Are You Buying Altered Foods?
The debate about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, is swirling around consumers these days, but the particulars for most of us are fuzzy. We hear or read that Europeans are refusing to buy any products that have been genetically modified and that a trade war threatens. We hear that a third of the American corn crop is now genetically modified, along with half the soy crop. We hear that there is no evidence of damage from genetic modification, and industry spokesmen say that such science is a boon to mankind. And we hear from the Union of Concerned Scientists and others that these products have been released without labeling, without proper research, without enough oversight by the Food and Drug Administration or the public. Is this serious or a lot of fuss about a few ears of corn?

Prevention Magazine's National Survey On Self-Care Movement
A Prevention Magazine survey of consumer use of dietary supplements revealed that an estimated 158 million consumers use dietary supplements (and spend approximately $8.5 billion per year on them) because these products help them attain their self-care goals.

Employers Cover Alternative Care
Alternative treatments, long considered on the fringe of health care and rejected by insurance plans, are gaining acceptance. About one-fifth of companies now offer health benefits covering alternative treatments other than chiropractic, says a new survey by the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, a nonprofit group representing benefit specialists. The most frequently used alternative treatments were massage therapy, herbal medicine, chiropractic and relaxation/stress reduction.

Dr. Galland's Integrated Medicine
In this column "Foods that Heal" Dr. Galland discusses detoxifying foods which protect against the effects of environmental pollution, free-radical induced cell damage and cancer through dietary anti-oxidants. Foods that are richest in these anti-oxidants are red, yellow and green vegetables, uncooked nuts and seeds (like almonds and sunflower seeds), and fish. He also outlines the important infection-fighting foods such as garlic, ginger, onions, and tumeric, as well as vegetables containing a high concentration of a group of natural chemicals called saponins, which have immune-stimulating and antibiotic effects - soybeans, chickpeas, bean sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes and oats.

The Healer Within
The presence of special breathing practices in the ancient cultures has always been a mystery to people in the Western world. In this column, "Full Chest and Abdominal Breathing," Dr. Jahnke explains a method that activates all of the primary benefits of therapeutic breath practice when done slowly and fully, with intention, concentration and relaxation.

Mind Body Health Newsletter
If you are like the majority of patients, several weeks after a health evaluation you will probably remember less than half of what the doctor told you. In "Doctors and Patients: Not on the Same Wavelength" David S. Sobel, M.D. presents the reasons for this "disconnect" and key points for improvement.

Keeping Fit with Dr. Wayne Westcott
The column "From Walking to Running in Ten Weeks" by Dr. Wayne L. Wescott is for those people who have been walking for fitness on a regular basis, and would like to upgrade their exercise program to include a reasonable running routine. Running is one of the best aerobic activities for cardiovascular conditioning and calorie burning, but it must be approached cautiously to reduce the risk of injury. This is especially important for older adults and heavier individuals.

Understanding Homeopathy
It is certainly understandable that parents want to do something to allay their infants' pain when teething. In "Homeopathic Pediatrics - Safer, Saner Medicines for Our Children" Dana Ullman outlines what homeopathy offers as an effective alternative to pain-killers, sedatives and local anesthetics. He also addresses homeopathic options for dealing with fever, colds, skin rashes, infants' colic and children's digestive problems.

"Huna Wisdom" With Dr. Serge King
Serge King, PhD is a Hawaiin kahuna and leading authority on the Huna tradition. His books include "Your Hidden Self," and "Earth Energies." In this conversation with Russell E. DiCarlo, Dr. King introduces huna and shares the seven basic principles (1) The World Is What You Think It Is; (2) There Are No Limits; (3) Energy Flows Where Attention Goes; (4) Now Is The Moment Of Power; (5) To Love Is To Be Happy With; (6) All Power Comes From Within; (7) Effectiveness Is The Measure Of Truth.

Healthy Recipes
Whole salmon is an amazing sight, and once the smell hits you you'll want to sink your teeth into it. Danish chef Oscar Umahro Cadogan brings us a recipe for "Whole Salmon filled with Pumpkin and Coriander" for those interested in cooking extremely tasty and healthy food.

Healthy Travel
"A highly recommended journey for spiritual sojourners drawn to the energy of Machu Picchu, other sacred sites of the Andes, and the Amazon rainforest." April 16 - May 1, 2000 The journey "The Light of the Seven Planets" to Apukuna, Andes and the Amazon will be conducted by Carol Cumes and professional Quechua guides.

Children's Health Update
The teenage years are trying times in a lot of ways, especially in terms of nutrition. Adolescence is indeed a period of high nutritional risk, when the increased demands for nutrients are often met with poor choices of foods, unhealthy eating habits, and deficient intakes of calories and protein as well as many vitamins and minerals. In this column "Life Stage Programs: Adolescence" Elson M. Haas, M.D. reminds us that we can help adolescent children best by being understanding and supportive. He goes on to provide nutritional guidelines and suggestions.

Men's Health Update
Saw palmetto extract continues to be used as a primary treatment for both short-term and long-term treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This column "Saw Palmetto Extract in the Treatment of BPH" from The Journal of the American Botanical Council and the Herb Research Foundation addresses the therapeutic efficacy of saw palmetto extract.

Professional Referral Network
The Professional Referral Network contains searchable directories from 20 leading professional associations in complementary and integrative health care, with over 10,000 professionals. Looking for a healthcare professional specializing in herbalism? The Herbology section includes the American Herbalists Guild member database.

Medical Cybrarian Research Service
Frustrated as you wade through all of the data you bring up with your Internet searches? You can hire a professional who can do this fast and efficiently, save you all of the hassle, and most likely find important information you overlooked. The HealthWorld Online Medical Cybrarian has thousands of the best web sites already bookmarked.

The Cybrarian offers you personalized research service, searching the Internet, books, MEDLINE and other databases, to find EXACTLY the information you require. The Cybrarian can custom design research for individual patients or healthcare professionals, as well as healthcare industry business people, including information on diseases, treatments, products, market research or statistics for alternative, complementary and conventional medicine. For reasonable fees, the Cybrarian carefully gathers and selects the information or points you to useful web sites and other sources, with the speed and searching techniques acquired from many years of professional research.

Participate in our Online Community--Join our Discussion Forums
Are you curious about the differences between Qigong and Taiji? This is one of the matters under discussion in the Forum dealing with Qigong and Taiji.

Join in the ongoing discussion in our "Health Freedom," "The Vaccination Question," "Genetically Modified Foods," "Issues in Integrated Health Care," "Mind-Body-Spirit Health," and "Qigong and Taiji" forums.

Association Network -- Hot Pick
The Cancer Prevention Coalition, Inc. (CPC), is a unique nationwide coalition of leading independent experts in cancer prevention and public health, together with citizen activists and representatives of organized labor, public interest, environmental and women's health groups. Their goal is to reduce cancer rates through a comprehensive strategy of outreach, public education, advocacy and public policy initiatives to establish prevention as the nation's foremost cancer policy.

Visit Cancer Prevention Coalition, Inc

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks

National Center for Homeopathy 2000 Annual Conference
April 7-11, 2000
San Francisco, CA USA
Contact: National Center for Homeopathy - 703-548-7790

Celebrating Angels, Spirits and Nature
An International Easter Week Conference
April 22-29, 2000
Findhorn, Morayshire, Scotland UNITED KINGDOM
Contact: Findhorn Foundation - 01309 691933

The 5th Annual Alterrnative Therapies Symposium and Exposition
Mauna Lani, HI USA
April 25-29, 2000
Contact: Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine - 800-899-1712

Journey to Machu Picchu, Apukuna, Andes & Amazon
The Light of the Seven Planets
April 26-29, 2000
Machu Picchu, Cusco PERU
Contact: HealthyTravel.net - 888-888-0717

The Bach Flower Essences¬ International Education Program
Boston, MA USA
May 6-7, 2000
Contact: Nelson Bach USA, Ltd. - 800-334-0843

Supply Side East 2000
Seasaucus, NJ USA
May 8-10, 2000
Contact: Virgo Publishing - 602-990-1101

American Holistic Medical Association 23rd Annual Conference
Integration and Holistic Medicine: Healthcare in the Third Millennium
Tucson, AZ USA
May 31-June 3, 2000
Contact: American Holistic Medical Association - 703-556-9245

Comprehensive Cancer Care
Integrating Complementary & Alternative Therapies
Arlington, VAææUSA
June 8-12, 2000
Contact: Center for Mind Body Medicine - 202-966-7338