Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

56-year-old Kritika Sharma was diagnosed with high blood sugar levels during a routine blood check up. On her familys insistence, she consulted a doctor who prescribed her medication. But she chose not to take the prescribed medication and opted for natural remedies to control her sugar. Subsequent tests showed that she was not able to control her blood sugar levels and after five years of resistance, she finally started her medication when diabetes started to affect her vital organs. Dr. Sunil Mishra, Director of Endocrinology and Diabetology at Medanta shares how this is a common occurrence. If there are no immediate complications to begin with despite the high readings, patients are not inclined to treat diabetes with medication. However, it needs to be noted that asymptomatic diabetes in the long run is good enough to create a complication. We know to a large extent type 2 diabetes is not curable. Also, scientific studies have shown that the golden time to treat diabetes is in the first 5-10 years. This is considered the golden period because if it's treated well from the beginning, long term diabetes complications are low. There are a few people who when they lose weight (30-50% with lifestyle modifications) may be able to reverse the diabetes.Dr. Shraddha Bhure, Medical Director, Boehringer Ingelheim, India adds, Heightened awareness and debunking of myths around diabetes can go a long way in convincing people to take appropriate measures. For instance, some people believe diabetes isnt a serious condition and hence avoid medication, as they are unaware of the complications which can occur if the disease isnt managed correctly. Additionally, some patients avoid diabetes medication due to a fear of side effects and switch to alternative therapies completely. Alternative therapy options like Ayurveda or Homeopathy can well complement in treating diabetes. Every alternate therapy has multiple approaches to offer, but eventually its the physicians call to decide whats best for the patient.Dr. Kushal Banerjee, a second-generation homeopath at Dr. Kalyan Banerjees Clinic recommends that all patients should consider homeopathy as an important option to manage their diabetes. In the early stages, along with strict lifestyle management, the majority of patients may be able to stop all medicines for life. He adds, No matter which system of medicine is taken, changes in lifestyle including diet, meal timings, exercise, sleep pattern and management of stress are key to improving your health.

The journey of diabetes is lifelong, and poses risk of multitude of complications, if uncared for. It is not about merely high blood-glucose level, but the associated risk of complications, adverse events, and even premature mortality, that poses priority for meticulous and sustained care. The commonly known type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an outcome of imbalance between the metabolic load, versus the body's physiological capacity. Unhealthy lifestyle practices with excess dietary calorie consumption and limited physical activity, poor stress management, as well as genetic and constitutional factors, predispose to the risk of T2DM and associated complications. The approach to good diabetes-care is based on some founding principles, which may be simple to understand but need a committed effort to sustain in the long run, adds Dr Bhure.

Below are the ABCDEF of diabetes care:

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Why do people resist blood sugar medication in favour of alternative therapies? Is it safe? - Times of India

Pregnant women are using marijuana more often and are turning to their dispensaries for medical advice instead of healthcare professionals, WSU Insider reported Nov. 15.

Daily or near-daily use of marijuana has increased among pregnant women to 3.4 percent in 2017, and past month usage has nearly doubled, to 7 percent, since 2002. Despite the increase, health guidance and education has remained much the same, making many healthcare professionals ill-prepared to advise patients.

Current national guidelines advise women who are pregnant not to use cannabis which has been linked to a variety of birth defects. Some pregnant women are turning to "budtenders," commercial marijuana sellers, for advice and guidance on taking the drug after reporting feeling stigmatized by health professionals.

A new study surveyed both 10 medical professionals and 10 commercial marijuana sellers to understand their perceptions and knowledge of perinatal cannabis use. It found that both groups understood that pregnant women were often seeking cannabis as an alternative medicine to relieve pain and nausea associated with childbearing.But the budtenders had a more positive view of cannabis use during pregnancy, with some saying it has positive effects or no effect at all.

Healthcare professionals were far more concerned. Cannabis use in pregnant women has been linked to a range of birth defects including lower birth weight, still birth and neurodevelopmental issues.

The authors of the study suggest that more training and education need to be given to healthcare workers on this topic, since pregnant women often reported their encounters with medical professionals as generally unhelpful. The healthcare workers in the study reported the need to change their clinical practices to address the reported increase in perinatal cannabis use.

"We need to use all approaches and all people in the patients life to help them," said Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, vice-chancellor for research at Washington State University Health Sciences and an author of the study. "There is such limited research with budtenders, but they need to be part of this conversation because they are seen as trusted sources by their customers and our patients."

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Healthcare professionals want more training to address increase in perinatal cannabis use, study finds - Becker's Hospital Review

This article was originally published here

J Community Health. 2021 Nov 12. doi: 10.1007/s10900-021-01046-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Black men have the highest rate of prostate cancer (PCa) morbidity and mortality in the US, and often receive delayed and/or poorer-quality treatment. This inequity has led many to turn to complementary and alternative medicine/therapies (CAM). However, little is known about the use of these therapies within the Black community. The purpose of this study was to describe types of CAM therapies used, and the reasons behind their use for overall health and PCa treatment and prevention among three groups of Black males, namely African Americans, Caribbean Immigrants and African Immigrants. This study used a mixed-methods design with a quantitative phase (n = 575) followed by a qualitative phase (n = 61) with participants recruited from various parts of the country. Results revealed differences among subgroups in CAM use for overall health and PCa, as well as differences in the types of CAM therapies used and differences in the reasons behind their use. The findings of this study reveal a prevalence of CAM use for overall health and PCa within three different groups of Black men and identifies the specific CAM used. There were significant differences in the types of CAM used by each subgroup for both overall health and PCa. This study also shows that there is value in looking at Black subgroups distinctively, for their rates of CAM use and reasons for use, are distinctly different.

PMID:34773196 | DOI:10.1007/s10900-021-01046-4

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Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Prostate Cancer among African Americans, African Immigrants and Caribbean Immigrants - DocWire News

A group health insurance plan offers unlimited customizations at significantly lower premiums compared to retail health insurance plans for individuals. Therefore, a group health insurance policy is highly recommended to cover standard groups of people like employers/employees, formal associations and financial institutions. Its important to keep track of new-age policies that can help your group select the right benefits and maximize the effect of the insurance for every individual in the group.

Here are some benefits that modern companies and associations set up with their insurance provider to safeguard their members health and financial well-being. Some insurance startups support most of these by default, and some may come at an additional cost.

Psychiatric treatments: For a long time, health insurance only covered physical health issues. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked health insurance companies to add mental illnesses to all regular health insurance policies. These policies usually cover in-patient hospitalization expenses for mental illness.

Chemotherapy for cancer patients: Cancer treatment can be long and financially destabilizing. A cancer-specific policy is a special case of critical illness policies. It can help cover costs associated with diagnosis, hospitalization, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

Ayurvedic treatment coverage: Modern insurance companies now embrace alternative perspectives without judgement. If you prefer to opt for alternative medicine, look out for provisions that cover Ayurveda and non-allopathic medicines. Thanks to IRDAI, many insurance providers are not restricted to allopathic medicine.

LGBTQ and live-in partner cover: Allowing all individuals in the group to include their partners in the health insurance plan, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status, is a good and inclusive practice. Many group health insurance platforms provide LGBTQ partner and live-in partner coverage at no additional cost.

Lasik cover for even +/- 5 correction: Lasik or laser eye surgery is a type of refractive surgery that offers a long-term alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses. Many insurers used to consider this a cosmetic surgery, but modern insurance companies can come to the rescue for surgery and treatment. It is important to note that a huge chunk of our population suffers from vision-related issues.

Stem cell, robotic surgery and cyberknife: Some insurance companies fail to keep up with new treatment procedures that are not based on common medical practice. Make sure to check your policy to see if these are excluded. With a view to increasing the scope of health insurance coverage, IRDAI is reducing the number of exclusions of technologically advanced procedures.

Air ambulance cover: Its always good to have health insurance that can cover emergencies even at inaccessible locations. Air ambulance is a service where an aeroplane or helicopter is used to transport patients to a hospital. New-age insurance policies offer help in arranging the air ambulance and reducing the costs involved in its operations.

Internal and external congenital diseases: People who suffered genetic disorderslike cleft lip and heart defectsfound it difficult to get coverage for their treatments. IRDAI recently issued guidelines that allow health insurance companies to cover both internal and external, or visible, genetic disorders.

IVF: In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a set of procedures that can help with fertility and help a couple having difficulties in conceiving a child. They are often not covered by insurance companies. However, many new-age policies include coverage with long waiting periods to prevent fraud.

Surrogacy: Subject to proper documentation of infertility and surrogacy, the same conditions as maternity coverage in a health insurance policy will apply. However, only the maternity expenses of the surrogate mother will be covered.

Dental treatments: Health insurance companies do not provide coverage for dental treatments as many treatments fall under the cosmetic category. However, dental procedures can be covered as out-patient procedures (OPD) with a few restrictions.

Organ donor expenses: Some critical cases and medical emergencies may require removal of damaged organs. A few health insurance companies help cover the expenses incurred by the organ donor with reasonable limits.

Every insurance provider offers a long list of exclusions of the policy. Make sure you check whether the costs of treatment are covered or not and obtain documentation of all the terms and conditions. Ensure that your group health insurance plan offers competent claims support and makes your documents accessible with a few clicks.

High-quality group health insurance also stretches into preventive care and maintenance of good health. It is not uncommon for a new-age policy to include doctor teleconsultations, dental checkups, mental wellness sessions, fitness memberships, and other health benefits that are adapted to match your groups needs.

The author is Co-founder, Plum.

DISCLAIMER: Views expressed are the author's own, and Outlook Money does not necessarily subscribe to them. Outlook Money shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.

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New-age Group Policies Offer Wider Health Cover - Outlook India

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Today OncoBeta GmbH, a medical device company specialising in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies for non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), has expanded its offering of non-invasive skin cancer therapy Rhenium-SCT (Skin Cancer Therapy) in South Africa, with treatments now taking place at the Busamed Modderfontein Private Hospital in Lethabong, Johannesburg.

The global incidence of NMSCs continues to rise, with more than 7 million NMSC cases reported each year.1 Incidence rates for NMSC remain high in South Africa over indexing the rest of the world, showing 16.3 people per 100,000 develop NMSCs, as compared to 11 per 100,000 globally.2 Worryingly, this is considered a conservative estimate of NMSC in South Africa, as incomplete case reporting to the National Cancer Registry means the country's NMSC rates are often grossly underreported.3

Rhenium-SCT is an innovative, non-invasive procedure, providing unparalleled aesthetic results, even in cases otherwise considered difficult to treat.4-6 It is an epidermal radioisotope therapy that is ideal for the targeted treatment of superficial skin cancers. Rhenium-SCT has been available for NMSC patients in South Africa since 2018 by OncoBeta's distribution partner, Tautomer (PTY) LTD, along with the lower-dose Rhenium-188, which is currently available for the treatment of keloids.

On 12 November, Dr. Zuma from Busamed Modderfontein Private Hospital in Johannesburg and her team who have been trained and certified for the Rhenium-SCT Therapy, have successfully performed their initial Rhenium-SCT treatment.

Dr. Zuma says, "This non-invasive local treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer with Rhenium-SCT is a great alternative treatment to surgery and can be undertaken in a single session with excellent aesthetic outcomes, improving results and quality of life for the patients."

Rhenium-SCT will be provided to patients in South Africa by OncoBeta's distribution partner Tautomer (PTY) LTD, along with the lower-dose Rhenium-188, which is currently available for the treatment of keloids.

Martin Magwaza, CEO of Tautomer (PTY) LTD, says the increasing incidence of skin cancers places major financial strain on South Africa's already overburdened public healthcare system, costing the country an estimated ZAR 92.4 million (US$15.7 million) in treatments annually.7 "Tautomer is committed to providing South Africans with innovative and effective therapies in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers."

OncoBeta CEO Shannon D. Brown III says, "We are excited to see that the access for patients to the Rhenium-SCT is expanding within South Africa. It is truly inspiring that more and more patients and physicians around the globe are recognizing and experiencing the benefits of this ground-breaking technology."

OncoBeta's Rhenium-SCT is currently available in Australia, South Africa, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and more recently Austria as part of its global roll-out.

About the Rhenium-SCT (Skin Cancer Therapy)Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common form of cancer in humans. The most common cause of NMSC is sun exposure, while other predisposing factors include genetic skin conditions and immunosuppressive diseases or treatments.8

The Rhenium-SCT is a painless*, single session, non-invasive therapy providing for unparalleled aesthetic results, even in cases otherwise considered difficult to treat.4-6 The Rhenium-SCT utilizes the radioisotope Rhenium-188 in an epidermal application with optimal properties for the treatment of NMSCs (non-melanoma skin cancers). The Rhenium-SCT is a precise, personalised therapy that is only applied to the area needed to treat without affecting the healthy tissue. The specially designed device ensures the Rhenium-SCT compound never comes in direct contact with the patient's skin and the application is safe and simple for the applying physician. Most cases of NMSCs (Basal Cell Carcinomas and Squamous Cell Carcinomas) can be treated using the Rhenium-SCT in one single session6. Scar-free healing6 of the treated lesion area and the regeneration of healthy tissue occurs usually within a few weeks after treatment6.

About OncoBetaOncoBeta, with its headquarters located in Garching near Munich, Germany, is a privately held medical device company, specializing in the development and commercialization of state-of-the-art, innovative therapies. Since its foundation, OncoBeta has concentrated its efforts on the development, regulatory approval(s) and commercialization of the epidermal radioisotope therapy Rhenium-SCT (Skin Cancer Therapy), targeting NMSCs. OncoBeta has perfected the customized application and device management system in conformity with all health, safety and environmental protection regulatory standards.

Find out more about Rhenium-SCT: http://www.oncobeta.com

Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/oncobeta-gmbh/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oncobeta/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/oncobeta_gmbh/

About Tautomer (PTY) LtdTautomer is a privately owned, fully integrated Health Technology company based in Centurion, South Africa. Through our network of strategic partners, we engage in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of high-quality Nuclear Medicine based therapies and diagnostics. The primary focus in healthcare is to address the unmet medical needs in Oncology, Pain Management and Infectious diseases.

Find out more about Tautomer: http://www.tautomer.co.za

Forward-looking statementsThis announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of OncoBeta's control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning OncoBeta's plans, objectives, goals, future events, performance and/or other information that is not historical information. All such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. OncoBeta undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances after the date made, except as required by law.

*No reported pain4,5Complete tumour regression in 98.5% of lesions treated, with 89% after a single application6

References

Photos:https://www.prlog.org/12893836

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE OncoBeta GmbH

http://www.oncobeta.com

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South African non-melanoma skin cancer patients now have greater access in the area of Johannesburg to innovative non-invasive treatment Rhenium-SCT -...

Innovations occur in medicine all the time. Some happen quickly, like the unprecedented speed with which the COVID-19 vaccines were developed. Others take more time to develop, as researchers leverage current knowledge and new ideas to develop novel pathways toward diagnosis, treatment, and survival for people with a wide variety of diseases.

Each column, we dive deeply into lab reports, journals, and conferences to bring you the most anticipated innovations coming down the pike for one of the most dreaded diseases: cancer. This round, our focus is on breast cancer. Among new developments to keep an eye on include:

A new AI tool may take breast cancer screenings to the next level by increasing radiologists accuracy when interpreting ultrasound images. Using a data set of more than five million images collected from 288,000 exams of roughly 143,000 patients, researchers have trained and validated an AI system to automatically identify malignant lesions in breast ultrasound images.

Findings from the study, which were published online in September 2021 in Nature Communications, show that the AI tool decreased the rate of false positives (samples erroneously categorized as positive) by 37.3 percent, significantly reducing the number of women referred for unnecessary biopsies.

Next StepsThe tool isnt quite ready for prime time, according to the researchers. More work is needed to further test its accuracy. They also plan to refine and personalize the tool to use patient-specific information (e.g., genetic history, family risk) to better inform evaluations and follow-ups.

RELATED: 6 Stretches to Help With Recovery After Breast Cancer Surgery

Researchers have discovered a way to activate cancer therapies, such as the drug Adriamycin (doxorubicin), directly in tumors, thereby reducing side effects felt throughout the rest of the body. (Adriamycin has been notoriously nicknamed the red devil for its color and difficult side effects.) The technology involves giving an inactivated form of chemotherapy intravenously and injecting an activating agent directly into the tumor. This approach to therapy, known as CAPAC (Click Activated Protodrugs Against Cancer), keeps the toxic effects of the chemotherapy mostly contained inside the tumor, while sparing the rest of the body the worst of the side effects. CAPAC can also be used for other tumor types that are amenable to direct injection.

In the first study in which the technology was used in humans, the results, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in mid-September, showed that levels of SQ3370 (equivalent to conventional doxorubicin) were 50 times higher in the tumor than in the bloodstream, with no serious adverse events that would require dosage adjustments. The small experimental trial included nine patients, eight of whom had metastatic cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer progression stabilized in more than half of the patients treated with CAPAC, including those in whom the disease had progressed when treated with prior Adriamycin or other chemotherapy agents.

Next StepsThe CAPAC platform is compatible with a variety of drugs, including some often limited in use because of their toxicity. The trial is ongoing, and researchers will continue to increase doses using the system. If CAPAC is successful, researchers may someday be able to leverage drug effectiveness while limiting or even eliminating some of the most toxic side effects.

RELATED: Breast Cancer Survivorship and the Impact on Mental Health

Liquid biopsies, which rely on identifying circulating DNA fragments from tumor tissue in the blood (also called circulating cell-free DNA, or cfDNA), might provide an alternative to traditional biopsies for certain patients.

Prior studies established that patients with advanced breast cancer have higher concentrations of cfDNA than those with benign tumors (or healthy persons). Researchers looked at data from a Finnish cancer project launched during the 1990s, a data set that included 204 breast cancer patients with nonmetastatic disease before treatment was started. Research findings, which were published in September 2021 in the journalCancers, showed that when the ratio of larger circulating DNA fragments versus smaller fragments was higher, the patient was likely to have a poorer prognosis.

Next StepsFuture studies will also focus on how liquid biopsies can be used to delineate breast cancer patients with a poor prognosis at the time of diagnosis, in order to improve treatment and outcomes.

RELATED: What Is a Liquid Biopsy for Lung Cancer and Do You Need One?

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New Directions: What Innovations Are Coming Down the Pike for Breast Cancer? - Everyday Health

The mystique surrounding traditional Chinese medicine both attracts and repels people, with some being seduced by the esoteric charisma of these alternative practices while others dismiss them as pseudoscience. Acupuncture and cupping are perhaps the most popular techniques associated with this tradition, with the latter being a famous yet controversial favorite of Olympic athletes.

There isno scientific consensus on the validity of either among doctors and researchers, but theres no question that acupuncture is held in higher regard than cupping, despite the fact that much of the science behind this prickly practice remains poorly understood. New research has begun to shed light on this enigmatic method, providing new insights into its potential plausibility as a treatment for a range of conditions.

While acupuncture is now employed fairly commonly by physiotherapists and other medical professionals, it is considered to be an alternative or complementary medicine, which means its efficacy remainsunproven and hotly debated.In the UK, for instance, acupuncture was recommended by the National Health Service (NHS) as a treatment for back pain until 2016, when new research emerged indicating that the practice is in fact no more beneficial than a placebo for this particular condition. Despite this, the NHS does still cover the cost of acupuncture inrare cases, and many patients continue to pay for the treatment privately.

Its worth pointing out, though, that the techniques used by healthcare experts arent necessarily the same as those favored by more traditional Chinese acupuncturists. This is because Western approaches to the technique are rooted in a scientific understanding of the physical anatomy, while older versions of acupuncture tend to be based around mystical concepts such as qi (pronounced chi), which refers to an unseen energy force.

In both cases, however, the basic principle centers around the activation of specific acupoints on the body, which supposedly have the ability to affect the physiology of distant body parts. For example, the insertion of needles into certain acupoints is said to be able to reduce bodily inflammation, and while the science behind this claim is not understood, a new study in the journal Naturemay have pinpointed one of the underlying mechanisms.

The new research builds on a previous study that revealed that electrically stimulating the sciatic nerve in mice triggers communication along the vagus nerve, resulting in an increase in dopamine secretion by the adrenal gland. This extra dopamine causes a reduction in the concentration of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines, thereby decreasing the chance of a so-called cytokine storm, which often drives severe, systemic inflammation and can be fatal.

In the new study, the researchers show that certain acupoints are innervated by neurons that have the capacity to activate this vagal-adrenal axis in mice, and that stimulating these points can extinguish a cytokine storm and reduce inflammation throughout the body. In order to produce this effect, however, neurons must express high levels of a certain receptor called the prokineticin receptor 213.

Based on their mice experiments, the study authors conclude that these neurons are highly abundant around a particular acupoint known as Zusanli, which is located in the hind leg. By activating this point, the researchers were able to suppress systemic inflammation after the rodents were exposed to a bacterial endotoxin. When the mice were genetically engineered to lack these receptors, however, acupuncture at the Zusanli point had no such effect.

Acupoints that are not innervated by these neurons, meanwhile, are incapable of activating the vagal-adrenal axis and preventing cytokine storms from erupting. For example, the Tianshi point, found in the abdomen, was found to lack this function.

This work provides the first neuroanatomic explanation for the function of different acupoints. However, it was carried out in mice, and larger-scale human studies are needed in order to investigate the role of each of these points and confirm the validity of the approach as a whole.

Cupping became a huge point of contention during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, as athletes from multiple nations took to the track, field, and pool riddled with gnarly round bruises. These blemishes are the unmistakable hallmarks of this alternative therapy that originated in China and involves placing heated cups on various body parts, creating a vacuum that sucks the skin upwards.In "wet cupping", this approach is combined with blood-letting.

Like a newly cupped athlete, however, the scientific basis for this approach is rather patchy. According to ancient traditional practice, the method improves blood flow, alleviates pain, and activates the immune system, although these claims are scientifically unproven and not supported by biology. The suction of the cups breaks small blood vessels in the skin, resulting in the characteristic red blobs users are left with. However, there is no scientific explanation or evidence for how this brings about any of the health benefits that have been claimed.

A number of studies have been carried out on the validity of the alternative therapy, often alongside acupuncture, though none have found concrete evidence yet. A large review of 135 randomized clinical trials found no reliable evidence that the method brings any advantages. Intriguingly, though, some of the data analyzed in this study hint towards a possible application for cupping in the treatment of herpes zoster, facial paralysis, acne, and cervical spondylosis, although the authors point out that the trialssupporting this evidence were of low methodological quality.

Given the lack of evidence and that the logic behind the technique is scientifically flawed, it's hard to defend the virtues of this technique, although athletes who won gold after getting cupped may beg to differ.

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Fact Check: What's The Science Behind Acupuncture And Cupping? - IFLScience

Blessing Ibunge

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the federal government to officially recognise traditional medicine practice as alternative healthcare delivery services in the country.

This is contained in the communique presented by PSN at the end of its 94th Annual National Conference, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The immediate past president of PSN, Sam Ohuabunwa, who read the communique at the weekend before the newsmen, noted that traditional medicines provides opportunity for patients to access alternative healthcare services.

He stressed that government should regulate and standardise the traditional medicines so that Nigerians who could not access the orthodox services can still afford a good healthcare services.

Ohuabunwa said: Conference advised that the integration of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines into the health care delivery system provides opportunity for patients/ individuals to access alternative healthcare services and facilitate the attainment of universal health coverage.

Government ought to recognise traditional or alternative medicine officially, that we can have both systems working in this country. So if you come to the hospital and you want to follow the orthodox one, you have doctors who will attend to you and if you choose the alternative, you will also be attended to.

But then it can be regulated but right now is not regulated and anybody can put anything inside the bottle and call it a name and begin to use it to cure different diseases. So, what we are saying, regulate the traditional medicine, standardise the branding so that Nigerians can follow their choice according to your ability to pay.

Infact in Ghana they have started awarding degrees to traditional or alternative medicine practitioners, in that way you will improve cost, access, or other health challenge that orthodox medicine cannot handle. Conference agreed traditional medicines must be leveraged upon to facilitate medicines security, supply chain production, increase revenue generation through research aimed at product development.

Also, the conference further noted that the modern pharmacist as an apothecary should have knowledge of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines in other to diversify their services.

The conference agreed that it was necessary to establish, encourage and strengthen the relationship between pharmacists and other healthcare providers.

Pharmacists must work to enhance the procurement policy to improve availability of rare drugs such as anticancer drugs etc.

Earlier in his speech, chairman of the conference, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) highlighted the need for a more effective structure of drug manufacturing, importation, distribution, administration and control, especially in view of the current reliance on foreign sources for not only finished drug products but pharmaceutical raw materials, reagents and manufacturing equipment to provide safe, efficacious and good quality drugs to meet the health needs of Nigerians.

He mentioned that formulation of new strategies, strengthening achievements in areas where progress has been recorded, and addressing those areas that call for more effective action, must be prioritized.

Prof. Moji Adeyeye in her keynote address discussed the disruptions of socioeconomic well-being of the public, unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems and the inability of the existing capacities to provide full and affordable access to quality health care, which has affected even the most resourceful and advanced healthcare systems.

She mentioned that uncertainties over how the Covid-19 pandemic will progress added further complexities to the uncertain healthcare environment.

The theme of conference was COVID-19 Lessons: Broadening and Strengthening the Nigerian Pharmaceutical and Health Sector.

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Regulate Traditional Medicines as Alternative Healthcare Delivery Services, PSN tells FG - THISDAY Newspapers

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, November 13th, Haven partnered with Disabled American Veterans Ch. 12, Veterans Cannabis Coalition, and LA NORML to kick off a Veterans Compassion Network at their San Bernardino location.

They will be hosting their first-ever "Veteran Hour" from 8 am-10 am, allowing for participating members to come in during a dedicated time where they can provide them the attention and cannabis education the veteran community deserve. The members will also be awarded free doctors' recommendations in conjunction with Haze.

This compassion program utilizes California SB-34 cannabis donations to provide medical cannabis to veterans needing treatment. The compassion program will help address the growing crisis of suicide and overdose death amongst veterans while also delivering the necessary alternative medicine needed to tackle the issue of PTSD and chronic pain management.

Additionally, this Veteran Compassion Network is designed to provide cannabis education to its members and allow them access to the vast assortment of cannabis products that they may not have been able to use for treatment otherwise. Haven has always emphasized cannabis education and takes great pride in teaching all of its members and customers about the many benefits of cannabis.

"It was important for Haven to do something impactful for those who have served our great country on Veterans Day weekend," says Mike Cuccia. "The General Manager of our San Bernardino store, Nick, is a veteran himself and is a great representation of how cannabis and our veteran community are such a valuable partnership. We are ecstatic to be able to support our vets on a monthly basis moving forward and make sure that they have continued access to the cannabis education and products that they need."

While this is the first Veteran Hour and is being held in honor of Veteran's Day, Haven believes that our veterans deserve access to this type of program year-round and is committed to running this Compassion Program monthly to continue supporting our veterans and also increase its member count to allow for as many veterans to gain access to cannabis as possible.

The compassion program has turned cannabis donations into an art form.If you're looking for more education information or what strains best suit your needs, visit myhavenstores.com.

About HavenThe Haven dispensaries throughout Southern California are designed to provide a community that connects cannabis customers, patients, retailers, doctors, and brands. The company was established in 2008 and has continually updated to ensure that its partners and customers continuously get exclusive and competitive deals. Additionally, haven provides online orders for pickups and deliveries from all locations, allowing customers to enjoy hundreds of California's leading brands. To learn more about the company, please visit theHaven Cannabis Dispensary.

Mike Cuccia - Community Development [emailprotected]949-791-9055

SOURCE Myhavenstores.com

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Veterans Cannabis Coalition and DAV Ch.12 Partner with Haven to Provide Cannabis to Vets - PRNewswire

It is well known that a problem cannot be conceived as such until the concepts to define and limit it have been created. That is why, among other things, our current conception of what well-being should be has been broadening to encompass aspects of human life that decades ago would have been unimportant or even neglected.

Today, however, we speak not only of the importance of meeting the basic needs of each one of us, but of a much broader realm of potential than the possibility of feeling good physically. This concept has been called wellness.

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Wellness is an idea that more and more therapists and psychologists are working with, but also organizations of hotels with spas and agencies that offer weekend experiences. What is wellness and why is it popular?

What we understand by wellness today is derived from the ideas of Halbert L. Dunn, an American statistician who is considered the father of the Wellness Movement. In the 1950s, Dunn developed the idea of wellness understanding that human well-being had to go beyond what until then was included in the field of health. Thus, this concept had to include, in addition to the proper functioning of the body, the ability to opt for various ways of self-realization.

In this way, the wellness that Halbert L. Dunn spoke of can be understood as the dynamics and lifestyle through which human potential is maximized in the physical, mental and spiritual spheres. As wellness theorizing includes the acceptance of the existence of a mental and spiritual world in addition to the physical, this concept is used especially in the circles of influence of alternative medicine and non-experimental psychology.

Since the 50s, and especially with the momentum that New Age culture took in the 70s, this idea of health has spread to spa centers, spas and wellness hotels, but also to travel programs and experiences that offer wellness weekends and long stays dedicated to improving the standard of living.

This new way of understanding well-being was not born in the middle of the 20th century by chance. There are reasons why today there are many wellness centers and a century ago this idea was not even raised. This is so because changes in social conditions have made it possible for the philosophy of wellness and integral health to spread.

It is curious that, although Western human societies have assumed for many centuries the existence of a separation between the body and the soul, all their efforts in the sense of improving the quality of life of people (that of the wealthy classes, in concrete) have focused only on the realm of the physical. The spiritual realm, which is understood as linked to the divine and therefore seems much more important than the simple carcass of flesh and bones, takes center stage in the practice of creating ideal living conditions.

Feeding the soul was something that was reserved for very small elites and their environment, even if there was always some philosopher who, even having problems to survive, would insist on answering these types of questions.

Of course, until not so long ago, it was difficult to try to respond to a repertoire of needs as difficult to define as those that correspond to the spiritual realm, and even less with the scarce resources and limited technologies that were available. How could the ancient Romans, for example, have been able to speak of wellness, who depended on the denial of the human character of their slaves to maintain themselves an acceptable standard of living and to use their services with total freedom?

Today, however, talking about wellness is already possible. And it is, among other things, because we already have the resources and the technology not to continue indefinitely postponing the fundamental question: what happens to the well-being of our mind?

It is not surprising, therefore, that this notion of what wellness is practically coincides with the appearance of the welfare state, shortly after the Second World War. Like the

The basic needs of more and more social strata were being met thanks to the redistribution of wealth, it was easier to extend the scope of all positive human values.

It is at this moment when freedom begins to be spoken more, the autonomy to be able to choose a lifestyle adapted to ones own way of being and doing things. It is also at this time that the idea begins to spread that well-being must address issues not addressed so far.

Many psychology professionals are beginning to focus their interventions on the need not only to treat mental problems, but also to help lead patients towards happiness and self-realization. The needs of the spirit, reformulated as needs of the mind, become some of the main objectives.

In this way all the ideas related to health and fitness have been imbued with the notion of wellness: from plans to lose fat, lose weight and maintain a flat stomach, to treatment plans for sick patients or to help carry out plans. healthy diet.

As always happens with the concepts that appeal to a spiritual world that works by different logics than the physical realm, wellness in its original definition is not something that is taken too much into account in scientific psychology or conventional medicine.

Research and intervention plans from these instances usually focus on the study of subjective experience and the placebo effect, but not on the consideration of areas of well-being detached from normal biological and physiological processes.

It is clear that weight loss plans could work better if the idea of wellness is internalized and accepted by patients, and that hotels can improve their economic results if they include a wellness center in their services, but that does not tell us much about an area of human needs separated from the rest of the areas of physical health.So while many spas, hotels, travel agencies, and alternative medicine organizations may find the idea of wellness helpful, it is not a universal truth.

Believing in wellness can open the doors to a new way of developing happiness and enjoying life, but not doing so does not turn us into people who are far from authentic well-being.

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The New Concept of Mental and Physical Wellness - The Costa Rica News