Unproven alternative medicines recommended by third of Australian pharmacists

Nearly one third of pharmacists are recommending complementary and alternative medicines with little-to-no evidence for their efficacy, including useless homeopathic products and potentially harmful herbal products.

The finding comes from a Choice survey of 240 pharmacies including Priceline, Chemist Warehouse and Terry White. Mystery shoppers were sent in to speak to a pharmacist at the prescription dispensing counter and ask for advice about feeling stressed.

Three per cent of the pharmacists recommended homeopathic products, despite a comprehensive review of all existing studies on homeopathy finding that there is no evidence they work in treating any condition.

Twenty-six percent recommended Bach flower remedies to shoppers, homeopathic solutions of alcohol and water containing diluted flower essences. The solution was invened by a British homeopath, Edward Bach, who claimed to have a psychic connection to plants. A comprehensive review of all existing studies on Bach flower solutions found no difference between the remedies and placebos.

The Choice survey also found products containing a B group vitamin complex were recommended by pharmacists for stress in 46% of cases. Other frequently recommended products were St John’s wort and valerian. There is no good evidence that these products reduce stress.

Fifty-nine per cent of people were just told the complementary and alternative product recommended to them worked, and 24% were told the product was scientifically proven, without any evidence being provided to them, the survey found.

A prominent public health expert and the director of Medreach, Dr Ken Harvey, famously quit his job as an adjunct professor with Victoria’s La Trobe University in 2014 after the university struck a $ 15m, six-year deal with vitamins manufacturer Swisse.

He said the Choice survey demonstrated that some pharmacists were failing in their professional duty to consumers.

“Pharmacists are giving crazy advice, and it is dangerous in some cases,” he said.

“My view is that pharmacists, if they are going to sell these products, need to have a big shining sign over the shelves of the complementary and alternative medicine section that says ‘these products have not been assessed by the government regulators to see if they work, please talk to pharmacist’.

Harvey said it was not uncommon for manufacturers of complementary and alternative medicines to do deals with pharmacists so that when customers filled a script for a prescription medicine, the pharmacist would recommend a “front of shop” product to “complement” the prescription medication.

“Pharamacists are giving poor advice and they clearly have a conflict of interest,” Harvey said.

“There is no doubt about that companies. Vitamin companies come into their stores and stick their products on the shelves and provide the pharmacist with posters and pamphlets, and the pharmacists wash their hands of it. But they’re abdicating their professional responsibilities.”

National president of the Pharmacy Guild, George Tambassis, said people trusted pharmacists, and therefore they had a duty-of-care to be aware of available clinical evidence about the therapeutic and marketing claims made about products sold in their stores.

In a statement, the Guild said it was “essential that consumers have access to objective, informed advice about complementary medicines, and by far the best place to obtain that advice is at a community pharmacy”.

Pharmacology lecturer Ian Musgrave from the University of Adelaide said while he expected shop assistants might not be up to date with the latest evidence for complementary and alternative products, he expected better from pharmacists, who have at least four years of university education.

“I would suggest that we need more education, potentially post-graduate education, on herbals and complementary medicines, especially seeing as now a number of pharmacies have a substantial section with these products,” he said.

Unproven alternative medicines recommended by third of Australian pharmacists

WHO"s recommended level of exercise too low to beat disease – study

Higher levels of physical activity can achieve bigger reductions in the risk of five common chronic diseases, but only if people engage in levels far above the recommended minimum exertion, a study has suggested.

An analysis of 174 studies found that gardening, household chores and more strenuous activities, when done in sufficient quantities, were strongly associated with a lower risk of stroke and of contracting breast and bowel cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

But the researchers, from the US and Australia, concluded that for the biggest risk reductions, the level of total physical activity per week should be five to seven times the minimum level recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

At present, the WHO recommends that people conduct at least 600 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET minutes) of physical activity – the equivalent of 150 minutes each week of brisk walking or 75 minutes of running. But the new study suggested most health gains were achieved at 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes per week.

The lead author, Hmwe Kyu from the University of Washington, said: “Major gains occurred at lower levels of activity. The decrease in risk was minimal at levels higher than 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes per week.

“A person can achieve 3,000 MET minutes per week by incorporating different types of physical activity into the daily routine – for example, climbing stairs 10 minutes, vacuuming 15 minutes, gardening 20 minutes, running 20 minutes, and walking or cycling for transportation 25 minutes on a daily basis would together achieve about 3,000 MET minutes a week.

Analysing studies published between 1980 and 2016, the researchers found the pattern highlighted was most prominent for ischemic heart disease and diabetes and least prominent for breast cancer. For example, individuals with a total activity level of 600 MET minutes per week had a 2% lower risk of diabetes compared with those reporting no physical activity.

An increase from 600 to 3,600 MET minutes reduced the risk by an additional 19%. The same amount of increase yielded much smaller returns at higher levels of activity.

As the meta-analysis, published in the BMJ on Tuesday, is based on observational research it cannot draw conclusions about cause and effect but the authors say their findings have important public policy implications.

“With population ageing, and an increasing number of cardiovascular and diabetes deaths since 1990, greater attention and investments in interventions to promote physical activity in the general public is required,” they write.

“More studies using the detailed quantification of total physical activity will help to find a more precise estimate for different levels of physical activity.”

Related: Can exercise really reduce the risk of getting cancer?

In a linked editorial, researchers at the University of Strathclyde and the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France, write that the study has importance for the prevention of chronic diseases but point out: “It cannot tell us whether risk reductions would be different with short duration intense physical activity or longer duration light physical activity.”

Dr Oliver Monfredi, clinical lecturer in cardiovascular medicine at Manchester University, praised the research.

“What is clear, in summary, is that in terms of protecting oneself from the development of these five common and potentially life-limiting illnesses, undertaking any level of exercise is protective, more is better, and should be encouraged by healthcare professionals, politicians and charities alike, to decrease the burden of these debilitating illnesses in society today,” he said.

Simon O’Neill, the director of health Intelligence at charity Diabetes UK, said: “It’s important to remember that all activity counts and a good way to increase your physical activity is to simply incorporate it into your daily life – for instance getting off the bus a stop or two earlier or walking to the shops. Also try to discover a physical activity you enjoy doing such as dancing, cycling or gardening. This will make it far easier for you to stick with it as it will become part of your routine.”

WHO"s recommended level of exercise too low to beat disease – study

Nutritious Diets Recommended by Professional Gamers

Hardcore gamers can spend 12 hours a day or even longer locked into one position as they focus on the art and science of Halo, Texas Hold ‘Emor other online games. The only things that seem to distinguish them from people in other sedentary occupations that lack deliberate movement are their six-figure contracts.

However, professional gamers do have one thing in common with students, stock brokers and others who spend hours without exercising, and that is the challenge of putting together a healthy, sensible diet. And the high flyers have figured out that the right diet is essential for improving mental focus and boosting earnings.

The ordinary mortal may not be able to figure out how to supplement our income playing Heartstone during lunch breaks, but we may pick up some diet and lifestyle tips to help us feel better and improve productivity at work as we plow on earning a living the conventional way.

Carol Pinchefsky

A consummate geek, when Carol isn’t playing Halo or Hitman: Absolution, she is writing about geeky things for the likes of Forbes and the New York Times. To fight off unwanted pounds, boost energy levels and avoid high blood pressure and circulatory problems, Carol follows the advice of RobinForoutan, a holistic nutritionist/dietician who practices integrative medicine.

Robin tells Carol and other gamers to exercise before sitting down for a gaming session. Performing a few push-ups can improve reaction time and promote blood flow to the hands and arms. Alternatively, if you are not necessarily the fittest jock on the block, try planking for about ten seconds and work your way up.

Lee Davy

The first rule of writing is to select topics that you know about, so poker is the perfect fit for prolific author, Lee Davy. After spending 20 years working on the railroad, Lee snagged a regular writing gig with Poker Pro Europe, where he documented the ups and downs of his second career in professional poker.

In the late 2000s, he discovered a book by Dr Sandra Cabot, Medical and Executive Director of the Australian Women’s Health Advisory Service entitled The Liver Cleansing Diet: Love Your Liver and Live Longer. Based on its advice, Lee followed Dr Cabot’s eight-week plan and came up with his own eight-point plan for loving his liver. He calls it his “Not So Crazy Eight.”

Daniel Negreanu

Daniel Negreanu is one of biggest champions in the history of eSports. Overall, he has earned over $ 35.5 million as a professional gamer. He is also a passionate vegan. This should tell us something.

He describes the carnivorous lifestyle as making him feel heavy and lethargic; it impaired his concentration at the card table. He dabbled in vegetarianism and discovered that a steady diet of cheese pizzas didn’t make him feel or perform any better. He turned to veganism in 2006 and has never looked back.

So what does Daniel Negreanu eat? It’s hard to believe that anybody could thrive on beans and nuts. Throw them together in a wholesome soup and serve with salad and/or roasted vegetables and he finds himself satiated and energized. He is also a champion of the much maligned fruit, shunned for its sugar – he points out that the sugar in fruit is not the same as the fructose that comes from cane sugar. Fruit good for you, so eat more!

Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier

Online gamer and Twitch.tv celebrity ElkY keeps fit by running, weight training and doing CrossFit. As for diet, if healthy food isn’t readily available, he would rather fast. The guy has won more than $ 10 million in live games, so there is a message here for those of us who reach for the nearest donut just because it’s there.

He developed a fondness for Korean food while building his profile as one of the testiest eSports players on the circuit in Seoul. One Korean staple beloved of ElkY is kimchi, a mix of fermented cabbage, garlic, chili and spices. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it:it’s both low in fat, high in vitamins A and C and contains fiber, which makes you feel full pretty fast. In general, the Korean diet contains lots of vegetables and is low in fat and sugar. Eat kimchi!

Final Tips

Vegan gaming superstars like Andrew Lichtenberger rely on legumes (lentils, beans and chickpeas) along with grains for their total protein needs.If you must eat meat, choose chicken, turkey or fish over red meats that are high in fats and make the liver work harder than is necessary. Green vegetables are also a must, especially asparagus, avocado, broccoli and spinach, as they contain high levels of fiber, essential for maintaining healthy digestion and avoiding any physical discomfort like bloating – a key for ensuring endurance in the game of your choice.

Professional gamers know that hanging onto a razor-sharp competitive edge requires a healthy lifestyle. The likes of Negreanu, ElkY and company are so detail-oriented that they are prepared to make the necessary dietarysacrifices to boost their performance as well asharness the focus, reaction speed and balanced mood essential to see off competition. The strictness of their diet matches their discipline as gamers – an ingredient that ultimately key to their success in whatever they turn their hand to.

Nutritious Diets Recommended by Professional Gamers

Recommended healthy protein consumption in middle age

One particular chicken leg – 26.3g (.93oz)

A single lamb chop – 29.2g (1.03oz)

Salmon fillet – 28g (.99oz)

Beef quarter pounder burger – 13.2g (.47oz)

A 50g packet of peanuts – 13.7g (.48oz)

A 24g slice of cheddar – six.1g (.22oz)

Two slices of wholemeal bread – 8g (.28oz)

One particular 100g serving of penne pasta – 12.3g (.43oz)

Half a 10” margarita pizza – 17.5g (.62oz)

Cadbury’s milk chocolate bar – two.1g (.07oz)

Recommended healthy protein consumption in middle age