Alternative therapy degree attack

UK universities are teaching "gobbledygook" following the explosion in science degrees in complementary medicine, a leading expert says.

There are now 61 complementary medicine courses of which 45 are science degrees, the Nature journal reported.

University College London Professor David Colquhoun urged watchdogs to act, as complementary medicine was not based on scientific evidence.

But supporters of the approach said the views were a "sweeping generalisation".


COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
The term complementary - or alternative - medicine covers therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture or reflexology
For a medicine to be used in conventional medicine, it must go through scientific trials where its effectiveness has to be proven
But these techniques often fail to show how complementary medicine works
Advocates say new research is beginning to prove the case, but many medics, including the British Medical Association, believe there should be tougher regulation of the practice

Professor Colquhoun, of the university's department of pharmacology, cited the example of homeopathy.

He said it had barely changed since the start of the 19th Century and was "more like religion than science".

He also pointed out that some supporters of nutritional therapy have been known to claim that changes in diet can cure Aids.

He said the teaching of complementary medicine under a science banner was worse than "Mickey Mouse" degrees in golf management and baking that have sprung up in recent years as "they do what it says on the label".

"That is quite different from awarding BSc degrees in subjects that are not science at all, but are positively anti-science.

"Yet this sort of gobbledygook is being taught in some UK universities as though it were science."

He suggested it would be better if courses in aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, reflexology, naturopathy and traditional Chinese medicine were taught as part of a cultural history or sociological course.

Degrees

And Prof Colquhoun said the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) should be taking action to stop these courses being classed as science degrees.

The watchdog is in charge of ensuring the standards of degrees on offer; and, while it cannot demand universities change the courses they offer, its reviews can lead to funding being withdrawn.

A spokeswoman for the QAA said there were no serious concerns about degrees being offered.

The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health, a group set up by Prince Charles to promote complementary therapy, said there was increasing evidence alternative therapies worked and where there was no proof it did not necessarily mean that there would never be.

Foundation chief executive Kim Lavely added: "The enormous demand from the public for complementary treatments means that we need more research into why and how patients are benefiting.

"Scientists should want to explore this rather than make sweeping, absolutist generalisations arising from deeply held prejudice as David Colquhoun does in this article."

HEalth: Morning Rituals and Meditation

Morning Rituals and Meditation

Posted by Victoria Anisman-Reiner
Some people meditate, others do yoga; some have a protein shake every morning for breakfast or a green drink like fresh vegetable juice or wheatgrass as a morning ritual.

This morning, I got out of bed fifteen minutes after my alarm went off (a morning ritual I'd like to shake).

I went to my desk and did my morning written meditation - 3 written pages based on the concept of Julia Cameron's "morning pages" to clear my mind and harmonize my thoughts and feelings. I find that writing or doing any ritual first thing in the morning helps me to connect with what is happening on the inside of my psyche. It enables me to break through the barriers of my wide awake, conscious mind to learn what's going on underneath, stabilizing and calming both my body and my mind.

I have another morning ritual that I follow at least 5 days a week - vegetable juice before breakfast. I have a great little juicer into which I'll stick anything from organic carrots, half of a lemon, celery or apples slices to lettuce, bitter chard or kale, and live, protein-rich sprouts! Juicing is one of the best things you can do for your health. A fresh juice just before breakfast - particularly one with something green in it - sets your body up with a wealth of vitamins, minerals and enzymes to support you through the day. Organic fruit and veggies are especially good for you to juice.

I usually add an ounce of wolfberry antioxidant juice and some hemp seed oil for omegas, and sometimes a fiber supplement. It's an acquired taste, but by now I love green juicing and I can feel the good it's doing for me.

What do you do for your wellness and health as a morning ritual? The discussion boards are open and I'd love to hear from you.

Diet: Protein in dietary balance

Protein in dietary balance

How much protein you need may vary, depending on what else you're eating. Raw foods and juicing includes enzymes that balance blood sugar in ways a processed diet won't.

The really interesting thing about dietary protein, as far as I’m concerned, is how the standard varies with who you ask. Most general food guidelines recommend that 10-15% of our diet come from protein. This number can vary depending on your body’s individual metabolism and your daily activity, and holistic practitioners tend to recommend more rather than less protein. Bodybuilders and athletes have been known to eat about 35% protein to support the growth of lean muscle mass - yet many nutritionists claim that this is not necessary and that, like the Atkins diet, athletes who consume this much excessive protein are putting their heart and kidneys at risk.

I have type A blood - the blood type that is typically considered the least protein-dependant and most condusive to being vegetarian. However, I tend to feel tired, dizzy, or get a stomach ache if I haven’t had enough of a complete protein at a meal - particularly if there are a lot of starches, sweets (even healthy ones) or other carbohydrate foods involved.

When I focus my diet on raw fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, my need for protein to balance the blood sugar high of the carbs decreases - thanks primarily, I think, to the high count of enzymes in the raw produce. I notice a particular difference when I'm juicing (green vegetables, lemons, and whatever else I have on hand) first thing in the morning, as I have been lately. Despite the high sugar content of most raw fruits and veggies, the sugars don’t hit my system the way processed carbs do, and I feel less need for protein when I’m eating a more raw diet.

Energy Medicine in the Real World

Energy Medicine in the Real World

It’s here and it’s being discussed on Oprah. Is Energy Medicine and energy healing work the real future of medicine?

I grew up on aspects of Energy Medicine. My mother studied Touch for Health Applied Kinesiology and Brain Gym when I was a child, so I knew, at least in theory, how profound the impact of energy work could be. Energy testing or “muscle testing” was invaluable for working with my allergies and sensitivities as a child and as a teenager. However, it was only after I took a 5-day Energy Medicine Intensive taught by Donna Eden in August 2005 that I really began to feel the impact that the simplest of these exercises could have on my body and mind.

After the Energy Medicine Intensive, I began to practice Donna Eden’s “5-minute tune up” every morning. Within days of starting to do the three thumps, the hook-up, cross crawl, and all the rest, I noticed that I had more energy, my mind was clearer, and I felt stronger as I used the daily tune-up as part of a morning meditation.

I do everything I can to encourage others to try using these exercises daily - not only for those who are healthy, to improve your strength, immunity, and brain function, but also to help those who are ill come into better balance with your health.

I firmly believe that there are solutions in energy work and Energy Medicine to help almost everyone with their healing challenges - whether they have simple aches and pains or serious illnesses like cancer, chronic fatigue, and MS. Energy Medicine is so versatile and powerful that it can make a difference for almost everyone.

My favorite applications of Energy Medicine are the ones I’ve used the most - those to relax, to “unscramble” a cluttered mind, to help calm kids (children with ADD/ADHD tend to respond especially well to energy work), to ease pain and tension, and to settle anxious pets (believe it or not, they have the same energy systems as we do - it just takes a little more effort to work with them).

I’ve had some experience using Energy Medicine on skeptical relatives when they were sick enough to be willing to give anything a shot. My efforts helped them to feel better, get out of bed, and go back to grumbling about my odd habit of offering to help them sort out all kinds of situations with energy work.

The most exciting thing, for me, is the public perception of energy healing and the way it is gradually becoming more accepted and appreciated. I think we’ve come a long way from labeling alternative medicine “witchcraft” and essential oils “snake oil.” Last week, a doctor appeared on Oprah’s show and called Energy Medicine “the next big frontier” in medicine! You can’t get much more mainstream than that.

Oprah’s guest, Dr. Oz, said, "We're beginning now to understand things that we know in our hearts are true but we could never measure. As we get better at understanding how little we know about the body, we begin to realize that the next big frontier… in medicine is energy medicine. It's not the mechanistic part of the joints moving. It's not the chemistry of our body. It's understanding for the first time how energy influences how we feel."

3 tips for Toronto vegetarians

3 tips for Toronto vegetarians

Posted by Victoria Anisman-Reiner
Torontonians reading my recent articles about the pros and cons of vegetarianism - or anybody else - might be interested in trying these three food discoveries!

I'm admitting straight off the top that this is a silly post. In light of my recent article about vegetarianism, I thought some of my readers might be able to make use of the fabulous results of my recent foray into vegetarian health food cuisine. I've found three things I'd like to share:

1. Basil pesto from Sunflower Kitchens

2. Vegepate from Fontaine Sante

3. Free hulled hemp seed samples at Noah's at Bloor and Spadina

1. Sunflower Kitchens is a small operation that cooks up various forms of hummus, pestos, and other dips and sauces to gourmet and health food stores in the Toronto area. I've tried some of their catering, over the years, and it's very good - but nothing compares to their fabulous BASIL PESTO. It has a rich, fresh flavour and is completely vegan - any creaminess is due to the ground sunflower seeds added to the pesto. It'll last for at least two weeks, opened, in the fridge (I've never had one longer than that before I use it up!) and it's great on salads, sandwiches, to dip raw veggies, you name it. Don't confuse it with Sunflower Kitchens' Kale and Basil Pesto - which is not as flavourful.

2. Fontaine Sante is a fresh health food company out of Quebec. I'm not as familiar with their products, but I picked up a small package of VEGEPATE yesterday at the health food store and I was surprised how good it tasted. It also has a sunflower seed base, with onions, nutritional yeast, carrots and other veggies, but it tastes like nothing so much as my Jewish great-aunt's recipe for vegetarian chopped liver. Excellent on crackers. I doubt that it will have the longevity of the Sunflower Pesto - which I like to stock as a staple! - but it's nice on occasion.

3. I was at Noah's Natural Foods at Bloor and Spadina this evening and they have a basket of FREE HEMP SEED SAMPLES on the check-out counter at the front. I doubt it'll last long, but while it does - free hemp seeds! They're a great source of omega-3 oils and of protein. And they taste great. (I was amused to see fine print on the tiny card insert in the package which reads, "Batch 6. THC Test: 0%"

HERBAL : Vegetarian Restaurants in Toronto

Vegetarian Restaurants in Toronto

Posted by Victoria Anisman-Reiner
On the lookout for a restaurant in the city of Toronto? Check out these five vegetarian restaurants for creative dining options for vegans, omnivores, and all in between

By no means an exhaustive list, this post is in intended as a follow-up to my recent articles, Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet and Disadvantages of Going Veg to suggest a few of Toronto’s best restaurants for great cuisine, good atmosphere, and healthy eating!

1. Fresh / Juice for Life

Juice for Life has three locations in the city: at Bloor and Spadina, on Queen Street West at Crawford, and on Spadina south of Queen Street West. Each is a bouncing spot for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy wholesome meals, fresh juices, and a range of desserts made with natural ingredients and healthier sweeteners. Their specialties include a veggie burger made from almonds and rice bowls topped with any and every combination of vegetables, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, and sauces you can imagine. Most of their desserts come from Sweets from the Earth, the exquisite Toronto vegan bakery (most of their goodies are, however, made with unrefined cane sugar).

2. Annapurna

One of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in the city (and perhaps across Canada) is Annapurna Restaurant, a quirky, quiet place in Toronto's Annex, on Bathurst Street just south of Dupont. Annapurna specializes in delicious Southern Indian cuisine, with daily soups and specials, all very reasonably priced. Their masala dosai, a lentil flour crepe filled with potatoes and served with spicy sanbar lentil soup, is a favorite, as are the honey-sweetened carob balls for dessert.

3. Live

Live Organic Food Bar, located on Dupont at Spadina, is the only restaurant in Toronto that offers raw food appetizers and entrees as nearly half of their menu. They specialize in gourmet vegan food, fresh juices, and gourmet raw vegan desserts. Live is new, trendy, and more than a little pricey, but the food is excellent. They also offer cooking classes, catering and healthy packaged foods in the entryway.

4. Le Commensal

Le Commensal has been around since 1996, and it’s still going strong. Located in the heart of Toronto at Bay and Elm Streets (near the subway at Dundas and Yonge), Le Commensal is a buffet-style vegetarian restaurant where you pay for your food by weight before you eat. Food choices include a range of salads, rice, tofu and seitan curries and stews, pizza, lasagne, and more. Their soups and the favorite dishes are prepackaged and frozen so you can also enjoy them at home. As a bonus, they make the best tofu cheesecake in town.

5. Vegetarian Haven

Set in the U of T/ Kensington Market district on Baldwin Street, Vegetarian Haven has a huge menu - from the more conventional stews, noodles, and stuffed vegetables to unusual veggie simulations which included the popular “tofu drumsticks” as well as tofu "ham", "pastrami", "salmon" and more. The food is nicely presented and, for the most part, in very generous portions. Like Fresh/Juice for Life, they also serve desserts made by Sweets from the Earth (see above); and they’ll blend any cake or cookie into a dessert shake to order.

Traditional Medicine, why is Important?

Importance of Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine has always been regarded as important in Bhutan, and a dispensary which doubles as a training centre was opened at Dechenchoeling in 1967. In 1979, a traditional medical hospital with a laboratory for making medicines was opened in Thimphu, subsidized by the World Health Organization. This hospital can be visited (see page 161). Four dispensaries were also set up in the rest of the country. In 1988, a project for cataloguing plants and establishing a training centre for doctors was begun with the help of an Italian non­-governmental organization. This project today is being continued by European Community.

Traditional Medicine : Diagonistic Techniques

Diagonistic Techniques

Diagnosis begins with an examination of the 12 pulses, the tongue and urine, and questions to the patient. Illnesses develop with the increase, decrease or destabilization caused by bad food, the weather, evil spirits, the weight of previ­ous actions, karma, or way of life. Remedies, in general, consist of a diet that varies with the nature of the illness, and medi­cines, which may be aided by acupuncture and moxibustion.

The decision about what kind of treatment to use for a particular condition is made by the physician mainly through the reading of the pulses. In modern medicine, pulse reading is only used to detect anomalies of the heart and of the circulatory system. Using the So-bar Rig-pa method, it is possible to detect diseases of any organ through the pulses. The eyes, tongue and urine are also examined for signs that will help with the diagnosis, and sometimes the physician will record the patient's medical history.

Therapeutic applied in traditional medicine

Therapeutic Practices

Several forms of treatment are applied in traditional medicine. Hundreds of medicinal plants, minerals and animal parts form the basic drugs used by the practitioners. These ingredients are processed and mixed in different combinations to make about 300 medicines in the form of pills, tablets, syrups, powders and lotions. Other treatments include dietary and behavioural advice. There are also so-called surgical procedures that include gtar (blood letting), bsregs (cauterisation by lerbal compounds), gser facos (acupuncture by a golden needle), tshug (cauterisation with instruments of different materials), dugs (applying heat or cold to parts of the body), byugs-pa (medicated oil massage), sman-chu (stone-heated bath), fsha-chu (bath at a hot spring) and turn (vapour treatment).