Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

WEDNESDAY, March 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Homeopathy's effectiveness may be significantly overestimated because most research supporting this form of complementary medicine is of poor quality, according to a new analysis.

Homeopathy is a popular alternative to conventional medicine in many developed countries, including the United States, but remains highly controversial.

This new paper found that many clinical trials involving homeopathy haven't been registered, the main outcome was changed in a quarter of those that have been published, and many of the trials remain unpublished.

Those issues indicate "a concerning lack of scientific and ethical standards in the field of homeopathy and a high risk for reporting bias," study co-author Gerald Gartlehner and colleagues wrote in the study.

Gartlehner is with the department for evidence-based medicine and evaluation at Danube University in Krems, Austria.

He and his team sought to learn if the published clinical trials might not represent all the scientific studies on homeopathy, but a select few reporting only positive results. That's what's meant by reporting bias.

The team searched major international registries for homeopathy clinical trials registered up to April 2019. Then then searched research databases to track publication of these trials up to April 2021.

Since 2002, nearly 38% of registered homeopathy trials remain unpublished, while 53% of published randomized controlled trials havent been registered, they found. In all, 30% of randomized controlled trials published during the past five years havent been registered.

The findings "indicate that journals publishing homeopathy trials do not adhere to policies by the [International Committee of Medical Journal Editors], which demand that only registered [randomized controlled trials] should be published," the researchers wrote. The study is published online March 15 in the journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.

The researchers also found that homeopathy trials were more likely to be registered after they had started than before they had started, and that 25% of published primary outcomes weren't the same as those originally registered.

Unregistered trials tended to report greater effectiveness of homeopathy than registered trials, according to the study.

These poor research practices likely affect "the validity of the body of evidence of homeopathic literature and may substantially overestimate the true treatment effect of homeopathic remedies," the authors said in a journal news release.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers safety tips on homeopathic products.

SOURCE: BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, news release, March 15, 2022

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Research Supporting Homeopathy Is Often Biased, of Poor Quality: Review - HealthDay News

A Connecticut legislative committee on Friday approved a bill that would set the state up to provide certain patients with access to psychedelic-assisted treatment with substances like MDMA and psilocybin.

Before the vote, several members of the joint Public Health Committee remarked on the compelling testimony of top military officials, advocates and scientists who spoke about their experiences and the potential impact of the reform at a hearing earlier this week.

The legislation was approved on a noncontroversial basis as part of the panels consent calendar. It now advances to floor consideration.

The measure, HB 5396, would create psychedelic treatment centers in the state, pending approval of the substances by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under its expanded access program for investigational new drugs.

Rep. Michelle Cook (D) explained her support for the policy change, citing the compassionate testimony that we had the other day from so many folks.

I think that by sitting back and not doing something, as we heard the other day, is costing lives day after day after day, the lawmaker said. Doing nothing I think would be criminal in this regard.

Rep. Kathy Kennedy (R) echoed her colleagues point, saying that the testimony that we heard was compelling, it was compassionate, it was emotional and we owe something to our veterans who have served our country and many others that would benefit from this treatment.

Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they dont miss any developments.Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

While the legislation would not legalize the psychedelics, it would set up a regulatory infrastructure to enable Connecticut to play a leading role in providing access to this alternative treatment option as federal agencies continue to fund and facilitate clinical trials.

Psychedelic therapy would be specifically provided and funded for military veterans, retired first responders, health care workers and any person from a historically underserved community, and who has a serious or life-threatening mental or behavioral health disorder and without access to effective mental or behavioral health medication.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed a separate bill last year that includes language requiring the state to carry out a study into the therapeutic potentialof psilocybin mushrooms. Aworkgrouphas since been meetingto investigate the issue.

The new measure would require the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to launch a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program to provide qualified patients with the funding to receive MDMA- or psilocybin-assisted therapy as part of FDAs expanded access program, the text of the bill states.

The pilot program would cease when MDMA and psilocybin have been approved to have a medical use by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), or any successor agency. At that point, state statute on the substances would be aligned with the federal governments.

One member of the panel, Rep. Liz Linehan (D), suggested on Friday that lawmakers further consider adding in other treatments such as ketamine.

Meanwhile, Chairman Jonathan Steinberg (D) expressed frustration with the slow pace of federal reform.

The pilot program ends when the federal DEA approves MDMA and psilocybin for medical use, he said, adding that we should say when and if, but were presuming when.'

We are treading on some new ground here. Well be among the first number of states to try to help people with psychedelic therapies, he said. We heard a tremendous amount of moving testimony, particularly from veterans that this can be a game changer for them, having tried any number of other therapies for PTSD and other conditionsand not just veterans.

Sometimes we have to struggle with the feds. Sometimes we just wish theyd get out of our way, but it doesnt happen very often, Steinberg said.

In the interim, the bill would further establish a Qualified Patients for Approved Treatment Sites Fund (PAT Fund) to provide grants to qualified applicants to provide MDMA-assisted or psilocybin assisted therapy to qualified patients under the pilot program.

Approved treatment sites shall collect and submit data to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, including, but not limited to, its protocols for the provision of MDMA-assisted and psilocybin-assisted treatment, training on the facilitation of such treatment, implementation of facility standards, strategies for patient protection and mitigation of drug diversion.

Thebillwould further create a Connecticut Psychedelic Treatment Advisory Board under the department. Legislative leaders and the governor would be empowered to appoint members of the board.

The board would be tasked with making recommendation on the design and development of the regulations and infrastructure necessary to safely allow for therapeutic access to psychedelic-assisted therapy upon the legalization of MDMA, psilocybin and any other psychedelic compounds.

There would be seven key areas that the board would be responsible for advising the department on:

Fridays committee vote revealed a significant level of bipartisanship around the reform proposal, with multiple Republican and Democratic legislators emphasizing the significant potential that these psychedelics may present for vulnerable communities.

The legislature should continue this forward with the recognition that the FDA will continue doing their work, Rep. Josh Elliott (D) said, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt be doing ours.

Also in Connecticut, regulators recently began accepting certain marijuana business license applications as part of the recreational cannabis law that Lamont signed last year.

Meanwhile, the states Social Equity Council approved a list of geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the drug war, which will be used to determine eligibility for social equity business licenses. Under the states new cannabis program, half of all licenses must go to equity applicants, who may also qualify for lower licensing fees, technical assistance, workforce training and funding to cover startup costs.

Over the summer, Lamont also announced the launch of a new website toprovide residents with up-to-date informationon the states new marijuana legalization law.

As it stands, adults 21 and older are already able to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis for personal use.

A Maryland House of Delegates committee on Tuesday held a hearing on a bill to create a state fund thatcould be used to provide access to psychedelicslike psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Washington State legislature last week sent a budget bill to the governors desk that includes a proposal todirect $200,000 in funding to support a new workgroupto study the possibility of legalizing psilocybin services in the state, including the idea of using current marijuana regulatory systems to track psychedelic mushrooms.

Last week, the Hawaii Senate approved a bill to set up a state working group tostudy the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin mushroomsand develop a long-term plan to ensure that the psychedelic is accessible for medical use for adults 21 and older.

Also last week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a bill this week todecriminalize low-level possession of psilocybinand promote research into the therapeutic potential of the psychedelic.

A bipartisan coalition of Georgia lawmakers recently filed a resolution thatcalls for the formation of a House study committeeto investigate the therapeutic potential of psychedelics like psilocybin and make recommendations for reforms.

Rhode Island lawmakers introduceda pair of drug decriminalization bills this monthincluding one focused on psilocybin and buprenorphine that would authorize doctors to prescribe the psychedelic mushroom.

Also this month, a Missouri Republican lawmaker filed a bill that wouldlegalize a wide range of psychedelics for therapeutic useat designated care facilities while further decriminalizing low-level possession in general.

Last month,Utah lawmakers sent a bill to the governorthat would create a task force to study and make recommendations on thetherapeutic potential of psychedelic drugsand possible regulations for their lawful use.

An Oregon Senate committee also recently advanced a bill to ensure that equity isbuilt into the states historic therapeutic psilocybin programthats actively being implemented following voter approval in 2020.

A bill to decriminalize a wide array of psychedelics in Virginia was taken up by a House of Delegates panel in January,only to be pushed off until 2023. A separate Senate proposal to decriminalize psilocybin alonewas later defeated in a key committee.

California Sen. Scott Wiener (D) told Marijuana Moment in a recent interview that his bill tolegalize psychedelics possessionstands a 50/50 chance of reaching the governors desk this year. It already cleared the full Senate and two Assembly committees during the first half of the two-year session.

Washington State lawmakersalso introduced legislation in Januarythat would legalize what the bill calls supported psilocybin experiences by adults 21 and older.

New Hampshire lawmakers filed measures todecriminalize psilocybin and all drugs.

Legislation wasalso enacted by the Texas legislaturelast year requiring the state to study the medical risks and benefits of psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and a military-focused medical center.

A pair of Michigan senators also introduced a bill in September tolegalize the possession, cultivation and deliveryof an array of plant- and fungi-derived psychedelics like psilocybin and mescaline.

In a setback for the movement, California activists on Wednesday announced that they have come up short on collecting enough signatures to qualify a measure to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for the states November ballot, though they arent giving up on a future election cycle bid.

Colorado activists, meanwhile, recently selected one of the four psychedelics reform ballot initiatives that they drafted and filed for the November ballot, choosing to proceed with a measure to legalize psilocybin, create licensed healing centers where people can use the psychedelic for therapeutic purposes and provide a pathway for record sealing for prior convictions. A competing campaignfiled a different psychedelics legalization last month.

Michigan activistsfiled a statewide ballot initiativelast month that would legalize possessing, cultivating and sharing psychedelics and set up a system for their therapeutic and spiritual use.

At the congressional level, bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) last month, urging that the agencyallow terminally ill patients to use psilocybinas an investigational treatment without the fear of federal prosecution.

Bipartisan Congressional Lawmakers Want Biden To Push UN To End International Marijuana Ban

Photo courtesy of Dick Culbert.

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Connecticut Lawmakers Approve Bill To Fund Psilocybin And MDMA Therapy - Marijuana Moment

Verano Holdings Corp.(OTCQX:VRNOF) (CSE:VRNO) announced the opening of its 42nd and 43rd MV dispensaries in Florida. MV Brandon, at 942 West Lumsden Roadand MV New Tampa, at 17521 Preserve Walk Laneare both scheduled to open on Saturday, March 19th at 9:00 am local time.

Hillsborough County has been home to MV dispensaries since 2017, and over the last five years, we have witnessed Tampa and its surrounding communities exponentially grow, thrive and expand, stated John Tipton, president of Verano. We have listened to our patients and learned the lengths to which some travel to obtain their needed alternative medicine. With the opening of MV Brandon and MV New Tampa, we will be well-positioned to provide the highest quality medical cannabis to the furthest reaches of the fourth largest county in the state.

MV dispensaries feature online menus for browsing of their extensive product selection. For additional convenience and accessibility, patients can choose to order ahead for express in-store pickup.

MV offers one-on-one virtual and in-store consultations at no cost to the patient. MVs comprehensive product selection includes edibles, chocolates and lozenges, flower, pre-rolls, an array of vaporizer pens, concentrates, metered-dose inhalers, topicals and oral sprays; along with patented encapsulation formulations in its EnCaps capsules, tinctures, 72-hour transdermal patches and transdermal gels.

Link:

Verano Opening Two MV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries In Tampa Bay Area - Benzinga - Benzinga

Cupping exploded into the athletic world after Michael Phelps debuted a back dotted with circular bruises at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he medaled six times. This alternative treatment certainly hasnt been limited to Olympians, though: NBA stars like Russell Westbrook, MLB players like Bryce Harper, and even celebs like The Rock are fans. Dont think it hasnt infiltrated cycling, either: Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome once posted a photo from a physiotherapy session, which included cupping.

These athletes havent discovered some groundbreaking new recovery modality. Cupping dates back over 4,000 years, says Tom Ingegno, a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine and owner of Charm City Integrative Health in Baltimore, Maryland.

We aren't exactly sure who invented it, but the oldest known reference, in 1550 BC, is in a papyrus from ancient Egypt, and it was discussed in the Persian text The Cannon of Medicine (Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb) dating back to 1025 BC. Traditionally it was used to treat a wide variety of issueslike pain, dizziness, digestive disorders, and menstrual issues, which were thought to be symptoms of blood stagnationand modern research shows that many of these claims hold true, Ingegno says.

Considering cupping? Heres what the experts have to say about how it works and who can benefit.

Cupping is known for the marks it leaves on skinmarks that come from applying some kind of dome (whether thats made from glass or silicone or plastic) to the body, before using flames or a manual hand pump to create negative pressure, or suction, that draws the skin upwards.

Its similar to massage and myofascial release in that its a technique to mobilize the soft tissues, however it differs from most other soft tissue mobilization techniques because the vacuum created by the cup lifts the skin and the fascia up instead of compressing the tissues, explains Karen C. Westervelt, the director of Integrative Health Education at the College of Nursing and Health Science at University of Vermont. It would be very difficult to create this same lift with your hands.

That suction causes several physiological responses. On a mechanical level, it pulls on the surface of the skin, says Ingegno. This breaks the capillaries under the skin, causing microtrauma, or a small amount of tissue damage, to the area under the cup, and sending the body into repair mode and increasing localized circulation, he explains. That pulling also creates space between the skin and the fascia and the fascia and the muscles, which allows fluid, which may have metabolic waste in it, to better flow and be picked up by the lymphatic system so it can be circulated to the core of the body for processing, Ingegno adds.

The most common sites of application are the neck, shoulders, back, calves, quads, and hamstringsthink: broad muscle groups where its easy to attach the cups, says Ingegno. You can often see athletes with circular bruises on their skin after receiving cupping therapy, says Westervelt. That occurs when a strong vacuum force is applied to the skin and the cups are left in place. But its not necessary to create the therapeutic effect of cuppingI often treat my athletes with dynamic cupping, which combines cupping with movement of the tissues under the cups and/or movement of the cups, and is far less likely to cause bruising after treatment.

Those bruises might make you think this is a painful process, but cupping creates a localized stretching sensation, says Westervelt. It may feel intense at first (and it might cause brief feelings of pain in some people), but as the skin and fascia relax and circulation increases, some people actually fall asleep.

The cups are usually left between five to 15 minutes depending on how quickly the skin darkens, says Igneno. And the mark is technically not a bruise, its called ecchymosis (reddening of the skin due to ruptured capillaries) and should not be painful. These circles usually clear up within a week depending on how much blood flow an area of the body gets.

On a mechanical level, cupping works by providing a stretch to the skin and fascia, says Westervelt. That just feels good. Plus, that mechanical effect was shown to increase local blood flow and stretch underlying tissue in a 2017 analysis published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. That same analysis found that the breaking of capillaries caused by cupping seems to have an anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating effect, adds Igneno.

As a result, cupping can increase your pain threshold, reduce inflammation, improve anaerobic metabolism, and boost cellular immunity, according to a 2018 scientific review published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. (That same review also determined that cupping can help with headaches, back and neck pain, hypertension, asthma, and diabetes.)

For athletes, light static cupping or dynamic cupping can promote stretching of the connective tissues and increase local circulation, both of which are very helpful in recovery from exercise, says Westervelt. It is common practice for elite athletes to use therapeutic techniques like cupping (and soft tissue massage or mobilization, pneumatic compression with vibration, contrast baths in warm and cold water, among others) to facilitate efficient metabolism of byproducts of intense exercise and facilitate recovery.

A 2019 scientific review published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that no single theory exists to explain the whole effects of cupping. So its possible that there may be a bit of a placebo effect at play. Cupping is a relaxing treatment modality not unlike massage and acupuncture, and some of its benefits may be a result of stress reduction that is not easily objectified or investigated, researchers wrote in a 2020 review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

But the placebo effect can be incredibly powerful. Even when people are aware that a treatment is not real, their belief that it can heal can lead to changes in how the brain reacts to emotional information, 2020 research published in Nature determined. Case in point: A sports massage was deemed more effective in those who believed it would be effective in an older study published in The International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

Cupping may be an effective option with low risk in treating nonspecific, musculoskeletal pain, the authors of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons review published in 2020 found. Since the treatments dont take a long time, are very safe, and require little to no aftercare, cupping can be an ideal treatment for anyone who has aches and pains, says Ingegno.

And what athlete hasnt experienced some level of aches and pains during training? A lot of athletes can benefit from cupping, whether its used therapeuticallyfor example, to help with neck or back painor to enhance performance, whether youre preparing for a big event or recovering from one, says Westervelt.

It may be especially true for athletes with chronic pain from injuries or overtraining, from IT band syndrome to shin splints to sciatica. Training or competing puts strain on your body, the goal for any athlete is to be able to cultivate skill, build stamina, and strength, says Igneno. To do so, you need to prevent injury, have both active and passive recovery plans, and keep yourself healthy. Cupping therapy can help with that.

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What is Cupping Therapy? | Cupping Therapy for Cyclists - Bicycling

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Global Integrative Health or Complementary and Alternative Medicine Market 2022 Growth Opportunity Arab Yoga Foundation (AYF), Soul Warrior, Sukoun,...

People seeking treatment for substance abuse often face long wait times to get into treatment programs.

In a 2021 Herald-News story, Paul Lauridsen, executive director of Stepping Stones Treatment Center in Joliet, said Stepping Stones receives about 1,600 calls a year for help and can only serve 600 to 700 of those who are then referred to other resources.

That number dropped even further during the pandemic, Lauridsen said in the story.

But a new option is now available for people who need outpatient services only: Mindset Transformations of Mokena, which offers a holistic approach using Western and Eastern practices.

Valerie Hammond, chief executive officer of Mindset Transformations, said she is a licensed substance abuse counselor.

Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and DOT SAP evaluations. Mindset Transformations offers a holistic approach to treatment, using Western and Eastern practices. Pictured is Valerie Hammond, chief executive officer of Mindset Transformations. (Photo provided)

Services

Hammond said Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and Department of Transportation Substance Abuse Professional evaluations, according to a news release from Mindset Transformations.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a SAP is a substance abuse professional who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing and aftercare.

Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and DOT SAP evaluations. Mindset Transformations offers a holistic approach to treatment, using Western and Eastern practices. (Photo provided)

Practice areas include early intervention services for adults and adolescents at risk for developing a substance abuse disorder, basic outpatient and intensive outpatient services, partial hospitalization/day treatment programs and programs for families and children, according to the Mindset Transformation website.

Traditional treatment includes weekly groups and individual sessions, as well as medication-assisted treatment for those recovering from opioid use disorder, Hammond said.

However, Mindset Transformations also uses complementary therapies: ear acupuncture, clinical hypnotherapy, reiki, biofeedback/neurofeedback, neurolinguistic programming, Emotional Freedom Technique, sound vibration therapy, calming herbal detox teas and Christian counseling services, Hammond said.

There is a lot of research that shows they are effective in recovery, Hammond said.

Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and DOT SAP evaluations. Mindset Transformations offers a holistic approach to treatment, using Western and Eastern practices. (Photo provided)

What the experts say

Its debatable if there is a lot of research, but there is some. A 2021 paper titled Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Substance Use Disorders: A Scientometric Analysis and Visualization of Its Use Between 2001 and 2020, said the problem with complementary therapies is that they lack sufficient evidence-based studies, such as randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses.

But that doesnt mean complementary therapies cant play a role, considering the high relapse rate among people who receive treatment and the fact substance abuse continues to rise.

For instance, nearly 296 million people worldwide use drugs, a 28% increase from 2009, the paper said. Furthermore, substance abuse disorders are multifactorial diseases compounded with psychology, biology, psychopathy, pharmacology and sociology, which need multidisciplinary, comprehensive, multisectoral collaborative treatment, the paper said.

Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and DOT SAP evaluations. Mindset Transformations offers a holistic approach to treatment, using Western and Eastern practices. (Photo provided)

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said on its website, that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices can improve chances of recovery from substance use disorders, especially when used in addition to traditional SUD treatments and mutual self-help groups. They are not meant to replace traditional [conventional] treatments, however.

The website also discusses the following practices: mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, yoga, acupuncture, energy therapies, Qi gong, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, guided imagery/visualization and music therapy.

And the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration published a 12-page work, Complementary Health Approaches: Advising Clients About Evidence and Risks.

But thats why Mindset Transformations offers these complementary services because every recovery program doesnt work for every person, Hammond said.

If they can control their thinking, they can control their body

For instance, some people respond to a traditional 12-step program, while others do better with one that is Christ-centered, such as Celebrate Recovery, Hammond said.

Its about whatever is going to work with that person, Hammond said. We offer a variety of support groups.

Moreover, some Eastern therapies may affect a persons energy flow or retrain the brain, Hammond said. Thats important because the subconscious affect ones behavior, she said.

They soothe them or relax them so they can be more receptive to the western therapy that is available to them, Hammond said. If they can control their thinking, they can control their body and then they have the abilities to relax themselves.

Mindset Transformations is licensed by the state of Illinois to offer outpatient substance abuse treatment, DUI evaluations and DOT SAP evaluations. Mindset Transformations offers a holistic approach to treatment, using Western and Eastern practices. (Photo provided)

When people gain the ability to relax themselves, they are less likely to revert back to drug use because some people do self-medicate with drugs, Hammond said.

Biofeedback, for example, uses equipment to actually monitor symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate.

You can look at the system and know you not only feel as if youre able to calm yourself down, you can see that youre really able to do it, Hammond said.

Mindset Transformations currently accepts sliding scale, self-pay and Medicaid insurance pay methods. For more information, call 708-537-7332 or visit mindsettransformations.net.

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New outpatient treatment center in Mokena offers traditional, alternative therapies - The Herald-News

Journal: Arthroplasty Today

Who: Neil Pathak, MD; Zachary J. Radford, MD; Joseph B. Kahan, MD, MPH; Jonathan N. Grauer, MD; Lee E. Rubin, MD

Public interest in alternative, nonoperative treatments for the management of arthritis has increased. Few have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The present study aimed to evaluate trends in public and scientific interest in 4 such treatments by assessing Google Trends and publication frequency data, respectively.

Turmeric, stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and cannabidiol (CBD) were studied. For 2010-2019, Google Trends data and publication frequency data on PubMed were collected by year for arthritis and each of the 4 therapies. Linear, quadratic, and exponential regressions were applied, and the best model of growth was identified.

From 2010 to 2019, Google Trends annual scores for arthritis and turmeric (exponential; R2: 90.5%, P < .001), CBD (exponential; R2: 99.3%, P < .001), stem cell therapy (exponential; R2: 86.7%, P < .001), and PRP therapy (linear; R2: 80.6%, P < .001) increased significantly. Search term frequencies for arthritis and CBD exhibited the highest increase (12,929%). Publications in arthritis and turmeric (linear; R2: 74%, P = .001), stem cell therapy (linear; R2: 94.8%, P < .0001), and PRP therapy (linear; R2: 97.1%, P < .0001) increased from 2010 to 2019. However, publications relating to arthritis and CBD have not increased (P = .122).

Regression analysis indicates that public interest in alternative therapies have had a marked increase. The rise in public interest for CBD, and to a lesser extent, turmeric, stem cell therapy, and PRP, has dramatically outstripped scientific evidence on these therapies. Rigorously designed, clinical studies may be beneficial to keep up with the growing popularity of these treatments, especially CBD.

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Publication Frequency and Google Trends Analysis of Popular Alternative Treatments to Arthritis - Yale School of Medicine

Herbal medicine may be a disputed issue, but the high cost of drugs and their unavailability in public hospitals have been forcing people to turn to alternative solutions in the eastern African nation of Uganda, which experts fear may lead people to falling prey to fake so-called cures.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on the eve of World Medicine Day, which is being observed on Monday, Damali Nanfuka, a resident of the capital Kampala, said doctors were charging her 100,000 shillings ($29) to treat her diabetes. She dropped plans to consult the doctor further and turned to an herbal medicine clinic.

"I went to an herbal medicine clinic where I was given medicine at only 40,000 shillings ($11)," she said.

Patrick Kasadha, a pharmacist at a government hospital in the eastern Ugandan district of Iganga, said enough medicine was not stocked in government hospitals due to a paucity of funds. But Health Minister Ruth Jane Aceng recently told the media that some medical workers were stealing medicine and selling it to private clinics.

The problem has taken such acute turns that two weeks ago Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni closed all pharmacies operating in government hospital compounds, following reports that hospital authorities were stealing drugs and giving them to private pharmacies.

Abiaz Rwamwiri, a government official at the drug regulatory authority, said there were reports of people making fake herbal drugs.

"As the national drug authority, we are mandated to regulate drugs made here or imported. In our country some people are making fake herbal drugs," he said.

Isac Kiburaba, a pharmacist in Kampala, said some people simply mix conventional medicine with some concoctions from tree leaves to trick people. He said at some places, it was seen that these people mix medicine meant for malaria with water and mango leaves.

Rwamwiri noted that his authority has so far certified 194 herbal drugs for medical use after testing them in laboratories.

"There has been a fall back to herbal medicine. Due to many people turning to herbal medicine, many unscrupulous people are taking advantage and selling fake herbal medicine to unsuspecting people," he said.

Just on the outskirts of the capital Kampala, herbal medicine shops sell different concoctions, claiming they cure cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria and all sexually transmitted diseases.

"We have medicine that relieves HIV, AIDS. We also treat toothaches without removing rotten teeth. We have medicine that makes barren women give birth and for weak men, we have medicine that makes them strong," claims Nakakawa, who manages the shop.

She said that her boss Andrew Luwanga, who calls himself a doctor, has inherited the medical practice from his late father.

She said that they get many people who come to buy their herbal medicine for the treatment of various diseases because conventional medicine is very expensive.

She said that government hospitals either lack medicine, or what little they have, are stolen by medical officers and sold to private pharmacies.

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No alternatives: Ugandans turn to herbs amid medicine shortage | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

The Local Best Sioux Falls, SD, announced Sioux Falls consumers voted Orthopedic Institute the #1 Orthopedics & Sports Medicine practice in the region.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., March 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The Local Best Sioux Falls, SD, announced Sioux Falls consumers voted Orthopedic Institute #1 in Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for 2021.

"We have raving supportive fans, and we are honored to serve them. For nearly 50 years, the greater Sioux Falls region has placed its trust in Orthopedic Institute to provide the highest quality of care at the most efficient cost," said Peter Looby, MD. "Being voted #1 by our patients and our community is validation that our team consistently delivers on our patient experience pillars of prioritizing access, eliminating barriers, and being remarkable."

The Local Best enables consumers to find the best, most trusted businesses by asking locals to vote on their favorite businesses in over 200 different categories. "It's very effective and is one of the best word-of-mouth recommendations from locals who know which companies to trust." In addition, Nate Henry, of Sioux Falls Local Best, says, "Our award shows that a business has been 'pre-vetted' by others, trustworthy, and worth a premium."

"People trust word-of-mouth recommendations, and we are privileged to have consumers trust us with their care," said Lynda Barrie, CEO. "Winning Local Best awards for multiple categories including Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and alternative medicine is a testament to our daily commitment to transforming lives through extraordinary orthopedic care."

With an average star rating of 4.8 out of 5 on Google My Business, the highest consumer satisfaction rating of any independent orthopedic practice in the region, Orthopedic Institute consistently outperforms larger health systems by creating an extraordinary patient experience that inspires individuals to live stronger.

"We are thankful to serve the orthopedic needs of our region. The Local Best voting reinforces patients feel Orthopedic Institute provides the highest-quality, compassionate orthopedic care at the most affordable prices in our community," said David Jones Jr., MD and Board President at Orthopedic Institute.

Consumers trust smaller independent businesses more than large businesses. According to the Better Business Bureau, 84% of consumers trust independent companies, compared to only 16% that trust large companies. In addition, consumers stated that these independent business owners "take better care of their customers" and are "more responsive to the varying needs of individual customers." With nearly 30 million local businesses in America that employ almost 60 million people, they may call these "small" businesses, but that is half of the US workforce in the U.S.

ABOUT ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE:

Orthopedic Institute (OI), one of the most highly respected independent physician groups specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine in the Midwest, was founded in 1972. Located on the Avera McKennan Health main campus, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the group has steadily grown in size and scope, with 19 physicians and over 200 employees serving 17 satellite locations in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Through empowering the private practice model, OI delivers the most efficient, compassionate, and highest-quality care to the communities it serves. Nationally recognized and renowned in the region for providing extraordinary orthopedic care, OI is the proud sports medicine provider for local professional, university, and high school teams in southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, and northwest Iowa. Visit orthopedicinstitutesf.com to learn more.

ABOUT THE LOCAL BEST SIOUX FALLS:

The LocalBest.com Sioux Falls is a unique business directory for the regions residents that is revolutionizing the way consumers search for businesses. Each year Local Best holds an online vote for just locals to select their favorite businesses. This competition helps businesses improve their customer service to win the hearts and minds of local consumers, in turn providing a better consumer experience to local consumers. The results of the surveys are businesses locals know they can trust. Visit thelocalbest.com/sioux-falls/ to learn more.

Media ContactChristopher Holman6127993019[emailprotected]

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Orthopedic Institute Voted the #1 Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Practice in Sioux Falls by Consumers - PR Newswire

The vaccination selfie, showing a gloved hand holding a needle and a smiling face hidden behind a mask, looked like thousands of others posted to Instagram as the COVID-19 vaccine rolled out across the U.S.

But the comments it drew did not. Sell out puppet, sneered one user in response to Dr. Michael Gregers photo. Burning your book tonight in my fire pit, said a second. Another simply wrote: .

Greger is a prominent advocate for a plant-based diet, with a devoted following among people who believe food is the best medicine. But his statement on vaccines that sometimes, medicine is the best medicine put him directly at odds with many of his fans, and thrust him into the ugly, conspiratorial fight over vaccination roiling the online worlds of wellness and nutrition.

You cannot help but be bombarded by it, Greger said. The online wellness world, he said, is one of the rare spaces where you can say the most bats crazy things and get a million-dollar book deal as a reward. Its a no-holds-barred, almost a truth-free, area.

Health and nutrition influencers have whipped up a frenzy about the COVID-19 vaccine and other public health guidance during the pandemic, Greger said, steering people already skeptical of pharmaceutical companies and traditional healthcare away from vaccination and toward health-related conspiracy theories.

Some were Gregers colleagues and peers, including a filmmaker known for advocating for a low-fat, vegan diet who invited the doctor to a mask-burning party in Southern California.

The anti-vaccine movement has some overlap with right-wing politics and the QAnon conspiracy theory, which is popular in wellness and spirituality circles. But vaccine skepticism is a far more widespread phenomenon, drawing support from alternative medical practitioners, including chiropractors, as well as professional athletes, chefs, models, entrepreneurs and actors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 69.3% of people 5 and older in the United States had been fully vaccinated as of Friday; 58 million have yet to receive even one dose of what medical experts say is the best line of defense against severe illness and death.

Americans influenced by misinformation are less likely to get vaccinated, polling shows. In a survey released in late December, the U.S. Census Bureau said 42% of those who have not been inoculated report that they dont trust the COVID-19 vaccine.

The tidal wave of misinformation about whats healthy and what isnt has pushed vaccine-hesitant people into unproven remedies against COVID-19, including strict elimination diets, tinctures of turmeric and quercetin, a battery of dietary supplements, and mega-doses of vitamins C, B-12 and D.

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Research has not shown that any supplement prevents COVID-19 or lessens the symptoms of the disease. Some can have serious side effects when taken in large quantities.

But people are drawn to influencers who push such narratives because they are frightened and need to feel control over their lives, said Rene DiResta, the technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory and part of the Virality Project, which tracks misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

These are natural human impulses, and its very, very hard to counter, DiResta said.

The desire for control has become clear in one house in the San Fernando Valley, where a high school science teacher found six bottles of vitamins stashed in the closet of her husbands home office.

Always skeptical of doctors and of big pharma, he is now avoiding genetically modified foods, wont use fluoridated toothpaste and, rather than get vaccinated against COVID-19, takes a battery of daily vitamins, said the teacher, who requested anonymity to speak frankly.

She said his interest in conspiracy theories grew after he became a fan of former President Trump and started following more YouTube channels, cryptocurrency influencers and activists on Telegram, the messaging app popular with anti-vaccine activists.

People who are conspiracy theorists cant deal with the unknown, the teacher said. But if you show that youre scared of something, thats a sign of weakness. So instead, theyre telling themselves that they know more about the virus than other people. It gives them a feeling of power.

One of the vitamin bottles contains 180 capsules and sells for $97.25 on the website of Dr. Mark Hyman, who advised Bill Clinton on his diet and wrote the preface for a book by anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Taking the recommended six pills per day would provide 618% of the needed daily amount of vitamin A, 666% of vitamin C and 41,567% of vitamin B-12, the labels show.

The wellness industry also has directed a wave of fat shaming and ableism at people who have disabilities and other underlying health conditions. Popular health influencers have posted anti-vaccination memes on Instagram that say things such as: If youre not athletic and healthy, your opinion on health is irrelevant, and, My diet wont work unless you stop eating cake.

The chief executive of Sweetgreen, the fast-casual chain that sells $15 salads, faced backlash in September for saying that no vaccine nor mask will save us, and proposed the concept of government health mandates.

Jonathan Neman added: What if we made the food that is making us sick illegal? What if we taxed processed food and refined sugar to pay for the impact of the pandemic? He has since taken down the offending LinkedIn post.

President Bidens November announcement that American companies with more than 100 employees must require the vaccine or weekly testing was the last straw for one Los Angeles influencer, who goes by the name Jonny Juicer. His feed is a steady stream of shirtless selfies and promotions for his $11 juicing e-book and a $10 book of plant-based dog food recipes.

He wrote to his 305,000 followers: Now youre being FORCED against your will to inject a synthetic, experimental concoction into your bloodstream (where a side effect has resulted in clotting, neurological issues & death) OR YOU LOSE YOUR JOB.

(The vaccines are based on more than a decades worth of research into mRNA technology, and have been put through standard safety testing. Many reports of post-vaccination injuries are self-reported and unverified. Bidens mandate has been tied up in the courts and has not gone into effect.)

Just a dozen people are responsible for spreading nearly two-thirds of online misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, according to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a U.K.-based research group. Eight are connected to health, wellness and nutrition, including osteopathic physicians, alternative-health influencers, and a Tennessee couple who gained a mass following by questioning chemotherapy and other traditional cancer treatments.

Perhaps the best-known is Dr. Joseph Mercola, a controversial osteopathic physician who was warned by the Food and Drug Administration last year to stop representing vitamin C, vitamin D3 and quercetin supplements as COVID-19 treatments. His YouTube channel was removed last fall after the platform banned anti-vaccine misinformation.

Much of the vaccination fight in wellness circles has played out on Instagram, rippling outward from influencers to everyday people searching for healthy lunch ideas and green smoothie recipes. The platform has implemented filters that flag posts discussing the vaccine; to avoid it, influencers use a creative array of misspellings of vaccine, including vacseen, the v and the Virgo emoji.

Celebrities have also pushed the debate into the public eye. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters that he was immunized before testing positive for the virus. The NFL Network said he had sought homeopathic treatment from his doctor in lieu of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Surfer Kelly Slater recently tore into Biden on Instagram, asking why the White House was focusing on vaccine mandates instead of promoting eating organic foods and taking the right supplements.

It seems no wellness brand that takes a stand on vaccination is safe from blowback. When the San Diego County organic soap company Dr. Bronners announced that every employee vaccinated against COVID-19 would receive a $1,000 bonus, a wave of criticism followed.

How about give all of your employees $1,000 to buy organic groceries, Vitamin C, zinc and quercetin? wrote one user with nearly 46,000 followers, who calls herself the Healing Cave Lady. She sells a COVID-19 immunity protocol bundle of 10 supplements online for $393.46.

Greger, the doctor who advocates for a plant-based diet, is still receiving nasty comments nearly a year after describing vaccination as a civic duty. His staff has been reluctant to post content about COVID-19 vaccines because anything that even vaguely mentions it is just a firestorm.

Doctors will always recommend a balanced and healthful diet, said Dr. Danielle Belardo, a cardiologist in Newport Beach. But believing a certain diet, supplement regimen or exercise routine will save someone from severe illness during a pandemic is rooted in the naturalist fallacy, that anything that isnt natural is harmful.

Belardo, a vegan, said many of her vegan patients initially questioned whether they needed to get vaccinated because they saw themselves as healthy. They are all vaccinated now, she said.

People who believe the vaccine is unhealthy or dangerous simply found the wrong echo chamber, she said, and are victims of people who peddle misinformation and products such as juice cleanses and dietary supplements.

They profit off of it, and they actually harm people, Belardo said. People who didnt get vaccinated and died, they listened to these gurus.

Belardo said she also was concerned to see some online diet communities once diametrically opposed veganism and the all-meat diet, high-fat keto and low-fat regimens have started to unite around a common hatred of vaccination.

Claims that diet, exercise and nutritional supplements can protect against COVID-19 are so common that Baltimores public health department tackled the topic in a series of public service announcements staffers jokingly dubbed mean PSAs.

Each was released as a meme, with a big image and a caption in bold red letters. One read: Green tea cant cure COVID, Trina. Another said: Salad doesnt cure COVID, Connor.

The department launched the series to confront issues people faced most often when they tried to persuade friends and family to get vaccinated, said Adam Abadir, who helped launch the series.

Yes, you are generally going to be better off if youre living a healthy lifestyle, said Abadir, who was the health departments director of communication and now works in the Baltimore mayors office. But dont let that be the reason that you dont get vaccinated.

A careful regimen of organic foods, special supplements or other wellness behaviors can help bring a sense of control to unknowable, uncontrollable world events, like a pandemic, said Heather Simpson, the co-host of a podcast called Back to the Vax, hosted by two former self-described anti-vaxxers.

Eating organic food, having a toxin-free lifestyle, it gives people a sense of control over their mortality, said Simpson, who is now vaccinated against COVID-19 and has brought her daughter up to date on her childhood vaccinations. I felt that if I fed my daughter and my family the healthiest foods, all organic, no toxins, that wed never get cancer, wed never have auto-immune diseases, wed never encounter anything bad.

What began for one Pennsylvania woman as a suspicion of traditional healthcare and an interest in alternative medicine escalated during the pandemic into something far more serious, said her daughter-in-law, who requested anonymity to speak openly.

The woman, a doctor, has refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Instead, she is taking spoonfuls of vitamin C powder at meals and more than 2,000 milligrams of niacin per day about 142 times the recommended daily amount as part of a protocol promoted on Telegram by a man with no medical degree. In large doses, niacin can cause blurred vision and liver damage.

She is having difficulty discerning truth from the misinformation and the disinformation that she keeps feeding herself, her daughter-in-law said. Shes now in an alternate information bubble that is completely separate from what is actually going on in the world.

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The wellness communitys fight over COVID vaccine misinformation - Los Angeles Times