Optimal Health

THE ROLE OF ADDICTIONS AND TWELVE STEP PROGRAMS IN ACHIEVING OPTIMAL HEALTH

By Dr. Randy W. Martin, OMD, PhD, LAc, QME

Introduction

Twelve Step Programs are extremely effective for many people in helping to control addictive behaviors.  But there are four parts to any recovery program.   The reason 12-Step recovery programs work for some people and not for others, is that some people are very strong in one or two of the four areas, but weak in the others.  The four components to any recovery program are emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical.    The problem with 12 Step recovery programs is that they are very weak in the area of physical tools for recovery.

The tools and steps of the twelve step programs (TSP’s) focus primarily on the emotional and spiritual areas of the recovery process and to a lesser degree on the intellectual level.  But they offer almost no tools for the physical aspects of recovery.

How to pray, meditate, take a personal inventory, connect with others in the form of fellowship, community and sponsorship, inner dialogue and on-going assessment of how one is “working the program”, are the hallmarks of successful recovery.

But on the physical level of recovery, only a few behavioral tools are discussed.  “Abstain no matter what”, is a common saying.  “Abstinence comes first”, “First things first”, etc., are also common slogans.  “Use the phone”. “Call before that first bite or first drink”, are other favorite sayings. 

If one is in a substance abuse program, one is warned of the evils of breaking abstinence on that particular substance, whether it is alcohol, drugs or food.  And if it is a type of behavior one is trying to abstain from, such as obsessive sexual behaviors, co-dependence, or compulsive spending or gambling, one attempts to get some abstinence from these obsessive-compulsive behaviors by following the steps and using the tools of the program as well.

The program basically only offers a “white knuckle” or behavioral approach to physical abstinence.  If you diligently follow the steps and incorporate the tools into your life, the “white knuckle” approach is workable.   But often a person is unsuccessful at abstinence, especially at the beginning of the program.  In fact, a very large segment of people who try to use the 12-Step Programs drop out at an early stage.  

In many cases, people who “fail” at 12-Step Programs are “working” the Steps and using the Tools of the program as diligently as anyone.   But these “failures” are due to the fact that they are experiencing more physical imbalances which are controlling them and limiting their recovery and ability to succeed using only this method of recovery.

It is common to judge one’s success in the TSP’s by how long one has achieved abstinence.  This is based on the assumption that if one is “working” a strong program, he or she will also be successful at abstinence.

Yet there are many people who have a very strong connection to a “higher power” or God, and who have had a lot of therapy and who really try to work the TSP’s correctly, yet who are failures at permanently abstaining from their obsession or compulsive behavior. 

Why is this?  Why do some people succeed in TSP’s where others fail?  If people are working just as hard at the same program, why do some have an easier time of it than others?

There is a missing link, a hidden dimension, and a mysterious factor, which the TSP’s do not address.  What is this missing element? 

I believe the missing element is the physical component.   Without all four components being addressed, many people are doomed to failure.  The program assumes everyone is biologically equal and the that “white knuckle” method will work for everyone. 

But some people cannot abstain, and cannot alter their behavior no matter how hard they try, and no matter how good their connection with God, or no matter how well they “turn it over” and work the TSP steps to recovery. 

There is also another category of “failure” in the 12-Step Recovery Programs.  This is the person who has long-term abstinence and recovery in their program, but is still as obsessive-compulsive as they were before abstinence or sobriety.  They have just substituted one compulsion or obsessive behavior for another.    Still yet another type of failure in the 12-Step Program is the person who has achieved long-term abstinence or sobriety, and yet is physically not very healthy.

This is because all these people are ignoring the physiological aspects of the addiction process.  There is a joke in Overeater’s Anonymous about the mother who keeps telling her overweight child that she doesn’t have an eating problem, it is just that her thyroid is under active.  Most people in OA think this is a joke. 

The general thinking in the TSP’s is that the program is a complete system and it is all one needs to achieve sobriety or abstinence.  This is sad, because there are so many tools that are available and which are very compatible with the program, yet come from other resources outside the program’s twelve steps and traditions.

Most compulsive overeaters (CO’s) hope and pray that their problem is as simple as an under active thyroid gland.  This “joke” is actually no joke at all.  Most CO’s do have a weak thyroid, just as most alcoholics have liver and other endocrine gland problems, co-dependants have adrenal gland problems and sexaholics have pituitary gland imbalances.  Virtually all compulsive and addictive personality types also have serious imbalances in one or more hormones.   Additionally, all people with addictions or compulsive behaviors also have imbalances in their brain neurotransmitters.

The purpose of this article is not to downplay the importance of working a strong 12-Step program as a pivotal key to recovery.  But I want to fill in the missing link for those people for whom the program is not enough.  Those people who most need the information in this article are the following:

First, people who despite well-intended behavior and motives, fail at TSP’s.  Second, people who succeed and then slip back into their old behavior.  Third, people who succeed but don’t get as far as they would have liked to have gotten in the program.  They only achieve their goals in part.  And finally, people who succeed at the program, and achieve their program goals, yet are still not in good physical or emotional health, even after two or more years of strong abstinence, sobriety, and recovery.

The common aspect of all these people’s problems may be the same:  i.e. a lack of understanding as to the role the body plays in addictions and the addictive process.  Understanding addictions and the physiology and anatomy of addictions, can help people in all of these categories to succeed at achieving their goals more effectively and efficiently.

Given the four levels of reality with which an individual must live, it is very possible for the difficulty, or the cause of the addictive behavior, to exist primarily on any or all of these four levels:  spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical. 

As I said above, the 12-Step Program is very effective at addressing problems on the first three levels, but if the primary place of imbalance is on the physical level, which it often can be, then the TSP is very weak and will offer very little hope in terms of recovery.

Often if one is successful at working the program, the physical imbalances will take care of themselves over time.  The liver will naturally detoxify and regenerate and become healthier if given the opportunity through healthy diet and exercise.  Prayer, meditation and visual imagery are also very helpful in this regard.

It is also very important not to take the addiction as the reality.   In other words, an addiction is only a symptom of imbalance on a deeper level.  The addiction is not the root cause of the problem.  The magic of the holistic approach, which takes into account the physical imbalance, is that often in removing the physical imbalance, the addiction is inadvertently cured as well.  Patients always have an easier time giving up alcohol, tobacco, sugar, drugs or caffeine if they are being treated using holistic methods.

Oriental Medicine and Addictions

According to the law of five elements in traditional Chinese medicine, each person is born with some weaker and some stronger elements, organs, and meridians.  And depending on the particular weakness, it predisposes a person to a particular addiction.  So when Western medical research speaks about children of alcoholics having a higher chance of becoming alcoholic because of being born with a particular enzyme in their body, this is something that Chinese medicine agrees with very strongly.

If one’s father was an alcoholic, then that person inherits a liver meridian (or wood element) that is more likely to be a precondition for substance abuse in the child.  Similarly, if a parent was obese or underweight, the child has inherited a weak earth element or fire element.

Depending on the particular weakness you are born with, a person can be successfully treated using Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture to strengthen that particular problem.  In strengthening the weak organ and accompanying acupuncture meridian, the predisposition to the addiction will be removed, or at a minimum, it will be significantly reduced. 

Endocrinology

Another area where the holistic approach is very effective is in treating weak endocrine glands and hormonal levels in the body.   A weakness of any gland in the body can predispose a person to a particular craving and subsequent addiction.  This predisposition to imbalance and disease is a key to diagnosis and treatment.

Utilizing blood, saliva, and urine tests and questionnaires, we can quickly and easily determine the weak endocrine glands, which are contributing to addictive behaviors.  Using various minerals, glandular supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies can significantly strengthen these glands.   There are also specific exercises that can be recommended to strengthen each particular gland.

But please remember that any holistic program should always be untaken with the advice and supervision of your medical doctor.  And never take yourself off of any medications prescribed by your medical doctor, without his or her knowledge.   Some people will also do much better with prescription medications rather than Chinese herbal or natural products.   This is something I discuss with my patients at their first visit to the office.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of our body.  Recent research has shown that a lack of specific amino acids can contribute to emotional stability, or be a root cause of obsessive or addictive behaviors.  Supplementing the diet with specific amino acids can reduce cravings or addictive desires.

Example of Recovery from an Eating Disorder

As an example of one patient I treated for an eating disorder I will share the case of Rebecca.  She had been overeating and compulsively binging for many years, and came to me with a goal of loosing about 40 pounds.  

The first step for her was to bring in her blood test results and to take the saliva and urine tests to assess her neurotransmitter levels.  The results of the two tests showed that she was very low in mineral/electrolyte levels and in her assimilation of protein.  Late at night, when she was binging, her excitory neurotransmitters were much too high.  This explained her need to sedate herself with carbohydrates.

I put her on a regimen of Chinese herbs and supplements to balance her serotonin and relax/turn off her brain, so that she could more easily unwind at night.   We also used a homeopathic remedy to control her sugar and chocolate cravings. The remedy was called Sepia.   This homeopathic remedy is a “cousin” to Natrum mur, and Natrum mur is a great remedy for water retention.   Both remedies are great for ailments which began with sadness, loss or grief.   And she had mentioned to me at her first appointment, that she began to overeat when she lost her mom many years ago.

Acupuncture helped her to control her cravings by balancing her nervous system, and to strengthen her Spleen meridian.   She also started on an herbal Chinese tea designed to burn fat each time she ate a meal.

After two months, she had lost most of her weight and was put on a maintainance program.  She also continued her 12-Step Program of Overeaters Anonymous.  Her subsequent blood and neurotransmitter tests showed vast improvement.

Recovery of an Alcoholic

Gene had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for about five years, and his cravings for alcohol had disappeared after about he first two years of sobriety.  But he still felt out-of-control and was in danger of loosing his wife due to his frequent outbursts of anger. 

This is fairly typical, because alcohol creates what we Chinese medical doctors call Stagnant Liver Chi, or Toxic Liver Syndrome.

When I performed blood tests, his liver enzymes were on the high side, so we started him on a program of Liver Detoxification, using herbs, teas and acupuncture.  In addition, he was put on a homeopathic remedy call Lycopodium.  Lycopodium is a great homeopathic remedy for the liver and kidneys.  It has a keynote symptom of anger expressed at those loved best, although at work or with friends, he or she may appear to be very sweet and communicative.

After about 6 weeks of treatment his wife reported he had become more gentle, and was willing to start couples therapy.  About a year latter, I saw him for lower back pain, and he said his marriage had been completely transformed and that he had never been happier.

This is a great example of how homeopathy and Chinese medicine can help someone with an addiction, even many years after they have stopped using the particular substance they were once addicted to.

Recovery from Smoking Cigarettes

I have been told by many of my patients that to stop cigarettes is the hardest addiction to break.  They have all also told me that of the many different methods they have tried to stop smoking, that using acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and homeopathy, was the easiest time they ever had.

My program uses detoxification herbs, relaxation herbs, amino acids designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain, and acupuncture to relax and create a post-exercise feeling of relaxation or “high.”   

I have been told by many ex-smokers, that acupuncture works quite well to help them get over their cravings.  The entire process usually takes about 6 weeks, and most people have stopped smoking completely by week three. 

The homeopathic remedy Tabaccum works great for many people to decrease their cravings, and eliminate toxins in the lungs.   For others, I might use Rescue Remedy, Magnesium phos for relaxation or Kali phos for the nervous system.  Still others require a more individualized approach to homeopathy, called “Classical” or “Constitutional” homeopathy.    Bottom Line:  There is simply no single treatment that is right for everybody.

Summary and Conculsions

“This stuff really works,”  is most often the remark people make after they are on their supplements and acupuncture for a week or more.   “Yes, it does,” is my response.  Though I have been in private practice since 1983, I am still astounded and amazed at the magic produced by a good diet, a nice relaxing acupuncture treatment, and the correct homeopathic remedy. 

Free Treatment for Iraqi War Vets

This Memorial Day I have been moved deeply by two events.  First, watching the HBO special “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.”   This movie documented the killing of many Native Americans as the U.S. moved Westward in the late 1800’s. The 2nd was a KPFK radio special about the big problem of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and lack of adequate health care for our Iraqi war veterans.

I would like to offer free treatments for Iraqi war vets for the next 60 days, through July 30th.   I would like to help bring to consciousness the tremendous benefit regular acupuncture and homeopathic treatment can have for PTSD.

If you know any Iraqi war vets please pass this offer along.  I’ll offer regular acupuncture treatments, once per week, absolutely free of cost for 10 ten treatments.   I’ll also offer homeopathic consultations for free.  They will still have to go out and purchase the homeopathy remedies, but these generally only cost $8-10, so that is not a big problem.  If they have health insurance, I will also bill their insurance for the acupuncture.   But they won’t have any costs out of pocket.  If they have no health insurance, the treatments and consultations will be free.

Also, I will offer free acupuncture and homeopathic consultations for families who have experienced the death of an Iraqi war vet, also for the next 60 days.

Acupuncture will help to eliminate the trauma from the system after the disorientation and shock of war.  Homeopathy is great for doing the same.  There are a few homeopathic remedies that will work wonders to eliminate this shock and trauma.

The first homeopathic remedy I think of is Aconite.  Aconite, in a 30 or 200C will work well for unpinning the trauma and shock experienced.  Arnica will help when there has also been physical trauma.   Medorrhinum will help with the basic, underlying constitution of the soldier/warrior.  Tuberculinum will help build the immunity and strengthen the constitution for certain types of soldiers who always keep going, and never know when to stop or take a break.  Stramonium will be of help for those who have witnessed tremendous violence.   Other remedies that will help will be Lachesis, Tarantula, Scorpion, and others.  Each person needs a homeopathic remedy that is tailored specific to his or her needs.

Please pass this free treatment offer along.

Dr Randy Martin, OMD, LAc, PhD, QME, MUP, CCH

How to Withdraw More Easily from Prescription Medications, Smoking or Drugs, and Even Succeed at Your Weight Loss or Quit-Smoking Program.

It’s important to NEVER stop taking any prescription medications without the advice and support of your Medical Doctor.  The reasons are explained below:

Many times, patients come to me with the primary desire to stop taking their prescription medications or recreational drugs.  Other times, patients see themselves getting healthier and more balanced after receiving holistic treatments, and they ask me if they can get off one of their prescription medications.  Still other people, may have inadvertently become accustomed to taking a medication for the side effects of a surgery or an accident or trauma in their lives, and then they want to get off the medication after their life becomes more stable.The medication could be an anti-depressant, hypertension medication, anti-histamine, pain medications, hyper-acidity medications, diet pill, prescription hormones, marijuana, alcohol, or any number of other prescription medications or self-medications, such as sugar, carbohydrate addiction, caffeine addiction or hard drugs.

I would like to quickly outline below the most common mistakes I see my patients making when they try to get themselves off their medications, independent of their doctor’s advice:

1.  They do not first discuss their plan with their Medical Doctor.  It’s really, really important to not only discuss your plan with your Medical Doctor first, but to also get his or her approval for your plan.  This is because your Medical Doctor is in the best position to help you develop a rational plan for how to withdrawal off your medications.   Your Doctor knows your medical history, and also the pharmaceutical effects of the medication you are taking.  He or she is in the best position to help you develop a strategy for exactly how to stop the medication, and in exactly what increments it will be best to do it.

2.  Going too fast.  Many people start feeling really good after they start acupuncture or homeopathy and then they just stop their other medications, or stop them too fast.  This usually leads to having to go back onto their medications.  However, the best way is to actually go a lot slower then you might want to.  Thus you can head off any negative effects and catch yourself before you start feeling bad or your symptoms come back.   If you think you might want to stop over a period of three months, then extend it to six months.  The longer you take to do this, the more success you will probably have in the end.

3.  Not taking the right natural supplements as you taper off your prescription medications.  The body acclimates or even becomes addicted to some prescription medications.  When on a medication, your metabolism or hormones or neurotransmitters may have completely changed.   So if you are going to stop taking that medication, or significantly reduce it, it’s important to feed your body and mind with the nutrients needed to begin to work correctly without the medication.   Without taking natural supplements to replace your body’s dependance on the medications, it is much, much harder to go off any prescription medications.  Obviously, it can be done, but it’s a lot more challenging.

Here is a list of some of some of the more common natural supplements I sometimes recommend my patients take during this most difficult time.

*Homeopathic Kali phos - to support the nerves
*Homeopathic Mag phos - for relaxation, stress and for spasms
*Homeopathic Bio-Plasma - for overall support to keep the system strong during the transition
*Rescue Remedy - for the anxiety and panic that might occur.  Good to keep on hand*Homeopathic Tobaccum - for tobacco withdrawal
*Homeopathic Arnica - if you feel “beat up” and achy all over
*Homeopathic Aconite - for panic in the middle of the night or extreme fear anytime
*Amino Acids:  Theanine, Tryptophan, 5HTP, Taurine, Arginine, GABA, or a good mix of amino acids to support the system during withdrawl.   These amino acids will help to relax the nervous system, and reduce anxiety and alleviate other symtpoms of withdrawl.
*High Potency B-Vitamins - overall support
*Multi-Mineral Formula including large amounts of Magnesium and Calcium - relaxation and to keep the nerves and muscles from creating pain or spasms
*Plenty of fluids.  This should include electrolytes like Emergen-C, and detox tea such as Dandelion and Licorice (to balance the blood sugar).  Detox and blood sugar stability is critical!
*Extra Chromium to balance the blood sugar
*Herbal Pain Relievers for Pain and Herbal Sleep Medications to help with sleep. - I have many in my office and there are many others on the market.  Find what works for you and have it in your medicine cabinet for those times you need it.
*Rejuvamen HGH for energy
*Ponay Tea for energy, weight loss, and to assure assimilation of your proteins and fats
*Protein Powder made with Rice Protein for Detox and blood sugar.  (May also be used as weight loss aid to replace one or two meals per day.)
*Carry Protein Bars with you throughout the day to stop a sudden drop in blood sugar before it occurs. Exercise and breath are also key ingredients.  Exercise, even just daily walking, really will help. And if you cannot get out and exercise daily, try and remember to do breathing exercises, or Tai Chi, or some other centering exercise with breathing.

One really relaxing exercise is called “Cupping” or “Palming”.   Here is a web link for how to do it: 

http://community.livejournal.com/holistic_vision/tag/yoga

By relaxing your eyes, your brain will also stop repeating the same thoughts over and over again.  The eyes are a window to how the mind works.For women, it’s important to regulate the hormones.  If you are menstruating, then regulating and balancing your periods is critical to success.  There are many herbal formulas, and acupuncture, to aid in doing this.  If you are in menopause, it’s critical to balance your hormones, as any additional stress might throw your hormones off and cause another layer of symptoms. In my experience, the people who have the greatest success in withdrawing off prescription medications, stopping an addictive behavior or substance, or stopping recreational drugs have one quality in common:  They don’t give up!Time and time again, I see people stopping treatments or stopping their natural supplements, only to return 6 months later, back on their medications, or addicted again to a drug or harmful behavior.  They say “it didn’t work.”  But actually it did work, but they didn’t stick to the natural program long enough to see the results really take root.  The people who are really successful have follow-through. In general, it’s a good idea to really think through your choice before getting off any prescription medication and to discuss it with your Medical Doctor before making any decisions.  The worst thing you can do is to just go off it on your own without any support.    Your Medical Doctor should be the lead doctor in this decision, and remember to do it very, very slowly, if you really want to succeed.Lastly, anyone who has received acupuncture knows the relaxing effects.  So if you are not phobic of needles, and it’s convenient to get into an acupuncturist’s office, then regular treatments will really help at this transition time.  Even daily treatments for the first week are a good idea, or at least weekly or every other week.  Health insurance usually covers a percentage of the acupuncture treatments as well. Best of Luck on your healing journey. 

Using Acupuncture To Help Stop Smoking

Do you smoke?  Do you want to quit?  Do you have a friend or family member you would like to see quit?  If your answer to any of these questions is an emphatic YES, then please read on…

(note: By the way, this same program will work for weight loss, and for any other addiction – I am also a big supporter of 12-step programs for helping deal with any addictions. By addressing the physiological component outlined in this article, you will succeed!)

How Will Acupuncture Help Me To Quit?
If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking on you own, you know how difficult it can be.  The reason is that your body has become chemically addicted to nicotine.  Acupuncture can get you over this chemical addiction.  It does this in the following way:  There are a group of hormones in your body called ENDORPHINS.  An endorphin is a morphine-like substance that is produced naturally within your body.

These naturally-occurring endorphins are themselves addictive, but in a positive way.  That is why joggers and people who exercise regularly are so fanatic…..because their bodies are releasing endorphins as they exercise – they are addicted – but in a positive way!

What Do Endorphins Do?
Endorphins kill pain and give you the feeling of a “natural high”.  They also reduce body tension, eradicate anxiety, and can induce a state of euphoria. To put it in simple terms:  These morphine-like substances make you feel good when an adequate supply is produced.

But the body stops producing endorphins under certain circumstances.  One of these circumstances is when the endorphins are replaced by an addictive substance which competes with them.  Nicotine is one such substance.

How Does Nicotine Replace Endorphins?
Within your body, endorphins and nicotine occupy the same specific spot at the end of a nerve cell.  When this specific spot at the end of a nerve cell is occupied by an endorphin, you will feel relaxed.

But when you smoke, then nicotine “wins out” over the endorphins, and takes their place at the end of the nerve cell.  THE RESULT?  Your nerves get more excitable, and you feel nervous, tense, stressed and irritable.

In long-term smoking, nicotine permanently takes the place of endorphins, since the body actually becomes lazy and “forgets” how to produce them.

Why Do I Crave Cigarettes  (or carbohydrates or sweets, or all of the above)?
When you stop smoking, you not only end your supply of nicotine, but your body is also unable to manufacture the endorphins it has now forgotten how to produce.The result is that your nervous system becomes very anxious and overly excited.  Your body then begins to desire a supply of either nicotine or endorphins to calm it down.  This results in the CRAVINGS you feel.

Since your production of endorphins has stopped, and nicotine is easier and quicker to obtain, there is a big risk that you may simply resort to smoking because nicotine is the most readily available way to end the craving and relax your body.

Unfortunately, you may never stop smoking long enough to allow your body the chance to begin producing endorphins again.

What Does Acupuncture Do?
Acupuncture replaces the need for nicotine by stimulating your body to produce endorphins.  Nicotine turns off your body’s production of endorphins.  But acupuncture turns your body’s production of endorphins BACK ON, even if you have been smoking for twenty years of more!

How Many Treatments Will It Take?
In general, it takes six acupuncture treatments to reactivate the natural production endorphins in your body.  But since each person is physiologically different, some people may need a few additional follow-up treatments.

Also, participating in a regular aerobic exercise program will make it easier to stop smoking by increasing the release of endorphins.

You will also be given specific herbs, homeopathic remedies and nutritional supplements to help curb your cravings more quickly detoxify your lungs and liver, and boost the power you adrenal glands.  Tyrosine and Gutamine along with P5P will help, as will GABA, 5HTP, and Theanine.  We also use homeopathic Tabacum and Nux vomica.

You will also need to drink at least a liter of water per day and eat healthy, high protein meals.  I also recommend you take an electrolyte supplement.  All this will be addressed at your first appointment.

How Long Will This Work?
Once you have stopped smoking, your body and mind both need a chance to adjust to the new behavior.  But if you are like many people, you may have a tendency to try a cigarette “now and then” just “for the fun of it”.  A problem will occur, however, if you are under stress and you start smoking simultaneously…..
When you are under stress, your body stops the production of endorphins.  What really happens is that if you smoke under stress, your body becomes lazy again and stops producing endorphins altogether.  You may then get easily dependent on nicotine to take the place of endorphins.

The ANSWER is for you to make a commitment to yourself that if you are under stress and are tempted to start smoking again, you MUST come in for a couple of TUNE UP acupuncture treatments.

These tune up treatments will be all that you’ll need to rebalance your body, and to reactivate the process of releasing an adequate supply of endorphins.  (A good diet and adequate exercise is also a MUST at these stressful times.)

This applies to whether you have been off cigarettes for only two months or for two years or more.  Whenever it is, you must “pre-program” yourself now to come in for the tune-up treatments if ever you should feel yourself slipping.

My most successful patients continue coming in for monthly tune-ups over the long term and a year or two latter, they all thank me for insisting they stick to this program!

Is Acupuncture For You?
The way out of nicotine addiction is for some people easy, and for some, not so easy.  Acupuncture treatment offers substantial help IF YOU HAVE THE DETERMINATION TO QUIT, and you don’t want to suffer through it on your own!If you have decided you are going to quit, I extend my personal invitation to you to let me help by offering support through the same acupuncture treatments, herbs, homeopathic remedies, and nutritional supplements that have proven effective for so many of my friends and clients.

Quotable Quotes
“I never liked needles.  In fact, I was always so afraid of needles I considered myself a needle-phobic”.  But after my first acupuncture treatment I realized it was just a breeze.  It was just the thought of needles that bothered me, but they were so small, I never even felt enything!”                                    —D.R., Financial Analyst
“Acupuncture is the only way to quit smoking.  It was so easy!  I felt absolutely no withdrawal symptoms and felt fantastic.  Thanks Randy” —H.B., Airline Attendant, Actress
“Without your acupuncture treatments, I doubt we would have ever stopped smoking.  We had a two-pack a day habit for over nine years.  After your treatment we walked away from smoking and (seven years later) have never inhaled again.”                                    —S. S., Attorney
As Always, I am, Yours, In Health, Naturally —  

Can Hormone Testing Help You?

There has been a lot of talk lately about having your hormones checked, especially for women going through change of life, PMS, menopause, peri-menopause, or those people who have prostate problems, or fibroids, cysts or even migraine headaches.

I use a great lab that does saliva and urine testing for hormones.   Feel free to explore, and if you want to have your hormones tested, let me know, and we can order you the test kit.

Here is the hormone testing lab:

Hormone, Saliva and Urine Testing

We can also do hair analysis to determine your mineral levels and heavy toxic mineral levels.  Here is the link to the website.  If you feel excessive fatigue or toxic, and headaches, it’s a good idea to have a hair analysis:

Hair Tissue Analysis Testing

For emotional issues, such as depression, anxiety, or sleep problems, ADD, ADHD, impulsive behavior, or addictions or weight issues, a good lab is the one below that checks your urine for neurotransmitter levels.  I use two labs for this:

Neurotransmitter Testing for Emotions, ADD, Addiction, Weight 

Another Lab I use for Neurotransmitter Testing 

Finally, there is a new company where you can get a great annual blood test for under $100.  The test I recommend is on their website.  Here is the link:

Comprehensive and Inexpensive Blood Wellness Profile including Thyroid

Remember - I am a firm believer in getting as much testing as possible, especially using these non-invasive, safe tests.   They give you a lot of information that is unavailable in any other way.

They allow us to select which supplements your body truly needs.

As Always, I am, Yours, In Health, Naturally — 

How to Withdraw More Easily from Prescription Medications, Smoking or Drugs, and Even Succeed at Your Weight Loss or Quit-Smoking Program

It’s important to NEVER stop taking any prescription medications without the advice and support of your Medical Doctor.  The reasons are explained below:

Many times, patients come to me with the primary desire to stop taking their prescription medications or recreational drugs.  Other times, patients see themselves getting healthier and more balanced after receiving holistic treatments, and they ask me if they can get off one of their prescription medications.  Still other people, may have inadvertently become accustomed to taking a medication for the side effects of a surgery or an accident or trauma in their lives, and then they want to get off the medication after their life becomes more stable.

The medication could be an anti-depressant, hypertension medication, anti-histamine, pain medications, hyper-acidity medications, diet pill, prescription hormones, marijuana, alcohol, or any number of other prescription medications or self-medications, such as sugar, carbohydrate addiction, caffeine addiction or hard drugs.

I would like to quickly outline below the most common mistakes I see my patients making when they try to get themselves off their medications, independent of their doctor’s advice:

1.  They do not first discuss their plan with their Medical Doctor.  It’s really, really important to not only discuss your plan with your Medical Doctor first, but to also get his or her approval for your plan.  This is because your Medical Doctor is in the best position to help you develop a rational plan for how to withdrawal off your medications.   Your Doctor knows your medical history, and also the pharmaceutical effects of the medication you are taking.  He or she is in the best position to help you develop a strategy for exactly how to stop the medication, and in exactly what increments it will be best to do it.

2.  Going too fast.  Many people start feeling really good after they start acupuncture or homeopathy and then they just stop their other medications, or stop them too fast.  This usually leads to having to go back onto their medications.  However, the best way is to actually go a lot slower then you might want to.  Thus you can head off any negative effects and catch yourself before you start feeling bad or your symptoms come back.   If you think you might want to stop over a period of three months, then extend it to six months.  The longer you take to do this, the more success you will probably have in the end.

3.  Not taking the right natural supplements as you taper off your prescription medications.  The body acclimates or even becomes addicted to some prescription medications.  When on a medication, your metabolism or hormones or neurotransmitters may have completely changed.   So if you are going to stop taking that medication, or significantly reduce it, it’s important to feed your body and mind with the nutrients needed to begin to work correctly without the medication.   Without taking natural supplements to replace your body’s dependance on the medications, it is much, much harder to go off any prescription medications.  Obviously, it can be done, but it’s a lot more challenging.

Here is a list of some of some of the more common natural supplements I sometimes recommend my patients take during this most difficult time.

*Homeopathic Kali phos - to support the nerves

*Homeopathic Mag phos - for relaxation, stress and for spasms

*Homeopathic Bio-Plasma - for overall support to keep the system strong during the transition

*Rescue Remedy - for the anxiety and panic that might occur.  Good to keep on hand

*Homeopathic Tobaccum - for tobacco withdrawal

*Homeopathic Arnica - if you feel “beat up” and achy all over

*Homeopathic Aconite - for panic in the middle of the night or extreme fear anytime

*Amino Acids:  Theanine, Tryptophan, 5HTP, Taurine, Arginine, GABA, or a good mix of amino acids to support the system during withdrawl.   These amino acids will help to relax the nervous system, and reduce anxiety and alleviate other symtpoms of withdrawl.

*High Potency B-Vitamins - overall support

*Multi-Mineral Formula including large amounts of Magnesium and Calcium - relaxation and to keep the nerves and muscles from creating pain or spasms

*Plenty of fluids.  This should include electrolytes like Emergen-C, and detox tea such as Dandelion and Licorice (to balance the blood sugar).  Detox and blood sugar stability is critical!

*Extra Chromium to balance the blood sugar

*Herbal Pain Relievers for Pain and Herbal Sleep Medications to help with sleep. - I have many in my office and there are many others on the market.  Find what works for you and have it in your medicine cabinet for those times you need it.

*Rejuvamen HGH for energy

*Ponay Tea for energy, weight loss, and to assure assimilation of your proteins and fats

*Protein Powder made with Rice Protein for Detox and blood sugar.  (May also be used as weight loss aid to replace one or two meals per day.)

*Carry Protein Bars with you throughout the day to stop a sudden drop in blood sugar before it occurs.

Exercise and breath are also key ingredients.  Exercise, even just daily walking, really will help. And if you cannot get out and exercise daily, try and remember to do breathing exercises, or Tai Chi, or some other centering exercise with breathing.

One really relaxing exercise is called “Cupping” or “Palming”.   Here is a web link for how to do it: 

http://community.livejournal.com/holistic_vision/tag/yoga

By relaxing your eyes, your brain will also stop repeating the same thoughts over and over again.  The eyes are a window to how the mind works.

For women, it’s important to regulate the hormones.  If you are menstruating, then regulating and balancing your periods is critical to success.  There are many herbal formulas, and acupuncture, to aid in doing this.  If you are in menopause, it’s critical to balance your hormones, as any additional stress might throw your hormones off and cause another layer of symptoms. 

In my experience, the people who have the greatest success in withdrawing off prescription medications, stopping an addictive behavior or substance, or stopping recreational drugs have one quality in common:  They don’t give up!

Time and time again, I see people stopping treatments or stopping their natural supplements, only to return 6 months latter, back on their medications, or addicted again to a drug or harmful behavior.  They say “it didn’t work.”  But actually it did work, but they didn’t stick to the natural program long enough to see the results really take root.  The people who are really successful have follow-through. 

In general, it’s a good idea to really think through your choice before getting off any prescription medication and to discuss it with your Medical Doctor before making any decisions.  The worst thing you can do is to just go off it on your own without any support.    Your Medical Doctor should be the lead doctor in this decision, and remember to do it very, very slowly, if you really want to succeed.

Lastly, anyone who has received acupuncture knows the relaxing effects.  So if you are not phobic of needles, and it’s convenient to get into an acupuncturist’s office, then regular treatments will really help at this transition time.  Even daily treatments for the first week are a good idea, or at least weekly or every other week.  Health insurance usually covers a percentage of the acupuncture treatments as well.

Best of Luck on your healing journey. 

Ginseng:  The Renowned Rejuvenator

                 The Chinese have been using it for nearly five thousand years, and here in the States it’s reputed to be a curative for impotency, low energy, failing eyesight, and just about every other problem you might have. But is it true? Is ginseng really the elixir it’s cracked up to be?To begin, ginseng is a root, and an extremely YANG root, according to Chinese Medicine. YANG means MALE energy, as compared to YIN, or female energy.It grows all over the world, but the best for your money is said to be Korean white ginseng. 

Americans also grow ginseng, and the wild version is said to be more potent than the cultivated.The ginseng root can be chewed, or you can buy an extract and add it to a tea.  It also comes in a granulated tea form and in capsules. It is a great pick-me-up for anyone with low energy; and it also works well to strengthen weak digestion, weak adrenal glands and the spleen.  It’s also used for anemia and cold hands and feet, hypoglycemia, insomnia, low blood pressure and impotence.

As a general rule, since it is a very yang herb, it is good for people who are very yin.  It isn’t a good herb for people who have high blood pressure, high energy and are built very strong, people with a good sexual appetite, and built like Mary Lou Retten, Ed Asner, or a football player.  Because these are all indications of yang.  I also rarely use it for women, since their constitution is more yin than men. 

I once had a female patient who began to grow hair on her face after taking ginseng regularly! It is important not to take too much ginseng, even for short periods of time, since it can over stimulate the central nervous system.  It could give you headaches or make you feel jittery or anxious.If you begin to use it too frequently, it will begin to actually weaken the body and create a dependency and long-term imbalance.  In some ways, it’s similar to coffee and caffeine.  But, in moderation, it can cure a cough, a cold, asthma, a fever, and lessen the effects of menopause, hay fever, sinus attacks, or glandular swelling.  But again, this only applies in people who are more yin, and weak.   And if you have high blood pressure you should NEVER take ginseng — never/ever! A good tea can be made by taking three cups of water and one shredded teaspoon each of ginseng, licorice root, and ginger; boil for fifteen minutes, steep until cool, strain, and drink.The most innovative idea I have heard is to use it as the Chinese do–add the root to chicken soup!   Kind of Jewish Chinese soup. 

Ginseng Types and Uses:

American Ginseng is a yin tonic; calm the spirit; nourishing, memory and brain, normalize blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, resist fatigue, increase oxygen utilization, immunity; adaptogenic, cooling, yet energizing; eliminates fever; all the benefits without the heat (Panax Quinquefolii Radix)Oriental Ginseng is more of a chi tonic…… including Siberian (Eleuthercoccus senticosus) - Siberian or Russian is more stimulant and tonic; it rarely produces excitation like Panax ginseng Tienchi (Panax notoginseng). Tienchi also activates blood circulation and is a chi tonic; this is one of the first herbs used for high cholesterol.  Works well.

Chinese and Korean ginseng are both Oriental and are more Yang. The Chinese and Korean types are more yang tonics than the Siberian and Tienchi which are more of Chi Tonics. Korean Red is the most Yang and Korean White is the next most yang behind Chinese.Women need blood tonics more often than chi tonics. For women who need a tonic, I will use an herbal formula called Women’s Precious Formula.  This is especially needed immediately after pregnancy, and while nursing to re-build the blood and chi. Works much better than Ginseng for women.  Red Ginseng is more Yang and should only be used infrequently, for performance, test taking, studying, or if you didn’t sleep and need to perform the next day. Never use Ginseng for more than a few days at a time, with the exception of Tienchi, which is no “real” ginseng anyhow.  Your body will grow addicted to it, just like it would nicotine, caffeine or any other stimulant or drug.

Hypoglycemia:  A Better Approach!

 

Have you ever been prone to mood swings, headaches, foggy thinking, dizziness, allergies,  tingling in your hands or feet, cold hands or feet, heart palpitations, insomnia, memory loss, depression, confusion, sugar or chocolate cravings, bursts of anger or sadness for no apparent reason, irritability, shyness or low sex drive?  This is just a small list of the possible symptoms you may experience if you have hypoglycemia.

 

Hypoglycemia just may be the most underdiagnosed disease of the century!  Since most of the above symptoms look just like other diseases, your doctor will often diagnose you with some other problem, while missing the overall diagnostic picture of  hypoglycemia completely.   But hypoglycemia is as real as the thousands upon thousands of people who have it.  And not only that, it can be totally debilitating and create divorce, arguments on the job, anger towards children, road rage, criminal acts and other anti-social behavior.

 

The good news is that hypoglycemia is easily diagnosed and cured.  You just need a doctor who will take the time to evaluate your symptoms and run the appropriate tests.  The first step in evaluation is to list all of your symptoms.  If you have many of the above symptoms, then the next step is to have a fasting blood glucose test run.  If you have a low glucose reading, then the next step is to have either a hair analysis or saliva test run.  The hair analysis will tell you if your adrenal glands are overstressed, and the saliva test will tell you the stage and severity of your adrenal burnout.   Additionally, a blood chemistry panel will be able to evaluate the level of your electrolytes, which are key indicators of how much stress is being placed on your body.

 

A number of years ago, most doctors would run a 6-hour glucose tolerance blood test on you to determine if you were hypoglycemic.  This test is very hard on the body, since you have to fast for a minimum of 12 hours and then drink 8 oz. of syrupy sugar water.  Then your blood is drawn every hour for 6 hours to see how your body responds to the sugar water.  If you are hypoglycemic, your blood sugar will go way up after drinking the sugar, and then go way down an hour or so later.

 

In reality, you probably already know if you’re hypoglycemic.  If you crave caffeine, sugar or any other stimulants, and your mood and energy gets really good after consuming them, but then two hours later you feel really horrible, and need some chips or more sweets or coffee to pull you back up, this may indicate hypoglycemia.  It’s especially easy to diagnose in women who are experiencing PMS, since it’s more common at that time. 

 

Blood sugar is a term for how much glucose you have circulating in your bloodstream  at any given time.  If there is too much, then you have diabetes, and if there is too little, then you have hypoglycemia.  Either way, your glucose is out of balance.  Many people have what is called dysglycemia, which means that your blood sugar swings too quickly from high to low or low to high, causing just as many, if not more, problems as in hypoglycemia.

 

In terms of Chinese medicine, the main reasons for, or causes of hypoglycemia are either Stagnant Liver Chi, Weak Kidneys, or a weak Spleen.  Therefore, in Chinese medicine we work to strengthen these organs by using acupuncture and Chinese herbs.  Some of the formulas that will work very well for the Weak Kidneys are the Rehmannia 6 and Rehmannia 8 Formulas, and Dynamic Warrior.  For the Liver, I like to use a formula called Relaxed Wanderer.  In treatment of the Spleen, I prescribe Ginseng and Astragalus or Aucklandia and Cardamon.

 

Other supplements which will help a lot in balancing your blood sugar include the following:  Chromium, P5P, Licorice Root, Dandelion Root, a good balanced B-vitamin complex and multi-vitamin, and vitamin C.  There are also many homeopathic remedies which are very effective in treating hypoglycemia.  But, in general, these need to be prescribed for the individual based on their specific symptom picture.

 

 

 

A media personality and an author,  Dr. Randy W. Martin, OMD, PhD, CCH, QME, Lac, has been in private practice in Encino and West Los Angeles for over 19 years.  His book “Optimal Health”  discusses how to heal yourself using herbs, homeopathy, acupressure and nutrition.  He specializes in treating women and children, with an emphasis on headaches, PMS, menopause, ADD, ADHD, fertility, childbirth, cysts, fibroids and endometriosis.  He can be contacted through his website at: www.optimalhealth4u.com .

It’s important to NEVER stop taking any prescription medications without the advice and support of your Medical Doctor.  The reasons are explained below:

Many times, patients come to me with the primary desire to stop taking their prescription medications or recreational drugs.  Other times, patients see themselves getting healthier and more balanced after receiving holistic treatments, and they ask me if they can get off one of their prescription medications.  Still other people, may have inadvertently become accustomed to taking a medication for the side effects of a surgery or an accident or trauma in their lives, and then they want to get off the medication after their life becomes more stable.

The medication could be an anti-depressant, hypertension medication, anti-histamine, pain medications, hyper-acidity medications, diet pill, prescription hormones, marijuana, alcohol, or any number of other prescription medications or self-medications, such as sugar, carbohydrate addiction, caffeine addiction or hard drugs.

I would like to quickly outline below the most common mistakes I see my patients making when they try to get themselves off their medications, independent of their doctor’s advice:

1.  They do not first discuss their plan with their Medical Doctor.  It’s really, really important to not only discuss your plan with your Medical Doctor first, but to also get his or her approval for your plan.  This is because your Medical Doctor is in the best position to help you develop a rational plan for how to withdrawal off your medications.   Your Doctor knows your medical history, and also the pharmaceutical effects of the medication you are taking.  He or she is in the best position to help you develop a strategy for exactly how to stop the medication, and in exactly what increments it will be best to do it.

2.  Going too fast.  Many people start feeling really good after they start acupuncture or homeopathy and then they just stop their other medications, or stop them too fast.  This usually leads to having to go back onto their medications.  However, the best way is to actually go a lot slower then you might want to.  Thus you can head off any negative effects and catch yourself before you start feeling bad or your symptoms come back.   If you think you might want to stop over a period of three months, then extend it to six months.  The longer you take to do this, the more success you will probably have in the end.

3.  Not taking the right natural supplements as you taper off your prescription medications.  The body acclimates or even becomes addicted to some prescription medications.  When on a medication, your metabolism or hormones or neurotransmitters may have completely changed.   So if you are going to stop taking that medication, or significantly reduce it, it’s important to feed your body and mind with the nutrients needed to begin to work correctly without the medication.   Without taking natural supplements to replace your body’s dependance on the medications, it is much, much harder to go off any prescription medications.  Obviously, it can be done, but it’s a lot more challenging.

Here is a list of some of some of the more common natural supplements I sometimes recommend my patients take during this most difficult time.

*Homeopathic Kali phos - to support the nerves

*Homeopathic Mag phos - for relaxation, stress and for spasms

*Homeopathic Bio-Plasma - for overall support to keep the system strong during the transition

*Rescue Remedy - for the anxiety and panic that might occur.  Good to keep on hand

*Homeopathic Tobaccum - for tobacco withdrawal

*Homeopathic Arnica - if you feel “beat up” and achy all over

*Homeopathic Aconite - for panic in the middle of the night or extreme fear anytime

*Amino Acids:  Theanine, Tryptophan, 5HTP, Taurine, Arginine, GABA, or a good mix of amino acids to support the system during withdrawl.   These amino acids will help to relax the nervous system, and reduce anxiety and alleviate other symtpoms of withdrawl.

*High Potency B-Vitamins - overall support

*Multi-Mineral Formula including large amounts of Magnesium and Calcium - relaxation and to keep the nerves and muscles from creating pain or spasms

*Plenty of fluids.  This should include electrolytes like Emergen-C, and detox tea such as Dandelion and Licorice (to balance the blood sugar).  Detox and blood sugar stability is critical!

*Extra Chromium to balance the blood sugar

*Herbal Pain Relievers for Pain and Herbal Sleep Medications to help with sleep. - I have many in my office and there are many others on the market.  Find what works for you and have it in your medicine cabinet for those times you need it.

*Rejuvamen HGH for energy

*Ponay Tea for energy, weight loss, and to assure assimilation of your proteins and fats

*Protein Powder made with Rice Protein for Detox and blood sugar.  (May also be used as weight loss aid to replace one or two meals per day.)

*Carry Protein Bars with you throughout the day to stop a sudden drop in blood sugar before it occurs.

Exercise and breath are also key ingredients.  Exercise, even just daily walking, really will help. And if you cannot get out and exercise daily, try and remember to do breathing exercises, or Tai Chi, or some other centering exercise with breathing.

One really relaxing exercise is called “Cupping” or “Palming”.   Here is a web link for how to do it:

http://community.livejournal.com/holistic_vision/tag/yoga

By relaxing your eyes, your brain will also stop repeating the same thoughts over and over again.  The eyes are a window to how the mind works.

For women, it’s important to regulate the hormones.  If you are menstruating, then regulating and balancing your periods is critical to success.  There are many herbal formulas, and acupuncture, to aid in doing this.  If you are in menopause, it’s critical to balance your hormones, as any additional stress might throw your hormones off and cause another layer of symptoms.

In my experience, the people who have the greatest success in withdrawing off prescription medications, stopping an addictive behavior or substance, or stopping recreational drugs have one quality in common:  They don’t give up!

Time and time again, I see people stopping treatments or stopping their natural supplements, only to return 6 months latter, back on their medications, or addicted again to a drug or harmful behavior.  They say “it didn’t work.”  But actually it did work, but they didn’t stick to the natural program long enough to see the results really take root.  The people who are really successful have follow-through.

In general, it’s a good idea to really think through your choice before getting off any prescription medication and to discuss it with your Medical Doctor before making any decisions.  The worst thing you can do is to just go off it on your own without any support.    Your Medical Doctor should be the lead doctor in this decision, and remember to do it very, very slowly, if you really want to succeed.

Lastly, anyone who has received acupuncture knows the relaxing effects.  So if you are not phobic of needles, and it’s convenient to get into an acupuncturist’s office, then regular treatments will really help at this transition time.  Even daily treatments for the first week are a good idea, or at least weekly or every other week.  Health insurance usually covers a percentage of the acupuncture treatments as well.

Twelve Step Programs are extremely effective for many people in helping to control addictive behaviors.  But there are four parts to any recovery program.   The reason 12-Step recovery programs work for some people and not for others, is that some people are very strong in one or two of the four areas, but weak in the others.  The four components to any recovery program are emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical.    The problem with 12 Step recovery programs is that they are very weak in the area of physical tools for recovery.

 

The tools and steps of the twelve step programs (TSP’s) focus primarily on the emotional and spiritual areas of the recovery process and to a lesser degree on the intellectual level.  But they offer almost no tools for the physical aspects of recovery.

 

How to pray, meditate, take a personal inventory, connect with others in the form of fellowship, community and sponsorship, inner dialogue and on-going assessment of how one is “working the program”, are the hallmarks of successful recovery.

 

But on the physical level of recovery, only a few behavioral tools are discussed.  “Abstain no matter what”, is a common saying.  “Abstinence comes first”, “First things first”, etc., are also common slogans.  “Use the phone”. “Call before that first bite or first drink”, are other favorite sayings. 

 

If one is in a substance abuse program, one is warned of the evils of breaking abstinence on that particular substance, whether it is alcohol, drugs or food.  And if it is a type of behavior one is trying to abstain from, such as obsessive sexual behaviors, co-dependence, or compulsive spending or gambling, one attempts to get some abstinence from these obsessive-compulsive behaviors by following the steps and using the tools of the program as well.

 

The program basically only offers a “white knuckle” or behavioral approach to physical abstinence.  If you diligently follow the steps and incorporate the tools into your life, the “white knuckle” approach is workable.   But often a person is unsuccessful at abstinence, especially at the beginning of the program.  In fact, a very large segment of people who try to use the 12-Step Programs drop out at an early stage.  

 

In many cases, people who “fail” at 12-Step Programs are “working” the Steps and using the Tools of the program as diligently as anyone.   But these “failures” are due to the fact that they are experiencing more physical imbalances which are controlling them and limiting their recovery and ability to succeed using only this method of recovery.

 

It is common to judge one’s success in the TSP’s by how long one has achieved abstinence.  This is based on the assumption that if one is “working” a strong program, he or she will also be successful at abstinence.

 

Yet there are many people who have a very strong connection to a “higher power” or God, and who have had a lot of therapy and who really try to work the TSP’s correctly, yet who are failures at permanently abstaining from their obsession or compulsive behavior. 

 

Why is this?  Why do some people succeed in TSP’s where others fail?  If people are working just as hard at the same program, why do some have an easier time of it than others?

 

There is a missing link, a hidden dimension, and a mysterious factor, which the TSP’s do not address.  What is this missing element? 

 

I believe the missing element is the physical component.   Without all four components being addressed, many people are doomed to failure.  The program assumes everyone is biologically equal and the that “white knuckle” method will work for everyone. 

 

But some people cannot abstain, and cannot alter their behavior no matter how hard they try, and no matter how good their connection with God, or no matter how well they “turn it over” and work the TSP steps to recovery. 

 

There is also another category of “failure” in the 12-Step Recovery Programs.  This is the person who has long-term abstinence and recovery in their program, but is still as obsessive-compulsive as they were before abstinence or sobriety.  They have just substituted one compulsion or obsessive behavior for another.    Still yet another type of failure in the 12-Step Program is the person who has achieved long-term abstinence or sobriety, and yet is physically not very healthy.

 

This is because all these people are ignoring the physiological aspects of the addiction process.  There is a joke in Overeater’s Anonymous about the mother who keeps telling her overweight child that she doesn’t have an eating problem, it is just that her thyroid is under active.  Most people in OA think this is a joke. 

 

The general thinking in the TSP’s is that the program is a complete system and it is all one needs to achieve sobriety or abstinence.  This is sad, because there are so many tools that are available and which are very compatible with the program, yet come from other resources outside the program’s twelve steps and traditions.

 

Most compulsive overeaters (CO’s) hope and pray that their problem is as simple as an under active thyroid gland.  This “joke” is actually no joke at all.  Most CO’s do have a weak thyroid, just as most alcoholics have liver and other endocrine gland problems, co-dependants have adrenal gland problems and sexaholics have pituitary gland imbalances.  Virtually all compulsive and addictive personality types also have serious imbalances in one or more hormones.   Additionally, all people with addictions or compulsive behaviors also have imbalances in their brain neurotransmitters.

 

The purpose of this article is not to downplay the importance of working a strong 12-Step program as a pivotal key to recovery.  But I want to fill in the missing link for those people for whom the program is not enough.  Those people who most need the information in this article are the following:

 

First, people who despite well-intended behavior and motives, fail at TSP’s.  Second, people who succeed and then slip back into their old behavior.  Third, people who succeed but don’t get as far as they would have liked to have gotten in the program.  They only achieve their goals in part.  And finally, people who succeed at the program, and achieve their program goals, yet are still not in good physical or emotional health, even after two or more years of strong abstinence, sobriety, and recovery.

 

The common aspect of all these people’s problems may be the same:  i.e. a lack of understanding as to the role the body plays in addictions and the addictive process.  Understanding addictions and the physiology and anatomy of addictions, can help people in all of these categories to succeed at achieving their goals more effectively and efficiently.

 

Given the four levels of reality with which an individual must live, it is very possible for the difficulty, or the cause of the addictive behavior, to exist primarily on any or all of these four levels:  spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical. 

 

As I said above, the 12-Step Program is very effective at addressing problems on the first three levels, but if the primary place of imbalance is on the physical level, which it often can be, then the TSP is very weak and will offer very little hope in terms of recovery.

 

Often if one is successful at working the program, the physical imbalances will take care of themselves over time.  The liver will naturally detoxify and regenerate and become healthier if given the opportunity through healthy diet and exercise.  Prayer, meditation and visual imagery are also very helpful in this regard.

 

It is also very important not to take the addiction as the reality.   In other words, an addiction is only a symptom of imbalance on a deeper level.  The addiction is not the root cause of the problem.  The magic of the holistic approach, which takes into account the physical imbalance, is that often in removing the physical imbalance, the addiction is inadvertently cured as well.  Patients always have an easier time giving up alcohol, tobacco, sugar, drugs or caffeine if they are being treated using holistic methods.

 

Oriental Medicine and Addictions

 

According to the law of five elements in traditional Chinese medicine, each person is born with some weaker and some stronger elements, organs, and meridians.  And depending on the particular weakness, it predisposes a person to a particular addiction.  So when Western medical research speaks about children of alcoholics having a higher chance of becoming alcoholic because of being born with a particular enzyme in their body, this is something that Chinese medicine agrees with very strongly.

 

If one’s father was an alcoholic, then that person inherits a liver meridian (or wood element) that is more likely to be a precondition for substance abuse in the child.  Similarly, if a parent was obese or underweight, the child has inherited a weak earth element or fire element.

 

Depending on the particular weakness you are born with, a person can be successfully treated using Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture to strengthen that particular problem.  In strengthening the weak organ and accompanying acupuncture meridian, the predisposition to the addiction will be removed, or at a minimum, it will be significantly reduced. 

 

Endocrinology

 

Another area where the holistic approach is very effective is in treating weak endocrine glands and hormonal levels in the body.   A weakness of any gland in the body can predispose a person to a particular craving and subsequent addiction.  This predisposition to imbalance and disease is a key to diagnosis and treatment.

 

Utilizing blood, saliva, and urine tests and questionnaires, we can quickly and easily determine the weak endocrine glands, which are contributing to addictive behaviors.  Using various minerals, glandular supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies can significantly strengthen these glands.   There are also specific exercises that can be recommended to strengthen each particular gland.

 

But please remember that any holistic program should always be untaken with the advice and supervision of your medical doctor.  And never take yourself off of any medications prescribed by your medical doctor, without his or her knowledge.   Some people will also do much better with prescription medications rather than Chinese herbal or natural products.   This is something I discuss with my patients at their first visit to the office.

 

Amino Acids

 

Amino acids are the building blocks of our body.  Recent research has shown that a lack of specific amino acids can contribute to emotional stability, or be a root cause of obsessive or addictive behaviors.  Supplementing the diet with specific amino acids can reduce cravings or addictive desires.

 

Example of Recovery from an Eating Disorder

 

As an example of one patient I treated for an eating disorder I will share the case of Rebecca.  She had been overeating and compulsively binging for many years, and came to me with a goal of loosing about 40 pounds.  

 

The first step for her was to bring in her blood test results and to take the saliva and urine tests to assess her neurotransmitter levels.  The results of the two tests showed that she was very low in mineral/electrolyte levels and in her assimilation of protein.  Late at night, when she was binging, her excitory neurotransmitters were much too high.  This explained her need to sedate herself with carbohydrates.

 

I put her on a regimen of Chinese herbs and supplements to balance her serotonin and relax/turn off her brain, so that she could more easily unwind at night.   We also used a homeopathic remedy to control her sugar and chocolate cravings. The remedy was called Sepia.   This homeopathic remedy is a “cousin” to Natrum mur, and Natrum mur is a great remedy for water retention.   Both remedies are great for ailments which began with sadness, loss or grief.   And she had mentioned to me at her first appointment, that she began to overeat when she lost her mom many years ago.

 

Acupuncture helped her to control her cravings by balancing her nervous system, and to strengthen her Spleen meridian.   She also started on an herbal Chinese tea designed to burn fat each time she ate a meal.

 

After two months, she had lost most of her weight and was put on a maintainance program.  She also continued her 12-Step Program of Overeaters Anonymous.  Her subsequent blood and neurotransmitter tests showed vast improvement.

 

Recovery of an Alcoholic

 

Gene had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for about five years, and his cravings for alcohol had disappeared after about he first two years of sobriety.  But he still felt out-of-control and was in danger of loosing his wife due to his frequent outbursts of anger. 

 

This is fairly typical, because alcohol creates what we Chinese medical doctors call Stagnant Liver Chi, or Toxic Liver Syndrome.

 

When I performed blood tests, his liver enzymes were on the high side, so we started him on a program of Liver Detoxification, using herbs, teas and acupuncture.  In addition, he was put on a homeopathic remedy call Lycopodium.  Lycopodium is a great homeopathic remedy for the liver and kidneys.  It has a keynote symptom of anger expressed at those loved best, although at work or with friends, he or she may appear to be very sweet and communicative.

 

After about 6 weeks of treatment his wife reported he had become more gentle, and was willing to start couples therapy.  About a year latter, I saw him for lower back pain, and he said his marriage had been completely transformed and that he had never been happier.

 

This is a great example of how homeopathy and Chinese medicine can help someone with an addiction, even many years after they have stopped using the particular substance they were once addicted to.

 

Recovery from Smoking Cigarettes

 

I have been told by many of my patients that to stop cigarettes is the hardest addiction to break.  They have all also told me that of the many different methods they have tried to stop smoking, that using acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and homeopathy, was the easiest time they ever had.

 

My program uses detoxification herbs, relaxation herbs, amino acids designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain, and acupuncture to relax and create a post-exercise feeling of relaxation or “high.”   

 

I have been told by many ex-smokers, that acupuncture works quite well to help them get over their cravings.  The entire process usually takes about 6 weeks, and most people have stopped smoking completely by week three. 

 

The homeopathic remedy Tabaccum works great for many people to decrease their cravings, and eliminate toxins in the lungs.   For others, I might use Rescue Remedy, Magnesium phos for relaxation or Kali phos for the nervous system.  Still others require a more individualized approach to homeopathy, called “Classical” or “Constitutional” homeopathy.    Bottom Line:  There is simply no single treatment that is right for everybody.

 

Summary and Conclusions

 

“This stuff really works,”  is most often the remark people make after they are on their supplements and acupuncture for a week or more.   “Yes, it does,” is my response.  Though I have been in private practice since 1983, I am still astounded and amazed at the magic produced by a good diet, a nice relaxing acupuncture treatment, and the correct homeopathic remedy.