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ACAM's Settlement with The Federal Trade Commission
Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent out a press release regarding an agreement reached between the Commission and the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). This agreement reflects the position of the FTC regarding certain statements made by ACAM about EDTA-chelation therapy that the Commission considers to be unsubstantiated advertising. While ACAM disagrees with the substance of the allegations, i.e. that the statements were false or that they were advertising, ACAM agreed to this settlement to avoid the inevitable costs, in both monetary and human resource considerations, that litigation would have required.

Hypnosis Can Help in Dealing With Chronic Pain
Done properly by a behavioral health professional, hypnosis has proven to be so safe and effective for chronic pain treatment that even the orthodox Journal of the American Medical Association has endorsed it. About 85 percent of the population is sufficiently susceptible to hypnosis to benefit from it, says Platoni. Hypnotic trances not only can divert people's minds from their pain, but also trigger physiological responses that actually blunt the pain.

Natural Medicine Research Update
CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol, is a naturally occurring nutrient normally present in our bodies and available through foods (especially fish or meats) and supplements. In addition to being an antioxidant, it plays a significant role in the energy system of each of our cells. A study conducted in Denmark in 1994 showed patients with breast cancer given CoQ10 fared better than those without it. In order to better understand the role of CoQ10 in breast cancer, a recent clinical trial including 200 women hospitalized for the biopsy of a breast tumor was conducted. The more serious the cancer, the less CoQ10 was present in the blood, reports Dr. Sahelian in his latest column, "CoQ10 and breast cancer." The researchers state that since pro-oxidants may promote tumor formation, CoQ10 supplementation in breast cancer could be relevant.

Ask Annie: Solutions for Less Toxic Living
Dealing with head lice and clothing moths can be challenging, and most people use toxic poisons not knowing that there are simple, less toxic solutions that work. In this month's "Ask Annie" column, natural solutions expert Annie Berthold-Bond provides herbs and remedies for head lice, clothing moths, and dry hair. She also offers a cleaning tip for removing soot.

Chinese Medicine Newsdesk
Consumer futurist Faith Popcorn in her 1991 book, The Popcorn Report, describes a trend of "Staying Alive," which predicts that Americans will continue in the direction of seeking self-healing and self-care. Over the past 25 years, The American Journal of Chinese Medicine has witnessed and participated in the dramatic rise in the use of alternative medicine in the U.S. The Journal looks forward to helping this movement attain the next level, providing the communication needed to increase understanding and acceptance among medical practitioners and researchers, and to instigate increased education of consumers. It is such communication that will enable the true integration of alternative medicine into the daily lives of health practitioners, and, ultimately, consumers, according to Laurel Kao in her latest column, "Consumer Literature on Alternative Medicine: Addressing Consumer Confusion."

The Healer Within
The presence of special breathing practices in the ancient cultures has always been a mystery to people in the Western world. In this column, "Full Chest and Abdominal Breathing," Dr. Jahnke explains a method that activates all of the primary benefits of therapeutic breath practice when done slowly and fully, with intention, concentration and relaxation.

Keeping Fit with Dr. Wayne Westcott
It is reported that the average American experiences a 7-pound weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year's, then spends the next several weeks trying to lose as much of the excess as possible. Unfortunately, many people are unsuccessful in their weight reduction efforts, and wish that they had not added the holiday weight in the first place, says Dr. Wayne Westcott in his latest column, "Survival Strategies For The Holiday Season." Most would agree that it is better to prevent unwanted weight gain than to remedy the situation later. But just how can we approach the festivities and abundant food supplies so prevalent throughout November and December to avoid overeating? I have a few suggestions in that regard, and I also recommend an exercise emphasis during this critical time of year.

Medical Cybrarian Service
Free Health Collection on Childhood Asthma from our Cybrarian Service! The other Health Collections will basically follow this form and function. Out of the hundreds of web sites now available, the Cybrarian Service has gleaned those thought to be most helpful to you for a general inquiry on a healthcare or medical topic. Hot Beds will include annotated URL's that point to newsgroups, news services, and consumer and professional sites. They will offer selected Medline citations. Whether you are a parent, patient, practitioner, administrator or professional, there will be something here for you.

Online Discussion Forums
HealthWorld Online's forums provide you with the opportunity to participate in discussions and find answers to a wide range of health concerns. Visit our forums on, "Vaccination," "Mind/Body Approaches to Chronic Illness," "Issues in Integrated Health Care," "Legal/Legislative Issues," and Qigong." Interact with our other visitors and forum leaders: Elliot Dacher, MD; William Collinge, PhD, MPH, Emmett Miller, MD; Randall Neustaedter, OMD; Roger Jahnke, OMD; and William Dailey, Esq.

Children's Health Update
Colic has been defined as a long period of vigorous crying that persists despite all efforts at consolation. The term itself comes from the Greek word for the large intestine, reflecting the belief that the source of the discomfort is a digestive problem. Most babies go through periods when they seem to be abnormally fussy or to cry for no apparent reason. Colic is most common during the first three to four months of an infant's life. It can begin within the first three weeks after birth, and usually stops around the age of three months. It is rarely experienced by a baby older than six months. In her article "Colic," excerpted from her book, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, Dr. Janet Zand outlines a comprehensive program for helping to deal with your child's colic, including guidelines for conventional treatment, as well as dietary guidelines, recommended nutritional supplements, herbs, homeopathic remedies, and acupressure.

Association Network -- Hot Pick
The OEP Foundation is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to educating the general public about the importance of visual hygiene, the prevention of visual and ocular problems, and the development and enhancement of vision. Behavioral optometry seeks to treat the causes of visual disorders rather than merely compensate for refractive error.

Visit the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Global Health Calendar -- Hot Picks

The Third Annual Health Sciences Institute Symposium and Spa Retreat: A program of advanced scientific discovery and personal rejevenation for the health professional and educated consumer. 1/13-1/17/99. Palm Springs, CA USA. Contact: Health Sciences Institute - 800-926-6575

United Plant Savers Conference. 1/23/99 Captain Cook, HI USA Contact: United Plant Savers - 802-479-9825

Transformational Pathways: The Challenge of Self-Healing. 1/30/99-1/31/99. San Francisco, CA Contact: H.A.P.P.E.N. and St. Luke Hospital - 650-991-6922

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Editor, Healthy Update: James Strohecker

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