September 20, 2006
OUR MISSION "To empower patients to take control of their health by providing comprehensive health resources, current treatment information, quality health products and advocating for the rights of the patient." more THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL This Week's Highest Rated SLEEP SUPPORT Melatonin ZMA PAIN SUPPORT O24 Fibromyalgia ProEnzyme™ P ENERGY SUPPORT NADH Neuro B-12 Ultra ATP+ IMMUNE SUPPORT Transfer Factor Essentials Olive Leaf Extract ImmPower DIGESTION SUPPORT Jarro-Dophilus EPS Acidophilus Pearls DETOX SUPPORT Guaifenesin FA ImmunPlex™ Vanilla BRAIN SUPPORT Omega 3-6-9 Phosphatidyl Serine Ginkgo Biloba MOOD SUPPORT St. John's Wort 5-HTP SAM-e Most Popular for Detoxification Guaifenesin FA Most Popular for Energy Support Enada NADH	FOUNDER'S CORNER Five Congressmen, a Senator, Joan Baez, and the Governor of Nevada - What Do They Have In Common? What do five congressmen, a senator, folk singing legend Joan Baez, a mayor, the governor of Nevada, and more than 300 high society luminaries have in common? They all attended a magnificent gala fundraising event, awards ceremony, and strategy planning session in Reno on September 15, held to support Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research. The event was sponsored by the Nevada CFS Foundation and the HHV-6 Foundation, and it was beautifully organized and wildly successful. This produced big news for patients, and I look forward to sharing details and photos in ProHealth's next CFS newsletter. Stay tuned. I was honored to co-chair a Chronic FATIGUE Syndrome renaming meeting at the event with the extraordinary CFS researcher and humanitarian Nancy Klimas, MD, President of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (IACFS). Some of the attendees included Dr. Dan Peterson, whose reputation as a CFS specialist, researcher, and patient advocate is legendary, as well as Drs. Charles Lapp, Kenny De Meirleir, Konnie Knox, Chris Snell, Mark Van Ness, and Judy Mikovits. Dr. Katrina Berne, PhD, represented the CFIDS Association of America; Pat Fero represented the Wisconsin CFS Association; Kristen Loomis (Harvard MBA) and Courtney Hischier (Wharton MBA) represented the HHV-6 Foundation; and CFS power broker and philanthropist Annette Whittemore and her lovely daughter, Andrea, represented the Nevada CFS Foundation. The Department of Human Health and Services' CFS Coordinating Committee was represented by Staci Stevens, MA. I was in the company of some very important, influential people. The discussion was lively, and the bottom line was that everyone seemed to recognize the importance of changing the name "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" to one that does not stigmatize and demean patients with the trivializing word, "fatigue." Dr. Klimas provided terrific background information on previous attempts to change the name, and provided the beginnings of a roadmap for a successful renaming campaign. She argued effectively that issues could arise for patients seeking Social Security Administration disability benefits if the new name does not include the words "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome," at least in the interim. The other participants seemed to agree. The general consensus was that a stepwise name transition would be less likely to harm patients seeking CFS disability support. Discussion then focused on two names in particular, which I will discuss in my next CFS Founder's Corner. In the meantime, please visit the Bulletin Board to see readers' comments and name suggestions. I would say that the name change is inevitable. Wishing you good health and healing, Rich Carson ProHealth Founder and CFS Patient Meet the Patient Meet Christopher Pitko - California Native, CPA, and CFS Patient The profiles of ProHealth's Rich Carson and other CFS patients featured in the Faces of CFS Traveling Photo Exhibit "confirmed my intention to become involved, somehow, in a wonderful way, in affecting the lives of those who have been so adversely affected by CFS and FM," says Chris Pitko   more Letters From You A sampling of "what worked for me" suggestions. Plus more of your letters on the "Campaign for a Fair Name" - which ProHealth announced to the broader public via a press release September 18, to coincide with September's Pain Awareness Month activities.     What Worked for Me       Campaign for a Fair Name Product Spotlight The Amazing Transfer Factor - A Transferable Immune "Database" The term "transfer factor" refers to the body's mechanism for communicating information throughout the immune system about infectious agents it has encountered. Researchers have been working steadily for years to unlock the secrets of this mechanism and its uses - which now extend to transfer-factor delivery via dietary supplements.*   more Advice From the Experts Is it Fatigue or Is It Depression? "If you're a person suffering from Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, be sure your loved ones read this article," writes Michael McNett, MD, Medical Director of Fibromyalgia Treatment Centers of America. He details the criteria psychiatrists use to diagnose depression, explaining that "typically the patient is the last to recognize these problems."*   more Research Update Food Allergies Could Be Gone Within a Decade: "Light at the end of a long dark tunnel" "Food allergies could be consigned to the history books within a decade if the combination of biotechnology and vaccines work as planned, " Dutch researchers reported at a recent international research symposium. If so, it might be good news for the many people with CFS who are prone to food allergies.   more Prescription Drug News September is Pain Awareness Month Free Guide to Pain Treatment Options for You and Your Doctor The American Pain Foundation invites pain patients, health professionals, and caregivers to download its new 84-page book on pain treatment options.   more DEA Proposes New Painkiller Prescription Rule Currently, physicians prescribing a controlled painkiller are required to limit any prescription to a 30-day supply.   more Abstracts of Recent CFS-Related Journal Articles Abstracts of new articles including some still "in prepress" (not yet finalized), with a focus on CFS in children and adolescents.   more Weekly Inspiration A Certain Pace of Life My mother, an avid gardener, had had at her command this rangy, lyrical vocabulary of flowers. When we strolled through the neighborhood, as she loved to do, she'd name each plant, bending to touch or pointing a finger or tipping her eye. My mother knew something not just about flowers but about a certain rhythm or pace of life that allowed for the time to pause and look and attach a name to what she saw. My inflamed brain demanded just this quiet focus... From Encounters with the Invisible: Unseen Illness, Controversy, and CFS by CFS patient Dorothy Wall, Southern Methodist University Press, 2005 Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. - Albert Camus Your Feedback Counts! At ProHealth we are committed to bringing you the most up-to-date information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. We are always striving to improve our services, and your opinion counts. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas, please let us know. Include your full name if you agree that we might share your letter with other readers. Send Us Your Feedback About ImmuneSupport.com Published by ProHealth, Inc., ImmuneSupport.com is the Web's largest resource for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Since 1988, ProHealth has raised and donated over 2.5 million dollars to CFS and FM research and advocacy groups seeking a cure. We believe in "commerce with compassion." Every purchase made at ImmuneSupport.com funds research - as does every purchase made from ProHealth's Health Resource catalog. Visit ImmuneSupport.com
* Note: This article first appeared in last week's FM Edition of CFS & FM Treatment & Research News (Sept 13, 2006)