Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2022 i What Doctors Don't Tell You Australia/NZ

COMMENT Many years ago, I read an article in Esquire by Nora Ephron entitled “Dealing with the, uh, Problem,” about the early days of the feminine-hygiene spray business. Ephron was investigating how Alberto-Culver managed to convince women, as a rival company had done in its advertising, that her “trickiest deodorant problem isn't under her pretty little arms.” What interested me the most about the piece was marketing strategy: create the demand for the problem to sell the solution. And back in the 1970s, promoting their invented solution as feminist, part of the then-sexual revolution. Tell women they are smelly and unattractive—that they've got an, uh, ‘problem’ so unmentionable that you have to sell it with euphemisms—and you can make a killing. And Alberto-Culver (and many other companies following them) did…

Where you live matters almost as much as how you live when it comes to reducing your risk of a stroke. People who live close to some green space are 16 percent less likely to suffer an ischemic stroke, the most common type that happens when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain. Living within 300 meters (984 feet) of green space reduces air pollutants that have been linked to stroke and heart disease, say researchers from the Hospital de Mar Medical Research Institute in Spain. The biggest threat comes from pollutants from car exhaust, even if levels are within safety limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union. “The danger is still present, and many more measures need to be taken,” said Carla…

It's been practiced for around 130 years—and it's finally been acknowledged that osteopathy can help ease muscle pain. A review has concluded there is “promising evidence” the therapy can help relieve acute and chronic low back pain, neck pain and general pain. Researchers from the School of Osteopathy in Turin discovered that 55 trials into osteopathy, which had involved around 3,740 participants, demonstrated its effectiveness in treating musculoskeletal pain. The studies had tested the therapy against placebo, physiotherapy and other interventions, such as exercise, painkillers, rest or using heat or ice. In almost all of them, osteopathy was found to be more effective. But there wasn't compelling evidence that osteopathy could ease IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or migraines. Despite the many years the therapy has been practiced, the researchers said…

Half of all women who have regular mammogram checkups will at some stage be told they have breast cancer when they don't. Any woman who has an annual mammogram runs a 50 percent risk of at least one false-positive reading if she is screened every year for 10 years, a new study has discovered. Researchers from the University of California at Davis School of Medicine and elsewhere discovered the new 3D tomosynthesis mammograms are almost as unreliable as the older 2D technology. They analyzed data from around 3 million mammogram results and found that half of the 903,000 women screened would have been given at least one false-positive result during 10 years of screening. The older 2D technology was producing a 56 percent falsepositive rate. Not surprisingly, the rate of…

Getting your protein from plenty of different sources could keep your blood pressure levels in check. Proving that variety really is the spice of life, those whose protein intake comes from up to eight different sources are also 66 percent less likely to suffer from high blood pressure compared to others who depend on just a few sources. The healthiest take their protein from whole grains, refined grains, processed and unprocessed red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumes such and peas and beans, say researchers from Nanfang Hospital in China. They analyzed the diets of nearly 12,000 people with an average age of 41, and during the 18 years of the study, 35 percent of them developed hypertension (high blood pressure). Most of them were dependent on just one or…

Hospitals can be intimidating places, especially when you're already stressed. But adding plants in soulless corridors and having big windows that look out on greenery relax the patient, researchers have found—and these design changes could be incorporated into the hospitals of the future. Even existing hospitals could bring in a few plants to relax the patient, say researchers from West Virginia University. They tested different models of hospital settings on small groups, and the green, back-to-nature designs helped ease mood. Those who felt angry or confused by endless corridors were “significantly relieved.” It has been estimated that, on average, patients go through seven steps—such as asking for directions or checking for signage—before they arrive at the correct unit within the hospital. But adding some greenery at key junctures can help…

Vaping may not be such a safe alternative to cigarettes after all. E-cigarettes increase the risk of gum disease, and this can eventually cause tooth loss, say researchers at New York University. They change the microbiome—the community of bacteria—in the mouth and make gum disease more possible. But they change it in unique ways that encourage the growth of certain types of bacteria. The researchers assessed the gum health of 84 people, who either were smokers of cigarettes or e-cigarettes or were non-smokers. The cigarette smokers had the most severe gum disease after six months, but the problem was still bad in vapers, and their gums were the weakest of all the groups, suggesting they were at greatest risk of tooth loss. mBio, 2022;13(1):e0007522…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) should stop drinking milk. Milk—plus other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese—can make the symptoms worse, say researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany. Even for people without the condition, cow's milk can mimic the devastating effects of MS, causing neurological damage by attacking myelin, the insulating layer around nerve fibers. With multiple sclerosis, the body's immune system destroys the myelin sheath, and in experiments on laboratory mice, the researchers discovered that casein, a protein in cow's milk, had the same effects. The researchers think that in breaking down the casein, the immune system also destroys myelin. To check if similar effects would be seen in people, the researchers injected casein antibodies into human brain tissue. The antibodies accumulated in cells responsibie for…

The true rate of side-effects and deaths from a Covid-19 vaccine could be 10 times higher than official figures suggest, a major German insurer has claimed. Germany's health agency recorded around 245,000 serious reactions to the vaccine last year, but health insurer BBK ProVita says the real figure is closer to three million. BBK paid out for around 400,000 doctor visits to policyholders to treat vaccine side-effects in 2021, and “extrapolated to the total population, this figure would be three million,” said BBK director Andreas Schofbeck. Like most drug reaction reporting systems, Germany's is passive and requires the patient or doctor to lodge a case. Doctors have to make a submission in their own free time, and this is an unpaid and time-consuming activity, which is a deterrent to reporting.…

Lifestyle • Increase your time in the sun • Exercise • Stay hydrated •Join a club, become more social From The Clot Thickens by Dr Malcolm Kendrick (Columbus Publishing, 2021) Supplements •Chondroitin sulfate •Glucosamine •Hyaluronan •L-arginine •L-citrulline •Coenzyme Q10 •Magnesium •Vitamin C Diet • Eat vegetables (beets, garlic, leafy greens) • Eatfruits (citrus, watermelon) • Eat nuts and seeds • Eat dark chocolate • Drink a glass of red wine • Eat organ meat such as liver Mental wellbeing • Relax •Meditate every day •Smile, and count your blessings…

WDDTY OPINION Cortisol is made in the adrenal glands, just above your kidneys. Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone, meaning that it's released in response to threatening situations. It also signals the liver to increase glucose production to prepare the body for physical activity and prevents the release of certain substances in the body that cause inflammation. Although cortisol is absolutely essential for life, excessive amounts can give rise to difficulties including increased stress and generalized anxiety, troubled sleep, suppressed immunity, abdominal weight gain, headaches, body aches and gastrointestinal upset. High cortisol levels can also suppress thyroid function. Together, these symptoms can result in persistent fatigue, particularly when elevated cortisol levels have gone unchecked for an extended period of time. The supplements that can yield the most benefits for…

Cynthia Thurlow likes to remind her patients that digestion begins in the brain, in the way people think about their food before they have even taken a bite. Conversely, 95 percent of the mood-regulating neurotransmitter serotonin, which is targeted by conventional anti-depressant drugs, is produced in the gut. It is a reversal in the way we have been taught to think about food and mood. The gut microbiome—the range of microorganisms in the gut, including bacteria, fungi and viruses—plays a major role in the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. Researchers in Finland recently found a link between a specific gut microbe, Morganella, and depression. This is further evidence that people with mental health conditions often have very different microbes in their gut.L Alterations in the composition of…

Born in 1822, the noted French chemist Louis Pasteur birthed the development of pasteurization (the application of heat to destroy pathogens in foods and certain beverages). He popularized germ theory and developed some of the first vaccines. His research into the alcohol fermentation process taught him that yeast was vital to fermentation and that it was the growth of microorganisms in beer, milk and wine that lead to their spoiling. Researching beverage contamination from microorganisms led him to the conclusion that disease in humans was also caused by these contaminants. Eventually, Pasteur came to believe that every disease known to man was attributable to a particular microorganism, an invisible “air germ” invader with a single physical presentation or form, which was capable of infiltrating the human body and spoiling the…

It's estimated that 1 percent of the global population has celiac disease, with another 7 percent having some form of gluten sensitivity. And this number is on the rise. Gluten sensitivity, or even excessive consumption of gluten (like we have in the modern Western diet), can contribute to cascading cases of inflammation, autoimmune disease and chronic health conditions.1 Autoimmune disease can have a long-term impact on your health if not treated carefully, including increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer and gut inflammation. One thing we have realized is that it's not only the gluten that's contributing to chronic health concerns; it's also the farming process. Monocropping (the practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land), especially wheat, can have devastating impacts on your health…

Dr Damien Downing, a specialist in allergy, environment and nutrition, is current president of the British Society for Ecological Medicine, on the editorial board of Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, Chief Medical Advisor of cancer charity Yes to Life (www.yestolife.org.uk), and author of numerous books including The Vitamin Cure for Allergies. Dr Michel Odent, a French-trained surgeon and obstetrician, is a pioneer of the natural birth movement, emphasizing home and water birth. Founder of the Primal Health Research Centre in the UK, he has written some 50 scientific papers and 11 books. Dr Sarah Myhill has worked in the UK National Health Service and private practice since 1981. Honorary Secretary of the British Society for Ecological Medicine for 17 years, she is a frequent lecturer and author of Sustainable Medicine and…

If you have a spiritual or religious belief, you are much less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. And having these beliefs is especially important if you've suffered from heart disease. People recovering from heart failure are more likely to suffer a sense of hopelessness and isolation—but having a belief in something bigger can help get them through those difficult times. Researchers from Duke University Hospital reviewed 47 studies that had explored the level of spiritual beliefs in heart patients. Those who had spiritual beliefs had a better quality of life and reduced their chances of being readmitted to the hospital. Spirituality can help people find meaning and purpose in life, the researchers say, and it can be different from having a religious belief. JACC Heart Fail, 2022; 10(4):…

Drinking two to three cups of coffee every day could help you live longer. Coffee lowers your risk of premature death and could protect you from developing heart disease, suffering from heart failure or experiencing heart rhythm problems—known as atrial fibrillation—by up to 15 percent. It's not a massive risk reduction, and other lifestyle factors could be responsible. Coffee drinkers may also be more likely to exercise or eat a healthier diet, and researchers from Alfred Hospital in Australia acknowledge they couldn't establish whether participants were eating diets that were healthy for the heart. The researchers performed three separate analyses to assess the impact of coffee on health using data from the UK BioBank database, which included over 500,000 people who were tracked for at least 10 years. It's not…

UPFRONT Keep your teeth and gums healthy. Inflamed gums and poor teeth—known as periodontal disease—can increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) by around 16 percent. Researchers have identified 10 bacteria in dental plaque that can cause blood pressure levels to rise. Although it's a process that can happen in both sexes, the studyfocused on 1,215 postmenopausal women with an average age of 63. Researchers from the University of Buffalo tracked the women for 10 years, and around a third of them developed hypertension. Ten types of oral bacteria were common in all the women who developed hypertension, the researchers found. Hypertension has been called the silent killer. According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of American adults have the problem, and most don't know it. But keeping…

WDDTY UPFRONT Women who practice mindfulness meditation when they're pregnant are more likely to have healthier babies with better stress responses. It's already known that women who are stressed or anxious during their pregnancy are more likely to have a child with health problems—and the reverse is equally the case, say researchers from the University of California at San Francisco. They studied 135 women who were experiencing high levels of stress in their lives, and those who participated in an eight-week mindful meditation course also helped their babies cope better with stress. An ability to bounce back from stressful situations also impacts health later in life, the researchers said. The flight-or-fight response in the babies whose mothers had taken part in the mindfulness program was more acute when they were…

Going on a special weight-loss diet can cost up to $600 a week. Special supplements, low-carb replacements and high-protein substitutes all eat into your wallet, say researchers from the University of South Australia. They assessed the costs of seven meal plans—including low-carb and keto diets—and discovered the extra weekly shop varied from $345 to $625 AUD (about $250-460 USD). Following a healthy Mediterranean diet, and its emphasis on fresh vegetables and fruit, oils and nuts, would be just as effective and cost considerably less, the researchers said. “There tends to be a misconception that consuming a healthy diet is too expensive, when it really is not,” said Karen Murphy, one of the researchers. Around two-thirds of Australians are overweight, and many turn to special diets to help them shed the…

Leaded gas from car exhaust has reduced the IQ level of the average American by around three points Collectively, the fumes have robbed 170 million American adults of around 824 million IQ points, roughly three per person, researchers from Duke University have estimated. Any American born before 1996—when lead was banned from gasoline—could be affected and may show signs of faster brain aging. Those who were children in the 1960s and '70s are at special risk because lead in the environment was at peak levels during those decades. People born in the mid to late 1960s could be the worst affected and may have lost up to six IQ points. There's no safe level of exposure to lead. It's a neurotoxin that can erode brain cells, and children are at…

It's been the go-to Covid remedy among conspiracy theorists—but a new study suggests that ivermectin, a drug to treat gut parasites in people and animals, really can help you survive an infection. Researchers from the University of Miami compared its effectiveness against the antiviral remdesivir in 41,608 Covid patients and found there were around 5 percent fewer deaths among those given ivermectin. Not surprisingly, the study results quickly attracted criticism. For one, the researchers weren't comparing like for like; people given remdesivir are usually suffering a worse Covid infection and are probably hospitalized, whereas those given ivermectin were more likely to be outpatients and were also younger, critics said. The Miami researchers recognized the differences in the two groups. Those given ivermectin were, on average, around 52 years old, while…

Psychiatry has hit a dead-end. The pharmaceutical industry has walked away from the specialty and hasn't produced a new drug in more than a decade, while psychiatrists can't agree on the origins and diagnosis of so-called mental health problems such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, let alone how to treat them. As a result, the once-discredited electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is making a comeback and is becoming the go-to therapy for many psychiatrists. After using brutal therapies such as lobotomy, and ‘chemical cosh’ antipsychotics, tranquilizers and SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants, the profession has had to admit it doesn't have any long-lasting answers to the growing epidemic of mental illness. Even the cherished belief that mental illness is genetic has been abandoned. Thomas Insel, the outgoing director of the National…

Up to a third of people are affected at some point by dry eye syndrome, which, just as the name says, leaves the eyes low on tear fluid, causing a gritty feeling and blurred or distorted vision and can lead to inflammation and damage to the eye surface. Researchers in Korea decided to experiment with low-level light therapy (LLLT), which has been used successfully for wound healing, skin rejuvenation, pain and to treat inflammatory disorders including eye disorders, as a treatment for dry eye syndrome. They split 38 people diagnosed with the condition into two groups, 20 assigned to receive low-level light therapy (LLLT) using 590-nm and then 830-nm wavelengths of light directed at their eyes, and 18 who received a placebo treatment. Neither the patients nor the investigators knew…

The late professor John T. Cacioppo, a pioneer in the field of social neuroscience, found that loneliness wasn't a result of depression, but actually led to depression. In Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018), Johann Hari writes that Cacioppo went back to pre-agricultural society to find out why loneliness caused cortisol levels to spike1 and was a predictor of earlier death.2 “Against harsh odds they barely survive, but the fact that they survive at all they owe to the dense web of social contacts and the vast number of reciprocal commitments they maintain,” Cacioppo wrote to one of his colleagues of life among small tribes. “Evolution fashioned us not only to feel good when connected, but to feel secure. The vitally important corollary…

Almost everyone in the world knows about germ theory. And almost everyone in the world forgets that it still remains a theory. Developed by the famous nineteenth-century French chemist Louis Pasteur, germ theory maintains that invisible living microorganisms found in the atmosphere, soil and water are the fundamental cause of all disease. These microorganisms, in the form of bacteria, viruses and other infectious agents, infiltrate what Pasteur declared to be the “sterile environment” of the human body, proliferating and upsetting the internal environment, causing disease. It is said that Pasteur never shook anyone's hand lest he become infected with germs. Today, people around the world are terrified of these invisible disease agents. There's even a word for it: mysophobia. In 2020—as a direct result of the germ theory—the global market…

According to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization, cancer was responsible for the deaths of nearly 10 million people globally in 2020.1 That's one out of every six deaths worldwide. Though these statistics are daunting, cancer doesn't have to be a death sentence. As the adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can start today by reducing or eliminating known cancer risk factors and making healthy lifestyle changes. Technology is also on your side. Several advanced screening tests and diagnostic tools can detect cancer at the earliest stages, leading to better treatment outcomes and improved survival rates. What causes cancer? Before we delve into early cancer detection, let us first look at some of the main risk factors. While many believe genetics…

People who follow a healthy lifestyle—such as eating a Mediterranean diet and moderately exercising most days—can add up to six years to their life expectancy and will spend fewer years suffering from Alzheimer's. The impact of a healthy lifestyle on our longevity and cognitive decline has been underscored by the Chicago Health and Aging Project, which has been tracking the lives of 2,449 men and women aged 65 and older. The researchers identified five healthy lifestyle choices—taking up mental challenges in later life, moderate exercise for around 20 minutes a day, light drinking, following a Mediterranean diet and not smoking—and the way they influenced the longevity and cognitive abilities of the participants. Women who followed four of the five healthy choices at age 65 could expect to live another 24…

A special tax should be levied on drug companies to pay for independent research. It's the only way to make evidence-based medicine a reality, say Jon Jureidiini and Leemon B McHenry, coauthors of the book, The Illusion of Evidence-Based Medicine: Exposing the Crisis of Credibility in Clinical Research (Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 2020). The idea that medicine is a science, based on independent and unbiased research, is an illusion, they write in an op-ed piece for the BMJ medical journal. Instead, a drug company funds the research into its own drug and recruits academics who give prestige to the study, but have never read it. “Scientific progress is thwarted by the ownership of data and knowledge because industry suppresses negative trial results, fails to report adverse events, and does not share…

An epilepsy drug that has caused at least 20,000 deformities in newborns is still being prescribed to pregnant women in the UK. New guidelines introduced in 2018 prohibited the use of sodium valproate for women “of childbearing potential,” and yet at least 247 pregnant women have been prescribed the drug since then. A newspaper investigation has discovered that doctors have been ignoring the guidelines, issued by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after a review had discovered that at least 20,000 children could have been born with deformities over the prior 40 years because their mothers had taken the drug. The investigation found that women were not being told the risks, and some drugs were being sold in plain packaging without any warnings. The Sunday Times, “A scandal worse…

Covid restrictions may have led to a massive increase in cases of eczema in the past year. Rates of the skin condition have risen by 400 percent, and today nearly half of all Britons have the problem. Many of the new sufferers blame Covid-related stress and anxiety for their eczema, while others say that excessive handwashing caused theirs to flare up. Official figures put the rate of eczema at around 10 percent of the population—but a new survey, carried out by the Skin Life Sciences Foundation, puts the rate four times higher. Researchers interviewed 1,000 people and discovered that eczema was now a problem for 44 percent of them. Of those, 66 percent suffering from eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis blamed their condition on stress and anxiety, many citing the Covid…

Herbal teas don't only taste nice—they also have important health benefits, especially if you're a woman. Researchers have put three herbal teas through their paces to discover they help women sleep better after they've given birth; reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) pains, stress and anxiety; and help with metabolic control, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Men with osteoarthritis also had reduced pain after drinking the tea. Researcher Gill Jenkins reviewed nine studies that had tested the health benefits of German camomile tea, rosehip and spearmint infusions. Camomile was the most effective, helping women sleep better after they had given birth; it also eased symptoms of PMS and reduced menstrual pain, stress and anxiety. In another study, which included men and women, the tea improved metabolism, including glucose and insulin…

Neem oil is a natural antiviral that can combat Covid and its variants, a new study has found. The oil is a safe remedy that can treat and reduce the spread of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and variants that cause Covid-19. Neem oil, an extract from the bark of the neem tree, has previously been used to treat malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers and skin diseases. Now scientists from the University of Colorado School of Medicine have discovered that it can also combat the Covid virus and reduce severe symptoms. They tested it on virus samples taken from human lung cells, and it was as effective as any drug on the market, the researchers said. Neem also reduced viral spread and replication after infection. Other researchers in India have also tested…

WDDTY EVERY PICTURE.., So, you want to blow out 100 candles on your birthday cake and—if you're a Brit—get a congratulatory message from the Queen. But how do you reach the age of 100, and beyond? As you'd expect, scientists have plenty of theories about how you can reach a super old age, from eating a healthy diet to regular exercise and the like. But what do the world's oldest think are the secrets of their longevity? The world's oldest person, Jeanne Calment, reckoned you need to pack in smoking by the time you're 120 if you want to live a long life. She did, and she lived for two more years, dying in 1997. Her other longevity secrets are to include some olive oil, port and chocolate in your…

The concept of a “gut-brain axis,” which describes how microbes in the gut impact the function of neurons and the brain to affect mood and mental health, is now well established. You may also have heard of the “gut-skin axis,” which describes how microbes in the gut impact the health of skin and can be related to various dermatological diseases. Now, researchers are also talking about the “gut–retina” or “gut–eye axis” and researching how the health of the eye can be strongly influenced by the microbes in the intestine.1 Abnormalities in the ecosystem of microbes living in the gut are now associated with several eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, and are all attributable to an alteration of the immune system and to underlying inflammation. For example, the bacterium…

WDDTY SPECIAL REPORT It sounds like a form of torture. Consuming nothing but at least a litre of water a day for 25 to 30 days. But behind the Iron Curtain in the 1950s, psychiatrist Dr Yuri Nikolayev was treating patients at a Moscow sanatorium with a radical form of fasting that was hailed by American orthomolecular psychiatrist Dr Allan Cott as an “unparalleled achievement” in restoring schizophrenics to full function.1 What first surprised Nikolayev was that his mentally ill patients suffering depression, phobias and obsessive syndromes also showed improvements in physical conditions such as hypertension, arthritis, asthma and eczema. Smokers quit their addiction, and even alcoholics became near-teetotalers. “Fasting not only has an impact on mental illness, but also the entire personality,” said Dr Valeri Gurvich, a psychiatrist at…

A young man in his late twenties came to see me, whom I'll call Roland. I've altered all identifying features, but the essence of his illness and its causes, treatment and outcome are unchanged. Roland had been suffering from numbness and pain in his hands and feet, severe headaches and increasingly blurred vision for about four months. He had become unable to work because of the headaches and unable to drive because of the blurred vision. Abrain scan resulted in a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Remarkably, Roland came to see me straight after that, rather than the usual route of opting for conventional treatment and suffering numerous side-effects for many years before finally consulting a holistic practitioner as a last resort. The fact that he came to see me…

When it comes to microorganisms—bacteria, fungi, viruses and others—human beings are walking, talking microbial ecosystems. There are about 700 species of microbes in our mouths, including Streptococcus viridans, Neisseria sicca, and Candida albicans..1 Even our skin is colonized by a huge collection of about 1,000 microorganisms, including mites, bacteria, fungi and viruses, with wonderful-sounding names like Staphylococcus epidermis and Pityrosporum ovale..2 And anywhere from 500 to 1,000 species of microorganisms live in our intestines, including Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus gasseri and Escherichia coli..3 Yes, E. coli lives in all of us and helps break down the food we eat.…

The UK National Health Service reports that one in two people in the UK will develop cancer at some time in their lives. This is a stark and rather frightening statistic, not only because cancer is a leading cause of death but also because the usual treatments are almost as scary as the disease itself. You probably know someone who has endured toxic, painful and sometimes disfiguring treatments, only to lose their battle against cancer or experience a relapse and have to face it all over again. According to a 2021 survey, 40 percent of British adults say their lives have been “significantly affected” because a close friend or family member has had cancer. As a conventionally trained medical doctor, I appreciate the advances in cancer care over the past…