Australian Volume 22 | Number 1 | Autumn 2016

Journal of the Traditional Dark Field Microscopy

Medicine of Human Blood

Society Acid Base

Balance in Health –
From Past to Present

Mindfulness
is more than a buzz word
Towards a sustainable
model of health care

CAM Use
by Poor Rural
Victorian Consumers

Brief Interventions
for Clients with Drug and
Alcohol Issues
ISSN 1326-3390

Health Fund News | New Research | Book Reviews

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 Journal of the
Australian Traditional Medicine Society

Volume 22 | Number 1

Contents
AUTUMN 2016

05 32
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE COMMEMORATION OF
B. TANNOUS SIMON SCHOT LEGACY
P.LEWIS
06
CEO’S REPORT
C. WURF

20
CAM USE BY POOR RURAL
ARTICLES VICTORIAN CONSUMERS
T. HOLMES

34
PRACTITIONER PROFILE
R. BALBI

REPORTS
07
MINDFULNESS IS MORE 36
THAN A BUZZ WORD 26 LAW REPORT
M.MARS & M. OLIVER BRIEF INTERVENTIONS FOR CLIENTS
WITH DRUG AND ALCOHOL ISSUES 39
K. ALEXANDER BOOK REVIEWS
12
ACID BASE BALANCE IN HEALTH – 42
FROM PAST TO PRESENT RECENT RESEARCH
R. ARTHUR
NEWS

46
HEALTH FUND UPDATE

47
30 HEALTH FUND NEWS
A ROLE FOR HOMOEOPATHY
IN URINARY TRACT INFECTION 56
R. MEDHURST PRODUCTS & SERVICES GUIDE
16
DARK FIELD MICROSCOPY 58
OF HUMAN BLOOD EDUCATION & TRAINING
W.G. REILLY

JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 3

 The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society Limited (ATMS) was
incorporated in 1984 as a company limited by guarantee ABN 46 002
844 233.

ATMS HAS THREE CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Accredited member
Associate member
Student membership (free)
MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL ENQUIRIES
ATMS, PO Box 1027 Meadowbank NSW 2114
Tel: 1800 456 855 Fax: (02) 9809 7570
info@atms.com.au
www.atms.com.au
PRESIDENT
Betty Tannous | betty.tannous@atms.com.au
VICE PRESIDENTS
Stephen Eddey | stephen.eddey@atms.com.au
Peter Berryman | peter.berryman@atms.com.au
TREASURER
Christine Pope | christine.pope@atms.com.au
DIRECTORS
Antoinette Balnave | antoinette.balnave@atms.com.au
Sandra Grace | sandra.grace@atms.com.au
Robert Medhurst | robert.medhurst@atms.com.au
Alexandra Middleton | alexandra.middleton@atms.com.au
Greg Morling | greg.morling@atms.com.au
Maggie Sands | maggie.sands@atms.com.au
Jesse Sleeman | jesse.sleeman@atms.com.au
Daniel Zhang | daniel.zhang@atms.com.au
LIFE MEMBERS
Dorothy Hall* - bestowed 11/08/1989
Simon Schot* - bestowed 11/08/1989
Alan Jones* - bestowed 21/09/1990
Catherine McEwan - bestowed 09/12/1994
Garnet Skinner - bestowed 09/12/1994
Phillip Turner - bestowed 16/06/1995
Nancy Evelyn - bestowed 20/09/1997
Leonie Cains - bestowed 20/09/1997
Peter Derig* - bestowed 09/04/1999
Sandi Rogers - bestowed 09/04/1999
Maggie Sands - bestowed 09/04/1999
Freida Bielik - bestowed 09/04/1999
Marie Fawcett - bestowed 09/04/1999
Roma Turner - bestowed 18/09/1999
Bill Pearson - bestowed 07/08/2009
* deceased
HALL OF FAME
Dorothy Hall - inducted 17/09/2011
Marcus Blackmore - inducted 17/09/2011
Peter Derig - inducted 17/09/2011
Denis Stewart - inducted 23/09/2012
Garnet Skinner - inducted 22/09/2013
Simon Schot - inducted 10/12/2015

ATMS JOURNAL EDITORS

ADVERTISING SALES
Editor: Sandra Grace
Yuri Mamistvalov - Portside Media
Assistant Editor: Stephen Clarke Tel: 0419 339 865
www.portsidemedia.com.au

PEER REVIEWERS GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Manuela Boyle Robert Medhurst Annette Epifanidis - Uber Creative
Tel: 0416 087 412
Patrick de Permentier Bill Pearson
www.ubercreative.com.au
Stephen Eddey Wayne Reilly
Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in this
Thomas Harris Ann Vlass journal are those of each author. Advertisements are solely for
Brad McEwen Daniel Zhang general information and not necessarily endorsed by ATMS.

4 | vol22 no1 | JATMS

President’s
Report
Betty Tannous | ATMS President
Welcome to the first issue of the Journal
for 2016. The Board are back, refreshed
after the holiday break, ready to
continue the work of our strategic plan.
We ended 2015 on a positive note with
the new CEO, Charles Wurf, taking the
reins just prior to the ATMS AGM day.
Thank you to over 200 members who
attended and we look forward to seeing
you all at the next. It was a worthwhile
day for many members. The theme of
our presentations was skin. Patrick De
Permentier started the day by reminding
us of the anatomy of the largest organ in
the body and continued by explaining
what could go wrong with it. Brad
McEwen followed up with nutritional
advice to keep the skin healthy and
Denis Stewart finished the day by adding
his own gems with regard to herbal
medicine treatment of the skin.
The end of the year also signalled the
removal of the Advanced Diplomas of
Naturopathy, Western Herbal Medicine,
Nutritional Medicine and Homoeopathy
from the Health Training Package.
The potential of this change cannot be
underestimated. It is a reminder to all
members to ensure that they keep their
membership up to date. This includes
renewing your membership by the
due date, keeping your Professional
Indemnity Insurance and First Aid
certificate current and completing your
continuing education points. I cannot
stress enough the importance of keeping
these current, not only to maintain
your membership with this professional
association, but also to continue to
receive health fund rebates for your
clients. The ATMS Board and CEO will
be heavily involved with education
decision-makers and key stakeholders for
reform of education in our sector.
We will also be increasing our focus
on the five key strategic agendas. A
working group, headed by our CEO,
Charles Wurf, has been set up to further
enhance ATMS’s relationships with the
Health Funds. The Executive Directors
of ATMS are in communication with
the Executive Directors of the other
associations within our sector. The
calendar of events for the first half of
the year is available on the website. The
CEO and Directors are participating in
meetings and seminars with external
committees and government officials to
raise the profile of natural medicine, and
our PR and marketing campaigns are in
full swing.
Make sure you check out the CPE
events and review any gaps you have
in your professional development and
choose an event that meets those needs.
Also, if you are not already one of our
connections on LinkedIn, if you haven’t
‘liked’ us on Facebook, or followed us
on Twitter, please do so. Keep your eye
out for the Wise-n-Well during the year
that will keep you up to date with all the
marketing and PR campaigns that will be
happening this year.
Phase 1 of the Website and Database
is completed and the new format has
been well received. Phase 2 will be
implemented in the next three months
with enhancements to the Find a
Practitioner section and the member
site. I would like to thank our members
for their patience and we will certainly
keep you updated on our progress.
If you have not transferred your
insurance to the ATMS preferred insurer
GSA, now is the time as they have a great
offer for our members - 14 months for
the price of 12. Check out their ad in
this journal and make the change.
The ATMS Board of Directors take
seriously their role in representing
our members and advocating for our
professions. We are committed to the
strategy for the next two years and are
focussed on meeting the agendas set.
I am looking forward to a year filled with
positive outcomes for our members.
Betty Tannous
President
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 5
 CEO’s
Report
Charles Wurf | ATMS CEO
Thank you for the
encouraging welcome!
Thank you to members of ATMS for the
warm and encouraging welcome that I
have received since commencing in mid-
November.
There are challenges aplenty for ATMS and
individual practitioners at this time, and
with those challenges come wonderful
opportunities for natural medicine in the
years ahead. There is a solid plan in place
to position ATMS and its members as the
leaders of the natural medicine industry.
This is a vision and an outcome that I am
inspired by, and I look forward to working
with the Board and members as we
realise this ambition and confirm natural
medicine as a natural partner of choice for
the health and wellness of all Australians.
Advocacy and Standards
At its core the strategic plan of ATMS
includes a solid operational plan to
focus on advocacy for members based
on our professional standards. For ATMS
to succeed, it must stand on the solid
foundation of the professional standards
of our practitioners, and this is a key
operational workload of ATMS.
In our relationships with the key
stakeholders who regulate or fund or
critique our industry, the key to our
advocacy is to set, monitor and enforce
the professional standards of accredited
members, across all modalities. This
includes great attention to detail in
the educational standards of existing
accredited members and the colleges
6 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
and universities providing training to
future practitioners.
The ongoing success and growth
of natural medicine will attract the
attention and potential scrutiny of
government and health funds as the
overall size of consumer spending
continues to increase – this is
the opportunity for constructive
engagement with government and
funding agencies to cement natural
medicine as a natural partner of choice.
A key component of supporting
practitioners is to sustain and expand
the research base underpinning practice
– and the Journal will continue to
support this essential task.
Internal auditing of accreditation
A key commitment of ATMS accredited
practitioners is to accept the professional
obligation to regularly update clinical
skills and professional knowledge.
This commitment is reflected in the
ATMS Continuing Education Policy,
requiring that Accredited Members must
accumulate 20 CPE points per annum,
commencing and ending in the financial
year (1 July to 30 June).
The Policy notes for all members:
The ATMS CPE Policy is designed
to ensure its accredited members
regularly update their clinical skills
and professional knowledge. One of
the chief roles of CPE is to bridge the
gap between the skills and knowledge
gained as a student, and the skills and
knowledge actually required in clinical
practice.
The accrual of 20 CPE points is essential
to maintain accredited status with ATMS,
and is also an essential requirement to
remain recognised with health funds.
As part of the maturing relationship
with the health funds, ATMS conducts
an internal sample audit of our CPE
program with Accredited Members and
will do so again from 1 March. Our
sample audit process randomly selects
5% of the total Accredited Members,
and we track compliance with evidence
of successful completion of the 20
CPE points. This audit assists ATMS
to fulfil our contractual obligations
with the health funds, and assists us
in our ongoing advocacy on behalf of
Accredited Members.
We look forward to working with the
selected members on the successful
completion of the sample audit, on
behalf of all members of ATMS.
Supporting members in practice
I look forward to working with the
Board and staff at ATMS through
2016, as we continue to focus on the
operational aspects of our Strategic
Plan, all designed to sustain and support
Members in their practice of natural
medicine.
Charles Wurf
CEO
 ARTICLE

Mindfulness
is more than
a buzz word:
Towards a sustainable
model of health care
Dr Michelle Mars PhD, MPhil | GradDipSocSci, BBS, Senior Lecturer Endeavour College of Natural Health

Meeghan Oliver | GradDipAppSci LIM, BA, Librarian Endeavour College of Natural Health

Abstract
In this article the health benefits of mindfulness in the workplace, in education, and in the practice of natural
medicine are discussed. With reference to recent literature, mindfulness is located as a self-development tool in
the context of a rapidly changing and increasingly complex social environment. Mindfulness is a much used and
little understood concept. The discussion begins with a definition placing mindfulness in a contemporary health
context, leading into an examination of its workplace and educational applications and its potential benefits for
the sustainability of the health care system. The discussion is informed by the authors’ experience of working in
a College of Natural Health where weaving together the philosophy and practice of mindfulness is part of our
strategic plan.

Introduction the creation of a satisfying life filled with meaning, pleasure,

Mindfulness: we hear the word often but do we know what it
means? Most of us would recognise mindfulness as a potential
tool for self-development, and while self-development is not
a new phenomenon best practice strategies have certainly
changed. In the past few decades our understandings have
moved beyond behaviourism and self-management strategies,
stress management and time management to deeper
understandings of the human psyche. Spirituality is no longer
intrinsically linked to religion, and spiritual experience is
understood to be a key to wellbeing. Over the same time span
psychological understandings have progressed from analysis
of personal history to an emphasis on making change in the
here and now. Positive psychology shifts the focus from
what is clinically wrong to the promotion of wellbeing and
engagement, positive relationships and accomplishment.1 It is
about being more aware of ourselves, our capacity for gratitude,
how we interact with others and being in the here and now,
and yes, mindfulness. In this article we discuss the benefits of
mindfulness in the health care environment with particular
reference to the workplace, education, and the practice of
natural medicine.
The demographic ratio is changing in Australia. Between
2004 and 2014 the percentage of the population aged over
85 years increased by 150% and that of those aged 50-70 by
approximately 75%.2 This trend will continue to accelerate in
the short and medium term before declining. There will be
fewer young people to care for an ageing population and at

JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 7

 ARTICLE
the same time ageing and life style trends mean that chronic
illness will increase. The burden of chronic disease threatens
to overwhelm the health budget, the capacity of health services
and the health workforce.3 We will see increasing pressure on
the health care system and those who work in it. A sustainable
health care system requires individual and systemic change. In
this article we argue that mindfulness practice has a part to play
in the creation of a sustainable health care system.
Definition of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the art of paying attention to the present moment
with intention, openness and curiosity, and without judgment
– there is no good and there is no bad. It is a willingness to
accept what is. It is experiencing each moment as it unfolds in
its purest form without judgment and without colouring it with
our own biases and perceptions – it’s letting go of past regrets
and the worries of what the future might bring. It is learning
the practice of being in the present moment, consciously being
aware, and giving our full, focused attention without judging.
The benefits are profound. With regular practice, mindfulness
is a powerful tool that can help you improve your overall well-
being.4
Mindfulness is more than a buzz word. It can be understood
as a practice, a mental state, or a personal trait.5 As a practice
it is distinct from meditation. In the Buddhist tradition
mindfulness and meditation are two distinct limbs of the eight-
fold path and anyone who has practised both can testify to
the difference. However, the amount of time living mindfully
can be increased by meditation practice. Mindfulness may
be, but is not necessarily, a religious or spiritual practice.6 As
a mental state there is receptive and open attention to present
moment experience and awareness of bodily sensations and
mental states.7 As a trait it naturally varies in dispositional
manner8 and is characterised by increased capacity in the brain
to regulate, learn and return to more positive mental states.9
Put simply, the evidence suggests that mindfulness practice
increases our openness to the present moment and over time
the neuroplasticity of the brain allows those who practise it to
interact more mindfully with others.
Mindfulness is a relatively new player in the western medical
and psychological literature however, and over the past three
decades its popularity and a corresponding body of empirical
evidence has continued to grow. Over the past 15 years
mindfulness has moved from the margins to the mainstream
and more recently GPs in the UK have begun prescribing
mindfulness meditation for a host of physical and mental ills.10
Mindfulness is a technique often used by natural health care
practitioners. It is a practice that has the potential to effect
change in people’s ways of being in the world. In this article
we argue the need to embed mindfulness practice throughout
the natural health care environment, from the workplace to
8 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
teaching, to practice, and in leadership training. Mindfulness is
now mainstream in the corporate world and the benefits of its
practice are readily observable.
Mindfulness in the workplace
Corporate Australia continues to embrace mindfulness, with
new techniques constantly emerging. Hewlett-Packard Co. and
GlaxoSmithKline PLC set up laughter yoga clubs in the early
2000’s and IBM Australia and New Zealand were early adopters
of programs teaching staff about mindfulness, meditation,
clarity of thought and focus.11,12
Mindfulness practice has been linked to emotional intelligence,
productivity and innovation. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs
introduced a 30-minute ‘meditate at work’ routine, providing
classes on meditation and yoga on-site. Google has been working
hard to bring meditation into the workplace. One of Google’s
original software engineers and now head of personal growth,
Chade-Meng Tan, spearheaded a program at Google in 2007
called ‘Search Inside Yourself’, which has helped more than 500
employees learn how to breathe mindfully, listen to their co-
workers, and improve their emotional intelligence.13
It’s not just the tech giants who are embracing the mindfulness
trend. In 2012 management firm McKinsey & Co. started
embracing meditation as part of their HR strategy aimed at
keeping employees happy and healthy, developing meditation
and self-analysis programs not only for their own employees
but for other multi-million dollar corporations as well. In one
case, a meditation program developed by McKinsey for an
Australian client saved the business more than $20 million.14
The program, designed to help staff find meaning in their work,
helped stem the attrition of customers who were picking up
‘bad vibes’ from the company staff.15
Mindfulness can be cultivated through formal meditation.
However, formal meditation encompasses a range of practice:
‘it’s not really about sitting in the full lotus, like pretending
you’re a statue in a British museum … it’s about living your
life as if it really mattered, moment by moment by moment
by moment’.16 Mindfulness can be cultivated through simply
changing the focus of attention. Some simple practical
suggestions include:
• Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you’re
feeling intense emotions
• Notice - really notice - what you’re sensing in a given moment,
the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without
reaching your conscious awareness
• Recognize that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and
do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative
thought patterns
• Tune into your body’s physical sensations, from the water
hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body rests in
your office chair.17
Mindfulness practice is a form of personal development. Making
this part of a corporate strategy enables the development of
a mindful corporate culture. At the College we extend this
practice to the classroom, enabling student learning and
developing future practice skills.
Mindfulness in natural health education
Beyond the corporate work environment mindfulness practice
can also improve educational outcomes. The calm stability
fostered by mindfulness practice positively affects cognitive
functions like attention and working memory, leading toward
understanding and wisdom.18
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly used in classrooms
around the world as a tool to improve student wellbeing and
enhance academic performance.19 A wide variety of mindfulness
techniques has been put into practice across disciplines from
architecture and economics to poetry and law. Mindfulness
complements traditional third-person learning, encouraging
critical analysis, the ability to observe at a distance, emotional
intelligence and the cultivation of compassionate connection with
the perspectives of others.18
Not only does mindfulness practice enhance ability to learn,
but it also improves abilities that are vital to good practice in
natural health settings, such as listening skills. In a recent study20
students were challenged to pay attention to and unlearn bad
habits, such as multi-tasking, that inhibit deep listening. This
moves learning beyond a set of cognitive skills learned in the
classroom to a place where students were motivated to change
based on their own expanded awareness.
Mindfulness practice has proven educational benefits in terms of
more productive and stable work environments. Its potential also
extends to innovative leadership and ultimately the sustainability
of health care in Australia.
Mindfulness in the health care workplace,
innovative leadership and sustainability

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Australia fares well across a range of OECD health statistics, with
high life expectancy, lower than average health care expenditure
and good levels of self-reported health.21 However, we are aware
that the current system will not be sustainable in the future
and that the future health care workplace is likely to be a high
pressure environment. Mindfulness measures have been proven
to reduce stress and promote positive leadership, wellbeing and
resilience.5,7,9,11,17 The theory is that if staff are trained to recognise
signs of stress, anxiety and mental illness, mindfulness techniques
can help overcome these issues and promote an overall positive
experience.
How do we enable our health workforce in the face of coming
scenarios? Research suggests that innovative leadership
requires the development of higher order cognitive skills and
habits of reflection, mindfulness and self-correction.22 In a
report on Leadership for the Sustainability of the Australian
Healthcare System mindfulness is identified as an element of
transformational learning.23 However, experts suggests that
much of the multi¬million dollar expenditure on traditional
organisational and leadership programs is wasted because
people are not taught to concentrate.24 Paying attention,
concentrating on work and having clear thoughts are obviously
beneficial; the more people focus on their work the more they
can achieve. That includes people responding productively in
meetings rather than allowing their minds to wander.
While there will always be a call for higher methodological
quality, strong biomedical and traditional evidence to support
mindfulness exists.10 A study led by Davidson and Kabat –
Zinn in the US measured brain activity in workers and found
that undertaking eight weeks of mindfulness meditation, was
associated with their immune systems coping better with the
influenza vaccine than those of subjects who had not practised
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JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 9
 ARTICLE
mindfulness meditation . It has been proved time and again
that mindfulness meditation and stress reduction improve
wellbeing.16
The population is ageing and at the same time obesity and a
host of lifestyle-related chronic diseases are on the rise. One
of the simplest and most effective changes we can make as
a population toward future sustainability of health care is to
make wiser choices about our health and live healthier lives.
But to facilitate change at the level of the individual systemic,
cultural, and institutional change is required. This is where
mindfulness practice, embedded throughout the health care
environment from education to the workplace, to leadership
and to practice has the potential to initiate change. Mindfulness
can be understood as a vital component in the drive towards
health care reform as it promotes lifestyle change, ‘leveraging
the body’s innate capacity to heal itself’, and may indeed be
‘the key to creating a sustainable healthcare system for the 21st
century’.25
Conclusion
Years of working in the health professions makes one weary of
the latest buzz words. Is mindfulness just a sticking plaster when
what we need is trauma counselling to deal with the savagery of
life from the playground to corporate life? Perhaps the answer
to that question is yes, but nonetheless mindfulness works
and it doesn’t need to be complicated. The old adage ‘take a
breath’ is a good clue to the fact that we know a pause, a breath
and a moment or two of silence can make a huge difference
to our perception of something. Introducing mindfulness
practice to students, embedding it in workplace practice and
training leaders in mindfulness practice has the potential to
engender a shift inside and outside the health care workplace.
Mindfulness has hit the mainstream and it works. It opens up
real possibilities for sustainability and change and we ignore it at
our peril.
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big-companies-that-promote-employee-meditation/
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and dharma. Contemp Buddhism. 2011;12(1):1–18.
17. Kabat-Zinn J. How can mindfulness change your life. YouTube. 2015.
18. Bush M. Mindfulness in higher education. Contemp Buddhism.
2011;12(1):183–97.
19. Ricci C. Mindfulness very gently moving around the world’s classrooms.
The Age. 2015;
20. Goh ECL. Integrating Mindfulness and Reflection in the Teaching and
Learning of Listening Skills for Undergraduate Social Work Students in
Singapore. 2012;31(5):587–604.
21. OECD. How does Australia compare ? 2014;2012–4.
22. Levy L, Carrol B. Aspiring to lead: hard-wired to manage. Univ Auckl Bus
Sch Rev. 2008;10(2):17–21.
23. Health Workforce Australia. Leadership for the Sustainability of the Health
System. Part 1 - A Lit Rev. 2012;1–89.
24. Edwards V. Mindfulness: bringing your head and your heart into
the office. The Australian [Internet]. Adelaide; 2015 Oct 10; Available
from: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mindfulness-
bringing-your-head-and-your-heart-into-the-office/news-story/
ede950691a0d2c3f32446e218391e305
25. McCabe Ruff K, Mackenzie ER. The Role of Mindfulness in Healthcare
Reform: A Policy Paper. Explor J Sci Heal [Internet]. Elsevier Inc.;
2009;5(6):313–23, pp.321 . Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.
explore.2009.10.002
Tai Chi and Qigong in Risdon Prison, Hobart
In 2014 Risdon Prison minimum security
in Hobart introduced Health Expos for
male prisoners and I was invited to hold
a Tai Chi workshop. This was repeated
in 2015. During these Expos many
inmates approached me to enquire as
to the benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong
but also asked me whether I would
be interested in going to the prison to
regularly conduct classes. The number
of men enquiring grew and I told them
that I would start the process of trying to
obtain permission to work with them in
Risdon.
Late last year the classes started and
it was soon very obvious that the area
designated for us to conduct the classes
wasn’t going to be large enough so
another area was found which gave us
the freedom to perform Tai Chi and
Qigong.
I am concentrating on two different areas
during the sessions:
1. Yang Style Long Form 108 Tai Chi.
This is one of the oldest forms of Tai
Chi. I had notes of the entire form
written up and these were printed at
the prison and the participants now
have copies with many spares left over
for newcomers. I also donated an early
video I made of the Yang Style 108
which I gave to the participants.
2. Health Qigong. Qigong preceded
Tai Chi by many years and this form
concentrates on a style which mainly
focuses on balance, physical and
emotional stability, pain reduction,
support, trust and many other areas.
The men have taken to the classes with
great enthusiasm and contributed the
comments shown below to a report I
wrote when the classes finished for 2015.
“For physical, spiritual and mental
health. Promotes a sense of peace
beyond the session. Really good for
physical balance and a sense of
wellbeing to the whole body. Improves
the suppleness of the joints and overall
flexibility. A very important activity
in the negative and often difficult
environment of the prison.”
“I really enjoy Tai Chi and find it very
relaxing. It has also helped with my
chronic shoulder pain. I have also
noticed a pacifying effect on myself and
others on the course. It seems to have
an overall beneficial effect on the whole
body."
I am hoping that the prison authorities
agree to continue the classes indefinitely
and as I wrote this story (early 2016)
discussions and negotiations were
continuing.
Bill Pearson Dip.TCM
Life Member ATMS, Principal Jian Shen
School of Tai

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strategic plan.

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4. be a financial member of ATMS

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Please direct enquiries to

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 ARTICLE
Acid Base
Balance in Health –
From Past to Present
Rachel Arthur | BHSc BNat (Hons)
Abstract
Much has been made of the
mismatch between our modern diet
and our stone age genes. However,
recurrent attempts to recreate the
Paleo Diet in a time and food context
which bears little resemblance to that
era appear fraught with problems
and potential unintended outcomes.
Perhaps there is an argument instead
to consume a diet that attempts to
align as closely as possible with the
actual nutritional composition and
subsequent physiological norms
characteristic of Paleolithic diets
generally. One of the most consistent
scientific findings in this regard is
the alkaline nature of most pre-
agricultural diets compared with the
acid-producing modern diet. The
eating behaviours and food choices
that produced an alkaline dietary
load historically have been clearly
articulated, and current research
in this area suggests that the cost
of a chronic dietary acid load is
substantial and may be implicated in
the aetiology of many chronic health
conditions. Therefore it is arguable
that a more meaningful objective of
modern dietary approaches would
be to ensure a net alkaline yield.
12 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
M
uch has been made of the
mismatch between our modern
diet and our stone age genes
which has resulted in a significant
amount of attention being awarded
to recreating a modern version of the
Paleo Diet. Our current food, health
and environmental contexts, however,
bear little resemblance to the Paleolithic
era and therefore modern attempts at
imitation appear fraught with problems
and potential unintended outcomes.
Perhaps there is an argument instead
to consume a diet that aligns as closely
as possible with the actual nutritional
composition and subsequent physiological
norms characteristic of Paleolithic diets
generally. One of the most consistent
scientific findings in this regard is the
alkaline nature of most pre-agricultural
diets compared with the acid-producing
modern diet.
Personally I don’t subscribe to the
currently popularised notion of the Paleo
Diet. The Paleo Diet purports to emulate
a diet eaten by our ancestors, in spite of
Pre-agricultural Diets
85% Alkaline
Alkaline mineral rich plants:
↑ Potassium
↑ Magnesium
↑ Calcium
↑ HCO
Moderate Protein
 a complete lack of congruency in terms
of food availability, quantity and quality.
For example, wild boar that we had
Alkaline to hunt ourselves can hardly compare
nutritionally with the highly preserved
slice of bacon picked up from the deli,
the result of high intensity farming and
synthetic feed, antibiotics etc. The Paleo
Diet is vulnerable to dangerous over-
simplification and misinterpretation.1, 2
Perhaps, given the differences between
the food choices, levels of physical
activity and environments of the two
eras, the initial error lies in the myth
that there was a ‘one size fits all’ diet
consumed during the Upper Paleolithic
period, which spanned approximately 2.6
million years. This of course has been
shown to be incorrect, the diets of Homo
Sapiens during this era being profoundly
Neutral influenced by geography, season and
specific features of the period.2, 3
While I feel an attempt to turn back
dietary time to a bygone era is essentially
impossible for modern man and unlikely
to reap the benefits we anticipate, I am
compelled by the notion that instead
we should find a diet in the modern
food-setting that attempts to provide
as much as possible the nutritional
composition and subsequent physiological
norms characteristic of pre-agricultural
diets. On this topic, there has been
and continues to be extensive high
quality scientific research published.
I clearly recall the first paper I ever
read of this type over ten years ago,
Acid Paleolithic vs. modern diets--selected
pathophysiological implications,4 which
Standard Australian Diet (SAD)
Primarily acid-forming
Low alkaline minerals:
↑ Sodium
↑ Chloride
↓ Vegetable intake
↑ Protein
↑ EDNP (energy-dense, nutrient-poor)
struck me most of all because of its bold
claim that what we consider ‘normal’ or
‘healthy’ in the contemporary medical
context, in terms of blood pressure, fasting
glucose etc., is in fact a distortion caused
by modern diet: its reversed sodium to
potassium intake ratio and other dramatic
nutritional disparities. While perhaps this
seems a very straightforward assertion, for
me it had a big impact and a light went on
somewhere in my brain that I haven’t been
able to switch off since!
Many people have articulated this
argument eloquently: ‘From an
evolutionary nutritional perspective,
contemporary humans are Stone Agers
habitually ingesting a diet discordant with
their genetically determined metabolic
machinery and integrated organ
physiology’.5 One tangible example takes
the perspective of the kidneys, whose
function is thought to be adapted and
well suited to our traditional diet, which
was characterised by intermittent high
potassium intake along with other anions
(bicarbonate, magnesium, calcium),
thanks to the consumption of fruits and
berries with negligible intake of sodium
and chloride. As a result, our kidneys
are single-mindedly geared towards renal
conservation of sodium and elimination
of potassium.6 So what happens when
our diet has changed so radically but our
kidneys remain the same? This has been
coined the ‘diet-kidney mismatch’ by
some.5
The physiological norms of pre-
agricultural Homo Sapiens have been
determined by detailed analyses of
hundreds of documented Paleolithic
diets and have produced a surprising
level of consensus among researchers.
In particular the majority agree that the
net endogenous acid production (NEAP),
also referred to as the net acid dietary
load, of most pre-agricultural diets (85%)
was alkaline with an average NEAP of
82mEq/d.7 While the degree of alkalinity
varied significantly across the various
Paleolithic diets, this still contrasts
starkly with the standard American diet
(SAD), which has been consistently
shown to be net acid-producing.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 13
 ARTICLE
In simple terms this is thought to be
the result of: 1) reduced bicarbonate
consumption due to lower fruit and
vegetable intake2, 3, 5; 2) the reversed ratio of
sodium to potassium intake that has seen
our average daily sodium exposure increase
by a factor of ten and our potassium intake
reduced by 75% 3, 5, 8; along with 3) the
enormous increase in chloride intake3; and
finally 4) the large dietary contribution
from ‘energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods’
(e.g., separated fats, refined sugars, and
vegetable oils), which have no capacity
to buffer the net acid producing foods of
the modern diet, such as meat, dairy and
grains.7
Interestingly, one study found that those
few pre-agricultural diets that were
net acid-producing were consumed by
populations living at higher latitudes (e.g.
> 40◦).2 Ethnographic data tells us that
while the contribution of hunted animal
foods remains relatively constant across
latitudes, plant food intake notably declines
and fished animal food typically replaces
hunted animal food with increasing
latitude. Effectively, these diets had a higher
animal to plant food ratio.
Some advocates of the current Paleo Diet
acknowledge the need to be mindful
of acid-base balance in theory, yet the
example diets and actual execution of the
Paleo Diet principles appear do little to
ensure that a net alkaline diet is achieved
(http://thepaleodiet.com/what-to-eat-on-
the-paleo-diet/). Even modern popularised
‘alkalising diets’ can unfortunately lead
us astray, with consumers exposed to
conflicting and inaccurate messages about
how to ‘alkalise’, from simply drinking
alkaline water to removing all grains,
avoiding refined sugars and abstaining from
perfectly alkaline producing vegetables
such as the ‘deadly’ (sic) nightshades!
Some researchers have attempted to
scientifically answer the question of
how modern diet could be changed to
restore an alkaline NEAP and conclude
that the substitution of ‘greens for grains’,
as frequently put forward by Paleo and
alkaline proponents alike, would fail to
resolve the issue.7
14 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
WHAT DO WE RISK IF WE DON’T SOLVE THIS MODERN DIET
MALADY OF ACIDITY? AT A POPULATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
LEVEL, THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE OF A BROAD MULTI-
SYSTEM BURDEN SECONDARY TO THE ‘CHRONIC MILD METABOLIC
ACIDOSIS’ PRODUCED FROM A NET ACID-PRODUCING DIET,
NEGATIVELY AFFECTING THE RENAL, IMMUNE, ADRENAL AND
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEMS.
What do we risk if we don’t solve this nutrients, pesticides) the plant will need.
modern diet malady of acidity? At a Similarly, in nutritional practice, if we fail
population and public health level, to address the ‘soil’ of our clients, then
there is increasing evidence of a broad our prescriptions risk being superficial
multi-system burden secondary to and so tend to become longer and longer
the ‘chronic mild metabolic acidosis’ lists of supplements and interventions, in
produced from a net acid-producing diet, response to which the patient manages to
negatively affecting the renal, immune, keep their head above water, but not to
adrenal and musculoskeletal systems.2, swim unaided. A relatively simple analogy
5, 9-11
Consequently there is significant I use with my clients is this: when we
speculation about the potential causative consume an acid-producing diet long-term,
role chronic mild metabolic acidosis it’s like having a leaking tap in your house,
and an acid-producing diet may play in a not just creating a constant drain on your
range of chronic diseases that dominate overall water levels but also on many of
our modern medical landscape, such as your nutrients (all the alkaline minerals
diabetes type 2, renal impairment and K, Ca, Mg), your endocrine system, your
osteoporosis.12-14, However, more research immune system and finally your wallet!)
is needed to establish causality and clarify We could run around and top you up
the full magnitude of its contribution. again with these nutrients, address each
consequence individually, or … we could
Closer to home, working in integrative fix the leaking tap!
nutrition for over 20 years, I know that
best patient outcomes typically are the Is acid base balance an important
result of identifying and addressing determinant of the health of ‘human
the underpinning determinants of soil’, in addition to other well recognised
health and disease and, in particular, of contributors such as adequate sleep,
individuals’ nutritional imbalances. In emotional wellbeing, sufficient hydration,
human nutrition we can draw parallels eubiosis and adequate sun exposure?
with agriculture: the more we attend to It is my opinion, both from a research
the overall health of the soil, the fewer and clinical perspective, that it is. That
direct interventions (fertilisers, added light that I can’t switch off in my brain
 since I read that Eaton & Eaton paper ten
years ago tells me that the physiological
norms scientifically demonstrated to be
true of our ancestors do have something
essential to teach us about what we should
aspire to in terms of our food choices and
nutritional intake today, and achieving an
alkaline NEAP is central to this.
REFERENCES
1. Turner BL, Thompson AL. Beyond the
Paleolithic prescription: incorporating
diversity and flexibility in the study of human
diet evolution. Nutr Rev. 2013;71(8):501-10.
2. Strohle A, Hahn A, Sebastian A. Latitude, local
ecology, and hunter-gatherer dietary acid
load: implications from evolutionary ecology.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92(4):940-5.
3. Eaton SB, Konner MJ, Cordain L. Diet-
dependent acid load, Paleolithic [corrected]
nutrition, and evolutionary health promotion.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91(2):295-7.
4. Eaton SB, Eaton SB, 3rd. Paleolithic vs.
modern diets--selected pathophysiological
implications. Eur J Nutr. 2000;39(2):67-70.
Active
Comprehensive Alkalising Formula
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1 Acid-alkaline balance*
2 Improves stress response
3 Bone mineral density
4 Detoxification* and liver health
5 Energy production
*Claims based on a dosage of 10g twice daily
For more information on Basica Active and Acid/
Base Balance contact Bio-Practica 1300 551 077.
5. Frassetto L, Morris RC, Jr., Sellmeyer DE,
Todd K, Sebastian A. Diet, evolution and
aging--the pathophysiologic effects of the
post-agricultural inversion of the potassium-
to-sodium and base-to-chloride ratios in the
human diet. Eur J Nutr. 2001;40(5):200-13.
6. Kamel KS, Schreiber M, Halperin ML.
Integration of the response to a dietary
potassium load: a paleolithic perspective.
Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official
publication of the European Dialysis and
Transplant Association - European Renal
Association. 2014;29(5):982-9.
7. Sebastian A, Frassetto LA, Sellmeyer DE,
Merriam RL, Morris RC, Jr. Estimation of
the net acid load of the diet of ancestral
preagricultural Homo sapiens and
their hominid ancestors. Am J Clin Nutr.
2002;76(6):1308-16.
Basica
8. Sebastian A, Frassetto LA, Sellmeyer DE, Morris
RC, Jr. The evolution-informed optimal dietary
potassium intake of human beings greatly
exceeds current and recommended intakes.
Semin Nephrol. 2006;26(6):447-53.
Based on the original formulations of the world renowned
Acid-alkaline nutritional expert, Dr Ragner Berg.
9. Wiederkehr M, Krapf R. Metabolic and
endocrine effects of metabolic acidosis in
humans. Swiss Med Wkly. 2001;131(9-10):127-
32.
10. Bushinsky DA. Acid-base imbalance and the
skeleton. Eur J Nutr. 2001;40(5):238-44.
11. Chan R, Leung J, Woo J. Association Between
Estimated Net Endogenous Acid Production
and Subsequent Decline in Muscle Mass
Over Four Years in Ambulatory Older
Chinese People in Hong Kong: A Prospective
Cohort Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
2015;70(7):905-11.
12. Jew S, AbuMweis SS, Jones PJ. Evolution of
the human diet: linking our ancestral diet
to modern functional foods as a means
of chronic disease prevention. Journal of
medicinal food. 2009;12(5):925-34.
13. Lindeberg S. Paleolithic diets as a model for
prevention and treatment of Western disease.
Am J Hum Biol. 2012;24(2):110-5.
®
14. Cordain L, Eaton SB, Miller JB, Mann N, Hill K.
The paradoxical nature of hunter-gatherer
diets: meat-based, yet non-atherogenic. Eur J
Clin Nutr. 2002;56 Suppl 1:S42-52.
Bio-Practica
www.biopractica.com.au
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mineral citrates and is:
Gluten and wheat free
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Vegan formula
No added sugar, naturally
sweetened with Stevia
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References available upon request
 ARTICLE
Dark Field
Microscopy
of Human Blood:
The history of dark field microscopy
in human blood analysis.
Wayne G Reilly | BSc, MSc (Hons) Biochemistry,
Diploma Health Science (Western Herbal
Medicine, Diploma Clinical Nutrition, Certificate
of Pathology.
In 1916, Dr Gunter Enderlein began his
investigations of human blood under the
microscope using phase contrast and
dark field microscopy. These methods
enabled him to observe both stained
dried blood and live blood preparations
from healthy and sick animals and
humans. His investigations identified
numerous morphological objects in the
blood that he correlated to illnesses.
As he was a proponent of biological
pleomorphism he developed a theory of
disease and a terminology that described
his observations in his live blood samples.
Terms such as protits, symprotits,
makrosymprotits and spermite were used
to described objects that supposedly
identified the transformation of a viruses
to bacteria or to fungi, and these all
originated in his observed live blood
cells.
Enderlein published his findings in a
book entitled Bacterien Cyklogenie (The
Life Cycle of Bacteria) in 1925.1 Due to the
limited understanding of cell biology at
the time it is not too surprising that many
of his observations were artefacts. In the
late 1990’s further research conducted
16 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
by Dr Christopher Gerner, a biochemist
at the University of Vienna, Austria,
identified that many of the cellular forms
observed by Dr Enderlein were primarily
composed of cellular debris from
degenerating red blood cells, and were in
fact molecules of globulin and albumin.2
The Enderlein method of Live Blood
Analysis is still being taught in Europe
and the USA today, but it is important
to differentiate this from other methods
of Live Blood Analysis using dark field
microscopy that allow point-of-care
examination of a patient’s blood during a
complementary medicine consultation. At
the International Pleo-Sanum Conference,
held in San Diego in February 2011,
a number of Enderlein practitioners
from around the world assembled to
discuss Enderlein Live Blood Analysis.
They included Dr Thomas Rau MD,
the Chief Medical Director and part-
owner of the Paracelsus Klinik, Center
for Paracelsus Biological Medicine and
Dentistry in Lustmuhle, Switzerland. Dr
Rau is considered a leading expert in
Enderlein therapy, dark field microscopy,
and biologic tumour treatments. This
meeting demonstrated that the Enderline
technique is strongly associated with
biologic medicine. Yet many of the
adverse responses from the medical
profession relating to live blood analysis
that have been reported in the media and
the internet have been directed mainly at
the Enderlein method and other similar
practices. This method of live blood
analysis does have some merit in its own
right; however, it is substantially different
to the dark field examination of human
blood practised in Australia and New
Zealand by trained practitioners of the
now unsupported Hemaview technique.
This method closely resembles standard
haematological blood film analysis and
endeavours to interpret the same cellular
observations on the wet mount as seen in
a stained blood film.3
Various screening tests are currently used
by complementary and alternative health
practitioners in Australia. The analysis
of wet prep blood using dark field
microscopy live blood analysis examines
non-anticoagulant-treated capillary
blood. This technique has been in use for
more than 20 years under the name of
Hemaview and can be performed rapidly
at the point-of-care, allowing for fast and
effective patient treatment.
One of the advantages of this technique
is the ability to examine leukocyte
motility. Leukocyte movement is easily
observed with dark field microscopy,
with neutrophils displaying the highest
levels of activity.4 Chylous material
(chylomicrons and chylomicron
remnants) are also clearly visible using
dark field microscopy, as are platelets.
The morphology of all the cellular
components in a dark field live blood
analysis can easily be examined with
this technique, and inferences can be
made based on the observed shifts in
the morphological state of red and white
blood cells and precipitated plasma
proteins. These can then be examined
in relation to the patient's presenting
symptoms 5,6 and used to suggest a
therapy.
THE HUMAN BODY CONSISTS These observations can then be used
to assess inflammation, oxidative
OF 75 TRILLION CELLS, OF stress, certain nutritional deficiencies
WHICH 25 TRILLION ARE and possible dysfunctions in the
gastrointestinal tract.7-9 These
RED BLOOD CELLS, SO IT IS observations are indicative of
NOT SURPRISING THAT RED homeostatic change and suggestive
of pathological change. in his book
CELL MORPHOLOGY IS SO Diagnostic Haematology5 Norman Beck
STRONGLY INDICATIVE OF notes that a haematological reference
range and a patient’s level within this in a
HOMEOSTATIC CHANGE. full blood cell count (FBC), even within
the so called normal range, may indicate a
preclinical homeostatic change.
His example is that a woman’s having a
normal range mean corpuscular volume
(MCV) of 85fl could in fact be a sign of a
preclinical process toward the development
of hypothyroidism. It then becomes
imperative to look at haematological
outliers in the reference range as suggestive
of preclinical indicators.
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 ARTICLE
Measurement of red blood cell count
(RBC) size in dark field microscopy live
blood analysis is used in this way and
research has shown this approach to be
an accurate indicator of such change.10-12
Dark field examination of
human blood
Dark field microscopy makes possible the
examination of blood cell morphology
in regard to shape, size and motility.
It affords a greater degree of visual
enhancement of the image based on
the absorption of light. This enhanced
visibility is seen in all components of
the blood - red blood cells, white blood
cells and other inclusions, such as fibrin,
platelet aggregation and red cell inclusion
bodies (i.e. Heinz bodies).9, 10 Red blood
cell size can easily be determined
through dark field microscopy, with
small cells (microcytosis) indicative
of iron deficiency and large cells
(macrocytosis) of vitamin B12 or folate
deficiency.
Norman Beck also states that anaemia
is so common in an FBC that it is often
overlooked during diagnosis, and yet
this is often important to treatment.5
Hence, simply by looking at the size and
shape of red blood cells or by identifying
increased numbers of immature
neutrophilic metamyelocytes in the dark
field preparation, one could identify a
leukemoid reaction or myelodysplasia6
and then send the patient on to
their general practitioner for further
assessment.
Effects of iron, folate and/or
vitamin B12 deficiencies on
the blood
The human body consists of 75 trillion
cells, of whiech 25 trillion are red blood
cells 5, so it is not surprising that red cell
morphology is so strongly indicative of
homeostatic change. A red cell matures
for eight days in the bone marrow and
is then released into the circulation, to
develop as a reticulocyte into a mature
red blood cell over the next 24 hours.
Once mature, a red blood cell can have a
life span of 120 days.
18 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Large oval red blood cells with a raised
MCV are the first clinical sign of B12 and/
or folate deficiency. Increased numbers
of hypersegmented neutrophils with five
or six lobes can appear in the peripheral
circulation several weeks before frank
B12 deficiency is observed. A recent study
at Southern Cross University showed
a similar accuracy in the identification
of these parameters between standard
pathology analysis and dark field live
blood analysis.11,12
Aggregation and rouleaux of red blood
cells and platelets have been shown to be
indicative of impending cardiovascular
disease or thrombosis.13-15 Erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR), a non-specific
inflammatory marker commonly
measured in pathology tests, is a measure
of acute phase reactants.15 Dark field
live blood analysis can also identify an
increase in these features.12
Increased numbers of eosinophils and
basophils, when observed in dark field
live blood analysis, can also be correlated
to a similar response seen in allergies.8
Dark field live blood analysis has been
shown to accurately differentiate the
white cell population without differential
staining, using a haematological stain.16
For example, Wright-Giemsa stain, with
its combination of acidic and basic dyes,
will differentially stain the granules,
cytoplasm, and nuclei of various white
blood cell types.17, 18 Each white blood
cell has a different illumination under
dark field microscopy, which allows
accurate differentiation of the white cell
population on the prepared wet mount
slide used in live blood analysis.19 Once a
differential percentage is established the
neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (the N/L
ratio) can be calculated.20 This ratio is
now widely accepted in haematology as
an indicator of altered immune function
and disease.21
There is a definite need for continued
research into dark field live blood
analysis, as it is only through these efforts
that greater acceptance of this technique
as a general tool in complementary
medicine will occur.
Wayne Reilly is a practising western
herbalist and nutritionist and has a clinic in
Coorparoo in Brisbane. He has been teaching
Advanced Hemaview (Live Blood Analysis)
for Metagenics since 2006 and is a member
of the ATMS Research Committee.
REFERENCES
1. Enderlein G. Bakterien-Cyclogenie. Berlin:
Verlag de Gruyter & Co; 1925.
2. Gerner C. Biochemische Analyse
endobiontischer Strukturen aus dem
menschlichen Blut. Curr. Onkol. 1997; 6:12.
3. Reilly W, Mannionf P, et al. HemaviewTM: A
Clinical Useful Tool for the Evaluation of Red
Blood Cell Parameters in Preclinical States.
5th AH&MR Congress, 2010. Melbourne
Convention Centre: abs#630.
4. Elgefors B, Olling S. Random locomotion in
dark-field microscopy of single granulocytes
from venous blood, tissue and exudate.
Methodological considerations and
clinical applications. Acta Pathologica,
Microbiologica, Et Immunologica
Scandinavica. Section C, Immunology. 1984;
92(2): 113-119.
5. Beck N. Diagnostic Haematology. Berlin:
Springer Verlag; 2009.
6. Reilly W. Identification of Myelodysplasia
during routine screening using HemaviewTM,
a live blood analysis technique. 15th
International Holistic Health Conference of the
Australasian Integrative Medicine Association,
2009. Novotel St Kilda, Melbourne VIC.
7. Hansen-Pruss O. The circulating blood cells as
seem by dark-ground illumination. American
Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1936; 6: 423.
8. Vitetta L, Sali H. et al. The Live Blood Analysis
Technique. Journal of the Australasian
Integrative Medicine Association, 2005; 24:
16-20.
9. Trivieri L. Monitoring the river of life: doctors
use Dark Field microscopy to detect early signs
of disease in the blood - but its use as a tool to
educate and motivate patients can be of even
more value. Alternative Medicine Magazine,
2002; (48): 90.
10. Vigar V. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability
of live blood analysis using Dark Field
microscopy. Honours thesis. Southern Cross
University, Lismore (NSW), 2009.
11. Andersson-McConnell L. The correlation of
inflammatory markers in fresh capillary blood
observed with Dark Field microscopy with
inflammatory markers determined by other
tests in a population with gastrointestinal
symptoms. Honours thesis. Southern Cross
University, Lismore (NSW), 2013.
12. Watts Q. The validity of live blood analysis
using Dark Field microscopy in screening for
oxidative stress.Honours thesis. Southern
Cross University, Lismore (NSW), 2013.
13. Moriarty PM. Gibson CA. Association between
hematological parameters and high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol. Current Opinion In
Cardiology, 2005; 20(4): 318-323.
14. Pusl T, Broedl UC, et al. Long-term LDL
apheresis does not stably improve
hemorheology in hypercholesterolemic
patients with coronary artery disease. Clinical
Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 2009;
41(2): 137-142.
15. Voeĭkov VL. The physicochemical and
physiological aspects of the erythrocyte
sedimentation reaction. Uspekhi
Fiziologicheskikh Nauk. 1998; 29(4): 55-73.
16. Petric V. 2009. Atlas of Live Blood through
Dark Field Microscopy: The Morphology of
Blood in Live Hematology. New Zealand:
Vlatko Petric; 2009.
17. Bauer JD. Clinical Laboratory Methods. 9th ed.
St Louis: Mosby, 1982.
18. Wintrobe MEA. Clinical Hematology.
Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1981.
19. Zigmond SH, Lauffenburger DA. Assays of
leukocyte chemotaxis. Annual Review Of
Medicine, 1986; 37: 149-155.
20. Reeve K, Gruner T, Arellano J, Reilly W.
Differential white blood cell counts: A
comparison between automated pathology
and Dark Field microscopic fresh capillary
blood analysis. The International Congress on
Natural Medicine, Melbourne, June 8th -10th,
2013.
21. de Jager CP, Wever PC, Gemen EF, Kusters R,
van Gageldonk-Lafeber AB, van der Poll T,
Laheij RJ. The neurtrophil-lymphocyte count
ratio in patients with community-acquired
pneumonia. PLoS One, 2012; 7(10):e46561 doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0046561.

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JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 19

 ARTICLE

CAM Use By
Poor Rural Victorian
Consumers
Tass Holmes | PhD (Anthropology, University of Melbourne)

Following from previous JATMS papers,1,2 this article describes complementary and alternative medicine
(CAM) use among low-income consumers in a rural community in Victoria, Australia. It refers to ethnographic
documentation and interview narratives, using pseudonyms, from an anthropological research project in
the composite fictitious town, ‘Sephirah’. The particular focus is on differing CAMs selected, and experiential
aspects of CAM use. Consumer descriptions of their unconventional healthcare practices emphasise the
ongoing popularity and commonality of non-biomedical approaches to wellbeing. A diverse group of welfare
recipients consumed CAM, despite usually being unable to afford private-sector fees.

Formal or semi-formal CAM provider treatments and ‘folk healing’ methods were both favoured by those with
alternative worldviews or beliefs about the value of holism in health. A connection may be tentatively drawn
between a preference for CAM and the evolution of non-mainstream opinions and beliefs, or conversely,
between extant alternative viewpoints and development of a preference for CAM.

Rural CAM consumers positive correlation between retained Methodology

Central topics of the research were
poverty and limited consumer access
to professional CAM. There is a paucity
of literature discussing the nexus
between non-medical healing and
poverty in Australia and other first-
world countries. Some research suggests
CAM consumption is higher in rural
than urban areas, both in Australia3-5
and elsewhere.cf.6-8 In developing
countries traditional medicine and
CAM may support cultural knowledge
preservation and resistance against
inroads of capitalist development,9,10
further to providing needed healthcare
services, although one study found a
herbal knowledge and both ‘commercial
occupation’ and ‘consumerism’.11
Aside from recent work to alleviate
food insecurity,12 Australian CAM
research often prioritises practitioner-
provided treatments,13-15 rather than
considering all the ways that consumers
use CAM.but:16,17 Exceptions may portray
supplement use as poorly informed
‘self-medication’. Surveys often omit
respondents’ beliefs and reasons for
CAM consumption, thereby overlooking
emic perspectives such as distinguishing
unique rural challenges from those of
urban locations.
Documentary research aims required
ethnographic data collection, mainly
participant observation and in-depth
interviews. University of Melbourne
HREC ethics clearance (June 2011)
permitted immersive fieldwork for
over two years. I joined in numerous
community activities, events and
networks, staged many purposeful
informal conversations, and conducted,
recorded and transcribed 54 in-depth
interviews.
Consumer interviewees were over
18, and of low-income status. They
were recruited by a snowball method,

20 | vol22 no1 | JATMS

using inclusion criteria that stipulated
‘intensive’ personal involvement with
CAM rather than superficial use. Further
to pragmatic description of preferred
therapies, this approach yielded detail
about consumer understandings of
CAM paradigms, and insight into socio-
cultural contexts. I interviewed 23 non-
practitioner CAM consumers (and several
student-practitioners, such as Louisa and
Danielle, included below). Consumers
were: seven single men, six of whom
were receiving welfare benefits, two who
were in part-time or self-employment; and
16 women, of whom 5 were married/de-
facto, 11 were single, 15 were receiving
welfare payments, and only 3 (each of
these with a partner) had any type of paid
employment.
Impoverished circumstances
Despite poverty being relatively hidden
in contemporary urban middle-class
Australia, a substantial sub-population
survives for years to decades on an
income at or below the poverty line.
For rural residents, difficult financial
circumstances and reduced availability
of health services can limit access to
private healthcare, including virtually
all CAM consultations. Medicare
funding does not extend to CAM
practitioner services, except a restricted
number (5 per year, current at 2014) of
chiropractic, osteopathic, psychological
and other allied health visits, for referred
medical patients.18
Poverty is a reality for many rural
residents.1 Association between
rurality and compromised health is
described elsewhere.cf.19 In this study
long-term poverty was common and
extensive. Those ‘living poor’ included
unemployed,20 caravan park residents,21
and sole parents struggling to afford
children’s education, or living alone after
their kids moved out. While many locals
owned their homes, most sole parents,
with the lowest incomes per number of
household members and longest periods
spent living in poverty, were paying
relatively expensive private rental costs.
Sephireans do not generally have ‘rural’
lifestyles, but reside in small houses
in township communities, forming
enmeshed social networks among
financially and culturally disadvantaged
familiar folk.22 Several interviewees
described low-income circumstances.
Fifty-eight year-old Louisa lives alone
in an isolated low-energy bush home,
‘five kilometres from the bitumen’, on
a Centrelink widow’s pension (equals
Newstart). Her young adult children had
left home. Louisa described years of yoga
and mindfulness practice, long-term
sole-parenting, and recent attempts to
start a small kinesiology business. Her
worldview reflects deep investment in
alternative doctrines linked to eastern
lifestyle practices (self-directed yoga and
meditation) that are inherently cost free,
‘low-footprint’ and accessible to self-
motivated people of any income.
Fifty-four year old George, single and
unemployed, with vision problems,
is a typical low-income local, battling
without hope of improving his financial
lot. George joked about not affording
private health insurance, saying,
‘I’m only on the dole, only got that
insurance!’ As a former farm labourer,
George’s wage for three months full-
time work during the 2007 summer
amounted to four thousand dollars, less
than a third of average taxable income
(then $57,000 per annum23). George was
‘very healthy’ despite frequent smoking,
and he cited his Icelandic father’s strong
resistance to disease. He sees a medical
doctor about every three years, self-
medicating occasionally according to
need, especially with aloe vera juice
applied topically for eye inflammation,24
and Friar’s Balsam for injuries. George’s
view, that professional healthcare
services are mostly not required, is one
definite means of reducing health costs.
Overall, women displayed considerable
interest in healing and CAM, while
men frequently expressed no interest,
seeking conventional medical treatment
only. Some men thought CAM pointless;
they believed it couldn’t help them, as
they preferred an unhealthy lifestyle,
smoking and beer-drinking.
Folk healing and traditional
herbal medicine
Although most interviewees purchased
branded CAM products for self-
medicating, old-fashioned home
remedies and folk healing methods were
also popular as free or low-cost self-
prescribed treatment. Eighty year-old
Wilhemina James, known as Willie,
recalling her ‘dirt poor’ rural childhood
in South Australia and New Zealand,
described folk health knowledge as
informal, taught as an oral tradition,
and without much ‘herbal medicine’
of the type now generally recognised.
She conceptualised folk medicine as
a stand-alone pluralistic tradition25,26
that persisted through necessity,
independent of medicine. She stated
matter-of-factly:
Although sometimes you need
validation and a bit of guidance, I
think in this world you’re supposed to
be grown up and think for yourself.
Willie remembered taking castor oil
weekly as a laxative, and using iodine
as disinfectant, kerosene on sugar for
sore throats, sulfur powder for skin
problems, and a sugar-soap mixture to
draw splinters or boils. Willie’s friend
Suzie emphasised contemporary folk
medicine’s familiarity and the value
of straightforward time-honoured
remedies, as applied un-medical
learning. She listed aloe vera for minor
burns, flower essences for anxiety,
Scheussler tissue salts for chronic
complaints, bi-carb soda for indigestion,
home-made calamine lotion for mozzie
bites, Epsom salts for pain, warmed tea
cups to draw breast-milk, and cabbage
leaves for mastitis or sore nipples. Suzie
enthused about placebo effect, and the
idea that home remedies offer a means of
side-stepping a reliance on the world of
‘products’ and profit-making.
Another interviewee self-treated for
recurrent vulval thrush and cystitis using
acidophilus yoghurt, herbal ointments,
and eventually ti-tree oil ‘applied neat’,
which ‘raised a shout’ but was curative.
Plant essential oils, including ti-tree oil
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 21
 ARTICLE
(Melaleuca alternifolia), eucalyptus and
other oils from essential oil-bearing
plants, have been shown effective
against infective pathogens.27-29
Sole parent Danielle dealt with her four
children’s illnesses, for the most part
without visits to medical practitioners.
She allowed them to rest during
sickness, and during fevers, cooled their
feet and forehead with lavender water,
and fed them lemon water as a food
cure.
Forty year-old Layla took St John’s
wort (Hypericum perforatum) 30-33
in lieu of medical drugs, which she
refused despite clinical depression.
She consumed other foods and herbs
as ‘simples’, including saffron to
improve energy, valerian for sleep and
overcoming anxiety, and bananas, SAMe,
and vitamin B-complex to improve
mood.
Homebirth mum Abelle obtained advice
over the phone from a Queensland
herbalist for treatment of severe pain
with kidney stones that consisted
of a very hot bath for one hour,
followed by a crushed soaked linseed
poultice over the kidneys and painful
parts, renewed three-hourly. Abelle
experienced kidney pains as ‘worse
than childbirth’, but found the bath and
linseed method an effective analgesic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-oedema cure
that reduced peripheral pain.34-36 Flax
(Linum usitatissimum, syn. linseed) has
a long and fascinating cultural history
of association with suffering and pain,37
which informs a doctrine of signatures
suggestive of pain-relief. The doctrine
of signatures is an old-fashioned method
of intuiting healing properties of herbal
plants by virtue of their resemblance to
the form, appearance or behaviour of
parts of the body.
Some interviewees grew herbs at home,
or practised wildcrafting common plants
to procure old-fashioned medicinal herbs
at very low cost.38 Almost all described
self-motivated use of western herbs as
medicines, without practitioner advice.
22 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Some interviewees grew herbs at home, or practised
wildcrafting common plants to procure old-
fashioned medicinal herbs at very low cost. Almost
all described self-motivated use of western herbs as
medicines, without practitioner advice.
They looked up information in books or retired from full-time work, through
libraries, on the internet, or from people stress, tiredness, and a dearth of
they knew. Some recalled folk remedies employment for her age-group, she
used by their mothers or grandmothers moved from a long-term rental home
that had piqued their interest. in Sephirah township to the bush,
as her meagre savings evaporated
Sixty-four year-old Ryan, a part-time supplementing high rental costs for a
cabinet-maker who classes himself as single person. She enjoys using western
‘one of the working poor’, self-medicates folk-herbal healing in a way she calls
experimentally with herbs for common ‘being a witch’, grows garden herbs,
ailments, favouring ‘whatever works’. He and regularly wildcrafts ‘about a dozen’
explained that the effectiveness of herbs other medicinal herbs that are freely
arose from long traditions of western and widely available[1]39-42 from yards,
and eastern cultural knowledge, despite footpaths and her neighbourhood.
finding herbal results unpredictable and Occasionally, Marie ‘cures’ family
believing placebo effect was real.30 members and friends of chronic
conditions using wildcrafted herbs. She
Ryan enjoys self-sourcing herbs ‘from recalled a friend’s relief from hayfever
the nature strip’ for political reasons, and spring allergies after drinking a
because they ‘don’t appeal to drug strong brew of wildcrafted herbs she
companies’, which can’t profit from collected from his backyard.
them. He takes lemon and honey to
ward off flu and cold symptoms, and Unable to afford naturopaths, Marie
wildcrafts locally grown medicinal often self-medicates with herbs,
plants such as aromatic indigenous preferring to avoid expensive
sassafras from bush gullies where he professional treatments, while still
walks, following the Indigenous tradition able ‘to get to the root cause of
of using these leaves to prepare tea or things’, consistent with her beliefs,
inhalations for relief of sinus congestion rather than suppressing illness
and pain. with conventional medications. She
sources information from books,
Sixty-two year-old Marie Walder was and is interested in interpreting herb
a sole parent for many years. Recently properties according to the doctrine
of signatures.43 Favourite herbs include
sow thistle, ribwort, clover flowers,
and wild lettuce, in tea, salads or stews,
and lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.) for
short-term use during coughs or chest
infection (although cautious not to
overuse herbs, she sidesteps warnings
about pyrrolizidine alkaloid content
precluding all internal use). Marie
experienced improvements in her
overall health from regularly taking
wildcrafted herbs, which appeared to
ward off sickness, hasten recovery when
ill, and promote increased energy.
Homeopathic holism and
naturopathic supplements
Consumers who favoured homoeopathic
treatment emphasised the philosophical
holism, safety and ‘naturalness’ of
this system of medicine, believing it
addressed disturbances that originate
in energetic and spiritual aspects of
human life. Homeopathic consumers
appeared knowledgeable about
homoeopathy’s mode of action, offering
detailed explanations of ‘likes cure
likes’ and ‘stimulation of the vital
force’, and linking homoeopathy to
all-encompassing life philosophies or
a purpose for humanity, such as that
espoused by Rudolf Steiner. Marissa
justified choosing homoeopathy for
her family’s healthcare on the basis of
making choices that develop a sense of
conscious freedom, human identity, and
not having to be restricted by routinised
systems and an expected reliance on
mainstream ‘usual care’.
While homoeopathic remedies are very
low in cost, consumers of homoeopathy
in this study mainly visited professional
homoeopaths for advice and to obtain
remedies, only infrequently self-
medicating with homeopathic ‘first aid’,
usually arnica pills or creams.
Desiring naturopathic treatment, several
other low-income consumers were
motivated to purchase branded products
over-the-counter from health foods
stores or pharmacies, after seeking
naturopathic advice2 or becoming
self-informed. Avoiding consultation
fees made herbal and nutritional
supplements more affordable for these
consumers.
Nutrition and poverty
alleviation
Consistent with the focus on ‘intensive’
CAM use, the majority of consumer
participants were well informed
about nutrition and the role of dietary
habits in maintaining health. Several
adhered to diets that addressed health
needs in practical, meaningful ways.
Issues of cost and financial barriers to
consuming healthy foods and nutritional
supplements were a central concern.

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JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 23

 ARTICLE
Several interviewees had coeliac
disease, necessitating gluten-free diets
to minimise painful symptoms and
emotional lability. Others were long-
term vegetarians, with philosophical
appreciation of animal lives, and
awareness of ‘the interconnectedness
of eating and general wellbeing’, who
preferred organic or biodynamic
produce. For those interested in nutrition
for health, philosophical integrity and
avoiding ‘sensitivity reactions’ and
illness, the expense of high quality
foods and supplements was a significant
challenge.
A depressed, middle-aged caravan-park
resident, Vida, believes psychosomatic
effects create disease, ‘everything affects
everything else’, and emotions affect
eating and digestion. Causes such as
fear, or after-effects of childhood abuse,
remain poorly acknowledged within a
medical paradigm. To avoid medication,
Vida’s favoured solution to anxiety-
triggered indigestion, on a meagre
pension income, is ‘food remedies’
sourced from friends. She also takes
commercial vitamins and minerals to
support immunity and counter ageing,
despite sensitivity to their perceived
over-energising effect. Mainly she avoids
junk food, preferring health-giving meals
of rice, salads, vegetables, bread, fruits,
occasionally fish or meat, and plenty of
water, and regularly includes herbs in
meals, and yoghurt, which helps her
feel well. Vida minimises food costs by
eating simply. If unwell she consumes
raw vegetables for a couple of months.
She bemoaned the closure of a local
health foods business, observing that
people now purchase supplements from
supermarkets. Her dietary preferences
ensure a familiar calm environment for
eating, reducing impacts of long-standing
anxiety on her ‘nerves’ and stomach,
providing whole-foods that aren’t
excessively ‘stimulating’ to digestion, and
supporting general wellbeing.
Aside from individualised naturopathic
advice or guidance from dietitians
working in community health, and
24 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
For those interested in nutrition for health,
philosophical integrity and avoiding ‘sensitivity
reactions’ and illness, the expense of high quality
foods and supplements was a significant challenge.
supplements purchased over the counter
from a pharmacy, nutrition projects in
Sephirah – where food insecurity has
been identified as problematic – were
geared toward poverty alleviation in
addition to health. They include a weekly
vegetarian community café, community
vegetable gardens (since 2010), a
permaculture and artists’ collective that
stages social events, and charity-run
outlets for distribution of free food from
the Second Bite organisation, which
‘recycles’ food2 that would otherwise
be trashed as part of Australia’s $5 to
$8 billion annual food wastage.44,45
These activities operate through a local
volunteer labour force, who gain formal
training, work experience and social
connections.
Psychic healing
I designated a widely popular group
of alternative practices sought by
consumers as ‘psychic healing’. Psychic
healing was commonly resorted to
for uncategorised mental/emotional
discomfort or non-psychiatric states
such as ‘stuck energy’ (one’s own),
or ‘stale energy lingering around’
(someone else’s). An example was
the ‘shamanic treatment’, or ‘energy
clearing’ sought by Danielle, a student of
Chinese massage who believed strongly
in ‘psychic connection’, to remedy a
subjective malaise caused by contacting
a traumatised friend, who ‘drained vital
energy’. She explained the efficacy of the
treatment in terms of the practitioner’s
understanding, as derived from psycho-
kinetic ‘esoteric acupuncture’. Rather
than ‘fixing’ symptoms, this method
aims to elevate body energy, permitting a
restitution of wellbeing.
Nicole, a 35 year-old mother of a young
child with autistic behaviours, was
curious about tarot cards, and ‘psychic
stuff’ generally. She visited ‘psychics’
for readings, to aid decision-making,
for instance before medicating her son
following his diagnosis of autism, and to
prepare for family members’ expected
negative reactions. She claimed psychic
advice allayed anxiety and improved her
outlook on life, by determining she was ‘on
the right track’. A two-year span of future
predictions offered a novel and inadvertent
means of mental health promotion,
providing answers that stopped Nicole
from feeling ‘desperate’. She said:
It’s kind of like cheating, because they give
you answers … I s’pose you’re supposed to
let things happen naturally … But I guess
it depends on what you thrive on in life, if
you thrive on that ‘knowing’ …
Another visitor to psychic healers, 59
year-old pacifist Shaun, experienced a
‘breakdown’ after an unexpected divorce
and financial losses in the 2008-09
economic crisis. He sought comfort in
the optimistic words and dreams of a
clairvoyant friend, subjective assistance
from a ‘spirit guide’, and holistic
approaches to wellbeing consistent
with his belief that mind and body
are inseparable. On disability support
payment and medications, Shaun used a
bushfire assistance voucher (explained
below) to consult a man for ‘spiritual
healing’, using diagrammatic symbols of
the aura, crystal dowsing, flower essences,
and blessings from Archangel Michael.
He experienced a welcome catharsis
and renewed vigour from the psychic
treatment, which released his pent-up
grief and obstructed energy that had
seemed like ‘walking through molasses’.
Limited consumer access to
physical therapies
For consumer interviewees generally,
massage or other touch-based therapies
were unaffordable, and few sought this
type of treatment due to cost. Exceptions
were an older-aged sole parent of a child
with Down Syndrome, who enjoyed
funded massage therapy as supplemental
healthcare for carers when she resided in
NSW; George (above), who received free
Reiki for a short time from a practitioner
girlfriend; and another sole parent who
was offered heavily discounted rates
for massage during a homeless period
following bushfires in 2009. Several
others with acute disabling back pain
received free physiotherapy through the
community health service, and up to five
free chiropractic or osteopathic sessions
per year via medical referral.
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Only two consumer participants took
advantage of the belated extension
(commencing 2011-2012) to CAM
providers registered with health
insurers of a short-term (to March
2013) state government funding
initiative permitting residents affected
by bushfires to receive CAM treatments
using $50 vouchers.46 Low-income
consumers were not adequately
notified about the scheme, most
remaining unaware of this funding
until it was too late to claim their
vouchers. Some with limited computer
literacy found online claim forms
inconvenient to retrieve.
Conclusion
Research findings described in this
paper emphasise low-income rural
consumers’ poverty, their limited
access to non-medical healthcare,
and use of diverse CAM, particularly
informal or less widely-recognised self-
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treatments and folk-cultural practices,
extra to professional CAM services.
NOTES
1. Limited wildcrafting of introduced
weeds by Australian herbalists is
noted by Evans (2009). Wehi (2009)
describes Maori elders’ wildcrafting
of urban-grown New Zealand plants.
Taylor (1998), and Korndoerfer (2011),
express concern for the environmental
impacts of wildcrafting commercially
successful herbs.
2. See Second Bite organisation
(Australia) website, online at:
secondbite.org.
REFERENCES
References for this article are available
on request. Please email the editor at
atms.journal@westnet.com.au or
the author at tass.holmes@unimelb.
edu.au.
 ARTICLE
Brief Interventions for
clients with drug and
alcohol issues
Katrina Alexander | B SocSci (Psychology), BClinSc (Osteopathy)
A Brief Intervention (BI) is a short
face-to-face conversation about alcohol
and drug consumption, motivation
to change, and options for change
which is provided during a window of
opportunity or an information-sharing
moment with a health professional.
It is a technique or tool used to
initiate change in behaviours that are
detrimental to health such as smoking,
drug and alcohol consumption. It is
an opportunistic intervention that
can occur in the assessment phase
when treating patients for other health
concerns. An opportunistic intervention
occurs at a critical moment in a person’s
life, for example, when they are faced
with other health concerns. A BI can be
undertaken in as little as a few minutes
and can be supported by written
information and self-help strategies. It is
evidence-based and can be very effective
in assisting patients to self-monitor.
A BI can engage with people who may
not yet be ready for change, increase
the person’s perception of real and
26 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
potential risks and problems associated
with alcohol and other drug use and
associated practices, and motivate
behavioural change, thereby improving
health outcomes, by helping the person
to consider the reasons for change and
the risks of not changing.1
There is strong evidence for the
effectiveness of BIs in primary care
settings for reducing alcohol and tobacco
consumption, and growing evidence
for such effectiveness in regard to other
substances. (For the purpose of this article
substance is defined as alcohol, over the
counter drugs (OTC), prescription drugs
and illicit drugs.) BIs are low in cost and
are effective across all levels of hazardous
and harmful substance use and so are
an ideal method of health promotion
and disease prevention in primary care
patients.2
The National Drug Strategy
Household Survey (NDSHS) has
been conducted every two to
three years since 1985. The 2013
NDSHS collected data from nearly
24,000 people across Australia. The
survey was conducted from 31 July
to 1 December 2013. Roy Morgan
Research was commissioned to conduct
the survey fieldwork.3 The following
statistics are taken from the NDSHS.
Alcohol use
• Compared to 2010, fewer people in
Australia drank alcohol in quantities
that exceeded the lifetime risk and
single occasion risk guidelines in
2013.
• Fewer 12–17 year olds are drinking
alcohol and the proportion abstaining
from alcohol increased significantly
between 2010 and 2013 (from 64% to
72%).
• Almost five million people in
Australia aged 14 or older (26%)
reported being victims of an alcohol-
related incident in 2013, although
this proportion had declined from
29% in 2010.
Illicit use of drugs
There were declines in the use of some
illegal drugs, including ecstasy (from
3.0% to 2.5%), heroin (from 0.2% to 0.1%)
and GHB (from 0.1% to less than 0.1%) in
2013, but the misuse of pharmaceuticals
increased from 4.2% in 2010 to 4.7% in
2013.
While there was no significant increase
in methamphetamine use in 2013,
there was a change in the main form of
methamphetamine used. Use of powder
decreased significantly from 51% to
29% while the use of ice (or crystal
methamphetamine) more than doubled,
from 22% in 2010 to 50% in 2013.3
It is important to acknowledge that
all substance use is not the same.
Schaeffer’s model proposes five types of
use: experimental (single or short-term
use), recreational/social (controlled use
in social setting), situational (use for a
specific reason), intensive (high dose, or
binge), and compulsive (frequent or daily
doses, withdrawal).
Assessment and Schaeffer’s
model4
Experimental substance use is motivated
by curiosity or desire to experience new
feelings or moods. This may occur alone
or in the company of one or more friends
who are also experimenting. It normally
involves single or short-term use.
Social use is when substances are used on
specific social occasions by experienced
users who know what drug suits them
and in what circumstances (e.g. ecstasy
use by experienced users at dance
parties, or alcohol with a meal).
Situational use is when substances
are used when specific tasks have to
be performed and special degrees of
alertness, calm, endurance or freedom
from pain are sought (e.g. truck driving,
shift work or studying for exams).
Intensive use is similar in nature to
situational but is more excessive in the
degree of use. It is often related to an
individual’s need to achieve relief or a
high level of performance. It can also
involve binge alcohol and other drug
use, where there is excessive use of a
substance at one time. The pattern of
binge use may be occasional, or may
relate to specific situations.
Compulsive use leads to psychological
and physiological dependence where
the user cannot at will discontinue use
without experiencing significant mental
or physical distress. Drug use is central to
the user’s day-to-day life.
Evidence
A randomized study by Bernstein and
colleagues found that when cocaine
and heroin users seen in primary care
received a brief intervention, the patients
had a 50% higher incidence of abstinence
at follow up than patients who did not
receive a brief intervention.5
Clinical signs and symptoms
Alcohol
Physical: under-nutrition, boils, scabs,
parotid swelling, Cushingoid face,
spider naevi, palmar erythema, the
smell of alcohol on the breath, red eyes,
jaundice sclera, presence of alcohol-
related illness, reported alcohol intake
of 60/80gms or more per day on a
regular basis (smaller amounts if taken
with other CNS depressants or if elderly,
previous history of withdrawal.)
Drugs
Physical: puncture marks, phlebitis,
cellulitis, skin abscesses, erosion or
irritation around nostrils/septum,
irritation or rash around nose and
mouth, excessive weight loss, signs
of numerous old injuries, frequent
accidents, general physical state
indicating poor lifestyle: nutrition or
hygiene, intoxication, presence of drug-
related illness.
Psychological: depression, anxiety,
personality change.
Social: unemployment or loss of job,
marriage or other family problems, no
fixed abode, legal problems, school and/
or behavioural problems.
One or two of these signs in isolation may
indicate nothing. However, fitting an
overall profile of the above may indicate a
substance problem.
Harm minimisation is the current drug-
related policy in Australia governing all
drug-related laws and responses. Harm
minimisation considers the health,
social and economic consequences of
alcohol and other drugs use in relation
to the individual and the community.
It has been a key policy of Australian
state and federal governments since
the National Campaign against Drug
Abuse was launched in 1985. The harm
minimisation approach is based on the
following premises. Drug use, both licit
and illicit, is an inevitable part of society.
It occurs across a continuum, ranging
from occasional use to dependent
use. A range of harms is associated
with different types and patterns of
alcohol and other drug use. A range of
approaches can be used to respond to
these harms.
The concept of harm minimisation is not
well understood or accepted in the wider
community, as many people believe that
attempting to reduce the harm associated
with drugs implies condoning their use.
BI strategies do not condone drug use.
They aim to educate people to make
informed decisions and choices. The
intention is to keep people as safe as
possible.
Assessment
When you gain further information
from the patient you will be able to
assess the level of risk. If the patient is
low risk or using at a hazardous level,
such as binging, give the patient health
information. If the risk is assessed
as harmful give the patient health
information, the Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Tool (AUDIT) and refer
to services. The AUDIT is a ten-
question test developed by the World
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 27
 ARTICLE
PRECONTEMPLATION
Client does not recognize the need for
change or is not actively considering
change.

RELAPSE
Client has relapsed to drug use.
health Organisation. This tool can help
determine if a person is at risk of alcohol

Stages
abuse problems.6

Interpretating scores
The AUDIT alcohol consumption
questions (AUDIT-C) is a shortened
version of the 10 question AUDIT. It is a
CLIENT
LEAVES
of Change CONTEMPLATION
Client recognizes problem
and is considering change.
three question screening test (see Figure TREATMENT
1). To score the AUDIT, point values of
each answer are summed. A score of 8
MAINTENANCE
or more in men (7 in women) indicates
Client is adjusting to change and is
a strong likelihood of hazardous or practising new skills and behaviours to
harmful alcohol consumption. A score of sustain change.

20 or more suggests alcohol dependence

(although some authors claim scores of ACTION
more than 13 in women and 15 in men Client has initiated change.
indicate likely dependence).6 Figure 2: Stages of Change 10

*Adapted from Prochaska, J.O., and DiClemente, C.C. (1982).

Transtheoretical therapy: Toward a more integrative model of change.
Figure 1: The AUDIT-c screening test 7
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 19 (3), 276-288.

AUDIT-C Questionnaire Brief Intervention steps

Patient Name ____________________________ Date of Visit ______________
Step 1. Get to know the person, find out
what worries them. Listen to their story.
1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
a. Never Step 2. ASK: Do you smoke/drink
b. Monthly or less alcohol/take any other drug? If yes, ASK:
c. 2-4 times a month How much, how often, and how do you
d. 2-3 times a week
feel about your use? Is there anything
e. 4 or more times a week
that you want to change?

2. How many standard drinks containing alcohol do you have on a typical day?
Step 3. Decide what stage of change the
a. 1 or 2
person is at by what they say.
b. 3 or 4
c. 5 or 6
d. 7 to 9 Step 4. Write down their stage of change
e. 10 or more and what advice you gave them. Next
time you see the person ask how they
3. How often do you have six or more drinks on one occasion? are and what changes they have made.
a. Never Reinforce any positive changes and do
b. Less than monthly another BI if necessary.8
c. Monthly
d. Weekly Stages of change
e. Daily or almost daily This transtheoretical model offers an
integrative framework for understanding
and intervening in intentional behaviour
Effective parameters and or other serious health issues. Do not change.9 There are six stages in this
precautions do a BI when the person does not wish model (see Figure 2):
The use of a BI will be beneficial in to participate or is intoxicated or is too
most circumstances. It is important sick or injured or is in a highly emotional 1. Pre-contemplation is when the patient
to ascertain the health status of the state. What you do depends on where the is not yet considering change or is
patient during assessment. A BI is not patient is in the process of changing. The unwilling. The practitioner’s task
usually as effective for patients with first step is to be able to identify where at this stage of change is to raise
chronic relapsing behaviours or those the patient is coming from. awareness.
with a co-morbid mental health issue

28 | vol22 no1 | JATMS

2. Contemplation is when the patient
sees the possibility of change but is
uncertain or ambivalent. The primary
task for the practitioner is to assist
the patient to resolve ambivalence
towards choosing change.
3. Determination. This stage of change
is not included in Figure 2. but is
often considered part of the pre-
action stage. In this stage the person
is considering what to do. The
primary task of the practitioner is to
help identify change strategies.
4. The Action stage is when the patient
is taking steps towards change but
needs further assistance to stabilise
the process. The primary task of the
practitioner is to help the patient
implement change strategies and
learn to minimise any relapses.
5. Maintenance is when the patient has
achieved set goals in relation to their
substance misuse and is working
to maintain implemented changes.
The primary task at this stage is to
assist the patient to develop skills to
maintain recovery through positive
feedback mechanisms.
6. The final stage of change is the
recurrence stage. It is important here to
help the patient deal with consequences
and to determine what to do next.9
Self-care for the patient
BIs are successful when clinicians
relate patients’ risky substance use to
improvement in their overall health and
wellbeing.
‘People are better persuaded by the
reasons they themselves discovered than
those that come into the minds of others’
(Blaise Pascal ).11
Benefits to practice
Utilizing a BI increases clinicians’
awareness of substance use issues among
their patients and offers clinicians a
systematic approach to addressing
substance use. This ensures less
judgement is placed upon the patient and
enhances patient-clinician relations.
REFERENCES
1. Australian Government, Department of
Health, Module 9: working with young
people on aod issues: facilitators guide,
6.1 brief interventions – a definition, (cited
2015 Dec 20). Available from: http://www.
health.gov.au/internet/publications/
publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-
front9-fa-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front9-
fa-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front9-fa-secb-
6~drugtreat-pubs-front9-fa-secb-6-1
2. World Health Organization, Department of
Mental Health and Substance Dependence,
Brief intervention for problematic substance
use: guidelines for use in primary care draft
version v1.1 September 2003(cited 2015 Oct
10) Available from: http://www.who.int/
substance_abuse/activities/en/Draft_Brief_
Intervention_for_Substance_Use.pdf
3. Australian Institute of health and Welfare.
National drug strategy household survey
detailed report; 2013 (cited 2015 Oct 8)
Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/
publication-detail/?id=60129549469
4. Australian Government, Department of
Health, Module 9: working with young
people on aod issues: facilitators guide,
2.2 schaeffer’s model, (cited 2015 Oct 20)
Available from: http://www.health.gov.au/
internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/
drugtreat-pubs-front9-fa-toc~drugtreat-
pubs-front9-fa-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front9-
fa-secb-2~drugtreat-pubs-front9-fa-secb-2-2
5. Berntein J, Bernstein E, Tassiopoulos K,
Heeren T, Levenson S, Hingson R. drug and
alcohol dependence: brief motivational
intervention at a clinic visit reduces cocaine
and heroin use; 2005.Vol 77. Pp49-59
6. Bohn MJ, Babor TF, Kranzler HR. The alcohol
use disorders identification test (AUDIT):
validation of a screening instrument for
use in medical settings. Journal of studies
on alcohol; 1995 Jul 56 (4): 423–32. PMID
7674678.
7. Stable Resource Toolkit. AUDIT-C Overview
(cited 2016 Feb 8). Available from: http://
www.integration.samhsa.gov/images/res/
tool_auditc.pdf
8. Hagger B, Entwistle D, Brief intervention
and motivational interviewing tool; 2012
(cited 2015 Sept 12) Available from: http://
www.health.nt.gov.au/library/scripts/
objectifyMedia.aspx?file=pdf/64/32.pdf
9. DiClemente CC, Prochaska JO, Miller WR.
(Ed); Heather N (Ed), 1998. Treating addictive
behaviors: Stages of change diagram (2nd
ed.). Applied clinical psychology, (pp. 3-24).
New York, NY, US: Plenum Press, xii, 357 pp.
10. Prochaska JO, DiClemente CC. The
transtheoretical approach. In: Norcross,
JC; Goldfried, MR. (eds.) Handbook of
psychotherapy integration (2nd ed). New
York: Oxford University Press. 2005: 147–171.
11. Carsten J. When a client is silent during
therapy: part 2. (Internet).(cited 2016
Jan 21) Available from: http://www.
elliottcounselinggroup.com/items-interest/
when-client-silent-during-therapy-part-two/
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 29
 ARTICLE
A Role for Homoeopathy
in Urinary Tract Infection
Robert Medhurst | BNat ND DHom
U
rinary tract infections or UTIs
are one of the more common
conditions we see in clinical
practice. The lifetime incidence rate for
this illness for women is 50%, and 5%
for men. Babies and the elderly form
two of the high risk groups for UTIs.
The more specific groups at higher risk
of developing this disorder are sexually
active women, diabetics, men with
pre-existing prostate disease, those with
urinary catheters, and babies born with
anatomical disorders of the urinary tract
that result in vesico-ureteric reflux.
UTI is a general term encompassing
urethritis, cystitis and pyelonephritis.
The disease is usually associated with
a bacterial infection, and the organism
most commonly implicated here is E.coli,
although infection with mycoplasma
or chlamydia, particularly in cases of
urethritis, may also be involved. The
symptoms reported for UTIs commonly
include chills, fever, dysuria, haematuria,
urinary frequency, a feeling of fullness
in the bladder after voiding urine, and
suprapubic, back or loin pain.
Failure to successfully manage UTIs
may result in the progression to a more
severe infection, and the development
of hypertension as well as kidney failure.
Medically, UTIs are frequently treated
with antibiotics, but the rates of resistance
to these drugs, particularly the older
antibiotics, are rising significantly, leading
to increased levels of UTI recurrence that
become harder and harder to manage.
From a naturopathic perspective,
berberine-containing herbs, Cranberry,
Buchul and Olive leaf are often helpful,
but patient compliance with regimes
employing these herbs can often be
problematic. Prevention, using things
30 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
such as super-hydration (while avoiding
electrolyte deficiency), Cranberry and
probiotics can be successful, but often fail
to halt an active UTI.
In my experience and that of several
noted authorities in this area,1-9 there are
a number of homoeopathic medicines
that have been found to be very effective
in the management of UTIs. Brief
discussions of these medicines follow,
and it should be noted that these appear
here for educational purposes only, and
are not intended to replace the advice of a
qualified healthcare practitioner.
Cantharis
This is one of the most commonly
used homoeopathic medicines in
UTIs. The primary symptom is intense
scalding or burning pain, either with or
without urination. Urine is passed by
drops and each drop of urine passed is
often described as being like passing
burning acid. There may also be
anxiety, restlessness, urinary tenesmus,
haematuria, the urine may appear
jelly-like or contain substances with the
appearance of scales. Severe urge to
urinate and cramping around the urinary
bladder may be reported. Symptoms are
worse from drinking coffee, drinking or
hearing running water and better from
cold applications, rubbing, and having
completely voided the bladder.
Arsenicum album
The salient prescribing feature for
Arsenicum is burning pain. The sufferer
may appear thirsty, anxious and restless.
There’s often a frequent urge to urinate
that produces very little urine, and the
urine that is produced may be scanty,
burning and albuminous. White cells,
red cells, and epithelial cells may be
present in the urine. Other indicators are
diarrhoea, chilliness, as well as weakness
or exhaustion. Symptoms are worse after
midnight and from cold or cold drinks and
better for heat and warm drinks.
Equisetum
The indicators here include a history of
urinary and faecal incontinence with dull
pain in the area of the bladder or right-
sided lumbar pain, and a feeling of fullness
or incomplete emptying of the bladder
that is not relieved by urination. The
urine is normally albuminous and is only
produced drop by drop. There is often
a frequent urge to urinate with strong
burning urethral pain, particularly at the
end of urination. The UTI may coincide
with pregnancy or may occur post-
partum. Symptoms are worse on the right
side, from motion, from sitting or pressure
and are better in the afternoon and from
lying down.
Benzoic acid
The common guides to this remedy for
someone with a UTI are the colour and
smell of their urine. It’s usually reported
as being dark brown and having a strong
and offensive ammoniacal odour. There
may be a history of depression, asthma,
enuresis, cystitis, gout, cracking joints and
renal insufficiency. Sufferers may also have
an odour about them like urine. Symptoms
are worse from cold and motion and better
from heat and profuse urination.
Sepia
This is often useful where there is
evidence of weakness, depression,
nocturnal enuresis or enuresis from
coughing or sneezing, excessive
perspiration, a yellowish skin and a
history of recurrent cystitis. The urine
may appear thick and offensive and there
may be haematuria. Fine gravel may be
present in the urine. Urination may be
slow and accompanied by a suprapubic
bearing down sensation and may be
preceded by a cutting sensation in the
bladder. Symptoms are worse in the late
afternoon and evening, from coitus,
before a thunderstorm and after sweating.
Symptoms are better from exercise,
warmth, drawing the limbs up, and after
sleep.
Terebinthina
This is a common prescription in nephritis
and urethritis, particularly where there
is haematuria. The urine may have a
characteristic odour of violets, it may be
scanty or suppressed and have a muddy
sediment if allowed to settle. Tenesmus
and strangury may be reported here with
location of the pain alternating between
the bladder and umbilicus. Symptoms
are worse from pressure and better from
walking and generally better for motion.
Sarsaparilla
This is well worth considering where
the sufferer experiences renal colic and
produces bloody urine in a thin weak
stream. A descending burning pain
in the region of the right kidney may
be reported. Severe pain may be felt,
particularly in the meatus, before and
while urinating, but is more commonly
noted when passing the last few drops.
There may be a slight dribbling enuresis
while sitting. Urinary tenesmus may be
present and a chill may spread from the
bladder when urinating. Symptoms are
worse from cold, motion, pressure and
while sitting and are better from warmth
and standing.
Mercurius corrosivus
The guides to the prescription of Merc cor
include a constant urge to urinate, and an
intense burning sensation on urination
followed by perspiration. Haematuria,
urinary tenesmus, diarrhoea and general
irritation of most mucous membranes
may also guide this prescription. There
may be a stabbing pain ascending up the
urethra into the bladder. The urine is
characteristically albuminous, cloudy and
bloody, scanty, hot and burning and is
passed drop by drop. A greenish urethral
discharge may also be noted. Symptoms
are worse at night and better from rest.
Staphysagria
UTI sufferers suited to this remedy may
appear to be sensitive, nervous and
irritable and have a history of recurring
cystitis or prostatitis, and often it’s
triggered by internalised anger, emotional
upset or while convalescing. There may be
urinary urgency, frequent but ineffectual
urge to urinate, a feeling of pressure in
the bladder as well as a feeling as if a drop
of urine is rolling continuously along the
urethra. The pain in this instance may be
burning in character and occur during
or long after urination has ceased. The
UTI will commonly develop after sexual
intercourse, giving rise to what’s often
referred to as honeymoon cystitis. Foreign
bodies such as catheters, cystoscopes
and surgical procedures may also be
implicated as the cause of the infection.
Symptoms are worse from anger, touching
affected parts or sexual excess and better
from warmth, rest at night and lying
curled up on the side.
Aconite
In this instance, the symptoms often come
on very suddenly, often from exposure
to dry cold weather or very hot weather,
and may be accompanied by fever. Fear
and anxiety, as well as physical and mental
restlessness may be observed. The urine
may be scanty and blood stained and
the sufferer may complain of sensitivity
in the kidney areas, urinary tenesmus
and severe burning pain on urination.
Urinary retention may cause severe pain
and increased restlessness. Symptoms are
worse on the right side, from pressure,
lying on the affected side and in the
evening and night, and better from rest.
Chimaphila
This can be particularly useful in
cases where the UTI is associated with
prostatitis. There may be urinary urgency
inhibited by a restriction to urine flow,
requiring straining to pass the urine, as
well as burning on urination. The urine
in this instance is often scanty and cloudy
and contains a stringy mucoid sediment.
The sufferer may complain of swelling
of the prostate, as if he’s sitting on a ball.
Symptoms are worse on the left side,
from sitting on a cold surface and during
cold, damp weather, and are better from
walking.
Pulsatilla
Pulsatilla has a role in chronic recurrent
UTIs, particularly when these are
associated with hormonal changes related
to pregnancy, menopause or menstruation.
Weepiness, a clingy disposition, a lack
of thirst and appetite for food as well
as a dislike of warm, stuffy rooms may
be noted, These features, along with a
paroxysmal burning dysuria, urgency
worse on lying down and urinary
incontinence, particularly from coughing
or sneezing, often guide the prescriber to
the remedy. Symptoms are worse before
menses, from lying on the back, from
walking, cold, wet weather and getting the
feet wet. Symptoms are better in open air
and from consolation.
REFERENCES
1. Das RBB. Select Your Remedy. 14th ed. New
Delhi B Jain; 1992.
2. Clarke JH. A Clinical Repertory to the Dictionary
of the Materia Medica. England: Health Sciences
Press; 1979. ISBN 0-85032-061-5.
3. Dewey WA. Practical Homoeopathic
Therapeutics. 2nd ed. New Delhi: B Jain; 1991.
Book code B-2189.
4. Bouko Levy MM. Homeopathic and Drainage
Repertory. France: Editions Similia; 1992. ISBN-2-
904928-70-7.
5. Raue CG. Special Pathology and Diagnostics
with Therapeutic Hints. 4th ed. New Delhi: B
Jain; 1896.
6. Knerr KB. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding
Symptoms of our Materia Medica. New Delhi: B
Jain; 1997. ISBN 81-7021-241-3.
7. Lilienthal S. Homoeopathic Therapeutics. 3rd
ed. New Delhi: Indian Books and Periodicals;
1890.
8. Morrison R, Desktop Guide. California:
Hahnemann Clinic Publishing; 1983. ISBN
0-9635-368-0-X.
9. Von Lippe A. Key Notes and Red Line Symptoms
of the Materia Medica. New Delhi: India Books
and Periodicals; 2001. Book Code No IB0579.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 31
 ARTICLE
Commemoration of
Simon Schot Legacy
Peter Lewis | ATMS 0178
About 36 years ago I experienced an industrial accident that
significantly damaged my respiratory tract, for which I had only
limited assistance from orthodox medicine. During a time when
organics were in their infancy, I took it upon myself to rebuild
my health using organic products. A supposedly organic grower
had sprayed their crop one morning with a copper-based poison.
Unfortunately I walked among that crop barefooted, which caused
my constitution to deteriorate rapidly.
I had entered into shock by the time I reached Simon’s
clinic in Mapleton, Queensland. He took it on
himself to keep me under constant surveillance
for 10 days in convalescence accommodation
attached to his clinic. Naturopathic
convalescence with Simon gradually
facilitated health
recovery. Not long after
this, Simon invited me
into phytotherapy and
naturopathy studies,
knowing full well how
precarious my crisis had been at the time.
My very close brush with constitutional
necrosis convinced him that I would evolve
into a notable clinician; currently I am co-owner
of Rockhampton Health Options with my wife,
Lynette.
This brings me to a commemoration of my valued mentor Simon
Schot, whose legacy is conveyed in the fabric of our previous
ATMS logo. The creation of this emblem came to us through
Simon, who I know was involved with ATMS from its inception.
Importantly, for Simon the emblem represented collaboration of
the practitioner with Vis medicatrix naturae (The Healing Force
of Nature).
Simon understood that for an emblem to be useful it requires
literal meaning, and must be a vehicle of a directly discernible
reality. The emblem is a convenient practical device acting to
clearly represent complementary medicine essentials. Our scope
of complementary medicine comprises three therapeutic divisions,
physical medicine, natural medicine and the medicine of the
psyche.
32 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
It is with this understanding that the original ATMS logo
conveys its message. This elegant synergy underpins traditional
naturopathic practice. Furthermore, represented within our
original ATMS logo resides the primordial solvent, termed Vis
medicatrix naturae.
The staff in the emblem emphasises Vis medicatrix naturae,
the primordial mystery of life, which we can observe by way of
bioplasm (living protoplasm). The emblem’s serpents emphasise
diametrically opposed metabolic processes, namely
anabolism and catabolism. When these processes
are favourable, natures’ gift is optimal vitality.
I reflect upon Simon’s association of
metabolic processes with our significant
luminaries. The solar
orb he associated with
Vis, as it pertains to the
staff in our emblem.
Vis in naturopathic
practice governs the law of
cure, inherent within the constitution.
Conservation of Vis occurs within
bioplasm, necrotic cells are incapable of Vis
conservation. The lunar orb phases are waxing,
which he associated with anabolism, while waning
he associated with catabolism. Waxing and waning phases in
our emblem are connected with the serpents.
The creation of this emblem came to
us through Simon, who I know was
involved with ATMS from its inception.
Importantly, for Simon the emblem
represented collaboration of
the practitioner with Vis medicatrix
naturae (The Healing Force of Nature).
This brings us to the three divisions in our
scope of practice. According to Simon,
physical medicine is emphasised through
palmar dexterity. He communicated a
subtle yet firm mode of physical medicine,
strongly suggesting using the palmar
surface of the hand only. Administration
of scientific massage ought to be painless,
otherwise, he postulated, iatrogenic
lesions are likely to result. It is noted that
the staff also emphasises our spinal cord.
Suggestions direct physical medicine
toward a spinal focus and with a sound
basis. Spinal innervation lesions potentially
result in organ morbidity.
Natural medicine clearly emphasises biotic
vegetation. Harvesting of biotic vegetation,
to maximise Vis medicatrix naturae
for efficacy, is always during budding or
blossoming. Phytomedicine sourced from
Australian and European botanicals are
obvious. Gumnut blossoms are prominent
in Australian phytomedicine. Rosaceae
blossoms and Liliaceae buds need no
introduction. Simon valued Liliaceae
phytomedicine in crisis cases, while
Rosaceae phytomedicine is noteworthy
during convalescence. He would often
say, “The lily and the rose combine the
wisdom and the love divine.”
As aforementioned the staff of our
emblem he clearly associated with our
spine. Superiorly, the protuberance can
be associated with the pons. Laterally,
the wings of the emblem are associated
with the cerebellum, in Latin termed
Arbor vitae (Tree of Life) by medieval
anatomists. Furthermore, cerebellum
lobe fissures are distinct, and note the
similarity with the wings in the emblem.
We know the cerebellum is associated with
afferent and efferent pathways involving
voluntary locomotion. Naturopathic
practitioners instructed by Simon through
psyche medicine will be familiar with
administration of clinical equanimity.
The sash and the orbital border represent
the indestructible life of the earth. It has no
beginning and no end. Most subtly, green
chlorophyll can be an analogy for blood,
within which flows the vital force. The
legacy of Simon Schot will forever be etched
into this elegant emblem created in the mind
of this complementary medicine teacher.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 33
 PRACTITIONER PROFILE
ATMS Member Interview
Robert Balbi
Which modality do you practise?
I am a Remedial Massage therapist, but I incorporate other
modalities which I have learned through our CEP over the past
sixteen years.
How long have you been in practice?
After studying at Australasian College of Natural Therapies, gaining
a Diploma and a Certificate Level 3 in Remedial Massage in 1998,
I began my practice at my home in February 1998. In September
1998 I joined the Care for the Carers Programme at Calvary
Hospital, Kogarah, on a voluntary basis, and I am still involved in
this programme today. I also massage, on a pre-game basis, for the
Sutherland Sharks first grade and under 20's soccer teams in the
NSW Premier League. Due to family commitments I no longer have
a home clinic, but provide a fully mobile service to my clients and
sub-contract to Calvary Holistic Healing Centre, which is at Calvary
Hospital, Kogarah, and caters for all members of the community.
Major influences on your career
I commenced my career in massage at the age of 43, because I felt my
current work in sales and marketing and my previous employment
in accounts and personnel (Human Resources) were not satisfying or
of benefit to the community. My brother-in-law had suffered a neck
injury in a car accident and was in pain most of the time. We were at my
in-laws’ home for Christmas, and I suggested to him that I massage his
neck to see if it relieved the pain. At this stage I was untrained and, using
some Tiger Balm, I massaged his neck gently for about 25 minutes. He
felt better and rang me a few days later advising me that he had not had
any pain for three days, but that it had now returned. I had had several
massages, mainly due to stress, and had found them helpful. It was
these incidents that pushed me to making massage my new career.
What do you most like about being a natural
medicine practitioner?
I think the fact that natural medicine uses the body's own self-
healing properties to bring healing is wonderful. The use of natural
products - in the case of a massage therapist, the oils and essential
34 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
oils that we use - and the connection with the client through touch
can be a healing process for both the client and the therapist. The
other aspect of natural medicine is that we treat the individual,
which means that every treatment varies according to the needs
of the client. Dealing with people of all ages also helps me to
understand the processes of life.
What advice would you give to a new
practitioner starting out?
This is a difficult question. I became a practitioner to help people,
and financially to cover costs, not to make a fortune. I would advise
first of all to examine why you are considering a career in natural
health and what you want out of your career. Once you know your
focus and your goal then you can embark on the journey. There are
many modalities to choose from and all provide opportunities for a
great career. The good thing is you can continually change and add
to your expertise through study and experience.
What are your ambitions?
To remain in the natural therapy area, but perhaps look at some type
of research to promote natural therapies by giving them mainstream
credibility. How to do this I am not sure at the present but I am sure I
will find a way.
Anything else you would like to add?
Government health policies are influenced by powerful
organisations such as the medical profession, the health funds
and the pharmaceutical industry. It also comes down to cost. Our
association is as powerful as we make it, so it is vital that we support
our association and our fellow members in their chosen professions:
massage therapists, Bowen therapists, traditional Chinese medicine
practitioners, herbalists, nutritionists, educators, colleges etc,
to ensure that natural medicine continues to benefit the whole
community.
Status and/or role of natural medicine in the broad
context of Australian health care
The growing acceptance of the many modalities of natural medicine
is great. I believe that natural medicine tends to prevent illness
by strengthening our immune system by nutrition and manual
therapies, such as massage in all its forms. Herbalists use natural
remedies to boost health and cure illnesses, and their work is based
on many thousands of years of research and practice. We treat the
individual and this is of absolute importance.
Western medicine tries to cure illnesses with drugs (often derived
from natural remedies) and surgery. The only concern I have is
that western medicine focuses on the illness not the person. Both
approaches complement each other, so let us work together to
improve the health of our community.
The main concern to our community though is the cost of care. All
practitioners must make a living, but I am sure many people think
twice about seeing specialists in western medicine because they can't
afford the cost. I am not advocating that we become charities but that
we keep our rates to affordable levels to the community we serve.
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JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 35

 LAW REPORT
Work
Health and
Safety:
Emergency Plans
and Providing
First Aid
Ingrid Pagura | BA, LLB
In the next few issues I will review
work, health and safety issues
in workplaces. In this issue I am
focussing on the requirements of
a 'person conducting a business or
undertaking' (PCBU) to prepare and
maintain an emergency plan for the
workplace and to provide first aid.
To refresh our memories, the Work
Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHSA),
defines a PCBU ‘as a person who
conducts a business or undertaking
whether alone or with others and
whether or not for profit or gain’.
This means individuals, partnerships,
companies and the self-employed are also
defined as PCBUs.
Duty to provide and maintain
an emergency plan
A PCBU must ensure that an emergency
plan is prepared for the workplace,
including one for workers who may work
at a number of workplaces.
An emergency plan is a written set of
instructions telling workers and others at
36 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
the workplace what they should do in an
emergency. According to the Safe Work
Australia Emergency Plans Fact Sheet,
an emergency plan must include the
following:
• emergency procedures, including an
effective response to an emergency;
• evacuation procedures;
• notifying emergency service
organisations at the earliest
opportunity;
• medical treatment and assistance;
• effective communication between
the person authorised to coordinate
the emergency response and all other
people at the workplace;
• testing of the emergency procedures,
including the frequency of testing; and
• information, training and instruction
to relevant workers in relation
to implementing the emergency
procedures.
Emergency plans should be easy
to understand and tailored to your
workplace. You must always take into
account the sort of work you are doing,
the size and location of your workplace
and the sorts of hazards you might find
in and around your workplace. Make
sure your plan covers procedures for
fire, medical emergencies, bomb threats,
armed confrontations and workers going
offsite (e.g., to a client’s home).
So what should you include in
your emergency plan?
• Emergency contact details for key
personnel who have specific roles
or responsibilities, for example fire
wardens and first aid officers;
• Contact details for local emergency
services, for example police, fire
brigade and poison information centre;
• Procedures to alert people at the
workplace to an emergency, for
example, siren or bell alarm;
• Evacuation procedures, including
arrangements for assisting disabled
workers and visitors;
 Emergency plans should be easy to understand
and tailored to your workplace. You must always
take into account the sort of work you are doing,
the size and location of your workplace and the
sorts of hazards you might find in and around
your workplace.

Reviewing emergency plans 1. Out of immediate danger (e.g., out of

The PCBU must review their emergency
plans so that they stay current and
effective. They must be updated,
particularly when there are changes to
the workplace such as new workers or
refurbishments. Another time to review
it is after the plan has been tested,
whether that is after a practice drill or
after a real emergency.
the room);
2. Out of the compartment (e.g., through
the fire doors or smoke doors) or to a
lower level of the building;
3. Total evacuation of the building.
Check
Check all rooms, especially change rooms,
toilets, behind doors, storage areas etc.

• A map of the workplace clearly
showing the location of fire
extinguishers, emergency exits and
assembly points; and
• How to advise neighbouring
businesses about emergencies.
For a useful tool to make sure you haven’t Records
forgotten anything, see the Safe Work Save as many records as possible if it is
Australia Emergency Plans Fact Sheet safe to do so.
found at www.safeworkaustralia.
gov.au/sites/SWA/about/ Head count
Publications/Documents/657/ Do a head count of all staff, contractors
Emergency_plans_fact_sheet.pdf and visitors.

Finally, make sure your workers know Evacuation Report

what to do in an emergency. Emergency
plans, or a summary of their key
elements, should be easily accessible by
workers or on display in the workplace,
for example on a notice board. They
should include a map of the exits and the
location of the assembly point. Every
worker must be familiar with this.
Workers must also be trained in
emergency procedures. Training can
include practising evacuations, and
identifying assembly points and location
of emergency equipment.
Shared workplaces
Where your workplace is in a building
with other organisations, the PCBU
must consult, cooperate and coordinate
activities with all other PCBUs or people
who have a work, health or safety duty
in relation to the same matter, so far as
is reasonably practicable. In those cases
where there are several PCBUs, a master
emergency plan could be prepared for all
relevant duty holders’ use.
A major part of all emergency plans is
evacuation. This means calmly removing
people from danger in a safe and orderly
manner without panic.
Fire and Rescue NSW has prepared the
following information about evacuations
in emergency situations. All PCBUs must
familiarise themselves with these steps,
as they will apply in any emergency
situation and PCBUs will be responsible
for carrying them out.
Alert
Alert the Chief Warden and other staff.
Ensure the emergency services have been
notified (ring 000 and ask for Fire, Police
or Ambulance).
Assembly
Tell staff which assembly area is to be
used.
Evacuate
Evacuate staff and visitors in the
following order:
Report to the chief warden and notify
emergency services of any people
unaccounted for.
For further information please see Fire and
Rescue NSW website www.fire.nsw.
gov.au.
Duty to provide first aid
PCBUs must make first-aid arrangements
for their workplace so workers can get
immediate help if they are injured at work.
Under Regulation 42 of the Work Health
and Safety Regulations they must:
• provide first aid equipment and access
to first aid facilities;
• make sure all workers have access to
the first aid equipment; and
• appoint an adequate number of
workers who are trained to give first
aid, or make sure that workers have
access to a suitable number of first
aiders.

JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 37

 LAW REPORT

First aid requirements will vary in

Item Kit contents
different workplaces depending on a
Quantity
number of things, including:
Instructions for providing first aid – including Cardio-Pulmonary Resusci-
1
• type of work being carried out at the tation (CPR) flow chart
workplace; Note book and pen 1

• type of hazards at the workplace; Resuscitation face mask or face shield 1

Disposable nitrile examination gloves 5 pairs

• size and location of the workplace; and
Gauze pieces 7.5 x 7.5 cm, sterile (3 per pack) 5 packs
• number and makeup of workers and Saline (15 ml) 8
others at the workplace.
Wound cleaning wipe (single 1% Cetrimide BP) 10
The First Aid in the Workplace Code Adhesive dressing strips – plastic or fabric (packet of 50) 1
of Practice provides practical guidance
for the provision of appropriate first Splinter probes (single use, disposable) 10
aid in the workplace, including first aid Tweezers/forceps 1
training, first aid kits, procedures and
facilities. Antiseptic liquid/spray (50 ml) 1

Non-adherent wound dressing/pad 5 x 5 cm (small) 6

First aid record keeping requirements are
also covered by the legislation. A PCBU Non-adherent wound dressing/pad 7.5 x 10 cm (medium) 3
must keep a register of injuries recording Non-adherent wound dressing/pad 10 x 10 cm (large) 1
any injury that has occurred for at least
five years. These records must be readily Conforming cotton bandage, 5 cm width 3
accessible. If the first aid was in response Conforming cotton bandage, 7.5 cm width 3
to a serious illness or injury, the PCBU
will also have to notify their regulator Crepe bandage 10 cm (for serious bleeding and pressure application) 1
within 48 hours and their insurer also Scissors 1
within that time if there is the possibility
of a workers compensation claim. Non-stretch, hypoallergenic adhesive tape – 2.5 cm wide roll 1

Safety pins (packet of 6) 1

First Aid Kits
The Safe Work Australia First Aid in BPC wound dressings No. 14, medium 1
the Workplace Code of Practice App C BPC wound dressings No. 15, large 1
outlines what should be in a first aid kit.
(See Figure 1.) Dressing – Combine Pad 9 x 20 cm 1

Plastic bags - clip seal 1

For more details on first aid facility
requirements please see Part 3 - FIRST Triangular bandage (calico or cotton minimum width 90 cm) 2
AID EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES and Emergency rescue blanket (for shock or hypothermia) 1
TRAINING of the First Aid in the
Workplace Code of Practice at www. Eye pad (single use) 4
safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
Access to 20 minutes of clean running water or (if this is not available)
sites/SWA/about/Publications/ 5
hydro gel (3.5 gm sachets)
Documents/693/first-aid-in-
workplace.pdf. Instant ice pack (e.g. for treatment of soft tissue injuries and some
1
stings).
Over the next few issues we’ll look at Figure 1: Contents of a First Aid Kit
managing injuries in the workplace and
managing risks. If you would like more
information on any WHS issue generally,
please see www.safeworkaustralia.
gov.au.

38 | vol22 no1 | JATMS


Postural Correction:
an Illustrated Guide to
30 Pathologies
Reviewed by Stephen Clarke
Jane Johnson. Human Kinetics, Lower Mitcham
SA. 2016. ISBN 978-1-4925-0712-3
Price. AUD 47.27
Also available as ebook at HumanKinetics.com
BOOK REVIEWS
This is one of a series of seven hands-
on guide books by Jane Johnson
developed to provide massage therapists
and other bodyworkers with specific
tools of assessment and treatment. In a
previous issue of JATMS we reviewed
Ms Johnson’s excellent book on postural
assessment. Readers who found that
book a useful assessment tool will be
just as enthusiastic about the present
work, as it deals in the same clear and
systematic manner with correcting
posture malalignment. As this point
practitioners aligned to the view that
“correcting” posture to a nominal norm
has less practical value than restoring
optimal function will be reassured to
know that the author begins with a
thoughtful note on the effectiveness
of postural correction: although the
approach and techniques set out in this
book are based on the inherent rationale
of correction she is not presenting a
doctrinaire advocacy for it. “Rather it
provides ideas on how postural change
might be achieved once the decision has
been made that changing posture might
be beneficial.”
This book presents five steps to postural
correction: identifying factors that
contribute to posture malalignment,
muscle stretching, massage techniques
for lengthening muscles, deactivating
trigger points, strengthening muscles,
and taping, bracing and casting. The
book is divided into four parts. Part
One, on getting started with postural
correction, is introductory. Chapter One
deals with causes and consequences
of malalignment, suitable candidates
for correction, and contraindications.
Chapter Two sets out five general steps
to postural correction, accompanied
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 39
 BOOK REVIEWS
by a table of techniques that support it.
As in Postural Assessment, clear and
concise tables are an important tool
for summarising information. Parts
Two, Three and Four deal with the
specific features of malalignment and
correction in the spine, pelvis and
lower limb, and the shoulder and upper
limb respectively. Each chapter opens
with a set of learning outcomes. The
structure of each chapter is to assemble
under rubrics of the malalignments that
occur in each of the area it deals with a
description of the malalignment itself,
with a photo illustration; an exposition
of the effects on function of the
associated muscles, accompanied by a
table; the appropriate treatments; and
the exercises that therapists can advise
to their patients. Each treatment is also
illustrated with clear photos.
There is also an appendix that has
information of high importance for the
great army of workers condemned to
office work stations.
Professional therapists, teachers and
students should all find much of great
value in this well-researched and well-
organised book.
Stumbling Stones. A Path
through Grief, Love and Loss
Reviewed by Stephen Clarke
Airdre Grant. ISBN
9781743790571. Hardie Grant
Books. 2016
Price. AUD 24.99
Available at info@hardiegrant.com.au
40 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Airdre Grant is an academic at Southern
Cross University in northern New South
Wales, where she completed a PhD in
the relationship between spirituality
and health. Within a year she lost her
twin brother, her dog and her father, in
that order. There is a particular bond
between twins: “Dear God, I miss my
twin”, says Grant. “ … For the first time
in my life I was really alone.” She cites
C.S.Lewis: “the death of a beloved is
an amputation.” This marvellous book
is an account of the inner and outward
journeys Grant undertook in trying to
find healing for this pain. As she says,
“We view these events as painful and to
be avoided yet they are inevitable and
offer much to enrich the soul. They are
not easy and occur in many forms. This
is a much under-recognised emotion that
can govern how a person operates in the
world.”
There is great wisdom in this book,
but it isn’t declamatory. It’s modestly
presented, almost self-effacingly, but
profound for all that. Answers to the
hard questions put to all of us by grief
emerge seemingly unbidden from the
gripping anecdotes of destiny that Grant
relates. That this happens is a measure
both of the writer’s craft and of her deft
insight into the significant milestones
along the roads of loss. With a seamless
blend of cool observation and empathy
Grant weaves her own odyssey – an
analogy she herself employs late in
the book - in search of resolution into
those of others similarly afflicted. This
is achieved in prose of unmannered
elegance that makes the book no less
a joyful literary experience than it is
an instructive one. Grant introduces
us to a caravan of people traversing
landscapes of loss and grief – death,
illness, separation, betrayal - whose
sorrows evoke our empathy, and whose
resolutions, and failures to achieve
resolution, deepen our knowledge of
spiritual possibilities.
Grant’s odyssey takes her to sacred
places, among them the kitchens and
verandas of the bereaved and betrayed,
the abode of a Tibetan oracular woman,
Iona, India and her native New Zealand,
all to meet the challenge of surviving
grief and in doing so to become
stronger. From this journey comes a
book about the soul beginning to “turn
back toward the source of pain and the
slow, introspective work of facing up to
darkness, of working toward healing and
eventual recovery.”
THERE IS GREAT WISDOM
IN THIS BOOK, BUT IT ISN’T
DECLAMATORY. IT’S MODESTLY
PRESENTED, ALMOST SELF-
EFFACINGLY, BUT PROFOUND
FOR ALL THAT.
Grant’s wide learning adds a scholarly
dimension to the uplifting effect of
her book. She cites a diverse range of
writers whose work has contributed
to our understanding of loss, including
Emily Post, Plato, Elizabeth Barrett
Browning and Joan Didion. Perhaps it is
Joseph Campbell who comes closest to
a summary of the fundamental wisdom
of Stumbling Stones: “It is by going
down into the abyss that we recover the
treasures of life. Where you stumble,
there lies your treasure.”
Stumbling Stones gives us a priceless
guide through the thin space which
in Celtic mythology describes the
liminal region between Heaven and
Earth and which Grant sees as an
analogy for the space in which it may
be possible to make the recovery from
grief to acceptance. It will be of great
value to any readers and particularly to
counsellors and practitioners helping
clients to emerge from the decay of
hope and fulfilment where loss has
imprisoned them.
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TRADITIONAL CHINESE
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alternate medicine practitioners are all learning
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Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

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Enrol
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E L P AVA I L A B L E



Bachelor Degree of Traditional Chinese Medicine


(double modalities of acupuncture and Chinese


herbal medicine)



C O U R S E C O M M E N C E S : 16 F E B 2 015


Aproved by AUSTUDY

Recognized by major Health Funds


• 32 years since establishment with graduates successfully

practicing nationally and abroad
• National TCM registration
• Limited seat for international students


• 4 years visa for overseas students



Flexible Time and Practical Course

We are in the city: Level 5, 545 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000
02 9261 2289 administration@sitcm.edu.au www.sitcm.edu.au

JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 41

 RECENT RESEARCH
Acupuncture and TCM
Xiangyong Y, Zhongsheng Y, Wenchao L, Hui D,
Shuzhou Q, Gang C, XiaoHui W, Lian Z.
External application of traditional Chinese
medicine in the treatment of bone cancer pain:
a meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer 2016,
24(1):11-17.
Background: Bone cancer pain presents
a clinical challenge with limitations of
current treatments. Many patients seek
additional therapies that may relieve pain.
Many external applications of traditional
Chinese medicines (EAs-TCMs) have been
evaluated in clinical trials, but fewer are
known about them outside of China. The
objective of this study is to assess the
efficacy for bone cancer pain.
Methods: A systematic literature search
was conducted in seven databases until
December 2014 to identify randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) about EAs-TCMs
in the treatment of bone cancer pain.
The primary outcome was total pain
relief rate. The secondary outcomes were
adverse events at the end of treatment
course. The methodological quality
of RCTs was assessed independently
using six-item criteria according to the
Cochrane Collaboration. All data were
analyzed using Review Manager 5.2.0. We
included any RCTs evaluating an EA-TCM
for the treatment of bone cancer pain. We
conducted a meta-analysis.
Results: We included six RCTs with
534 patients. In general, the reporting of
methodological issues was poor. Compared
with morphine sulfate sustained release
tablets (MSSRTs) or radiotherapy or
bisphosphonates, we analyzed data from
five trials reporting on complete response
effect score (relative risk (RR) = 5.38, 95
% confidence interval (CI) = 2.80–10.31,
P < 0.00001) and partial response (RR = 1.18,
95 % CI = 1.02–1.37, P = 0.02) and six trials
reporting on total pain relief rate (RR = 1.49,
95 % CI = 1.43–1.67, P < 0.00001). Six RCTs
showed significant effects of EA-TCM for
improving pain relief in patients with bone
cancer pain. In addition, no severe adverse
events were found.
42 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Conclusion: This systematic review
showed positive but weak evidence of
EA-TCM for bone cancer pain because of
the poor methodological quality and the
small quantity of the included trials. Future
rigorously designed RCTs are required.
Kwon T, Bak Y, Ham S-Y, Yu D-Y, Yoon D-Y.
A1E reduces stemness and self-renewal in HPV
16-positive cervical cancer stem cells. BMC
Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2016,
16:42 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1013-4
Background: Cervical cancer is the
second most common cancer in females.
Recent reports have revealed the critical
role of cervical cancer stem cells (CSCs) in
tumorigenicity and metastasis. Previously
we demonstrated that A1E exerts an anti-
proliferative action, which inhibits the
growth of cervical cancer cells.
Methods: A1E is composed of 11 oriental
medicinal herbs. Cervical cancer cell
culture, wund healing and invasion assay,
flow cytometry, sheroid formation assay,
and wstern blot assays were performed
in HPV 16-positive SiHa cell and HPV
16-negative C33A cells.
Results: A1E targets the E6 and E7
oncogenes; thus, A1E significantly
inhibited proliferation of human papilloma
virus (HPV) 16-positive SiHa cells, it did
not inhibit the proliferation of HPV-
negative C33A cells. Accordingly, we
investigated whether A1E can regulate
epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
(EMT), CSC self-renewal, and stemness-
related gene expression in cervical cancer
cells. Down regulation of cell migration,
cell invasion, and EMT was observed
in A1E-treated SiHa cells. Specifically,
A1E-treated SiHa cells showed significant
decreases in OCT-3/4 and Sox2 expression
levels and in sphere formation. Moreover,
CSCs makers ALDH+ and ALDH, CD133
double positive cell were significantly
decreased in A1E-treated SiHa cells.
However, A1E treatment did not down
regulate ALDH+ expression and the
number of ALDH/CD133 double positive
cells in C33A cells.
Conclusions: Taken together, A1E can
inhibit CSCs and reduce the expression
of stemness markers. Treating CSCs with
A1E may be a potential therapy for cervical
cancer.
Herbal Medicine
Leach MJ, Page AT.
Herbal medicine for insomnia: A systematic
review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine
Reviews 2015, 24:1–12 doi:10.1016/j.
smrv.2014.12.003
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder
that can profoundly impact a person's
health and wellbeing. Herbal medicine
represents one of the most frequently
used complementary and alternative
treatments of insomnia. However, the
safety and efficacy of herbal medicine for
the treatment of this disorder is currently
uncertain.
In order to ascertain the evidence base
for herbal medicine for insomnia, we
systematically searched seventeen
electronic databases and the reference
lists of included studies for relevant
randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
Fourteen RCTs, involving a total of 1602
participants with insomnia, met the
inclusion criteria. Four distinct orally
administered herbal monopreparations
were identified (i.e., valerian, chamomile,
kava and wuling). There was no
statistically significant difference between
any herbal medicine and placebo, or any
herbal medicine and active control, for
any of the thirteen measures of clinical
efficacy.
As for safety, a similar or smaller number
of adverse events per person were
reported with kava, chamomile and
wuling when compared with placebo. By
contrast, a greater number of events per
person were reported with valerian. While
there is insufficient evidence to support
the use of herbal medicine for insomnia,
there is a clear need for further research in
this area.
Mirghafourvand M, Mohammad-Alizadeh-
Charandabi S, Ahmadpour P, Javadzadeh Y.
Effects of Vitex agnus and Flaxseed on cyclic
mastalgia: A randomized controlled trial.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2016, 24:
90-95.
Objectives: Evidence on the effect of
Vitex agnus and Flaxseed on cyclical
mastalgia is not enough. This study aimed
to assess the efficacy of Vitus agnus and
Flaxseed on cyclical mastalgia.
Design and setting: This randomized
controlled trial was conducted on 159
women referred to health centers of
Tabriz, Iran. Subjects were allocated into
three groups (n=53 per group) using
block randomization.
Interventions and Main outcome
measures: Group I received 25g daily
Flaxseed powder and placebo ofV. agnus;
group II received daily 3.2-4.8mgV.
agnus tablet and placebo of Flaxseed and
control group received both placebo.
Nominal day breast pain was applied at
baseline, first, and second month after
the intervention. Data was analyzed using
general linear model.
Results: There was no statistical
significant difference between the three
groups in terms of socio-demographic
characteristics and baseline values. The
breast pain improved significantly in
both intervention groups during the first
and second month after intervention.
Mean NDBP score was significantly lower
than that in the control group at the
first month after the intervention in the
Flaxseed [adjusted mean difference: -3.1
(95% CI: -4.2 to -2.0)] and Vitus agnus
groups [-3.3 (-4.3 to -2.2)] and the second
month after the intervention in Flaxseed
[-7.0 (-8.1 to -5.9)] andVitus agnus groups
[-6.4 (-7.5 to -5.3)].
Conclusion: Flaxseed and Vitex agnus
are effective in short-term period in
decreasing cyclical mastalgia. However,
further studies are needed to examine the
long-term effectiveness and sustainability
of the effects after stopping the treatment
in order to decide whether these
alternative treatments are suitable to treat
mastalgia or not.
Homoeopathy
Quirk T, Sherr J.
Experiences with an integrative approach to
treating HIV/AIDS in East Africa. Journal of
Medicine and the Person 2015, 13(1): 55-64
HIV/AIDS is a multifaceted condition
affecting the whole person and family,
which requires an individualized and
holistic approach, as defined by Person
Centered Health Care. In East Africa,
Homoeopathy for Health in Africa
offers patients an integrative, holistic
method to supplement standard medical
treatment and mitigate the side effects
of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs that often
interfere with patient adherence to
treatment and lead to drug resistance.
Patients who have homoeopathy
treatment as a supplement to ARVs
report amelioration of side effect
symptoms, increased energy and
enhanced well-being, allowing them
to work and care for their families.
Results of an audit give demographic
information. AIDS medical practitioners
support homoeopathy, an approved
form of medicine in Tanzania. Cases
are presented that demonstrate the
challenges and successes of treating
HIV/AIDS patients in East Africa.
Massage
Wilson M, Gettel V, Esquenazi S, Walsh J.
Implementing nurse-delivered massage
to promote comfort among hospitalized
inpatients. The Journal of Pain 2015, 16(4):
S111 doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2015.01.463
Non-pharmacologic comfort measures
are known to provide benefit, however,
they remain inaccessible for many
hospitalized patients due to cost,
feasibility, and reliance on a biomedical
model. We therefore implemented a
massage program to engage direct
care nurses (n = 29) in promoting a
biopsychosocial model of pain care. We
describe here the secondary analysis
of pilot study data on the types and
frequencies of brief bedside massages
nurses provided in critical and non-
critical inpatient units after attending a
2-hour training course.
We examined relationships between
nurse characteristics and number of
massages completed during the 8-week
study period. Nurses reported on 347
massage encounters that lasted on
average 9.7 minutes (SD 7.6). Massages
were offered most commonly for
stress/relaxation (n = 126) and pain
(n = 100). Body parts massaged most
frequently were: arms (n = 70), back
(n = 55), hands (n = 35), legs (n = 35)
and feet (n = 13). Total number of
massages was positively associated
with nurses' compassion satisfaction
measurements on post-test surveys (r =
.32, p = .02), and negatively associated
with nurse education level (n = -.39, p
= .04). Length of massage in minutes
was negatively associated with number
of patients in care assignment (r =
-.23, p < .001). No relationship was
observed between massage frequency
and nurses' age, unit type, or years of
nursing experience. Findings suggest
that nurses working in critical and
non-critical patient care settings may
have the capability to implement
massage after receiving education
and encouragement. Increasing
non-pharmacologic options is an
important goal for patient comfort and
satisfaction. Nurse-delivered massage
should be further investigated for
its ability to reduce dependency on
medicines and limit associated side
effects while promoting therapeutic
nurse-patient relationships. Supported
by grants from Texas Health Resources
Foundation and Texas Health Nursing
Education Fund.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 43
 RECENT RESEARCH
Field T.
Knee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly can
be reduced by massage therapy, yoga and
tai chi: A review. Complementary Therapies in
Clinical Practice 2016, 22:87-92 doi: 10.1016/j.
ctcp.2016.01.001
Background and methods: This is a
review of recently published research,
both empirical studies and meta-analyses,
on the effects of complementary therapies
including massage therapy, yoga and
tai chi on pain associated with knee
osteoarthritis in the elderly.
Results: The massage therapy protocols
have been effective in not only reducing
pain but also in increasing range of
motion, specifically when moderate
pressure massage was used and when
both the quadriceps and hamstrings were
massaged. The yoga studies typically
measured pain by the WOMAC. Most
of those studies showed a clinically
significant reduction in pain, especially
the research that focused on poses (e.g.
the Iyengar studies) as opposed to those
that had integrated protocols (poses,
breathing and meditation exercises).
The tai chi studies also assessed pain by
self-report on the WOMAC and showed
significant reductions in pain. The tai
chi studies were difficult to compare
because of their highly variable protocols
in terms of the frequency and duration of
treatment.
Discussion: Larger, randomized control
trials are needed on each of these
therapies using more standardized
protocols and more objective variables
in addition to the self-reported WOMAC
pain scale, for example, range-of-motion
and observed range-of-motion pain. In
addition, treatment comparison studies
should be conducted so, for example,
if the lower-cost yoga and tai chi were
as effective as massage therapy, they
might be used in combination with or
as supplemental to massage therapy.
Nonetheless, these therapies are at least
reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis and
they do not seem to have side effects.
44 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Therkleson T, Stronach S.
Broken Heart Syndrome. A Typical Case. Journal
of Holistic Nursing 2015, 33(4): 345-350 doi:
10.1177/0898010115569883
This case describes a combination
external treatment for “Broken Heart
Syndrome” that includes a lavender
footbath, massage using moor extract,
and oxalis ointment to the abdomen
applied by an Anthroposophic nurse for
a specific personality type. Lavender
footbaths have been used since ancient
times for relaxation and calming, while
moor extract has been used medicinally in
Europe since the middle ages for warmth
and environmental protection. Rhythmical
massage using moor extract and oxalis
ointment poultice to the abdomen are
part of the tradition of Anthroposophic
nursing when managing stress induced
by emotional and physical trauma. An
elderly lady with specific characteristics
diagnosed as Broken Heart Syndrome
received one treatment a week for 4 weeks
given by an Anthroposophic nurse at
an integrative medical center. Between
treatments, education was given to enable
self-treatment in the home. The nursing
treatments, each using lavender footbaths,
moor extract massage, and oxalis
ointment poultice to the abdomen, proved
very effect, and no negative effects were
reported. External applications need to be
considered by nurses caring for specific
personality types with Broken Heart
Syndrome
Naturopathy
Martorell-Poveda M-A, Martinez-Hernáez A,
Carceller-Maicas N, Correa-Urquiza M.
Self-care strategies for emotional distress
among young adults in Catalonia: a qualitative
study. International Journal of Mental Health
Systems 2015, 9: 9 doi: 10.1186/s13033-015-
0001-2
Background: Emotional distress is
common in adolescence, and self-care
strategies are frequently preferred to
address it. The aim of this article is to
analyze the self-care strategies among
adolescents and young people diagnosed
with depression or with self-perceived
depressive distress in Catalonia using a
qualitative design.
Methods: We analyzed the self-care
strategies of 105 young people (17–21
years of age) in Catalonia who had
participated in a national survey on
adolescents. The sample was divided
into thirds, with 37 who had a previous
diagnosis of depression, 33 who had
self-perceived emotional distress, and 35
controls. The participants’ narratives on
self-care strategies for emotional distress
were elicited through in-depth semi-
structured interviews. The data were
managed using ATLAS-Ti 6.5 software18.
We applied hermeneutic theory and the
ethnographic method to analyze the
interviews.
Results: The ten self-care strategies
identified in the analysis were grouped
into four areas covering the various
pathways the young people followed
according to whether they had a diagnosis
of depression or their depressive distress
was self-perceived. The young people feel
responsible for their emotional distress
and consider that they are capable of
resolving it through their own resources.
Their strategies ranged from their
individuality to sociability expressed
through their relationships with others,
membership of groups or other self-
care strategies (relaxation, meditation,
naturopathy, etc.).
Conclusions: The study results
highlight the importance of sensitivity
in considering young people’s self-care
strategies as another option in the care of
emotional distress.
Vemu B, Selvasubramanian S, Pandiyan V.
Emu oil offers protection in Crohn’s disease
model in rats. BMC Complementary and
Alternative Medicine 2016, 16:55 DOI: 10.1186/
s12906-016-1035-y
Background: Emu oil is a product of
animal origin used for the treatment
of inflammation, burns etc. as a part of
aboriginal medicine in Australia. Crohn’s
disease is a common inflammatory
manifestation in humans and other
animal species relating to the ulceration
and digestive disturbances in upper
gastro-intestinal tract. Aloe vera is
commonly used substance from plant
sources for inflammation, wound healing
and various other properties. Given the
difference in the source of the substances
all the while playing a similar therapeutic
role in different parts of the world, the
present investigation was undertaken to
evaluate the protective effect of aloe vera
and emu oil alone and in combination; in
comparison to sulfasalazine (Allopathic
drug) as an alternative for the treatment
of Crohn’s disease.
Methods: Wistar albino rats were divided
into six groups with two sub-groups
of six animals each. After pre-treating
the animals with sulfasalazine, aloe
vera, emu oil and their combination
for five consecutive days, the animals
were sub-cutaneously administered
indomethacin on 4th and 5th day and
each sub-group was sacrificed on day 6
and 9. After sacrifice, serum and intestine
of these animals was collected. Intestine
length from duodenum till caecum was
measured for estimating relative organ
weight and disease activity index. Part of
intestine was preserved in formalin for
histopathology while the rest was used
for analysis of oxidative parameters and
myeloperoxidase. Serum collected was
used for measuring alkaline phosphatase
and cholesterol.
Results: Assessment of the parameters
in treatment groups indicated that
the combination of aloe vera and emu
oil resulted in better protection by
suppressing the oxidative (P < 0.05) and
histomorphological changes indicating
a enhanced effect of these two agents
which was found to be better than
sulfasalazine.
Conclusion: The combination of emu oil
and aloe vera exhibited enhanced effect
resulting in significant protection from
indomethacin induced ulceration. This
might be due to the different mechanism
of anti-inflammatory effects (Salicylic acid
in aloe vera and n3, n6 fatty acids acting
as pseudosubstrates to cyclooxygenase
enzyme) of components of the animal
and plant products tested.
Nutrition
Zheng M, Wu JHY, Louie JCY, Flood VM, Gill T,
Thomas B, Cleanthous X, Neal B, Rangan A.
Typical food portion sizes consumed by
Australian adults: results from the 2011–12
Australian National Nutrition and Physical
Activity Survey. Scientific Reports 2016, 6,
Considerable evidence has associated
increasing portion sizes with elevated
obesity prevalence. This study examines
typical portion sizes of commonly
consumed core and discretionary foods
in Australian adults, and compares
these data with the Australian Dietary
Guidelines standard serves. Typical
portion sizes are defined as the median
amount of foods consumed per eating
occasion. Sex- and age-specific median
portion sizes of adults aged 19 years and
over (n = 9341) were analysed using one
day 24 hour recall data from the 2011–12
National Nutrition and Physical Activity
Survey. A total of 152 food categories
were examined.
There were significant sex and age
differences in typical portion sizes among
a large proportion of food categories
studied. Typical portion sizes of breads
and cereals, meat and chicken cuts, and
starchy vegetables were 30–160% larger
than the standard serves, whereas, the
portion sizes of dairy products, some
fruits, and non-starchy vegetables were
30–90% smaller. Typical portion sizes for
discretionary foods such as cakes, ice-
cream, sausages, hamburgers, pizza, and
alcoholic drinks exceeded the standard
serves by 40–400%.
The findings of the present study are
particularly relevant for establishing
Australian-specific reference portions
for dietary assessment tools, refinement
of nutrition labelling and public health
policies.
Scott-Boyer MP, Lacroix S, Scotti M, Morine MJ,
Kaput J, Priami C.
A network analysis of cofactor-protein
interactions for analyzing associations
between human nutrition and diseases.
Scientific Reports 2016, 6, Article number: 19633
doi:10.1038/srep19633
The involvement of vitamins and
other micronutrients in intermediary
metabolism was elucidated in the
mid 1900’s at the level of individual
biochemical reactions. Biochemical
pathways remain the foundational
knowledgebase for understanding how
micronutrient adequacy modulates
health in all life stages. Current daily
recommended intakes were usually
established on the basis of the association
of a single nutrient to a single, most
sensitive adverse effect and thus neglect
interdependent and pleiotropic effects
of micronutrients on biological systems.
Hence, the understanding of the
impact of overt or sub-clinical nutrient
deficiencies on biological processes
remains incomplete. Developing a
more complete view of the role of
micronutrients and their metabolic
products in protein-mediated reactions
is of importance. We thus integrated and
represented cofactor-protein interaction
data from multiple and diverse sources
into a multi-layer network representation
that links cofactors, cofactor-interacting
proteins, biological processes, and
diseases. Network representation of this
information is a key feature of the present
analysis and enables the integration
of data from individual biochemical
reactions and protein-protein interactions
into a systems view, which may guide
strategies for targeted nutritional
interventions aimed at improving health
and preventing diseases. Continued on page 57
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 45
 HEALTH

46 | vol22 no1 | JATMS

FUND
UPDATE

(No longer ATMS Accredited)

(No longer ATMS Accredited)
(No longer ATMS Accredited)
(No longer ATMS Accredited)
Traditional Chinese
Traditional Chinese

(HLT Diploma or higher level

(Certificate IV)
qualification)
(HLT Diploma or higher level
Remedial Massage

(Certificate IV)

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Deep Tissue Massage

Alexander Technique
Lymphatic Drainage
Remedial Massage
Remedial Massage
Remedial Therapies

Counselling

Acupuncture
Herbal Medicine
Homoeopathy
Kinesiology
Sports Massage

Aromatherapy
Bowen Therapy
Hypnotherapy
Naturopathy
Reflexology
Rolfing
Shiatsu
Remedial Massage

Nutrition

Iridology
qualification)
Health Fund
Australian Health Management 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Australian Regional Health Group
ACA Health Benefits Fund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Cessnock District Health 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
CUA Health (Credicare) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l
Defence Health Partners 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
GMHBA (Geelong Medical) 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Frank Health Fund 3 3 3 3 3 l l
Health Care Insurance Limited 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Health.com.au 3 3   3 3    3   3 3 u    l l
HIF (Health Insurance Fund of WA) 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Latrobe Health Services 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
MDHF (Mildura District Hospital Fund) 3 3 3 l
Navy Health Fund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Onemedifund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Peoplecare Health Insurance 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Phoenix Health Fund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Police Health Fund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Queensland Country Health 3 3 3 3 3 l
Railway and Transport 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Reserve Bank Health Society 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
St Lukes 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Teachers Health 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u 3 l l
Teachers Union Health 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Transport Health 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l
Westfund 3 3 3 3 3 3 u l l

Australian Unity 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
BUPA 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
CBHS Health Fund 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Doctors Health Fund 3
GU Health (Grand United)* 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Health Partners 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
HBF 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
HCF 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Medibank Private 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
NIB 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

3 Therapy covered by Fund Please note that this table is only a guide to show what funds cover ATMS accredited modalities. If the modality that you are accredited for is not listed, this means that no health fund covers the modality. The only exceptions are Chiropractic and
Osteopathy. ATMS accreditation in a modality does not guarantee provider status as all funds have their individual set of strict eligibility requirements. Please see our website www.atms.com.au or contact our office for current requirements.
* Need to Apply directly to Fund Rebates do not usually cover medicines, only face to face consultations. For further rebate terms and conditions, patients should contact their health fund. Policies may change without prior notice.
u ARHG are only recognising Remedial Therapists who are accredited for this modality and were approved for ARHG Provider status under their old criteria.
l ARHG are recognising Chinese Massage, however the eligibility requirements and provider number is exactly the same as Remedial Massage. See ARHG Health Fund Information for further information.
HEALTH FUND NEWS
Health Funds
ATMS is a ‘professional organisation’
within the meaning of section 10 of the
Private Health Insurance Accreditation
Rules 2011. This potentially allows ATMS
accredited members to be recognised as
approved providers by the various private
health funds. Approved health fund
provider status is, however, subject to each
individual health fund’s requirements.
Consequently, membership of ATMS does
not automatically guarantee provider
status with all health funds. Please also
note that several health funds do not
recognise courses done substantially
by distance education, or qualifications
obtained overseas.
Additional requirements for recognition
as a provider by health funds include:
• Clinic Address (Full Street Address
must be provided – Please note that
some health funds may list your clinic
address on their public websites)
• Current Senior First Aid
• Current Professional Indemnity
Insurance (some health funds require
specific minimum cover amounts.
Please refer to the individual health
fund terms and conditions for further
information)
• Compliance with the ATMS Continuing
Education Policy along with any
additional continuing education
requirements stipulated by the health
fund
• Current National Registration (where
applicable)
• Compliance with the Terms and
Conditions of Provider Status with the
individual health funds
ATMS must have current evidence of
your first aid and insurance on file at
all times.
When you join or rejoin ATMS, or when
you upgrade your qualifications, you
will need to fill out the ATMS Health
Fund Application and Declaration Form
available on the ATMS website. Once this
is received, along with any other required
information for health fund eligibility
assessment, details of eligible members
are sent to the applicable health funds
on their next available listing. The ATMS
office will also forward your change of
details, including clinic address details
to your approved health funds on their
next available list. Please note that the
health funds can take up to one month
to process new providers and change of
details as we are only one of many health
professions that they deal with..
Lapsed membership, insurance or
first aid will result in a member being
removed from the health funds list.
As health funds change their provider
eligibility requirements from time to
time, upgrading qualifications may be
necessary to be re-instated with some
health funds.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
PROVIDER STATUS
Many of the Terms and Conditions of
Provider Status for the individual health
funds are located on the ATMS website.
For the Terms and Conditions for the
other health funds, it will be necessary to
contact the health fund directly.
BEING A PROVIDER IMPLIES
ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS FOR THE HEALTH
FUNDS.
Please note that whilst there is no law
or regulation requiring patient clinical
notes to be taken in English, many of the
major health funds do require patient
clinical notes to be taken in English.
Failure to do this will be a breach of
the Health Funds Terms and Conditions
and may result in the practitioner being
removed as a provider for that health
fund.
For health funds to rebate on the
services of Accredited members, it is
important that a proper invoice be
issued to patients. The information
which must be included on an invoice
is also listed on the ATMS website. It
is ATMS policy that only Accredited
members issue their own invoice. An
Accredited member must never allow
another practitioner, student or staff
member to use their provider details,
as this constitutes health fund fraud.
Misrepresenting the service(s) provided
on the invoice also constitutes health
fund fraud. Health fund fraud is a
criminal offence which may involve a
police investigation and expulsion from
the ATMS Register of Members.
It is of note that the health funds require
practitioners to be in private practice.
Some health funds will not recognise
claims where accommodation, facilities
or services are provided or subsidised by
another party such as a public hospital
or publicly funded facility. Rebates
are only claimable for the face to face
consultation (not the medicines or
remedies); however this does not extend
to mobile work including markets,
corporate or hotels. Home visits are
eligible for rebates..
ONLINE OR PHONE CONSULTATIONS
ARE NOT RECOGNISED FOR HEALTH
FUND REBATES.
Please be aware that whilst a health fund
may indicate that they provide a rebate
for specific modalities, this rebate may
only be claimable if the client has the
appropriate level of health cover with that
fund and has not exceeded any limits on
how much they are eligible to claim back
over a certain period of time.
BEING A PROVIDER IMPLIES
ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS FOR THE HEALTH
FUNDS.
Australian Health Management
(AHM)
Names of eligible ATMS members will
be sent to AHM each month. AHM’s
eligibility requirements are listed on the
ATMS website www.atms.com.au.
ATMS members can check their eligibility
by checking the ATMS website or by
contacting the ATMS Office on 1800
456 855. Your ATMS Number will be
your provider number, unless you wish
to have online claiming. You will then
need to contact AHM directly for the new
provider number.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 47
 HEALTH FUND NEWS
Australian Regional Health
Group (ARHG)
This group consists of the following
health funds:
• ACA Health Benefits Fund Ltd
• Cessnock District Health Benefits
Fund
• CUA Health Limited^
• Defence Health
• GMHBA (Including Frank Health
Fund)
• Health.com.au
• Health Care Insurance Limited#
• HIF WA
• Latrobe Health Services (Federation
Health)
• Mildura District Hospital Fund
• Navy Health Fund
• Onemedifund
• Peoplecare Health Insurance
• Phoenix Health Fund
• Police Health Fund
• Queensland Country Health Fund
Ltd#
• Railway and Transport Fund Ltd#
• St Luke’s Health#
• Teachers Health#
• Teachers Union Health#
• Transport Health#
• Westfund
Details of eligible members, including
member updates are sent to ARHG by
ATMS monthly. The details sent to ARHG
are your name, address, telephone and
accredited discipline(s). These details
will appear on the ARHG websites. If
you do not wish your details to be sent to
ARHG, please advise the ATMS office on
1800 456 855.
The ARHG provider number is based
on your ATMS number with additional
lettering. To work out your ARHG provider
number please follow these steps:
1 Add the letters AT to the front of your
ATMS member number
2 If your ATMS number has five digits
go to step 3. If it has two, three or four
digits, you need to add enough zeros to
the front to make it a five digit number
(e.g. 123 becomes 00123).
48 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
3 Add the letter that corresponds to your
accredited modality at the end of the
provider number;
A ACUPUNCTURE
C CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
H HOMOEOPATHY
N NATUROPATHY
O AROMATHERAPY
W WESTERN HERBAL MEDICINE
If ATMS member 123 is accredited in
Western herbal medicine, the ARHG
provider number will be AT00123W.
4 If you are accredited in several
modalities, you will need a
different provider number for each
modality (e.g. if ATMS member 123
is accredited for Western Herbal
Medicine and Aromatherapy,
the ARHG provider numbers are
AT00123W and AT00123O.
ARHG - REMEDIAL MASSAGE
AND CHINESE MASSAGE
Remedial Massage and Chinese Massage
therapists who graduated after March
2002 must hold a Certificate IV or higher
from a registered training organisation.
Members who are accredited for
Remedial Massage or Chinese Massage,
will need to use the following letters.
M MASSAGE THERAPY
R REMEDIAL THERAPY
The letter at the end of your provider
number will depend on your qualification,
not the modality in which you hold
accreditation*. All members who meet
the ARHG eligibility requirements, who
hold a Diploma of Remedial HLT50302
or HLT50307 or a Diploma of Chinese
Remedial Massage HLT50102, HLT50107 or
HLT50112 will be able to use both the ‘M’
and ‘R’ letters. It is recommended to use
the ‘R’ as often as possible, but as not all
health funds under ARHG cover ‘Remedial
Therapy’, it will be necessary to use the
‘M’ at the end of the provider number
for those funds only. All other eligible
Remedial Massage Therapists who do not
hold the Diploma of Remedial HLT50302
or HLT50307 or a Diploma of Chinese
Remedial Massage HLT50102, HLT50107
or HLT50112 are required to use the ‘M’ at
the end of their provider number.
*Members accredited for Remedial Therapies
and approved for ARHG for this modality
under their previous criteria will continue to
be recognised under Remedial Therapy and
will be fine to use the ‘R’ in their provider
number. Should members in this situation
lapse membership, first aid or insurance etc
they will then be required to meet the current
ARHG criteria.
CUA HEALTH– BOWEN
THERAPY, KINESIOLOGY AND
REFLEXOLOGY
For the additional modalities that CUA
Health covers that are not listed above
including Bowen Therapy, Kinesiology
and Reflexology, eligible providers will
need to use the following to work out
your provider number:
1 Add the letters AT which will be the
start of your provider number
2 Add the letter that corresponds to
your accredited modality at the end of
the provider number;
B BOWEN THERAPY
K KINESIOLOGY
R REFLEXOLOGY
3 Then add your ATMS Number. If
your ATMS number has five digits
your provider number will now be
complete. If it has two, three or four
digits, you need to add enough zeros
to the front to make it a five digit
number (e.g. 123 becomes 00123).
If ATMS member 123 is accredited in
Kinesiology, the CUA provider number
will be ATK00123.
4 If you are accredited in several
modalities, you will need a
different provider number for each
modality (e.g. if ATMS member
123 is accredited for Kinesiology
and Reflexology, the CUA provider
numbers are ATK00123 and
ATR00123.

RESERVE BANK HEALTH
SOCIETY –REFLEXOLOGY
For the additional modalities that
Reserve Bank Health Society covers
that are not listed above including
Reflexology, eligible providers will need
to use the following to work out your
provider number:
1 Add the letters AT which will be the
start of your provider number
2 Add the letter that corresponds to
your accredited modality at the end of
the provider number;
R REFLEXOLOGY
3 Then add your ATMS Number. If
your ATMS number has five digits
your provider number will now be
complete. If it has two, three or four
digits, you need to add enough zeros
to the front to make it a five digit
number (e.g. 123 becomes 00123).
If ATMS member 123 is accredited in
Reflexology, the Reserve Bank Health
Society provider number will be
ATR00123.
TEACHERS HEALTH –
BOWEN THERAPY,
KINESIOLOGY, REFLEXOLOGY
AND SHIATSU
For the additional modalities that
Teachers Health covers that are not
listed above including Bowen Therapy,
Kinesiology, Reflexology and Shiatsu,
eligible providers will need to use the
following to work out your provider
number:
1 Add the letters AT which will be the
start of your provider number
2 Add the letter that corresponds to
your accredited modality at the end of
the provider number;
B BOWEN THERAPY
K KINESIOLOGY
R REFLEXOLOGY
S SHIATSU
HEALTH FUND NEWS
3 Then add your ATMS Number. If
your ATMS number has five digits
your provider number will now be
complete. If it has two, three or four
digits, you need to add enough zeros
to the front to make it a five digit
number (e.g. 123 becomes 00123).
If ATMS member 123 is accredited
in Kinesiology, the Teachers Health
provider number will be ATK00123.
4 If you are accredited in several
modalities, you will need a different
provider number for each modality
(e.g. if ATMS member 123 is
accredited for Kinesiology and
Reflexology, the Teachers Health
provider numbers are ATK00123 and
ATR00123.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
For all modalities that these funds
(Health Care Insurance Limited,
Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd,
Railway and Transport Fund Ltd, St
Luke’s Health, Teachers Union Health,
Transport Health) cover that are not
listed above including Bowen Therapy,
Kinesiology, Nutrition and Reflexology,
eligible providers will need to use their
ATMS number. Please refer to the Health
Fund Table.
Australian Unity
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to Australian
Unity each month. ATMS members will
need to contact Australian Unity on
1800 035 360 to register as a provider,
after filling out the Australian Unity
Application Form located on the ATMS
website to activate their provider status.
This only needs to happen the first time.
The provider eligibility requirements
for Australian Unity are located on the
ATMS website www.atms.com.au.
Your ATMS number can be used as your
Provider Number, or you can contact
Australian Unity for your Australian
Unity generated Provider Number. Please
note that Australian Unity requires
Professional Indemnity Insurance (to
at least $2 million) and Public Liability
Insurance (to at least $10 million).
BUPA
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to BUPA on a
weekly basis. The provider eligibility
requirements for BUPA are located on
the ATMS website www.atms.com.au.
The Provider eligibility requirements
include an IELTS test result of an overall
Band 6 or higher for TCM qualifications
completed in a language other than
English. BUPA will generate a Provider
Number after receiving the list of
eligible practitioners. BUPA advises
ATMS of your Provider Number and
ATMS will then advise those members
directly.
CBHS Health Fund Limited
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to CBHS each
month. The details sent to CBHS are your
name, address, telephone and accredited
discipline(s). These details will appear
on the CBHS website. If you do not want
your details to be sent to CBHS, please
advise the ATMS office on 1800 456 855.
The provider eligibility requirements for
CBHS are located on the ATMS website
www.atms.com.au. Your ATMS
number will be your Provider Number.
Doctors Health Fund
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to Doctors
Health Fund each month. Please note
that Doctors Health Fund only covers
Remedial Massage. The provider
eligibility requirements for Doctors
Health Fund are located on the ATMS
website www.atms.com.au. Your
ATMS number will be your Provider
Number.
Grand United Corporate
To register with Grand United
Corporate, please apply directly to
Grand United on 1800 249 966.
HBF
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to HBF each
month. The provider eligibility
requirements for HBF are located on
the ATMS website www.atms.com.
au. HBF is a Western Australian based
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 49
 HEALTH FUND NEWS
health fund. HBF will only generate a
provider number after they receive the
first claim from your first HBF client.
At this time you will be required to
download and complete their Provider
Registration form located under their
‘Just for Providers’ section of the HBF
website www.hbf.com.au.
HCF
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to HCF on a
weekly basis. The provider eligibility
requirements for HCF are located
on the ATMS website www.atms.
com.au. HCF do not issue provider
numbers nor use your ATMS number
as your provider number. They
do however require your ATMS
membership details, including your
ATMS number, to be clearly indicated
on all invoices and receipts issued.
Health Partners
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to Health
Partners each month. The provider
eligibility requirements for Health
Partners are located on the ATMS
website www.atms.com.au. Health
Partners uses the same Provider
number system as ARHG for certain
modalities and the ATMS number or
other modalities.
The provider number is based on
your ATMS number with additional
lettering. To work out your Health
Partners provider number please
follow these steps:
1 Add the letters AT to the front of
your ATMS member number
2 If your ATMS number has five digits
go to step 3. If it has two, three or
four digits, you need to add enough
zeros to the front to make it a five
digit number (e.g. 123 becomes
00123).
3 Add the letter that corresponds to
your accredited modality at the end
of the provider number;
50 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
A ACUPUNCTURE on the ATMS website www.atms.
C CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE com.au. NIB does accept overseas
H HOMOEOPATHY Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal
M REMEDIAL MASSAGE Medicine qualifications which have
N NATUROPATHY been assessed as equivalent to the
W WESTERN HERBAL MEDICINE required Australian qualification by
Vetassess. Your ATMS Number will
If ATMS member 123 is accredited in be your provider number, unless
Western Herbal Medicine, the provider your client wishes to claim online.
number will be AT00123W. Your client will need to contact NIB
directly or search by your surname and
4 If you are accredited in several postcode on the NIB website www.
modalities, you will need a nib.com.au for your provider number
different provider number for each for online claiming purposes.
modality (e.g. if ATMS member 123
is accredited for Western Herbal HICAPS
Medicine and Aromatherapy, the ATMS members who wish to activate
provider numbers are AT00123W these facilities need to register directly
and AT00123O. with HICAPS. HICAPS do not cover all
health funds and modalities. Please go
For all other modalities that Health to www.hicaps.com.au or call 1800
Partners cover that are not listed above 805 780 for further information.
including Alexander Technique, Bowen
Therapy, Kinesiology and Reflexology,
eligible providers will need to use their
ATMS number.
Medibank Private
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to Medibank
Private on a monthly basis. The
provider eligibility requirements for
Medibank Private are located on the
ATMS website www.atms.com.au.
Medibank Private requires Clinical
Records to be taken in English.
Medibank Private generates Provider
Numbers after receiving the list of
eligible practitioners from ATMS.
Medibank Private sends these provider
numbers directly to ATMS. ATMS will
then forward this information to the
provider. Please note that Medibank
has placed a restriction of up to a
maximum 3 clinic addresses that will
be recognised for Remedial Massage.
There are no restrictions on the
number of recognised clinics for other
modalities.
NIB
Names and details of eligible ATMS
members will be sent to NIB on a
weekly basis. The provider eligibility
requirements for NIB are located

BioTensegrity:
Anatomy of the 21st Century
By John Sharkey | MSc
Massage therapy is recognised as the
manual manipulation of the soft tissues,
namely muscles, connective tissue
(fascia), tendons, ligaments and joints.
Clinical massage helps alleviate the
discomfort associated with daily living
strains and overuse issues leading to
pain conditions.
Massage schools usually teach human
anatomy and Newtonian based
biomechanics. All this was in an
effort to understand the mechanical
structure-function relationship. This
lever-based biomechanics and one
muscle one-movement philosophy has
long been at odds with what massage
therapists intuitively feel and clinically
observe. In such a model the foot
has little relation to the wrist, the sub
occipital structures work autonomously
with no concern for the sacrum and
pain experienced in the shoulder would
require massaging the shoulder and
local soft tissues only.
Massage therapists work directly with
the cellular network. At the most basic
level all structures are the result of
interactions between atomic forces,
and the orderly arrangements that they
settle into are governed by some basic
rules of physics.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors.
ADVERTORIAL
Essentially, it is the fundamental and
inter-related principles of geodesic
geometry, close-packing and minimal-
energy that lead to the formation of
crystals and molecules, which thus
become the physical representations
of the invisible forces within them.
Molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and
organisms are all constructed on
these tensegrity principles of enclosed
geometric structures within enclosed
geometries.
The biological tensegrity systems
(Biotensegrity) is a structural design
principle in biology that describes a
relationship between every part of an
organism and the mechanical system
that integrates them into a complete
functional unit.
Individual cells, which are self stressed,
are poised and ready to receive
mechanical signals that are then
converted into biochemical expression.
In massage therapy we make contact
with that inner cellular network by
touching the outermost reaches of the
same cellular network, the skin.
Biotensegrity is an essential model
for massage therapists and movement
practitioners of every stripe.
Understanding this model will provide
you with the vocabulary and underlying
logic of “body architecture” that forms
the context of therapeutic benefits.
Biotensegrity will add to your
confidence and ability to achieve those
therapeutic goals. A new era is dawning
in our understanding of anatomy and
living movement. That new anatomy
and understanding of whole body
structure is Biotensegrity.
John Sharkey, MSc is a Clinical
Anatomist and Founder of the European
Neuromuscular Therapy. He is working
at the Department of Clinical
Sciences, University of Chester/NTC,
Dublin, Ireland. He will be in Australia
from 2nd of June 2016, teaching
Biotensegrity. More details at www.
terrarosa.com.au
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 51
 ADVERTORIAL
Relief for menopausal women:
A clinically trialled synergistic
combination of traditional herbal
extracts
By Carey Hanna | BHSc (Comp Med), Adv Dip (Nat), Dip (Nut)
Due to the concerns with Menopausal
Hormone Therapy (MHT) use, it is
understandable that the transition
into menopause is a time where many
women may seek out complementary
and alternative medicines (CAM) to help
manage symptoms and improve their
quality of life. The holistic approach of
course incorporates diet and lifestyle
modifications to reduce weight,
guidance on weight bearing exercise to
support healthy bones and lean muscle
mass, and mind-body techniques, such
as meditation to help manage stress,
mood changes and insomnia.
MHT is known to increase the risk of
breast cancer, and is one of the most
important modifiable risk factors.1
As an alternative, herbal medicine
is a powerful modality that can be
used to ease many of the common
symptoms associated with menopause.
The documented use of some herbal
medicines date back hundreds of years,
providing long-term safety and efficacy
assurance.
Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis
umbrosa, and Angelica gigas are three
examples which have been used as
herbal remedies for more than 400
hundred years in Korea. Research on
the unique, standardised, proprietary
blend of these three herbs; known
as EstroG-100® and Estromon®, has
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors.
52 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
shown positive results for alleviating
some of the most common menopausal
symptoms, including hot flushes, night
sweats, vaginal dryness, insomnia,
fatigue, mood changes, problems with
memory and concentration, urinary
incontinence, joint and rheumatic pain
and formication (crawling sensation on
the skin).2-3
Centuries of wisdom, now
clinically trialled
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-
controlled trial, evaluated the clinical
efficacy of EstroG-100®, in 61 peri-
and postmenopausal women aged
42-70; from White Hispanic, White
non-Hispanic and African American
backgrounds.2 Participants were
divided into two groups to receive
either EstroG-100® (n-29) or placebo
(n-32), and were required to complete
an updated version of the Kupperman
Menopause Index (KMI); a questionnaire
which rates the severity of menopausal
symptoms. The primary endpoint
assessed was the mean change in KMI
score.
After 12 weeks, results revealed that
257mg of EstroG-100®, taken twice daily
(total daily dose of 514mg), showed
statistically significant improvements
in the following 10 menopause-related
symptoms; vasomotor (hot flush or
cold sweat), paresthesia (numbness
and tingling), insomnia, nervousness,
vertigo, fatigue, rheumatic pain,
melancholia, formication (sensation
of crawling on the skin) and vaginal
dryness, compared to placebo.
EstroG-100® had no significant effect
on body weight, BMI, serum oestradiol
(E2) or follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH) levels, liver enzymes, or blood
lipids (LDL and HDL); all of which have
been previously observed with MHT.
Furthermore, no adverse events were
observed or reported by participants
who received EstroG-100® in this study.
Similar results were seen in a 12 month
prospective, randomised, double-
blind, placebo-controlled clinical
trial, which included peri menopausal
Korean women (average age of 54);
treatment group (n=19) and placebo
group (n=23).3 This study looked
at supplementation with Estromon®
(257mg of Cynanchum wilfordii,
Phlomis umbrosa, and Angelica gigas)
plus vitamins, minerals and amino
acids including; vitamin B1, B2, B3,
B6 and B12, vitamin A, vitamin E,
vitamin C, vitamin D3, biotin, iron,
lysine and arginine. Taken twice daily,
this treatment resulted in statistically
significant improvements in various
menopause-related symptoms when
compared to placebo. After 3 months,
the Estromon® group showed statistically

significant improvement in various
menopausal symptoms compared to
the placebo group. These symptoms
included; hot flushes, dyspareunia
(difficult or painful intercourse), sleep
disorder, mental awareness (memory
and concentration) issues, joint pain,
musculoskeletal disease, dyspepsia,
urinary incontinence and fatigue.
Following the 12 month point, the
Estromon® group showed a significant
improvement in bone metabolism
markers and increase in femoral
bone density, a significant increase
in human growth hormone (hGH)
and a significant reduction in serum
triglyceride levels from baseline to
12 months.3
For more information, please refer
to the technical sheet titled “The
Science behind a unique combination
of herbal extracts for the alleviation
of menopausal symptoms” and “The
role of complementary medicine in
menopause’ available on the BioMedica
website.
Full reference list available upon
request from BioMedica.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors.
Youthfulness:
Understanding human
biomechanics and
alkalisation
By AOIT
Despite our age we all want to live a
quality life where we can move around
with little discomfort to our joints, with
no disease and retain the energy and
vigour of youth. This can be delivered by
firstly understanding our original design
in regard to movement and resting
positions. Secondly by understanding the
vital role played by the Ph. of our body
chemistry.
Let us consider the first one. In the
developed world most of us sit in chairs
for much of the day. Cars, toilets, lounges
they are all chairs. At the office, schools,
eating our meals, we all sit in chairs.
Our biomechanics were designed to sit
cross legged and in other positions on
the floor. When we sit in chairs we are
holding our muscles in neutral positions
nothing is ever being stretched. It is
said “if you don’t use it you lose it.” You
become stiffer and stiffer as the years roll
by until you are all hunched over unable
to straighten up. We were not designed
specifically to perform repetitive
movements day after day for years on
end. Our work creates lesions in the
muscles, shortens the tendons leading to
mechanical problems galore.
The second one, body chemistry is
directed at the tissues and blood that
move away from their ideal ph. range
and become more acid. This state not
only invite disease, but it ages the
cells more quickly as oxygen becomes
depleted. Otto Warburg a German
researcher received two Nobel Prizes
in Medicine in 1932 for his discovery
of the cause of cancer leading to the
subsequent "cure". He found that cancer
thrived in an acidic environment.
Acidosis is primarily caused by the
modern diet where most foods form acid
residues in the tissues. Alkalisation on
the other hand is our normal state where
the diet is over 80% fruits and vegetables
leading to healthy cells. These foods
are also the only ones that give us our
Vitamin C, a necessary nutrient to ensure
that collagen; our supportive tissue is
providing us with that “youthful look”.
If our joints are always in acidosis they
initially become painful and later on
inflexible.
Conclusion: Start today sitting on the
floor eating from a low table, using
cushions for support. Avoid repetitive
work, and eat over 80% fruits and
vegetables to ensure a youthful life
ahead.
AOIT – Provider of CPE workshops
www.aoit.com.au
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 53
 ADVERTORIAL

Aluminium Toxicity?
By Jon Gamble | BA ND ADHom ATMS #1190

Have you ever suspected that aluminium

toxicity could be the main cause of your
patient’s illness?

Aluminium is the third most abundant

mineral in the earth’s crust. It is
added to water supplies, deodorants,
cosmetics, antacids and vaccines.
We are surrounded by its light, shiny
products, yet aluminium toxicity may
not be suspected as the reason for your
patient’s chronic illness.

When you suspect toxicities in autistic

children or older patients (who may
be destined for dementia) aluminium
toxicity must be considered. (See
The Age of Aluminium documentary
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=A2aNSt5jkaM on the health
impacts of aluminium.)
A patient presents to your clinic with
these symptoms:
• Confusion, poor memory
• Muscle weakness
• Dry skin and mucous membranes
• Speech problems
• Anaemia
• Allergies
• Hypersensitivity to electro magnetic
radiation (EMR)
This could be an autistic child, an adult
with chronic fatigue, autoimmune
disease, or fibromyalgia. You consider
the possible causes, like nutritional
deficiency, poor gut function, heavy
metal toxicity or a combination of
these. You decide to do some chelation
therapy, treat the gut, or put your patient
on intense nutritional therapy. Your
regime will sometimes help your patient
and sometimes it will not. Where to
from here?
Most chronically ill patients have a When you can discover in only a few
multiple heavy metal load, so you might minutes which metals are the most
ask what the value of identifying a likely cause of the presenting symptoms,
specific heavy metal is? All heavy metals it allows you to refine your treatment.
are neurotoxic, damage immunity, iron In the above case, aluminium was the
metabolism, and cause a wide array likely cause of this woman’s mental
of debilitating symptoms. Identifying and physical symptoms. Rewarding for
which element is responsible for your patient and practitioner - especially
patient’s symptoms, can help to target when the movement of the elements can
the problem. Aluminium’s unique be easily monitored in subsequent scans,
symptoms are dryness, weakness, at three or six monthly intervals.
hypersensitivity and mental confusion.
See www.oligoscan.net.au for
The Oligoscan report below is of a more information. Contact: jon@
woman in her forties. She presented karunahealthcare.com.au
with poor memory, fatigue and repeated
infections.
She was supplemented with large doses
of silica and zinc, which antagonise the
absorption of and remove aluminium,
plus one dose of BioResearch Al Met
(Aluminium Metallicum chelate): five
drops every second day. At follow up
six weeks later, this woman’s symptoms
were all improving, so the same
treatment was continued.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors.

54 | vol22 no1 | JATMS

ADVERTORIAL
A story of
TCM Research
By Yifan Yang
Chinese medicine made a huge
contribution to medicine in 2015
when Professor Tu Youyou, an eighty-
five year old TCM researcher of The
Academy of Traditional Chinese
Medicine in Beijing, China, shared the
Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015.
During the Vietnam War in the 1960s
the Chinese government decided to
set up a research program to find a
new drug for treating malaria, which
was highly prevalent in Vietnam.
Many scientists conducted studies
but their trials failed again and again.
One day, Ms. Tu Youyou found a
record of malaria treatment with a
Chinese herb QING HAO Artemisia
in an ancient medical book dating
back to 1600 years in the Jin dynasty.
Rather than use the traditional boiling
extraction methods, the Jin dynasty
TCM doctor used the raw herbal juice
instead. With this low temperature
extraction method the malarial
parasite had a 100% killing rate.
Soon after Ms. Tu Youyou’s
discovery, many TCM universities
undertook clinical trials, and the
chemical structure of Artemisia was
discovered. Through several decades
of application and pharmaceutical
refinement, QING HAO SU (Artemisia
extract drug) has been proven to
be the most effective medicine
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors.
for malaria, surpassing Quinine,
the traditional chemical drug for
this disease. Soon it became the
first choice of US marines for their
overseas troops to combat malaria,
and QING HAO SU was approved by
FDA, United States, as a formal drug
in 2009.
After wiping out malaria in China, the
herbal drug was introduced to African
countries which were still affected by
malaria. Since then millions of lives
have been saved. It is for this reason
Professor Tu Youyou was awarded a
Nobel Prize.
It is estimated that there are more
than 100,000 TCM books that were
published before 1900 which may
hold great medical value waiting to
be discovered. Studying Traditional
Chinese Medicine is the first step
of this discovery. The philosophy
of TCM will benefit learners.
Enrolment into the Sydney Institute
of Traditional Chinese Medicine for
2017 has now opened. Open day is
23rd July and 24th September 2016,
10:00am – 2:00pm. The course
commences on 13th February 2017.
Ph: (02) 9261 2289, website: www.
sitcm.edu.au
RECENT RESEARCH
Nutrition (cont.)
Zhao L-G, Sun J-W, Yang Y, Ma X, Wang YY, Xiang
Y-B.
Fish consumption and all-cause mortality: a
meta-analysis of cohort studies. European Journal
of Clinical Nutrition 2016, 70(2): 155 doi: http://
dx.doi.org.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/10.1038/ejcn.2015.72
Background: Although fish consumption
may have an influence on specific mortality
of major chronic diseases, the relationship
between fish consumption and all-cause
mortality remains inconsistent.
Methods: We performed a systematic
search of publications using PubMed and
Web of science up to 31 December 2014.
Summary relative risk (RR) for the highest
versus lowest category of fish consumption
on risk of all-cause mortality was calculated
by using a random effects model. Potential
nonlinear relation was tested by modeling
fish intake using restricted cubic splines
with three knots at fixed percentiles of the
distribution.
Results: Twelve prospective cohort studies
with 672 389 participants and 57 641
deaths were included in this meta-analysis.
Compared with the lowest category,
the highest category of fish intake was
associated with about a 6% significantly
lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR=0.94,
95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90, 0.98;
I(2)=39.1%, P=0.06). The dose-response
analysis indicated a nonlinear relationship
between fish consumption and all-cause
mortality. Compared with never consumers,
consumption of 60 g of fish per day was
associated with a 12% reduction (RR=0.88,
95% CI: 0.83, 0.93) in risk of total death.
Conclusions: These results imply that fish
consumption was associated with a reduced
risk of all-cause mortality.
JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 55
 PRODUCTS & SERVICES GUIDE
10 knots Uniforms
sales@10knots.com.au | www.10knots.com.au | 0487 101 001
Imagine if your uniforms were designed by a fellow Practitioner, someone who
knows what the uniform should perform like in an active job... Introducing 10
knots uniforms, designed by Practitioners for Practitioners.
• Style and Comfort – freedom to move, adjustable fit and superb cut.
• Durable and breathable quality fabrics. Natural Linen or Functional
(Poly/Viscose).
• Ethically designed and manufactured in Australia, stock held on site,
no minimum order.
Feel the difference, from AM to PM appointments you will look and feel fresh.
… I designed your uniforms with a genuine desire to make a difference,
aesthetically and practically.
Academy of Integrated
Therapies (AOIT)
info@aoit.com.au | www.aoit.com.au | 07 3359 8523
About 15 years ago Neil Skilbeck, a Chiropractor and Osteopath made a
valuable discovery integrating soft tissue and bones together. This has led to
our course of Musculoskeletal Therapy (MST).
We believe in integrating knowledge as it leads to very powerful solutions such
as we have demonstrated through our courses. We also provide CE workshops
to fill in gaps in basic training of most body therapy courses.
These consist of foot corrections, nerve dynamics, limb neurology,
axial and appendicular assessment and treatment and our specialty of
pelvic mechanics.
BioMedica Nutraceuticals
info@biomedica.com.au | www.biomedica.com.au | 1300 884 702
BioMedica is an Australian owned company dedicated to the research,
development and production of high quality, low excipient and efficacious
practitioner formulations. Our products are developed by practitioners for
practitioners. As a ‘Strictly Practitioner Only’ company, BioMedica is strongly
dedicated to preserving and enhancing the role of the holistic practitioner.
Our products are only sold to practitioners in a clinical setting, this has been our
long standing policy since our inception in 1998, and remains firmly in place to
this day. We also aim to provide highly relevant technical education materials
and seminars, with practical research and insights that can be immediately
integrated into clinical practice.
The ATMS Products & Services Guide will
appear in every issue of JATMS
The cost is $150 for one issue or $500 for 4 consecutive issues. Listing
comprises of – Logo, 100 word profile and contact information.
If you wish to list your company, practice, products, services or training
course to appear in the next issue’s ATMS Products & Services Guide, please
contact Yuri Mamistvalov on 0419 339 865.
56 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
Bio-Practica
www.bio-practica.com.au | 08 8130 8700
Bio-Practica believes in empowering Healthcare Professionals. Bio-Practica
believes that natural healthcare practitioners should play a fundamental role
in preventative healthcare. We believe in a holistic methodology for medicine,
drawing knowledge from traditional uses, clinical experience, scientific-based
research and clinical trials. Our formulations are based on leading-edge
research and traditional evidence to obtain optimal clinical results. Please
join your peers for upcoming seminars: Innovative Workshop Exposome Meets
Genome with Vanessa Hitch in April 2016 and Australia Wide National Summit
Advanced Understanding in Acid-Based Balance in June 2016. Please see our
website for more information.
Cathay Herbal
orders@cathayherbal.com | www.cathayherbal.com | 1800 622 042
Established in 1986, Cathay Herbal is a company that is run by practitioners
who constantly work to ensure they understand and meet the needs of
you, the practitioner. All products sold by Cathay Herbal undergo rigorous
development and investigation before being offered as part of their range. With
one of the largest ranges of Chinese Classical formulas outside of China, they
don’t just stock the popular ones. Cathay’s range is large and comprehensive.
As well as the classical Black Pill range they also have many formulas available in
tablet and capsules and a range of herbal granules, liquids and plasters.
Chi-Chinese Healing College
admin@chihealing.com.au | www.chihealing.com.au | 0416 286 899
Established since 1990 in Australia founded and directed by Master Zhang Hao,
offering quality courses in nationally accredited qualifications of Diploma of
Traditional Chinese Medicine Remedial Massage (An Mo Tui Na) and Diploma
of Remedial Massage. The College is also conducting the short CE skill
update courses and workshops throughout the year specially for professional
massage therapists and health care workers. The College now also trading
under the name - Australian School of Remedial Therapies to specialize in
delivering Vocational Training Programs. If you still like the caring, practical and
personalised traditional study model and environment - Try us!
Health World Limited
www.healthworld.com.au | 07 3117 3300
Health World Limited is recognised as a Leading Natural Health Science
Company and the innovators in Natural Health products and Healthcare
professional education. Health World Limited and Metagenics have invested
in cutting edge manufacturing technology and equipment in order to expand
production of the highest quality Natural Medicines. This level of commitment
ensures that Health World Limited produces products that you and your
patient can trust for quality and effectiveness.
 Helio Supply Co
Oncology Massage Training
tcm@heliosupply.com.au | www.heliosupply.com.au | 02 9698 5555
info@oncologymassagetraining.com.au
Helio Supply Co is a wholesaler of Acupuncture and TCM supplies. We www.oncologymassagetraining.com.au | 0410 486 767
distribute nationally as well as internationally and pride ourselves on our
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in regional areas where there is enough interest. We also maintain a national
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organisations and hospitals nationally.
info@herbsofgold.com.au | www.herbsofgold.com.au | 02 9545 2633 Don’t turn clients with cancer away, or refer them on. Improve your skills and
get the confidence you need to improve client wellbeing.
Herbs of Gold has been dedicated to health since 1989, providing premium Contact us at info@oncologymassagetraining.com.au for more information
and practitioner strength herbal and nutritional supplements. Formulated or check out the website.
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The No. 1 supplier of prepared Chinese herbal medicine in Australia and New
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HESTA BLACK PEARL® pills • ChinaMed® capsules • Red Peony® granules for KIDS
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hesta@hesta.com.au | hesta.com.au | 1800 813 327 Sun Herbal supports you with:
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HESTA’s size means we can offer many benefits to members and employers. These • Regular Sun Herbal ‘Extracts’ (research and case studies)
include: low fees, a fully portable account, easy administration, • Patient brochures & posters
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For more information visit hesta.com.au or call 1800 813 327. Terra Rosa
Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Limited ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL No. 235249,Trustee of Health Employees
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terrarosa@gmail.com | www.terrarosa.com.au | 0402 059 570

Terra Rosa specialised in educational massage DVDs and books. It has the
Oligoscan Australasia largest collection of massage DVDs in Australia and the world, covering all
modalities from Anatomy, Swedish Massage, Reflexology, Sports Massage
jon@karunahealthcare.com.au | www.oligoscan.net.au | 02 4228 0977 to Myofascial Release and Structural Integration. We also provide the best in
continuing education with workshops by international presenters including
For practitioners of CAM to adequately treat patients with chronic diseases, it Orthopaedic Massage, Taping, Fascial Fitness and Myofascial Therapy.
is essential to have at your fingertips to investigative tools to give the answers
you need to create a viable treatment plan. Using the Oligoscan we can
detect in only a few minutes the patient’s heavy metal load in addition to the
bio-availability of their nutritive minerals. We can show patients why they have
their symptoms, and help them to see a way out and back to health. Oligoscan
is non-invasive, requires no tissue biopsy, and uses state of the art technology
called Spectrophotometry. For the next practitioner training day go to
http://oligoscan.net.au/events.html.

JATMS | Autumn 2016 | 57

 EDUCATION & TRAINING
Continuing Education
Continuing education (CE) is a
structured program of further education
for practitioners in their professional
occupations.
The ATMS CE policy is designed to
ensure its practitioners regularly update
their clinical skills and professional
knowledge. One of the main aims of CE
is to keep members abreast of current
research and new developments which
inform contemporary clinical practice.
The ATMS CE policy is based on the
following principles:
• Easily accessible to all members,
regardless of geographic location
• Members should not be given broad
latitude in the selection and design of
their individual learning programs
• Applicable to not only the disciplines
in which a member has ATMS
accreditation, but also to other
practices that are relevant to clinical
practice which ATMS does not
accredit (e.g. Ayurveda, yoga)
• Applicable to not only clinical
practice, but also to all activities
associated with managing
a small business (e.g. book-
keeping, advertising)
• Seminars, workshops and conferences
that qualify for CE points must be
of a high standard and encompass
both broad based topics as well as
discipline-specific topics
• Financially viable, so that costs will
not inhibit participation by members,
especially those in remote areas
• Relevant to the learning needs of
practitioners, taking into account
different learning styles and needs
58 | vol22 no1 | JATMS
• Collaborative processes between
professional complementary medicine
associations, teaching institutions,
suppliers of therapeutic goods and
devices and government agencies
to offer members the widest
possible choice in CE activities
• Emphasis on consultation and co-
operation with ATMS members in the
development and implementation of
the CE program
ATMS members can gain CE
points through a wide range of
professional activities in accordance with
the ATMS CE policy. CE
activities are described in the CE policy
document as well as the CE Record.
These documents can be obtained from
the ATMS office (telephone 1800 456
855, fax (02) 9809 7570, or email info@
atms.com.au) or downloaded from the
ATMS website at www.atms.com.au.
It is a mandatory requirement of ATMS
membership that members accumulate
20 CE points per financial year. CE points
can be gained by selecting any of the
following articles, reading them carefully
and critically reflecting on how the
information in the article may influence
your own practice and/or understanding
of complementary medicine practice.
You can gain one (1) CE point per article
to a maximum of three (3) CE points per
journal from this activity:
• Mars M, Oliver M. Mindfulness is
more that a buzz word
• Arthur R. Acid base balance in
health from past to present.
• Reilly W. Dark field microscopy of
human blood: history and practice
• Holmes T. CAM use by poor
Victorian consumers
• Alexander K. Brief interventions
for clients with drug and alcohol
issues
• Medhurst R. A role for
homoeopathy in urinary tract
infection
• Pagura I. Work Health and Safety:
Emergency Plans and Providing
First Aid
As part of your critical reflection and
analysis, answer in approximately 100
words the following questions for each
of the three articles:
1 What new information did I learn
from this article?
2 In what ways will this information
affect my clinical prescribing/
techniques and/or my understanding
of complementary medicine practice?
3 In what ways has my attitude to this
topic changed?
Record your answers clearly on paper
for each article. Date and sign the sheets
and attach to your ATMS CE Record.
As a condition of membership, the CE
Record must be kept in a safe place, and
be produced on request from ATMS.
 EDUCATION & TRAINING

Continuing Education - Calendar 2016

DATE EVENT PRESENTER LOCATION
21/02/16 Seminar: Mastering Trigger Point Therapy Chris Beazley Charmhaven, NSW
28/02/16 Seminar: Trigger Points for Low Back, Pelvis and Extremities Raymond Smith Parramatta, NSW
6/03/16 Seminar: Integrating Muscle Energy Techniques (METs) and Positional Release into your Treatments Chris Beazley Moss Vale, NSW
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Canberra, ACT
Bodywork practitioners)
(Wednesday) Webinar: Spagyric Plant Preparations: A better way? Peter Berryman N/A
13/03/16 Seminar: Integrating Muscle Energy Techniques (METs) and Positional Release into your Treatments Chris Beazley Wallsend, NSW
13/03/16 Seminar: Trigger Points for Lower Back, Pelvis and Extremities Raymond Smith Penrith, NSW
(Wednesday) Webinar: Marketing With Soul - How to get busy without selling out Jeff Shearer N/A
Sunday Seminar: Nutritional Deficiencies, Body Signs and Clinical Signs in Clinical Practice Brad McEwen Parramatta, NSW
(Tuesday) Webinar: Eat right for your Ayurvedic body type Shaun Matthews N/A
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Newcastle, NSW
Bodywork practitioners)
Tuesday Webinar: Clinical Applications of Microminerals Brad McEwen N/A
Saturday Seminar: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Stephen Eddey Charmhaven, NSW
Sunday Seminar: The Paleo Diet Stephen Eddey Charmhaven, NSW
17/04/16 Seminar: Treat the Pelvic Girdle Chris Beazley Charmhaven, NSW
Sunday Seminar: Nutritional Deficiencies, Body Signs and Clinical Signs in Clinical Practice Brad McEwen Brisbane, Qld
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Bankstown, NSW
Bodywork practitioners)
1/05/16 Seminar: Integrating Muscle Energy Techniques (METs) and Positional Release into your Treatments Chris Beazley Charmhaven, NSW
3/05/2016 (Tues) Seminar: Integrating Muscle Energy Techniques (METs) and Positional Release into your Treatments Chris Beazley Crows Nest, NSW
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Penrith, NSW
Bodywork practitioners)
Saturday Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Crows Nest, NSW
Bodywork practitioners)
Sunday Seminar: Nutritional Deficiencies, Body Signs and Clinical Signs in Clinical Practice Brad McEwen Melbourne, VIC
(Tuesday) Webinar: Record Keeping/TCM/Acupuncture requirements Daniel Zhang N/A
22/05/16 Seminar: Lymphatic/Detox Massage Lynne Davidson Wallsend, NSW
25/05/2016 Seminar: Pregnancy Massage Lynne Davidson Crows Nest, NSW
(Wed)
29/05/16 Seminar: Treat Cervical and Thoracic Pain Laurie Fawkner Charmhaven, NSW
5/06/16 Seminar: Musculoskeletal assessment and palpation techniques Raymond Smith Kogarah, NSW
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Gold Coast, Qld
Bodywork practitioners)
Tuesday Webinar: Clinical Applications of B Vitamins Brad McEwen N/A
19/06/16 Seminar: Corrective Exercise for Bodyworkers Chris Beazley Charmhaven, NSW
Sunday Seminar: Nutritional Deficiencies, Body Signs and Clinical Signs in Clinical Practice Brad McEwen Adelaide, SA
(Monday) Webinar: Dietary Treatments for Acne Stephen Eddey N/A
26/06/16 Seminar: Acupressure for the Emotions John Kirkwood Adelaide, SA
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Charmhaven, NSW
Bodywork practitioners)
(Wednesday) Webinar: Prescribing Ayurvedic Herbs (Part 1) Shaun Matthews N/A
(Wednesday) Webinar: Nutritional Treatments for Type II Diabetes Stephen Eddey N/A
Sunday Seminar: Nutritional Deficiencies, Body Signs and Clinical Signs in Clinical Practice Brad McEwen Perth, WA
Tuesday Webinar: Clinical Applications of Vitamins A, C, D, E and K Brad McEwen N/A
(Wednesday) Webinar: Prescribing Ayurvedic Herbs (Part 2) Shaun Matthews N/A
11/09/16 Seminar: Acupressure for the Immune System John Kirkwood Adelaide, SA
(Sunday) Seminar: Ayurvedic Holistic Detoxing Shaun Matthews Sydney area
(Tuesday) Webinar: Nutritional Treatments for the Ageing Stephen Eddey N/A
(Sunday) Seminar: Understanding a Natural Medicine Practitioners Requirement for Clinical Practice (Massage & Maggie Sands Melbourne, VIC
Bodywork practitioners)

The proposed seminar and webinar topics, dates and locations (for seminars) are subject to change.
Please keep an eye on the ATMS website www.atms.com.au for the latest information and to book online.