Herbs 4 Medicine

Massage eases anxiety, but no better than simple relaxation does
A randomized trial shows three months after 10 massages, patients' anxiety symptoms were halved -- an improvement like that previously reported with psychotherapy, medications, or both. But the trial also found massage no more effective than simple relaxation.

Dietary supplements discouraged for prostate cancer patients
Prostate-specific dietary supplements should not be taken during radiation therapy treatments because they have been shown to increase the radiosensitivity of normal prostate cell lines, leading to normal tissue complications, according to a new study.

Acupuncture may relieve joint pain caused by some breast cancer treatments
A new study demonstrates that acupuncture may be an effective therapy for joint pain and stiffness in breast cancer patients who are being treated with commonly used hormonal therapies.

Non-drug techniques reduce pain in hospitalized patients
Non-traditional therapies relieve pain among a wide range of hospitalized patients as much as 50 percent, according to a first-of-a-kind study. The study shows that an inpatient integrative medicine program can have a significant impact on pain in an environment where pain management continues to be a major challenge, and traditional medications can have negative consequences.

Kids lose pounds, gain fitness in Houston study
Innovative, kid-friendly strategies for losing weight and gaining nutrition savvy -- plus physical fitness skills -- are emerging from recent scientific studies.

Cancer patients find relief in integrative medicine services
A new integrative oncology program aim to address cancer patients' needs from every angle through treatment that extends beyond medical therapies.

New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases
Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea -- renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties -- do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases.

Herbal medicines can be lethal, pathologist warns
A forensic pathologist has sounded a worldwide warning of the potential lethal dangers of herbal medicines if taken in large quantities, injected, or combined with prescription drugs.