Optimal Health

May 1, 2008 — Homeopathy saved my baby’s lifeAccording to the May 1, 2008, edition of The Times (of London), Roger Daltrey (the lead singer for The WHO), revealed, “I had a very, very dramatic experience with my son when he was nine months old. He had gastro difficulties, started throwing up, could not keep any food down and turned into skin and bone. At the hospital, they did every test to him, and in the end they just handed him back to me. My wife and I were in bits. My poor baby. The kid was dying. It was terrifying. I thought, there’s got to be something. I’d heard of homoeopathy, so I found a local guy in the Yellow Pages and took my boy there. He gave him some powders. Within two weeks he was putting weight on, keeping the food down. The trouble recurred periodically for a couple of years, but he’s now 27, a fit and healthy young man.”The bizarre thing is that I’ve got a chiropractor friend in LA whose baby landed up in exactly the same state. He thought he was about to lose him. But I recommended homoeopathic remedies, and he recovered too. That’s God’s honest truth. Now I bet doctors would say, ‘Oh they’d have got better anyway’. But I can’t believe that.”

Do You Get Acupuncture Yourself?

I must be asked once daily, “Dr. Martin, do you receive acupuncture yourself?”And the answer is, “Yes, of course I do!”For those who have not read my book with my personal story of how I discovered acupuncture, suffice it to say, that the way I first got into acupuncture was that I went to an acupuncturist who so impressed me, that I decided to study it myself.So……this week my back “went out” and I started needling myself.  And it never ceases to amaze me how well acupuncture does work for pain control.  Two patients this past week reminded me that the reason they keep coming back is because of how quickly and effectively acupuncture has worked on their chronic knee pain.But I’m always the skeptic, and forget how well it works, even though I”m being told daily how much everyone likes it.   Today I did it on myself, despite it being hard to reach around to treat oneself on the back.  But other then me, what other acupuncturist is open to treat me on a Sunday? When I took the needles out after only about 10 minutes, I really was surprised that the reduction in pain was so significant.Yes - I believe in it and I do it on myself, and I get it from other acupuncturists.  Why?   Because it works!What I find really funny is when I tell someone at the market or standing in line at a checkout stand what I do, and they ask, “Do you really believe in that?  Well, it’s not a religion!  Ha….. and all the insurance companies wouldn’t be reimbursing for it if it didn’t work so well.A quick Google Search for Low Back Pain and Acupuncture reveals many studies on its effectiveness.Here is one such study showing the pain and healing time is reduced significantly by using acupuncture.

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2002/mar/03lowbackpain.html

Four (4) Homeopathic and Acupuncture Resources and Mercury RetrogradeThere are three resources I’d like to share with you having to do with homeopathic medicine.1.  National Center for Homeopathy - they have a great website.  If you join, you get a great montly newsletter full of topics I’m sure will interest you.  You also get full access to their website of past articles and access to their live monthly homeopathy chats online.  This is the best way to get up and running on how to treat yourself and family or friends:http://nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org/2.  Homeopathic Educational Services - Dana Ullman, a long time friend of mine owns and operates this wonderful resource.  From his website, you can order any homeopathic book, or consult with them to determine the right book for your needs.  You can also sign up for his on-line newsletter with many articles on both current events or to learn about the rich history of homeopathy.http://www.homeopathic.com/3.  American Medical College of Homeopathy - This is a full on medical school in Arizona which trains homeopaths the way they used to be trained up until the 1920’s - with a complete medical background in addition to the homeopathics.  They also have a good newsletter you can sign up for. http://www.amcofh.org/And here is one (1) great Acupuncture On-Line Resource as well:There is a wonderful monthly on-line newsletter which comes out on Acupuncture and Chinese medicine.  I don’t want to give them my entire email list.  So if you wish me to share with them your email address so that you may be added to their great newsletter email list, please email me your information, and I’ll have them add you.  It’s really worth it!Astrology - Mercury Retrograde!!!Note that the planet Mercury went “retrograde” on Monday May 26th and will remain in retrograde through June 19th.   If you plan any travels, try to allow for extra time for any problems which might arise.  Also, keep your electronic equipment tuned up and working well, and try and take it easy on your nervous system.The nervous system can be on over-drive during the mercury retrograde.  So try and allow extra time for sleep and relaxation.  And, hey, it’s summertime, right?  So why not allow yourself to take some time off from tasks and do some favorite activity you haven’t done in a while, ……. to relax, and feel like summer.  Don’t you hate it when it’s the fall, and you look back at the summer and feel like you never did any “summertime fun” things you used to do as a kid?   So now is the time.  :-)Mercury retrograde is also a great time to get things done you may have been putting off, like cleaning or organizing and recycling old stuff you no longer need.  It’s a time to finish tasks that were started and never went to completion, but usually not a time for starting new tasks.   Brainstorming is easier to do at this time, but generally, things will have an easier time of getting started if you wait until Mercury goes direct.Thanks.  And Have a Nice Summer.

Here is a link to a short video explaining how and why acupuncture is so effective for infertility:My experience is the same and well-reflected in this short video:http://www.webmd.com/video/acupuncture-for-fertility

Patients often ask me to diagnose their problem. And in Chinese medicine the diagnosis is much more complicated than in Western medicine. For instance, the diagnosis of headache in Chinese medicine can be sub-divided into many different categories, and each category needs a completely different type of treatment.Acupuncture and Oriental medicine evolved in a culture with an entirely different view of the world and of the human body. It views the human body as a whole and uses terminology that reflects this different worldview. These categories are also discussed in my book, Optimal Health: How To Get It, How To Keep It.1. Wind Cold: This type of headache is usually encountered in winter, or when you are exposed to a cold draft or air conditioning. Symptoms usually include aversion to cold, shivering, possible fever, cough, sneezing, a blocked or runny nose, and pale urine. Often the neck and shoulders are very tight and the headache is worse in the back of the head. One of the best ways to avoid this type of headache is to use a scarf to protect the back of the neck from the cold. The primary herbal formula for this type of headache is Yin Chiao and the points used are GB 20, 21, 2, and 43.2. Wind Heat: This second of type of headache feels as if the head is too full and is usuallyaccompanied by a fever, thirst, sore throat, red eyes, dark urine, constipation, rapid pulse and re-tipped tongue. The most common herbal formulas for this type are Gan Mao Ling and Gentianna Formula and the acupuncture points used include GV 20, 4 Gates, and St 45.3. Internal Dampness: This is most frequent in damp areas when the individual is prone todampness from a damp spleen condition. Common symptoms include a swollen tongue with teeth marks, bloating, dull headaches with a heavy feeling in the head, a feeling of being in a fog mentally, runny nose, lack of appetite or nausea, craving for sweets and a sticky tongue coating. The most common Chinese herbal formula for this type of headache is Ginseng and Cardamom Formula or Prosperous Farmer Formula. Acupuncture points used might include Sp 4, 6, St 36, CV 12.4. Blood Stasis: This type of headache will have a stabbing type of pain and be long-term, and chronic. They may come from an injury like a whiplash or a chronic muscle-spasm in the neck and shoulder that was never completely dealt with. Other sources might be from chronic allergies or chronic sinus problems. The pain will be stabbing, or boring, as if a nail were being driven into the head and there may also be painful menses with dark-clotted blood or pain in the lower left portion of the abdomen. The tongue might have a purple spot or have a purple tinge throughout. Formulas for this type of headache include Corydalis, Oophiopagon and Assarum and Meridian Passage. Acupuncture points used include GB 21, 2, 43, St 30, 28, and Yin Tang.This is just a small sampling of diagnostic categories for headaches and their treatments. There are many more types of headaches according to Chinese medicine and also many other Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture points that I might use in treatment of the headache depending on the severity and longevity.The recommended herbs mentioned above are NOT just painkillers. Rather, they will work to change and get rid of the underlying condition that is causing the headache. In addition to these formulas, I also recommend using herbal and natural pain relievers as much as possible. These have no side effects, cause no toxicity to your liver or kidneys, and are preferable to the use of drugs. The companies whose products I sell are constantly updating their formulas based on the latest research. These pain formulas will help with the pain and / or inflammation. Some herbs are also designed to help you to get to sleep.In addition to Chinese herbs and acupuncture, I will usually recommend a homeopathic remedy and a dietary change of one type or another. Often headaches are caused by an allergy to certain foods, or by low blood sugar, or blood sugar swings. Diet can play an important role in regulating and treating headaches.Finally, exercise is critical in the treatment of headaches. It’s important to keep the energy, or Chi, flowing smoothly, keep the thyroid functioning well, and the adrenal glands working optimally. Exercise can go a long way to helping in thi

According to Chinese Medicine, diseases are always an indication of an imbalance on a deeper level. Colitis and Crohn’s both relate to other body functions and processes. It is when we have an understanding of the interconnectedness of all these body processes, that we have a better idea of how to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s from the holistic perspective.

This article is too short to go into specific diagnostic techniques, but I can share with you some of the general aspects of diagnosis from a holistic perspective. First I use Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis. After this I perform a hair analysis, blood tests and diagnose according to “body type”. I also take a complete history, consisting of about eight pages of information, from infancy to the present, including your family. From all this information, I diagnose and treat your unique imbalances.

To treat the imbalances, I use acupuncture, Chinese herbs, constitutional homeopathic medicine, diet, and nutritional supplements. Some of the specific supplements and foods that have been shown to be effective for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s are listed below. Note that you should check with your doctor before trying anything new on your own.

Please be sure to never take yourself off any prescribed medications without your doctor’s supervision. The quantities for supplements and herbs vary with each individual. Not all supplements work for everyone. This holistic program should be individually prescribed by your doctor to meet your particular needs.

Sample Therapeutic Foods: potato broth, cooked carrots, okra, parsnips, squash, pumpkin, flax tea, papaya, rice porridge, miso soup, slippery elm gruel, cold water fish, evening primrose oil, black current seed oil, raw cabbage juice, celery juice.

Avoid the following: wheat containing foods, corn, dairy products, peanuts, red meat, sugar containing foods, coffee, caffeine, oranges, alcohol, spicy foods, fried foods, salty foods.

Supplements: beta carotene, zinc picolinate, magnesium, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, B, C, lactobacillus acidophilus, liquid chlorophyll, alfalfa tabs, chlorella, quercetin, permeability factors, DGL, digestive enzymes, probiotics, parasite and yeast killers.

I came across a really great article the other day in the May/June ‘06 issue of Utne Magazine, reprinted from Science and Spirti (Jan/Feb ‘06).  In the article, scientists and Buddhists faced off on a discussion of the definitions of craving, suffering, happiness and well-being.

The Buddists explained that they feel that craving “is a kind of desire in which one falsely superimposes agreeable qualitied upon an object, cognitively screening out it’s disagreeable  qualities, and then desiring the object as a true source of pleasure and well-being”.  The most common things we might crave include wealth, sensuality, sex, food, praise, power, or the esteem of others.

The problem, says the Buddist, is that true happiness or well-being, does not come from an outside stimulus, but from “a healthy and balanced mind”.  The challenge:  learning to cultivate desire that leads to genuine well-being for oneself and others, while at the same time minimizing cravings.

In contrast, the scientist defines craving by what happens in the brain cells when there is a motivation to reach a goal.  The scientist would say that the neurobiological view is that cravings arise from chemical changes in the brain that lead to activity in neurons that are connected to the sense organs and muscles.  The various activity of groups of these neurons  can lead  to unhealthy actions or cravings for drinking alcohol, using tobacco, addictive drugs, overeating or sexual addictions.

In the Tibetan language, the Dalai Lama says that the word for craving is “an afflicted state of desire.”  The Dalai Lama says it is not desire iitself that is wrong, nor is it an affliction.  Desire can be a neutral state of mind, even a virtuous state.  For example, a desiire to improve others life by alleviating suffering, would be considered virtuous.

Scientists and Buddhists agree that the type of craving that leads to an unhealthy life is a mis-apprehension of reality — desire taken to the extreme of destructive behavior is obviously unhealthy for anyone.

Buddhist believe that the correct view of reality comes through meditation, contemplation and introspection.   Scientists believe that the correct view of reality can be created by identifying and localizing the specific brain activity associated with various desires and behaviors, and then manipulating these specific brain functions.  It is not quite as simple as meditation versus medication.  In fact, many people use both as tools in their lives.

According to Mathiew Ricard, a Buddist monk and the Dalai Lama’s private secretary, suffering has may causes, some of which can be controlled and some which cannot, and that unhappiness is the way in which humans experience this suffering.

In other words, according to the Buddist, unhappiness is often due to physical or moral pain inflicted by external condition, but unhappiness is not always directly linked to it.  Sometimes the mind creates unhappiness by interpreting suffering and discomfort as bad or negative.  But in reality, it’s the mind’s responsibility to master it’s perception and interpretation of the data coming into it’s field.

But the scientist says that suffering is “an activation of the neural subsystems that trigger emotions associated with distress, whether that is pain, fear, sadness, depression, anxiety, etc.  These neural subsystems in the body can be stimulated by external sensory stimuli and made worse by reverberating circuits involving internal stimuli, such as anxiety or depression.

The scientist would say that suffering stems from either external input or from the brain mechanisms that perpetuate and reverberate with the external input.  This suffering would be labeled as pain, depression, anxiety, etc.

The Western scientific approach to eliminating pain and suffering and unhappiness is to either remove the external “causes” or “inputs” or to block the inputs as they enter and reverberate through the nervous system.  But even the scientists will acknowledge that there are more neuronal connections in one person’s brain than there are stars in the universe and that focusing on compassion, love, or equanimity, for instanse, as the Buddhist would encourage us to do, might make it possible for those connections to “reset” the brain.  The scientist will acknowledge that it is possible to change the neural pathways, connections, and to reset the brain so to speak, by practicing this “reset” behavior.

The method for how those circuits get “reset”, as it where, is where Buddism and Science differ.

Dr. Martin’s comments:

It would seem to me that Science and Buddhism come together in Holistic Medicine.  What I see in my patients, is that by using amino acid supplements, taking Chinese herbs to stabilize the mood, and receiving acupuncture and homeopathic treatments, that is very possible to create balance and a greater sense of happiness and serenity.

So practice your meditation when you have time, do your exercise to increase your endorphins, take your herbs and natural supplements, get your acupuncture!!!!  You will feel better for it.

A patient said yesterday after her acupuncture:  “I feel like I’m floating up and off the table”.  Another woman said:  “Do I have to get up now?”

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

*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.

According to Chinese Medicine, diseases are always an indication of an imbalance on a deeper level.  Colitis and Crohn’s both  relate to other body functions and processes.  It is when we have an understanding of the interconnectedness of all these body processes, that we have a better idea of how to treat ulcerative colitis and crohn’s from the holistic perspective.This article is too short to go into specific diagnostic techniques, but I can share with you some of the general aspects of diagnosis from a holistic perspective.  First I use Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis.  After this I perform a hair analysis, blood tests and diagnose according to “body type”.  I also take a complete history, consisting of about eight pages of information, from infancy to the present, including your family.   From all this information, I diagnose and treat your unique imbalances.To treat the imbalances, I use acupuncture, Chinese herbs, constitutional homeopathic medicine, diet, and nutritional supplements.   Some of the specific supplements and foods that have been shown to be effective for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s are listed below.  Note that you should check with your doctor before trying anything new on your own.Please be sure to never take yourself off any prescribed medications without your doctor’s supervision.  The quantities for supplements and herbs vary with each individual.  Not all supplements work for everyone.  This holistic program should be individually prescribed by your doctor to meet your particular needs.Sample Therapeutic Foods:  potato broth, cooked carrots, okra, parsnips, squash, pumpkin, flax tea, papaya, rice porridge, miso soup, slippery elm gruel, cold water fish, evening primrose oil, black current seed oil, raw cabbage juice, celery juice.  Eat small, more frequent meals.Avoid the following:  wheat containing foods, corn, dairy products, peanuts, red meat, sugar containing foods, coffee, caffeine, oranges, alcohol, spicy foods, fried foods, salty foods.Supplements:  beta carotene, zinc picolinate, magnesium, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, B, C, lactobacillus acidophilus, liquid chlorophyll, alfalfa tabs, chlorella, quercetin, digestive enzymes, permeability factors.The primary goal of treatment is to strengthen the gall bladder function, the liver, stomach, pancreas and spleen, all having to do with digestion, according to Chinese medicine.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work magnificently for this.

A recent German study published in the February, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology confirms that acupuncture can relieve a woman of her menstrual pain!

In the study, 201 women were randomly assigned to acupuncture or no treatment sub-groups.   All women had severe menstrual pain, severe cramps and generalized discomfort during her period. The majority of patients receiving acupuncture reported at least a 33 percent improvement in their pain level.

“Patients with chronic dysmenorrhea [menstrual pain] treated with acupuncture as an adjunct to routine care showed significant improvements in pain intensity and quality of life compared to patients who received routine care alone without the acupuncture” Dr. Claudia Witt of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin said.

This study is part of a large acupuncture research initiative of a group of social health insurance funds that provide coverage to approximately 10% of the German population.

“Our study showed that acupuncture was beneficial for women if offered as part of the health insurance system,” the researchers write in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that “acupuncture should be considered as a viable option in the management of patients who have menstrual pain.”