Well it proved to be another exciting week for CAM. To begin, CNN.com covered 5 alternative medicine treatments that have been proven to work. These include acupuncture for pain; calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 for PMS; glucosamine for joint pain; guided imagery for pain and anxiety; and St. John’s Wort for depression. - On the aside, a number of clinical trials have indicated that St. John’s Wort is actually MORE effective then anti-depressants in the treatment of depression. It also has fewer side effects. Exercise has also been shown to be as effective as anti-depressants in trials, so if you’re feeling down, there are a couple of viable, non-pharmaceutical options for you.

In research: Some interesting discoveries were made in the area of soy and memory. In a preliminary trial performed by researchers at Loughborough University in the UK which studied the effect of both tofu and tempe (both soy-derived products) on memory, high tofu consumption led to a decline in memory whereas, high tempe consumption was found to protect individuals from memory decline. Apparently it’s the phytoestrogens and folate in tempe that proves so effective, so load up on those if you’re beginning to suspect that your memory just isn’t what it used to be.

We also found some good news in the wire for male diabetics that choose to stay fit. According to study performed by researchers at the George Washington University Hospital, it was found that high levels of physical activity in men with type 2 diabetes can reduce the risk of death by up to 40 percent. In addition, physical fitness appears to be more important than weight in estimating a diabetic’s longevity.

In the area of upcoming research, we were happy to discover that the Mount Sinai School of Medicine just received a grant to the tune of $8 million from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). The study, which will take place over a span of five years, will focus on the effect of grape-derived compounds in the prevention and onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Last but not least, being a great lover of the light of day, I was delighted to read that researchers at UC San Diego have found that increasing one’s intake of vitamin D may reduce the risk of breast, colon, and ovarian cancer by up to 50 percent.

My suggestion of the day?: Get your winter-white bodies out into the sun people!! (But don’t forget your sunblock)