HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pettit@cs.unc.edu (Cynthia Pettit)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Cold and Flu treatment- questions
Date: 30 Dec 92 03:12:49 GMT

In article <BSIMON.92Dec29132545@elvis.stsci.edu>, bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
|> [request for cold remedies]
|> 
|> Vitamin C - 2 grams 3 times a day
|> Zinc Gluconate lozenges - 20 mg. lozenge every two hours
|> Garlic - 2 cloves at first sign of cold
|> Echinacea - As directed on label
|> Homeopathic medicine - As directed on label
|> 
|> You should be able to find all of these (except maybe the garlic) at
|> your local health food store.

Bernie Simon is certainly correct about catching it early!  An ounce of
prevention and all that...

I have found even larger doses of Vit C to be necessary [sometimes 1-2
grams/hour].  I generally take it until my symptoms go away.  Crystalline
vit C is cheapest and easiest to take -- the ascorbic acid makes a nice
lemonade with a sweetener of your choice, and the calcium ascorbate is
tasteless in juice.

Also, vit A helps that "sick" feeling you get in your throat just before
you get sick.  Zinc lozanges are also good for removing that "sick"
feeling.

Be aware that one can overdose on both of these.  Vit A toxicity signs
are unusual hair loss, dizzyness and easy bruising [not to be confused
with low-vit C easy bruising.  If you are taking vit C (at least a gram a
day) and are taking a lot of vit A and are bruising, seek professional
help.]

I don't know the signs of zinc overdose, but underdose signs are those
white spots you have on your nails.

I keep a sipper bottle of vit C at hand all winter -- and chewables too
are convenient.

Stay healthy! :)

Cyn

-- 
"It has been suggested that watching the microwave 
        could be hazardous to your health...
should I wait until the studies are in to worry, 
        or should I worry now?"
                                        -- the cartoon Sylvia

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: larry@gator.use.com (Larry Snyder)
Subject: Re: Asthma, adult onset
Organization: Gator Communications - Feeds-R-Us 219-289-3745 
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 14:11:42 GMT

greg@antizen.EBay.Sun.COM writes:

>I realized that I had the dreaded 'adult-onset' asthma. This, for anyone
>not in the current informational flow about asthma, statistically is
>very likely to stay with you for the rest of your life. Childhood asthma
>often disappears.

I work in a level one trauma center as an RN, and we frequently see
patients with asthma, a good number of which die.  The only
reason I mention this is that it is very important for you to know exactly
what you are doing in regards to your health.  Make you you can put your
trust (and life) with the person you are consulting with.



-- 
Larry Snyder                                    internet: larry@gator.use.com
keeper of the Gator                                   uucp: uunet!gator!larry
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: hudel@waterloo.hp.com (Chris Hudel)
Subject: Re: Bates method (natural vision improvement)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 14:23:50 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard (Panacom Division)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL7]

Kevin Haddock (fish@ecst.csuchico.edu) wrote:
: I wonder if anyone has had any luck with those 'lazer' glasses
: with all the little pinholes cut in blackout lenses?  From the
: little I know about optics it would seem to make sense.  Basically
: I think what happens is the pinholes make any image focus regardless
: of what your lenses are doing so it allows the muscles to find
: thier 'home' (i.e. relaxed) position.  What happens after a while is
: your brain 'remembers' which way to go to correct the image by
: reinforcing a correctly focused image at the 'home' position instead
: of glasses which reinforce a correctly focused image at in incorrect
: position.
: 
: Any scientists out there care to comment on this theory?
:
Scientists?  We don't need no stink'n scientists! :-)

But seriously folks, don't buy them 'lazer' glasses.  A good ophamalogist  
friend of mine (I hope medical doctors can act as a source of concrete
information, even in this forum!) told me that they just don't work.  It's
true that your vision gets better _while you're wearing the glasses_ but
your eyes don't "learn" to see correctly.  

Which makes sense if you think about it since your Rx glasses makes your 
vision better _while you're wearing the glasses_ but obviously not over
long periods of time.              

Probably the muscle-thingy is a good theory but I really thought the majority
of eye problems result from mishapings in the cornea.  I guess this is not so?

Cheers!
Chris.
-------- 
                                                         Chris Hudel
business: hudel@waterloo.hp.com                         519/883-3080
pleasure: chudel@watarts.waterloo.edu             
(Pleasure forwards to business...)       - all comments are mine, not HP's - 
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: dean@vexcel.com (Dean Alaska)
Subject: Re: How far should Homeopathic medicine be followed?
Organization: VEXCEL Corporation, Boulder CO
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 18:15:46 GMT

In article <TERRYK.92Dec23231607@toady.encore.com> terryk@encore.com (Terence M. Kelleher) writes:
>
>I ask the question in the subject line to those who are believers in
>homeopathic medicine.  I'm not against it, but I have reservations.  
>
>A couple I know seem to be carrying it too far.  They see only a
>chiropractor for all medical problems.  He does not prescribe any
>non-natural medicines.  They have 2 children, one 2 years and the
>other 4, who have never seen an MD, and have never been given vacines
>or innoculations.
>
>I don't think they ever visit an MD.  The women commented to me that
>she had a sinus infection for close to 2 months, and the treatments
>had not yet helped.  He had just given her another natural extract to
>try.  
>
>Are they going too far?  I find it hard to believe that there are many
>followers of homeopathic medicine at this extreme.
>
>--
>
>                                 +----------------+
>Terence Kelleher              +--+-------------+  |
>Encore Computer Corp.         |  | E N C O R E |  |
>terryk@encore.com             |  +-------------+--+
>607-687-2644                  +----------------+

There is a train of thought among some hoemopaths that virtually all
allopathic medicine is problematic.  That even when it clearly cures a
disease, that it causes deaper seated problems by pushing the weaknesses
of the healing ability to other areas.  I do not think that this is common.
In any case, even the most harcore alternative practitioners understand
that allopathic care can save lives for people when no other system will.
Alternatives usually work more slowly so someone near death will be
better served by whatever keeps him alive, side effects or not. The
alternatives can then be used to achieve a lost balance caused by these
strong drugs.  That your friends treatment is going slow is not
_necessarily_ a problem since a cure that uses a less strong drug
would be expected to be slower.  It is a problem if the condition
threatens complications and a good practitioner of any type would know
to recommend a different course of action in that case. A second
opinion, whether from an alternative practitioner or not, is always a
good idea and no decent practitioner should object.  The fact is that a 
bad doctor of any type is a threat.
-- 
==============================================================================
A thought for the holidays:
   "Wine is living proof that God loves us and likes to see us happy"
	- Benjamin Franklin			dean@vexcel.com
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: sdb@ssr.com (Scott Ballantyne)
Subject: Re: How far should Homeopathic medicine be followed?
Organization: ScotSoft Research
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 23:22:38 GMT

In article <TERRYK.92Dec23231607@toady.encore.com> terryk@encore.com (Terence M. Kelleher) writes:

   Are they going too far?  I find it hard to believe that there are many
   followers of homeopathic medicine at this extreme.

Of course they are going too far.  This is a classic recipe for
disaster, particularly when children are involved. There have been
many cases where true believing parents are happy to sacrifice the
health of their children on the altar of alternative medicine. The
most you can hope for is that the children will not need real medical
care. The true believing parents are a lost cause.

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan)
Subject: Re: Asthma, adult onset
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 02:59:35 GMT

In article <1h7oe4INNbi6@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu>
 fish@ecst.csuchico.edu (Kevin Haddock) writes:


>and maintaining mega-doses of vitamin C (>15 grams/day).  For the last
>couple of years I feel wonderful.  I live in one of the worst allergy
>areas I have heard of.  Vitamin C has saved my life, I'm convinced!  I
>take 3-4 grams 3 to 4 times a day.  Taking it before bed even helps settle

Have you tried temporarily stopping the Vitamin C?  This 
is the only way to know if you feel better due to 
Vitamin C or due to the natural course of your disease.
I bet it's the latter.

-- 
Richard Kaplan M.D.           Medical Software Exchange BBS
806 2nd St. SW # 104          (507) 281-1989 14,400 HST
Rochester, MN  55902          (507) 281-1689 Voice
PP-ASEL-IA     N4VRB          rkaplan@mayo.edu|netcom.netcom.com  
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: pedwards@csli.stanford.edu (Paul N Edwards)
Subject: Crystalline vitamin C - caveats
Organization: CSLI, Stanford University
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 23:01:27 GMT



Crystalline vitamin C is great stuff, but there are a few important
things to know about it:

1) Ascorbic acid, the cheapest and most common variety,
is acidic enough to etch the enamel on your teeth. Therefore,
after you drink it, you should rinse your mouth with plain water.
(Someone a few days ago recommended making lemonade with the stuff -
a fine idea, but not a good drink to sip all day.)

The non-acidic versions (e.g. calcium ascorbate) won't cause this 
problem. Sodium ascorbate is non-acidic, but if you take more
than a quarter teaspoon or so at a time you'll be thirsty for the next ten
days. It's probably bad for your blood pressure too.

2) Crystalline C is probably better for your stomach than a pill,
since you absorb it faster. But it is still a highly acidic substance
and should be used with caution: best taken right after a meal. If
you notice heartburn or acid stomach, try taking an antacid along with it.

3) The warning about tooth etching applies in spades to zinc lozenges,
since most of these also contain vitamin C. They're made to be sucked
on and left in the mouth for a while. I don't worry about this too much
since I only take them when I have a cold (they're GREAT for colds!).
But it's probably a bad idea to eat zinc lozenges on a daily basis.

-- Paul N. Edwards
pedwards@euphrates.stanford.edu

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Subject: Re: TCM
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 16:22:21 GMT

In <BzMxJJ.KuF.1@cs.cmu.edu> cycy+@cs.cmu.edu (Cowboy) writes:

>As a start, I want to point out the accupunture is a technique of Traditional
>Chinese Medicine, not separate from it.

Point well taken, though it has found a life of its own (for better or
worse) in the West, both in practice and research.

>...and I believe it is the oldest medical system in existence.

Ayurveda and traditional Arabic medicine are also very old, though I don't
have any hard references here about exactly how old they are.

Pete
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan)
Subject: Re: Asthma, adult onset
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 02:52:52 GMT


 greg@antizen.EBay.Sun.COM writes:

>I realized that I had the dreaded 'adult-onset' asthma. This, for anyone
>not in the current informational flow about asthma, statistically is
>very likely to stay with you for the rest of your life. Childhood asthma
>often disappears.

Actually, your entire story is completely consistent with 
current, conventional, allopathic diagnosis and treatment of 
asthma.  There is no evidence you have given which supports
any effect, positive or negative, of your alternative
treatments, except lightening of your pockets.

-- 
Richard Kaplan M.D.           Medical Software Exchange BBS
806 2nd St. SW # 104          (507) 281-1989 14,400 HST
Rochester, MN  55902          (507) 281-1689 Voice
PP-ASEL-IA     N4VRB          rkaplan@mayo.edu|netcom.netcom.com
From: tscwhitehead@cc.weber.edu (Clarke Whitehead)
Subject: Re:    echinacea
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Weber State University
Date: 22 Dec 1992 11:12 MST  

In article <92356.220917LMACC@CUNYVM.BITNET>, Len Alshan <LMACC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes...
>Has anyone had any experiencing using echinacea.  If so, please tell me
>type purchased (extract,power,pills) and dosage used.
>Thanks
>Len

A couple of months ago, I was having probles with colds.  Through the
HOLISTIC internet list, I heard about Echinacea.  I started loading up
on Echinacea capsules and vitamin C and the colds soon disappeared.  I
don't know what the dosage was, or how much can be attributed to the
Echinacea vs. the vitamin C, but the combination seemed to help.

Clarke
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Vaccinations?
Date: 29 Dec 92 06:22:43 GMT
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California

In <1992Dec28.180843.20969@lclark.edu> dan@lclark.edu (Dan Revel) writes:

>My wife and I are expecting our first child in January and I have
>some questions about the pros and cons about childhood vaccinations:
>which ones are good ideas and which ones may cause more harm than good.

First off, some advice: don't take any information you get as gospel --
examine it, then make your own informed decision.

My feelings (*not* medical advice -- consult your own physician(s)!): Avoid
the unnecessary or overly dangerous immunizations; delay the necessary ones
until the kid's body can handle them.  I'd suggest complementary
homeopathic treatment to help handle symptoms, too.  Do your own research
on the details -- it's the kind of thing you have to decide for yourself.

Now, information sources:

1) The Usenet newsgroup, misc.kids.  Indispensable for new parents.
Unfortunately, I don't find an immunization FAQ listed in the
misc.kids FAQ index, but there is still a lot of real-life parenting
experience at your fingertips there on all topics.

2) _Mothering_ magazine.  A *great* resource for all aspects of
parenting, with an alternative/humanist slant.  _Mothering_ publishes
a couple of compilations of articles (like a FAQ! :) on particular
topics, such as home-based education, circumcision, and of course,
immunization.

I don't have a current copy at hand, but find one at a bookstore or
library and look in the back, and they'll have ordering info.  (Or
email, and I'll find get better contact info for you.)

3) I've found _The Immunization Decision: A Guide for Parents_, by Randall
Neustaedter (a homeopath, though the book has general applicability)
useful.  You should be able to get it through a bookstore, or at the
standard homepathic outlets (I'll make a separate homeopathic resource
post).

4) Dr. Robert Mendelsohn also wrote extensively about immunization --
check _How to Raise a Healthy Child... In Spite of Your Doctor_, for
instance.

Pete
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: phoffman@orac.holonet.net (Paul E. Hoffman)
Subject: Ayurvedic resource list
Keywords: ayurveda
Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access BBS: 510-704-1058/modem
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 00:03:28 GMT

I have created a short list of ayurvedic resources. If you are interested,
please email me for an electronic copy. If this group ends up creating
a FAQ, I might include it in the FAQ or make an ayurvedic FAQ from it.

>>Paul Hoffman
-- 
||  Why quote someone else?  ||
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: pedwards@csli.stanford.edu (Paul N Edwards)
Subject: Life Extension - query
Organization: CSLI, Stanford University
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 23:04:42 GMT

What has become of Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, authors of _Life
Extension_? Are they still on their mega-vitamin/mineral/drug/nutrient
diet? Are they aging? Are they dead?

Does anyone know of more recent books on life-extension research
that are worth reading?


-- Paul N. Edwards
pedwards@euphrates.stanford.edu

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: dean@vexcel.com (Dean Alaska)
Subject: Re: Asthma, adult onset
Organization: VEXCEL Corporation, Boulder CO
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 17:12:35 GMT

In article <1992Dec23.034058.9067@netcom.com> rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan) writes:
>
>What proof?
>
>On the other hand, if you can reference any scientifically
>sound studies of alternative therapies which you feel
>are inappropriately rejected by traditional medicine,
>please provide appropriate references to the "proof."
>No anecdotal reports or testimonials, please.  
>-- 
>Richard Kaplan M.D.           Medical Software Exchange BBS
>806 2nd St. SW # 104          (507) 281-1989 14,400 HST
>Rochester, MN  55902          (507) 281-1689 Voice
>PP-ASEL-IA     N4VRB          rkaplan@mayo.edu|netcom.netcom.com  

Bernie Simon previously posted this list of studies:

D.T. Reilly, M.A. Taylor, C.McSharry et al., "Is Homeopathy a
Placebo Response? Controlled Trial of Homeopathic Potency with Pollen
in Hayfever as Model," Lancet (1986):881-886.

J.P. Ferley, D.Zimirou, D. D'Adhemar, et al., "A Controlled
Evaluation of a Homeopathic Preparation in the Treatment of
Influenza-like Syndromes," British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology,
27(1989):329-35. 

P.Fischer, A.Greenwood, E.C.Huskisson, et al., "Effect of
Homeopathic Treatment on Fibrositis (Primary Fibromyalgia)," British
Medical Journal 299(1989):365-366.

E.Ernst, T.Saradeth, and K.L.Resch, "Complementary Treatment of
Varicose Veins: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial,"
Phlebology (1990): 157-163.

Kleijnen, Jos, Knipschild, Paul, ter Riet, Gerben, "Clinical trials of
Homoeopathy.", British Medical Journal, Feb 9, 1991 v302 n6772
p516(8).
--
Bernie Simon	(bsimon@stsci.edu)		ad astra per aspera



-- 
==============================================================================
A thought for the holidays:
   "Wine is living proof that God loves us and likes to see us happy"
	- Benjamin Franklin			dean@vexcel.com
Xref: sparky misc.health.alternative:170 sci.med:23095
From: hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative,sci.med
Subject: Re: Orthomolecular Approaches to Medicine
Date: 27 Dec 92 18:09:54 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department

In article <1992Dec26.100207.13492@dircon.co.uk> uad1214@dircon.co.uk (Peter Cox) writes:

			......................

>Vitamins are, of course, vital for a healthy body, but
>Pauling maintains that the amounts necessary for
>disease-free robust good health are much larger than the
>officially-recommended daily allowances - often so much
>larger than they cannot be reasonably obtained from the
>present-day diet.

This may very well be correct.  Nature keeps experimenting until
something works, but very definitely not at an what we would 
call an optimal level.  It is doubtful that the "natural"situation
would be a relatively disease-free robust good health for more 
than a very few; look at the ecological considerations.  But, as
has been rightly pointed out, man has no prededators except disease
and man.
-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@snap.stat.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)  
{purdue,pur-ee}!snap.stat!hrubin(UUCP)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: gordon@tramp.Colorado.EDU (GORDON ALLEN R)
Subject: Re: War cry of the scientific
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: 28 Dec 92 16:09:55 GMT

mary@Cayman.COM (Mary Malmros) writes:


>It is true that Western scientific medical practioners know something about
>how bodies work.  It is also true that practitioners of many other systems
>know something about how bodies work.  It is absolutely not true that 
>Western scientific medical practitioners know EVERYTHING about how bodies
>work.  There are many conditions for which they know neither the cause nor
>the cure.  In these cases, they're reduced to making educated guesses, and 
>it makes sense to consider alternatives.
I'd like to add something here.  We can elaborate with great detail how, for 
example, neural impulses can cause an arm to move.  Yet, we cannot tell some-
one how to move their arm.  There is a huge gap in our understanding of 
thought and action.  About 15 years ago or so, a psychiatrist even told me
that thought cannot move molecules!  
-- 
Allen Gordon 		         *If the folly of but one of us was changed to*
Research Associate         	 *intelligence, and divided amongst a thousand*
gordon@tramp.colorado.edu   	 *toads, each would be more intelligent than  *
				 *Aristotle				      *
From: npm@dale.cts.com (Nancy Milligan)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Dry-eye/Dry-mouth syndrome (Sjorgen's?)
Date: 24 Dec 92 18:19:43 GMT
Organization: Titan Linkabit Corporation
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

I read about this disease, or maybe heard it discussed on a talk show, 
recently.  I can't recall the proper name for the ailment, but there
is a support group for it (not a USENET group).  I suppose you should
get in touch with them, if you haven't already.

--
Nancy P. Milligan 				npm@dale.cts.com
Titan Linkabit					cts!dale!npm
		  Gravity is no laughing matter.
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon)
Subject: Re: homeopathy
Organization: None. This saves me from writing a disclaimer.
	<BSIMON.92Dec22154843@elvis.stsci.edu>
	<schumach.725074603@convex.convex.com>
	<BSIMON.92Dec23071932@elvis.stsci.edu> <Bzy66L.CC@ssr.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 12:59:05 GMT

If you look at the studies which have failed to find a statistically
significant result from using homeopathic medicine, you will find that
they test a single homeopathic medicine against a disease category.
This ignores the homeopathic principle of the individuation of the
medicine to the patient. Any fair test of homeopathy requires that the
homeopathic physician be allowed to prescribe the medicine he or she
feels will best match the disease sysmptoms. Although sometimes a
single medcine is usually indicated against a disease category and
will show a significant result in treatment, you cannot count on this
in general. As for the Shipley study, not only was a single medicine
tested against osteoarthritis, it was Rhus Tox., a medicine usually
used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and not osteoarthritis.
--
Bernie Simon	(bsimon@stsci.edu)		ad astra per aspera

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: phoffman@orac.holonet.net (Paul E. Hoffman)
Subject: Re: Midwifery
Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access BBS: 510-704-1058/modem
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 21:52:36 GMT

Thanks for the extensive list. There is another good quarterly I discovered
called Midwifery and Childbirth Education Today. It's $7.50 an issue. The
address is PO Box 2672, Eugene, OR, 97402; tele 503/344-7438.

>>Paul Hoffman
-- 
||  Why quote someone else?  ||
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative