Positive Health Online

Having now reached the milestone of PH’s 150th issue, I am tremendously pleased with the editorial features published in this edition, their subjects ranging from the spiritual in Secret Life of the Inner Soul (page 9), clinical applications of techniques including Dr Daniel Benor’s approach for Migraine Headache (page 14), Terri Perry’s use of Thought Field Therapy (TFT) in Chemical Fragrances: Effects on the Autonomic Nervous System (page 29) and Michael Franklin’s Approaches for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Page 37). Other original articles include Spagyric Medicine (Page 18) and the Lightning Process Treatment for ME (Page 41). The highly informative Expert Columns by Anne McIntyre, Alyssa Burns-Hill, Vivienne Bradshaw-Black and Joël Carbonnel are the icing on the cake.

The above compliments notwithstanding, it is also what is contained in the Research Updates, Letters and Book Reviews which make PH so much more than an excellent read. There is an incessant barrage from the media, the EU Directive and the pharmaceutical industry, disparaging Alternative and Complementary Medicine in highly derogatory and dismissive language. Even the BBC’s John Simpson, while reporting the recent arrest of Radovan Karadzic, commented that the former Bosnian Serb tyrant had been practising “balmy alternative therapies”, thus tainting in his report the practices of Meditation and Psychotherapy with Karadzic’s war crimes.

Hardly a week goes by without the print and broadcast media taking a swipe at Complementary Medicine, as if these techniques are completely bogus. PH was originally founded to refute these spurious denigrations. Now we have an archive of 150 editions with research, articles, case studies, letters and book reviews, which is a body of work to demonstrate that numerous therapies, used by competent practitioners and in the correct manner, may bring significant relief from a vast number of illnesses and conditions.

Here is a snapshot from this issue’s Research Updates:
From Germany: Patients practising Eurythmy exercises experienced long term improvement of chronic disease symptoms and quality-of-life (see page 33);
From Taiwan: The key to recovery from frozen shoulder lies in self-care, to prevent it from turning into chronic adhesive capsulitis (see page 34);
From India: Ginger with a long history of medicinal use over 2500 years has been used for human ailments including stomach upset, diarrhoea and nausea. Certain pungent constituents present in ginger possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and some exhibit cancer preventive activity (see page 35);
From Birmingham UK: Chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory disease and the major cause of tooth loss, is also significantly associated with increased risk of stroke, type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Increased serum antioxidant concentrations are associated with reduced relative risk of periodontitis even in never-smokers (see page 35);
From Germany: N-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) counteract arrhythmia  on supraventricular and ventricular levels, and have an anti-atherosclerotic effect; Morbidity can be reduced with EPA (see page 35);
From USA: n-3 EPA and DHA supplements reduced triglycerides by an average of 45% and very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol by more than 50% (see page 36);

However the future needs considerable vigilance, as a careful reading of the Canadian Coercion Horror Saga  attests. Here is but a small flavour of this correspondence (see Letters pages 44-45):

I am outraged that our party, of which I am an honorary trustee campaign member, has presented to the House such treasonous pieces of legislation. The Spirit and Letter of these Bills C-51 & C-52 have nothing to do with protecting Canadians with poor quality health products, but rather the destruction of the natural health industry in Canada. These Bills will go farther than just allowing Health Canada to break the existing laws of the country; it will allow Health Canada to operate outside of the court system

Books reviewed in this issue include Healing the Gerson Way: Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases by Charlotte Gerson with Beata Bishop: reviewed by Dr Nicola Hembry;  Naturopathic Physical Medicine: Theory and Practice for Manual Therapists and Naturopaths by Leon Chaitow ND DO: reviewed by John Wilks MA RCST BTAA; Back Stability by Christopher Norris: reviewed by Mario-Paul Cassar DO ND and The Bowen Technique – The Inside Story by John Wilks: reviewed by Sheila Whyles BTAA ITEC Dip.

With our global communities becoming more and more instantaneously interconnected, there is no longer any excuse for us to become blinkered and inward looking. Disputes and threatened restrictions to natural (non-drug) health products including nutritional and herbal supplements are occurring throughout Europe, Canada, the USA, New Zealand, in fact globally via CODEX; if we but blink and look away, our cherished freedoms to access these health affirming and life enhancing products may be taken away by our very own governments. There is nobody to trust; we must inform ourselves with the knowledge of what is best for ourselves and our families – this may ultimately save our lives.