July 2005 Alternative Medicine&Natural Health Newsletter

Since 1985, AHIS has helped businesses and individuals find the best value in health insurance with an emphasis on coverage for alternative medicine and natural therapies. Please visit www.AlternativeInsurance.com to learn about options for your personal or group health insurance.

Welcome to the July 2005 edition of our newsletter. Our goal is to provide you with information and articles that are of interest to you and may be of value to you. Information we include is gathered from a variety of publications.

We hope the information we provide is of value to you. If you have not read our previous newsletters, they are also posted on our website.

INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER (IBC) is an advanced and accelerated form of breast cancer usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds. It requires immediate aggressive treatment.

Many people do not know about this type of breast cancer, as we are told to look for a lump and rely on mammograms.

Some women who have inflammatory breast cancer may remain undiagnosed for long periods, even while seeing their doctor to learn the cause of her symptoms. The symptoms are similar to mastitis, a breast infection and some doctors, not recognizing IBC, will prescribe antibiotics. If a response to antibiotics is not apparent after a week, a biopsy should be performed or a referral to a breast specialist is warranted.

We encourage you to tell everyone you know about IBC so it can be caught early if symptoms appear. We were not fortunate enough have this knowledge when my wife's symptoms first appeared and she is now fighting for her life against this cancer that has spread to other parts of her body.

According to a Reuters article, compounds in raisins suppress bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. According to the article, citing research presented at the meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, five compounds (oleanolic acid, oleanolic aldehyde, betulin, betulinic acid and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural) seem to make teeth and gums healthier, in the case of oleanic acid, by slowing growth of a cavity causing bacteria and inhibiting the bacteria from sticking to surfaces.
Internet Resources:
Reuters Article
Press release on NPIcenter

Cruciferous vegetables appear to have potent breast cancer preventative properties.

Therapeutic role of coenzyme Q10 in Parkinson's disease
Researchers at the University of California , San Diego , in a study reported in Pharmacology & Therapeutics (Volume 107, Issue 1 , July 2005, Pages 120-130) examine the effect of coenzyme Q10 in Parkinson's Disease and whether it can slow progressive disability. In this Phase II clinical trial involving patients with untreated Parkinson's Disease, coenzyme Q10 was associated with a slowing of progressive disability.
Internet Resources:
Abstract in Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Study: Extra Folic Acid May Help Memory
According to an AP article on Yahoo News citing a study by researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and presented at a meeting of Alzheimers researchers earlier this week, high dose folate pills might help slow the cognitive decline associated with aging. According to the researchers, who studied 818 cognitively healthy people (ages 50-75) receiving either 800 micrograms of folate or a placebo daily, those supplementing with folate performed better on memory and cognitive speed tests.
Internet Resources:
AP Article on Yahoo News

Schools Opening Up to Alternative Medicine
According to an Associated Press article, doctors at the University of Pennsylvania are working with Tai Sophia Institute, an alternative medicine school in Maryland, on a program expected to start in August which will teach medical students about alternative medicine including herbal remedies in a partnership that will offer graduates a master's degree in complementary and alternative medicine. According to the article, more than 95 of US medical schools currently require some kind of some kind of complementary and alternative medicine coursework.
Internet Resources:
AP Article in The Daily Democrat

California Cities Among Those With Lowest Health Insurance Premiums
June 23, 2005

Seven of the eight U.S. cities with the least-expensive health insurance premiums are in California , according to a study released Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The survey compared health insurance premiums among approximately 4,000 different insurance products offered by 140 carriers. Premiums were compared for a 30-year-old nonsmoker with no serious health problems looking for a plan with a $1,000 deductible and 20% cost sharing.

The survey found that Long Beach , Sacramento , Fresno , San Diego , San Jose , San Francisco and Oakland were among the cities with the lowest average monthly health insurance premiums, ranging from $54 to $58 per month. Nationwide, New York City had the highest monthly rates at $334.09.

The story states that lower monthly premiums likely can be attributed to high enrollment in HMOs and the overall health-conscious lifestyle of California residents. He added that competition among insurers, hospitals and medical groups also hold down premiums (Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle , 6/23).

Alternative Health Insurance Services now includes a free benefit for our individual and group clients that provides up to 20 acupuncture and/or chiropractic visits per year with a $20 co-payment for each visit. This complimentary benefit is a bonus for doing business with us and is included with most of the health insurance plans we offer.

We have contracted with Landmark Healthplan of California, Inc. to provide a combined chiropractic and acupuncture benefit that utilizes Participating Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. A directory of these providers may be found on the Landmark website at www.LandmarkHealthcare.com or from Alternative Health Insurance Services .

Participants will have a co-payment of only $20 per visit and can receive up to 20 visits per year. Treatments must be medically necessary to treat an injury or illness. After an initial visit, subsequent visits need to be pre-authorized by Landmark. Each participant will receive a Schedule of Benefits and other materials that fully describe their benefits, limitations, and exclusions.

This benefit is being provided at no cost to California clients of Alternative Health Insurance Services who are actively participating in a permanent health insurance plan where commissions are being paid to either Alternative Health Insurance or Steve Gorman. These benefits are being provided only to each primary policyholder and their spouse/partner.

This program is only available as a complimentary benefit to clients who have purchased their health insurance plans through Alternative Health Insurance Services and can not be purchased as a "stand-alone" benefit.

Information in this newsletter is obtained from various sources and you are encouraged to conduct further research into any areas that you find interesting. Nothing contained in this newsletter is intended to recommend any treatment or therapy. Our intent is solely to share articles, information, and data that we believe is of interest to you. Some of the articles contain links where you can obtain additional information related to the subject of the article.