my life got upside down. But I fought it with my might. From there, my journey to happiness began.

A healthy mind can lead to a healthy life and a much happier life. Happy Heads is an initiative that focuses on improving mental health with games, affirmation cards, etc. My ultimate goal is to launch a free to use Mobile App to provide support and therapies for kids, teens, and adults suffering from mental disorders. We wish to make a difference with Happy Heads.

Kanu Priya Sekhri a coach and therapist Kindlywithkanu

Many women have grown up feeling not fair enough, not tall enough, not thin enough, not intelligent enough the list is endless. But it basically feels like I am not enough. This impacts our mental health and sometimes our physical health and we may not even realise it. Often no one else is saying anything about us anymore. But that voice has become our voice and we keep feeling not enough. This has an impact on our work and our relationships. We need to heal and release that voice inside us and then we can achieve anything.

Kanu is a coach and therapist. She led a transformation program, The Heartbeat Solution, with participants from all over the world to learn mind-set techniques.

Dr Neha Harneja, founder Therapies by Neha/ Tarot.temple

"Where there is a strong woman, there is magic."

My husband passed away, and I took over his electronics business. People around me gave me two years. I survived for fifteen. I survived because I stopped believing it was a mans world. Not only that, I studied to become a doctor in alternative medicine, an energy therapist, and a trauma manager. Today as a energy shifter I provide bio field therapies like Reiki, Pranic healing, psychological acupressure EFT, Bach flower therapy to deal and heal with all kinds of trauma-physical, emotional or relational. I also offer tarot card readings for extra guidance. I am here to make a difference!

Indeed having a healthy routine is beneficial for the long term as it maintains your body functioning along with making you fit and ready to fight every day. On the occasion of Womens day, above listed leading ladies have explained and talked about the importance of a healthy lifestyle not just for women but for each and every person. So, take their advice and start your healthy routine from today.

Happy Womens Day!!

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International Womens Day: How These Women Are Transforming The Healthcare Industry - Outlook India

by Karan Bhargava

The coronavirus pandemic has been one of humanitys biggest crises. But it has brought marginal topics like health to the mainstream people and policymakers are discussing it more than ever. At this juncture, it is important for India to probe into the nature of health and care that Indians, susceptible to a host of chronic diseases, need before restructuring the healthcare system, now heavily inclined towards curing a disease. It is time to consider non-allopathic treatment modalities such as homeopathy to prove their mettle again and establish its reputation as a scientific pursuit aimed at holistic care so as to complement curative properties of modern medicine.

Homeopathy in India is a few centuries old and was first brought by German missionaries more than 200 years ago. However, it gained the royal patronage and followers in India in 1839 when John Honigberger, a Romanian homeopath and disciple of Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy, successfully treated Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the then ruler of Punjab, suffering from paralysis of the vocal cords with swelling of the feet through homeopathy. Mahendra Lal Sircar, the first Indian homeopathic physician, brought it under spotlight, leading to allopathic doctors adding homeopathic practice and establishment of the 'Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College', the first homeopathic medical college, in 1881.

Homeopathy as integrative medicineThe efficacy of homeopathic treatment has emerged as a potential complementing force to the allopathic medicine regime that is largely focused on curing a disease, and hence, is reactive in nature. Homeopathic treatment, on the other hand, is also proactive as it prevents illness as well as checks chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression, etc., promoting wellbeing. Having noted the benefits of homeopathy, the Western medical world has adopted an integrative medicine approach. India recognized homeopathy as one of the national systems of medicine in 1973 and established the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH) to regulate education and practice, allowing only qualified registered homeopaths practice. Currently, homeopathy is the third most popular method of medical treatment in India after allopathy and Ayurveda. There are over 200,000 registered homeopathic doctors, with approximately 12,000 more being added annually. Yet, many Indians perceive homeopaths as a quack and struggle to accept homeopathy as a dependable alternative. Only a handful of insurers cover this discipline of treatment while limited observation of World Homeopathy Day on 10th April ensures it remains obscure.

(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHealthworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person / organisation directly or indirectly.)

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Homeopathy drives home care amid rush for health and wellbeing - ETHealthWorld