Tag Archives: naturopathic physicians

How Many Sessions Of Acupuncture to Treat Insomnia

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Insomnia can often be caused from mood sickness and the change of environment. We use different methods to treat both chronic or acute situations in acupuncture. Acupuncture can treat acute situations right away and give relief. In order to avoid mental obstacles, it is suggested to come for the treatment at early morning or noon time. For insomnia we use sterile and refined needles with a light technique after giving a gentle acupressure massage. . The patient can often fall sleep easily on the same day of the treatment. Clinically by using ear seeds and/or prescribed herbs with the treatment, the patient will get even better effects. A good night’s sleep can help you have more energy and help you with improved function throughout the day.
 
If you are suffering with insomnia and would like to try acupuncture with Cindy call our clinic at 604-535-4003 to make an appointment.

How to make sure it is Organic.

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At our clinic Semiahmoo Wellness Centre in South Surrey/White Rock I am always recommending to my patients that when they are making healthy choices for themselves and their families to purchase organic, non genetically modified fruits and vegetables.Studies show not only does organically raised food taste better but many studies have shown that organic has a greater quantity of nutritional value. The next question patients ask is how can you tell if it is organic. Most stores don’t label if a food has been genetically modified and of course you are not going to be told what pesticides or herbicides were used in the farming practice of raising that produce. One way to tell how it is raised is by looking at the sticker. The code will give you valuable information. If the label has 4 digits, beginning with 4 then it is conventionally grown and may be sprayed with synthetic pesticides, not genetically modified. If is a 5 digit code beginning with a 9, this equals organic, not genetically modified. If it is a 5 digit, beginning with an 8 it is genetically modified produce. Even if we are eating healthy we may not be absorbing all the nutrients that are in our food. Naturopathic doctors are good at assessing what you may be lacking from your diet.

New Study confirms the importance of exercise and diet in prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

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A new study shows that exercise, a Mediterranean diet and a healthy BMI all are associated with less tangles and lower levels of plaques seen on the brain scans of Alzheimer patients.

In addition, previous studies have linked a healthy lifestyle to delays in the onset of Alzheimer’s, but this new study is the first to demonstrate how lifestyle factors directly influence abnormal proteins in people with slight memory loss who have not been diagnosed with dementia thus far. In addition, these factors have also been shown to reduce shrinking of the brain and lower rates of atrophy in individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Nutritional Considerations

In addition to diet and exercise there are several nutrients to consider in treatment and prevention. In a study published last year in JAMA Neurology demonstrated a significant association between vitamin D insufficiency and cognitive decline specifically seen in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Cold Laser Therapy and Alzheimer”s

Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) or Cold Laser Therapy has historically been used to treat inflammation, arthritis and musculo-skeletal injuries. More recently research has indicated it’s use and effectiveness in treating both traumatic brain injuries (concussions) and degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

In Dr. David Permutter’s book, “The Better Brain” he states that Inflammation is linked to nearly all chronic brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, M.S. and dementia. The National Institute of Health (NIH), published an abstract in December 2010, it stated that, “the applications of LLLT have broaden to include such as stroke,myocardial infarction and degenerative and traumatic brain disorders. “

The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 32 (2012), in the study “ Low Level Light Therapy Improves Cortical Metabolic Capacity and Memory Retention” came to conclusion that cold laser therapy had a significant impact on neuronal function and could also be used as preventative therapy to those who present with risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Our office has just received our first cold laser from Vielight which has been designed for traumatic and degenerative brain injuries.

Curcumin Can Help

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I think one of the most difficult things for any practitioner is treating chronic conditions that have left a patient feeling helpless, frustrated and at the mercy of managing it with pharmaceutical drugs that bring with it, it’s side effects.

As an auto immune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) falls into a category of illness that is typically difficult to treat beyond symptom control and if caught early enough – a slow down of joint degeneration.

As meds manage but can not stop the progression and there can be long term side effects, it is important to look at other possible therapies that are not harmful. There is hope for healing without complications. It is a compound that is known to practitioners of traditional Indian and Chinese medicine for generations: curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa).

Studies have shown that curcumin can reduce C-reactive protein (CPR) , a measure of chronic inflammation, as well as anti-streptococcal antibodies (ASO) titers, which correlate with severity of RA activity.

Another modality helpful in healing arthritis is cold laser therapy. We use the Bioflex Cold Laser in our clinic with impressive results. As Naturopathic Physicians we take a holistic approach to healing by looking at other environmental issues that may be related such as heavy metals and food sensitivities.

Bedwetting may be all in the GENES!!

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How many parents are having bedwetting challenges with their children. Why do some children continue bedwetting while others overcome it earlier.  As with many things there could several reasons why a single condition such as bedwetting can have multiple contributing factors.

–       slower central nervous system

–       food allergies

–       diabetes

–       infections (kidney and bladder)

–       excess water consumption before bed

–       scared of the dark

–       laziness

–       caffeine in many sodas

 

Bedwetting and New Research

 

There has been recent research indicating a link to folate/ vitamin B12 levels attributing to a child’s bladder control.  Within these studies they state “Decreased Vitamin B12 Levels in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis” in ISRN Neurology, showing that children with primary nocturnal enuresis tended to have lower vitamin B 12 and folic acid levels than the control groups. One of the main theories of nocturnal enuresis is a delayed maturity of the central nervous system.  What two nutrients are critical for central nervous system development?  Vitamin B 12 and folic acid!

 

Another interesting fact is family history. If one parent wets the bed, 44% of his or her children will do so, if both parents wet the bed, 77% of their children will do so.

New genetic tests may reveal if your child has a genetic difficulty in utilizing Vitamin B12 and folic acid.

 

Our clinic has started treating children who have bedwetting challenges with this specific folic acid and vitamin B 12 testing.

 

NEW NEW”S ON ALZHEIMER”S FROM UCLA

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Researchers at UCLA say they’ve developed a program that shows for the first time memory loss being reversed using a non-drug protocol. They took ten patients with memory loss, some confirmed Alzheimer’s with brain scans. With all but one, reversed their memory loss. The one that did not respond had severe Alzheimer’s Disease. They followed up 2 ½ years later and were still doing well.

 

In the report provided by UCLA, Dr. Dale E. Bredesen explains how Alzheimer’s is a complex disease affected by sleep, diet, even exercise. In the study they had the patients make drastic lifestyle changes. They had the patients off processed foods, gluten, and simple carbohydrates. Increase their protein with fish. Take fish oil, Bi2 and melatonin. In addition do yoga, meditation, and get adequate amount of sleep.

 

UCLA researchers say the findings suggest at least early on, changing a person’s metabolic processes can bring back memory and cognitive function.

 

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL ARTHRITIS MONTH

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Pain , pain go away. Now with fall slowly coming upon us the dampness that we start to feel with the weather changes can aggravate our joints and accentuate pain and stiffness in our joints. The pain in our joints can be so debilitating, effecting how we function throughout our day and while we are sleeping at night.

September is National Arthritis Month. We are wanting to shine a light on awareness of the therapies and strategies in assisting in the treatment of Arthritis. Conventional therapies focus on pharmaceuticals which serve to mask symptoms and often have adverse effects. Problems with arthritic medications such as Vioxx, documented in the New England Journal of Medicine, have led many sufferers to seek safer alternatives.

At the Semiahmoo Wellness Center the Naturopathic Physicians focus on uncovering the cause of conditions. With arthritis there can be many factors that can induce swelling, inflammation and pain of the joints. Such factors include: allergies and food intolerances, nutritional deficiencies, stress and emotional issues, and trauma. The immune system can be effected by any or all of the above leading to inflammatory responses.

Strategies that we incorporate at our office are nutritional evaluation, food intolerance testing, evaluation of stressors and the use of cold laser therapy. We have been using cold laser as a very effective modality to decrease swelling, decrease pain, and heal tissue in arthritis.

Call the office today for an evaluation today.

 

SpringTime is here and so is Hay fever

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Spring is here and with it comes allergies and hay fever. Hallmark symptoms are uncontrollable sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose,and a maddening itchiness. Hay fever can cause headaches,an irritating cough, and can even interfere with your sleep.

Although, it is good to be able to identify what triggers your allergy or hay fever so you can minimize your exposure, it is more important to find what is causing your immune system to react the way it is.

Conventional treatments include the use of cortisone nasal sprays and anti-histamines which may help with controlling the symptoms. Why not investigate further to see what is causing your body to be out of balance or integration with the immune system. It could be a nutrient deficiency,an acupuncture meridian imbalance, a stressful or emotional issue, or a structural fault that is contributing to an immune system imbalance.

At the Semiahmoo Wellness Center we are able to assess what factors may be causing your seasonal allergy or hay fever condition. Give our office a call to make an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Physicians, either Dr. Bill or Dr. Justyna.

You Don’t Have to Suffer With Headaches

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There are many different types of headaches. Although not all headaches are the same, they all share at least one thing in common — they cause pain. But many headaches also cause other unwanted symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. A person’s medical history and the frequency and severity of the headache is important in distinguishing an uncomfortable but safe headache from a more serious one.

There are many types of headaches such as tension headaches, migraines, cluster, sinus headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, intracranial related, meningitis, and toxic headaches. The majority of headaches, however painful, are short-lived and not a cause of concern.  Headaches of intracranial origin and/or meningitis require immediate emergency attention. It is important to ensure that your headache is not due to a serious illness before considering the use of any complementary therapy.

At the Semiahmoo Wellness Center most of the headaches seen by the Naturopathic Physicians are due to either structural misalignment of the cranium or neck as well as muscle tension, allergies, chemical toxicity, other digestive disturbances or EMF toxicity.

Tension headaches can be a result of hypoadrenia from stress. Low adrenal function from the effects of stress on the body  can lead to low blood sugar headaches or can cause ligaments to be lax which can lead to instability in the neck leading to headaches. Providing support to the adrenal glands is paramount to resolution of these type of headaches as well as spinal and /or cranial manipulation.

If you suffer from migraine headaches your diet and digestion needs to assessed along with investigation into food sensitivities and allergies.

Certain supplements can also be beneficial to those affected by headaches. These include:

  1. feverfew, which may prevent or alleviate some types of headaches, including migraines, when taken over several weeks or months;
  2. riboflavin (a B vitamin) and a combined magnesium and calcium preparation, taken daily, may be effective for persistent migraines.

 

If you are looking to get off the pain medications and don’t want to suffer through the pain give us a call at the Semiahmoo Wellness Center.

THe Power Of Acupuncture

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The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that bodily functions are regulated by an energy called “chi” or Qi (?) which flows through the body. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be responsible for disease. This energy travels through meridians or channels. The use of acupuncture is an ancient traditional form of healing involving the stimulation of specific acupuncture points along these specific energy meridians or channels. These acupuncture points are likened to the circuit breakers in your house that flip when the circuit is overloaded. When the acupuncture meridians go out of balance due to diet, weather, or emotions they can short circuit and create imbalance in these acupuncture energy systems.

Using needles has been the traditional way to assist in balancing the energy meridians but there are other methods to accomplish this balancing. Cold laser is a more recent way, as well as using electro-acupuncture using micro-current technology.

In 1993, I was on a 3 week Physician Tour in China. The Tour included spending two weeks learning advanced acupuncture in a few of the hospitals of Beijing and Hangzhou. It really was an eye opener to see acupuncture in action. The response to individuals health after having acupuncture needles inserted for 30 minutes and then withdrawn was amazing. I remember on elderly man who had suffered a stroke, limping in with the use of a cane and unable to speak easily. After his 30 minute needling he walked out without the use of his cane and was conversing with his companion that had brought him. This was an amazing transition of his function that I had not experienced as a physician in North America.

One of my elderly patients ended up with a stroke several months ago when his daughter told me he was in the hospital and what more could be done for him. I mentioned that acupuncture could be very helpful for his recovery. We made arrangements with the hospital so that he could receive needle acupuncture in the hospital. The hospital staff was amazed how quickly he progressed with his post stroke recovery.

Acupuncture is not just used for pain relief. It can be used for fertility, insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, arthritis, and other health conditions. As Naturopathic Physicians both Dr. Justyna and I utilize acupuncture at the Semiahmoo Wellness Center.