Integrative Medicine

Purpose: Ongoing symptoms and impairments in quality of life (QOL) among breast cancer survivors remain a significant problem. We tested the feasibility and acceptability of a manualized Ayurvedic nutrition and lifestyle intervention for breast cancer survivors. Methods: Eligible participants had Stage I-III breast cancer, underwent treatment within the past year that included che-motherapy, and were without active disease. The 4-month individualized Ayurvedic intervention included counseling on nutrition, lifestyle, yoga, and marma (like acupressure) during 8 one-on-one visits with an Ayurvedic practitioner. Feasibility and acceptability were the primary outcomes. QOL (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire [EORTC QLQ C30]) and symptoms-sleep disturbance (General Sleep Disturbance Scale [GSDS]), fatigue (Lee Fatigue Scale [LFS]), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale [CES-D]), anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI-S, STAI-T]), and stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS])-were measured prior to, at midpoint, and at the end of the 4-month intervention. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated along with paired t tests comparing baseline to end of month 4 time points. Mixed effects models were used for repeated measures analyses. Results: Participants (n ¼ 32) had a mean age of 48 years (SD ¼ 10). Retention at the end of the intervention was 84%. Among those who completed the intervention (n ¼ 27), adherence was high (99.5% of visits with practitioners attended). Large improvements were seen in QLQ-C30 emotional functioning (d ¼ 0.84, P < 0.001), QLQ-C30 cognitive functioning (d ¼ 0.86, P < 0.001), GSDS (d ¼-1.23, P < 0.001), and CES-D (d ¼-1.21, P < 0.001). Moderate improvements were seen in QLQ-C30 global health (d ¼ 0.65, p ¼ 0.003), LFS (d ¼-0.68, P ¼ 0.002), and PSS (d ¼-0.75, P < 0.001). No adverse events were observed due to the intervention.

This article presents a proposal to categorise stimuli that influence well-being in therapeutic environments following Complementary and Integrative Practices (CIPs). With the broader aim of understanding which environmental stimuli influence the well-being of CIP therapeutic environment users, this qualitative research adopted a multimethod approach: bibliographic and documentary research; walkthrough analysis; exploratory visits; environment observations; and finally, interviews. After cross-referencing a literature review and an environmental assessment of three case studies during 2017, a categorisation was drawn up, and it suggests that the stimuli which most influence well-being in CIP environments are: Artistic, Auditory, Biological, Luminous and Hygrothermal Comfort, Energetic, Spatial, Natural, Olfactory, Social and Socio-Spatial stimuli. Included in a broader debate on creating environments favourable to users’ health, and in line with an increasing demand of CIPs in Brazi...

Becoming Medicine is the second collaboration of holistic psychiatrist, David Kopacz, and Native American Visionary, Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow), with a foreword by Lewis Mehl-Madrona. It is a journey of heroism and healing through seeking, finding/receiving wisdom, and giving back to the world. Drawing on their own stories, as well as those of contemporary & ancient mystics, visionaries, and shamans, this book plots out a course of initiation into a living spirituality where we become the medicine that our world so desperately needs.

The mechanism of Cupping therapy action is not clear. Cupping may increase local blood circulation, and has an immune-modulation effect. Researches reported some local and systemic effects of cupping therapy. Genetic expression is a physiological process that regulates body functions. Genetic modulation is a reported acupuncture effect. In this presentation, the authors try to suggest genetic modulation as one of the possible mechanisms of action

Mobile phones have become ubiquitous due to their convenience. Mobile phones address social interaction and data transfer issues by introducing new modes of communication via a device small enough to fit in one hand. On the other hand, mobile phones may be hazardous to the environment and human health, and their radiation discharge may contribute to waste disposal issues. Recently, concerns have been expressed about the long-term viability of mobile phones and their impact on people's health and the environment. The current study investigates the negative consequences of mobile phone use and proposes long-term solutions.

This report presents findings of a study that was conducted by Brain Sciences Institute and Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Swinburne University of Technology, on behalf of Enzo Bioactives Pty Ltd. The study investigated the effects of an extract of Pinus radiata, pine bark (Enzogenol) on neurological cognitive function and cardiovascular disease risk factors amongst older at risk subjects.
The primary focus of this study was application of novel steady-state probe topography (SSPT) neuroimaging techniques to investigate changes in brain electrical activity associated with Enzogenol supplementation.
The study has found significant changes in patterns of brain electrical activity, reflecting improvements in performance on object working memory and episodic memory tasks, following 5 weeks of Enzogenol supplementation but not following placebo supplementation.
Secondly, a battery of computerized cognitive tests was used to investigate the effects of Enzogenol on cognitive processes. Increased speed of response was found on tests of spatial working memory and simple recognition memory with Enzogenol supplementation but not with placebo supplementation.
Given these findings it is suggested that Enzogenol may improve cognitive processes in the brain and may act to reduce the deleterious effects of ageing on cognition.
The effects of Enzogenol on blood pressure were also investigated. A reduction in systolic blood pressure means by 7 mm Hg in the Enzogenol group compared to 0.9 mm Hg in the placebo group did not reach significance. However, it is suggested that with a larger sample size the reduction of 7 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure would be significant and consistent with a previous open-labeled study. A meta-analysis of systolic blood pressure data combining the present results with other clinical studies on Enzogenol is recommended. Other markers of cardiovascular health did not show any significant changes in this study.
Finally, using a number of standard biochemical and hematological indices to evaluate treatment safety it was concluded that Enzogenol was safe and well tolerated at a daily dose of 960 mg over the five week treatment.
Investigators
Dr Andrew Pipingas* Prof Richard Silberstein* Dr Luis Vitettaψ
Cindy Van Rooy*
Prof Avni Saliψ
ψ
*Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia ψGraduate School of Integrative Medicine, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia
Dr Fernando Cortizo Dr Joseph Nastasiψ Dr John Song*

Diagnosis based on the systematic correspondences of Oriental medicine often results in the recognition of subtle relationships between cause and effect not immediately apparent in Western biomedical terms.  This can result in  potential confusion over cause and effect.  Thiscan be seen in the Chinese diagnoses of Wind Stroke (Zhong Feng) and Flaccid Syndrome (Wei Zheng.) In Western terms, these are a collection of stroke (CVA), viral (polio, Guillane-Barre), autoimmune (motor neuron disease) diseases, and CNS trauma. If one accepts that the ancient-defined etiology and pathogenesis is correct based on what was known at the time, and tempers that with current knowledge, it is possible to be highly effective using Oriental medical diagnostics if one also has a sufficient grounding in appropriate biomedical concepts and conditions. Hopefully, this discussion will lead to an understanding that can be applied to many situations.

We are at the threshold of revolutionary change in our approach to mental dysfunctions as they come to be seen primarily in the frame of neural network relations. To date the recovery of brain function has been approached mainly in the frame of neurochemical models, but even this principally involves neurochemistry in the service of neural communication. The medications in common use for mental dysfunctions by and large target the neuromodulator systems that regulate synaptic excitability. But there is another aspect to the problem. Information transport via the action potential mechanism is subject to tight timing constraints, and this represents a major potential failure mechanism for the brain under duress. This is a particular issue following physical or emotional trauma, or when the brain has been diverted from its proper developmental pathway early in life. In these cases there may be little or no evidence of structural injury to the brain. The deficits must lie almost entirely in the functional realm, and therefore should be accessible to a functional remedy. And yet we know that pharmacotherapy is largely ineffective in application to these conditions. The deficits are more easily understood in the bioelectrical domain of timing and frequency. And when remedies emerge based on an appeal to neural network functioning in the frequency domain, the case for a new departure in understanding mental dysfunctions is consolidated. This is where we now find ourselves. Progress in brain imaging over the last two decades has brought these issues to the fore. At first we had to make do with the static imagery of PET and SPECT, but this already drew our attentions back to the intact, functioning brain, and elevated our gaze from brain slices in petri dishes and the firing patterns of individual neurons. Such a divide-and-conquer strategy gave us no hope of ever fully understanding the living brain. A complementary systems-level perspective was missing. With the emergence of functional magnetic resonance imaging in the early nineties we had our first opportunity to witness brain dynamics, albeit with very poor time resolution as the process being monitored was glucose uptake. This led in time to the identification of our core connectivity networks, which constitute the foundation of a hierarchy of functional organization in cortex. 1 Follow-on studies revealed that identifications could be made between various mental disorders and dysfunctions in our intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs). 2 On that basis, Menon proposed that much of psychopathology could be grounded in the failure of our core control networks to coordinate properly. Evidence was cited for several conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, dementia, and autism. But the mechanism undoubtedly has more general applicability. 3 Yet other studies demonstrated that conditioning experiments targeting localized features of the fMRI could elicit functional improvement. 4 As an example, deCharms demonstrated benefit for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS1), yet another relatively intractable condition that does not yield to pharmacotherapy. 5 Jointly these findings implicate functional connectivity of the core networks as a basic failure mechanism in mental disorders. The full exploitation of these new findings call for an integrative, systems

Intravenous ascorbate has been used in oncology practice by naturopathic and alternative allopathic physicians for decades.  Published data regarding this therapy shows that it continues to be one of the most commonly employed alternative IV therapies.  This popularity has both stimulated awareness of this therapy and concern regarding not only the safety and efficacy of IVAA in the oncology patient but also for the potential of antagonistic reactions with standard therapies.
Publications regarding the postulated mechanisms of action, safety profile, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were sparse for many years.  This led to a highly varied understanding as well as application of IVAA in oncology.  In the past five, and especially two, years published data has supported many of the postulated actions of IVC, its pharmacokinetics and dynamics and particularly how those kinetic and dynamic properties can antagonize or synergize the effects of various chemotherapy agents as well as radiation therapies.  This data will be presented and summarized.
The goal of this publication is to summarize and update our understanding of the science and practice surrounding this popular and potentially powerful therapeutic agent and how it may interact with standard oncology therapies. 
The initial presentation of this basic data was made in February 2013 and the appropriate citation is:
Anderson P. “Intravenous Ascorbic Acid and Oncology Agents.” Scientific Presentation. Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians Second Annual Meeting. Phoenix, Arizona. February, 2013.

In 2009 as part of a “non-responder” arm of an NIH funded trial we (7) surmised a potential synergy of Diet changes, Dichloroacetate (DCA) + PolyMVA (LAMC) with Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBOT), Retinoids and exogenous ketones.  A cell line study (1,8) with DCA and LAMC showed apoptotic cell synergy in GBM cells.  Additionally chemically the two agents have a potential for physiologic mutual benefit in that typical DCA use requires cell protective support during treatment and LAMC has been shown to be neuroprotective and supportive to the mitochondrial complex. (2,3,4,5)  The author had used DCA with supportive nutrients prior to this and abandoned its use due to a high side effect profile.  Concurrent to the above we also began to add ketogenic and HBOT interventions as suggested in some data. (12)  This is our updated clinical protocol outline based on the synthesis of this information in humans.

Background: Nasal polyp is hypertrophied, pedunculated, loose, fibro-oedematous mucosa of nose and the para nasal air-sinuses. The surface is lined with pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar epithelium. Nasal problems represent a major health problem in developing countries and also a high risk to travellers who visit the cold rich countries. Conservative estimates place the global health problems reveal that 0.1% children and 1% adult population is affected by nasal polyp. Male are more affected by female & chance of developing is 1-20 in 1000, after the age of 60 and has no racial predilection. Nasal polyps are frequently dealt-with cases in day-today practice. Among its different varieties, simple mucus polyps are very common. It has two distinct varieties-ethmoidal and antro-choanal polyps. Almost always, an allergic or infectious aetiology is present. Nasal obstruction, rhinitis, headache, loss of smell, snoring, sleep apnoea etc. are some of the very disturbing complaints from which the patients suffer. Appropriate diagnosis, correct general measures and judicious homeopathic approach not only uproot the disease, can also prevent recurrence of Nasal polyps quite effectively and this treatment is more cost effectiveness to other conventional treatment. Material And Methods: Forty Nasal polypus patients were taken up for the study and treated according to symptoms similarity of homeopathic system of medicine with different medicines in different time-period from a non-government OPD homeopathic hospital and four private chambers and clinics. Results: By the end of this study showed, out of 40 cases 77.5% are almost improved, 5% are improving well, 10% cases are not responded well and rest of 7.5% gave up treatment. Conclusion: Almost all of the cases belong to either fundamentally sycosis or dominantly tubercular miasm. This observational study also showed Calcarea Carbonicum was most used as a symptomatic homeopathic intervention that extent to which the observed effects are due to the lifestyle regulation and placebo or context effects associated with the treatment needs clarification in future explanatory studies. [Resel

Following the WHO recommendations made in the late 1970s, many countries in Africa have implemented dynamics of recognition of traditional medicine and traditional healers. This dissertation focuses on the development of « integrative medicine » in Madagascar, consisting in its integration into the formal and conventional health care system. This development project, focusing on improving population's public health, requires a double evaluation: a social evaluation with the supervision of traditional healers' practices and a therapeutic evaluation with research on medicinal plants and development of improved traditional remedies. This research is the result of a methodological approach based on multi-located fieldworks conducted in the Malagasy capital and its surroundings and an ethnography of a rural town in the Analanjirofo region (east coast of Madagascar). On one side, this approach focuses on the attempts of application of political decisions regarding the supervision of traditional medicine and on the other side, on the real practice of traditional care as well as on individual and communal behaviours when facing disease, sickness, illness and misfortunes with extended case studies. This thesis contributes to the anthropology of health with a focus on political and developmental dynamics. A special emphasis is placed on the nature of cohabitation existing between practitioners (doctors and traditional healers) going from a simple referencing of patients to a rare collaboration. This study tends to highlight the possible gap between government decisions and local applications as well as the resulting social, political and economic issues.

Presented on Panel 3 (Complementary Intervention; Nov 3rd, 2021), 2021 Virtual Summer Course on Interprofessional Healthcare “Complementary Healthcare and Functional Food” Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing in Collaboration with Faculty of Dentistry and Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Learning objectives:
1. To learn and understand the types of complementary interventions
2. To learn and understand the roles of complementary interventions in medical settings
3. To learn and understand the underpinning and clinical reasoning of complementary interventions