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STENGLER SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT: CAM EFFICACY

Dr. Stengler explains that there is ample evidence of the efficacy and safe use of CAM therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, vitamins and minerals, herbs and homeopathy.

For instance, numerous well-documented studies demonstrate the efficacy of chiropractic care to treat chronic pain, and acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain management such as neck pain and knee osteoarthritis.

Regarding vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements, Dr. Stengler lists some of the well-designed clinical studies and research that demonstrate the effectiveness of:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oils or from supplements to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes and reduce cardiovascular disease risk (American Heart Association) and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (Archives of Neurology, July 2006).
  • Vitamin C and E to reduce mortality rates from heart disease and other causes. A National Institute of Aging study of over 11,000 people between the ages of 67 and 105 found that those who used supplements of vitamins C and E in various dosages had a 53% reduction in mortality from heart disease and a 42% reduction in all-cause mortality, compared with non-users.
  • Vitamin E to reduce heart disease. A Harvard study of more than 80,000 female nurses ages 34 to 59 found a 41% reduction in the risk of heart disease in those who had taken daily vitamin E supplements of 100 IU or more for at least two years. A study of almost 40,000 male health professionals ages 40 to 75 years found that those who took daily vitamin E supplements of at least 100 IU for at least two years experienced a 37% reduced risk of heart disease.
  • Vitamin E to delay progression of Alzheimer’s disease. One study of moderate-severity Alzheimer’s patients conducted at Columbia University in New York City showed that a very high dose of vitamin E (2,000 IU) delayed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Vitamin D helps keep bones strong and may help prevent osteoporosis (National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements).
  • Glucosamine/chondroitin for arthritis. Research funded partially by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases found this supplement combination significantly reduced osteoarthritis pain in those who initially had moderate to severe pain.
  • Ginkgo biloba to manage or improve cognitive function in elderly and Alzheimer’s patients (MedlinePlus), and for normal tension glaucoma (Ophthalmology, February 2003).

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is the use of extremely dilute preparations of natural agents that stimulate the body’s own healing response. Comarow describes homeopathy as “highly controversial” and quoted one expert who deemed it “absurd.” Dr. Stengler cites numerous studies supporting its efficacy:

  • In a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials, patients taking homeopathic medicines were 2.45 times more likely to experience a positive therapeutic effect compared with placebo. This research was published in The Lancet, September 20, 1997.
  • In another meta-analysis of clinical research that included 107 studies of homeopathic medicines, 77% showed positive effect (British Medical Journal, February 9, 1991).
  • Other studies suggest the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies in helping treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Chest, March 2005)… and aiding recovery from bruises after plastic surgery (Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, January-February 2006).

Tens of thousands of medical doctors around the world use homeopathy including here in the US, adds Dr. Stengler. Moreover, most doctors regularly employ medical treatments that draw on the very same “law of similars” principal behind homeopathy to provoke a reaction in the patient that serves to protect against it. For instance epinephrine, used to treat allergic reactions, contains a one in 10,000 dilution of adrenalin.

LET THE CRITIC BEWARE: THE CAM TREND SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

Like a snowball coming down a hill, the presence and influence of CAM on the medical landscape is getting larger and larger, says Dr. Stengler. The mainstream medical bureaucracy — including pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies — would like to dismiss CAM as bunk in order to protect their fiefdom. But when you consider the consumer demand for CAM, a flood of scientific studies that prove its efficacy and the increasing proof that our current medical system is not working thanks to skyrocketing costs and treatments that are not only ineffective, but dangerous (Vioxx anyone?)… you simply can’t cling to the notion that the science isn’t there anymore. It would be lying to do so. The bottom line, concludes Dr. Stengler, is that it’s clear that the public understands that CAM has become mainstream medicine. Now all we have to do is let market demand reign, rather than allowing it be held victim to an outdated structure struggling to remain relevant.