Study Eyes Brain Use When Listening
Score one for exasperated women: New research suggests men really do listen with just half their brains. In a study brain scans showed that men when listening mostly used the left sides of their brains, the region long associated with understanding language. Women in the study, however, used both sides. Listening resulted in increased blood flow in the left temporal lobes of the men's brains. In women, both temporal lobes showed activity. Men and women may indeed process language differently.

Working Women Often Don't Have Time to Eat
More than six out of ten working women say they skip lunch at least once a week - and it is not necessarily because they're dieting. This is despite the fact that most of these working women make sure their children eat lunch. A healthy lunch doesn't have to take all afternoon. Taking a break for lunch and eating a healthy meal not only fuels your body but also gives the mind a much-needed midday work break.

How 'Health Seekers' Use the Internet
Most net-savvy Americans - 55 percent - say they use the Internet to gather medical information, but only about 10 percent actually communicate with their doctors, buy prescriptions or conduct other transactions online. The ability to gather information on their own is changing people's relationships in health care. The balance of power is shifting, with consumers slowly gaining a more equal footing. People are taking a more active role in their own health care and can bring more to the table.

Doctors Alleviating Cancer Treatment Side Effects With Medical Acupuncture
Cancer caregivers are increasingly integrating complementary therapies like medical acupuncture with the five most common cancer treatments: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and/or immunotherapy, to relieve patients suffering from the often intolerable side-effects of traditional treatments. Because it has no adverse effects, acupuncture combines well with these treatments to help patients at all stages of the disease restore their quality of life without interfering with chemotherapy or other drug interactions.

Dr. Galland's Integrated Medicine
Despite great advances in the treatment of infectious epidemics, trauma and critical care, modern medicine is failing in its mission. Childhood mortality rates around the world are rising and the major medical challenge of the twenty-first century--decreasing the burden of chronic illness and disability--is not being met. The reason lies in the faulty blueprint used to guide contemporary health care, according to Dr. Leo Galland in his column "The Foundation for Integrated Medicine Supporting Health Care for the Twenty-First Century."

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 the column "Every Seventh Breath Full and Relaxed" Dr. Roger Jahnke describes a technique that brings the consciousness of the breath and the benefits of breath practice to as much of one's daily activities as possible. Rather than the concentrated but brief effects of doing breathing exercises for a specific period of time, this method spreads the benefits of breath practice, pervasively, throughout the day. Take a deep, full, relaxed breath. As you exhale allow yourself to deeply relax. Then breath as usual. As you exhale allow yourself to deeply relax. Then breath as usual. After seven regular breaths, initiate another deep and full breath. For further details review the full column.

Dr. Weil Self-Healing
Homeopathy (Greek for "like the disease") was developed 200 years ago by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. Rather than suppressing symptoms by brutal and toxic measures, Hahnemann proposed that symptoms be encouraged as expressions of the body's attempts to cure itself. He discovered that the healing response could be stimulated by giving sick people safe, extremely dilute forms of natural substances that caused the very same symptoms when given to healthy people in a larger dose. In the column "Homeopathy: An Enigmatic Approach" Andrew Weil, M.D. observes that homeopathic remedies have no known side effects and do not interact adversely with other drugs or supplements. He agrees with Hahnemann's philosophy that it's more important to support the body's healing system rather than simply suppress symptoms.

Mind Body Health Newsletter
While it may make sense to limit your exposure to the viruses which trigger the sniffling, sneezing and coughing of the common cold, a recent study shows that, in fact, being around people - lots of different people - may be a key factor in being less susceptible to colds. In "Feed Friendships, Starve Colds" David S. Sobel, M.D. presents research results that the more diverse your set of social relationships - friends, relatives, co-workers, neighbors, fellow members of religious and community organizations - the less likely you are to catch a cold.

Keeping Fit with Dr. Wayne Westcott
As recent as several decades ago the prevailing misunderstanding was that youth strength training was either dangerous or worthless. Many feared that lifting weights would damage bone growth plates. Others felt strength training was useless because young muscles did not have the capacity to gain strength apart from normal growth processes. In the column "Keeping Fit: Studies Show Significant Gains in Young Muscles" Dr. Wayne L. Wescott reports on five studies involving well over 100 boys and girls. The results showed the absence of any exercise-related injuries. It suggests that well-designed and well-supervised strength training programs are a safe and productive means for improving muscle strength and body composition in teen and pre-teen boys and girls.

Care2 Ask Annie
In her latest column for environmentally conscious consumers Annie Berthold-Bond offers natural ingredients for cleaning ovens, windows, and stainless steel sinks. She also give tips for how to aid growth of root cuttings, plus vegetable and nut oil bath recipes for those experiencing dry skin from the winter weather.

"Vitamins, Immune Response and Safety" With Dr. Adrianne Bendich
Dr. Adrianne Bendich has done much to further the health of people of all ages, and is a protector of the scientific truth. In this interview Richard Passwater chats at length with Dr. Bendich concerning vitamin safety and public health issues. She presents research facts related to essential fatty acids in reducing autoimmune disease progression, micronutrients and human immunity, folic acid supplementation for reducing the risk of neural tube birth defects, safety of beta-carotene supplements, big difference between nicotinic acid and niacinamide, and vitamin C and E safe usage.

Healthy Recipes
There is a simple and beautiful tradition called Langar established about 500 years ago in India, in which all people regardless of caste, religion, race or gender, sit together as equals and share in a blessed meal. All of the food and labor is donated. It is considered a blessing and privilege to contribute in any way. The holiday season is a perfect time to bring this tradition into your local community. The December "There's a Yogi in the Kitchen" column by Siri-Ved Kaur Khalsa provides recipes for Jalapeno Cornbread and Santa Fe Special Soup in quantities large enough to share with shelters in your area.

Healthy Bookstore
The subject of energy is never far from most people's minds. We wish we had more, we wonder where what we used to have went, and we worry that our future energy is over committed to work and other obligations from which we derive no pleasure. "Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul" by David Simon, M.D. seems the perfect book for solving this increasingly widespread dilemma. Based on the ancient healing system of Ayurveda, it will help you identify yourself as an earth-, fire-, or wind-based personality. It presents seven key ways in which each of those types can improve their lives: finding yourself, eliminating toxins, feeding yourself better, building loving relationships, exercising, finding meaning in your work, playing passionately, and finding happiness and contentment by simply being alive. This is a completely engaging, easy-to-follow introduction to Ayurveda, and a must read for anyone searching for better health, vitality, and well-being.

Healthy Travel
"Australia Wonders" May 12-31, 2001 combines spectacular touring and spiritual meditations. Beverly Nelson, Ph.D. escorts this exploration of Australia visiting Sydney, Alice Springs, Katherine Gorge, Kakadu, Darwin, and Cairns, plus four days traveling through Central Australia with Aboriginal guides who have had over 40,000 years experience in the region.

Healthy Child Update
It's flu season again and a time of great concern for parents of young children. In the column "Influenza" Dana Ullman, M.P.H. details the various combinations of symptoms and offers homeopathic remedies appropriate for each. He also gives guidelines for when medical treatment is needed.

Healthy Man Update
Hair loss is a hot topic for men. While it is normal for men to have some degree of baldness by age 60, this condition impacts some men more than others, especially if baldness runs in the family. Sudden or abnormal hair loss is another matter. The column " Hair Loss" prepared by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine takes a step-by-step approach addressing common causes, when to seek medical care, and numerous self-care tips.

Professional Referral Network
The Professional Referral Network contains searchable directories for 20 leading professional associations in complementary and integrative health care, with over 16,000 professionals. Looking for a healthcare professional offering chelation? The Chelation Therapy section includes the American College for Advancement in Medicine member database.

Medical Cybrarian Research Service
Facing a major health-related research project? The HealthWorld Online Medical Cybrarian has the experience and expertise to tackle any size challenge.

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
The The Vaccination Question Forum includes a question from concerned parents of a three month old son. "Acellular pertussis: Do we or don't we?" Can you help them?

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 six 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

The Psychology of Health, Immunity and Disease Conference
Hilton Head Island, SC USA
December 4-10, 2000
Contact: National Institute for the Clinical Application
of Behavioral Medicine - 800-743-2226

7th Annual Symposium on Complementary Health Care
Exeter, Devon, England UNITED KINGDOM
December 7-9, 2000
Contact: Department of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter, UK - 0044-1392-424872

Transformational Retreat-Swim with the Dolphins
with Sheoli Makara, Erik Berglund and the dolphins
Kona, HI USA
December 8-15, 2000
Contact: HealthyTravel.net - 888-888-0717

Anti-Aging Conference and Exposition
8th International Congress on Anti-Aging and BioMedical Technologies
Las Vegas, NV USA
December 15-17, 2000
Contact: American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine - 312-345-7919

Trans-Cultural Interdisciplinary Medicine
Beirut, Jabal Lubnan LEBANON
December 26, 2000
Contact: CME Travel World - 702-871-0592

The Maha Kumbha Mela World Event
Honesdale, PA USA
January 5-30, 2001
Contact: Himalayan Institute - 800-822-4547

Retreat in Tepotzlan, Mexico
Join artist Karl Barnhardt & psychologist Dr. Beverly Nelson
Tepotzlan, Mexico MEXICO
January 15-26, 2001
Contact: Outward Journeys for Inward Development - 972-733-4827

National Health Care Summit
Addressing health care issues for northern and remote communities
Prince George, British Columbia CANADA
January 18-20, 2001
Contact: City of Prince George - 250-614-6648

Victoria Health Show
Victoria, British Columbia CANADA
January 20-21, 2001
Contact: Canadian National Health Shows - 604-885-0960