White House Commission On Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy
On March 8, 2000 the President of the United States established the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. Part of the Department of Health and Human Services, this Commission will be made up of "knowledgeable representatives in health care practice and complementary and alternative medicine." The function of the Commission is to report to the President on "legislative and administrative recommendations for assuring that public policy maximizes the benefits to Americans of complementary and alternative medicine." Issues to be addressed include training of practitioners, research, and access to information and delivery.

Meditation May Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Use of the Transcendental Meditation™ technique may help reduce atherosclerosis and risk of heart attack and stroke, according to findings published in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association. This is the first controlled study to suggest that stress reduction by itself can reduce atherosclerosis without changes in diet and exercise, according to a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, and Maharishi University of Management (MUM), College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine in Fairfield, Iowa.

Organic Food Standards To Be Set
Americans hunger for any food promoted as natural, consuming $6 billion worth of products labeled organic, often with no guarantee they actually were grown and processed without synthetic chemicals. That may change with the release of the first national standards for organic food in the second week of March. The rules, expected to take effect this summer, will spell out for the first time what it means for foods to be labeled organic. They also will bar the use of genetically engineered crops or irradiated ingredients in organic foods. Food grown and processed in accordance with those rules can carry a seal of approval from the Agriculture Department, according to agency officials.

Dr. Galland's Integrated Medicine
We all age, but the deterioration associated with aging (called, senescence) is partly under our control. Senescence is speeded up by toxicity and our bodies' response to it. The human body has many natural defenses against environmental toxicity. These include the constant shedding of the skin and the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which slowly dispels environmental and intestinal toxins from the body; the activity of protective immune responses which limit the attachment of toxins to the surfaces of the lungs or the gastrointestinal tract; enzyme systems in the liver which destroy toxins and prepare them for excretion in the bile or the urine; enzymes which repair damaged cells and promote healing. In this column, " Detoxification: The Key to Longevity," Dr. Galland discusses strategies for limiting free-radical induced damage through dietary antioxidants which help to bolster the body's defense system, including vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids and carotenoids.

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, "Extending the Inhalation," Dr.Jahnke explains that even with deep breathing there is still some lung capacity left following the exhalation. In this method the fullest extent of filling and emptying of the lungs is enacted. Breathe in until you think the lungs are filled. Then take in 3 more short breaths, to full lung capacity. Following the emptying of the lungs on the exhalation, expel three additional breaths. At both extremes, inhalation and exhalation, the benefit may be multiplied by briefly holding the breath.

Mind Over Matter
Isn't it "normal" behavior for toddlers to be poorly focused and distractible? Doesn't every toddler have a short attention span? In "A Cure for Terrible Twos: shaping society with pharmaceuticals" Barry Bittman, M.D. expresses his shock and disgust at the alarming rise in prescribing antidepressants and other antipsychotic drugs for 2- to 4-year-olds. While rare exceptions do exist where drug therapy is needed to control behavior in toddlers, Dr. Bittman recommends you give your child abundant attention, nurturing and love, even when it's inconvenient.

Natural Medicine Research
Significantly lower levels of pregnenolone were found in certain parts of the brain (especially the hippocampus) in aged rats with poor performance in memory tasks compared with aged rats with higher levels of pregnenolone in brain. In the column "Pregnenolone Makes Rats Smarter" Dr. Ray Sahalian presents this research and invites us to consider the implications for humans.

Ask Annie: Solutions for Less Toxic Living
Solvents used in furniture polish can contain highly neurotoxic solvents, and in this installment of "Ask Annie," Annie Berthold-Bond, author of "Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living" offers specific instructions on how to protect yourself and make your own solvent free furniture polish and dusters. She also teaches how to make your own skin scrub to help your skin breath more efficiently, offers alternative approaches to dry cleaning linen, and explains what the difference is between pyrethrin, pyrethrum, and pyrethroids.

"Timeshifting" with Stephan Rechtschaffen, M.D.
In "Timeshifting" Dr. Daniel Redwood interviews Stephan Rechtschaffen, M.D., founder of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. They discuss the patterns of overwork endemic to modern culture, and present practical ways to change these behaviors. Unlike time-management courses which teach people how to work efficiently at an ever-accelerating pace, Rechtschaffen's basic premise is that it is crucial to learn how to "timeshift," to move smoothly from fast to medium to slow and back again. Each speed has its proper place, he believes, but the rhythms of industrialized societies, including the United States, encourage us to live in "fast forward" virtually all the time. He asserts that we pay a heavy price for doing so.

Healthy Recipes
Onions undergo an almost magical transformation when baked or sauteed for a long time at low heat. They become sweet, creamy, soft, and loose their dominating, strong taste. The recipe "Baked Onions with Lentil-Zucchini Mash" from Danish chef Oscar Umahro Cadogan is not only tasty, it only includes ingredients that will not aggravate those with allergic and gastrointestinal challenges.

Healthy Travel
June 22-July 03, 2000 travelers from all over the world will meet in the holy city of Fez, Morocco, for the "6th Annual World Sacred Music Festival," where leading musicians of world calibre will share sacred music from the spiritual traditions of both East and West. Join in the spirit of this unique multi-cultural event and experience the beauty and majesty of the world's most moving spiritual music.

Children's Health Update
Homeopathic medicines are often effective in treating the average case of mumps, and help reduce the chances of complications. In the column "Mumps" Dana Ullman, M.P.H. describes the various sets of symptoms related to mumps, and suggests a specific homeopathic remedy for each.

Women's Health Update
Edema is excessive accumulation of fluid in body tissues and cavities. In the column "Water Retention" David L. Hoffman, M.N.I.M.H. cautions that taking diuretics to stimulate kidney function can cause a loss of vital potassium from the body. The herb Dandelion leaf, comparable to that of the drug Frusemide, has the important added benefit of being a rich source of potassium.

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 Bach Flower Essence? The Flower Remedies section includes the Bach Centre member database.

Medical Cybrarian Research Service
Need information right NOW? The HealthWorld Online Medical Cybrarian provides just the information you need, and there is no extra charge for speedy turnaround from request to report!

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
What are your views on whether or not genetically modified foods should be required to be labeled? This is one of the matters under discussion in the Forum dealing with Health Freedom.

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
American Oriental Bodywork Therapy Association (AOBTA) is the largest membership based Asian Medicine organization in North America, providing an excellent practitioner referral service, professional support, and promotion of the field of Asian Bodywork Therapy. Twelve forms are represented including 6 forms of Shiatsu, Tuina, Acupressure, Jin Shin Do®, Thai massage, Amma® and Chi Nei Tsang.

Visit American Oriental Bodywork Therapy Association

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, VA USA
June 8-12, 2000
Contact: Center for Mind Body Medicine - 202-966-7338

Aromatherapy Tour and Retreat
Heartland of France - St. Remy, Avignon, Fontveille, Orange
Drome Valley, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur FRANCE
June 18-26, 2000
Contact: HealthyTravel.net - 888-888-0717