Integrative Medicine Alert – October 1, 2009
October 1, 2009
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Exercise and Weight Loss
Mention obesity or the need to lose weight, and the next thing to be brought up in many discussions is exercise. Either intuitively, or because of the attention this topic receives, many believe they are not getting enough exercise. -
The Weight of the Evidence: Hypertension in Women
Lifestyle and dietary modifications are important tools for both prevention and adjunctive treatment of hypertension, an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for women. -
Patients With the Common Cold: Empathy Helps Heal Faster
A randomized controlled trial demonstrated that "perfect" empathy with patients results in a better immune response, reduction of symptoms, and faster recovery from a common cold. -
Throw in the Zinc? Minerals and Acute Childhood Diarrhea
This novel, large randomized controlled trial of 808 Indian children with acute dysentery, ranging in age from 6 to 59 months, assigned each subject to one of three arms of treatment for 14 days using a base of standard oral hydration formula for each group: placebo having no additives, zinc 20 mg/5 mL supplementation, or zinc 20 mg/5 mL plus copper 2 mg/5 mL supplementation. -
Black and Blue and Purple: Pomegranate and Coumadin
Studies on the effects of pomegranate juice on CYP-mediated drug metabolism have yielded inconsistent results, but this recently published case report raises the specter of interaction between the juice and warfarin, a drug whose narrow therapeutic window and potential for significant complications are well known.