QUIGLEY'S CORNER:
Welcome to Quigley's Corner. Every month you can count on Gerald Quigley to deliver an opinion, report, interpretation or health message on cancer or cancer related issues, based on reports he reviews through Medline and other agencies.

These reports are easy to read, easy to understand, and contain appropriate reference if readers wish to delve into the issues further.

DECEMBER 2007: Those who don't know their history...
Sixty three per cent of American women think that if there's no family history of cancer, you're not likely to develop the disease, a new survey found.

In fact, most women who develop cancer have no family histroy of cancer, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which sponsored the survey. The survey underscores the need for better education and understanding of the steps women can take to prevent cancer and to detect it early.

The results of this survey found a worrisome gap in women's knowledge about cancer.
Based on the findings, ACOG is increasing its efforts to educate women about cancer and the need for regular screening tests, such as Pap smears, mammograms and colonoscopies.

Although the survey found many misconceptions about cancer, 76 per cent of women surveyed did say they feel knowledgeable about how they can reduce their risk of the disease.

However, only 52 per cent said they're doing enough to reduce that risk. And 10 per cent said they hadn't done anything in the past year to lower their risk. Seventeen per cent said they wouldn't change their lifestyles, even if changes would lower their risk of cancer.
Other survey findings included:

• Only 56 per cent had seen a doctor in the past year, but 77 per cent said regular physician visits help reduce the risk of cancer

• 29 per cent of women haven't seen a doctor on a regular basis or had a Pap test or a mammogram in the past year

• 18 per cent said Pap tests and mammograms weren't necessary, 7 per cent said they didn't know how to get screened, and 7 per cent thought screening was a waste of time

• 37 per cent of the women said they couldn't afford to see a doctor

The survey results mirrored other study findings. In response to these findings, ACOG have launced a web site - Protect & Detect: What Women Should Know About Cancer.

The guide recommends that women, starting at 50, receive a colonoscopy every 10 years. Colonoscopy is the "gold standard" for preventing colorectal cancer because of its ability to detect precancerous lesions and remove them during the procedure. While ACOG is recommending colonoscopy for women at high risk for colon cancer, it's also recommending the procedure for women at average risk.

NOVEMBER 2007: Vitamin D
The findings from a Japanese study suggest that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of rectal but not colon cancer.

Several previous clinical trials found that circulating levels of a special biochemical marker used to determine the body's nutritional vitamin D status, were inversely associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. Additional confimation of the relationship between vitamin D and colorectal cancer is needed from general populations, especially those with different levels of sunlight exposure and skin pigmentation, which affect the synthesis of vitamin D.

The researchers examined the association between blood levels of the marker and the subsequent risk of colorectal cancer using data from the Japanese Public Centre-based Prospective Study. They identified 375 newly diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer from 38,373 study subjects during eleven years of follow-up. Two comparison subjects were matched to each cancer patient.

Patients with rectal cancer had lower levels of the marker than the comparison subjects. The average blood levels were significantly lower in men with cancer than in the comparison subjects. Among the women, the average blood levels were also lower in cancer patients than in the comparison subjects. No significant difference was found between colon cancer patients and the comparison subjects.

The rectal cancer risk in the men and women with the lowest level of vitamin D was compared with those with the highest levels. The rectal cancer risk was 4.6 times greater for them men and 2.7 times greater for the women.

The differences between colon and rectal cancer may derive from differences in vitamin D receptor expression. Investigators suggest that the vitamin D receptor has several genetic mutations, and that Japanese people may be more vulnerable to rectal cancer due to the low prevalence of the protective vitamin D receptor genotype.

These results were reported in the British Journal of Cancer, and remind us that adequate levels of vitamin D are important.

Vitamin D is synthesized by the action of sunlight on skin. Dietary sources include fish liver oils - cod, halibut, herring, tuna as well as egg yolk, milk and sprouted seeds.

OCTOBER 2007: Women Suffer from Prostate Cancer Too
A diagnosis of prostate cancer may take as great a toll on wives' well-being as it does men's, new research suggests.

In a study of 263 prostate cancer patients with their wives, researchers found that the disease seemed to affect both partners' emotional well-being and quality of life to a similar degree.

Men, not surprisingly, reported more problems with their physical well-being. But their wives reported as many, or even more, difficulties with other aspects of quality of life.
Women whose husbands had advanced prostate cancer showed the poorest emotional well-being overall - even worse than their husbands', the study authors report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Unfortunately, there are currently "very few resources" available to help cancer patients and their spouses deal with distress, according to the lead study author. Doctors and other health providers are generally focussed on the patient, and typically do not assess the spouses' emotional well-being. And spouses themselves are unlikely to try to draw attention to their own problems.

The end result is that spouses are expected to be the primary caregiver to the patient, but obtain very little help - information or support - to carry out this important role, or with managing their own distress.

Couples do not all face the same problems, however. Researchers found that the types of difficulties varied, based on the stage of the husband's cancer. When the husband was newly diagnosed, physical symptoms like urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction seemed to have the largest effect on the couples quality of life.

When the husband had been treated and was showing signs of possible recurrence, anxiety and worsening emotional well-being tended to be the greatest problems. Couples in which the husband had advanced prostate cancer were dealing with the substantial symptoms of the disease and treatment - like pain and fatigue - as well as severe emotional distress.

All of this suggests that couples need help that is tailored to the stages of the husband's disease. But whatever the stage of the disease, both spouses should be given information on the disease, how to manage its symptoms, and how to deal with their own distress.

Researchers also recommended that couples "work as a team" and support each other, as well as seek help from support groups or from family and friends if they need it.

SEPTEMBER 2007: Cranberries!
Gulping down a glass of cranberry juice might greatly boost an ovarian cancer patient's sensitivity to chemotherapy, a new study suggests.

In laboratory tests, pre-treating ovarian tumour cells with the juice bumped up the cancer-killing power of drugs sixfold, researchers say. The study's authors stressed that the finding is still experimental and preliminary, but it could offer a new option for patients whose ovarian cancer has become resistant to treatment.

Cranberries are not considered as a drug, but they are already very well known to have antioxidants that boost the immune system and body strength, prevent urinary tract infection and help fight cardiovascular disease. It was therefore known that cranberries would not harm cancer patients. Now it has been found that they actually increase sensitivity to chemo several-fold.

Chemotherapy treatment commonly centres on so-called "platinum drugs", such as cisplatin and paraplatin. However, many women develop therapeutic resistance, necessitating the use of ever-higher doses that in turn, raise the risk for both nerve damage and kidney failure.

In the laboratory trials, cranberry juice appears to slow both the growth and spread of some cancer cells. It's not yet clear how cranberry juice might kill ovarian cancer cells, the researchers said, although an antioxidant unique to cranberries - the "A-type" proanthocyanidins - could be the key.

This specific antioxidant is not present in other fruits and appears to bind with - and block the activity of - tumour proteins found in ovarian cancer cells, increasing their sensitivity to chemo. However, cranberry compounds should not be considered any cure for cancer. They might have a role as adjunct treatment alongside existing drugs.

Cranberries are non-toxic, and the compounds they contain are part of the family of flavenoids found in grape seeds, which have been shown to be potentially beneficial in breast cancer.

AUGUST 2007: Just the Facts Jack
Misconceptions about cancer are rampant among Americans, a new study finds, including the mistaken notions that cancer deaths are on the rise and that air pollution is a greater cancer risk than smoking.

"A substantial proportion of people have some inaccurate beliefs about cancer risk" said lead researcher Kevin Stein, the director of the Behavioral Research Centre at the American Cancer Society. These misconceptions "can affect their health-related behaviors" he added. For example, he said, people might smoke more if they believe smoking is less harmful than city air. "We want to be sure that people understand what risk factors are real and what are not real" Stein said.

The report appears in the latest issue of the journal Cancer. In the study, Steins's team asked 957 adults whether or not they agreed with 12 common cancer myths. About two thirds said the risk of dying from cancer was increasing - even though statistics show that the five-year survival rate has been steadily improving for the last 30 years.

Almost 39 per cent agreed with the myth that living in a polluted city puts a person at a higher risk of developing lung cancer than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day would.
"If people believe that the risk of cancer is higher from pollution than from smoking, they may be more likely to engage in risky behavior" Stein said. Many people also believed that low-tar cigarettes are less likely to cause lung cancer than regular cigarettes, Stein noted. "Really, there is no evidence for that", he said.

In addition, almost 30 percent of the respondents thought electronic devices, such as cell phones, can cause cancer (studies have shown there is no effect). Among other myths explored, close to 15 per cent though products such as shampoo, deodorant and antiperspirants can cause cancer. And 6 per cent believed underwire bras could trigger breast cancer.

Stein's team found that education and money was directly related to the belief in such myths. "Related to these misconceptions were people who were underserved in terms of socioeconomic status and education" he said. "People who don't have the opportunities to hear public health messages are more likely to hold these beliefs" he added.
"We need to do a better job of providing reliable, accurate health information to these groups" Stein said. He also believes that misconceptions about other medical conditions are likely to be seen among the same groups.

Some people may hold these misconceptions to justify their own behavior, Stein said, noting also that studies show people who engage in risky behaviors like smoking tend to underestimate the risk. One expert said that better education can help dispel the myths.
"The public understanding of cancer risk suffers from important gaps and misconceptions" said Dr David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Centre at Yale University School of Medicine.

"In some cases, cancer risk is exaggerated: American women believe breast cancer is the leading cause of death among them, but heart disease kills fully 10 times as many women" Katz said. He added. "Some potential risk factors, such as pesticide residues on foods, are exaggerated, while others, such as cigarette smoking or excessive sun exposure, don't get the full respect they deserve".

This study confirms that the misconceptions are greatest in socioeconomically challenged populations, Katz said. "The population at greatest risk seems to know the least about the disease, and how to prevent it" he said.
"Among the important disparities in our country is access to reliable, understandable health information" Katz added. "To empower people to protect themselves from cancer, we must arm them with accurate information"

Does this study mirror what might be the case in Australia? UK? Elsewhere?

JULY 2007: Women with Breast Cancer: Eat Well, Exercise, Live.
Among women who have been treated for breast cancer, thosed who stick to a healthy diet and are moderately active, seem to live longer, results of a new study indicate. A good diet alone or exercise alone doesn't have the same benefit.

It seems that if you get your physical activity going, and get your fruits and vegetables in, you can reduce your risk of dying significantly, according to the study co-author.

Several studies have shown that diet and exercise may each contribute to breast cancer survival, but little research has looked at the effect of both diet and exercise together. The team at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program in California looked at the combined effects of diet and exercise for breast cancer survivors.

They studied over 1,490 women who had been treated for breast cancer 2 years earlier, on average.
Overall, only 30 per cent of these women maintained the healthiest type of lifestyle, including eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily and engaging in physical activity equivalent to a half-hour of brisk walking six days a week.

These women had a 44 per cent lower risk of dying within a 10-year period than did their peers, according to the report in the Journal of Oncology.

What's more, this lower risk remained true, regardless of whether the women were obese, study findings indicate. The effect of physical activity and diet was so strong it wiped out the body mass index effect. However, obese women were less likely than non-obese women to report such healthy habits.

A similarly reduced risk of death was not apparent among non-physically active women, who consumed the highest servings of fruits and vegetables, or among physically active women who did not eat at least five servings or fruits and vegetables a day.

Doing each one alone wasn't effective. There was no benefit from each one alone, but there was a benefit from both together.

JUNE 2007: Fish Oil - Yummmy!
Fish oil has long een known for its health and wellbeing properties, and now it has been shown to give a greater chance of tolerating chemotherapy, and a better quality of life to cancer patients.

A recent study conducted at Sydney's Concord Hospital found that patients with advanced bowel cancer who took omega-3 and omega-6 rich fish oil supplements tolerated chemotherapy mote efficiently than those who did not supplement their diets.

The effects of chemotherapy on the body can include severe weight loss, malnutrition, mouth ulcers and hair loss. Patients with advanced cancer produce inflammatory markers which can impede the ability to tolerate chemotherapy. This inflammatory cycle hinders ther liver's ability to break down the chemotherapy drugs, resulting in excess substances trhat can nauseate and malnourish the patient.

Researchers used inflammatory markers to identify patients with advanced bowel cancer who were considered less able to metabolise cancer medication, and were therefore more at risk of the toxicity associated with chemotherapy. They found that by giving patients with advanced bowel cancer fish oil supplements, the strong anti-inflammatory properties helped break down the inflammatory cycle, relieving them of their side effects.

This research seems to demonstrate one of the many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. An increase in fish consumption has already been positively associated with reduction in arthritic pain, asthma, reduced incidence of sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction.

For most of us, eating raw oily fish five times a week is not an option, and supplementing with two or three grams of fish oil each day may be the best alternative.

While this study was conducted on bowel cancer patients, researchers say that there are plans in the future to trial the supplements randomly on patients with differing cancers.

MAY 2007: Cancer and Emotions in Women
Most older women who survive breast cancer maintain their emotional well-being, though some are at greater risk of a change for the worse, a new study suggests.

Researchers found among a large group of older women they followed for five years after breast cancer surgery that the majority showed little change in various measures of emotional health. Some however, were more likely to suffer a decline - including women who'd initially believed they wouldn't be cured.

In contrast, women who felt they had strong support from family and friends, or good communication with their doctor, were less lkely to show declines in their emotional well-being.The investigations at the Boston University Medical Centre report the findings in the Journal of Oncology.

Research had suggested that younger women are at relatively greater risk of long-term emotional distress after a breast cancer diagnosis, but older women are certainly not immune. Yet little is known about the factors that make some older women more vulnerable to declines in emotional health, according to the investigators.

The study involved 660 U.S. women age 65 and older who'd been treated for early breast cancer. At regular intervals for up to 5 years, the women were interviewed about their emotional well-being, physical functioning, and feelings about their support from their family, friends and health providers.

Throughout that time, the study found, the majority of the women maintained their emotional health, particularly those who were initially in better physical health, had a stronger support system or felt good about their communication with their doctor.
In contrast, women who were initially pessimistic about their chances of survival showed poorer emotional health in the years after their diagnosis. The same was true of women with less education.

The findings, according to the research, suggest ways to aid women's long-term emotional well-being after breast cancer - better communication on the part of doctors being one.
"How doctors interact with their patients seems to have an enduring effect on how women cope with cancer-specific issues over time" the researchers note.

Another key, they add, is having family members and friends to talk to, and to help with personal problems. Interventions to teach family members how to give such emotional support might "buffer the impact" of a breast cancer diagnosis, and improve older women's long-term emotional health."

APRIL 2007: Calcium and Dairy
People who consume relatively high levels of calcium and dairy products, and take vitamin D supplements, seem to be protected to some degree against colorectal cancer, researchers have found.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, and dietary factors are considered to be important in its risk, according to the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The association between calcium and vitamin D intake, and the risk of colorectal cancer in 191,000 subjects between the ages of 45 and 75 years, was stdied in a group who completed a food diary between 1993 and 1996. During an average follow-up of seven years, a total of 2110 new cases of colorectal cancer were identified - 1138 in men and 972 in women.

High total calcium intake (from food and supplements) lowered the risk of colorectal cancer in both men and women. Comparing the highest calcium intakes with the lowest, the risk of developing colorectal cancer was reduced by 30 per cent for men and by 36 per cent for women.

Total vitamin D intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk in men but not in women.

A high intake of dairy products also reduced the risk of colorectal cancer risk, especially for people who didn't take supplemental calcium. The risk reduction was 23 per cent for men and 34 per cent for women.

These findings support the hypothesis of protective roles for calcium, vitamin D and dairy products in the risk of colorectal cancer, the researchers concluded.

MARCH 2007: PC's and Prayer
Praying online in a support group may help women with breast cancer cope with the disease more effectively, a new study shows.

Dr Bret Shaw of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues found that breast cancer patients who used a higher percentage of religion-based words in their communications with an Internet support group had lower levels of negative emotions, better functional well-being, and more confidence in their ability to deal with their illness.

'Breast cancer patients who want to pray can use online support groups as a place to cope with their illness with other people going through similar situations, Shaw explained. "Our data suggests that this might make you feel better".

Shaw decided to launch the study after observing how common it was for people to use prayer in online support groups. "We noticed a lot of people were exchanging prayers on line, praying for themselves and other group participants' he said. However, he added that 'some women were so kind of turned off by the overly religious tone of the groups that they did not want to participate."

To investigate the health, social and emotional effects of online prayer for women with breast cancer, Shaw and his team loaned a group of women computers linked to the Web. They also provided training on computer and Internet use. The women were surveyed at the study's outset and again after four months of support group participation.

Among the 97 women who posted more than twice to the group, those who used a higher percentage of religion-related words (such as bless, heaven and pray) showed lower levels of negative emotions, better functional well-being, and greater health-related self-efficacy, meaning that they had more confidence in their ability to cope with their illness. But there was no association between the use of religion-related words and women's levels of breast cancer-related concerns, emotional well being, social support, or positive reframing, a coping strategy that involves looking at a challengs in a morew positive light.

The women used a number of different religion-related coping mechanisms, Shaw noted, such as believing in an afterlife, not fearing death, believing that "God gives you what you need to face your challenges" and focussing on the "blessings' in one's life rather than the problems." Most women in the study were Christian, and Shaw said he is interested in investigating whether prayer has similar effects for people of other faiths.

He and his colleagues also suggest looking at whether an "online chaplain or spiritual guidance counselor" could provide additional benefit by guiding patients toward religious coping methods lost likely to bring them comfort and the strength to get through their breast cancer treatment.

(Ref..Journal of Psycho-Oncology, 2006)

FEBRUARY 2007:You say Tomato, I say Tomato and Broccoli
Broccoli and tomato - two vegetables known to help fight cancer - are more effective against prostate cancer if they are eaten together as part of a daily diet, than if they are eaten alone, a new study suggests.

University of Illinois researchers found that the combined tomato/broccoli diet was the most effective at prostate tumour reduction. "When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways," study co-author John Erdman, a Professor of food science and human nutrition, said in a prepared statement.

"Older men with slow-growing prostate cancer who have chosen watchful waiting over chemotherapoy and radiation, should seriously consider altering their diets to include more tomatoes and broccoli" added study co-author and doctoral candidate Kirstie Canene-Adams.

To get these effects, men should consume each day one and a half cups of raw broccoli and two and a half cups of fresh tomato, or one cup of tomato sauce, or half a cup of tomato paste.

There you go....blokes should eat a cup and a half of broccoli per day, placed on top of a pizza base, along with half a cup of tomato paste.

JANUARY 2007: Breasts and How to Best Protect Them
Can healthy eating and regular exercise really contribute to breast cancer prevention?
So far, the evidence is yes. What's more, if you combine these risk-reducing habits with limiting your exposure to substances that promote the disease you'll benefit even more.

When it comes to breast cancer prevention, the risks you can't control - such as your age and genetic makeup - may loom large. But there are some breast cancer prevention steps you can always take on your own. Although these measures provide no guarantee that you won't develop the disease, they'll give you a start toward breast cancer prevention.

Among the easiest things to control are what you eat and drink, and how active you are. Here are some strategies that may help you decrease your risk of breast cancer:

Limit Alcohol. A strong link exists between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. The type of alcohol consumed - wine, beer or mixed drinks - seems to make no difference. To help protect against breast cancer, limit alcohol to less than one drink a day or avoid alcohol completely.

Maintain a Healthy Weight. There's a clear link between obesity - weighing more than is appropriate for your age and height - and breast cancer. This is especially true if you gain the weight later in life, particularly after menopause. Excess fatty tissue is a source of circulating oestrogen in your body. And breast cancer risk is linked to how much oestrogen you're exposed to during your lifetime.

Stay Physically Active. Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and, as a consequence, may aid in lowering your risk of breast cancer. Aim for at least thirty minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been particularly active in the past, start your exercise program slowly and gradually work up to a greater intensity. Try to include weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging or aerobics. These have the added benefit of keeping your bones strong.

Consider Limiting Fat in Your Diet. Results from the most definitive study of dietary fat and breast cancer risk to date suggest a slight decrease in risk of invasive breast cancer for women who eat a low-fat diet. But the effect is modest at best. However, by reducing the amount of fat in your diet, you may decrease your risk of other diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. And a low-fat diet may protect against breast cancer in another way if it helps you maintain a healthy weight - another factor in breast cancer risk. For a protective benefitr, limit fat intake to less than 35 per cent of your daily calories and restrict food high in saturated fat.

Talk with your Doctor about Discontinuing Long-term Hormone Therapy. Study results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) raised concerns about the use of hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause. Among other problems, long-term treatment with oestrogen-progesterone combinations increased the risk of breast cancer in women who participated in the trial.

The WHI investigators also reported that women who developed breast cancer while in the study, and who were taking hormone therapy, had more aggressive and larger tumours. And the women in the study taking hormone therapy, were also found to have more abnormal mammograms - requiring additional imaging methods, such as ultasound - due to the hormone's effects on breast tissue density.

If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your Doctor about your options. You may be able to manage your menopausal symptoms with exercise, dietary changes or non-hormonal therapies which have been shown to give some relief. If none of these is effective, you may decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks. In that case, your Doctor will likely encourage you to use the lowest dose of hormone therapy for the shortest period of time.

There's no evidence of an cross-the-board link between birth control pill use and breast cancer. Analysis of combined data from many older studies suggest a slight increase in risk of premenopausal breast cancer. The pills used in these studies, however, include preparations that contained higher oestrogen doses than what is available in preparations prescribed today. The analysis of these older oral contraceptives also showed that women who took the pill for four or more years before their first full-term pregnancy had a larger increase in premenopausal breast cancer risk. Still, experts analyzing all the risk data estimate that birth control pill use causes, at most, 4.7 out of 10,000 cases of premenopausal breast cancer.

Breast cancer incidence may be linked to both pesticide exposure and overuse of antibiotics. But research isn't conclusive. Until further studies are conducted and more is known about these possible links, be aware of how these substances might counterbalance your efforts at breast cancer prevention.

Limit Exposure to Pesticides. The molecular structure of some pesticides resembles that of oestrogen. This means they may attach to oestrogen receptor sites in your body. Although studies haven't found a definite link between most pesticides and breast cancer, researchers have learned that women with elevated levels of pesticides in their breast tissue have a greater breast cancer link.

Avoid Unnecessary Antibiotics. Scientists recently found a link between antibiotic use and breast cancer - the longer antibiotics were used, the greater the risk of breast cancer. Researchers caution, however, that other risk factors, such as underlying illness or a weakened immune system, rather than antibiotics themselves, may account for the elevated cancer risk.

Scientists are continually making new discoveries that may impact breast cancer prevention. Among the most promising agents are retinoids and flaxseed.
Retinoids. Natural or synthetic forms of vitamin A (retinoids) may have the ability to destroy or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Unlike other experimental therapies, retinoids may be effective in premenopausal women, and in those whose tumours aren't oestrogen-positive. Research is ongoing.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds that lower circulating oestrogens in your body. Flaxseed is particularly high in one phytoestrogen, lignan, which appears to decrease oestrogen production and which may inhibit the growth of breast cancers.

In addition to lifestyle changes, be vigilant about early detection of breast cancer. Start having mammograms at age 40. If you notice any breast changes, such as a new lump or skin changes, make an appointment to see your Doctor for evaluation.

Nothing you do can guarantee your life will be cancer-free. But if you practise healthy habits, and consult your Doctor about extra measures you can take, you may at least reduce your risk of this potentially fatal disease.

ABOUT GERALD QUIGLEY:
Gerald Quigley is a practicing Community Pharmacist, as well as an Accredited Herbalist. These joint qualifications have given Gerald a unique overview of health from a holistic perspective. What this means to you is that Gerald just doesn't look at the symptomatic relief of a health challenge, but offers support through the recovery process with advice on complementary medicines, integrating them with any prescribed medicines, to encourage a healthy outcome. Gerald believes that the current system of symptomatic treatment only, leaves a gap in the recovery phase. Our health is something we value and, just like servicing a car, needs constant fine tuning in times of illness and exposure to constant stress, whatever the type.

Gerald is concerned that as newer medicines are released, patients need more and more information to help them understand the medicine's actions and expected outcomes. What medicine can be taken with what vitamins and nutritional support, are they safe in the long term, are they any better than the tried and true medicines that have been around for a long time... these are questions which Gerald is constantly challenged by. The information on this website will not, and never should, take the place of direct consultation with a health professional. The information is a guide only, to help you understand the complex health issues which confront all of us.

PROFESSIONAL DETAILS:
Bachelor of Pharmacy
Diploma of Botanical Medicine
Post Graduate Diploma of Ayurvedic Herbology
Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Pharmacy Practice

Member of:

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
Australian College of Pharmacy Practice
National Herbalists Association of Australia
Australian Traditional Medicine Society
The Assoc. of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia
Australian Homeobotanical Institute of Australia
Australian College of Environmental and Nutritional Medicine

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