Ritalin can lead to problems with bone health in children

Ritalin and other stimulant pharmaceuticals are often a treatment for ADHD. There has always been a concern that these stimulants may have an adverse effect on bone growth in children.

Now, an evidence based medicine study presented at the 98^th Annual Endocrine Society meeting in Boston, USA has determined that bone mineral content is lower in children who use pharmaceutical stimulants.

Therefore, any Integrative Medicine resources for treatment of ADHD children should include the monitoring of bone health and for many ADHD cases the integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies including food and nutrition advice and the incorporation of best quality vitamins and supplements will lead to improved results.

Why dried plums/prunes can help astronauts, cancer patients, radiation workers and victims of nuclear accidents

Dried plums or prunes are often lauded as effective food and nutrition advice as prunes are rich in potassium, fibre and antioxidants. Thus, regular intake of prunes may help lower your risk of chronic disease. Now a complementary medicine research study from Bone and Signaling Laboratory of NASA’s Ames Research Center has shown that consuming dried plums can protect from radiation bone loss. Radiation bone loss can occur from:

• Radiation therapy after hip replacement
• Anticancer treatment
• Victims of nuclear radiation disasters e.g. Hiroshima cohort
• Long-duration spaceflight

The study revealed that lab mice which ate prunes were protected from the bone-damaging effects of gamma ionising radiation. Gamma radiation is used to treat cancer patients. Therefore, these findings may indicate that prunes could help prevent radiation bones loss conditions and may be useful as an Integrative healthcare solutions i.e. potential best quality vitamin and nutraceutical supplements or pharmaceutical derived drug leads.

However further extensive research is required to determine the active component in dried plums that contribute to reducing bone loss, mineral density and a potential osteoprotective treatment.