Global health issues under the spotlight at camexpo 2014
International presenter, Paul Lewis, teams with dynamic therapist, Virginia Evans for continuing education event
Allergy groups delighted at Alpro decision to drop ‘may contain’ labelling
Severe vitamin D deficiency doubles dementia risk, study finds
Time to cut the crap: Tory MP’s verdict on the junk food lobby
Viva! launches dairy-free guides
Inexperienced MEPs could nod through low MPLs, CHC warns
Gluten-free beauty claims on the increase
Global health issues under the spotlight at camexpo 2014
camexpo 2014, taking place at the new venue of Olympia London on 4-5 October, will feature dynamic new content from some of the biggest and brightest names in the integrative and natural health care industry.
Tailored specifically to equip complementary practitioners, therapists and healthcare professionals with the latest research and techniques, conference highlights for 2014 include highly-anticipated Keynotes from twelve new speakers. Among them are renowned osteopath Leon Chaitow, founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies; microbiologist Dr Vanya Gant; and Harley Street nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston, who’ll be exploring theories for optimising children’s cognitive development through nutritional therapy.
Antibiotic resistance, cancer, auto-immunity, chronic disease, children’s nutrition, infertility, and obesity – some of the biggest issues facing the health care profession today – are all coming under spotlight for 2014.
Manual and integrated approaches to chronic pelvic pain
Already proving a big draw for camexpo visitors that are familiar with his work, Leon Chaitow was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Westminster in 2005 for his ‘services to complementary and osteopathic medicine’. In this, his first appearance at the show, he’ll be discussing chronic pelvic pain and dysfunction, a common and debilitating condition believed to affect around a million women in the UK .
“There is growing evidence that some exercise regimes, and many sporting activities, as well as lifestyle choices and habits, may be contributing to these surprisingly widespread problems – mainly but not exclusively affecting women,” Chaitow explains.
However, evidence suggests that chronic pelvic pain may respond positively to appropriate manual and integrated approaches. He’ll be using his session (on Sunday 5 October) to offer therapists “a number of useful manual and re-education approaches, including breathing patterns and nutrition,” which may help them to improve their clients’ symptoms.
An integrative treatment approach for metastatic cancer
Another big name for camexpo 2014 is Professor Ben Pfeifer (who last spoke at the show in 2007). He’ll be outlining his integrative treatment approach for metastatic cancer, including individual treatment results and clinical studies. It includes basic measures, such as dietary and life style changes and individual exercise programmes, to hyperthermia and fever therapies, immune system support, and specifically designed plant-derived-therapies.
Director of research at the Aeskulap Clinic in Switzerland, Prof Pfeifer is perhaps best known for developing prostate cancer and breast cancer complementary protocols.
Speaking ahead of his Keynote on Saturday 4 October, he says that whilst there has been some progress in cancer treatment overall, there still needs to be “better integration of holistic treatment approaches by mainstream oncologists”.
“Here, a lot more can be done,” he says, “I am sure that the overall outcome for our patients could be further improved this way and certainly side effects from toxic treatment modalities could be reduced.”
“Cancer today has become a disease of epidemic proportions. Based on present cancer incidence, 1 in 2 persons in Europe will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime – a tragic and shocking scenario.”
“We are all are called upon to stop this development. And camexpo 2014 provides the perfect opportunity to meet with other physicians who like myself, are striving to reduce the personal suffering of individual cancer patients, and help reduce cancer incidence in general,” he says.
Probiotics: an infectious diseases physician’s view
Antibiotics resistance is now a dangerous, “worldwide threat to public health”. That’s the verdict from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which issued its first global report into antimicrobial resistance earlier this year. Whilst it’s not a new headline – Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer for England, described the issue as “ticking time bomb” back in March 2013 – as more diseases become resistant to conventional modern medicine it’s a story that can’t be ignored.
“As a practicing front line clinician dealing with serious infection in my patients on a daily basis, I am very aware of the very real threat of emerging antibiotic resistance,” cautions Dr Vanya Gant, speaking ahead of his Symprove-sponsored session on Sunday 5 October.
“I see this only too clearly when I find patients in central London, whose TB bacteria are sometimes extremely antibiotic resistant. This makes the challenge of controlling this resurgent disease ever more difficult, with an ever decreasing medical armoury.”
A consultant of microbiology and infectious diseases, and divisional clinical director at the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, Gant has gained a strong interest in the emerging evidence that probiotic organisms can stimulate and modulate the immune system. Where probiotics have shown to be effective against diarrhoea, as a result of infection or antibiotic treatment.
“We must keep an open mind in order to find new ways forward and to reduce, whenever possible, the use of antibiotics in a range of medical situations. I look forward to presenting some recent trial findings on probiotics to the camexpo audience, who share my interest in such interventions, and the promise they hold,” he says.
Other notable new speakers at camexpo 2014 include:
• Functional exercises for ACL ligament rehab – Dr Bettina Karsten, senior lecturer at Centre for Sports Science and Human Performance at University of Greenwich
• Lifestyle, nutritional and complementary strategies after cancer: a summary of the international evidence from an oncologist perspective – Dr Robert Thomas, consultant oncologist at Bedford and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals
• Weight loss with Ayurveda: does it really work? – Dr Deepa Apte, Head of Training at the Ayurveda Pura Academy
The full camexpo Keynote seminar programme is available to view online at www.camexpo.co.uk/seminars.
To book for an entry ticket to camexpo (including admission to the show’s two Keynote Theatres, sponsored by Revital), please visit www.camexpo.co.uk/register and use priority code CMEX588 to register in advance for £7.50 before 3 October.
camexpo will take place at the new venue of Olympia, London, on 4-5 October 2014.
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Media enquiries & press pass requests to:
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Editorial representatives of relevant trade and consumer media (including freelancers) are invited to apply for press passes to camexpo by email to ejones@divcom.co.uk. Please note, additional details may be requested to verify journalistic activity and all press passes are issued at the management’s discretion.
t: +44 (0)1273 645134 e: ejones@divcom.co.uk
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camexpo enquiries to:
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t: +44 (0)1273 645119 e: info@camexpo.co.uk
Website: www.camexpo.co.uk
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International presenter, Paul Lewis, teams with dynamic therapist, Virginia Evans for continuing education event
By Maria DiDanieli
It is said that, in life, if you don’t ask for what you want, you don’t get any answers. Virginia Evans, from the Isle of Wight, had the courage to ask, and, as a result, got her answer in the form of advanced skills workshops to be given by an international presenter in September. Virginia is a single mother of three, and a complementary therapist. When she is not tending to her disabled son, she works as a therapist, and also finds the time to be the coordinator for the local therapist support group for the Isle of Wight.
What are local support groups?
Local Support Groups (LSGs) are a hub where therapists can meet and discuss issues that affect their work. The groups are a forum for practitioners, students, and in many cases, the public, to hear from speakers on various topics within the fields of complementary health care, beauty and sports therapy. They are run by members of the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) on a voluntary basis. The groups are not about selling ourselves as therapists but gaining knowledge and supporting one another.
As therapists, we must continually upgrade our skills in order to become more marketable and to meet the continuing education requirements set by our licensing boards. With this in mind, part of Virginia’s mandate within her LSG is to help her colleagues with achieving their continuing education credits while advancing the profession by holding lectures and workshops to promote advanced learning.
Paul Lewis invited to the Isle of Wight
In her own LSG on the Isle of Wight, Virginia works with what is literally a shoe-string budget. She tries her best to set up meetings and workshops, to bring together therapists so that they may learn from each other and from other knowledgeable therapists.
To this end, Virginia made contact with Paul Lewis, an international presenter and therapist who has presented workshops in the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan. He has published articles in a number of magazines and journals, has two award-winning instructional DVDs on the market and will be presenting for the fifth year at Camexpo in Great Britain. Virginia had read articles about the work Paul was doing and about the advanced treatment techniques, such as Dynamic Angular Petrissage(DAP), that he developed and utilizes when treating clients with issues related to post-surgical mastectomy, axillary web syndrome, Gillian Barre Syndrome, spinal cord injuries and sports injuries…to name a few. As a result of their communication, Virginia Evans decided to invite Paul Lewis to speak to her LSG in the Isle of Wight and, upon his acceptance, arranged for him to present two advanced workshops on September 24 and 25, 2014. In addition, on September 22nd, he will present an introduction to the clinical assessment and DAP technique that he will be teaching. He will also talk about building a practice, gathering clients and getting a business started with a small budget – or no budget at all. Virginia feels that there will be something for everyone in Paul’s presentations and looks forward to her members’ participation at this event.
The costs of continuing education
But Virginia was truly concerned about the cost of putting on an event such as this, especially for her colleagues who might plan to attend. She expressed this concern to Paul. As he is a therapist, himself, he understands the position therapists find themselves in, with respect to continuing education – they are required to complete a certain number of hours but doing so entails a formidable investment of time and money. He is, therefore, committed to keeping costs at a minimum where ever he gives a talk, thus enabling more therapists to attend and keeping the focus on the educational benefit of doing so. In order to do this, he rallies global supporters and sponsors such as Oakworks, Thumper, SigmaProcess.ca and local sponsors such as SpaVision.
The many sponsors that can be found on Paul’s webpage (www.paullewis.ca) realize how important continuing education is to the growth of the individual therapist and the industry. But Paul felt that, this time, everyone had to try a little harder to make the event happen!
“In this instance, Virginia Evans seemed truly concerned about the participation and cost to attendees,” says Lewis. “I had to try and do more than usual to help out.”
Therefore, for this event, Paul rallied his sponsors to go the extra mile. They will be offering vouchers worth 25 pounds each. (One voucher per workshop per person when registering up to 5 per workshop.) In addition, the cost for the meeting hall where Virginia’s meeting will be held on Sept 22 has been paid for. Furthermore, Camexpo organizers have given educational provider, Paul Lewis, passes to the expo to give to his workshop participants.
Paul is grateful to Virginia Evans for inviting him and to the sponsors he has partnered with. He notes, “It takes only one to plant the seed but a whole community to help it grow.”
Paul and Virginia look forward to meeting in person along with the other therapists of the LSG on the Isle of Wight in September for this enjoyable and educational event.
For list of workshops and to register visit www.paullewis.ca/events.
Allergy groups delighted at Alpro decision to drop ‘may contain’ labelling
Allergy groups have welcomed an announcement by Alpro that it will start removing ‘may contain traces of almonds and hazelnuts’ labelling from its products.
The move follows a U-turn by the company on a decision to merge production of nut-based drinks with its soya, rice and oat products. The company started applying ‘may contain’ labelling on both Alpro and Provamel lines ahead of the planned production changes.
Alpro’s announcement earlier this year attracted vociferous protests from allergy groups and consumers who set up a campaigning facebook page called ‘Save Our Soya’.
This month the company announced that it invested in a new fully segregated production facility, removing the need for ‘main contain’ labels.
Lynne Regent, CEO at leading allergy charity, The Anaphylaxis Campaign, said : “We are delighted with Alpro’s decision to amend its production lines following consultation with the Anaphylaxis Campaign, as well as with allergic consumers. We know that our members and supporters find products such as Alpro a vital life line in providing essential and safe nutrition for themselves or their allergic children. We would like to thank Alpro for taking on board the needs of allergic consumers and for setting an example to other manufacturers that listening to the needs of allergic people can produce good outcomes.”
Writing in The Grocer this week, Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, director of the freeFrom Awards, called Alpro’s decision “good news not just for those mums of nut and dairy-allergic children who campaigned so hard to make them change their minds, but for the allergen-free world in general.”
Alpro said: “We apologise for any confusion relating to the nut claim, but our intention regarding labelling has always been to keep consumers fully informed of the changes as early as possible. Now that production plans have changed, the claim is no longer necessary on soya, rice and oat drinks and our plant-based alternatives to cream and desserts. These recent decisions and measures will allow all consumers to continue to enjoy Alpro soya, rice and oat drinks and our Alpro plant-based alternatives to cream and desserts in the future.”
Severe vitamin D deficiency doubles dementia risk, study finds
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people, according to one of the biggest studies of its kind.
An international team, led by Dr David Llewellyn at the University of Exeter Medical School, found that people who were severely vitamin D deficient were more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
The team studied elderly Americans who took part in the Cardiovascular Health Study. They discovered that adults in the study who were moderately deficient in vitamin D had a 53 per cent increased risk of developing dementia of any kind, and the risk increased to 125 per cent in those who were severely deficient.
Similar results were recorded for Alzheimer’s disease, with the moderately deficient group 69 per cent more likely to develop this type of dementia, jumping to a 122 per cent increased risk for those severely deficient.
The study was part-funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, and is published in August 6 2014 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It looked at 1,658 adults aged 65 and over, who were able to walk unaided and were free from dementia, cardiovascular disease and stroke at the start of the study. The participants were then followed for six years to investigate who went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Dr Llewellyn said: “We expected to find an association between low Vitamin D levels and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but the results were surprising – we actually found that the association was twice as strong as we anticipated.
“Clinical trials are now needed to establish whether eating foods such as oily fish or taking vitamin D supplements can delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We need to be cautious at this early stage and our latest results do not demonstrate that low vitamin D levels cause dementia. That said, our findings are very encouraging, and even if a small number of people could benefit, this would have enormous public health implications given the devastating and costly nature of dementia.”
The research is the first large study to investigate the relationship between vitamin D and dementia risk where the diagnosis was made by an expert multidisciplinary team, using a wide range of information including neuroimaging. Previous research established that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to go on to experience cognitive problems, but this study confirms that this translates into a substantial increase in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Commenting on the study, Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Shedding light on risk factors for dementia is one of the most important tasks facing today’s health researchers. While earlier studies have suggested that a lack of the sunshine vitamin is linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, this study found that people with very low vitamin D levels were more than twice as likely to develop any kind of dementia.”
Time to cut the crap: Tory MP’s verdict on the junk food lobby
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston is calling for supermarkets to be banned from offering cut price deals on junk food, reports Mailonline.
Wollaston, a former GP, told the Mail that too many supermarket offers were for crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks. The big retailers’ strategy was encouraging cash-strapped shoppers to have a poor diet, she said.
She warned that voluntary agreements with big chains – like those brokered under the Coalition’s controversial Responsibility Deal – had failed to work, and that retailers should now be forced to offer discounts on fruit and vegetables.
Dr Wollaston said she intended to use her recent appointment as chair of the Health Select Committee to challenge “all the crap from the lobbying industry, big alcohol and junk food industry”.
Wollaston said that the junk food industry was unlikely to act voluntarily. “They worry about the other manufacturer down the road – the industry itself says it needs regulation”.
Viva! launches dairy-free guides
Animal charity Viva! has published two new guides about dairy-free living.
Why You Don’t Need Dairy, by Viva! founder and director Juliet Gellatley, provides readers with the low-down on milk and health as well as animal welfare and explains why Viva! believes ‘dairy-free is the way to be’.
After reading about the reasons for going dairy-free, Viva!’s second guide, Everyone’s Going Dairy-Free, is a companion guide to show people how to go about it. Written by Viva!’s expert food and cookery coordinator, Jane Easton, it is packed with recipes, shopping tips and dairy-free secrets.
Commenting on the new guides, Gellatley said: “We are very excited about the launch which is very timely given the huge rise in the numbers of people going dairy-free. It’s a great way to celebrate Viva!’s 20th anniversary year by launching these two new guides that will help people improve their health, help protect the planet and of course save animals. Dairy cows suffer intense physical and emotional hardship, and there are so many delicious alternatives to unhealthy cow’s milk products – there really isn’t any excuse to not go dairy-free and Viva! can help!”
The two guides come at the same time as a scientific report by the charity has been released. White Lies, by Dr Justine Butler, challenges the widely held belief that cow’s milk and dairy products are natural, wholesome and healthy, and provides a comprehensive review of the available science linking milk consumption and human health.
Inexperienced MEPs could nod through low MPLs, CHC warns
Consumers for Health Choice has warned that a new crop of inexperienced MEPs might be persuaded to vote in favour of very low maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for vitamins and minerals.
The grassroots consumer body has warned that a turnover of more than half of the EU Parliament in May elections could reduce access to supplements if new MEPs consider damaging arguments in favour of the harmonisation of supplements.
Figures previously obtained by CHC suggest that there is a push for very low harmonised maximum permitted levels in vitamin and mineral supplements, boosting the profit margin of big multinational supplement firms at the cost of consumer choice.
CHC, which has more than a quarter of a million supporters, has urged consumers to demand that their MEPs are briefed on the importance of the availability of high potency vitamin and mineral supplements, and how harmonisation will benefit global corporations while driving up prices and restricting choice for consumers.
CHC’s director of strategy, Chris Whitehouse said: “Consumers now have the chance to ensure that their MEP is well-informed enough to resist the lines of slick corporate lobbyists such as Food Supplements Europe. Time is of the essence here –politics resumes in Brussels in earnest in September, and if the public acts before then they have taken a great step towards preserving their choice in safe, higher-potency vitamin and mineral supplements.”
Working closely with the National Association of Health Stores, CHC is also calling on health food retailers to put pressure on their local MEP. It is providing a CHC toolkit for retailers to use, including a draft letter template, briefing information and information on where to find the name and address of their MEP.
Gluten-free beauty claims on the increase
Gluten-free credentials are increasingly finding their way into the UK beauty sector, with a 22% increase in the use of the gluten-free claims in 2013 compared with the previous year, according to a blog by Mintel’s Lucy Cornford.
With only 1% of launches specifically highlighting their gluten-free credentials on pack, she says that the potential to capitalize on gluten-free beauty product claims should not be underestimated when consumers are actively seeking those claims to integrate gluten-free products into their lifestyles.
41% of those products positioned as gluten-free in 2013 were in the skincare area, 14% were in the haircare sector, 39% colour cosmetics, 3% soap and bath products and 2% shaving products and depilatories.
But how relevant is a gluten-free tag on beauty and skincare products? Is it a necessary claim or just an over-sell on the part of manufacturers? Ingredients sometimes found in skincare products may include wheat bran, wheat starch, wheat protein, rye seed extract, barley, oat bran and wheatgerm oil, however most ingredients derived from grain sources are highly refined so that no trace of gluten proteins is retained.
And in any case, according to Coeliac UK, “gluten will only cause a problem if you eat it; it cannot be absorbed through the skin”. The organization adds that it is unlikely that someone would swallow enough lip balm or lipstick, for example, to cause a problem.
Graeme Hume, founder and MD of Pravera Ltd, distributor of the Lavera brand in the UK, says: “Although the interest in gluten-free beauty products may be slightly up, it is still the case that whether a product is free from gluten or not is irrelevant to the majority of consumers. Especially considering that even those who are allergic to gluten in food can often tolerate it in skincare formulations. Keeping in mind there is only limited space on pack, each brand has to make a decision on what information should take priority and for that reason, many natural brands – including Lavera – decide not to put any info on gluten content on the product packaging. However, in-store sales staff can verify which products are gluten-free.”
Natural skin, hair and bodycare brand Aubrey does carry a symbol on its gluten-free products, which are certified by the US Food and Drug Administration. Gianni Quaglieri, director of operations for Au Naturel, UK distributor of the range, comments: “It’s something that certain consumers are aware of, they want gluten-free and are looking for that type of mark on a product. Because they are natural products people expect certain extras as well so we’ve had to raise our game in order to satisfy curious consumers who are asking more questions.
“Some people feel that if they are gluten intolerant they don’t want to have anything to do with gluten. We’re giving them the option and offering that service if they’re looking for a gluten-free product – it’s a question of making your own mind up really.”
Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, editor of the FreeFrom Matters sites, says: “There is the question of perception. Many of those who are gluten sensitive would rather be safe than sorry, so even though the risk may be vanishingly small, they would rather not take it.”
She also believes that the issue of transparency is paramount in the area of free-from. “Since ingredients names do not always enlighten consumers greatly as to what is actually in the product, we would much rather see a gluten-confining declaration than not in the interests of transparency.”