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Online Delivery of Emotional Freedom Techniques for Food Cravings and Weight Management: 2-Year Follow-Up.
Stapleton, P, Lilley-Hale, E, Mackintosh, G, Sparenburg, E
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 2020;(2):98-106
Abstract
Background: Growing obesity rates are a problem worldwide. Several studies of emotional freedom techniques (EFT), a brief psychophysiologic technique, have indicated that it may be a promising addition to traditional weight loss interventions. Objective: The current study evaluated food cravings, dietary restraint, subjective power of food, weight changes, and self-reported symptoms (e.g., somatic, anxious, and depressive) 2 years after an 8-week online self-directed EFT intervention with additional online support. Design: Participants were initially randomly allocated to a treatment or waitlist group. The treatment group was instructed to self-pace through an online EFT treatment program made up of seven modules throughout the 8-week intervention period, and the waitlist was also completed at the end of this period. Results: Analyses of the online EFT intervention program indicated significantly reduced scores for food cravings (-28.2%), power of food (-26.7%), depression (-12.3%), anxiety (-23.3%), and somatic symptoms (-10.6%) from pre to postintervention and from pre (baseline) until the 2-year follow-up and significantly improved scores for restraint (+13.4%). Further improvements were experienced for carbohydrates and fast food cravings between 6 months and 2 years. Body Mass Index and weight significantly decreased from pre- to 12 months follow-up although there were no differences at the 2-year point. Conclusions: As an online intervention program, EFT was very effective in reducing food cravings, perceived power of food, psychologic symptomatology, and improving dietary restraint and maintaining those improvements over a 2-year period. The addition of EFT to traditional weight loss interventions is timely and supported by this research.
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The Effect of a Chickpea-Based Persian Diet on Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients: A Semi-Experimental Study.
Heydarirad, G, Choopani, R, Pasalar, M, Parvizi, MM, Hajian, P, Mirzaei, HR
Complementary medicine research. 2019;(6):390-397
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common symptoms associated with cancer or its treatment. OBJECTIVES The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of chickpea-based diet (Nokhodāb) on CRF in female breast cancer patients undertaking routine treatment. METHOD Forty female patients with diagnosis of breast cancer were enrolled. The patients were asked to use a chickpea-based Persian diet daily for the period of 3 weeks. Symptom assessment was made for all women by the Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) questionnaires and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS CRF decreased significantly at the end of the study, compared to the beginning (p < 0.05). Mean of CFS was 40.72 before the intervention, while showing a significant decrease to 33.38 at the end of our study (p = 0.001). A comparison of FSS and VAS before and after intervention shows that FSS and fatigue VAS mean scores have a significant decline at the end (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Nokhodāb, as an available diet, could be a good choice for relieving CRF in breast cancer women. Traditional/complementary medicine may present some effective therapeutic suggestions for cancer complications.
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Improvement in Vision Parameters for Participants Treated With Alternative Therapies in a 3-day Program.
Kondrot, EC
Alternative therapies in health and medicine. 2015;(6):22-35
Abstract
CONTEXT Eye conditions that are considered progressive and degenerative and for which the causation is generally poorly understood or not understood within conventional medicine can respond to natural therapeutic interventions that result in arrest and/or improvement of morbidity, with enhanced functional results. Because many of the treated conditions are age related, a delay of disease progression for 5 or even 10 y can mean an additional decade of independence for seniors. The 11 included ocular conditions are ordinarily considered incurable by any method except surgery and, even with surgery, the outcomes can be variable and/or transient. OBJECTIVE The research intended to demonstrate the effectiveness of alternative modalities-intravenous (IV) nutrition, oxidative therapy, microcurrent stimulation, and syntonic light therapy-in improving vision in chronic eye conditions, even when administered for a short period. DESIGN The study was a retrospective, open-label, single-group design. All participants in the 3-d conference during the period covered were selected. SETTING The setting was ophthalmologist Edward Kondrot's Healing the Eye and Wellness Center near Tampa, FL, USA. PARTICIPANTS The participants in this study were all patients attending 1 of 11 CAM treatment events at the author's center within 2 y. Each session lasted 3 d and the number of participants in each session ranged from 5-15 (mean = 13). The cohort numbered 152 patients who were diagnosed with ≥1 of 11 types of eye disease. Seventy-eight percent of the patients had either age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) or glaucoma, which, taken together, are the leading cause of blindness in persons >65 y. INTERVENTION Each of 4 alternative modalities was provided at least once to each participant: (1) IV nutrition, (2) oxidative therapy, (3) microcurrent stimulation, and (4) syntonic light therapy. On the first day, a detailed treatment plan for each participant was developed. Each day consisted of 2 therapeutic eye programs, a stress reduction program, and a detoxification program. Also included were daily lectures and instructions on the methods and use of the equipment. OUTCOME MEASURES To measure outcomes, changes from baseline were documented through comparison with postprogram results. Pre- and postprogram testing included the following measures: (1) Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) eye chart; (2) Lighthouse Letter Contrast Sensitivity test; (3) campimetry; (4) pursuits, saccade, and fixation tests; (5) pupillary examination; (6) external examination; (7) examination of the anterior segment; (8) intraocular-pressure test; and (9) dilated examination. Additional tests, if necessary, included (1) ocular coherence tomography, (2) infrared thermography, (3) 6-hour urine collection for heavy-metal toxicity, and (4) nocturnal oximetry. RESULTS All participants remained in the study for the duration of the program. Following the administration of the protocol, significant improvement in acuity, contrast, and visual field resulted in the majority of participants. None of the interventions was toxic or painful, and all likely contributed to an improved, overall health status for participants. CONCLUSIONS These treatment protocols should be considered part of a treatment program for all ocular disease processes. Eye health needs to be repositioned within an assessment of general health with the understanding that, with the exception of congenital disorders or accidents, vision decline represents a general diminishment in overall health and results directly from toxicity from both external sources such as air and water, and the internal accumulation of toxic metals; poor nutrition; and other life exposures and habits. Long-term follow-up studies are now in process.
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Dextrose and morrhuate sodium injections (prolotherapy) for knee osteoarthritis: a prospective open-label trial.
Rabago, D, Patterson, JJ, Mundt, M, Zgierska, A, Fortney, L, Grettie, J, Kijowski, R
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 2014;(5):383-91
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study determined whether injection with hypertonic dextrose and morrhuate sodium (prolotherapy) using a pragmatic, clinically determined injection schedule for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) results in improved knee pain, function, and stiffness compared to baseline status. DESIGN This was a prospective three-arm uncontrolled study with 1-year follow-up. SETTING The setting was outpatient. PARTICIPANTS The participants were 38 adults who had at least 3 months of symptomatic KOA and who were in the control groups of a prior prolotherapy randomized controlled trial (RCT) (Prior-Control), were ineligible for the RCT (Prior-Ineligible), or were eligible but declined the RCT (Prior-Declined). INTERVENTION The injection sessions at occurred at 1, 5, and 9 weeks with as-needed treatment at weeks 13 and 17. Extra-articular injections of 15% dextrose and 5% morrhuate sodium were done at peri-articular tendon and ligament insertions. A single intra-articular injection of 6 mL 25% dextrose was performed through an inferomedial approach. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the validated Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). The secondary outcome measure was the Knee Pain Scale and postprocedure opioid medication use and participant satisfaction. RESULTS The Prior-Declined group reported the most severe baseline WOMAC score (p=0.02). Compared to baseline status, participants in the Prior-Control group reported a score change of 12.4±3.5 points (19.5%, p=0.002). Prior-Decline and Prior-Ineligible groups improved by 19.4±7.0 (42.9%, p=0.05) and 17.8±3.9 (28.4%, p=0.008) points, respectively; 55.6% of Prior-Control, 75% of Prior-Decline, and 50% of Prior-Ineligible participants reported score improvement in excess of the 12-point minimal clinical important difference on the WOMAC measure. Postprocedure opioid medication resulted in rapid diminution of prolotherapy injection pain. Satisfaction was high and there were no adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Prolotherapy using dextrose and morrhuate sodium injections for participants with mild-to-severe KOA resulted in safe, significant, sustained improvement of WOMAC-based knee pain, function, and stiffness scores compared to baseline status.
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Perception of patients with cancer towards support management services and use of complementary alternative medicine--a single institution hospital-based study in Saudi Arabia.
Sait, KH, Anfinan, NM, Eldeek, B, Al-Ahmadi, J, Al-Attas, M, Sait, HK, Basalamah, HA, Al-Ama, N, El-Sayed, ME
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. 2014;(6):2547-54
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the perception of cancer patients toward treatment services and influencing factors and to inquire about the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM). MATERIALS AND METHODS Information was obtained through pre-tested structured questionnaires completed by cancer patients during treatment at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS Of 242 patients, 137 (64.6%) accepted to enter this study. Most were Saudi (n=93, 68%), female (n= 80, 58%), educated at university (n=71, 52%), married (n=97, 72%) and with breast cancer (n=36, 26%). One-hundred (73%) patients were satisfied with the services provided; 61% were Saudi. Ninety-four (68%) respondents were satisfied with the explanation of their cancer. Twenty-eight (21.6%) patients received CAM, of them 54.0% received herbal followed by rakia (21.0%), nutritional supplements/vitamins (7.0%) and Zamam water (18.0%), with significant differences among them (p =0.004). Seven (5%) patients believed this therapy could be used alone; 34 (25%) patients believed it could be used with other treatments, regardless of whether they themselves used this therapy. Fifty-three (53%) satisfied patients felt they received enough support; 31 (58%) patients received support from family and friends; 22 (41.6%) patients received support from the health-care team. Patients who received information about their disease from their physicians and those who felt they had enough support were more satisfied. The patients who took alternative treatment were older age, mostly female and highly educated but values did not reach significance. CONCLUSIONS We stress enhancing the educational and supportive aspects of cancer-patient services to improve their treatment satisfaction and emphasize the need for increasing the educational and awareness programs offered to these patients.
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Treating generalized anxiety disorder using complementary and alternative medicine.
McPherson, F, McGraw, L
Alternative therapies in health and medicine. 2013;(5):45-50
Abstract
CONTEXT The high comorbidity rate of generalized anxiety disorders (GADs) with other diagnoses-such as panic disorder, depression, alcohol abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, insomnia, and obsessive compulsive disorder- make it one of the most common diagnoses found in primary care, with women predominantly affected. It is estimated that 5.4%-7.6% of primary care visits are associated with GAD and in addition to impairments in mental health there is additional impairment in pain, function, and activities of daily life, accelerating the need to reconsider the medical management of this disorder and move from the traditional medical model to a more holistic approach, focusing on self-care. OBJECTIVE The study intended to investigate the effectiveness of a pilot program that used multiple complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, focusing on self-care behaviors for treatment of GAD. DESIGN The study used a quasi-experimental, pretestposttest design to evaluate the benefits of the multitherapy program for one group of individuals with GAD. SETTING The study occurred at a military treatment facility in the Pacific Northwest. PARTICIPANTS Participants were a convenience sample of volunteers seeking treatment at the military treatment facility. The study enrolled participants (N = 37) if they had a documented history of GAD or met screening criteria for GAD using the GAD-7. INTERVENTIONS Participants received acupuncture treatments once/wk for 6 wks and engaged in yogic breathing exercises, self- and/or partner-assisted massage therapy using scented oils, episodic journaling, nutrition counseling, and exercise. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome of interest was the reduction in anxiety as measured by the anxiety subscale on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), which assesses three negative affective states: (1) depression (DASS-D), (2) anxiety (DASS-A), and (3) stress (DASS-S). The research team also measured preand post-GAD-7 scores since it used them as a screening criterion for enrollment. In addition, the team assessed participants' levels of pain on a Likert scale. RESULTS Of the originally enrolled participants, 68% completed the program (n = 25). The study found significant reductions in anxiety pre- and posttest using GAD-7 and identified overall and individual subscale reductions on the DASS-21. While not specifically targeted for treatment, secondary exploratory outcomes included reductions in use of anxiolytic medication and in the pain scale. The study considered the burden of use of multiple therapies upon participants; however, participation in the study's therapies was high. CONCLUSION The findings in this pilot study suggest multimodal interventions focusing on self-care behaviors may be feasible for patients seeking therapies that are adjunct or alternative to conventional treatments. The study also suggested that this type of patient will participate in multitherapy options, and it offers support for expanding the conceptualization of and treatment for GAD by integrating CAM into existing cognitive-behavioral models.
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Mistletoe as complementary treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with carboplatin-based combinations: a randomised phase II study.
Bar-Sela, G, Wollner, M, Hammer, L, Agbarya, A, Dudnik, E, Haim, N
European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990). 2013;(5):1058-64
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mistletoe preparations, such as iscador, are common complementary medications. This randomised phase II study of iscador combined with carboplatin-containing regimens was conducted in chemotherapy-naïve advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients to assess its influence on chemotherapy-related side-effects and QoL. METHODS Patients with advanced NSCLC were randomised to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus iscador thrice weekly until tumour progression. Chemotherapy consisted of 21-day cycles of carboplatin combined with gemcitabine or pemetrexed. RESULTS Seventy-two patients (control: 39; iscador: 33) were enrolled in the study. Most (65%) were in stage IV, and 62% had squamous histology. Median overall survival in both groups was 11 months. Median TTP was 4.8 months for the controls and 6 months in the iscador arm (p=NS). Differences in grade 3-4 haematological toxicity were not significant but more control patients had chemotherapy dose reductions (44% versus 13%, p=0.005), grade 3-4 non-haematological toxicities (41% versus 16%, p=0.043) and hospitalisations (54% versus 24%, p=0.016). CONCLUSION No effect of iscador could be found on quality of life or total adverse events. Nevertheless, chemotherapy dose reductions, severe non-haematological side-effects and hospitalisations were less frequent in patients treated with iscador, warranting further investigation of iscador as a modifier of chemotherapy-related toxicity.
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Use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with cancer: effect on survival.
Karalı, Y, Demirkaya, M, Sevinir, B
Pediatric hematology and oncology. 2012;(4):335-44
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to determine the type, frequency, the reason why complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments are used, the factors related with their use, and the effects of CAM usage on long-term survival. Families of a total of 120 children with cancer between 0-18 years of age, including 50 (41.7%) girls and 70 (58.3%) boys, participated in our study. The authors found that 88 patients (73.3%) used at least one CAM method, the most common (95.5%) of which was biologically based therapies. Most frequently used biologically based therapies were dietary supplements and herbal products. The most commonly used dietary supplement or herbal product was honey (43.2%) or stinging nettle (43.2%), respectively. We found that patients used such CAM methods as complementary to, but not instead of, conventional therapy. Sixty-nine out of 88 patient families (78.4%) shared the CAM method they used with their physicians. No statistically significant relation was found between socioeconomic, sociodemographic, or other factors or items and CAM use. The mean follow-up period of the CAM users and nonusers groups was 79.4 ± 36.7 (21.3-217.9) and 90.9 ± 50.3 (27.4-193.7) months, respectively. Five-year survival rates for CAM users and nonusers were found as 81.5% and 86.5%, respectively (P > .05). In conclusion, families of children with cancer use complementary and alternative treatment frequently. They do not attempt to replace conventional treatment with CAM. Higher rates of CAM use was found in families with higher educational level. CAM usage did not affect the long-term survival.
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L-carnitine supplementation for the management of fatigue in patients with cancer: an eastern cooperative oncology group phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Cruciani, RA, Zhang, JJ, Manola, J, Cella, D, Ansari, B, Fisch, MJ
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2012;(31):3864-9
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Abstract
PURPOSE L-carnitine, a popular complementary and alternative medicine product, is used by patients with cancer for the treatment of fatigue, the most commonly reported symptom in this patient population. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of L-carnitine supplementation as a treatment for fatigue in patients with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with invasive malignancies and fatigue were randomly assigned to either 2 g/d of L-carnitine oral supplementation or matching placebo. The primary end point was the change in average daily fatigue from baseline to week 4 using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). RESULTS Three hundred seventy-six patients were randomly assigned to treatment with L-carnitine supplementation or placebo. L-carnitine supplementation resulted in significant carnitine plasma level increase by week 4. The primary outcome, fatigue, measured using the BFI, improved in both arms compared with baseline (L-carnitine: -0.96, 95% CI, -1.32 to -0.60; placebo: -1.11, 95% CI -1.44 to -0.78). There were no statistically significant differences between arms (P = .57). Secondary outcomes, including fatigue measured by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue instrument, depression, and pain, did not show significant difference between arms. A separate analysis of patients who were carnitine-deficient at baseline did not show statistically significant improvement in fatigue or other outcomes after L-carnitine supplementation. CONCLUSION Four weeks of 2 g of L-carnitine supplementation did not improve fatigue in patients with invasive malignancies and good performance status.
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[Uncontrolled clinical study of the efficacy of ambulant fasting in patients with osteoarthritis].
Schmidt, S, Stange, R, Lischka, E, Kiehntopf, M, Deufel, T, Loth, D, Uhlemann, C
Forschende Komplementarmedizin (2006). 2010;(2):87-94
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the efficacy of fasting therapy according to Buchinger on pain, state of health, and articular function in patients with osteoarthritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Uncontrolled pilot study in which 30 patients (22 women, 8 men) with osteoarthritis (Kellgren stages I-III) of the hand (N = 10), hip (N = 8) and knee (N = 12) underwent ambulant fasting therapy according to Buchinger for 2 weeks with 3 pre-fast days, 8 fast days (300 kcal) and 4 re-feed days as well as follow-up 4 and 12 weeks afterwards. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Global intensity of pain (visual analogue scale, VAS); joint pain with activity, with start of walking, at rest (VAS); pressure pain threshold; articular function; health-related quality of life (SF-36 including Physical Component Score and Mental Component Score); Western Ontario and McMasters Universities Arthrose Index (WOMAC); painDETECT-questionnaire (Pfizer); analgesics; weight; body mass index (BMI); waist circumference; blood pressure; pulse and a variety of serological parameters. RESULTS Pain, state of health, and articular function improved significantly; significant reduction in weight, BMI, and waist circumference during fasting and over the complete course of the study; analgesics could be reduced. No abnormalities in autonomous, metabolic, or blood parameters were observed. CONCLUSION Medically supervised fasting can have a positive impact on the symptoms of patients with moderate osteoarthritis. This finding must be consolidated by controlled studies that include higher numbers of patients.