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Asthma Perceptions
I know that we’ve come out smelling of roses in the ethics survey this week, but our role in managing inhaler technique in asthma is under a cloud. 90 % or so of people with asthma don’t use their inhalers correctly, according to research released by the National Asthma Council. I don’t believe that this…
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Why is there a need for the Health Australia Party (HAP)?
Many Australians rely every day on natural medicines and/or the services of a natural health practitioner to maintain their health. Yet this significant contribution to the well-being of grateful ordinary Australians goes largely unacknowledged by politicians, the news media and mainstream medicine. Rather instead we see an extraordinary bias against these therapies, to the point…
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A Professional Conundrum
What a fascinating standoff has developed over the role of the pharmacist in advising on the use of complementary medicines. The Blackmore’s Institute is urging us to understand the complete medication profile of our patients, to ensure that we drive optimum health outcomes. Many of our patients fail to mention their complementary medicine use (often…
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Meditating on our health
Editor’s Note: It is refreshing to see information published by an authoritative Australian source that promotes non-drug therapy, or therapies that will support other forms of treatment, and be supported by evidence. As pharmacists we are often aware of various forms of treatments (including meditation) that are supported by evidence, but we still have to…
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Medical Cannabis – a Product That Clinical Pharmacists Could Match to Chronic Illness
While there has been movement in the right direction in getting medical cannabis on to the market in Australia there are still some glaring anomalies in its introduction and you would have to ask “Why?” Where I live in NSW I am on the fringe of some of the best cannabis growing soils and climate…
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The Latest Research on Holistic Health – Are you up to it?
Pharmacists demand the latest evidence- and research-based information on things related to complementary medicines. Some of us were lucky enough to hear an array of international speakers at the recent Research Symposium presented for the 4th consecutive year by BioCeuticals. And each symposium seems to get better! World renowned neurologist David Perlmutter, paediatric gastroenterologist and…
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Switzerland Gets it Right
Switzerland is a country known for its precision and its ability to keep its transport system “on time”. It is a landlocked country so when it decides how it could survive, it basically chose financial services and manufacturing industries that are “light” in weight but high value. Drug manufacture fitted that requirement, as was watch-making.…
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Low dose aspirin – pro or con?
The US Preventative Services Task Force now recommends that all 50 to 70 year olds take a low-dose aspirin for preventing cardiovascular disease. Medical press last week gave this story legs, and I’m puzzled as to why? Current Australian Heart Foundation guidelines reflect the position that there are no or minimal cardiovascular benefits. In fact,…
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How Doctors Use Vitamin C Against Lead Poisoning
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, January 26, 2016. We hear about the hazards of lead. We know that lead poisoning can cause severe mental retardation. Lead has been clearly linked with Alzheimer’s disease. We have been told to avoid lead in our homes and in our water, and to clean up lead pollution of our environment.…
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The Effects of Cannabis On Weight Loss, Exercise Performance and Insulin Resistance
This report is a collection of news items and research reports related to the effects of medical cannabis. Some of this information is anecdotal and has to be validated by formal clinical trials. But if only a fraction of the results claimed by personal users is correct, then we indeed have a very useful substance within…