Introduction/background The lineage of naturopathic and western herbal medicine principles can be traced back to Ancient Greece where health was viewed as the harmonious balance of vital energies that sustain all living things. Implicit in these principles is the concept of wellness which considers health as not just the absence of disease, but a manifest harmony of the inner and outer world for each person. However, in contemporary society, the meaning of wellness has become a ubiquitous, distorted and poorly defined term.

Focus of discussion This discussion will focus on the understanding and application of wellness within the principles of naturopathic and western herbal medicine care. The authors examine the increasing marginalisation of naturopaths and western herbalists within the $US4.4 trillion wellness economy. They discuss the major challenges facing the naturopathic and western herbalist profession within the wellness industry and explore ways to defend the valued traditions from being eroded by more powerful commercial and biomedical competitors. The authors also discuss four possible outcomes in attempting to establish our professional identity in the wellness economy – these outcomes are isolation, marginalisation, assimilation and integration.

Implications The authors argue that integration is best for the profession. By better understanding our traditional role in the promotion of wellness we can more fully embody the core principles of our profession and reclaim our place as leaders in wellness.

Cancer-related fatigue is the most common symptom observed in breast cancer survivors. To our knowledge, scientific documentation of the impact of integrated yoga and naturopathy interventions in breast cancer patients is not present. The objective of this case report is to evaluate the effects of integrated yoga and naturopathy interventions on fatigue score and quality of life (QoL). A 46-year-old woman diagnosed with breast cancer (stage IIB) presented with the chief complaint of fatigue. Integrated yoga and naturopathy interventions were advised for the period of 3 months. The fatigue symptom inventory (FSI) and functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast cancer (FACT-B) were assessed at baseline and after the intervention period. The patient reported a reduction in the fatigue score and improvement in QoL following yoga and naturopathy intervention. The integrated yoga and naturopathy intervention showed beneficial effects for the breast cancer patient with fatigue.

Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is a plant from the lavender family which is widely used among people as they believe that it cures various diseases. Although it is known that L. stoechas has diuretic activity, there is no case report presenting metabolic alkalosis to date. We present the case study of a 55-year-old male patient who developed a life-threatening metabolic alkalosis after using Spanish lavender tea to regress the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. With this case report, we wanted to emphasise that herbal use, which has become very common today, should be kept in mind in patients presenting atypical presentations.

Background Diabetes is one of the main health problems that affects large portions of the world’s population. Traditional herbal medicines have been used for thousands of years as an effective way to manage diabetes. Evidence show that Pistacia atlantica is a rich source of alpha-glucosidase which have been shown to normalise blood sugar balance.

Method The study was designed as a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial (RCT) using a parallel design. Ninety-four patients referred to the diabetes clinic of Sulaymaniyah city with diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) were randomly assigned in two groups: P. atlantica and placebo. Patients received P. atlantica extract or placebo 10cc twice daily for 3 months. A diabetic diet was applied for both groups. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire, health history form, and laboratory assessment of blood sugar. Independent t-test, paired t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyse the data.

Results There was a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in the experimental group compared to the control group at 3 months (50±45.89 verses 10±35.5, p<0.001). The mean of HbA1c after intervention was 5.8±1.0. Patients with higher body mass index (BMI) showed more significant decrease compared to those with normal BMI (p<0.001).

Conclusion P. atlantica is a natural product of the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This RCT demonstrates its role in the management of blood glucose concentration in patients with T2D at 3 months.

These abstracts are brief summaries of articles in recent issues of medical journals. Articles selected are of a general nature for the information of practitioners of naturopathy and herbal medicine. A dominant theme is often present throughout the journals which will be reflected in the reviews.

These abstracts are brief summaries of articles which have appeared in recent issues of herbal medicine journals, some of which may be held in the NHAA library.

The AJHNM-based CPD questionnaire system is a voluntary system designed to assist members in the accumulation of NHAA CPD hours. Each question refers to an article in this issue of the Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine. Hours accumulated through completion of these questions should be recorded in the NHAA CPD diary. The completion of answering each issue’s questions qualifies for 4 hours within the Formal Learning category. Your completed CPD diary should be returned with your membership renewal at the end of the financial year. For further information, please see the NHAA CPD Guide on the NHAA website www.nhaa.org.au.