The most important concept in medicine, I think, is the Law of Parsimony. It dictates that when explaining the cause for an event or series of events, the simplest explanation is likely to be most valid.
Nasal washes can be a big help for patients with seasonal allergies. Many people use salt water. But this not the best choice, as it is irritating and it inhibits natural defense mechanisms. Xylitol nasal washes are effective in stimulating allergen clearance without the risk of irritation, and with the added benefit of inhibiting bugs that cause upper respiratory and middle ear infections.
Stock prices are soaring for the drug companies that make and market Tamiflu, thanks to the Bird Flu scare, and prominent government officials particularly Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, are making big bucks as a result.
There’s a lot physicians can do to help people fend off the flu besides doling out flu shots. Roby Mitchell, MD, aka Dr. Fitt, offers some outside-the-box thinking and practical suggestions.
Once the epitome of public health success, childhood vaccine policies are under fire, owing to a growing concern that thimerosal, the mercury-containing preservative in many vaccines, may trigger autism, ADHD and other developmental problems. Federal authorities maintain vaccines are safe and thimerosal poses little threat, but an increasingly vocal movement of parents, politicians and physicians are unconvinced.
Overuse of antibiotics has led to a steady decline in their efficacy. Holistic therapies involving homeopathy, isopathic immune modulation, and administration of medicinal essential oils, can prevent or treat many infectious conditions by improving immunologic self-defense rather than destroying pathogenic organisms.
Silymarin, a mixture of compounds derived from Milk Thistle, is a popular herbal medicine for hepatitis C, cirrhosis, and other liver disorders. Clinical trials show that these compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that can slow the progression of these diseases. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have begun a large-scale trial of silymarin in conjunction with conventional drugs for treatment of hepatitis C.
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