HEALTH: Genomics lecture

I went to this Genomics lecture this evening at school that was being offered by Dr. Amoils of the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine, a member of the Bravewell Collaborative, on genomics and holistic health.

Their point, I think, was to teach us up-and-coming nurses about the new fields that are developing in health. Dr. Amoils made some excellent point -- in that most of healthcare is based on fixing a problem rather than prevention. I agree with that 100%, and I think that his aims are genuine. I believe that he is an intelligent man who genuinely believes in what he says.

However, the "quack radar" went off a couple of times. A couple of my problems that rang in my head:

1) He said that western medicine is best for acute issues, and lacks real depth in problems that last for 2-3 months or more. I call bullshit. HPV, HIV, and cancer are all long-term issues and we seem to have made great strides in helping out. (To his defense, pain management is something we still lack in, but how much of it is real and how much of it is addiction issue, actually?) For most chronic conditions, Western medicine does offer help, but it's up to the patient to follow up properly, though the idea of "patient responsibility" is pariah in health care these days.

2) He claimed that it's really difficult to study his methods because they include "whole person" approaches which does not fit into the randomized, double blind studies that dominate medical science these days. So, the point here is that you can't isolate the benefit of anything he's offering. Oh, right.

3) It's really expensive, and only partially coverable by insurance.

4) Though there is proof that herbs, processes like acupunture, and other approaches off help, I have to wonder one thing (and one thing he did not answer when I asked): why is there not more scientific evidence or study; and, if there is, why isn't it published all over the media? I always wonder about situations where people "pharmaceutical conspiracy." It doesn't ring right.

5) Agreed, we should have a whole-person approach to medicine and health and wellness. However, why did it take 50 minutes for him to mention the key role exercise plays into this equation? The "Meditteranean diet" (which he pushes big time) may be beneficial, but I'll bet you it will do nothing compared to people getting off their asses on a regular bases. And, btw, Dr. Amoils, five minutes six times a day does not equal 30 minutes once a day. It is more helpful than nothing, but it is not enough.

6) Anytime you talk about weight loss for another condition as a result of treatment, I hear dinging. You know why? Because when someone says "this helped people lose weight!" I immediately buy in and think "oh yea? hrmm..." I'm sure most of diet-crazed America is on my side for this one.

7) Fetishizing 5000 year old treatments, or European styles, will not pass here. One, we're not Europe. Two, the average life space 5000 years ago was, what, maybe 30 years old? I think age is against you on this one.

8) There was also quite a bit on genetic marking and testing ... which, and I'm not educated that much, sounded really convincing, but he blanched over the science so much that I'm still not sure I get it, nor do I think I understand what he was talking about when he said "x pt was double-plus for breast cancer." It rang bad.

I did approve of his "matrix" focus -- how one piece of health affects the rest. More attention should be paid there... especially mental and social health. So, in that, he's completely right.

The rest of it is a little "uhhhh..." to me.

So this was a blog I posted years ago on the AVOC Myspace about the same subject...

And don't forget to check out one of my favorite websites -- Quackwatch which offer the following articles on genomics and related issues: 1, 2, and 3.

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Ok, so this issue is one of my (again, Barry, one of the educators) personal pet peeves: health fraud. We live in an age of instant fixes and instant gratification. Guess what? When it comes to your health there is nothing you can do but take it slowly. (I lost 70lbs, trust me, slow is better although painful and annoying)

Why does this matter when it comes to HIV/AIDS and/or sexual health? Well, people tend to see things in this light and don't recognize that reported cures and reported "ways to help" or "ways to protect" do not work. Period. So, I thought we'd do a little edu-ma-cation and see how to easily spot a health fraud (this is all adapted from a pamphlet published by the FDA).

Easy Ways to Spot a Health Fraud

This Product Helps Everything
Diseases have different causes and different effects no single anything will cure everything. A lot of these diseases do not have a cure, and the product may only help with treatment. Does any medication -- from tylenol to echinacea -- help everything? No. It may de-stress, it may boost immunity, but how can one thing solve everything? Hell, we can't even agree on a computer operating system.

Personal Testimony
This is merely hearsay, and offers no real evidence. We've all seen the late night diet/weight loss "miracles." Look closely. Do they look the same? Or, better yet, do you see the little statement that says "Results not typical?" DUH! Different things work for different people.

Quick Fixes
Theres no such thing especially for long-term, debilitating diseases like HIV or cancer. Always question the time frame. Remember, God created the world in seven days and were still debating how long that was. This is just false hope, and I hate to burst people's bubbles. We can't cure you.

Natural
Natural does not mean safe (poison ivy and poisonous mushrooms are natural). If something can work, then it will cause side effects in some people.

Time-tested (especially ancient remedies)
The world is different than it was in 200 BCE, and we are aware of many changes in strains of diseases. More importantly, the average lifespan until the 20th century the golden age of medical science was barely under 50 years old. It is now 76 in the United States. Do you really want to go back to the ages of cocaine-laced Coca-cola (bad example), snake oil, and leeches? Yes, of course, some of these do work, but you gonna risk it?

Breakthrough cure
If it is such a breakthrough, why is it in the back of a magazine and not on the front page of the New York Times?

Paranoid Accusations
Think about it realistically: can you believe that there are millions of people, all of whom are healthcare workers, out there looking to make millions off of sickness and death? Or is it really more reasonable to believe that people are genuinely interested in helping others? If you discovered something great that would cure millions, would you hide it and let people die, or would you go out, spread the word, and become an international hero?

Medical Jargon
If you dont know what it is, look it up and see how it relates to the issue youre investigating. Thermogenesis has little to do with weight loss, I understand.

Lack of Scientific Evidence
Look for more than one study and make sure it is independent. Dont assume that a study done by the company promoting a new treatment will be valid.
Remember: if its too good to be true, it probably is. And always, always research anything you are taking or planning to take. The doctors are there to help you and are not trying to harm you.

Last thing: there is more money in a cure than a treatment. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are curable, but there are still over 5 million new cases a year. Besides, if you cured HIV/AIDS, you wouldn't have to do a lick of work for the rest of your life... you'd be so busy being flown all over the world, treated to dinner, meeting important people, and being thanked for saving people's lives -- 40-50 million people to be exact. If you hid it in a vast conspiracy, then you'd have to work to hide it and keep on keeping on at the same damn job for the rest of your life. (Besides, honestly: a cure for AIDS? why hasn't there been a leak... you think Merck and Bristol-Meyers is killing off every person who might want to help people? doubtful).

Just use your common sense.

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A great article on that Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About book.

PS Most of the se places sell a couple things as their cure: a more balanced diet, more/better nutrition, vitamins, and exercise.

So, yea...