This was originally sent out to our 30 Day Meditation Challenge group on May 31. I decided to cross-post those messages for the benefit of anyone who wants to get started on meditating without being bothered by joining a group. (But if you want to join the group, just comment, and I'll add you; you can start whenever you like!)
Welcome to the 30-Day Meditation Challenge. We will begin the official challenge tomorrow, June 1. In the meantime, please let me know if you need any resources or information regarding meditation.
For a successful meditation, the following is necessary: your attention, your patience with yourself, a comfortable place to sit/stand/walk, and time. That's all. Some of us sit on meditation cushions, others sit in chairs, on beds, on sofas, on park benches. Some even lie down for their meditation, while others walk. The important thing is the practice.
I will be offering you quotes and encouragement each day. If enough of you would like, I may start up a Yahoo group so that you could all encourage each other. Do me a favor, and let me know what you think of that idea...I think a group is a great help in keeping one in the challenge, and I know that all of you have valuable experiences to share, but I realize that some of you may wish to maintain your privacy.
That's all for today. Here is a quote for you, taken from the book that inspired me to begin meditating, many years ago:
Our life is an endless journey; it is like a broad highway that extends infinitely into the distance. The practice of meditation provides a vehicle to travel on that road. Our journey consists of constant ups and downs, hope and fear, but it is a good journey. The practice of meditation allows us to experience all the textures of the roadway, which is what the journey is all about. Through the practice of meditation, we begin to find that within ourselves there is no fundamental complaint about anyone or anything at all.
--Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
May your journey be replete with texture!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
DVD Review: The Masala Bhangra Workout: Volume 1...Funky Style
Sarina Jain, the "Indian Jane Fonda", has created a series of classes that use the beat and moves of Bhangra dancing as an aerobic workout. I originally requested this DVD because of my Belly Dance classes (Bhangra is becoming a very popular addition to the "fusion" aspects of belly dance, and it is awfully fun to watch); but I thought I'd put my experience out there for the general public.
My first thought was: How cool, Sarina Jain is actual size! She is--she's built like an athletic and healthy woman, only as thin as she should be. (I am very tired of seeing bone-and-sinew thinness being touted as the epitome of health. It ain't). She's lovely to look at, all perfect teeth and perfect hair, even during the most strenuous phase of the workout. Since the workout seemed to be one (almost) continuous live staging, that was impressive. Of course, I know the ability to keep one's hair & makeup perfect whilst egging the rest of us on to a sweat is one of the chief requirements for a career as a video exercise instructor. Yet I'm always inordinately impressed by this. (If you've seen the sheer volume of my hair, you'd understand.)
The thing I liked best about this DVD? It was only 36 minutes. I'm not being facetious; there are plenty of dance/exercise videos that I have not sat down and worked through, because I have a lot of trouble putting 60 or 90 minutes together to do someone else's workout. So 36 minutes seemed just about perfect to me. The actual workout phase is probably only 30 minutes, from warmup to cooldown. Again, that length seemed just perfect, especially since movement is nonstop for that entire time.
I worked through the video once by myself, and a few nights later, I enlisted my in-home tester to work out with me. I wanted the impressions of a non-dancer as to difficulty level, and he gladly gave them to me.
The program suffered from a common problem in the exercise industry: a lot of moves were thrown at us, and none of them were explained in depth. They were, however, repeated over and over. I found that I caught on to most of the moves by the last repetition, but only because I have experienced many frustrating dance classes (the kind where I am always three steps behind the instructor). My in-home tester was so frustrated by the lack of explanation that he gave in, 3/4 of the way through the workout. Not because he couldn't handle the bouncing and sweating, but because he was completely annoyed.
The workout is almost all bouncing. Not easy on the knees at all, nor the ankles, for that matter. The bouncing gets the heart rate up, and the moves are somewhat challenging mentally, as long as you don't get frustrated by the non-explanation. Jain has a nice patter going as aerobics instructors go--you might find her "hup!" exhortations and counting down annoying, if you aren't used to this sort of thing. She is encouraging to her (unseen) audience, and her backup dancers--2 young women, 2 very young men--are unfailingly enthusiastic. The warmup and cooldown are brief but well-done.
I would recommend this DVD only to those who have a good sense of body mechanics and know their own bodies well enough to stop if something hurts. If you are used to dance classes and aerobics classes, this is a fun and energetic workout, a nice change from the routine. If you love Bollywood, you'll have a ball pretending to be one of the dancers in the big crowd scenes.
If you have any kind of knee problems, I would not recommend this DVD at all. No modifications are offered, and I don't think most of the moves would work for those with joint pain.
If you are a dancer looking to pick up some new moves, this is probably not the video for you. Most of the moves are hybrids of Bhangra, hip-hop, and aerobic bouncing, although the hand movements are different and fun to watch, and the combinations feel more like dancing than aerobic combinations usually do. I must admit, I had a gigantic grin on my face through most of the combinations--something that never happened back in my aerobics-class-attending days.
I am looking forward to working out with some of the other five videos in the Masala Dance stable. If you try this one or any of them, let me know what you think!
I found this video at Netflix.
Sarina Jain, the "Indian Jane Fonda", has created a series of classes that use the beat and moves of Bhangra dancing as an aerobic workout. I originally requested this DVD because of my Belly Dance classes (Bhangra is becoming a very popular addition to the "fusion" aspects of belly dance, and it is awfully fun to watch); but I thought I'd put my experience out there for the general public.
My first thought was: How cool, Sarina Jain is actual size! She is--she's built like an athletic and healthy woman, only as thin as she should be. (I am very tired of seeing bone-and-sinew thinness being touted as the epitome of health. It ain't). She's lovely to look at, all perfect teeth and perfect hair, even during the most strenuous phase of the workout. Since the workout seemed to be one (almost) continuous live staging, that was impressive. Of course, I know the ability to keep one's hair & makeup perfect whilst egging the rest of us on to a sweat is one of the chief requirements for a career as a video exercise instructor. Yet I'm always inordinately impressed by this. (If you've seen the sheer volume of my hair, you'd understand.)
The thing I liked best about this DVD? It was only 36 minutes. I'm not being facetious; there are plenty of dance/exercise videos that I have not sat down and worked through, because I have a lot of trouble putting 60 or 90 minutes together to do someone else's workout. So 36 minutes seemed just about perfect to me. The actual workout phase is probably only 30 minutes, from warmup to cooldown. Again, that length seemed just perfect, especially since movement is nonstop for that entire time.
I worked through the video once by myself, and a few nights later, I enlisted my in-home tester to work out with me. I wanted the impressions of a non-dancer as to difficulty level, and he gladly gave them to me.
The program suffered from a common problem in the exercise industry: a lot of moves were thrown at us, and none of them were explained in depth. They were, however, repeated over and over. I found that I caught on to most of the moves by the last repetition, but only because I have experienced many frustrating dance classes (the kind where I am always three steps behind the instructor). My in-home tester was so frustrated by the lack of explanation that he gave in, 3/4 of the way through the workout. Not because he couldn't handle the bouncing and sweating, but because he was completely annoyed.
The workout is almost all bouncing. Not easy on the knees at all, nor the ankles, for that matter. The bouncing gets the heart rate up, and the moves are somewhat challenging mentally, as long as you don't get frustrated by the non-explanation. Jain has a nice patter going as aerobics instructors go--you might find her "hup!" exhortations and counting down annoying, if you aren't used to this sort of thing. She is encouraging to her (unseen) audience, and her backup dancers--2 young women, 2 very young men--are unfailingly enthusiastic. The warmup and cooldown are brief but well-done.
I would recommend this DVD only to those who have a good sense of body mechanics and know their own bodies well enough to stop if something hurts. If you are used to dance classes and aerobics classes, this is a fun and energetic workout, a nice change from the routine. If you love Bollywood, you'll have a ball pretending to be one of the dancers in the big crowd scenes.
If you have any kind of knee problems, I would not recommend this DVD at all. No modifications are offered, and I don't think most of the moves would work for those with joint pain.
If you are a dancer looking to pick up some new moves, this is probably not the video for you. Most of the moves are hybrids of Bhangra, hip-hop, and aerobic bouncing, although the hand movements are different and fun to watch, and the combinations feel more like dancing than aerobic combinations usually do. I must admit, I had a gigantic grin on my face through most of the combinations--something that never happened back in my aerobics-class-attending days.
I am looking forward to working out with some of the other five videos in the Masala Dance stable. If you try this one or any of them, let me know what you think!
I found this video at Netflix.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A Lame Excuse for a Post...
...because I just sent out this link to nearly 500 people and I realize I really haven't written much here. I promise I'll be better, and soon. (I know! I'll make it a 30-day Challenge--the 30-day Blog Challenge! Who's with me?)
Anyway, the current Tea of the Week is a brand-new creation. Triple Lemon: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Lemon peel (Citrus limon), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). 100% Organic, of course. It's soothing, thanks to the Lemon Balm; refreshing, thanks to the Lemongrass; and cleansing, thanks to the Lemon peel. It's lemony, but not too lemony!
Teas cheer me up. How about you?
Oh, and another thing, one of these days I'll archive the Stellaria newsletters. I know that there is a way to do it, that we do, indeed, have the technology. I just can't find the instructions just now. But someday (and soon!)
Anyway, the current Tea of the Week is a brand-new creation. Triple Lemon: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Lemon peel (Citrus limon), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). 100% Organic, of course. It's soothing, thanks to the Lemon Balm; refreshing, thanks to the Lemongrass; and cleansing, thanks to the Lemon peel. It's lemony, but not too lemony!
Teas cheer me up. How about you?
Oh, and another thing, one of these days I'll archive the Stellaria newsletters. I know that there is a way to do it, that we do, indeed, have the technology. I just can't find the instructions just now. But someday (and soon!)
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Codex Panic
Ok, Ok. I've heard enough. My mailbox is besieged by near-hysterical, badly edited e-mails from one group, yet most of the groups I trust have been largely silent on the FDA ruling/Codex issue. I know many of you are concerned, mostly due to the aforesaid hysteria traveling quickly by way of Internet.
If you would like to read a well-reasoned, very fair assessment of the situation--including interviews with the FDA scientists, and a multitude of links to other opinions, visit John Weeks at the Integrator Blog.
If you want my take, well, take it with a grain of salt, and make up your own mind. (And this you should do for anyone's opinions, no matter how well-educated and how much you like--or dislike--them.) As far as I can tell, the ruling only states to clarify claims made about supplements & herbs on the same level as claims made for drugs. Put very simply (because this is the level on which it made sense to me): if I claim that the latest Tea-of-the-Week*** here at Stellaria cures cancer, then that tea falls into the category of a drug, and should only be dispensed/prescribed by those with the authority to do that. If I don't make that claim, then anyone can pour, enjoy, recommend the tea. Make sense?
The tea hasn't changed. The idea of who can "prescribe a drug" hasn't changed--and indeed, this is something that is regulated by the individual states, not by the FDA. For instance: I am licensed as a Naturopathic Physician by the State of Oregon. If I were practicing in Oregon, I could prescribe many things, including most common antibiotics. The State of Illinois, where I currently practice, does not license Naturopathic Physicians. Therefore, I may not "prescribe" anything; I make recommendations regarding commonly available food, herbs, and supplements. In this state I have no more access to regulated drugs than the average citizen. The drugs haven't changed, my training hasn't changed; but I work in a State with different laws. By the same token, though Washington and Arizona both license Naturopathic Physicians, there are drugs that Arizona NDs are allowed to prescribe that Washington NDs may not. (By the way, the drugs that a practitioner can work with are collectively known as the "formulary", and the formulary for each state is set by the governing board of the profession in that state. In Oregon, that's the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners--you can read more about them here.)
So, back to the FDA ruling: if I claim that my Tea cures cancer, than under the terms of the ruling, I have claimed that this tea is a drug--and therefore access to it should be limited to trained and licensed practitioners. It is my hope that this ruling will stop certain people from making spurious and overblown claims for their products. It is important to remember that this ruling will not change your ability to enjoy good effects from any tea or herb on the market--it will prevent unscrupulous types from offering you medical miracles. (and if it does happen to cure your cancer, well, that would be a wonderful turn of events)
As John Weeks put it, "if the power of the FDA as described in this Guidance document makes you nervous, you had reason to be nervous already."
***By the way, the Tea of the Week is May Flowers, an aromatic and uplifting blend of Red Clover, Red Raspberry leaf, Nettles, Gingko, Gotu kola, Calendula, Chamomile, and Lavender. Come on by and have a cup! (It will not cure cancer, obesity, diabetes, or any prevailing social or physical ill. But it is lovely.)
If you would like to read a well-reasoned, very fair assessment of the situation--including interviews with the FDA scientists, and a multitude of links to other opinions, visit John Weeks at the Integrator Blog.
If you want my take, well, take it with a grain of salt, and make up your own mind. (And this you should do for anyone's opinions, no matter how well-educated and how much you like--or dislike--them.) As far as I can tell, the ruling only states to clarify claims made about supplements & herbs on the same level as claims made for drugs. Put very simply (because this is the level on which it made sense to me): if I claim that the latest Tea-of-the-Week*** here at Stellaria cures cancer, then that tea falls into the category of a drug, and should only be dispensed/prescribed by those with the authority to do that. If I don't make that claim, then anyone can pour, enjoy, recommend the tea. Make sense?
The tea hasn't changed. The idea of who can "prescribe a drug" hasn't changed--and indeed, this is something that is regulated by the individual states, not by the FDA. For instance: I am licensed as a Naturopathic Physician by the State of Oregon. If I were practicing in Oregon, I could prescribe many things, including most common antibiotics. The State of Illinois, where I currently practice, does not license Naturopathic Physicians. Therefore, I may not "prescribe" anything; I make recommendations regarding commonly available food, herbs, and supplements. In this state I have no more access to regulated drugs than the average citizen. The drugs haven't changed, my training hasn't changed; but I work in a State with different laws. By the same token, though Washington and Arizona both license Naturopathic Physicians, there are drugs that Arizona NDs are allowed to prescribe that Washington NDs may not. (By the way, the drugs that a practitioner can work with are collectively known as the "formulary", and the formulary for each state is set by the governing board of the profession in that state. In Oregon, that's the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners--you can read more about them here.)
So, back to the FDA ruling: if I claim that my Tea cures cancer, than under the terms of the ruling, I have claimed that this tea is a drug--and therefore access to it should be limited to trained and licensed practitioners. It is my hope that this ruling will stop certain people from making spurious and overblown claims for their products. It is important to remember that this ruling will not change your ability to enjoy good effects from any tea or herb on the market--it will prevent unscrupulous types from offering you medical miracles. (and if it does happen to cure your cancer, well, that would be a wonderful turn of events)
As John Weeks put it, "if the power of the FDA as described in this Guidance document makes you nervous, you had reason to be nervous already."
***By the way, the Tea of the Week is May Flowers, an aromatic and uplifting blend of Red Clover, Red Raspberry leaf, Nettles, Gingko, Gotu kola, Calendula, Chamomile, and Lavender. Come on by and have a cup! (It will not cure cancer, obesity, diabetes, or any prevailing social or physical ill. But it is lovely.)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Book Review: Arthritis Rx, Vijay Vad, MD
Books on natural and noninvasive medicine abound. Since I like to read, and since I have not yet written a book of my own, I thought I'd review some of the books that come across my desk--usually by way of my local library. We'll start off with:
Arthritis Rx: A Cutting-Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life, by Vijay Vad, M.D. Gotham Books: NY, 2006.
The author is a specialist in "minimally invasive arthritis therapies" at Manhattan's Hospital for Special Surgery. He also works as a physician for the PGA golf tour and the ATP tennis tour. Impressive credentials.
Grain of salt: I am wary of the term "minimally invasive", as it can have a range of meanings. Dr. Vad's specialty is the use of hyalan injections to lubricate arthritic joints. Hyalan is a synthetic version of the body's own hyaluronic acid, a component of joint lubrication. On the scale of invasiveness, not too high, especially compared with joint replacements.
Second grain of salt: I don't believe that doctors who practice at surgical hospitals are the best references on noninvasive therapies. Doctors with surgery at their disposal are inclined to use it. That has been my experience, anyway.
Third grain of salt: each time I pick up a book purporting to discuss integrative therapies, I check the index for references to Naturopathic Medicine. This book had none. The author does discuss osteopathy, chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture, and in quite reasoned tones, which did make me feel better about his view of "alternative" medicine.
The book begins with an anecdote about Dr. Vad's grandfather, who dealt with 2 decades of arthritis through daily use of ginger, a daily yoga practice, and daily walks. This is the inspiration for the book. Grandfather Vad was a native of India; I don't know where Dr. Vad grew up, but I am impressed by doctors who go through conventional medical training without losing respect for traditional medicine.
The meat of the book consists of dietary guidelines, supplement recommendations, and exercises for maintaining mobility and flexibility and diminishing pain from osteoarthritis. Reference is made to the inflammatory arthritides (Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and so on), but the book really deals with the more common osteoarthritis, once considered an unavoidable part of aging.
Nutritional guidance consists of encouraging an anti-inflammatory diet--in this case, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & fish--and cautioning against pro-inflammatory foods, defined as red meat, most dairy, and processed foods. Mention is made of food allergies/intolerances and their effect on inflammation. An emphasis on *real*, whole foods (as opposed to food substitutes like green food powders and the like), and the importance of the essential fatty acids. A good introduction to eating for health and healing.
The author next deals with supplements. He focuses on ginger (510 mg per day reduces pain, according to the study he quotes), glucosamine, and chondroitin. Use of the latter two is backed up by reference to the GAIT study** results, refreshingly summarized as "...(this combination) was at least as effective as the anti-inflammatory Celebrex in treating knee arthritis."
**The GAIT study was commonly misrepresented in the media as proving that glucosamine and chondroitin were ineffective, as they showed no significant effect on "mild" knee pain. Of course, these supplements shouldn't be given for mild pain that would resolve, with supportive care, on its own. They are used in cases of chronic inflammation, not as temporary painkillers... But back to the review.
Dr. Vad then surprised me by plugging his own supplement, Zingerflex, a combination of glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger. He claims it is the only supplement available with this combination. I checked Emerson Ecologics, distributor of professional-grade supplements to many doctor's offices (including mine), and it's true, there was no exactly comparable formula. However, the amounts of ginger recommended (about 1/2 gram) are easy to incorporate into the diet, so is a supplemental ginger really necessary? Quality glucosamine/chondroitin supplements abound.
Still, I can hardly blame Dr. Vad for formulating his own product, as plenty of Naturopathic Docs work with supplement companies. Interestingly, the Zingerflex website makes no mention of the doctor's name, referring simply to a "leading physician researcher", but this may be standard practice for MDs. The product is reasonably priced, approximately $29.99 for a one month supply.
The next part of the book are the exercises, given in 3 series, from mild to strenuous. The author claims that many of his patients have done just fine sticking to the first series, with no need to progress to the others. Looking at the exercises (and I must admit, I did not try the sequences myself), they seem to be well-thought out combinations of Yoga with Pilates variations. Kudos to Dr. Vad for his emphasis on proper breathing during the exercises. I agree with him that controlled breathing is just as important to health as strengthening the muscles, if not more so.
The last part of the book deals with other approaches to healing arthritis, including a well-thought-out synopsis of several integrative therapies. The author balances the conclusions of Evidence-Based Medicine** with his own clinical observations. For instance, though EBM tells us that chiropractic has not yet been shown to be effective for arthritis, Dr. Vad adds that it has been quite effective for the low back pain of several of his patients. Good for you, Dr. Vad!
**Evidence-based medicine can be roughly summarized as the theory that only those interventions which have been tested in approved, double-blind studies and shown to be effective should be recommended to patients. While there is a great deal of logic to this, it ignores the importance of the observations of a learned physician.
The book concludes with a description of future treatments for arthritis, with an emphasis on gene therapy, in which stem cells (from the patient's own body; no need to be alarmed, GWB!) are used to grow new bone or cartilage. Ooooooh, cooool, I thought; and then I remembered something... In my country, the U.S. of A, we are so very good at creating extremely expensive interventions for medical problems. We are not so good at taking care of our citizen's basic medical needs. What would one stem cell procedure to ease one person's knee pain cost? And how many uninsured women could get good prenatal care for that money? Or how many cooking classes for diabetics could we fund?
But that is not Dr. Vad's fault. And he seems to be doing his best to promote the "interventions" of good food, good exercise, and good care to prevent the "need" for such expensive procedures.
Would I recommend this book? With reservations; I believe that the personal guidance of a provider with experience in nutrition, exercise, and herbal medicine is key to success with natural medicine. This book could then provide an adjunct, as it is a nice summary of valuable methods. The exercise and recipe sections alone could prove quite useful.
Until a book on arthritis from the standpoint of Naturopathic Medicine is widely available, Dr. Vad's book will do fine.
Arthritis Rx: A Cutting-Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life, by Vijay Vad, M.D. Gotham Books: NY, 2006.
The author is a specialist in "minimally invasive arthritis therapies" at Manhattan's Hospital for Special Surgery. He also works as a physician for the PGA golf tour and the ATP tennis tour. Impressive credentials.
Grain of salt: I am wary of the term "minimally invasive", as it can have a range of meanings. Dr. Vad's specialty is the use of hyalan injections to lubricate arthritic joints. Hyalan is a synthetic version of the body's own hyaluronic acid, a component of joint lubrication. On the scale of invasiveness, not too high, especially compared with joint replacements.
Second grain of salt: I don't believe that doctors who practice at surgical hospitals are the best references on noninvasive therapies. Doctors with surgery at their disposal are inclined to use it. That has been my experience, anyway.
Third grain of salt: each time I pick up a book purporting to discuss integrative therapies, I check the index for references to Naturopathic Medicine. This book had none. The author does discuss osteopathy, chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture, and in quite reasoned tones, which did make me feel better about his view of "alternative" medicine.
The book begins with an anecdote about Dr. Vad's grandfather, who dealt with 2 decades of arthritis through daily use of ginger, a daily yoga practice, and daily walks. This is the inspiration for the book. Grandfather Vad was a native of India; I don't know where Dr. Vad grew up, but I am impressed by doctors who go through conventional medical training without losing respect for traditional medicine.
The meat of the book consists of dietary guidelines, supplement recommendations, and exercises for maintaining mobility and flexibility and diminishing pain from osteoarthritis. Reference is made to the inflammatory arthritides (Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and so on), but the book really deals with the more common osteoarthritis, once considered an unavoidable part of aging.
Nutritional guidance consists of encouraging an anti-inflammatory diet--in this case, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & fish--and cautioning against pro-inflammatory foods, defined as red meat, most dairy, and processed foods. Mention is made of food allergies/intolerances and their effect on inflammation. An emphasis on *real*, whole foods (as opposed to food substitutes like green food powders and the like), and the importance of the essential fatty acids. A good introduction to eating for health and healing.
The author next deals with supplements. He focuses on ginger (510 mg per day reduces pain, according to the study he quotes), glucosamine, and chondroitin. Use of the latter two is backed up by reference to the GAIT study** results, refreshingly summarized as "...(this combination) was at least as effective as the anti-inflammatory Celebrex in treating knee arthritis."
**The GAIT study was commonly misrepresented in the media as proving that glucosamine and chondroitin were ineffective, as they showed no significant effect on "mild" knee pain. Of course, these supplements shouldn't be given for mild pain that would resolve, with supportive care, on its own. They are used in cases of chronic inflammation, not as temporary painkillers... But back to the review.
Dr. Vad then surprised me by plugging his own supplement, Zingerflex, a combination of glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger. He claims it is the only supplement available with this combination. I checked Emerson Ecologics, distributor of professional-grade supplements to many doctor's offices (including mine), and it's true, there was no exactly comparable formula. However, the amounts of ginger recommended (about 1/2 gram) are easy to incorporate into the diet, so is a supplemental ginger really necessary? Quality glucosamine/chondroitin supplements abound.
Still, I can hardly blame Dr. Vad for formulating his own product, as plenty of Naturopathic Docs work with supplement companies. Interestingly, the Zingerflex website makes no mention of the doctor's name, referring simply to a "leading physician researcher", but this may be standard practice for MDs. The product is reasonably priced, approximately $29.99 for a one month supply.
The next part of the book are the exercises, given in 3 series, from mild to strenuous. The author claims that many of his patients have done just fine sticking to the first series, with no need to progress to the others. Looking at the exercises (and I must admit, I did not try the sequences myself), they seem to be well-thought out combinations of Yoga with Pilates variations. Kudos to Dr. Vad for his emphasis on proper breathing during the exercises. I agree with him that controlled breathing is just as important to health as strengthening the muscles, if not more so.
The last part of the book deals with other approaches to healing arthritis, including a well-thought-out synopsis of several integrative therapies. The author balances the conclusions of Evidence-Based Medicine** with his own clinical observations. For instance, though EBM tells us that chiropractic has not yet been shown to be effective for arthritis, Dr. Vad adds that it has been quite effective for the low back pain of several of his patients. Good for you, Dr. Vad!
**Evidence-based medicine can be roughly summarized as the theory that only those interventions which have been tested in approved, double-blind studies and shown to be effective should be recommended to patients. While there is a great deal of logic to this, it ignores the importance of the observations of a learned physician.
The book concludes with a description of future treatments for arthritis, with an emphasis on gene therapy, in which stem cells (from the patient's own body; no need to be alarmed, GWB!) are used to grow new bone or cartilage. Ooooooh, cooool, I thought; and then I remembered something... In my country, the U.S. of A, we are so very good at creating extremely expensive interventions for medical problems. We are not so good at taking care of our citizen's basic medical needs. What would one stem cell procedure to ease one person's knee pain cost? And how many uninsured women could get good prenatal care for that money? Or how many cooking classes for diabetics could we fund?
But that is not Dr. Vad's fault. And he seems to be doing his best to promote the "interventions" of good food, good exercise, and good care to prevent the "need" for such expensive procedures.
Would I recommend this book? With reservations; I believe that the personal guidance of a provider with experience in nutrition, exercise, and herbal medicine is key to success with natural medicine. This book could then provide an adjunct, as it is a nice summary of valuable methods. The exercise and recipe sections alone could prove quite useful.
Until a book on arthritis from the standpoint of Naturopathic Medicine is widely available, Dr. Vad's book will do fine.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Hype
Excuse me while I vent, just a little.
Natural medicine is a business, like any other business; and right now, it's a big, big business. A booming business. An "how-can-I-jump-on-this-bandwagon?" kind of business. There is a daily proliferation of impossible claims and rumored legends of miraculous cures. I try not to apologize too much for this; I know that I am no more responsible for the charlatans who fall under this over-large umbrella of "complementary and alternative medicine" than your hard-working family MD is for the current debacle at the Veteran's Administration. And yet...
In my mail yesterday, I received a large packet of ads for various supplements. (To be fair, this is from the distribution company I work with, and they do not bug me very often--I only get such a packet 4-6 times a year, and many of the things advertised in it are products I recommend and/or use). The star of this particular packet was a product claiming to "produce feelings of fullness and satiety" in my patients--in other words, an appetite suppressant. All-natural, of course, if one puts aside qualms about laboratory manipulation to produce such marvels of nature as "Patented potato protein extract". Yep, it was an appetite suppressant made of potatoes and seaweed. Feel free to laugh.
Now, I know as well as the next person that the "obesity epidemic" is this year's favorite health crisis, and I know that conventional wisdom is that we all eat too much and could all stand to be thinner. (Do I agree with either of these statements? No, I do not). But come on--I spend my days trying to convince people to eat, to eat well, and to eat REAL FOOD. REAL FOOD, not something created on someone's lab bench. In my mind, this does *not* qualify as natural medicine.
Today's mail contained a brochure (sent by a cold-calling salesman) touting a product which claims to foster the growth of stem cells in the adult. Now, leaving aside the question of whether this is even a *good* thing, the lovely brochure never mentioned the ingredients in this miracle supplement OR its price. Hey, salespeople? It's really rather important that you share a detailed ingredient list with those of us who you expect to vouch for your product. This is my reputation that you're putting on the line.
BTW, here's a note for all cold callers: I might be semi-polite with you on the phone (while removing you from the line as swiftly as possible) but I will NOT purchase product from you. I despise cold calls. If you want to show me a new product, send me something that I can read. I like to read, and I can do it at a time convenient for me. And don't worry, I'll recycle your propaganda when I'm through with it.
And here, for your benefit, is the piece of advice I wish I could have plastered on my office wall, or recorded on my office voice mail, for all the times patients want to know about the latest miracle cure: IF IT CURES EVERYTHING, IT'S A LIE. If you see it hyped on the internet, don't waste your money. If someone spends millions of dollars to broadcast an infomercial touting this stuff, don't send them more money. Turn off the infomercial, and get some sleep. We'll talk about realistic solutions in the morning.
And no, I can't cure your cancer. I'm really very sorry about that, I wish I could.
Natural medicine is a business, like any other business; and right now, it's a big, big business. A booming business. An "how-can-I-jump-on-this-bandwagon?" kind of business. There is a daily proliferation of impossible claims and rumored legends of miraculous cures. I try not to apologize too much for this; I know that I am no more responsible for the charlatans who fall under this over-large umbrella of "complementary and alternative medicine" than your hard-working family MD is for the current debacle at the Veteran's Administration. And yet...
In my mail yesterday, I received a large packet of ads for various supplements. (To be fair, this is from the distribution company I work with, and they do not bug me very often--I only get such a packet 4-6 times a year, and many of the things advertised in it are products I recommend and/or use). The star of this particular packet was a product claiming to "produce feelings of fullness and satiety" in my patients--in other words, an appetite suppressant. All-natural, of course, if one puts aside qualms about laboratory manipulation to produce such marvels of nature as "Patented potato protein extract". Yep, it was an appetite suppressant made of potatoes and seaweed. Feel free to laugh.
Now, I know as well as the next person that the "obesity epidemic" is this year's favorite health crisis, and I know that conventional wisdom is that we all eat too much and could all stand to be thinner. (Do I agree with either of these statements? No, I do not). But come on--I spend my days trying to convince people to eat, to eat well, and to eat REAL FOOD. REAL FOOD, not something created on someone's lab bench. In my mind, this does *not* qualify as natural medicine.
Today's mail contained a brochure (sent by a cold-calling salesman) touting a product which claims to foster the growth of stem cells in the adult. Now, leaving aside the question of whether this is even a *good* thing, the lovely brochure never mentioned the ingredients in this miracle supplement OR its price. Hey, salespeople? It's really rather important that you share a detailed ingredient list with those of us who you expect to vouch for your product. This is my reputation that you're putting on the line.
BTW, here's a note for all cold callers: I might be semi-polite with you on the phone (while removing you from the line as swiftly as possible) but I will NOT purchase product from you. I despise cold calls. If you want to show me a new product, send me something that I can read. I like to read, and I can do it at a time convenient for me. And don't worry, I'll recycle your propaganda when I'm through with it.
And here, for your benefit, is the piece of advice I wish I could have plastered on my office wall, or recorded on my office voice mail, for all the times patients want to know about the latest miracle cure: IF IT CURES EVERYTHING, IT'S A LIE. If you see it hyped on the internet, don't waste your money. If someone spends millions of dollars to broadcast an infomercial touting this stuff, don't send them more money. Turn off the infomercial, and get some sleep. We'll talk about realistic solutions in the morning.
And no, I can't cure your cancer. I'm really very sorry about that, I wish I could.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The article that was published on ChronicBabe has garnered some attention. I was quite surprised to see myself in honored company at the January 23 edition of Grand Rounds, hosted by Signout. (My article is, appropriately enough, under "Methods"). I was somewhat daunted to find myself the representative of alternative medicine chosen to follow a well-written and well-reasoned critique of the perceived lack of evidence-based standards in alternative and complementary medicine--which you can read here, but soon got over it and cheerily sent the link to everyone I knew. Including colleagues, former classmates, and mentors.
I just discovered that my article is referenced on The Daily Headache, a well-written memoir of living with chronic headaches. I was flattered, especially since this blog is one I flip to when I'm looking for something to read. And I hope it isn't too solipsistic to write a post like this, which consists mainly of references which refer right back here...but I believe that is proper etiquette out here in the blog-o-sphere, yes?
Meanwhile...life and business continue hectic and rich, and I have neglected this blog a bit. A brief sample of the proceedings in the last 2 weeks: a wonderful talk to a lovely Garden Club; lots more snow; the coordination, hosting, performance involved with our monthly Hafla (that's a Belly dance performance/party, in case you didn't know); more prepping of lectures, various and sundry business coordination & marketing duties...and today is the 2nd birthday of my business!
But I promise to post something more meaty soon. After all, I need to live up to this attention!
I just discovered that my article is referenced on The Daily Headache, a well-written memoir of living with chronic headaches. I was flattered, especially since this blog is one I flip to when I'm looking for something to read. And I hope it isn't too solipsistic to write a post like this, which consists mainly of references which refer right back here...but I believe that is proper etiquette out here in the blog-o-sphere, yes?
Meanwhile...life and business continue hectic and rich, and I have neglected this blog a bit. A brief sample of the proceedings in the last 2 weeks: a wonderful talk to a lovely Garden Club; lots more snow; the coordination, hosting, performance involved with our monthly Hafla (that's a Belly dance performance/party, in case you didn't know); more prepping of lectures, various and sundry business coordination & marketing duties...and today is the 2nd birthday of my business!
But I promise to post something more meaty soon. After all, I need to live up to this attention!
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