Ask the Doctor

Frequently asked questions and answers from Dr. Martin.

Teenage Acne
Chemotherapy
Allergies
Miscarriage
Skin Growths, Moles, Etc.
Sore Gums
Dog Eats Homeopathic Remedies
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Low Bone Density
Hep C Treatment
Toe Fungus
Doing a Perfect Diet
Hypothyroid
Perimenopause
Getting Off Sugar, Salt and Soda
Changing Doctors
How Many Homeopathic Pills?

If you do not find an answer to your question below, Click here to "Ask Dr. Martin"

Q. I"m thinking of changing from the homeopath I've been seeing for many years to come and be treated with you instead. I've read over your website and I like the way you treat your patients. I also read your article about termination with your practitioner. But I would like to start treatment with you before I talk to my current homeopath. What would you suggest?

A. Try first to be sure it's the right decision. It's one of the most important decisions to make in your healing path. In any event, irregardless of what you are feeling and decide: It's usually best to discuss first with your existing practitioner, BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO CHANGE, as they may have ideas about you AND YOUR TREATMENT that have not been shared yet, and mutual, candid and honest sharing between the two of you can sometimes cause a breakthrough in treatment that otherwise wouldn't be possible.

Q: Do you have a method for detecting hypothyroidism and treating it? I was listenting to something on the radio and found out this is a common problem. Now I wonder if that might be why I feel so tired. I will hopefully see you tomorrow for accupuncture and you can suggest what I can do going forward for more energy.

A: The first thing to do is to have a thurough blood test which evaluates your blood chemistry and also your complete blood thyroid readings. There are many different thyroid blood tests so it is important you have them all. I can prescribe the blood work to get, but to be certain it will be covered by your insurance company, it's best to have it done by your Medical Doctor or Endocrinologist. This will also give us the opportunity to work with your Medical Doctor, to devise the most comprehensive approach possible.
Second you need to check your overall body basil temperature. I have two different methods for this. When you are in the office I can give you the forms you will need to monitor your basil temperature.
Then your Medical Doctor and I will put together the information from your basil test and your blood tests to make a thurough diagnosis.
Once we know for certain what the problem is, we can use either herbs, acupuncture, and homeopathy to cure the problem. I prefer to use all three methods. Some people also will want to take medications prescribed for them by their Medical Doctor or Endocrinologist. In this case, we can choose herbs or homeopathics and acupuncture treatments that will complement what your Medical Doctor has prescribed.
It's important that you have your thyroid gland monitored every 3 to 6 months, depending on what your Medical Doctor tells you, so that we can modify the treatment as you get better and better.

Q: Do smell sensitivities mean anything as far as Traditional Chinese Medicine is concerned?
I would guess that the symptom of smell sensitivity would be an important symptom in homeopathy.
My partner with MF has been sensitive to smells for years. Not only perfumes and aftershave, but also pesticides and petroleum exhausts from vehicles and gas furnaces, etc. It has been called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Thank goodness for the increasing awareness about scents and the efforts to make public events scent-free.

A: In Chinese medicine it's considered a Kidney Chi deficiency. This in turn weakens the lungs, which causes the sensitivities. In homoepathy it depends on the particular sensitivity, which homeopathic remedy is indicated.

Q. I'm having a lot of trouble with the diet you recommended I try. What should I do?
A. Please try not to be so perfect in your eating.
Be moderate.
I only gave you an ideal, or outline.
You don't have to actually do that 100% of the time.
Maybe try the macro diet 50% of the time.
Don't do it so perfect.
Just add in chicken or meat or the blood type diet.
Mix and match.
Find what works best for you.
If a diet causes anxiety and stress, then it is the wrong diet for you.
This, as is all life, a process.
We are stuck in our physical body - a blessing and a curse. It will never work the way we want. We always will have some problems with our body not working right.
But with time and patience, over time, it will get better and better as we chip away our past life karma and our emotional scripts and our genetic predispositions and our environmental sensitiviites and our lifes full of trauma.

Q: I did a LPT open MRI and there are these things that came up and I was wondering if they could be treated homeopathically or herbally?
1. Bone Density score of -4.8
2. Small lateral plueral base nodule in the right mid lung.

A: Everything is treatable homeopathicaly, the same as everything will be better using Kaballa. (I answer this way, because I know your religion is the Kaballa.) Holistic medicine, including homeopathy and herbal medicine is a way of life, that if followed brings better health emotionally, physcially, spiritually and mentally. The longer and more consistently one is treated using homeopathy, without stopping, the better ones overall life -- same as Kaballa. Bone density as well as nodules can be treated. You will need to go for follow-ups every 6 months to see how the treatment is working, and I would like your MD's approval before we begin treatment, because I need to know the possible severity of the nodule. Is is also important to remember that if you choose holistic treatment, it is still advisable in most cases to continue your Western treatments at the same time. It is not either/or. Rather, both can be used together, as a teamwork approach to better health.

Q: Can homeopathy help get rid of teenage acne - my daughter 16 has had it for 3 years and nothing is working! thanks.

A: First of all, I think you probably are using the term "homeopathy" to mean "natural medicine". Homeopathy is only one type of natural medicine. Other types include Chinese herbs, acupuncture, nutritional and dietary changes, and supplements. In general, for teenage acne, you will be most successful if you invest time and energy using all 5 types of treatments.
Homeopathic medicine will always help any problem! If you stick with it, it will help. Acne has to do with hormone imbalances and dietary problems. Homeopathy will help with both.
But also to be considered are dietary changes, and supplements. The diet will have to be individualized, based on the persons individual constitution. We will decide this when we meet. The supplements will be determined based on blood, saliva and urine testing.
Chinese herbs will also supplement the program, and be targeted for detox, strengthening the digestive system and balancing hormones.

Q: I keep getting skin growths. the MD's say its sun exposure from early childhood what do you know from homeopathic and Chinese side of things. Is my diet off? If so can you send a akaline diet?
Thanks much
J.R.

A: Hi J.R.
It's good to hear from you. The answer to your question has 5 parts:
1. Spiritual/Energetic connection: The body/mind is always trying to throw imbalances off and out. The skin pays the price. In other words, any skin tags, moles, warts, or other unwanted growths are the body's defensive mechanism, trying to stay balanced out, much like any psychological neurosis being a compensation for a deeper imbalance. If a person does a lot of inner work, as you do, the body will constantly be compensating by throwing the imbalances to the surface.
2. Homeopathic Theory: Homeopathic constitutional treatment is the best way to rid the body of unwanted skin growths. The procedure is to sit down and do an initial consult and then every 4-8 weeks assess the progress. Over a period of 2 years, there would be major shifts and changes that occur, as with any serious energetic discipline.
3. Acupuncture: Acupuncture would detoxify the liver and gall bladder. The liver is in charge of unwanted growths, throwing the toxicity out onto the surface. Instead of growthing lumps inside the body, it's considered positive that the body throws them outwards. This means the chi is strong.
4. Nutrition - I lke your theory about the alkaline/acid situation. The way to test it is through a urine test. You can go to any pharmacy and get a urine test kit, and do it at home. If in fact you are too alkaline or acidic, you can adjust it through diet. I recommend the Acid/Alkaline book by Michio Kushi.
5. Chinese Herbal Options: Chinese herbs can be used to detox the liver.
6. Diet: The diet low in fats and refined carbohydrates is the easiest for the liver to break down and will cause the least toxicity.
Hope this all helps.

Q: Do you treat for side effects of chemotherapy and liver detox between treatments?

A: Yes, definitely! There are specific homeopathic remedies and herbal formulas to help with the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. And Acupuncture works great for nausea, vomiting, and to detoxify.

Q: I was wondering if you could recommend to me a place to get an allergy test? Something that won't cost an arm and a leg since I will have to pay out of pocket? Thanks!

A: I don't usually recommend allergy tests. They tend to have a lot of inaccuracies and be very expensive. I usually advise an elimination diet, where you eliminate all suspected, or most commonly thought of foods that may be causing an allergy for 2 months. See how you feel, then slowly rotate back in one food at a time.

Q: Do you know any remedies for sore gums?

A: Hydrastis Tincture - 10 drops in a little water - use as gargle for sore throat and also sore gums - slushing it around in the mouth.

Q: We had a false alarm this morning that my 2 year old had gotten into a bottle of drosera and our nanny didn't know how much she had taken. It turned out that she hadn't actually been able to get any out. However, this begs the question....if she had gotten into it, can it hurt her? And what would I do if she had, say, eaten a bottle of drosera?

A: I cannot believe that about every other week I receive this same question from concerned, and anxious, dog owners. I have never seen any effects one way or the other from an animal taking a homoepathic remedy. In general, if the remedy is not the right one for the animal, there is no effect. The same as for people

Q: How many pills makes a dose of a homeopathic remedy. The bottles usually say either 3 or 5 pills, and sometimes the homeopathic bottles don't say.

A. The number of pills is not really very important in homeopathy. If I forget to say it, then an average is 3 pills per dose. But you could use 1 pill or 5 pills also. If the very tiny ones then a common dose is 10-15 pills We are dealing energy, not substance As long as the energy of the remedy is transferred by 1 or more pills, then consider that one dose.

Q: Hi Dr. Martin. i was a patient of yours a few years ago. You helped me tremendously pre-surgery for a fibroid (I had a myomectomy). I had a healthy pregnancy immediately following and now have a beautiful 19 month old girl. My husband and i are excited to have another. I've miscarried twice now since and am looking forward to the 3rd time being the charm. I'd like to be as healthy as possible for the next pregnancy and am wondering what your thoughts are on miscarriage and acupuncture/homeopathy?

A: Acupuncture, herbs and homeoapthy will definitely help prepare your body and lessen your chances of a miscarriage.

Q: I have had Hep C for a number of years. I'm wondering if you treat this as well as liver fibrosis which I'm a grade 2/3? I've had this for 30 plus years.

A: Yes -- I have a number of Hep C patients that I have been treating with Acupuncture, Herbs and Homeopathy for many years, all of whom have blood scores that have been getting increasingly better with treatment over time.

Q: I have toenail fungus, what should I do?

Q: I have a question regarding peri menopause that might also be of interest to your subscribers:

I thought that part of peri-menopause included a woman's periods getting further and further apart, or just missing periods until they stop altogether.

Some women experience shorter cycles, periods coming more frequently instead.

So my question is this: Is the increase in periods just a variation in the whole peri-menopausal spectrum of symptoms, or if the increased frequency an indication that something is wrong, out of balance?

Thanks for your knowlesge and insight!

A: Answer: There is always something out of balance during the change of life cycle. Different women experience the change in different ways. The only way to know scientifically which hormones are too high and/or low is to do testing.

The testing can be the traditional blood testing for hormones or the saliva testing, which is not a recognized valid test by the Western Medical Community. Some women choose to do both types of tests to get even more information.

The biggest problem is the cost of the testing. Hormone tests, whether traditional blood tests, or saliva tests tend to be quite expensive, depending on the panel chosen. The more extensive and complete the panel you were to choose, the more expensive the test.

If testing is done, I also always recommend to have a complete CBC and Chem Panel done as well, since these often show other imbalances that could be contributing factors.

Alternatively, you can choose to treat the imbalance through homeopathy, Chinese herbs and/or acupuncture, all of which will help to balance and take you through the change of life cycle in a more harmonious way than if you just were treated with Western hormone replacement therapies.

Chinese medicine would consider too frequent of menses to be a Yin deficiency or Yang excess. Of course, other factors need to be considered, like tongue and pulse diagnosis, a complete history and other concommittant symptoms. Herbs would be chosen to balance the Yin/Yang imbalance.

Homeopathic medicine is chosen based on the symptoms, both psychological and physical, of the women and what she is going through at the time. This treatment can be done with or without further testing. Either way, homeopathy will help to balance and harmonize the change of life process.

There are also dietary factors that could contribute. The diet best for this issue of excessive menses is a more Yin diet, which would be more fish, less fats, less salty foods, and less congesting foods in general. Macrobiotic diets tend to work well for most hormonal issues. Although the strict macrobiotic diet is hard for most people to follow, it is fine to modify it so that it is more easy to follow, and just use it as your guideline.

Q: Ive been trying to eat healthier foods to build my immune system so I don't get colds as frequently. And organic foods as well. But its so difficult. Any recommendations on good alternatives? What alternatives are there to soda and sweets I crave so much of the time?

A: Crystal Gyser and Hansen Soda are great alternatives to traditional soda with caffeine and sugar; also good are the sodas with green tea and the waters with electrolytes like Penta, Emerg-C, and other "high tech" water that give instand energy; also try the Kombucha drinks, vegetable juice, tomatoe juice, and other juices. But fruit juices in moderation only. Fresh vegetable juice is a great choice for both detox and quick energy and immunity.

But your endocrine system is the problem, so you really need to strengthen the thyroid and adrenals becuase they are causing the cravings. If you don't work at changing the endocrine system, and the glands at the same time you change the diet, then you can't suceed.

Taking herbs to bolster the weak organs and amino acids to balance the neurotransmitters is an absolute necessity, or your body will still need the sugar, salt, and caffeine it is used to getting in order to feel normal.

The transition time might be about 6 months before you don't crave them any more. Sugar and salt addictions are very, very hard to break due to the dependance of your brain and glands on the constant quick fix stimulation.

Eat complex carbohydrates instead of sweets. Brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain and sprouted breads, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and barley.

Read about macrobiotic diets on the web. There are many sweets allowable on that diet, but they are not as sweet and sugary and you are also getting enough good complex carbs and protein on the macrobiotic diet, so that the body will not crave the quick fix of the sugar, soda and salt.

And don't worry about going organic at this stage. Going organic is the tip of the iceburg and the final step in cleaning up the diet -- not the place to begin. It will just drive you crazy trying to do it all at once and is too extreme at the beginning of trying to eat healthy, and you'll probably end up failing and saying it's all too hard. So just start with baby steps as I've suggested above.

Raw foods would also be good for you as detox - but in moderation only Just do online search for raw foods and macrobiotics. Get into cooking once per week on sunday and putting everything in tuperware containers and take it all with you during the week.

The diet is very Japanese - - rice, soups, chicken, fish, noodles, green leafy veggies, and root veggies. Depending on where you live, it might also be very easy to buy already prepared foods such as these at the health food store.