Optimal Health

PARADIGM SHIFT

I first got involved in the field of holistic health as a result of my own health issues and also due to my dream of wanting to help create something better for our society. I spent the first 10 years of my professional life as an Environmental Planner, working in Northern California and on the Coast of Oregon, helping bring better land use policy planning policies to the areas I worked. That included adding more bike paths and creating a sustainable land use plan that would preserve more open space, create more parks and add a natural feeling to our cities and towns.

After 10 years, however, I realized I was having only minimal success and that the impact and results I was seeing were not as great as I had hoped for, even though I was working incredibly hard day and night. The political process was so time consuming and stressful, and my efforts were giving few direct results.   The stress of work was also creating health problems for me. It was then that I started seeing a homeopath and acupuncturist for myself.

When I entered an acupuncture college in 1979, I did so with the goal and hope of creating better health for all who I touched and everyone I worked with. Even though I now work with people one on one, I still feel that each person who begins this road to natural health and wellness contributes to our goal of a better planet.

I also teach and have become aware, as I’ve taught classes in health awareness over the years, that public health is really where I could make a bigger difference.   Public health is the bridge between my former career as an environmental planner and my current career as a holistic doctor.

So it was with great excitement last month that I reached one of my personal goals: to be asked to speak at a multi-national corporation on product development of natural health food items.

This company was taking a serious look at modifying some of their products.   Their current food offerings are the ones we grew up with that contain sugar, white flour, artificial chemicals and other artificial additives that are so unhealthy.  But now they are trying to learn from me and other doctors of natural medicine what it is we generally recommend to our patients.

This multi-national company had assembled a group of far-sighted participants from all over the world.   They wanted to know what diets and products we recommended to our patients, and what we would like to see on store shelves that would help promote health.

In my mind, this important meeting signaled the fact that our culture is beginning to take very real steps on a deeper level to regain its health.   I am so excited to be part of this revolution in health consciousness  When the changes are beginning to occur even on the level of the multi-national corporation, I would call it — a true paradigm shift.

ACUPUNCTURE SHOWN TO RELIEVE TENSION HEADACHES

German researchers found that acupuncture is an effective treatment for people suffering from tension headaches. Over an 8 week period, this team of acupuncturists in Germany compared a group of people who regularly experienced tension headaches. One group received acupuncture and the control group received no acupuncture and a 3rd group received both conventional Western treatments and acupuncture. The headache rate in the group given the acupuncture and the group that received acupuncture and traditional Western treatments was the same — 7 fewer days of headaches in the 4 weeks following the treatments. The control group, which received no treatments, had only 1 1/2 fewer days of headaches. According to the researchers, acupuncture cut the rate of headaches by nearly half.

Source: “Acupuncture shown to relieve tension headaches,” July 29, 2005: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/acupuncture.

ACUPUNCTURE MAY IMPROVE SPERM QUALITY

According to a study reported in the July 2005 issue of Fertility and Sterility, acupuncture may improve sperm quality in male infertility. Of the 40 men in the study, 28 received acupuncture twice weekly for 5 weeks. Their semen samples were then randomized with semen samples from the 12 men in the untreated control group. The results showed a positive effect on sperm concentration and motility, and an increase in testosterone in the treated group.

The study also showed an increase of normally shaped sperm and a decrease in abnormal sperm.

Source: Laurie, Barclay, MD, “Acupuncture May Improve Sperm Quality,” Medscape Medical News, July 25, 2005: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/50885?print (July 29, 2005)

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES EFFECTIVE IN TREATMENT OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

According to the July/August 2004 issue of Homeopathy Today, there are a number of effective homeopathic remedies which have been used by doctors to treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The following remedies can be used in either 6X, 6C, 12X, 12C, 30X or 30C, and taken either once, twice or three times per day. The first to try is always Arnica. Apply it both topically and in potency for a new flare up of CTS.

Causticum is used for long lasting or recurring CTS. There may be a feeling of contraction of the tendons and muscles, stiffness, weakness and even atrophy of the muscles. Ruta grav is the remedy used when the overuse of the area brings a bruised and aching sensation. For Ruta grav to be effective, there is often a previous injury, or sprain to the tendons and ligaments in the arm. Rhus tox is often indicated when the pain is better when there is movement or use of the area and it’s worse when the arms are at rest.

Finally, I often use the oil of Vitamin E rubbed on the arms as well as the use of vitamin B-6, in the form of P5P. The use of acupuncture points P6 and TH7 are also commonly used effectively.

EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO BRING ON LABOR IN DELAYED SITUATIONS

The question of overdue babies is a vexing one, because doctors and midwives can often disagree over the baby’s exact due date. When unnecessary intervention or Cesareans are the last resort, it is often a good idea to immediately start with acupuncture and homeopathy. I have often been called in, with almost 100% success, to help bring on labor in a delayed pregnancy.

A few doses of Caulophyllum or Pulsatilla will often start a labor when combined with some stagetically placed acupuncture points. If the baby is ready to come out and the mother’s body is correspondingly ready to deliver, a woman can take a dose of 30C or 200C daily for two days. If labor doesn’t start after the second day, then another homeopathic remedy and additional acupuncture points should be chosen. For Caulophyllum to be effective, the woman will usually be in an anxious state, and in Pulsatilla, the emotional state will be more weepy and sad.

Patients, friends and family are always questioning the validity of homeopathy, and asking how it works.  A friend sent me a very comprehensive article which answers all the common questions. It even includes loads of links to scientific research into how homeopathy works, and double blind studies proving it works. It’s a long article, but if you have questions about homeopathy, or want to try and convince someone else to try homeopathy, you might read it and/or send it to them.

Here is the link:

Dispelling the Myths Surrounding Homeopathy Link

This is a small piece of research / study on the popularity of homeopathy world - wide I wanted to share because I personally found it very interesting. Sometimes we only think from the point of view of our country, and forget that people all over the world are also going through the same transitions from the old, Western way of thinking, to the more expansive, integrative, connected way of thinking.

This study reported by the ANSA English Corporate Service on Sept 20, 2005 and published in the Nov/Dec 2005 issue of Homeopathy Today, stated that about 11 million Italians used homeopathic medicines in 2004, compared to about 6 million in 1999. About 14% of Italian women and 10% of men actually preferred homeopathy over traditional medicines. And 88% of the people who had tried homeopathy, said that it worked for their condition.

Remember that it’s always been my belief that the best idea is always to integrate homeopathy, Oriental medicine and Western medicine, and not to have the either/or attitude. For some problems, one will work better than the other. Someday, when you go to a clinic, it’s possible that the doctor will give you a choice of which types of treatments you want to try. That would really be the ideal, in my mind.

A friend of mine emailed me this link on the BBC News website with a lot of very, very interesting information on Acupuncture Research. So many people are always asking me for the latest research on acupuncture. Because I work so intuitively, based on the more Traditional Laws and Rules in Chinese medicine, I don’t really keep up much on the latest research. So that is why I was really inspired to share this link with you. Take Care.

Here is the BBC News link for the latest in Acupuncture research: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4631930.stm

This article from the LA Times is frightening.   It outlines some of the hazards of living in Los Angeles, and especially of living near a freeway.

What can we do?  Besides getting politically involved to force our legislators to tighten up the standards on auto and industrial emissions, we can take care of our own individual health by increasing our daily doses of antioxidants.   Some of the ones I recommend we all take are:

Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, Selenium, Lutein, Bilberry, Beta Carotene.

Also increase your daily intake of fruits and veggies - especially green leafy vegetables.  And try to get organic whenever possible.  The more we can buy organic, the lower the prices will become, due to economies of scale.

If you can’t eat right, than take extra supplements of dried and dehydrated fruits and veggies.   Also keep your system flushed with enough water each day — your urine should be almost clear.

You can also take Chinese herbs to help your overall metabolism, in order to help break down the toxins in the liver and kidneys.

Three Interesting Homeopathic Articles for Your Interest:

First — Dr. Andrew Jacono, MD presented his findings at the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Annual Winter Meeting in New York, stating that his use of homeopathic Arnica taken both before and after facial plastic surgery speeds recovery time for his patients dramatically. —— Medical Devices and Surgical Technology Week, Feb 18, 2007

Second — In the February 2007 NBC Today Show discussed the homeopathic remedy called Oscillococcinum for reducing the duration of colds and flu.  They said that research has shown a significant reduction in duration and severity of colds and flu when used at the first sign of a cold or flu.
Third — The European market for homeopathy is dramatically increasing over the last few years at a rate of 15% annually.  Approximately 15% of Spanish people use homeopathy and more in other European Countries.  In Spain, there are 1,500 pediatricians who integrate homeopathy into daily consultations.  ——- Global Insight, Milena Izmirlieva, March 2007  

DID YOU KNOW? …… about the new Homeopathy Act in Ontario? Update from Canada
On June 4, 2007, the Ontario government passed Bill 171 creating a College of Homeopaths.

The new Homeopathy Act calls for the formation of a Transitional Council that will develop and implement regulations, by-laws and policies relating to the ethics and standards of practice of homeopathy in Ontario. As many as nine individuals from the homeopathic community will be appointed to this council.  HOMEOPATHY IN THE NEWS

Alternative Medicine, Issue 98, June 2007, p. 90, Rx Fixes for Feline Bladder Infections, discusses the use of diet, homeopathy and supplements to help this common problem.  New Study Shows Homeopathy as Effective as Conventional Treatment for Acute Ear and Respiratory Conditions but with Faster Response Times and Fewer Adverse Drug Reactions

A new study comparing homeopathic treatment with conventional treatment in a primary care setting shows homeopathy comparing more than favourably with conventional treatment for the treatment of acute respiratory and ear complaints. While both groups responded very similarly over the time parameters the onset of improvement within the first 7 days after treatment was significantly faster with homeopathic treatment both in children and adults. Adverse drug reactions occurred more frequently in adults of the conventional group than in the homeopathic group whereas in children the occurrence of adverse drug reactions was not significantly different. www.homeopathy-ecch.org European Council on Classical Homeopathy  United Kingdom
In previous newsletters, we have shared with our readers news of some of the difficulties being experienced by English homeopaths. We now learn that Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK) has accepted homeopathy into their health care system as part of the ‘big Five’ Complementary and Alternative Medicines, and Scotland continues to support General Practitioners’ referrals to the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital.  Maryland
The Baltimore, MD Homeopathic Study Group has created a very good website that explains its mission and its activities. They have included several links to other homeopathic information and news. www.homeopathy.inbaltimore.org  Florida
The June 2007 issue of Lake & Sumter STYLE [FL] magazine has an interview with NCH Past President Jean Hoagland in their “Naturally Healthy” column on p. 34 — Homeopathy Is A Growing Health Care Movement. www.lakeandsumterstyle.com  HOMEOPATHY IN AGRICULTURE

If you visit Grgich Vineyards in California, you will find a big display in the winery explaining their activities, and the word “homeopathic” is used. On the web site, they call it “biodynamic”, but when you read the description of what they are doing, the principles are homeopathic.
http://www.grgich.com/html/biodynamic_faq.html