Healthy Update is a bi-monthly electronic newsletter from HealthWorld Online providing you the latest information, news and resources from the world of natural health. All summaries in Healthy Update link to full articles or expanded resources and services in HealthWorld Online: http://www.healthy.net

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Comprehensive Cancer Care Conference in Washington, DC Successfully Advances the Cause of Complementary Medicine
This past weekend in Washington, DC, the Comprehensive Cancer Care: Integrating Complementary and Alternative Therapies conference sponsored by the Center for Mind/Body Medicine brought real crediblity to alternative and complementary cancer care. Senator Tom Harkin opened the conference by hailing participants as "torch bearers who are breaking down the barriers between the worlds of conventional and complementary therapies." The over 100 presenters from all over the world, ranging from the President of the American Cancer Society and the director of the National Cancer Institute, to Stanislaw Burzynski and Bernie Siegel, helped to create strong dialogue between conventional and alternative researchers and practitioners. Conference organizer, Dr. James Gordon, founder of the Center for Mind/Body Medicine and Advisory Board member of HealthWorld Online, stated: "This conference is an attempt to take a critical look at what we know -- and don't know -- about some of the complementary and alternative therapies for people with cancer, and to move the dialogue about truly comprehensive care forward." HealthWorld Online provided the Internet Pavilion for the conference, enabling attendees to become familiar with the vast resources on the Internet for alternative and complementary as well as conventional cancer care. The 2nd annual Comprehensive Cancer Care conference will be sponsored by the Center for Mind/Body Medicine and will take place June 11-13, 1999 at the Crystal City Hyatt in Washington, DC.

Far Longer Life Spans Predicted Worldwide
A new analysis reveals that the entire world -- not just wealthy nations with high-tech medicine -- is in the midst of a longevity revolution that will transform every society on the planet within the lifetimes of today's young adults. The growth in numbers of old and very old individuals will be so explosive, the World Health Organization says in a report published this week, that it will lead to "societies which are, for the most part, female," since women outlive men by a considerable margin.

Herbal Snacks Growing in Popularity
A little tense at lunchtime? Crunch on some Saint Johnswort tortilla chips, fortified with "nature's Prozac." Need a little feel-good jolt before the 3 p.m. meeting with the boss? Try a sip of SoBe Wisdom, orange and mango juices mixed with ginkgo (a circulatory Roto-Rooter), gotu kola (an intelligence enhancer) and more Saint Johnswort. Natural botanical sources of energy, endurance and mood enhancers, long available in capsule and dried forms, are showing up on grocery store shelves as additives in foods and bottled drinks. Tagged "functional foods" or "nutriceuticals," old-fashioned curatives are going into new-fangled foods to catch the eyes of consumers wanting an edge.

Natural Medicine Research Update
An increase in fluid intake is routinely recommended for patients who have had a kidney stone in order to decrease the likelihood of recurrence. Higher fluid intake leads to increased urinary volume which, in turn, leads to a decreased concentration of lithogenic factors, thus decreasing the rate of stone formation. But, does the type of fluid make a difference or are all fluids alike in their ability to reduce stone formation? In this column, The best beverages to flush out the stone, Dr. Ray Sahelian discusses a prospective cohort study with 8 years of follow up done a the Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, in which 81,093 women in the Nurses' Health Study were assessed by food questionnaires. There was a definite increase in the risk for stones in women with the lowest fluid intake. Although difficult to analyze, the researchers estimated that there was a 10 % decrease in the risk for kidney stones in those who drank coffee and tea, a 60 % decrease in those who drank wine, and, surprisingly, a 44 percent increase in those who drank grapefruit juice. A previous prospective study from these same researchers on men had also indicated an increased risk associated with the consumption of apple juice and grapefruit juice, and a decreased risk with the consumption of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.

The Healer Within
A classic breath practice that is common to both the Yoga tradition of India and the Qigong tradition of China is the subject of Dr. Roger Jahnke's current column - Rapid Abdominal Breathing. The central activity of this breath technique, called bastrika in India, is the rapid expansion and contraction of the abdomen. The breath enters and exits rapidly through the nose.

This method has a major effect on the function of the organs in the abdominal and pelvic cavities. There is a massive concentration of lymphatic tissue in these areas and because of the one way nature of the lymphatic vessels this vigorous activity moves large amounts of lymph forward toward the elimination organs. It can be done in a few moments, requires no special attire or equipment. Benefits of breath practice are just a breath away.

Keeping Fit with Dr. Wayne Westcott
Whether you train at a fitness facility or at home, you may periodically find your endurance exercise program a little monotonous. In fact, you may feel like you're simply marking time on the treadmill or just going through the motions on the stationary cycle or step machine. You may also notice a lack of improvement, or even a loss of fitness as the same exercise routine seems more difficult to complete. Endurance exercise sessions require a lot of time doing the same movements and maintaining a sustained effort level, and basically nothing changes from the beginning to the end of the aerobic activity period. Although there are occasions where a relatively steady pace is essential, such as running a 5K or 10K race, there are more interesting and effective means for conducting your exercise sessions, says Dr. Wayne Westcott in his column, Interval Training: More Motivation and Better Results His preferred approach is known as interval training, and it provides almost unlimited variations in workout designs. Interval training involves interspersing more demanding and less demanding exercise segments within the workout. The training variables include (1) how hard to make the more demanding intervals, (2) how easy to make the less demanding intervals, (3) how long to make the more demanding intervals, (4) how long to make the less demanding intervals, and (5) how many intervals to perform.

Children's Health Update
Meningitis is an infection and inflammation of the three meninges, which are thin membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The infection can be caused by either a virus or bacteria. Hemophilus influenzae, or "H. flu.," is the most common among the bacterial organisms that cause meningitis in children. An infection in the blood (bacteremia), ears, jaw, or sinuses can also lead to an infection of the meninges. A newborn with meningitis may have poor muscle tone, difficulty feeding, a weak suck and cry, vomiting, irritability, sleepiness, and/or jitteriness. In infants, symptoms of meningitis include a high-pitched cry, irritability, loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, and possibly a fever or convulsions. An older child is likely to have a fever, chills, vomiting, irritability, headache, and/or a stiff neck. Seizures and changes in consciousness, such as stupor or coma, are possible as the infection progresses.

Meningitis is a serious infection that is potentially life threatening and can cause such long-term consequences as hearing or vision problems. It requires immediate medical attention. If treated early and appropriately, there is a low likelihood of complications or lasting harm to your child. In her article " Meningitis," excerpted from her book, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, Dr. Janet Zand outlines a comprehensive program for helping to deal with meningitis, including guidelines for prevention, conventional treatment as well as dietary guidelines and recommended nutritional supplements, herbs, and homeopathic remedies.

Bookstore
As medicine and health care continue to evolve from the current allopathic reductionistic model, we are gaining a greater understanding the the wonderful mystery involved in the healing process and our human journey towards wholeness. In his new book, Braving the Void: Journeys Into Healing, Dr. Michael Greenwood takes us on a journey with many of his patients suffering from chronic painful conditions as they move together towards a deeper understanding of health. Braving the Void models for understanding suffering and the healing process as well as techniques for intervention, as he guides us to the frontiers of healing.

Association Network -- Hot Pick
Citizens For Health is the national grassroots advocacy organization committed to protecting and expanding consumer natural health choices. Through a nationwide network of community-based chapters and members, Citizens For Health initiates and monitors legislation with the goal of ensuring access to health information and the freedom to choose from a broad range of health options.

Visit the Citizens For Health.

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks

Light '98: An international 3 day conference on pioneering & innovative work in the use of Light & Colour Energy for Health & Healing. July 8-10, 1998, Reading, England -- presented by Reading University - 1825 762964

23rd Annual National Wellness Conference: The Potential of Wellness. July 11,-17, 1998, Stevens point, WI -- presented by National Wellness Institute (715) 242-2969

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Editor, Healthy Update: James Strohecker

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