Studies and Progress Notes (May 2008)

* * * STUDIES and PROGRESS NOTES* * *

* *  SPIRITUAL AWARENESS AND WHOLISTIC HEALING * * 

A healthy view of God is an important tool that enables seriously ill patients to cope with their illness

New research provides compelling evidence that healthy forms of spirituality play a pivotal role in helping HIV and cancer victims cope with their illnesses. Two recent studies found that patients with fatal diseases were able to improve their physical or emotional well-being when they had a positive understanding of God. Dr. Gail Ironson, a psychologist and psychiatrist at the University of Miami, conducted her research on patients who were HIV-positive, while Jean Kristeller, a psychologist at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind., studied cancer patients.

Ironson’s data on 100 patients in the Miami area who were living with HIV showed that their understanding of the nature of God and their personal relationship with him were the two most important predictors of their rate of HIV progression. Her conclusions were based upon measurements of CD4+ T-cell levels and HIV viral load (See "Defining HIV".

The patients in Ironson’s group who viewed God as loving had a slower disease progression over four years than those who saw God as punishing. Those who did not believe God loved them lost CD4+T-cells three times faster than those who believed God did love them. Ironson concluded that negative religious coping — or the idea that one’s illness is a punishment from God — is detrimental to a patient’s prognosis. (See “Establishing psychological variables”.) An HIV patient’s “view of God is more powerful than the other psychological variables” — including depression — in predicting the rate of disease progression, Ironson said.

Source: Science & Theology News, Volume 6, Number 9, May 2006 by Matt Donnelly
http://www.ourjourneyofhope.com/resources/articles,28.cfm 

IJHC – WHR Observations

Research in hundreds of studies has established that religious affiliation and practice are correlated with better health in just about every part of the mind, emotions and body. It is helpful to see specific aspects of these beliefs that contribute to health, such as having a positive view of God, which then make it possible to begin to explore their deliberate enhancement as a way to promote health.

**  FUTURE RESEARCH IN WHOLISTIC HEALING * * 

The IJHC/WHR E-Zine features monthly suggestions for future research in healing.
READERS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT SUGGESTIONS FOR TOPICS TO STUDY
If your topic is chosen, you ill receive free access to the IJHC for a month, including the current issue and all back issues.

A method to enhance a positive view of God/ The Infinite Source/ Nature/ [insert your connection with the Transcendent]

It is possible to enhance our awareness of the power of a transcendent force to improve our health. WHEE introduces affirmations that enable us to sense the transformative effects of inviting this source of healing for our pain, stress and distress.

WHEE: Whole Health - Easily and Effectively (AKA Wholistic Hybrid derived from EMDR and EFT)

It would be easy to research these effects. This would be good for a doctoral student project.

* *  WHOLISTIC APPROACHES * * 

Self-Healing following a stroke

A neuro-scientist named Jill Taylor gave a short talk at TED, a profound depiction of the "deep right brain experience.”  After her talk, the vibe of the entire conference changed - people were more open, deeper, clearer. Truly remarkable. There is an essential message here for all humanity on acknowledging just how closely connected and related we all are.  http://www.microclesia.com/?p=320

IJHC – WHR Observations

This is an outstanding personal description of a woman who observed herself having a stroke and then worked her way to recovery following the stroke.

 * *  COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES * * 

Static Magnetic Field Therapy: A Critical Review of Treatment Parameters

Static magnetic field (SMF) therapy, applied via a permanent magnet attached to the skin, is used by people worldwide for self-care. Despite a lack of established SMF dosage and treatment regimens, multiple studies are conducted to evaluate SMF therapy effectiveness. Our objectives in conducting this review are to:(i) summarize SMF research conducted in humans; (ii) critically evaluate reporting quality of SMF dosages and treatment parameters and (iii) propose a set of criteria for reporting SMF treatment parameters in future clinical trials.

SMF has been used for treating specific medical problems such as arthritis, chronic pain syndromes, wound healing, insomnia, headache and other problems. Data Research-2000 reported $350 million in sales of therapeutic magnets in the USA and $4 billion worldwide in 1999. Magnets marketed directly to consumers are considered safe by the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) http://nccam.nih.gov/health/magnet/magnet.htm.

This review does not report clinical outcomes because, during a preliminary evaluation of the identified studies, it was apparent that many lacked a sufficiently detailed description of SMF dosage and treatment parameters to characterize the SMF dose delivered to the target tissue. We reasoned that if the SMF dose were inadequate or inappropriate for the clinical indication, inferences drawn from the reported results might be misleading.

In the 56 studies, 39 different physiological or pathological conditions are represented. The most common clinical diagnosis was osteoarthritis of the knee. Other conditions were as diverse as peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, wound and ulcer healing, obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus and a variety of chronic pain syndromes. The physiological outcomes measured were also disparate including: improvement in muscle strength, muscle soreness post exercise, postural sway, fine touch, blood flow and heart rate and blood pressure. The majority of studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 41) that included both crossover designs and within-subject comparisons…

Conclusion and Directions for future research
Complete descriptions of the SMF dose that was applied to human participants are notably lacking in the majority of SMF therapy studies published to date. Without knowing the SMF dose that was delivered to the target tissue, we cannot draw meaningful inferences from clinical trial results. As research on SMF therapy progresses, engineers, physicists and clinicians need to continue to work together to optimize SMF dosage and treatment parameters for each clinical condition. Future publication of SMF studies should include an explicit assessment of the SMF dosage and treatment parameters outlined in this review, so as to be able to replicate previous studies, validly assess outcomes and make objective, scientific comparisons between studies.

Source: Static Magnetic Field Therapy: A Critical Review of Treatment Parameters
Agatha P. Colbert1, Helané Wahbeh2, Noelle Harling1, Erin Connelly1, Heather C. Schiffke1, Cora Forsten1, William L. Gregory1,2, Marko S. Markov3, James J. Souder4, Patricia Elmer2 and Valerie King2
http://www.mdlinx.com/InternalMDLinx/news-article.cfm/2006768  

For reprints and all correspondence: Dr Agatha P. Colbert, Helfgott Research Institute, National College of Natural Medicine, 049 SW, Porter Street, Portland, OR 97291, USA. Tel: +1 (503) 552-1745; Fax: +1 (503) 227-3750; E-mail: acolbert@ncnm.edu

IJHC – WHR Observations

Numerous anecdotal reports and a substantial body of research suggest that three are benefits from static magnetic therapy. This is a safe, non-invasive method. The most important conclusion from this review is that researchers must pay attention to details of dosing in SMF therapy.

2008 Annual Evidence Update on Acupuncture

The Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Specialist Library presents
an Annual Evidence Update on Acupuncture from 21 April. The Library has
carried out a comprehensive search of a number of databases and used strict
selection criteria for the identified studies, in order to base the annual
update on the best current evidence available. The Acupuncture Evidence
Update provides a summary of systematic reviews, large RCTs and other
relevant studies published since 1 January 2007.

Source: National Library for Health, Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Specialist Library
http://www.library.nhs.uk/cam/ViewResource.aspx?resID=282828&tabID=289
 
 

More CAM reviews at
http://www.naturalhealthvillage.com/
www.mdlinx.com/FamilyMDLinx 
www.ucalgary.ca/~camig/litsearch.html
AMSA website
www.amsa.org/humed/camresources/camnews.cfm

Easing Pain Through Meditation Illustrates Mind's Role In Healing

Lower back pain can be eased by meditation, as suggested by research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Following an eight-week program a decrease in chronic low back pain and a slight improvement in physical function were noted. At three-month followup the majority of patients were still practicing meditation, suggesting they had incorporated it into their daily lives because they had experienced ongoing benefits from their mindfulness meditation.

Source: N . Morone, C . Greco, D . Weiner. Mindfulness Meditation For The Treatment Of Chronic Low Back Pain In Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study: Pain 2007, 134(3), 310 – 319
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2007.04.038

 
IJHC - WHR Observations

Pain becomes a friend when it teaches us to meditate!

* * TECHNOLOGY * *

Eliminating the Toilet From the Water-Cycle'

SEOUL, Nov 25 (IPS) - The one message that came across at the just concluded general assembly of the World Toilet Association (WTA) was that conventional flush toilets are not only environment unfriendly but are also a serious public health hazard.

And while the United Nations estimates that 2.6 billion people are living without proper sanitation and without access to potable water, those using flush toilets are converting precious water into dangerous effluents. Sanitation experts who gathered in the Korean capital called for a major paradigm shift and even a ‘back to nature’ approach to the disposal of human waste.

"We are on the wrong track," said Hubert J. Gijzen, a biotechnologist representing UNESCO’s Indonesian office. Newer ways, all agreed, were needed to be developed to dispose human excreta. If flush toilets have to be used they must be redesigned to reduce water consumption, or else use recycled water.

‘’The current conventional sanitation systems will not be able to achieve the (United Nations’) Millennium Development Goal,’’ said lawmaker James D. Mamit from Malaysia, who is environment advisor to its state of Sarawak. Ecologists are calling for a major sanitation reformation, along the concept of ‘EcoSan’ or ecological sanitation, that would contribute towards water conservation and mitigating surface and ground water pollution, thereby reducing the risk of water-borne diseases.

One of the technologies being widely advocated involves separation of feces, urine and grey water, thereby minimizing the volume of water needed to flush away excreta. Valuable nutrients are recovered, and the residual matter converted into biogas and used as fuel.

This rethinking would not only require innovation, research, training and awareness-raising but an abandonment of conventional water management while developing strategies that are effective, low-tech and low-cost as well. Mamit suggests the inclusion of EcoSan concept at the policy level and suitable changes to existing legislations in many countries that favor conventional, centralized sanitary systems.

"It is understandable that these impacts were not foreseen at a time when the world population was only around one billion people, and global change pressures of today were not foreseen," said Gijzen. But with climate change, population explosion, major urbanisation, which has in turn led to informal settlements, the old method of removing human waste is not sustainable.

"In developing regions, effluents get dumped into water courses untreated due to the phenomenal costs of sewer collection systems and high rate of wastewater treatment technology. And with more than five billion people living near contaminated water we can never hope to get rid of water-borne epidemics or meet the Millennium Development Goals."

One promising design for a toilet that attracted attention at the Seoul meeting, actually recycles water using a biological and physical process and sends it back into the toilet bowl. Keon Ki- Lee, a Korean engineer who designed the system, says the toilet can be set up with or without a waterline or a drainage system and is environment friendly because the system does not produce a water discharge. "It has been received favorably by our local government," explained Lee

A new UNESCO project Sustainable Urban Water Management Improves Tomorrow’s City’s Health, or SWITCH for short, already implemented with a hefty budget of 32 million US dollars for a period of five years, is already being implemented.

A whole range of eco-friendly models are being tried and tested in nine demo cities which include Bogota, Beijing, Ghana, Lima, Colombia and Alexandria. Schemes include those for the rational use of water, effluent reuse, dry sanitation, urine separation and nutrient recovery.

Mamit shared the experience of an EcoSan model established in two residential rural schools in Sarawak where toilets were modified to accommodate one flushing in a day using up to two litres of water. The biogas produced has helped save over 500 dollars per month that was spent on buying cooking gas for the school kitchen.

Source: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40205

IJHC – WHR Observations

This is a radical new proposal for waste disposal. Not only is it safer in terms of limiting health risks, and economical in terms of sewage processing costs, it also saves an enormous amount of water.

* *  ENVIRONMENT (HEALING OUR PLANET) * *

Is Green the New Black? Earth Report investigates eco-clothes

On the catwalks of the world eco-friendly fashion is all the rage – as celebrities lead a trend in clothing that could help save the planet. Organic cotton garments and shoes from recycled material, along with eco vehicles are all part of the new green lifestyle. But is this just a niche market for the wealthy and the environmentally conscious or can Green fashion become more than a passing fad?

Much of the clothing we wear is made of cotton. Most cotton farmers use polluting chemicals. Cotton farms take up just 2.5% of the world’s farmland but use 10% of all pesticides and 22% of all insecticides produced annually, according to the British Government. This can have an impact on people’s health. According to the World Health Organisation 20,000 people die every year from pesticide poisoning.
Source: Earth Report http://www.tve.org/earthreport/index.cfm?cat=thisweek  

IJHC – WHR Observations

Recycling cotton clothing also saves water needed to grow cotton. These are the sorts of environmental healings needed at a time when water is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity.

 * *  HUMAN ECOLOGY* * 

Junk food advertising code launched

A global campaign aimed at reducing the marketing of unhealthy food to children has been launched. Foods high in sugar are among those targeted by the code.

More than 50 consumer groups are backing a voluntary code of practice which includes tight restrictions on television and internet advertising. It also calls for a ban on unhealthy food promotion in schools and an end to the use of celebrities and cartoon characters.

World Health Organization figures suggest that up to 177m children worldwide are threatened by obesity-related diseases, and it is predicted that 2.3 billion people over 15 years old will be overweight by 2015.

The new measures have the backing of the London-based International Obesity Task Force, which says that the several billion pounds spent each year advertising food or soft drinks is partly to blame.

The code concentrates on foods high in fat, sugar and salt, and, in addition to a ban on advertising between 6am and 9pm, asks for a complete halt to internet and new media advertising, and no use of celebrities or cartoon characters, competitions or free gifts.

Source: International Obesity Task Force  http://www.iotf.org/

 
IJHC – WHR Observations

Consumers must act to restrict advertising and other policies that promote obesity, such as inviting fast food chains to feed our schoolchildren. These are policies that are not promoted by food manufacturers, advertisers, and (sadly) governments that are too often swayed by industry lobbies.

Teaching about sanitation

A combination of information and shock tactics have been successful in teaching sanitation in Bangladesh, which is facing an environmental crisis. It has the highest population density of any nation on the planet; and a half of its people are without adequate sanitation. As a result, the rivers and fields are polluted with human waste that enters the food chain.

According to figures from Water Aid, 125,000 children under the age of five die each year from diarrheal diseases… The floodplains of Bangladesh are considered to be among the most fertile soils in the world… For up to six months each year, the fields are covered by water, which increases the risk of diseases like cholera.

To stop the spread of diseases, an awareness raising scheme called Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is helping local people to help themselves. "In the CLTS approach, the solutions are not imposed from the outside and the community is not told what to do," explains CLTS founder Kamal Kar. "The community is empowered and the solutions emerge from within."

Dr Kamal begins by asking the villagers to gather together for a general meeting, and the team plots a map of where everyone goes to the toilet around the village and surrounding area. The team then show how easily people and livestock spread faeces around the village and into homes. Dr Kamal drives home the point by asking his shocked audience if he can take a photo of any villager who is happy to eat their neighbours' faeces.

He says the aim of this is to shame the community into action. It is not too long before the first villager volunteers to build the first toilet. "The most important thing in CLTS is that outsiders are definitely not asking the community to stop open defecation or change their hygiene behavior practice," says Dr Kamal. "It is just empowering people to analyze their own sanitation; everyone is a human being and no-one wants to live in a filthy and dirty condition…"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7297299.stm

IJHC – WHR Observations

The greatest contribution of modern medicine to health has been through improving sanitation that prevents the spread of diseases. This, more than any other factor (including antibiotics) has saved greater numbers of lives worldwide.

The outhouse and flush toilet, however, can still spread disease by contaminating water supplies. See technology for new ways of handling human wastes. These also conserve water.