Important Advice for New Parents

The current advice given to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been successful to date. A complementary medicine research study published in the early 1990’s led to this turnaround. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare advised new parents to:

• Place the infants to sleep on their backs
• Cease smoking during pregnancy
• The infant should not be kept to warm in the cot
• Infants should be able to move freely
• Encouraged breastfeeding

This advice led to a reduction in SIDS related deaths from 100 to 20 per year.

Now, Per Möllborg, Child Health Medical Officer from the University of Gothenburg, has recently conducted further investigations and has provided additional advice
The risk of SIDS was greater if:

• the parents did not live together
• the mother was young,
• the mother had given birth to many children
• the baby was premature
• infants did not sleep in their own beds in the first three months
• they did not sleep in their parents’ bedroom during the first three months

As a consequence, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioner should consider when offering additional advice to new parents.

Integrative healthcare solution for Sciatica

Sciatica is basically the experience of sharp and shooting pain through the gluteus and down the leg. Sciatica occurs when there is an impingement of the sciatic nerve which is compressed by the discs of the lumbar spine.

While there are numerous causes of sciatica, the most common are:

• lumbar bulging disc
• spine degeneration
• facet joint injuries
• piriformis syndrome
• spinal stenosis
• spondylolisthesis
• sacroiliac dysfunction

It is important to manage the pain and manage the inflammation.

Conventional therapeutic protocols include physiotherapy guided exercises such as McKenzie extensions and core strengthening exercises. However, the inclusion of integrative healthcare solution such as Remedial Massage Therapy can dramatically improve clinical outcomes.

An experienced Remedial Massage practitioner has a range of techniques at their disposal such as:

• PNF Stretching
• Soft –tissue release
• Myofascial release
• Muscle Energy technique

If the problem still persists and /or becomes severe then consultation with a GP for anti-inflammatory medication for pain management or a CT-guided periradicular nerve root injection is highly recommended.

Continuum of care should still include the aforementioned complementary therapies and also consider the incorporation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapies such as Yoga (similar to MET principle), Bowen treatment and Acupuncture to resolve the issue.

Alternative to Fish oil

Fish oil is one of the best supplements that are often prescribed by CAM practitioners. Omega-3 fatty acids possess highly beneficial effects for modulating risk of prevalent diseases.

But what are the alternatives for people who are allergic to fish oil, or suffer from ‘fish burps’ or do not like the ‘after taste’ of fish oil.

Alternatives to consider include the plant-based:

• Flaxseed oil
• Evening Primrose oil
• Borage oil
• Black Currant oil
• Chia seeds
• Algal oils

Due to the decline in fish species and number and the risk of ocean –borne contaminants, alternative sources of these fatty acids are required. Plant oils contain low amounts of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Algae are in abundance in the oceans’ ecosystems and thus algal oil may be the better alternative. When CAM practitioners seek integrative medicine resources such as vitamins, herbs and other supplements, they should also consider environmental sustainability and act accordingly.

Music as Medicine

Many CAM practitioners recognise the importance of music as an integrative therapy to relieve stress related issues. Typically, the decline in stress levels is due to a reduction in cortisol levels. Testosterone levels are also altered when listening to music. In addition steroid secretion is modified through musical activities in elderly individuals, which further influences psychological states such as tension and anxiety. Levels of steroid secretion vary between individuals with high and low levels of hormone. For instance, individuals with high steroid hormones experience a decline in steroid secretion and those individuals with low steroid hormones experience a rise in secretion. Moreover, reports have been suggestive that music aids cognitive recovery of mood following middle cerebral artery stroke. Likewise, music enhances cognitive recovery and prevents negative mood during the early post-stroke stage. The rudiments of music are sound and vibration; these have been used in many traditional healing systems such as Yoga and Ayurveda. Music therapy has been advocated as an important integrative healthcare solution in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. What makes ‘music therapy’ a unique Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapy is that there is little physical requirement. It has also been shown to be of value in the treatment of clients with ‘substance abuse’; it has to be the appropriate type of music. So, to quote Shakespeare,‘ If music be the food of love, play on”.