Category Archives: ADD and ADHD

Review of Oils – Which are the Best?

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Oils Revisited – Essential Fatty Acids – Are You Getting Enough?  By Dr. Randy Martin, OMD, LAc

Flax Oil – Omega-3 and other EFA’s; Vit E, Lecithin and phytosterols, plant lignins; antioxidants.  Good for autoimmune disorders, arthritis, inflammation; also good for cardiovascular disease; dry skin, psoriasis, eczema, acne, depression, fatigue, allergies, ADD, ADHD, arthritis, chronic viral, bacterial and fungal infections, IBS, kidney stones.

Pumpkin Seed Oil – plant sterols; high alpha-linolenic acid and phyto sterols, important for sexual gland functions and hormone activity;  Alpha linolenic acid is the precursor of other omega 3 oils such as EPA and DHA.

Borage Seed Oil – has more GLA (gamma linolenic acid) than Evening Primrose Oil; GLA is important for the production of prostaglandin E1; highest GLA of any plant.

Fish Oils – high in EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA and DHA are components of nerve cells and cell membranes.   Omega 3 fatty acids from fish are good for cardio vascular function.   The best fish for EPA’s and DHA’s are sardines, mackerel, salmon, bluefish, herring, and tuna.

Hemp Oil – High in Omega-3′s and some GLA.  57% LA linoleic and % LNA linolenic in a 3 to 1 ratio matching our nutritional needs.   Has more EFA’s than flax oil. Contains GLA which is gamma linolenic acid, and is a controversial one to add.   Has GLA’s and Omega 3′s both.

GLA Oils – High in primrose oil, black currant seed oil and borage oil.  It stimulates growth of hair and nails, skin, and reduces inflammation.

EPA Oils – The most mood elevating Omega-3 component.  Use EPA’s for depression, manic, bi polar, suicidal feelings — EPA contains DHA, but you need the EPA to affect the neural pathways, so don’t take DHA alone.  Low EPA correlates with depression in many separate research studies.   EPA is also good for inflammatory pain and inflammation of any kind, including Fibromyalgia, IBS, Migraines, joint disease, and to prevent stroke and cardiovascular disease.   EPA’s will also raise serotonin, the “feel good” neurotransmitter.  Also use it in violent behavior (criminals, substance abuse, addictions, and impulsive anger,) ADD and ADHD, and to lower blood pressure, Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and in Crohns disease.

Ratio of EFA – The best ratio is 1.5% omega-3 and 2.5% omega-6 totalling 4% of your calorie intake. 

Bad Oils – The worst oils are:  corn, peanut (as in peanut butter), sesame, soybean, cottonseed, canola, safflower and sunflower.  All of these are too high in omega 6 oils. 

Good Cooking Oils – The best is to just use Olive oil for everything including cooking, and also better for you.

Saturated Fatty Acids – These fatty oils are made from animal products and can be recognized because they are solid at room temperature (i.e. butter, lard).

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids – These fats are liquid at room temperature and are derived from plant sources; They will help to lower total serum cholesterol by lowering both HDL and LDL.  But remember that the HDL are the “good” cholesterol and you want them higher and not lower.  Some studies show that polyunsaturated fats may increase your risk of cancer because they tend to oxidize easily.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids – These fats are liquid at room temperature and are derived from plant sources; They lower serum cholesterol by lowering LDL and leaving HDL unchanged.   They are generally considered “healthy fats.” This type of fat is found in nuts, avocados, tea leaf, olive oil, grapeseed oil and flaxseed oil.

Omega 6 — Linoleic acid and gamma linolenic acid promote the production of the series 1 prostaglandins, which are anti inflammatory and anti atherogenic;  sources are vegetable, nut and seed oils, corn, safflower, soy, canola,

sunflower gamma linolenic acid (GLA), breast milk, evening primrose oil, black currant oil, and borage oil;  good for auto immune conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, scleroderma, MS, asthma, hayfer, hives and hypertension.

Omega 3 — Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA’s) – docosahexaenoic acid (DHA’s), and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) promote series 3 prostaglandins, anti inflammatory,

anti atherogenic, eicosapentaenoic acid, decrease levels of 4 leukotrienes; found in cold water fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines); cod liver oil; flaxseed oil, soy oil, chloroplasts;  Used for Cardiovascular disease, high

cholesterol, hyper triglycerides, hypertension, auto immune conditions, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, scleroderma, MS, migraines, Diabetes, asthma, allergies, PMS.

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

Doctor of Chinese Medicine

Certified Classical Homeopath

Resources for ADD and ADHD and Holistic Types of Treatments

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Some Resources for Treating ADD and ADHD Using Holistic Methods 
By Dr. Randy Martin, OMD Doctor of Chinese Medicine    

The resources from the Western medical profession for treating ADD and ADHD are readily available.   These include traditional talk, or cognitive psychotherapy, pharmaceuticals, hypnotherapy and behavioral therapy.   But more and more people are interested in, and turning to, alternatives to the more traditional Western approach.  

For those of you interested in alternatives, or if you are interested in combining the Western approaches with the alternatives, I would like to share some resources and my treatment approaches with you.   First, it’s important to note that it’s NOT at all necessary to stop traditional approaches before beginning more natural approaches. 

In fact, of my patients, about 50% are in traditional psychotherapy or taking Western pharmaceuticals when they come to me for treatment.     And it’s absolutely fine to both take Western medications and to use homeopathy or acupuncture or herbs or nutrition all at the same time.   In fact, these often work very well together.  

I am accustomed to working with the Medical Doctor as a teamwork approach to treatment.   And more and more Medical Doctor’s send me their patients to work together as a team.   In treating ADD and ADHD, as well as for anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, IBS, and panic attacks, the most effective long-term treatment and cure, based on my experience, is homeopathy.   

This article will not delve too deeply into the subject of homeopathy.  For that, I encourage you to go to my website which has many articles on homeopathy, and to read my book, Optimal Health:  How To Get It, How To Keep It.     If you want to read more about the treatment of ADD and ADHD, I have also listed other books and resources at the end of this article.   And if you are considering using alternative methods to control you or your family’s depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD, I do want to give you, the prospective new patient, enough information so that you can make an informed decision as to whether homeopathy and other complementary methods are what you wish to commit to.  

Homeopathy uses very small amounts of plant, mineral or animal substances to stimulate the body to heal itself.  It works somewhat like a vaccine or allergy shot.   The homeopathic remedies come in the form of little white pellets that are put under the tongue and left to dissolve.  Kids may also suck on them.    

By the way, Homeopathy is different than herbs.   While I also use many herbs in my practice, homeopathy only refers to the use of these little white sugar pills that go under the tongue.    In my personal and professional experience with the use of both homeopathy and herbs since 1978, I have found homeopathy to be much less expensive than herbal therapy and also much more effective and powerful in the long run.    

This is because homeopathy works more on your energy and herbs work more on your physiology.  And any symptoms you have usually start with your energy being out of balance —- well before the physiological or physical symptoms even begin.   Kids love homeopathy too!   This is because the pills taste like sugar.   So getting your kids to take them is no problem.   (By the way, homeopathy also works great for your pet cat or dog!)  

Also, you may be given a homeopathic remedy that is only taken once a month, or once per week, so the directions are very easy to follow.   The way the homeopathic medicine is prescribed is based on the person’s behavior in the office, what we discuss over the phone, or email, and also on what the person describes as his or her, or their kids, problems and behaviors at home, at school, at work, and socially.     

All your physical and psychological symptoms are taken into consideration, even though you are coming only to be treated for ADD or ADHD.   The same is true, by the way, if you come to me to be treated for ONLY physical issues, like pain in the back, or a headache, or PMS.  I will almost always also take into consideration your emotional and psychological issues.  This is because they tend to all go together, even though we tend to separate symptoms in our mind into those that belong to medical and those that belong to psychological.  

The way homeopathy works is largely based on behavior.  And the more I can actually observe, or the more you can describe to me your child’s behavior, or your behavior, the easier to choose the first homeopathic remedy.   For instance, if a kid is running all over the office, this may point to a particular remedy, or family of remedies.   Another kid may sit on his mom’s lap and not say a word, or whisper into the ear of her mom.  This is another remedy.  Yet another child may get angry, and provoke an argument with his or her mother in the office.      Another child might walk all over the office touching everything and asking questions about things he or she doesn’t understand.  One child might run into the desk and injure herself, and another might sit on the floor content with playing with the toys.     One child might decide to play with the plastic snake, another might take the plastic knife and start sticking it everywhere; another might build a castle out of blocks, another might enjoy coloring in the coloring book, using all red and black crayons.   Another child might color using a variety of bright colors.   One child might interact and begin a conversation with my secretary, and another might be shy and want to be left alone.  One child might go off to the bathroom on her own and another might want the secretary or her mom to accompany her.    One child might look at me directly in the eyes, or even stare me down, while another child might not look at me in the eyes at all.  I have had kids spit at me, throw things at me, kiss me, come over and want me to show them my computer, and a huge variety of other behaviors.  Each type of behavior points to another category of homeopathic remedies!  

One adult might come to their appointment right on time and with their intake forms completely filled out very neatly.  Another adult might be late to the appointment, with her clothes and hair kind of disheveled and not even started yet on filling in her forms.  When she does, the form might be hard to read, and have coffee stains on them from sitting around on the kitchen table for a week.   One person may come to the appointment alone and another might bring their spouse or the entire family into the consultation room for support.  Another person may be dressed very formally, and another very sloppy or have tattoos and piercing.  

We will also discuss the diet and I’ll want to know about food preferences.  Some kids or adults love bread and butter, and for others it’s salty foods or chocolate.   Some people will sleep with the windows open and others prefer no draft in the room.  Some with a lot of covers, and other with only a thin sheet.   One person may perspire a lot at night on the head and another person may not perspire, even with rigorous exercise!  

Of course what is also important is what types of things the adult or child forgets to say.  Do they have trouble doing their work or homework assignments, or are they easily distracted?  All these individual characteristics help to choose the correct homeopathic remedy.   It’s good to talk to the child’s teacher before you come in, in order to get as much information on behavior as possible.  

In other words, each thing that you tell me or that I observe and intuit might point me to a particular family of homeopathic remedies.  Then, after I have all the symptoms that the person conveys to me, both verbally, non-verbally and on the intake forms, I can put all this information together to determine the right homeopathic remedy to start off with.   

Patients always want to know how long the initial consultation will be.  But in truth, I never know.  This is because I might know the first remedy within the first 15 minutes of the interview, or I might need an hour or more and even then, I might take all the information home and work on it for a few days, and ask a lot of additional questions from the person via email or phone.   Each situation is completely different, and unpredictable.  

And this is what makes homeopathy so challenging and so much fun for me.   This is why it never gets boring doing homeopathy!   After we choose the correct homeopathic remedy, all there is to do is to take it as directed.  

At the same time, I might recommend we discuss nutrition and diet, or perform blood tests or a take-home neurotransmitter urine test or saliva test.  The neurotransmitter tests will show which brain chemicals are too high or too low.   Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain, which give us our feelings of well-being, agitation, depression, mental clarity, motivation, muscle coordination, wakefulness, insomnia, inhibition, or sexual desire.  

There are many neurotransmitters in the body, and there are specific tests for each specific problem you might have.   If depression or insomnia or anxiety is the problem, one test will be given.  But for ADD or ADHD, it will be another test, each one checking for different neurotransmitters.   Then, based on the results of the test, you can chose to take various herbs, or amino acid supplements, to balance the neurotransmitters.  This way, the behavior will change.  

This method is a great complement to homeopathy, because it will give you some immediate results, and with homeopathy alone, it may take a few months to see an improvement.  So, we can use these two methods together.  

Next you will be encouraged to share your symptoms on your follow up treatments.  I might see you or your child every 3 to 8 weeks, and at each visit I’ll want to know exactly what has changed and what has not changed.  So the more accurate you can share with me, the better I can determine what to do next.  

Because much of this method of holistic treatment is based on my taking the time to know you and your symptoms, or your child’s symptoms, it is very important that you accurately report your symptoms.   This can all be very time consuming, both for you and for me.    (I have noticed that not all patients want to spend this amount of time documenting their symptoms.)  

It is best if you keep a homeopathic journal and jot down all your symptoms each time something changes.   Then bring those notes to your follow-up appointments.   I may spend an hour or more after work to determine the next homeopathic remedy a patient needs.  Or you and I may have to email back and forth several times within a month in order to correct your supplements if we are not getting the results we both had expected.  

Lastly, in order for this treatment approach to be effective, you must commit to it for an extended period of time.  This means coming to follow up visits every 3 to 6 weeks for at least 6 months, and usually for a year of more.   The reason it takes time is because with this approach we are actually working to permanently change the chemistry in your brain and body.  

This doesn’t change overnight when using natural products.   So if you need to have quick results, then the Western pharmaceuticals are a better approach for you.  But if you want to really change who you are on a deeper level of body chemistry, and if you want to see yourself or your child get much healthier over time, then homeopathy and natural products might be for you!   

Again, if you are not sure, then you can use both Western pharmaceuticals and the natural approach together as you begin treatments.   There are many patients who receive homeopathic and herbal treatments while taking their Western pharmaceutical medications and they are improving dramatically also.  

Nutrition is of course very important to consider.  So we will take the time to also assess your diet.  I might even have you write down your diet so I can assess and determine it’s right for you and your body type and particular classification of ADD.  

It may also be important to eliminate certain foods that you may be allergic to, as well as chemicals, colorings, and other artificial additives.  Although most kids and adults will respond to treatment quite well, without having to go to any extremes in diet!  

One final note, while I don’t usually recommend nor perform acupuncture on children under the age of 12 years, some of my patients’ kids request acupuncture, even at the young age of 8 years old or so.  If you or your child does decide to add acupuncture to the treatment, you will experience results much more quickly then with homeopathy alone.  This goes for adults as well as kids. 

But as I said, most kids don’t want acupuncture, and I never suggest it to them, if they are not interested in it or are afraid of needles.  But many times, after they see their parents receiving an acupuncture treatment, the kids want to try it also.  And after trying acupuncture once, most kids feel so good, that they always want another treatment when they come to the office. 
:-)  

Further Resources and Reading:  

1.  Article on the Success of Homeopathy for ADD: http://www.ymlp.com/pubarchive_show_message.php?Drrandymartin+23  

2.  Optimal Health:  How To Get It, How To Keep It, by Dr. Randy Martin – available in the office or online at WWW.DRRANDYMARTIN.COM             

3.  Rage Free Kids http://www.wholehealthnow.com/books/rage-free-kids.html
 
4.  Homeopathy:  Beyond Flat Earth Medicine http://www.drdooley.net/Book.pdf 

5.  All books are available from my friend Dana Ulman at Homeopathic Educational Services: http://www.homeopathic.com/  

6.  Brain Imaging – A Scientific Method of Diagnosing ADD/ADHD: http://amenclinics.com/bp/spect_rotations/  

Pregnancy, Childbirth and Pediatric Resources

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Pregnancy, Childbirth and Pediatric Resources

1.  Homeopathy can be used to root out or partially erradicate some of the genetic predispositions that you would rather not transfer to your children.  The best time for this is about a year before you are planning to conceive.  Diet is also important both for the prospective father and mother, to detox and cleanse the body before conception. 

2.  Fertility:   I can help with fertility, either with or without Western Medical Interventions.  I have many fertility patients who are using Western approaches.   I can help with both your husband’s and your fertility issues.   I would use acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy and dietary suggestions and work closely with your Medical Doctor as a team. 

3.  Pregnancy – Treatment Stage — During pregnancy, you probably don’t want to use drugs for problems that arise.   We can use acupuncture, herbs orhomeopathy to help with headaches, constipation, aches or pains, immunity andmost other issues. 

4.  Pregnancy – Maintenance Stage:  There are actually some specific homeopathic remedies that can also be used during the first trimester to strengthen the pregnancy and baby, and also towards the end of the pregnancy to make the labor go more easily.  Acupuncture is also used during pregnancy every month or so to balance and relax you so that everything goes smoothly.

5.  Birthing Process:   We will use specific homoepathic remedies and acupuncture to assist in a fast and easy delivery.  Any problems that arise during thedelivery can be helped with homoepathy. But of course you must be at ahospital and working with a Medical Doctor that is comfortable with an acupuncturist and homeopath assisting during the pregnancy. This can all be written into your Birth Plan.  It’s also helpful to have a Doula or Nurse/Midwife, so that we can all work as a team.

 6.  After the Birth:  There are specific homeopathic remediesgiven to baby and mom to reduce whatever trauma occured during the labor andbirthing process.  Also, it is agood idea for mom to be taking some Chinese herbs for the first 3 months or so, to revitalize her Chi and Yin energy, since pregnancy tends to deplete the Chi and the Yin in the body.

7.  Baby and Toddler Care:   As a team with your pediatricianand Medical Doctors, baby should immediately be under the care of a homeopathto assist with healthy physical, behavioral and emotional health.   Most problems that occur, such ascolic, skin problems, constipation, ear infections, etc., can be helped verynicely with homeopathy. 

Can Hormone Testing Help You?

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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 — 

Common Childhood Ailments

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Protocols for Common Childhood Ailments:

1.  Acute Asthma:  Wheezing, tight chest, difficulty exhaling
*Begin with Open Air formula
*Add Chest Relief if needed
*Add Windbreaker if cathcing a cold
*Select the appropriate homeopathic, such as Aconite
*Assess for Acute emotional trauma:  Rescue Remedy might be indicated

2.  Chronic Asthma:  Wheezing on exertion, tight chest, difficulty inhaling
*Begin with Deep Breath for more chronic wheezing problems
*Add Chest Relief if also has cough or phlegm
*Add Grow and Thrive to support the system and strengthen immunity
*Select the appropriate homeopathic, such as Phosphorus, Kali Phos or Phosphoric Acid
*Check for allergies, food and airborne

3.  ADD/OCD or other Anxiety or Hyperactive Symptoms:
*Begin with Quiet Calm formula for sleep, hyperactivity and anxiety or phobia
*Add Grow and Thrive to strengthen the system
*Add Fish Oils
*Perform urine test to determine which neurotransmitters are out of balance
*Consider homeopathic Mag phos, Kali phos, Coffea Crude or Ignata
*Consider 5HTP or GABA

4.  ADD/ADHA – Inattentive type ADD – easily distracted and trouble with focus
*Use Quiet Calm to start
*Add Fish Oils and the correct constitutional homeopathic to help with focus
*Consider the Urine test to determine which neurotransmitters are off

5.  Allergies:  Sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, itchy eyes, scratchy throat
*Begin with Windbreaker
*Add Chest Relief for cough or phlegm
*Add Open Air for wheezing or acute cold
*Try homeopathic Wyethia, Sulphur, Aconite or Allium Cepa
*Often Fish Oils, Zinc, Vitamin C will boost the immune system and help with allergies

6.  Acute Cold or Flu
*Begin with Windbreaker and Phlogisticlean
*Use Phlogisticlean for ear infections
*Add Chest Relief for coughing
*Add Purge Heat for fever
*Use Chinese herbal ear drops
*Add homeopathic Belladona for high fever, or Aconite for sudden onset fever
*Supplement with Zinc and Vitamin C for immune balance

Common Childhood Ailments and Herbs to Treat Them

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Protocols for Common Childhood Ailments:  (Note – we also have programs for adults and teens, but they are different formulas.  These are special for the kids.)

1.  Acute Asthma:  Wheezing, tight chest, difficulty exhaling
*Begin with Open Air formula
*Add Chest Relief if needed – after first 24 hours
*Add Windbreaker if cathcing a cold
*Select the appropriate homeopathic, such as Aconite
*Assess for Acute emotional trauma:  Rescue Remedy might be indicated

2.  Chronic Asthma:  Wheezing on exertion, tight chest, difficulty inhaling
*Begin with Deep Breath for more chronic wheezing problems
*Add Chest Relief if also has cough or phlegm
*Add Grow and Thrive to support the system and strengthen immunity
*Select the appropriate homeopathic, such as Phosphorus, Kali Phos or Phosphoric Acid
*Check for allergies, food and airborne

3.  ADD/OCD or other Anxiety or Hyperactive Symptoms:
*Begin with Quiet Calm formula for sleep, hyperactivity and anxiety or phobia
*Add Grow and Thrive to strengthen the system – stay on this long term over time
*Add Fish Oils
*Perform urine test to determine which neurotransmitters are out of balance
*Consider homeopathic Mag phos, Kali phos, Coffea Crude or Igniata
*Consider 5HTP or GABA

4.  ADD/ADHD – Inattentive type ADD -  easily distracted and trouble with focus
*Use Quiet Calm to start – see how this works before adding others for 3-5 days
*Add Fish Oils and the correct constitutional homeopathic to help with focus
*Consider the Urine test to determine which neurotransmitters are off
*Find and follow up long term with the right homeopathic remedy – very important!

5.  Allergies:  Sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, itchy eyes, scratchy throat
*Begin with Windbreaker – note improvement within 24 hours???
*Add Chest Relief for cough or phlegm
*Add Open Air for wheezing or acute cold
*Try homeopathic Wyethia, Sulphur, Aconite or Allium Cepa
*Often Fish Oils, Zinc, Vitamin C will boost the immune system and help with allergies

6.  Acute Cold or Flu
*Begin with Windbreaker and Phlogisticlean
*Use Phlogisticlean for ear infections
*Add Chest Relief for coughing
*Add Purge Heat for fever
*Use Chinese herbal ear drops
*Add homeopathic Belladona for high fever, or Aconite for sudden onset fever
*Supplement with Zinc and Vitamin C for immune balance

NOTE:  MAKE IN-OFFICE APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR CHILD WHEN THEY ARE WELL!  DO NOT WAIT FOR THEM TO BE SICK FOR THE DOCTOR TO SEE THEM.  

THESE TREATMENTS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE IF YOU HAVE THEM ON HAND BEFORE THE PROBLEM OCCURS.  STOCK UP YOUR MEDICINE CABINETS NOW SO YOU WILL HAVE THEM WHEN YOU WILL NEED THEM.  YOU CANNOT BUY THESE FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PHARMACY DURING AN EMERGENCY!

ALSO:  DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILD INTO THE OFFICE WHEN THEY HAVE A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, COLD, FLU, COUGHING, ETC.  WE DON’T WANT TO SPREAD THEIR GERMS TO OTHERS IN OUR OFFICE!   BUT CALL US FOR A PHONE CONSULTATION AND COME PICK UP THE PRODUCTS OR WE CAN SEND TO YOU RIGHT AWAY!

:-)

Blessings and Love for a Healthy and Productive Season —  

Ginseng – Uses, Effects and Side Effects

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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.

Resources for ADD and ADHD and Holistic Types of Treatments

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Reply

he resources from the Western medical profession for treating ADD and ADHD are readily available.   These include traditional talk, or cognitive psychotherapy, pharmaceuticals, hypnotherapy and behavioral therapy.

  But more and more people are interested in, and turning to, alternatives to the more traditional Western approach.   For those of you interested in alternatives, or if you are interested in combining the Western approaches with the alternatives, I would like to share some resources and my treatment approaches with you.

  First, it’s important to note that it’s NOT at all necessary to stop traditional approaches before beginning more natural approaches.  In fact, of my patients, about 50% are in traditional psychotherapy or taking Western pharmaceuticals when they come to me for treatment.  

  And it’s absolutely fine to both take Western medications and to use homeopathy or acupuncture or herbs or nutrition all at the same time.   In fact, these often work very well together.   I am accustomed to working with the Medical Doctor as a teamwork approach to treatment.   And more and more Medical Doctor’s send me their patients to work together as a team.

  In treating ADD and ADHD, as well as for anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, IBS, and panic attacks, the most effective long-term treatment and cure, based on my experience, is homeopathy. 

  This article will not delve too deeply into the subject of homeopathy.  For that, I encourage you to go to my website which has many articles on homeopathy, and to read my book, Optimal Health:  How To Get It, How To Keep It.  

  If you want to read more about the treatment of ADD and ADHD, I have also listed other books and resources at the end of this article.

  And if you are considering using alternative methods to control you or your family’s depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD, I do want to give you, the prospective new patient, enough information so that you can make an informed decision as to whether homeopathy and other complementary methods are what you wish to commit to.

  Homeopathy uses very small amounts of plant, mineral or animal substances to stimulate the body to heal itself.  It works somewhat like a vaccine or allergy shot.   The homeopathic remedies come in the form of little white pellets that are put under the tongue and left to dissolve.  Kids may also suck on them.  

  By the way, Homeopathy is different than herbs.   While I also use many herbs in my practice, homeopathy only refers to the use of these little white sugar pills that go under the tongue. 

  In my personal and professional experience with the use of both homeopathy and herbs since 1978, I have found homeopathy to be much less expensive than herbal therapy and also much more effective and powerful in the long run.  

  This is because homeopathy works more on your energy and herbs work more on your physiology.  And any symptoms you have usually start with your energy being out of balance —- well before the physiological or physical symptoms even begin.

  Kids love homeopathy too!   This is because the pills taste like sugar.   So getting your kids to take them is no problem.   (By the way, homeopathy also works great for your pet cat or dog!)   Also, you may be given a homeopathic remedy that is only taken once a month, or once per week, so the directions are very easy to follow.

  The way the homeopathic medicine is prescribed is based on the person’s behavior in the office, what we discuss over the phone, or email, and also on what the person describes as his or her, or their kids, problems and behaviors at home, at school, at work, and socially.   

  All your physical and psychological symptoms are taken into consideration, even though you are coming only to be treated for ADD or ADHD.

  The same is true, by the way, if you come to me to be treated for ONLY physical issues, like pain in the back, or a headache, or PMS.  I will almost always also take into consideration your emotional and psychological issues.  This is because they tend to all go together, even though we tend to separate symptoms in our mind into those that belong to medical and those that belong to psychological.

  The way homeopathy works is largely based on behavior.  And the more I can actually observe, or the more you can describe to me your child’s behavior, or your behavior, the easier to choose the first homeopathic remedy.

 For instance, if a kid is running all over the office, this may point to a particular remedy, or family of remedies.   Another kid may sit on his mom’s lap and not say a word, or whisper into the ear of her mom.  This is another remedy.  Yet another child may get angry, and provoke an argument with his or her mother in the office.   

  Another child might walk all over the office touching everything and asking questions about things he or she doesn’t understand.  One child might run into the desk and injure herself, and another might sit on the floor content with playing with the toys.  

 One child might decide to play with the plastic snake, another might take the plastic knife and start sticking it everywhere; another might build a castle out of blocks, another might enjoy coloring in the coloring book, using all red and black crayons.   Another child might color using a variety of bright colors.

  One child might interact and begin a conversation with my secretary, and another might be shy and want to be left alone.  One child might go off to the bathroom on her own and another might want the secretary or her mom to accompany her. 

  One child might look at me directly in the eyes, or even stare me down, while another child might not look at me in the eyes at all.  I have had kids spit at me, throw things at me, kiss me, come over and want me to show them my computer, and a huge variety of other behaviors.  Each type of behavior points to another category of homeopathic remedies!

  One adult might come to their appointment right on time and with their intake forms completely filled out very neatly.  Another adult might be late to the appointment, with her clothes and hair kind of disheveled and not even started yet on filling in her forms.  When she does, the form might be hard to read, and have coffee stains on them from sitting around on the kitchen table for a week.

  One person may come to the appointment alone and another might bring their spouse or the entire family into the consultation room for support.  Another person may be dressed very formally, and another very sloppy or have tattoos and piercing.

  We will also discuss the diet and I’ll want to know about food preferences.  Some kids or adults love bread and butter, and for others it’s salty foods or chocolate.   Some people will sleep with the windows open and others prefer no draft in the room.  Some with a lot of covers, and other with only a thin sheet.

 

One person may perspire a lot at night on the head and another person may not perspire, even with rigorous exercise!

  Of course what is also important is what types of things the adult or child forgets to say.  Do they have trouble doing their work or homework assignments, or are they easily distracted?  All these individual characteristics help to choose the correct homeopathic remedy.   It’s good to talk to the child’s teacher before you come in, in order to get as much information on behavior as possible.

  In other words, each thing that you tell me or that I observe and intuit might point me to a particular family of homeopathic remedies.  Then, after I have all the symptoms that the person conveys to me, both verbally, non-verbally and on the intake forms, I can put all this information together to determine the right homeopathic remedy to start off with. 

  Patients always want to know how long the initial consultation will be.  But in truth, I never know.  This is because I might know the first remedy within the first 15 minutes of the interview, or I might need an hour or more and even then, I might take all the information home and work on it for a few days, and ask a lot of additional questions from the person via email or phone.   Each situation is completely different, and unpredictable.   And this is what makes homeopathy so challenging and so much fun for me.   This is why it never gets boring doing homeopathy!

 

After we choose the correct homeopathic remedy, all there is to do is to take it as directed.

  At the same time, I might recommend we discuss nutrition and diet, or perform blood tests or a take-home neurotransmitter urine test or saliva test.  The neurotransmitter tests will show which brain chemicals are too high or too low.   Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain, which give us our feelings of well-being, agitation, depression, mental clarity, motivation, muscle coordination, wakefulness, insomnia, inhibition, or sexual desire.

 

There are many neurotransmitters in the body, and there are specific tests for each specific problem you might have.   If depression or insomnia or anxiety is the problem, one test will be given.  But for ADD or ADHD, it will be another test, each one checking for different neurotransmitters.

 

Then, based on the results of the test, you can chose to take various herbs, or amino acid supplements, to balance the neurotransmitters.  This way, the behavior will change.   This method is a great complement to homeopathy, because it will give you some immediate results, and with homeopathy alone, it may take a few months to see an improvement.  So we can use these two methods together.

 

Next you will be encouraged to share your symptoms on your follow up treatments.  I might see you or your child every 3 to 8 weeks, and at each visit I’ll want to know exactly what has changed and what has not changed.  So the more accurate you can share with me, the better I can determine what to do next.

 

Because much of this method of holistic treatment is based on my taking the time to know you and your symptoms, or your child’s symptoms, it is very important that you accurately report your symptoms.   This can all be very time consuming, both for you and for me.    (I have noticed that not all patients want to spend this amount of time documenting their symptoms.)

 

It is best if you keep a homeopathic journal and jot down all your symptoms each time something changes.   Then bring those notes to your follow-up appointments.

 

I may spend an hour or more after work to determine the next homeopathic remedy a patient needs.  Or you and I may have to email back and forth several times within a month in order to correct your supplements if we are not getting the results we both had expected.

 

Lastly, in order for this treatment approach to be effective, you must commit to it for an extended period of time.  This means coming to follow up visits every 3 to 6 weeks for at least 6 months, and usually for a year of more.

 

The reason it takes time is because with this approach we are actually working to permanently change the chemistry in your brain and body.   This doesn’t change overnight when using natural products.

 

So if you need to have quick results, then the Western pharmaceuticals are a better approach for you.  But if you want to really change who you are on a deeper level of body chemistry, and if you want to see yourself or your child get much healthier over time, then homeopathy and natural products might be for you! 

 

Again, if you are not sure, then you can use both Western pharmaceuticals and the natural approach together as you begin treatments.   There are many patients who receive homeopathic and herbal treatments while taking their Western pharmaceutical medications and they are improving dramatically also.

 

Nutrition is of course very important to consider.  So we will take the time to also assess your diet.  I might even have you write down your diet so I can assess and determine it’s right for you and your body type and particular classification of ADD.   It may also be important to eliminate certain foods that you may be allergic to, as well as chemicals, colorings, and other artificial additives.  Although most kids and adults will respond to treatment quite well, without having to go to any extremes in diet!

 

One final note, while I don’t usually recommend nor perform acupuncture on children under the age of 12 years, some of my patients’ kids request acupuncture, even at the young age of 8 years old or so.  If you or your child does decide to add acupuncture to the treatment, you will experience results much more quickly then with homeopathy alone.  This goes for adults as well as kids.  But as I said, most kids don’t want acupuncture, and I never suggest it to them, if they are not interested in it or are afraid of needles.  But many times, after they see their parents receiving an acupuncture treatment, the kids want to try it also.  And after trying acupuncture once, most kids feel so good, that they always want another treatment when they come to the office.  :-)

 

Further Resources and Reading:

 

1.  Article on the Success of Homeopathy for ADD:

http://www.ymlp.com/pubarchive_show_message.php?Drrandymartin+23

 

2.  Optimal Health:  How To Get It, How To Keep It, by Dr. Randy Martin – available in the office or online at

WWW.DRRANDYMARTIN.COM           

 

3.  Rage Free Kids

http://www.wholehealthnow.com/books/rage-free-kids.html

 

4.  Homeopathy:  Beyond Flat Earth Medicine

http://www.drdooley.net/Book.pdf

 

5.  All books are available from my friend Dana Ulman at Homeopathic Educational Services:

http://www.homeopathic.com/

 

6.  Brain Imaging – A Scientific Method of Diagnosing ADD/ADHD:

http://amenclinics.com/bp/spect_rotations/

 

ADD and Natural Treatments

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This is the story of an eight-year-old little boy who first came to me for treatment on June 1, 1993. His mother described him as “out of control.” Everything was a constant drama in the house, with the child craving constant attention. He mimicked others’ behavior to spite them and was angry and demanding almost all of the time.

He had been like this for years, but over the last year he had become increasingly unmanageable. His mother said he threw frequent temper tantrums, had to be -supervised 100% of the time and wouldn’t “accept no as an answer.”

When I saw him in my office, the first thing out of his mouth was a reaction to my computer. He came over to my desk, stood very close to me, and with a little malicious grin on his face said: “Your computer just quacked,” referring to the sound effects my Macintosh computer makes.

The child would hit the mother and other children and smile while he was doing it. The mother described him as enjoying others’ pain and hurt. Afterwards, he usually showed guilt or remorse and felt momentarily sad for the pain inflicted. He was -described as defying his mother, and using anything as an argument.

He loves to read, but his attention and behavior was unpredictable—one moment nice, sweet or excessively affectionate and the next moment being violent and -uncontrollable. He refused to go to bed at night, had a huge appetite, had frequent stomach pains, took frequent cat naps, slept on his side, was very opinionated, craved ice, beef jerky, candy, chocolate, orange juice, tomatoes, tomato juice, and fruit -(especially -bananas, pears, and peaches). He disliked salty foods.

He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and had been on Prozac for three months at the time of his first visit with me. His mother reported that his behavior was a little improved on the Prozac, but not significant enough to keep him under control. They had also tried psychological counseling with little improvement. The mother decided to take him off Prozac without discussing it with the doctor (not something I would recommend!).

I prescribed a homeopathic remedy called Medorrhinum. I recommended taking the remedy only three times, at a frequency of every other day. The mother called me ten days later and reported that there was at least a 50% improvement in behavior. The mother had accidentally given the remedy daily, rather than following my instructions. I told her to wait and to not give him any more of the remedy, since improvement -often will take place once the remedy is stopped. Ten days later she called again and said there was a setback. I recommended one dose of Medorrhinum in a higher -potency.

Ten days later the mother called to say there was immediate improvement, but that it didn’t last. I recommended one more dose of the remedy. I didn’t hear back from her so I assumed she and the child were doing well. I phoned a few times to check but my calls were never returned.

I was curious about this case. Since the behavioral problem was so severe and the improvement so quick and dramatic, I wanted to know if it was holding. I finally reached the mother nine months later and she reported complete and lasting improvement without any more doses of the remedy. He just “snapped out of it” and “never snapped back,” she reported.

This type of case is very gratifying for me as the doctor. This little boy’s entire life will be changed thanks to the power and magic of homeopathy. Note that there are about 50 homeopathic remedies for ADD. Do not try to treat this yourself. Also, nutrition plays a large role and in my treatment program, I select a specific and individualized -nutritional regimen based on either the child’s blood, urine or hair lab tests.

Questions about Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder:

Q. What are the potential side effects of Ritalin therapy?
A. There are many, but the primary side effects are loss of appetite, insomnia, loss of creativity, apathy, depression, lethargy and allergic reactions.

Q. Is there a natural way to treat hyperactivity and ADD?
A. Yes! Using herbs, vitamin supplements, a change in diet, homeopathic medications and amino acids has a proven track record. More and more medical literature is now available showing the positive effects of these natural therapies.

Q. What are the causes of hyperactivity or ADD?
A. It can be a physiological imbalance, nutritional disorder, chemical imbalance, blood sugar disturbance, allergy to foods or artificial additives, or sensitivity to sugar or -caffeine.

Q. What are the most common foods that can cause problems?
A. Holistic doctors have performed a lot of research and determined that the most -common foods to cause problems are the following: milk, cheese, corn, chocolate, wheat, eggs, yeast, sugar, food coloring and artificial food additives.

Q. How do we determine if foods are a problem?
A. The best way is to eliminate all suspected foods for twenty-one days and then to add them back one at a time for forty-eight hours each, and see if there is any adverse -reaction. If your child shows a reaction, eliminate the food. After the body chemistry is brought into balance, you may be able to add the food back to the diet.

Q. What are typical food allergy reactions?
A. Typical reactions are as follows: fatigue or sleepiness, nervousness, mood swings, restlessness, irritability, inability to concentrate, nasal congestion, headaches, muscle aches, abdominal pains, bed-wetting, facial pallor or puffiness, and dark shadows under the eyes.