Cytokines Cancer Vaccine Treatment

What are Cytokines?

Cytokines are the messengers of the immune system-they are sometimes called immune hormones. They can act either locally or at a distance. Cytokines can either enhance or suppress immunity. In cancer treatment they are generally used to enhance immunity.

Two cytokines, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-alfa 2b are approved by the FDA for use against certain cancers. IL-2 is used to treat renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, lymphoma, and leukemia. Interferon has been useful against those diseases and Kaposi's sarcoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and hairy cell leukemia.

The response rate of individual cytokines is generally low. Cytokines are produced by white blood cells in combinations-in nature they work together. Studies using combined cytokines-in the ratios they are produced naturally have shown that the combinations have synergistic effects. For instance, IL-2 is used to stimulate certain white blood cells to divide. When used alone, a very high dose of IL-2 is required to make the cells divide. High doses of IL-2 can cause serious negative side effects. When a natural combination of cytokines produced by white blood cells is used, the dose of IL-2 can be lowered by a factor of 5000 producing minimal side effects. This is one of the combinations of cytokines used at ITL Cancer Clinic.

These combinations of cytokines can also be used to enhance the effects of a vaccine designed to stimulate the immune system to mount a cancer cell specific immune response. Heat shock protein vaccines and dendritic cell vaccines can both be enhanced when given with natural cytokine mixtures.

Heat Shock Antigen Cancer Vaccine

The immune system - the body's natural defense against disease - is made up of a several types of specialized cells. These cells recognize structures, called antigens, that are found on disease-causing agents. Antigens trigger an immune response that results in the proliferation of immune system cells and the eventual removal of the harmful antigen from the body. The goal of immune therapies for cancer is to alert white blood cells to attack cancer cells.

What is Heat Shock Antigen Vaccine?

ITL's heat shock antigen vaccine (HSAV) is an investigational personalized vaccine designed to treat the immune systems of people with cancer while minimizing side effects. HSAV treatment is intended to target only cancerous cells, potentially improving clinical response and prolonging survival without serious adverse effects or disruption of quality of life.

How does HSAV work?

Based on proprietary technology, the HSAC is designed to capture the particular cancer's 'fingerprint.' This fingerprint contains unique antigens (substances that can provoke an immune response) that are present only on that particular patient's specific cancer cells. Injection of the vaccine is intended to reprogram the patient's immune system to recognize and attack any cells bearing the specific cancer fingerprint.

How is HSAV made?

The HSAV is made from individual patients' tumors and heat shock proteins produced by the patients' own white blood cells. Patients have surgery to remove part or all of the cancerous tissue, and a portion of this tissue and a blood sample are shipped to ITL's laboratory in Freeport Bahamas.

Using a proprietary process, heat shock proteins from the white blood cells are purified and combined with purified antigens from the tumor. The combination is then sterilely filtered and placed into vials. The final product is subject to extensive quality-control testing, including sterility testing of each lot.

In what kind of cancers is HSAV being tested?

HSAV is currently being tested in patients with malignant melanoma, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

Breast cancer medicine praised

Tamoxifen, the celebrated drug credited with slashing breast cancer death rates worldwide, could be eclipsed by a newer medicine that is even more effective at preventing a recurrence of the disease in women whose tumors were caught early and removed.

A large, international study of postmenopausal women with early-stage cancer found that those who took tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years and then switched to exemestane for another 2 1/2 years were one-third less likely to suffer a recurrence than those who took tamoxifen the whole time.

The women switching to exemestane also had less serious side effects, were 56 percent less likely to get cancer in the other breast, and were half as likely to develop unrelated cancer in other parts of the body.

Lead researcher Dr. R.C. Coombes, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College School of Medicine in London, predicted doctors will give exemestane to many women at high risk for recurrence, such as those whose breast cancer has spread to multiple lymph nodes.

Exemestane, which went on the market in 1999 for advanced breast cancer, is a hormonal drug sold under the brand Aromasin. It is part of a newer class of breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors.

The findings were published in today's New England Journal of Medicine. The research was partly paid for by Pfizer Inc., the maker of Aromasin.

Dr. Jeff Abrams, the National Cancer Institute's associate chief of clinical research, said a recent study on exemestane "cousin" letrozole showed important advantages over tamoxifen for the class.

"I think with these two studies together, the strategy of switching from tamoxifen to these aromatase inhibitors will become a new standard," said Abrams, who was not involved in the study.

Several recent studies have shown that exemestane and other aromatase inhibitors also work longer, with less toxicity, than tamoxifen in women whose breast cancer had spread to other areas. Exemestane also has been shown to prolong the survival of women with advanced breast cancer after tamoxifen and other drugs fail.

"This whole class of drugs looks very promising, very active," said Dr. Julia Smith, clinical associate professor of oncology at the NYU medical school and cancer institute.

The study, which involved 4,742 postmenopausal women in 37 countries, focused on women with breast cancer in which the hormone estrogen fuels tumor growth — the type responsible for about 70 percent of breast cancer. The results do not apply to premenopausal women or those with tough-to-treat breast cancer not driven by estrogen.

Early-stage breast cancer is often treated with surgery to remove the tumor, plus radiation. Then, if the cancer cells were found to have spread to the underarm lymph nodes, the patient is given cancer drugs for years.

Women suffering the type of cancer fueled by estrogen are given daily tamoxifen pills for five years to prevent any cancer cells lurking in the body from later triggering cancer in another spot.

However, cancer cells grow resistant to tamoxifen in many patients, sometimes within 12 months, and prolonged use can cause uterine cancer and dangerous blood clots.

Those problems spurred interest in hormonal drugs such as aromatase inhibitors, which dramatically suppress estrogen production by blocking the effects of an enzyme called aromatase. Tamoxifen works differently; it binds to specific tumor cell sites to keep estrogen from attaching itself and directing the cancer cells to multiply.

In the study, exemestane caused more bone thinning, joint pain and diarrhea than tamoxifen but was less likely to cause blood clots, vaginal bleeding, muscle cramps and other gynecological symptoms. Rates of other side effects, including hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia, headaches and dizziness, were about the same for the two drugs.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

To everything, there is a season. Our physical and emotional health is no exception. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is nationally recognized during the month of December, is an example of how a change in seasons can affect our wellbeing.
Between 4 and 6 percent of the U.S. population suffers from SAD. It is more commonly observed in those who live at high latitudes (areas farther away from the equator to the north and south). Seasonal changes are generally more extreme in these regions, supporting the idea that SAD is caused by changes in sunlight availability.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can occur during summer with limited symptoms such as weight loss, trouble sleeping and decreased appetite. Winter symptoms tend to be more severe. They include fatigue, increased need for sleep, decreased energy levels, weight gain, increase in appetite, difficulty concentrating and increased desire to be alone.

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine states that, "People and nature are inseparable." The winter months, which represent the height of the yin cycle and the water element, can cause those whose constitution tends toward yin to feel the effects of this season more acutely. Energetic imbalances, which are associated with emotional and physical disturbances in the body, can become more pronounced after a change in weather and sunlight. Western medicine currently treats seasonal affective disorder with light therapy and sometimes with antidepressants. The downside to these therapies is that they carry side effects such as eyestrain, headache, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, palpitations, high blood pressure and reduced libido. Also, these therapies do not address the underlying problems, but merely offer symptom relief.

Acupuncture, which has shown promising results treating depression by releasing serotonin and noradrenaline-norepinephrine, has no side effects. Together with a treatment plan created by a licensed acupuncturist, acupuncture can improve balance of mood and energy, relieving the patient from the burdens of a depressed, unbalanced system.

Acupuncture Facts

What is Acupuncture?

The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. The method by which this is accomplished, though it may seem strange and mysterious to many, has been time tested over thousands of years and continues to be validated today.

The perspective from which an acupuncturist views health and sickness hinges on concepts of "vital energy," "energetic balance" and "energetic imbalance." Just as the Western medical doctor monitors the blood flowing through blood vessels and the messages traveling via the nervous system, the acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this "vital energy" within its pathways, known as "meridians and channels".

The acupuncturist is able to influence health and sickness by stimulating certain areas along these "meridians". Traditionally these areas or "acupoints" were stimulated by fine, slender needles. Today, many additional forms of stimulation are incorporated, including herbs, electricity, magnets and lasers. Still, the aim remains the same - adjust the "vital energy" so the proper amount reaches the proper place at the proper time. This helps your body heal itself.

Acupuncture is just one form of therapy used within the coherent system of healing known as Oriental Medicine. Oriental Medicine includes herbology, physical therapy, dietetics and special exercises (such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong), and is a complete medical system unto itself and is not another branch of modern Western medicine. Acupuncture evolved from principles and philosophies unique to Oriental thinking and Oriental Medicine, and is most effectively applied when done in accordance with those principles.

What is the history?
Most experts would say that acupuncture is at least 2000 years old. The exact age is less important than the fact that Oriental Medicine is the most widely utilized healing system on this planet.

Its roots are in China, but the fruits of its potential to help the sick and injured are apparent in many places, including all of Asia, Europe and America.

Today, the art and science of Acupuncture / Oriental Medicine is still not understood by many, yet it continues to gain popularity and acceptance because of one fact - IT WORKS.

How does acupuncture work?
For millennia, the acupuncturist has been engaging subtle human energies, otherwise known as "Qi". According to time-tested principles unique to Oriental Medicine, the acupuncturist would assess and adjust the flow and distribution of "Qi" in order to promote health and healing.

So far, modern research has described various physiological shifts following acupuncture, such as beneficial changes in the body's own natural painkillers, anti-inflammatory agents, immune system functions and hormonal activity.

Despite the powerful technology available today, even the modern physicists cannot explain exactly how this ancient healing therapy works. Perhaps in the near future, the actual chemical and electromagnetic events that occur during acupuncture will be described.

Why use Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine?
In addition to being effective for many acute and chronic common illnesses, Oriental Medicine has much to offer those who wish to raise the quality of health and vitality. Practitioners of Oriental Medicine operate with prevention in mind, attempting to correct small energetic imbalances before they become big health problems.

Current health trends emphasizing exercise, proper nutrition, stress reduction and immune system strengthening all validate the life-styles and methods that have always been promoted by practitioners and advocates of Acupuncture / Oriental Medicine.

Are there side effects?
When performed by a properly trained and licensed practitioner, acupuncture is safe and effective, free fromadverse or addictive side effects. Quite often, a sense of relaxation and well-being occurs during and after treatments. While undergoing therapy for one ailment, other problems may resolve concurrently. This is a common side benefit that again demonstrates the value of balancing the quality and quantity of "vital energy" within the entire person.

What are the limits of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture?
Oriental Medicine and acupuncture are powerful healing tools, but they are not panaceas nor the solution to every health care problem. Both Western and Oriental Medicine have their respective strengths and weaknesses, which is why in modern China, the two systems are used together. When appropriately combined, the patient is well served.

Generally speaking, acute, life threatening conditions are best handled by Western medical doctors. Routine health problems and chronic conditions, for which drug therapy and surgery have not been effective, often benefit from Acupuncture / Oriental Medicine.

How do I choose an acupuncturist?
For over 12 years, the Medical Board of California has been licensing acupuncturists. At present, one is allowed to practice only after successfully completing four years of training at an approved college of Oriental Medicine, and passing a rigorous written and practical exam given by the California Acupuncture Committee. The title "Licensed Acupuncturist" or "L.Ac." means that these criteria have been met. Always look for a copy of the license, which should be clearly displayed in the practitioner's office.

Organizations such as the California Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Association can help you locate a qualified practitioner. Call them at: (800) 477-4564 to find the name of a licensed CAA member in your area.

What should I ask the practitioner I'm considering?
Always ask any practitioner about the extent of his or her training. Have them explain the differences between Oriental Medicine and Western Medicine in language that you can understand.

Oriental medicine has its limitations just as Western Medicine does. Look for practitioners who know their limitations and have referral networks to take care of your health in ways they cannot.

Ask them about previous experience with conditions similar to your own. Although it is difficult to forecast response to treatments, ask about the signs and changes that the practitioner looks for to confirm that treatments are progressing well.

Inquire about what therapies will be used and why. Practitioners should be able to explain any procedure they perform.

What does the examination/consultation involve?
An exam/consultation includes what you tell the practitioner about your medical history and what your body says: The appearance of the face and body build, the shape and color of the tongue, the quality of the pulses, the feel of diagnostic areas such as the abdomen and back. An acupuncturist may test for weaknesses along the "meridians" and weaknesses in the muscles. Sometimes devices that measure electrical activity of acupoints may be used.

How long is the visit?
Usually the first visit is the longest in order to allow for a complete history taking and exam - typically an hour. Follow-up visits are shorter, usually 15 to 45 minutes, depending on practitioner and patient needs. Sometimes other therapies, such as moxabustion, acupressure/massage and exercises are incorporated with the acupuncture treatment.

Don't the needles hurt?
Most people who have had acupuncture would describe it as virtually painless or far less painful than plucking out a hair. The sensations that follow range from nothing at all, to mild tingling, to slight numbness/achiness, to electrical pulsations in areas distant from the site of insertion. All these sensations usually subside once the needles are removed. The needles used for acupuncture are much smaller that the standard hypodermic needle, do not draw blood and are solid, not hollow.

What is treatment like?
Most patients would say, "relaxing." Usually patients leave in less discomfort and are more functional than when they walked in. Sometimes the effects are too subtle to perceive, especially in the beginning of treatment. Yet after 5 to 10 treatments the improvements become more and more apparent.

Is it safe?
If performed by a qualified, conscientious practitioner, yes. Licensed Acupuncturists know the human anatomy well, and insert needles in a safe fashion. The instruments used to penetrate the skin are either pre-sterilized and disposable after a single use, or disinfected and sterilized in an autoclave, as surgical and dental instruments are, after each use.

The practitioner is well aware of the concern over infectious diseases, and takes every measure to insure cleanliness as all health care professional do.

Bleeding rarely occurs, unless done so on purpose in specific situations. Even then the amount is minimal and in no way dangerous.

What services can a practitioner of Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture provide?
Acupuncture, Acupressure/Massage, Therapeutic Exercises, Herbal Medicine, Diet therapy, Breathing Exercises, Referrals, Oriental Medical Diagnosis.

Alzheimer's Disease: There is Hope!

Have you or someone you care about been given a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease? Don't accept it as a fact without some very careful checking. A prominent Canadian psychiatrist estimates that as many as 40% of all Alzheimer's diagnoses are wrong(1). This is particularly tragic in cases where the symptoms of dementia (gradual loss of intellectual functioning) are due, not to Alzheimer's disease, but to a vitamin-B12 deficiency, a drug reaction, hypothyroidism, or cerebrovascular disease(1,2,3). All of these latter conditions are reversible.
A vitamin-B12 deficiency can be treated with injections of the vitamin if caught in time. However, if left untreated the neurological damage caused by the deficiency becomes permanent(4,5). Some researchers believe that a vitamin B-12 deficiency and Alzheimer's disease are closely linked and that a deficiency can actually lead to the disease(6).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and occurs worldwide. About four million Americans now suffer from it(7). The disease is rare in people younger than 40 years of age but its prevalence grows rapidly between the ages of 65 and 85. It is estimated that almost half of all people over 85 years are victims(3,7). AD is an insidious disease that is usually fatal within 10 years of onset(2,4). Its victims are frequently unaware that they have it and the initial suspicions are often raised by relatives or friends. The first sign is usually the loss of short term memory, then follows difficulties in time perception, communication, reading and writing and eventually in using common household objects and in caring for oneself. Midway through the progression AD patients tend to lose the ability to recognize people and eventually become totally helpless. Anxiety, depression, wandering, and aggressive behaviour are common conditions seen in the progression of AD(2,3).

AD is difficult to diagnose correctly and the diagnosis can only be made with certainty through an autopsy. The brain tissue of Alzheimer's victims contains characteristic neurofibrillary tangles and deposits of amyloid plaque. It is believed that the neurofibrillary tangles and the plaque deposits are somehow connected with the death of brain neurons and the subsequent development of dementia(2,3). Although there is no consensus as to the ultimate cause of AD medical research has uncovered a number of significant risk factors.

It is estimated that about 20% of all cases of AD has an important genetic component(3). There is, however, no question that environmental risk factors are of prime importance in determining who develops AD and who does not.

Epidemiologic studies have shown that Alzheimer's patients have a higher level of aluminum in their brain than do healthy people(1,2,8). Particularly high levels have been found in the beta-amyloid deposits which are so characteristic of the disease. Aluminum is known to be highly toxic to brain neurons and recent research has shown that it can cause amyloid fibrils to aggregate into structures resembling neurofibrillary tangles(9,10). Canadian studies have found a direct correlation between the aluminum content of drinking water and the incidence of AD(11,12). Although some medical doctors still question the aluminum link there seems to be growing consensus that aluminum is somehow involved, if not in the initiation of the disease, then at least in accelerating its progression(2,10).

The level of mercury in the brain of AD patients is significantly elevated and it is now accepted that chronic low level mercury poisoning may be a significant factor in the development of AD. The level of mercury in the brain has been found to be proportional to the number of amalgam fillings in the teeth(1,2).

Free radical reactions are believed to be directly involved in the development of AD(2,13-16). Researchers at the University of South Florida have found that beta-amyloid, in an interaction with superoxide radicals, constricts and damages the lining of the tiny blood vessels which supply the brain. The researchers believe that this process ultimately leads to neurodegenerative disease, specifically AD(16). Other researchers suggest that free radicals destroy brain neurons directly(17). Free radical reactions can be suppressed by antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and vitamin-E(15,16,18).

Exposure to high levels of electromagnetic radiation has been linked to the development of AD as have severe head injuries and a family history of AD or Parkinson's disease(2,19,20).

Vitamin deficiencies have been implicated in the development of AD(1). A vitamin B-12 deficiency is particularly serious as it can mimic the symptoms of AD and may even progress to AD itself(6). One recent study found that 40% of elderly Americans suffers from a vitamin B-12 deficiency(21,22). People who have had surgery for stomach ulcers are particularly prone to a vitamin B-12 deficiency(5). Lack of vitamins A, E, and beta-carotene has also been linked to the development of AD. British researchers found that AD patients admitted to a London hospital had only half the vitamin E level in their blood as did healthy, matched controls. The patients' beta-carotene levels were four times lower than that of the controls(17).

A low level of education and attainment has been linked to AD as has a paucity of ideas and low linguistic ability(2,23-25). Some researchers postulate that brains which have greater intellectual capacity are better able to tolerate neuron death without developing AD(24,25).

It is tempting to speculate that vigorous exercise of the brain, particularly in the early years, may be effective in preventing AD. However, recent research has discovered many less speculative measures that anyone concerned about developing AD can easily take:

-Avoid exposure to aluminum as much as possible. Aluminum is found in drinking water, processed cheese, baking powder, antacids (Di-Gel, Maalox, Gelusil, Mylanta, and Rolaids), buffered aspirin (Bufferin), antidiarrheal preparations (Donnagel, Kaopectate and Rheaban), anti-perspirants, foods cooked in aluminum pots and coffe made in aluminum-containing percolators(8,26). Aluminum cans and aluminum-coated wax containers can also transfer significant amounts of aluminum to the beverages contained in them(8). Aluminum in drinking water is common and hard to avoid; however, silicic acid prevents it from entering the blood stream(27,28).

-Avoid exposure to mercury. Do not accept amalgam fillings and have existing ones removed if they appear to be causing problems(1). Selenium is an effective antidote to mercury and a daily intake of up to 200 micrograms is safe and effective(29,30).

-Avoid prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields. Be particularly wary of sewing machines, electric blankets, microwave ovens, computer monitors, and clock radios and answering machines placed close to the bed(19,20,31).

-Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and ensure an adequate intake of antioxidants and vitamins, particularly the B vitamins and folic acid. Vitamin B-12 should be taken in the form of injections or as sublingual tablets as it is not easily absorbable(32).

-Consider supplementing with Bio-Strath. This plasmolysed herbal yeast preparation (Saccharomyces cerevisia) has been manufactured in Switzerland for decades and clinical trials have recently established that it prevents and, in some cases, reverses many age-related conditions and disorders. Bio-Strath is particularly effective in improving short term memory, but also improves circulation and boosts the immune system(33).

-Some very recent studies have shown that women taking estrogen (Premarin) are less likely to develop AD and that certain NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) may also have a protective effect. However, these findings should be treated with caution and need to be confirmed in clinical trials(7,34,35).

Conventional medical wisdom has it that there is no cure for AD and no effective means of slowing its progress. Fortunately, this has not prevented medical researchers and alternative medicine practitioners from discovering several ways of halting or at least slowing the progression of AD. NOTE: The treatments described in the following should not be undertaken except on the advice of your health care professional.

The first and absolutely crucial step in the fight against AD is to ensure that the diagnosis is correct. Insist that your doctor take all the necessary steps to rule out other causes of dementia. To spend the rest of your life in a nursing home as a vegetable because a vitamin B-12 deficiency was misdiagnosed would indeed be a cruel twist of fate.

It also makes sense to follow the suggestions given for preventing AD with an increased intake of antioxidants and vitamins as prescribed by your health care provider. Removal of amalgam fillings at this point can also bring about dramatic improvements(1,36). Amalgam fillings should always be removed by a dentist specially trained to do so - otherwise the condition may worsen.

British scientists believe that sage oil may be effective in the treatment of AD. They found that sage oil inhibits the action of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetylcholine. An abnormally low acetylcholine level in the brain is a key feature of AD. It is interesting that the 17th-century herbalist, John Gerard, said about sage: "Sage helpeth a weake braine or memory and restoreth them being decayed in a short time"(37).

The herbal supplement Bio-Strath has been found highly effective in the treatment of early AD symptoms such as memory loss and mental confusion. Recent clinical trials carried out in Germany showed that 59% of the AD patients involved saw significant improvement in their condition after three months of Bio-Strath supplementation (2 teaspoons of the syrup 3 times daily). In another 41% the progression of the disease was halted and in no cases did the condition worsen among the treated patients. In contrast, 31% of the patients in the placebo group had a significant worsening of their symptoms over the test period(38).

Ginkgo biloba is the most prescribed medicine in Germany and is effective in correcting conditions of cerebral insufficiency (including memory loss) and intermittent claudication(1,39,40).

Homeopathic treatment of AD is an important option. The remedy alumina was discovered by the founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in 1829. Dr. Hahnemann found it highly effective in treating "Great weakness or loss of memory" and in cases where "Consciousness of personal identity is confused"(41,42).

Homeopathy is based on the principle that a substance which in relatively large amounts will cause a disease will, when given in infinitesimally small (homeopathic) amounts, cure that same disease. It is ironic that homeopaths knew over 150 years ago that homeopathic concentrations of aluminum oxide would cure symptoms of dementia while we are just now realizing that much larger amounts of aluminum may actually cause these symptoms.

Alzheimer's disease is a cruel, debilitating and demeaning disease which can turn many a period of hoped for "golden years" into a living hell. Research is constantly uncovering new facets of the disease and preventive measures and promising new therapies are being developed which will ultimately halt its relentless progress.

Alternative Medicine: Why so popular?

In 1997 Americans made 627 million visits to practitioners of alternative medicine and spent $27 billion of their own money to pay for alternative therapies. In contrast, Americans made only 386 million visits to their family doctor. It is estimated, by none other than the Harvard Medical School, that one out of every two persons in the United States between the ages of 35 and 49 years used at least one alternative therapy in 1997. That is a growth of 47.3 per cent since 1990. This is spectacular by any means and of great concern to conventional (allopathic) medicine especially since the people using alternative medicine are primarily well-educated, affluent baby boomers(1).

The trend to alternative medicine is repeated throughout Western society. In Australia 57 percent of the population now use some form of alternative medicine, in Germany 46 percent do, and in France 49 percent do. The growth of some types of alternative medicine is indeed astounding. Between 1991 and 1997 the use of herbal medicines in the United States grew by 380 per cent and the use of vitamin therapy by 130 per cent. These are impressive numbers by anyone's standard(1-3).

What it is and isn't
So why do people increasingly prefer alternative to conventional medicine? The reasons are pretty simple - it is safe and it works! While there is little doubt that allopathic medicine works well in the case of trauma and emergency (you don't call your herbalist if you get hit by a car), it is much less effective when it comes to prevention, chronic disease, and in addressing the mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of an individual. These are precisely the areas where alternative medicine excels. To most of the world's population, over 80 per cent to be precise, alternative medicine is not "alternative" at all, but rather the basis of the health care system. To Western-trained physicians alternative medicine is "something not taught in medical schools" and something that allopathic doctors don't do and, one could add, generally know nothing about. Alternative medicine actually encompasses a very large array of different systems and therapies ranging from ayurvedic medicine to vitamin therapy.

Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced in India for the past five thousand years and has recently undergone a renaissance in the West due, in no small measure, to the work and lectures of Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD. Ayurvedic medicine is a very comprehensive system that places equal emphasis on body, mind, and spirit and uses a highly personalized approach to return an individual to a state where he or she is again in harmony with their environment. Ayurvedic medicine uses diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, herbs, and medication and, despite its long lineage, is as applicable today as it was 5000 years ago. For example, the seeds of the Mucuna pruriens plant have long been used to treat Parkinson's disease in India; it is now receiving attention in conventional circles as it is more effective than l-dopa and has fewer side effects(4).

Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced for over 3000 years and over one quarter of the world's population now uses one or more of its component therapies. TCM combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and the use of therapeutic exercises such as Qi Gong. It has proven to be effective in the treatment of many chronic diseases including cancer, allergies, heart disease and AIDS. As does Ayurvedic medicine, TCM also focuses on the individual and looks for and corrects the underlying causes of imbalance and patterns of disharmony.

Homeopathy was developed in the early 1800s by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. It is a low-cost, non-toxic health care system now used by hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is particularly popular in South America and the British Royal Family has had a homeopathic physician for the last four generations. Homeopathy is an excellent first-aid system and is also superb in the treatment of minor ailments such as earaches, the common cold, and flu. Homeopathy is again based on the treatment of the individual and when used by a knowledgeable practitioner can also be very effective in the cure of conditions such as hay fever, digestive problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory infections.

Chiropracty primarily involves the adjustment of spine and joints to alleviate pain and improve general health. It was practiced by the early Egyptians and was developed into its present form by the American Daniel David Palmer in 1895. It is now the most common form of alternative medicine in the United States. Chiropractors not only manipulate spine and joints, but also advise their patients on lifestyle and diet matters. They believe that humans possess an innate healing potential and that all disease can be overcome by properly activating this potential.

Naturopathic medicine also strongly believes in the body's inherent ability to heal itself. Naturopathy emphasizes the need for seeking and treating the causes of a disease rather than simply suppressing its symptoms. Naturopaths use dietary modifications, herbal medicines, homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, and lifestyle counseling to achieve healing.

Vitamin therapy or orthomolecular medicine uses vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to return a diseased body to wellness in the belief that the average diet today is often woefully inadequate in providing needed nutrients and that the need for specific nutrients is highly individual. Conditions as varied as hypertension, depression, cancer, and schizophrenia can all benefit enormously from vitamin therapy.

Biofeedback, body work, massage therapy, reflexology, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, and various other forms of energy medicine round out the vast spectrum of alternative medicine modalities.

How is it different?
So what sets alternative medicine apart from allopathic medicine?

- Conventional medicine is preferred in the treatment of trauma and emergencies while alternative medicine excels in the treatment of chronic disease, although homeopathy can also be very effective as a first-aid.

- Conventional medicine focuses on the relief of symptoms and rarely places emphasis on prevention or the treatment of the cause of a disorder. All alternative systems, on the other hand, strive to find and treat the cause of a disorder and frown on covering up the symptoms. Alternative therapies are also much more focused on prevention.

- Conventional medicine is organ specific, hence ophthalmologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, neurologists, etc. Alternative medicine, without exception, considers each person as a unique individual and uses a holistic approach in treatment.

- Conventional medicine believes in aggressive intervention to treat disease. It revels in terms such as "magic bullet" and "war" ("the war on cancer"), and prefers quick fixes (as do many patients). Alternative medicine believes in gentle, long-term support to enable the body's own innate powers to do the healing.

- Conventional medicine's main "arsenal" consists of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and powerful pharmaceutical drugs. Alternative medicine uses time-tested, natural remedies and gentle, hands-on treatments.

- Conventional medicine practitioners are guided in their treatment by strict rules set out by the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. This often leads to a "one size fits all" approach. Practitioners of alternative medicine, on the other hand, treat each patient as an individual and do what, in their opinion, is best rather than what is specified in a "rule book".

- Conventional medicine sees the body as a mechanical system (the heart is a pump and the kidneys are a filter) and believes most disorders can be traced to chemical imbalances and therefore are best treated with powerful chemicals (drugs). Alternative medicine systems, almost without exception, accept that the body is suffused by a network of channels (meridians) that carry a subtle form of life energy. Imbalances or blockages of this energy are what lead to disease and clearing of the blockages and strengthening of the energy is the ultimate goal of alternative medicine.

- Conventional medicine prefers patients to be passive and accept their treatment without too many questions. Alternative medicine, in contrast, prefers and indeed, in many cases, requires the patient to take a highly active part in both prevention and treatment.

- Both conventional and alternative medicine ascribe to the principle "Do no harm". However, while alternative medicine is essentially achieving this goal, conventional medicine seems to have almost totally lost sight of it. Hospitals are now the third largest killer in Australia and over one million people are seriously injured in American hospitals every year. Blood infections acquired in American hospitals cause 62,000 fatalities every year and bypass surgery results in 25,000 strokes a year. Two million patients experience adverse drug reactions in hospitals in the United States every year; of these, over 100,000 die making hospital-induced adverse drug reactions the fourth leading cause of death after heart disease, cancer, and stroke(5-11).

- The practice of conventional medicine is intimately tied in with the whole medico-pharmaceutical-industrial complex whose first priority is to make a profit. Although most conventional physicians have "healing the patient" as their first priority, they find it increasingly difficult to do so while operating within the system with its pharmaceutical salesmen, its rule books, its fear of malpractice suits, its endless paperwork to satisfy bureaucrats and insurance companies, and its time pressures. Most alternative medicine practitioners have no such constraints and pressures and can give the patient their undivided attention.

- Conventional medicine generally resists the use of natural remedies long after their efficacy has been scientifically proven (Germany is an exception to this). Most alternative medicine practitioners eagerly embrace new remedies and, in many cases, can point to years of safe use. Ginkgo biloba is now the most prescribed drug in Germany and has been found effective in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease(12). Also in Germany the herb saw palmetto is now prescribed in 90 per cent of all cases of enlarged prostate; in the United States 300,000 prostate operations are performed each year to solve this problem. More profitable for sure, but dangerous and unpleasant for the patient(13).

- The major source of funds for medical research is pharmaceutical companies who, not surprisingly, are very reluctant to support investigations into lifestyle modifications, vitamins, and other unpatentable products. Nevertheless, a growing number of medical researchers are focusing their attention on natural supplements and remedies and are publishing their work in mainstream journals. The benefits of antioxidants have now been thoroughly documented by researchers at the Harvard Medical School and similar prestigious institutions. Folic acid, a simple B vitamin, has also been extensively studied in university laboratories and has been found to be effective in preventing or ameliorating heart attacks, strokes, angina, intermittent claudication, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, colon cancer, hearing loss, and Alzheimer's disease(14-18).

Although alternative practitioners and a small group of conventional physicians do embrace the use of natural therapies and products the vast majority of "establishment" physicians are still dragging their heels and even denigrating and ridiculing alternative medicine. This fact, perhaps more than anything else, is what is driving the rapid and massive switch from conventional to alternative medicine.