Solar storm tracked all the way from the Sun to Earth | Bad Astronomy

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Yesterday I wrote about scientists being able to see sunspots as they form deep inside the Sun, well before they rise to the surface.

Around the same time, more news about the Sun was released as well. And I was ready to write up a fancy schmancy post talking all about it, I really was. It would be about how my old friend Craig DeForest used data from NASA’s Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (aka STEREO) to track a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a huge blast of subatomic particles chock full o’ magnetic energy — all the way from the solar surface to the Earth… but then those folks at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center put together this terrific video explaining it really well, saving me the effort!

Very very cool. Here is a still from the actual animation of the blast:

[Click to embiggen.]

In this graphic, the Sun is on the right and the Earth on the left. The horizontal scale is logarithmic, which means it’s highly compressed; as you get farther away from the Sun (that is, looking more ...


Beach Boarding Terms – Look Like You Know What You’re Talking About!

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During my three-day stay in Seagrove Beach last weekend, I saw lots of kids and teenagers trying out a somewhat newfangled sport called kite boarding. Or wake boarding? No, skin boarding. I don’t know! They had this little board, and they would throw it down and then rid the wave “spittle” on the beach as the wave completely petered out. Sometimes they would go ten feet, sometimes twenty, and sometimes they would face plant. That’s when I would cover my mouth to stifle my giggle. But, it’s really hard to make fun of someone when 1)You have no idea what the name for what they’re doing is and 2)You would also probably without any doubt in the world faceplant, too. And probably into a shallow herd of jelly fish, because that’s just your luck.

After realizing my ignorance between all the different type of board sports out there, I decided to post a little glossary for you. That way, the next time you’re at the beach and you see a wake boarder, you can say “Dude! That wake boarder is really cutting it up!” instead of “Wow! That um, guy, out there on that board thingy is really, doing whatever that is, really well!”

Wake Boarding

1. Wake Boarding

From what I understand, wake boarding is kind of like snowboarding on water. You’re pulled by boat, but instead of having two skis like you would in water skiing, your feet are both attached to what looks like a small boogie board. Those guys doing the crazy flips and tricks while being pulled behind a boat? Yep, those are most likely wake boarders. Those tricks are a lot harder to do when water skiing because your legs could potentially fly in different directions, which makes landing the trick less than ideal. Oh, and you don’t usually have a ramp in the middle of the water like this guy. That’s cheating.

2. Kite Boarding (AKA Kite Surfing)

Kite Surfing (Or Kite Boarding)

Kite surfing is really hard to get the hang of, I think. You have a kite sail thingy that looks like a parachute that’s attached to this harness you wear. Your feet are attached to a board. You have to let the wind pull you around on the ocean and sometimes, the kite can pull you way, way way up in the air — 30 feet or more. That’s when you hope you know what you’re doing. We watched this poor girl in the photo try to kite surf for well over and hour before we finally left. Oh, and this is completely different from wind surfing.

Some skimboarding action

3. Skim Boarding

This is what I watched all the kids try in Seagrove Beach. It looks really fun, actually. You throw down a small board towards the end of the wave on the shoreline and then jump on it, riding the ripples as far as you can. Some people apparently skim board in the ocean as well, but I’m not sure how that works. I will try this the next time I am at the beach. With knee and elbow pads.

Paddleboarding -doesn't it look fun?

4. Paddle Boarding

Paddle boarding got its start in the Hawaiian islands a long time ago, and it’s more recently spread to the mainland. Basically, you balance yourself on a long surfboard while standing up and then paddle away using a long oar. It’s a very good workout for the core muscles. And, you’ll look super cool while doing it. Much easier to get the hang of than surfing.

Wheee! Boogie boarding is easy to learn and is a blast

5. Boogie Boarding (AKA Bodyboarding)

I probably don’t have to define this for most of you, but just in case — boogie boarding is when you use a big body board and ride the waves to shore! It’s totally worth it to invest in a good one (i.e. more expensive one). The cheap ones you get a the drug store won’t work well, but if you spend $40-$50 on one, the bottom will be made of a much better gliding material that makes riding waves a breeze. Trust me on this one – you won’t believe the difference! I used to boogie board all the time in San Diego, especially in Oceanside where the waves were bigger.

Photos: WhatsUpMartha, EronsPics, Jenny Bengen-Albert, GJ Imageworks, ingridtaylar

Seagrove Beach, Florida – Another 30A Gem

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A view of Seagrove Beach from our condo

It’s mid-afternoon in Seagrove Beach, Florida. I’m enjoying a cool drink under the shade of my umbrella and starting out at the blue-green waters and soft white sands. Bands of light blues and dark greens alternate and draw my eyes toward the horizon, the lighter colors hinting at shallow depths where fat sand dollars are being scooped up by adventurous snorkelers and divers. I close my eyes for a moment and simply listen — I hear the surf, children’s chatter, relaxed laughter and seagulls. And then — “Dolphins!” I open my eyes and there they are, about 500 feet off shore, frolicking with kayakers near one of the sandbars. There are twenty, maybe thirty of them, and as more beach goers scramble to get their sea kayaks out in time, I’m struck by how magical this place is.

Seagrove Beach is one of at least seven little beach towns on the 30A, not including Destin and Panama City Beach, both of which are much bigger and more commercial. As you travel from West to East on the 30A, you start in Destin and then travel through Dune Allen Beach, Blue Mountain Beach,  Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Seagrove and finally Rosemary Beach. Like most of the other beaches, Seagrove Beach is backed by beach homes and larger condo structures that prevent access to the beach by the general public, though there are eight public access points as well.

Another lazy day in Seagrove Beach, Florida

If you’re not the beach bum type, fear not — Seagrove Beach offers plenty to see and do. Rent a sea kayak or a stand-up paddle board and explore the sand bars just off the beach. Keep an eye out for the bands of lighter colored water where the depth is between 10-15 feet. You can dive for sand dollars here, lots of fun!The company that rents out the stand-up paddle boards is usually YOLO — You Only Live Once. Love the name! Or, rent a bike – the adorable beach cruisers you see around town are really cheap to rent ($30-$45 for the week) and they’re the absolute best way to get around. The 30A is very congested with cars at times. Night owls can take a walk on the beach with a flashlight and watch for the sand crabs scuttling about. Some are pretty big, so watch out!

Rent a cute beach cruiser to explore Seagrove Beach and the other nearby beach towns!

There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat in Seagrove and nearby Seaside, so go out and explore. Be sure to check out the food trucks in Seaside, particularly the grilled cheese truck. Delicious! Seagrove is a lovely place for casual, unplanned wandering and people watching. When it gets too hot, you can always duck inside an ice cream or art store.

If You Go: High season for the 30A beaches starts around Memorial Day weekend and goes through early August; stay just before or just after these times to save a bundle of money on your beach cottage or condo rental. Your best bet is around May 15, just before Memorial Day, when the waters are warm and usually seaweed and algae-free, though waters can be very clear up through Memorial Day. Low season is August-late September or early October, when the weather is very hot and humid. Rent a bicycle! They’re only $30-$45 for a week and the beach cruisers are the best way to navigate around all the cars and pedestrians that crowd the busy sidewalks and streets.

Gorgeous sunset on Seagrove Beach

Photos: Jenny Bengen-Albert

Autumn arrives

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A Reed Warbler flicks out of the Longstone grass and onto a rock

A Whitethroat takes shelter on Staple island

A pied flycatcher arrives in the rain

The birthday boy of the day...



Friday 12th August comments: Well, our first sample of ‘rare’ weather this autumn – easterly flavoured winds and rain – occurred yesterday and has brought in quite a haul. With visitor boats stranded for the day due to the high swell, wardens were able to thoroughly check the islands for any migrants that dropped in throughout the day, and did they ever! Although the fall didn’t produce any big rares, the sheer number of other migrants made the day enjoyable for all, as Whitethroats and Pied Flycatchers showed well for onlookers. Two Grasshopper Warblers were found skulking in the orache fields of Staple Island, staying true to form and flushing at very close range before heading deep into the vegetation again for another run. Hopefully this marks the beginnings of a good autumn migration season for the Farnes...

And on another note, a happy birthday today to our glorious leader and head warden David Steel, currently enjoying his 11th year on the Farnes, his knowledge and experience keeps the whole place running smoothly and the Farnes has definitely improved significantly under his reign. Best wishes from the whole team here on the Farnes!

11th August highlights: Pied Flycatcher 4 lingering on both Inner Farne and outer group islands, Sedge Warbler 2, 1 Reed Warbler managed to find the only grassy area on Longstone, Garden Warbler 4, Whitethroat 3, Grasshopper Warbler 2 on Staple, Whinchat 3, Wheatear 5, Spotted Flycatcher 1 showing on Inner Farne, Lapwing 2 settled on Inner Farne’s north rocks and a flyover of a Greenshank and Green Sandpiper.

Lepidoptera madness!

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Two hummingbird hawkmoths sun themselves on the pele tower roof (Will Scott)

The stunningly iridescent burnished brass moth

The beautiful garden tiger moth

A wall butterfly on Inner Farne (Will Scott)

A painted lady butterfly relaxes on a thistle flower (Will Scott)

Wednesday 10th August comments: The Farnes is well known for its birds, both breeding and migratory, and with these obvious and beautiful creatures constantly reminding us of their presence; it’s often easy to overlook the smaller, but just as beautiful beasts.

The Farnes also plays host to Lepidoptera – butterflies and moths – and this year is rife with them, especially now what we’re into August! On the 5th and 6th of August alone, 86 butterflies of 11 species were recorded. These included a Dark Green Fritillary (8th for the Farnes), Comma (3rd record), 11 Painted Ladies, and over 30 Red Admiral all on the 5th.

The night is equally as hectic, as wardens have lured plenty of moths into their traps too. Dark Swordgrass, the migrating Silver Y, the spectacular Garden Tiger, Burnished Brass and Hummingbird Hawkmoths have all been caught, proving the farnes really is the place to be for any beast with wings! Ghost Moths are abundant, their lavae feeding on the island’s dock roots, whilst Dark Arches and Dark Spinach are found in huge numbers. This is by no means an exhaustive list - in total over 2700 moths of 95 different species have been caught so far!

Lepidoptera are useful fast indicators of environmental change, due to their rapid population turnover, so their numbers on the Farnes are closely monitored. And being such spectacular critters to view, it’s not an arduous task at all.

The MD: Many factors in finding the right doctor – Los Angeles Times

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USA Today
The MD: Many factors in finding the right doctor
Los Angeles Times
There were loads of them, from some of the best schools in the country: Undergraduate degree at Brown, medical school at Cornell, a residency at UCLA. With training like that, she had to be a good physician, right? Not necessarily. ...
Many admit to being less than truthful with doctors about health habitsUSA Today

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For 50 Future Doctors, OU’s Medical School Story Began Monday – Patch.com

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MyFox Detroit
For 50 Future Doctors, OU's Medical School Story Began Monday
Patch.com
"When I first heard that OU was creating a medical school, I thought it would be really cool if I could come back home," said Luczak, who attended his first class on professionalism in medicine Monday morning. Most of the classes will take place for ...
Oakland University medical school opens its doorsCrain's Detroit Business
New OU Med School Dean Says It Brings Value To AreaWDIV Detroit
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Welcomes First ClassPR Newswire (press release)
Detroit Free Press -The Republic
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Depression Raises Female Risk Of Stroke By 29% – Medical News Today

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USA Today
Depression Raises Female Risk Of Stroke By 29%
Medical News Today
The authors, from Harvard Medical School added that there is a 39% higher risk for those on SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Examples of SSRIs include Prozac, Celexa and Zoloft. The investigators performed a six-year follow-up in the ...
Adult women who take antidepressants face 40% more stroke riskNewsPoint Africa
Depressed women have higher risk of strokeUSA Today
On Antidepressants? Pills May Escalate Stroke Risk for WomenInternational Business Times
MedPage Today -Food Consumer -TopNews United States
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Med school dean says action not warranted – Huntington Herald Dispatch

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Med school dean says action not warranted
Huntington Herald Dispatch
The LCME's probation letter says the School of Medicine has not defined its goals for diversity and has not made efforts to broaden diversity among medical school applicants or recruit faculty and students from demographically diverse backgrounds. ...
Marshall appeal accrediting body's probation recommendation for med school at ...The Republic
MU Selects Architects for Engineering ComplexWOWK

all 13 news articles »

Everthing Old is New Again!

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I have as much of a sense of nostalgia as anyone.  I love history.  I think that there is lots to be said about the “good old days,” whenever the heck they were.  I do not, however, think that the “good old days” generally include medicine.

nostalgiaThe fact is that it’s only been about 100 or so years since medical practitioners really got their acts together and started to be able to figure out if they were actually doing anything good.  Prior to that, medicine was a world of humo(u)rs and miasms, treated by bleeding, burning, and purging, plants and animal matter of all sorts (the 6th century Chinese apparently liked otter feces) and all sorts of other awfulness.  In light of some of the things that were done, it’s kind of amazing that anyone survived their treatments.  Mostly, people (and horses) survived in spite of the crazy things that were done to them.

Nevertheless, in those wild and wooly days of yesteryear, enterprising medical entrepreneurs turned out an endless stream of products, with some pretty fantastic claims.  They designed some absolutely artistic advertising cards to go along with those claims, too.  These trade cards surged onto the scene in the 1870′s, coinciding with the advent of color printing.

Look as hard as you’d like – you won’t find any of those products today.  But the claims?  Well, the claims are still around, and they’re pretty much the same as they were 100+ years ago!  Seriously, today, you will find people making the same ridiculous claims for their particular nostrums as they did over a century ago.  Here are some examples -

1.  Are you worried about your horse’s blood being impure?  According to an archaic and somewhat ridiculous line of thinking, “impurities” of the blood are one serious problem.  Of course, no one ever says what those impurities might be, but, no worries, you can get the blood purified anyway!  And, according to a modern text on veterinary herbal medicine, the herbs turmeric and sweet Basil are “Blood purifiers”  – Wynn, S and Fougère, B.  Veterinary Herbal Medicine, 2007, p. 69.

You could have purchased this “blood purifier” over 100 years ago!

2.  Worried about pain?  Why not try some “essential oils?”  According to the website, “The Holistic Horse,” essential oils of peppermint and eucalyptus are a must!  It’s hard to say what the oils are essential for – certainly not for the relief of pain!  There’s certainly nothing wrong with the pungent smells of eucalyptus or peppermint, and, of course, peppermint is a popular flavoring agent.

Of course, oils as pain relievers are nothing new.  If you wanted to buy some pain oil in 1897, you could!  Who knew that people would still be buying this stuff 127 years later?

KidneyandLiverRemedy3.  Concerned that your horse’s kidneys need rejuvenating?  Don’t worry if you didn’t know that they weren’t juvenile enough – inventing problems is one of the great ways to come up with a cure.  If you’re concerned, just go to the website for WolfCreek Ranch and pick up some “Kidney Rejuvenator.” In case other members of your menagerie have problems, it also works on elephants and giraffes.

Or, if you were around 127 years ago, you could have picked up some Hunt’s Remedy.  Not only was it “Never Known to Fail,” you could take care of a lot of other stuff, a sort of one stop medical shop.  I’ve never seen a medicine that never failed – I wonder why you can’t buy any today?  After all, it was good for your cattle, hogs, and poultry, too!

4.  Worried about your horse’s condition?  Who wouldn’t be?  If so, why not try “Pink Powder?” As advertised by Wessex Animal Health in the UK, “For everyday equine life, Pink Powder maintains perfect condition.”

TradeCardsOr, perhaps you might be persuaded by this ad, from 1905?

 

Look, medical conditions occur for specific reasons.  Horses don’t have unnamed “toxins” circulating around in their body, their blood doesn’t need to be “purified,” their kidneys don’t need “rejuvenating,” and as long as you feed them properly, their “condition” will generally be just fine.  If you look at most any of the claims made for supplements, you’ll find that, at the bottom of it all, they’re pretty much nonsense.

Don’t expect that some untested over-the-counter product that you can buy in a bucket in the feed store is going to somehow bring health and longevity to your horse (or any other animal that you want to take care of.  The best way to do that is REALLY old-fashioned – it was known even prior to glitzy advertising and vague promises – through good feed, regular exercise, and attention to a few routine health details (such as deworming, and vaccination).

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

 

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Train Therapy

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Summertime and the living is busy.  Finally we have sun in the Northwest.  While the rest of the country has been melting in heat, this year we have rarely cracked 85.  Global heating has avoided Oregon this year, and I will need some green tomato recipes.  Good weather, work is busy, and it is the last two weeks with my eldest before he is off to Syracuse, so there is little time for writing, so a brief entry this week.

I always wince at the way anything can be called ‘therapy.’ We have music therapy and garden therapy and pet therapy and art therapy.  I do not deny that it is beneficial for people to participate in those activities while in the hospital, although I am never happy to see disease vectors, er, animals in a hospital.   Dinner should be food therapy, reading should be book therapy, and using the internet should be computer therapy.  I guess it is like calling something ‘medical’ grade, and you can bill more for it.

Some ‘therapies’ are a wee bit more odd.  Indonesians are using railroad therapy.  People lie down on electric railroad tracks because “the electricity current from the track could cure various diseases.”  To date no one has been either electrocuted or squashed, but I suppose it is only a matter of time.

Why train tracks?  Why not a tongue in a light socket or other source of electricity?  Evidently rumor has it that “an ethnic Chinese man who was partially paralyzed by a stroke went to the tracks to kill himself, but instead found himself cured.”  Sounds good to me.  It seems as likely as Palmer cracking a neck leading to a cure in deafness as the basis for a therapeutic intervention.

And so others are using train therapy for their hypertension, diabetes, strokes and other medical problems.  Train therapy is evidently a panacea for a variety of diseases and used by those with no other medical options.  Like all alternative therapies, it is effective against numerous diseases, regardless of the underlying pathophysiology. If only antibiotics could cure hypertension, diabetes and stroke in addition to bacteria.

Does train therapy work?  The patients say it does, despite those know it all skeptical MDs who point to a lack of evidence.  And who would gainsay a patient’s response to the therapy?  If a patient says they are better, are they not better?

Medical experts say there is no evidence lying on the rails does any good.
But Mulyati insists it provides more relief for her symptoms — high-blood pressure, sleeplessness and high cholesterol — than any doctor has since she was first diagnosed with diabetes 13 years ago.

I was worried they would forget to tell both sides of the story.  And just who is expert on the medical effects of lying on electric train lines?  They go on to note that

Pseudo-medical treatments are wildly popular in many parts of Asia — where rumors about those miraculously cured after touching a magic stone or eating dung from sacred cows can attract hundreds, sometimes thousands.

It would be easy to be snotty and superior about the Indonesians and their use of train therapy, but really, is it any different than the West?  They eat dung from sacred cows, we have the bullshit from the NCCAM.  We have reiki and homeopathy and Tong Ren healing, and all the other therapies that are subject of this blog,  all equally nonsensical.  I see little difference between the use of train healing and much of the published literature in the SCAM world.  A series of uncontrolled interventions with soft endpoints.

Indonesians have the same rationale for the use of train therapy: anecdotes. Every homeopathy apologist mentions  that the millions who have used homeopathy with good effect can’t be wrong, and neither can the hundreds who are using train therapy.  I suppose we could say the Indonesians are doing a pragmatic, real world trial.  Who needs the old randomized, placebo controlled nonsense?  Lie on an electric train track and you feel better. ’nuff said.

Are the patients who believe they are getting better experiencing a placebo effect?  Is this an example where patient centered outcomes are more important that doctor centered outcomes?  Maybe we should use train therapy for the treatment of asthma.  Conductors and engineers, like doctors, “often dress up in special uniforms that convey power and authority… (and) They have very expensive machines”  Probably less expensive than sham acupuncture and sham albuterol.

Train therapy fits the criteria noted in the recent NEJM editorial;  it should be sufficient to “simply to show that a treatment yields significant improvement for the patients, has reasonable cost, and has no negative effects over the short or long term. This is, after all, the first tenet of medicine: Do no harm.”  The train track users say they are improved, it is free, and as long as they get up in time, should have no negative effects.  I would avoid TGV tracks, just to be safe.  I expect train therapy to be come incorporated in Integrative Medicine programs everywhere, or at those near light rail.

There was a time when I was inclined to think that the people who participated in SCAMs were either stupid or ignorant.  I have long ago abandoned that idea.  Some people, as evidenced by occasional comments in this blog, are apparently deranged, but not most.  I have realized that while most SCAMs are stupid, the people who use them are not.  It seems to be a universal human characteristic to participate in nonsense of one kind or another, but the nonsense varies by culture and opportunity. ‘We’ detox our colons and avoid vaccines, ‘they’ eat dung and lie on train tracks.  All are human. Or are they?

Most biologic characteristics have variability. Height, strength, intelligence all vary about the infamous bell shaped curve.  I have also wondered about more intangible characteristics: the ability to think rationally or empathy or a sense of humor.  Like jumping or math, some people seem to be better at these tasks than others.  It does not, I hasten to add, make them better people, except for the task at hand.  I wonder if the uber-rational, the skeptics, are mutants, given what appears to be the relative rarity of rational/scientific thought.  And to judge from the vitriolic response towards the scientific/rationally inclined, the rational must be mutants as they are feared and hated by those they were sworn to protect.

I don’t know.  Idle speculation caused by vitamin D deficiency.  I am going to lie in the sun, not on the Max line. I know this will make me feel better, although I doubt it will cure any illness.

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The Scam Scam

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In 1994 Congress (pushed by Senators Harkin and Hatch) passed DSHEA (the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act). As regular readers of SBM know, we are not generally happy about this law, which essentially deregulated the supplement industry. Under DSHEA supplements, a category which specifically was defined to include herbals, are regulated more like food than like medicinals.

Since then the flood-gates opened, and there has been open competition in the marketplace for supplement products. This has not resulted, I would argue, in better products – only in slicker and more deceptive claims. What research we have into popular herbals and supplements shows that they are generally worthless (except for targeted vitamin supplementation, which was already part of science-based medicine, and remains so).

A company can essentially put a random combination of plants and vitamins into a pill or liquid and then make whatever health claims they wish for their product, as long as they stay within the “structure-function” guidelines. This means they cannot claim to cure or treat a specific disease, but this has proven to be an insignificant limitation on marketing supplements.

It has been fascinating to watch the evolution of supplement marketing claims and strategies. One new twist caught my eye – what I am calling the “scam scam.” Some companies realize that the internet is the primary battle ground for the marketing of their product. Many companies also probably know that their claims are largely scientifically baseless – if you’re in the meeting where the claims are crafted and the marketing strategy developed, it would be hard to be delusional about their scientific validity. I suspect most companies just don’t care about the science or understand it, and you can find some justification to cherry pick for most any supplement claim you wish with just a little Googleing.

It also appears that many companies are starting to realize that “those meddling skeptics” are starting to cramp their style, at least a little bit. If you search on the name of a supplement product, you are likely to get a link for a consumer protection or skeptical site revealing the claims to be a scam, or at least scientifically dubious. Invariably when I write about a specific product in a blog post a company marketing rep will show up in the comments to claim that I was unfair and that they do have evidence for their claims. Of course, when asked for the evidence it rapidly becomes clear that they don’t have any, outside a worthless in-house study or two.

Companies cannot silence the scientific analysis of their claims. Some have tried using the libel laws, but that has generally not worked out well for them. That approach instantly raises the visibility of the criticism by orders of magnitude, and the companies or individuals generally lose in the end.

So now some companies have hit upon a different strategy – if you cannot silence the skeptics, then bury them with fake skeptics of your own. That way at least their websites won’t appear on the first page of Google searches (at least that’s the hope). One product, Shakeology, seems to be marketed entirely as “Shakeology Scam” (trek2befit (dot) com/shakeology-scam). The website starts out saying – “Do Not buy Shakeology” with “Skakeology Scam” in big letters. Of course, when you read down even a little bit you find:

Ok, I couldn’t let this question linger any longer. I’ve got to tell you right now, that it’s not a scam. Why, and how do I know? Because I’ve had first hand experience with this product.

Then you get a standard sales pitch – but it’s more believable, because the person making the pitch started out as a skeptic – right? What do these magic shakes do? The claims are typical – lose weight without food cravings, have more energy, and they throw in that they will lower your cholesterol. What are in these shakes:

- Antioxidants: Will help to boost your immune system to prevent you from getting sick. Antioxidants will also help to lower free radical damage which can lead to stroke, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
- Prebiotics AND Probiotics: Will help to support your immune and digestive health.
- Phytonutrients: Will help to support healthy immune function. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, and antioxidant properties.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Will help you to maintain optimal health.
- Whey Protein: Will help you to lose weight, build muscle, supports brain functions, as well as keeps your bones and skin healthy.
- Digestive Enzymes, Fiber and More…

Antioxidants are of no proven benefit, and may actually be associated with a higher death rate. Prebiotics and probiotics are of no benefit when taken routinely, and of dubious benefit (and only if taken very early and in sufficient amounts) for antibiotic-associated GI syndromes. Phytonutrients and routine vitamin supplementation – again, no proven benefit. Whey protein is protein, and you can get this a lot cheaper by drinking Yoohoo. And again, digestive enzymes are of no proven benefit for routine use. Fiber is good, but you don’t need to buy expensive shakes to get it.

The claims are typical and you can find them on thousands of websites selling all sorts of supplements. But the “scam scam” marketing is a nice twist. I especially like the glowing comments at the bottom that read like ad copy.

I have encountered this strategy before also – with some of the “superfood” products. Specifically, there has been an acai scam marketing campaign going on. If you search on “acai scam” you will find sites with headlines like, “Acai Berry Scam – the Untold Truth about Acai Berry Scams.” Once again, when you read the copy you find that an “independent reporter” investigated the alleged scam and found that that a particular acai berry product was not a scam and really worked. Some are formatted as if they are news sites, complete with stock photos of fake reporters.

So don’t be scammed by the scam scam. It’s all just another marketing ploy in the wild west of the supplement marketplace.

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What to Expect When You’re Expecting

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A correspondent asked me to review the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel. She wrote “I’m very worried about this book.”

She had just seen an NPR article about the book and was alarmed because it provided an excerpt from the book recommending that patients with morning sickness “Try Sea-Bands” and “Go CAM Crazy.” She knew from reading SBM and other science blogs that “going CAM crazy” is not a good idea. She was savvy enough to search Google Books with the title and “CAM” and found more alarming advice. 

The book is billed as the #1 bestselling pregnancy book and is now in its 4th edition. It has been widely praised by the media and by doctors. In Amazon’s sales rankings it’s number 1 in its category and number 57 overall. It even has its own article on Wikipedia that tells us

Originally published in 1984, the book consistently tops the New York Times bestseller list in the paperback advice category, is one of USA Today’s “25 Most Influential Books” of the past 25 years and has been described as “the bible of American pregnancy.” As of 2008, over 14.5 million copies were in print. According to USA Today, 93 percent of all expectant mothers who read a pregnancy guide read What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

So it’s certainly worthwhile to look at this book to get an idea of what American women are learning about pregnancy.

It’s an impressive tome (616 pages) that does a good job of explaining everything an expectant mother might want to know as well as some things she mightn’t (critics have called it too alarmist because it covers scary complications).  It covers fetal development, diet and lifestyle recommendations for a healthy pregnancy, common symptoms, labor and delivery, the postpartum period, and much more. It is well-organized and easy to read. It has question and answer sections to cover pretty much every question a pregnant woman has ever asked, even rather silly ones (“All my pregnant friends seem to have problems with constipation. I don’t — in fact, I’ve remained very regular. Is my system working right?”) and it has separate chapters on every month of pregnancy.

Most of the book is so good I wish I could recommend it. But it has a disturbing flaw: misinformation about CAM. Here are some examples from its section on CAM:

The Place of CAM

CAM is more and more likely to find a place in your life…[Its practitioners examine and integrate] the nutritional, emotional, and spiritual influences, as well as the physical ones. CAM also emphasizes the body’s ability to heal itself, with a little help from some natural friends, including herbs, physical manipulation, the spirit, and the mind.

Acupuncture

The Chinese have known for thousands of years that acupuncture can be used to relieve a number of pregnancy symptoms… Scientific studies now back up the ancient wisdom. [No they don’t, and it’s not ancient wisdom.]

It recommends acupuncture for pain, nausea, speeding progress in labor, and treating infertility. It warns against stimulating certain acupressure points in the ankle before term because it can cause uterine contractions. If only! Wouldn’t overdue women and frustrated obstetricians love it if they could bring on labor that easily!

Chiropractic

This therapy uses physical manipulation of the spine and other joints to enable nerve impulses to move freely through an aligned body, encouraging the body’s natural ability to heal. Chiropractic medicine can help pregnant women battle nausea; back, neck, or joint pain; and sciatica (plus other types of pain), as well as help relieve postpartum pain.

Reflexology

Similar to acupressure, reflexology is a therapy in which pressure is applied to specific areas of the feet, hands, and ears to relieve a variety of aches and pains, as well as to stimulate labor and reduce the pain of contractions.

As with acupressure, the book warns against stimulating contractions before term.

Moxibustion

…combines acupuncture with heat (in the form of smoldering mugwort, an herb) to gradually help turn a breech baby.

Aromatherapy

Scented oils are used to heal body, mind, and spirit and are utilized by some practitioners during pregnancy; however, most experts advise caution, since certain aromas …may pose a risk to pregnant women.

Herbal Remedies

At last, a voice of reason: it points out that “natural” is not synonymous with “safe.”

Most experts do not recommend herbal remedies for pregnant women because adequate studies on safety have not yet been done.

But even here it quickly degenerates as it continues,

Even the most traditional ob-gyns are realizing that [CAM] is a force to be reckoned with, and one to begin incorporating into ob-business as usual.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is inappropriately included under herbal remedies and there is no explanation of what it is or whether it is effective. They only say the safety of the remedies has not been established by any regulatory system so they recommend that it be avoided unless it has been specifically prescribed by a traditional practitioner who is knowledgeable in CAM and who knows you’re pregnant.

The section concludes

CAM can still be strong medicine. Depending on how it’s used, this potency can be therapeutic or it can be hazardous.

Advice for Specific Problems

CAM misinformation pops up in several other sections of the book.

  • For labor pain: acupuncture, hypnosis, hydrotherapy, and reflexology.
  • For symphysis pubis pain: acupuncture or chiropractic.
  • For carpal tunnel syndrome: acupuncture.
  • For indigestion: meditation, visualization, biofeedback, or hypnosis.
  • And for morning sickness:
    • Try Sea-Bands to put pressure on acupressure points or use a battery-operated ReliefBand that uses electrical stimulation.
    • “Go CAM crazy. There are a wide variety of complementary medical approaches, such as acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, or hypnosis, that can help minimize the symptoms of morning sickness — and they’re all worth a try.”

Conclusion

There is no credible scientific evidence to support any of these recommendations. It could be argued that this is all feel-good, “keep-the-patient entertained” advice with little chance of direct harm. But it is deceptive and dishonest to represent these modalities as effective treatments based on science, especially in a book that is otherwise scientifically reliable. It would be interesting to find out whether the coverage of CAM has changed from earlier editions. It could be much worse: at least there is no hint of anti-vaccine propaganda.

It’s an “almost very good” book that I can’t recommend. There is no way for the average reader to separate the accurate science-based information from the misinformation about CAM.  It’s unfortunate that so many women are reading and presumably trusting everything it says.

 

 

 

 

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