Dear HPA Affiliate,

Welcome to our practitioner e-Newsletter. We are open to receive news submissions you find noteworthy for practitioners of Family Wellness.

HPA News Updates

HPA radio shows up and running

Our radio shows are back online—listen to them here:
www.hpakids.org/RadioShow.htm

Holistic Pediatric Seminars

Yes! The 2008 schedule of seminars is up and ready for registrations! Read about the classes and register here: www.hpakids.org/PediatricSeminars.htm

Pathways

Issue #16 is at the printer! You can get a sneak preview of the upcoming articles here: www.pathwaystofamilywellness.org

Looking for a holiday gift that will last a lifetime? Consider giving a subscription to Pathways: https://secure.icpa4kids.com/pathways_subscription.htm

Wanting to have copies for your office or key like-minded businesses in your community? Pathways is available in bulk as well! https://secure.icpa4kids.com/pathways_bulk_order.html

Membership

Please encourage your colleagues to join the HPA. The more members, the wider we can expand our public education and the more magazines and websites we can advertise with.

Here is a suggestion of practitioners who should join the HPA: Holistic Pediatricians, Family Practitioners of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Counseling, Nutrition, Holistic OB's, Birth Care Providers, Doulas, Midwives, Childbirth Educators, Lactation Consultants...

Send your colleagues here: www.hpakids.org/membership.htm

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Research Review

Effect of Honey, Dextromethorphan, and No Treatment on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents

Conclusions:  In a comparison of honey, DM, and no treatment, parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child's nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infection. Honey may be a preferable treatment for the cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory tract infection.
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/1140?etoc&eaf

Why Are Antibiotics Prescribed for Uncomplicated Upper Respiratory Infection?

Emergency physicians are five times more likely to prescribe antibiotics when they think patients expect them, but patients are equally satisfied whether they receive antibiotics or not.

Although most emergency department patients with uncomplicated respiratory infection have viral infections, antibiotics often are prescribed. Overprescribing of antibiotics has been linked to increased drug resistance and drug-related complications. The myriad causes of overprescribing include perceived patient demand, pressure for increased patient throughput, and physician error.

Researchers assessed factors associated with antibiotic prescribing in a prospective study of 272 adult and pediatric patients who presented to 10 academic EDs with a single diagnosis of uncomplicated bronchitis or upper respiratory infection. Patients were interviewed before their encounter with an emergency physician about expectations for emergency care (e.g., blood tests, prescriptions) and again immediately and 2 weeks after the encounter about wait time, time with the physician, satisfaction, and whether the encounter changed their understanding of their illness. After each encounter, physicians were asked whether they believed that the patient had expected a prescription for antibiotics, whether the patient had asked for antibiotics, and what the final ED diagnosis was.

Overall, 31% of patients received antibiotic prescriptions. Physicians were more likely to prescribe antibiotics when they believed that a patient expected antibiotics (odds ratio, 5.3), but they were able to correctly identify only 27% of patients who actually did expect antibiotics. Satisfaction with the ED visit was reported by 87% of patients who received antibiotics and by 89% of those who did not receive antibiotics. Satisfaction was reported by 92% of patients who believed that they had a better understanding of their illness after the encounter and by only 72% of patients who did not.

Comment: Overuse of antibiotics is a serious public health problem, and there is no longer any excuse for prescribing them for conditions for which they are known not to have any benefit. The old excuse that "the patient wanted them" is debunked by this and other studies. What patients want is a clear explanation of what is wrong with them, what to expect, and how to feel better (symptomatic relief). The reason that antibiotics are available by prescription only is, supposedly, to ensure responsible use. We have a long way to go.

— Richard D. Zane, MD, FAAEM 

Published in Journal Watch Emergency Medicine October 12, 2007

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News to Use

Wall Street turns thumbs down to mercury fillings

A stunning report by Bank of America Securities advises that dental products company Dentsply, the #2 manufacturer of mercury fillings, realign its operations to sell only the resin and other filling materials.
www.toxicteeth.org/mercuryfillings_BOAreport.cfm

Warning Is Sent to AIDS Vaccine Volunteers

S. Africans Among Recipients Who May Be at Higher Risk of Contracting Virus.

If you think this does not affect you, think again. Merck, along with our government's own National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases came up with a GENETICALLY ENGINEERED HIV vaccine made with three pieces of DNA from the human immunodeficiency virus that is claimed to cause AIDS being carried by a common virus that normally causes upper respiratory infections, called an adenovirus (common cold virus which is AIRBORNE). There are people walking around out there in society who took part in this trial who carry this genetic frankenstien-like HIV DNA carried by a common cold virus. What are the ramifications? Will there be mutations in people who are exposed to HIV changing the nature of HIV and how people contract it? Does Merck know or care? How about our own government? The kicker is the people in the trial who took the vaccine were more likely to contract HIV. They seem surprised? Just about everyone who abstains from the flu vaccine has had the experience of being the only one who didn't get sick against their backdrop of friends and family who got the flu vaccine - something that vaccine pushers vehemently deny can happen with vaccines currently on the market without any reliable substantiated science. Why are our TAX DOLLARS being wasted on this and WHO will be responsible for the repercussions when this genetic material starts integrating into people?
-PROVE: www.vaccineinfo.net/index.shtml

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Clinical Corner

Active Compound in Rosemary May Be Neuroprotective

New research suggests carnosic acid (CA), the active ingredient in the herb rosemary, is neuroprotective, without producing the serious adverse effects characteristic of many agents used to treat neurodegenerative disease.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565986?sssdmh=dm1.318697&src=nldne

"Fertility Diet" May Improve Fertility Outcomes in Women 

Higher intake of monounsaturated fats; vegetable protein; and high-fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrates improved fertility outcomes in women with ovulatory disorder infertility, according to the results of a cohort study reported in the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565607?sssdmh=dm1.317679&src=nldne

Imbalanced Diet Linked With Crohn's Disease in Children 

Dietary imbalances in the consumption of fatty acids, vegetables and fruits appear to be associated with an increased risk of Crohn's disease in children, according to Canadian researchers.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/563517?sssdmh=dm1.306588&src=nldne

Jeanne Ohm, DC
HPA Executive Secretary

Visit www.hpakids.org for numerous resources and membership benefits.

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