Alpha-gal Syndrome

In the last issue of the newsletter, I introduced you to the Soliman Auricular Acupuncture Technique (SAAT) for treating allergies. In this issue, I will focus on using SAAT to treat alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that is getting more attention lately. 

 Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne illness, primarily spread by the lone star tick, but now thought to be spread by other ticks as well. Here in Minnesota, it is still uncommon and not widely known, but in the southeastern part of the US it is extremely common. With climate changes and growing tick populations, it will become more and more common in our region. This 2023 article describes a man in northern Minnesota who suffered from alpha-gal syndrome and was successfully treated by SAAT.  

 What is alpha-gal?

Alpha-gal is a sugar found in all mammals, excluding primates. If a tick picks up alpha-gal by biting a mammal (cow, sheep, deer, rabbit), it then can transmit it to a human. The alpha-gal molecule can provoke an unusual immune response in the human, which causes the human to develop an allergy to mammalian meat and dairy. The reactions can vary from mild to severe and possibly cause anaphylactic shock. Exposure to medications, cosmetics, vaccines, or other substances containing mammal products can also spark an allergic reaction.

 Symptoms

Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome include: 

• Hives or itchy rash

• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, and throat

• Dizziness, fainting

• Shortness of breath, impaired breathing

• A drop in blood pressure

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting

 The tricky thing about identifying alpha-gal allergy symptoms is that they are delayed, as compared to typical food allergies, which appear almost immediately. Alpha-gal molecules are a carbohydrate, and can take up to 8 hours to be metabolized. Typical food allergies tend to be to proteins, which are more quickly absorbed.

 It seems that people who have had multiple exposures to alpha-gal will develop more extreme allergic reactions, as well as increased likelihood to develop allergies to other proteins in meats and dairy. It is believed that if the person isn’t repeatedly exposed to tick bites, the alpha-gal allergy may dissipate on its own in 3 to 5 years. 

 Tests and treatment

Most people who get diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome get a blood test looking for alpha-gal antibodies.

 The only medical support for people diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome is symptom relief, i.e. antihistamines and steroids. EpiPens are necessary for people who have anaphylactic shock reactions to alpha-gal. Patients will need to avoid eating red meat and dairy and avoid other products that contain mammalian products.

 As with anything, avoidance is the best approach: 

• Avoid tall grasses and brushy areas

• Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be seen

• Wear long pants tucked into your socks to provide a barrier to your skin

• Wear long sleeves and closed shoes

• Examine yourself, children, and pets as soon as you return indoors

• Remove any feeding ticks

• Shower and buff your body with a washcloth to remove any unattached ticks

 SAAT treatment

As described in the previous issue, SAAT is a highly effective method to treat allergies. A single, very fine needle is inserted into the ear for each allergen being treated. The needles are retained for 3 to 4 weeks. Alpha-gal treatment requires only one needle, one time. That said, it is common for people with alpha-gal syndrome to develop allergies to other things, including the proteins in red meat and dairy products. They may also develop Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). These things can be treated in the same appointment. Additional related conditions may not be found until a follow-up appointment. There is also a homeopathic product that offers good support for clearing the alpha-gal allergy.

 After the treatment is complete, mammalian products can be added back into the diet very slowly and gradually, unless the person has suffered from anaphylactic shock. Then they will have to continue to avoid exposure to these products. It isn’t unusual to have some immune reactions during the process of adding meat and dairy back into the diet. That is just an indication to take a break and take it more slowly. 

 Effectiveness of SAAT treatment

A study published in 2021 by the Medical Acupuncture Journal showed that 96% of patients treated with SAAT indicated that their alpha-gal allergy symptoms were in remission. At the time of reporting the patients were in remission from 9 months to years. Some practitioners have found that once treated for alpha-gal, their patients haven’t developed a recurrence of the allergy with future tick exposures. 

 If you know anyone suffering from this frustrating and debilitating condition, please let them know about SAAT treatment. It can be life changing. 

Treating allergies with the Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment

As most of you know, I am perpetually fascinated with auricular (ear) medicine. The ear offers both insight into the state of the body and a convenient treatment location. 

This fall I attended three auricular-based trainings. Each was inspiring, and added many new skills to my practice. One was a continuation of German Auricular Medicine, another was about adding electric stimulation into auricular acupuncture treatments, and the third was the Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT). I will be covering all of the methods in coming issues of the newsletter, but in this issue, I will focus on SAAT.

SAAT is a powerful auricular acupuncture technique that was developed by Nader Soliman, M.D. It often completely clears or significantly reduces allergy and sensitivity symptoms by reprograming the immune system to not react to allergens. Each allergen is addressed with one needle in a precise location that is specific to each individual. Several allergens can be treated in one visit. The needles are retained in the ear for 3-4 weeks, and are secured with a natural, medical adhesive and plaster, making them unobtrusive and very easy to tolerate.

What does SAAT treat?

• Allergies—pollen, mold, cat, dog, egg, shellfish, nuts, etc.

• Food, toxin, and environmental sensitivities—gluten, dairy, medications, chemicals, fragrances, etc.

• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome—a syndrome where histamine is over-produced and accumulates, causing chronic allergies.

• Alpha Gal Syndrome—a tick-borne illness causing an allergy to red meat

Allergy vs. sensitivity vs. intolerance

In the previous issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, I gave an overview of how to think about allergies. In this issue, I will get slightly more scientific and differentiate allergy vs. sensitivity vs. intolerance. 

An allergy is an exaggerated response by the immune system to a foreign substance. The immune system mischaracterizes the substance as a threat. Repeated exposure to the substance triggers formation of antibodies. During subsequent exposure, the allergen will bind to its specific antibody, which triggers mast cells to release chemical mediators, such as histamine, leukotrienes and prostaglandins. Histamine is what causes the immune reaction and leukotrienes and prostaglandins trigger a prolonged inflammatory response. An allergic reaction typically happens quickly (within 2 hours) after exposure to the allergen. The symptoms can involve the skin, the respiratory system, and the gastrointestinal system.

A food, toxin, or environmental sensitivity does not involve antibodies, and we don’t have a good understanding of the mechanism of the sensitivity reaction. It is presumed to involve the immune system. The reaction can start within hours or up to two days after exposure to a substance. Symptoms include headache, anxiety, depression, fatigue, flushing, joint pain, muscle aches, and others.

A food intolerance also doesn't involve antibodies. It is due to a deficiency in digestive enzymes. Lactose intolerance is the most common intolerance that most people are aware of. Food intolerances are felt in the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms are corrected by consuming the missing enzymes. 

 SAAT is very effective, at least 95%, at treating both allergies and sensitivities. Approximately 80% of people with an intolerance will have some response to the SAAT treatment. 

Allergic Load

SAAT is a remarkable technique for people dealing with multiple sensitivities, as it can bring down the allergy load. This will help the body to heal and tolerate living in a world full of potential allergens and toxins, and bring back enjoyment of foods and a variety of activities. 

It is important to note that if a food allergen has caused an anaphylactic reaction, the goal of SAAT is not to reintroduce the food into the diet, rather, it is to minimize or eliminate the reaction to an accidental exposure to the food.

I have been practicing this method for 6 weeks at the time this newsletter is published, and I have already had reports of less inflammation, decreased histamine reactions, and more balanced hormones. There is great potential to treat complex issues like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Alpha Gal Syndrome, long COVID, and many autoimmune conditions. In the next issue of the newsletter, I plan to discuss the tick-borne illness Alpha Gal Syndrome.

Very soon I will be adding a separate appointment type for SAAT. For the time being, we are making it work with our current scheduling structure. If you’re wondering if this type of treatment might be a good fit for you, feel free to ask!

A new approach to lessening your allergy woes

Morphogenic Field Technique (MFT) testing now offers three “unwind” techniques. Joining the Brain Unwind Experience (BUE) and Emotional Unwind Experience (EUE) is the new Allergy Unwind Experience (AUE). (See the July/August 2022 and the September/November 2022 Red Clover Clinic Newsletters for information on the first two.) This article will focus on the third, AUE. The idea of this system is to reduce the allergic load over time and improve the resilience of the immune system when exposed to allergens.

Many of you have experienced this method since I began doing AUE in September. Most people have felt improvements each time they have it done. One had her allergic cough reduced and another noticed increased flexibility in a restricted joint; some have felt increased energy; others have noticed that their allergy symptoms didn’t get as bad as usual this fall; and I myself had a noticeable reduction in inflammatory pain. 

 What is an allergy?

An allergy is an inappropriate immune response from the brain to a substance. Allergies and sensitivities come about and are exacerbated by an overload to the immune system, i.e., repeated, frequent, or constant exposure to one or more substances. 

 Allergic reactions appear to be very similar to an autoimmune response. Since our immune system has very little control over what enters our environment, a huge response to an allergen can be viewed as our immune system’s failed attempt to attack something in the environment. Since it can’t attack the environment, it attacks the person instead. The more compromised the person’s immune system is, the greater degree of allergic reaction will ensue.

 It takes a lot of energy for the body to produce the symptoms of an allergic reaction. All systems in the body become physiologically stressed when the body is having a specific immune response, causing extreme fatigue. This is why it is sometimes difficult to distinguish an allergic attack from the common cold.

 It is important to differentiate between a standard allergic response and anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and affects multiple systems in the body. AUE can help to lessen/clear symptoms of standard allergies, i.e. sneezing, congestion, itching, swelling, skin rash. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention.

The Allergy Unwind Experience

This method involves a test kit that is divided into two sections. The first group of test vials includes energies that help to identify weaknesses in the immune response that contribute to the body’s allergic overreaction to the immediate environment. The second group of test vials includes the energies of the allergens. The nice part is that we can add extra vials of allergens that we suspect if they aren’t already in the kit.

 As with other MFT methods, we use muscle testing to identify both the immune and allergen vials that the body is responding to. Then we go through a process of tapping acupuncture points/meridians, while holding the Bio-resonator coins (see the July/August 2022 Red Clover Clinic Newsletter for an explanation of what these are). Once the routine is complete, we recheck to make sure the body no longer responds to the vials. This process can be repeated every 12 hours, or just with each appointment. As the “unwind” terminology implies, it may take several clearings over time to sufficiently reduce the allergic load and improve the resilience of the immune system to the attracting allergen.

 I am enjoying using this new method because it only takes a few minutes and can make a noticeable change in symptoms. If you are curious about the Allergy Unwind Experience, please ask about it the next time you come in!

Learn how to manage glucose from the Glucose Goddess

A handful of clients over the past couple of weeks have mentioned that they were reading Glucose Revolution: The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar by Jessie Inchauspé. They'd been experimenting with the 10 hacks the book proposes to balance glucose and found them very doable and worthwhile. Their excitement piqued my curiosity so I read the book. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect--and I was quite pleasantly surprised! I too found the book to be insightful and that the hacks are very easily incorporated into anyone’s daily routine. And, it's based on good research.

I don’t think it’s lost on most of my readers that managing blood sugar is a common challenge in our modern world. But did you know that blood sugar imbalance can contribute to a host of symptoms: fatigue, weakness, disrupted sleep, heart racing, light headedness, constant hunger, food cravings, acne, inflammation, mood instability, frequent illness, brain fog, anxiety, depression, indigestion, hormonal imbalances, difficulty losing weight? Also, if you have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or PCOS, managing blood sugar is of utmost importance. 

The basic idea to maintain good health is that it is important to keep your glucose levels as constant as possible. After you eat, it is normal for blood glucose to increase. Generally speaking, the more carbohydrates/sugars one eats in one sitting, the greater the spike. An increase in glucose triggers the body to release insulin to bring the glucose levels back down. This dynamic becomes a problem when the spikes are too big and too frequent. Eventually the body’s insulin response becomes less effective, which leads to disease. Furthermore, the big spikes cause the symptoms listed above.  

The appeal of the 10 hacks offered in Glucose Revolution is that it isn’t a diet; rather, it's a method to flatten the curve of blood glucose. Of course, it is best to eat a healthy and varied diet; however, this method allows for occasional treats without upsetting the apple cart too much. Also, it offers a way to manage blood sugar even with a healthy diet that is focused on protein, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates. 

Inchauspé explains that while everyone responds to different foods in different ways, these hacks will benefit everyone. If someone wants to do a deeper dive into understanding how their body responds to various foods, they can use a continuous glucose monitor for a short time. There are many services available to do just that. One company that Inchauspé mentions in her book is Zoe.

You might be wondering what these hacks are. I'll just give you the most important hack, because I do recommend that you read the book, as Inschauspé does a great job of explaining how blood glucose works and how foods affect it. The most important hack is about eating foods in the correct order to slow down the absorption of glucose: fiber first (vegetables/salad), protein second (meat, seafood, beans, nuts), carbohydrates third (grains, breads, starches), and fruit or dessert fourth. This alone can make a big difference. 

If you aren’t quite ready to read the book, you can look up Jessie Inchauspé on Instagram @glucosegoddess. There you will find many more helpful tidbits of information.

What is your body telling you?

While pondering what to write about this month, it occurred to me that it might be interesting to share a couple of recent experiences I’ve had with interpreting messages from my body. We all have aches and pains, some familiar/chronic and some unfamiliar and perplexing. We usually think about these aches and pains as being of musculoskeletal origin. That may be true, but a painful flare up could be due to an inflammatory process from food or a neighboring organ or meridian. I hope that sharing my personal stories will help you to think about possible reasons for your discomfort. When we know the source, we have a better chance of correcting it quickly. 

• I have chronic rib pain on my left side. It seems that at least one of my ribs has a sloppy joint between it and its paired vertebra. This causes many of my ribs to pop and shift, creating discomfort. I manage it with strengthening exercises, chiropractic, massage, and acupuncture. A couple of weeks ago, the ribs were especially irritated and inflamed. When a chiropractic adjustment didn’t give the usual relief, it occurred to me that maybe my spleen was having an issue. The spleen is located directly under the affected ribs. I muscle-tested myself, and found that the spleen was stressed. I didn’t find a specific stressor, but did find a supplement, Spleen PMG from Standard Process, that offered support to the spleen and did the trick. Within a day or two, I was back to my usual level of management. 

• Several months ago, I started having a right hamstring issue. Somewhat suddenly, I wasn’t able to comfortably do a Downward Facing Dog pose while practicing yoga. I’m not sure how I injured it, or if I actually did. I worked on it and tried to help it heal with massage,  acupuncture, and stretching. It was very stubborn! After a couple of months of not much change, I finally decided to try an acupuncture technique of pricking and bleeding an acupuncture point at the end of the bladder meridian to relieve the restriction in the meridian. The bladder meridian runs from the inside of the eye, up over the head, down the back, down the back of the leg (along the hamstring), and ends at the outside edge of the little toe. I did the treatment just before I started a yoga session. When I got into Downward Facing Dog pose, the pain and flexibility was at least 75% improved. From this point of increased flexibility, it was much easier to fully rehab the hamstring. 

• A few months ago, I had a similar situation with sudden mid-lower back tightness and discomfort. After a couple of days with no change, I started testing myself, suspecting a kidney issue. Indeed, it was a kidney issue. Again, I found a supplement, this time Renatrophin PMG from Standard Process. I was back to normal within a couple of days.

• Another story I will share is about my arthritic big toe joints. I’m pretty certain that the arthritis was originally triggered by mercury toxicity after a lot of dental work in my late twenties, which included removing old amalgam fillings. If only I had known that the amalgams and their removal was the cause way back when, I would have been able to do more to support my toes! In the last 10 years, my big toes were what taught me that I was very sensitive to oxalates in my diet. (See the previous issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter for more information on oxalates.) I first realized that if I ate spinach, my toes would flare up. Then cashews. Then beets and chocolate. The list goes on… The degeneration and pain in the joint is pretty severe, but I’m able to manage it with strengthening my feet, wearing proper footwear, and avoiding oxalates in my diet. However, the toes still occasionally flare up. 
  It finally occurred to me that the reason for these flares is that the big toe joint lies at the beginning of the liver meridian. The liver is a major detoxifying organ in the body. When the liver is stressed, the big toe joint area becomes swollen and painful. Often this happens when my body enters a cycle of detoxification. If I find appropriate supplementation to support the liver and kidneys, it quiets the flare up fairly quickly. 

• The final story is about my dry, irritated eyes. I’m sure there are many contributing factors to my eyes being more dry than they used to be, most notably aging. That said, one of the most helpful supplements has been Cytozyme LV from Biotics. In Chinese medicine, the liver meridian opens to the eyes, which means that the liver meridian is intimately connected with the health of the eyes and vision. Muscle testing showed me that my liver was the stressor to my eyes, and that’s how I found the right supplement. 

When working with my clients, I’m always looking for clues like these to get to the bottom of their ailments. When a musculoskeletal complaint stays flared up, I look for underlying reasons such as these. Emotions are another possible trigger, and you can read more about how I deal with emotional blockages in the July/August 2022 issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter. If you need help making sense of what your body is trying to tell you, I would be happy to help!

A discussion on oxalates, inspired by Toxic Superfoods, by Sally Norton

The effects of oxalate overload on the body was the topic of Red Clover Clinic’s July/August 2021 Newsletter. Now comes a new, comprehensive resource, Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making you Sick – and How to Get Better by Sally Norton, published at the beginning of the year.  I recommend Norton’s book to anyone who wants to learn more about what oxalates are, what effects they have on health, how to address issues associated with oxalate overload, and how to prevent this issue in the first place.

Briefly, oxalates are a crystalline substance found in plants and matabolically produced by our bodies. They can accumulate in our tissues, causing pain and dysfunction. The list of symptoms caused by oxalate overload is long. Besides pain, a partial list includes inflammation, arthritis, insomnia, chronic fatigue, muscle spasms, urogenital pain, brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, autoimmune disorders, rashes, eczema, bruising from within, headaches, heart arrhythmias, blood pressure irregularity, cold intolerance, depression, anxiety, inflamed gums, eye/eyelid irritation, and tinnitus. 

Not everyone has an issue with oxalate overload, but I do frequently see evidence of oxalate damage in my clients. At the very least, it is important to educate yourself about the harm you could cause to your health if you drink a spinach smoothie every day, or drink almond milk, snack on almonds, and bake with almond flour. 

I highly recommend that you reread the July/August 2021 Newsletter or take the time to read Sally Norton’s well-researched book. I found the following excerpt particularly interesting, explaining why so few people and practitioners know about oxalate overload:

No field of science is charged with (or even interested in) developing a “whole body” theory of what excessive dietary oxalate does to us, so it is especially difficult to recognize dietary oxalate overload as a unified problem with a common cause. The early signs and symptoms of oxalate poisoning are not well known, can be quite common and diverse, can appear gradually and intermittently, and are dissimilar from person to person. Most important, we don’t notice the gradual erosion of tissues and their lost function until metabolic reserves are depleted and the disease process interrupts our lives. (p. 88)

Urine tests of oxalate excretion levels are the only laboratory tests available. Unfortunately, they aren’t particularly accurate, or as Norton puts it,  “Urine testing is akin to taking a still photo of a moving target.” She describes a study that was done by the VP Foundation, in which nearly 4,000 women with vulvar pain were researched. Each woman’s individual urine void for three consecutive days was analyzed for oxalate content. “The study revealed that oxalate handling occurs in cycles, appearing as two or three brief but very steep peaks of elevated excretion occurring at the same time on each day in each subject, but at different times for each subject. For many subjects, their symptoms also occurred in cycles. Interestingly, despite the toxic elevations in urine oxalate, 24-hour urine level totals were normal in all the subjects.” (p. 99)

I also found Norton’s discussion of why oxalate accumulations start to be interesting. Oxalates, in general, tend to accumulate in tissues that are injured, inflamed, stressed, or undernourished. In other words, they settle into the weakest areas, which don’t have the health to repel them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Motrin, Advil, for example), she says, can distress the gut lining and kidneys, which in turn can lead to oxalate damage and accumulation. 

I would be happy to discuss the possibility of oxalate issues with you at your next appointment.

How yoga can help you reduce stress and anxiety

By Allison Miller – Yoga, Meditation, and Wellness Educator

Have you been feeling stressed or anxious lately? If so, you are not alone. According to a NPR report, in which the American Psychological Association was cited, 76 percent of Americans polled last fall said stress from politics, race relations, violence, and inflation had affected their health. Stress can also come from relationships with friends, families, and coworkers and other sources.

Stress can lead to any of the following symptoms: restlessness, feeling wired or keyed up, easily fatigued, difficulty focusing or concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbances. Anxiety is defined by the American Psychological Association as “persistent excessive worries, that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor.” Anxiety is internal, and can be a “persistent feeling of apprehension or dread,” in situations that are not threatening. Stress is more external, related to a tight deadline or another external event. Prolonged stress may turn into anxiety—or for some people, anxiety may be a part of their DNA. 

A growing body of research shows that the regular, consistent practice of slow, mindful yoga can help build resiliance to stress and anxiety and may be one of the most powerful self-care strategies for stress, especially when combined with a cleaner diet, appropriate lifestyle changes, and better sleep hygiene (K.Kavoerii Weber, Subtle Yoga).

What does it mean to build resilience? Resilience is our body’s ability to handle stress without going into a state of anxiety or depression. Research shows that slow mindful yoga helps us build resilience by:

1. Improving Interoception: interoception is the ability of the mind to feel/sense what is happening in the body. When we practice yoga with short pauses for breathing and connecting with the body, we allow the brain and nervous system to connect. When the mind is aware of what is going on in the body, there is a feeling of safety in the nervous system.

2. Improving Proprioception: proprioception is our ability to determine where the body is in space. Stability and trust in the body are developed through good proprioception. Slow, mindful yoga allows time to practice this—it is lost as we age.

3. Improving Neuroplasticity: neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change. Slow, mindful yoga creates new ways of moving and being in the body, and in turn creates new neural pathways in the brain. Rather than instantly reacting to a stressor, we learn to pause, sense, and then take right action.

4. Increasing GABA: GABA is a neurotransmitter in the brain. It helps to inhibit the stress response. Research by Chris Streeter at Boston University found that yoga increases GABA more than walking.

Slow, mindful practices do more to help the nervous system than a hot/sweaty yoga or fitness class because of the focus on proprioception, interoception, and mind/body awareness. When we are moving fast, we are missing these feelings in the body that can lead to greater connection, more resilience, and ultimately, less anxiety. 

The practice of slow, mindful yoga is different than working out; it is “working in.” You could look at it as time spent working on your nervous system. Taking time to work-out (fitness, cardio, weights), and work-in (slow, mindful yoga, meditation) each week may lead to more resilience to stress, and less anxiety.

Interested in practicing this type of yoga? Virtual memberships are only $24/month, and include live classes, and access to an on-demand video library.
Learn more about my virtual classes here.

Gait Happens: a great resource for foot pain and gait issues

I’ve had arthritic big toes for years. The right one, in particular, has been very painful and I have had to be very careful about what shoes I wear. In the past year or two, the left one has worsened, and the combination was making it very painful to walk with any speed. 

Another negative effect has been compensation. I changed how I walked to stop the pain. This has had a negative effect up the chain to the ankles, knees, and low back. It also caused a weakening of the foot muscles. My already flat feet got weaker. 

I have a couple of theories as to why I developed arthritis, but addressing those theories hasn’t relieved the pain or diminished the gradual worsening of the condition. I have tried orthotics, special shoe designs, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, diet changes, supplements, and herbs. The combination of these efforts has likely prolonged some functionality and pain relief, but they weren’t enough. I consulted with a podiatrist about 10 years ago and his recommendation was surgery. At the time, that didn’t feel like the right choice as I hadn’t really exhausted all other options. 

I am so grateful that a client shared her experience working with a clinic called Gait Happens. Their brick-and-mortar location is in Lakewood, Colorado; however, their main focus is virtual appointments. They are true experts in lower-body biomechanics. They assess your posture and movement through photographs and videos that are uploaded prior to and during the appointment. You are given a list of exercises to perform daily. The list of exercises are accessible through the TrueCoach App, where you have access to videos on how to properly do the exercises. Proper footwear and specific tools such as Correct Toes are discussed and recommendations are given. 

I had my first appointment in mid-September and second one in early November. I have been diligently doing my exercises and have been thrilled and relieved with how much relief I feel. I still have pain in my big toe joints, but, with the proper footwear, I can walk with minimal to no pain. I am truly amazed how much stronger my feet, calves, hamstrings, glutes and core have become. I started to notice gradual improvement within a few days and it has only gotten better and better with time. 

I know that I can’t make the current level of degeneration in my toes reverse itself, but now I have a way to preserve the function that I do have. Furthermore, the added strength in my body has helped with other musculoskeletal complaints. For anyone with foot issues, such as bunions, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, flat feet, hammertoes, shin splints, knee pain, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, or sesamoiditis, Gait Happens could be a good fit for you. You have to do the work, but take it from me, it is worth it!

Into your hands and out of your head

As many of you know, I’m an avid crafter of all things fiber. I enjoy the tactile aspects of different kinds of fiber; I love working with colors; I get absorbed by the creative process; and wearing things that I have made with my hands is gratifying. As you can see, I love my hobby. But there is more—the repetitive action my crafting requires is incredibly calming. I often feel a shift in my nervous system when I sit down to knit, spin, or weave.

Making something with your hands can be a form of meditation. Working on something that requires a bit of focus and is somewhat repetitive calms the mind, shuts off constant worry, and gets us into state of flow. We need these moments in our daily lives to achieve and maintain good mental health.

If knitting isn’t your thing, you have lots of options to choose from: cooking, baking, woodworking, writing, beading, jewelry making, painting, drawing, gardening, sewing, needlepoint, crocheting, basketmaking, soap making, origami, playing an instrument, and more. I find the act of creating something particularly gratifying, but playing chess, doing crosswords. and playing games are also ways of keeping your focus that can be calming to your nervous system. 

I found a few articles that discuss the benefits of crafting on our health:

• Why Crafting is Great for Your Brain: A Neuroscientist Explains, by Sarah McKay, MSc, PhD.

• Craft is the New Meditation!!, by Priyanka Singh 

• Craft your way calm, by Suzan Colon 

• This is your brain on crafting, by Jacque Wilson 

If you’re finding it hard to calm your mind, or you feel worse after an evening of staring idly at a screen, you might consider picking up a craft. I feel like my time watching a show and knitting is time better spent than simply watching the show. I tend to have different kinds of projects for different sorts of situations. There are projects that make a mess and need to be done in a particular location. There are others that require a lot of concentration. And there are some that are very simple and portable, that I can pick up and put down as needed.

I’d love to hear about what kinds of projects you like to work on and how they support your well being.

Morphogenic Field Technique- The Brain Unwind Procedure

In the last issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter I introduced the Morphogenic Field Technique Emotional Unwind Procedure. In this issue I would like to present the Brain Unwind Procedure. Both the Emotional Unwind Procedure and the Brain Unwind Procedure trigger the body’s ability to self-correct and heal. They give the body/mind a chance to reset. 

Both methods have the word “unwind” in common. For those of us who have either been trained in bodywork, or are frequent receivers of bodywork, the concept of unwinding is familiar on an experiential level. I imagine it is a rather foreign concept to those who haven’t experienced it. 

The concept of unwinding originated in osteopathy, and is now frequently used in reference to myofascial work such as craniosacral therapy and myofascial release. I found an interesting paper called Understanding the Process of Fascial Unwinding, by Budiman Minasny, PhD, that describes unwinding:

Therapists use touch to initiate fascial unwinding. The client responds to the touch, Misasny writes, with “spontaneous bending, rotating, and twisting of the upper or lower limbs or the whole body in either a rhythmic or a chaotic pattern. This response can be thought of as a spontaneous expression of movement. The phenomenon of unwinding, in which parts of the body move spontaneously and involuntarily, can appear mystical, and yet its therapeutic effects are known both anecdotally and clinically.”

The results of unwinding are “based on the simple principle of the body’s ability for self-correction from mechanical disturbances,” Minasny continues. “Unwinding occurs because tissues hold memories of trauma and the unwinding process allows the body to adjust to a new position of ease.” Franklyn Sills, an early pioneer of craniosacral therapy, stated that “the motions often signal the letting go of frozen stress responses and unresolved trauma.”

With the Emotional Unwind Procedure and the Brain Unwind Procedure, the concept of unwinding is related to, and expands upon, the concepts described above. Both of these procedures employ the use of bio-resonators (see last issue of  the newsletter) to induce the unwinding.

The Emotional Unwind Procedure focuses on the emotional aspect of unresolved stress and trauma being trapped in the body. The bio-resonators helps to unwind the trapped emotions from the affected organs. Typically the body doesn’t need to move to release the emotions.

The Brain Unwind Procedure focuses on both postural distortions and neurological imbalances. A kit that contains vials with the energies of 60 different parts of the brain is used to identify neurological imbalances. The bio-resonators are held on the head, to induce the unwinding procedure. The body will begin to sway and move in different directions, mimicking myofascial unwinding described above. The unwinding can last several minutes. 

Following the procedure, the postural imbalances should be improved, and the neurological imbalances resolved. The primary change I have noticed in my clients is that the nervous system becomes more stable and the person feels more grounded and is able to respond to stimuli with ease and flexibility. The Brain Unwind Procedure is especially useful to treat people who have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

If you’re craving a reset, maybe one of the Morphogenic Field Technique methods will be right for you.

A new method to release emotional baggage

Much of the treatment we do in this office is body-focused. It is the emotions, however, that cause—or at least affect—much of what people suffer from. Addressing emotional health can have a definite, positive impact on physical health. There are many ways to do this.

From an acupuncture standpoint, improving the flow of energy and addressing the organs associated with particular emotions will help the emotions to move through the body/mind/spirit and balance out. Auricular acupuncture uses points that treat specific emotions and methods to release trauma and treat PTSD. On occasion, we select flower essences to help release emotions and herbs to manage symptoms associated with emotional stress.

I was recently able to learn a method called the Emotional Unwind Procedure, which is created by the developers of Morphogenic Field Technique (MFT, see video below) as a part of the MFT approach. So far, I have found the Emotional Unwind Procedure to be very effective at shifting emotional stress and bringing up important conversations that help clarify and process the effects of negative emotions. In other words, this method helps people cope with the negative physiological effects of what has happened to them.

Before we discuss Emotional Unwind Procedure, it is important to understand MFT. The basic concept behind MFT is to build and maintain a large energy field. A large field is associated with improved overall health, vitality, longevity, and autonomic nervous system function. The larger the field, the better your vitality. Environmental factors affect the size of an energy field. A toxic environment, processed food, and being surrounded by negativity will shrink your field. Living in a healthy, natural environment; eating organic food; and being surrounded by love will increase the size of your field. As MFT’s founder, Dr. Frank Springob, says, considering our current environment and the poor health of the general population, “You can’t afford to have a small field anymore.”

MFT uses a combination of muscle response testing and vials programed with various energies to determine what is challenging the body at the moment, and what we can do to correct these challenges. Dr. Springob put together the 5-minute video below that explains the basics of how MFT works.

Typically, when I try to increase someone’s energy field, I search for toxins to detox, immune challenges to address, or foods to remove from the diet. These treatments are necessary, but it takes time to increase the size of the field. The Emotional Unwind Procedure is an effective and highly efficient way to address emotions and increase a person’s energy field. It is still important to do theother more physiological treatments, but the benefits of having a larger field can be enjoyed almost immediately.

This technique uses a combination of vials programed with the energies of emotions and bio-resonators, in the form of a brass coin, to unwind the emotions from the body. Bio-resonators are used as a storage device for subtle energies. I have a client who has named them “magic coins.” The bio-resonators are programed with corrective energies that target all of the subtle energy receptors in the body, including the nervous system, meridians, and chakras. Placing the bio-resonators onto the body helps to correct stress-induced disruptions at the cellular level and promotes healing. 

Emotional Unwind Procedure may seem like an unorthodox method, but it is important to remember that working with energy and energy fields is slowly becoming more understood. It is truly remarkable what information we can glean from the energy field, and what level of healing can be achieved by addressing those things. If you’re interested in finding out more about the Emotional Unwind Technique, or MFT in general, give us a call or ask about it at your next appointment. 

Preparing for a smoother menopause transition

The menopause transition is no joke! For those of you who have been through menopause, are going through perimenopause, or who live with a woman going through these stages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Some women are lucky enough to sail through the menopause transition relatively effortlessly, but the majority of women struggle with at least a few frustrating symptoms, including hot flashes, disrupted sleep, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, fatigue, joint stiffness and pain, weight gain, and heavy bleeding. Each woman goes through her own unique menopause transition, but I do think that all women can benefit from a few tips to make the transition smoother.

The transition is made up of three phases. Perimenopause is defined as the time leading up to the final menstrual period; menopause is the year following the last menstrual period; and post-menopause is the time following the year of menopause.

As you reach the age of perimenopause, your ovaries start to produce less and less estrogen and progesterone. This typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55, but can begin much earlier in some women. The transition typically lasts around 7 years, but can last much longer.

It is important to understand that there are three forms of estrogen: estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is the form of estrogen most depended upon during the reproductive years. Estriol is is dominant during pregnancy. And estrone is the primary estrogen during menopause. As ovary function declines, so does the production of estradiol. During menopause, the body is more reliant on estrone, which is produced primarily in the adrenal glands, followed by the liver and adipose tissue.

The knowledge that we become more reliant on our adrenals and liver during the menopause transition is very important. If you want the transition to go well, you have to support the health of these glands/organs. The biggest threat to the adrenal glands is a high stress lifestyle. Good lifestyle habits, such as enough sleep, healthy diet, exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, and time off, will keep your adrenals happy and functioning well.

The liver is a key player in keeping the body detoxified. Things like alcohol, sugar, processed foods, over-the-counter medications, mainstream health and beauty products, unfiltered water, and common household chemicals can really slow down liver function. Avoiding exposure to these things as much as possible will go a long way towards keeping liver function healthy and strong.

There is a third source of estrone production: adipose tissue, i.e. fat cells. The fat pad that develops over the lower abdomen (over the ovaries) in many menopausal women could be avoided if their adrenal and liver health were protected earlier on in life. If you don’t want more fat cells, you would do well to support your adrenals and liver.

The healthier you are going into perimenopause, the smoother the transition will be. It is still very likely that you will experience some symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, and vaginal dryness.  There are many things we can do to manage and ameliorate these symptoms naturally. As mentioned earlier, each woman and her menopausal transition is unique, and so too will be the treatment of her symptoms. I have the best luck using Nutrition Response/Morphogenic Field Technique testing to pinpoint what supplements will work best for each individual. And, of course, symptoms will change throughout the transition. I have also found German auricular acupuncture to be helpful for managing hot flashes, sleep, and mood changes.

As with most things having to do with our health, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits is the single most powerful tool we have to support us through the menopause transition. Nutritional and herbal supplements and acupuncture are a great option to treat and fine tune whatever symptoms remain. If you need more help preparing for or getting through your menopause transition, we can help!

Humans are wired for resilience

Guest contributor Diana Johnson is a former middle school art teacher who developed an interest in how people stay resilient after a turbulent period in her life. She now works as a life coach helping other people navigate change in their lives with resilience using insight and tools from neurobiology, ancient wisdom traditions, and the arts.

The star of the astonishing 2020 documentary My Octopus Teacher was a creature who could shapeshift in an instant to protect herself from threat—changing color to disappear against a rock wall, swaying gently to blend in with a clump of kelp, or retreating into a crack to regenerate a lost limb. Most astonishing of all, however, was the close relationship that developed between the octopus and the filmmaker when she felt safe enough for connection after months of his quiet observation.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the near-magical abilities of an octopus, made possible by a remarkable nervous system in their body and arms. Humans are vastly different from octopuses (we are more closely related to dinosaurs), but we have at least one thing in common: our nervous systems are wired for resilience, with capacity to flexibly respond to stress and recover a state of balance. Science has recently made great strides in understanding the role our nervous system plays in both protecting us from threat and restoring our health.

Like that of the octopus (if less dramatically), the human nervous system drives both our defensive behaviors and our ability to recuperate, most often without our conscious awareness. Dr. Stephen Porges coined the term neuroception to describe that process within his Polyvagal Theory, introduced in 1994. (“Polyvagal” refers to the extensive vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in connecting the brain and the body.) Often without being aware of the trigger, we can find ourselves in either an activated state of fight-or-flight or a collapsed state of freeze. Threats can be detected within the environment, interpersonal relationships, or oneself. And if our nervous system lacks resilience, we can stay stuck in a defensive state that interferes with our relationships, robs us of vitality, and makes us sick.

The gift of Polyvagal Theory is an understanding of how we can cultivate our resilience with awareness—not only of our triggers of danger but also of the cues of safety that help us live into our full human capacity. Such a state of balanced awareness is essential for maintaining both our physical health and the emotional well-being that comes from connection with others. Polyvagal Theory has been especially influential in the treatment of trauma. Trauma held in the body can interfere with the accurate neuroception of safety, triggering a habitual defensive state that is no longer helpful. One reason Polyvagal Theory is so valuable is that its principles apply not just to trauma survivors but to anyone with a nervous system who encounters stressors large and small—which is all of us.

Each person’s nervous system has a unique makeup—one person’s triggers of danger or cues of safety will differ from another’s. Taking time to get acquainted with your nervous system is a valuable exercise that will help you recognize the warning signs that you are heading towards a defensive state before you find yourself hijacked. Similarly, awareness of your system’s cues of safety will help you structure your days and marshal your resources to maximize your resilience and live your fullest, most vibrant life.

That’s another important message from My Octopus Teacher. The filmmaker blundered into the project at a time of personal and professional crisis. Remembering how much he enjoyed swimming as a child, he embarked on a daily habit of freediving in the frigid waters off the coast of his native South Africa. That would not be a cue of safety for everyone’s nervous system, but it was for his. The awe and wonder of his evolving connection with the octopus helped bring balance and health back to his personal life, and catapulted him to a new level of professional success.

The Center for Resiliency Arts is dedicated to helping clients cultivate resilience for navigating the stress of everyday life using techniques informed by Polyvagal Theory. Contact Diana Johnson at diana@resiliencyarts.com or check out her website at resiliencyarts.com for more information.

Make daily movement a part of your routine

Modern life is so sedentary. If you have body pain or stiffness, fatigue, headaches, low mood or mood swings, think about incorporating more movement into your routine.

It’s easy to get complacent about movement practices. Ever since a friend strongly encouraged me to start walking many years ago, my outdoor walks have become almost non-negotiable. It turns out cold winter days are my favorite…with the appropriate gear, of course! I really notice a difference in my mood, my energy, and my sleep when I get at least three hour-long walks per week into my schedule.

Several years ago, I made an appointment with Michelle Mariska of Healing Motion Therapy because I was dealing with rib and low back pain. She practices the Egoscue Method, which heals pain by correcting posture through specific stretching and strengthening exercises. I was amazed how happy I was to make space in my day to do these exercises because I felt so much better afterwards. My posture and my strength improved greatly. I highly recommend working with Michelle if you have chronic musculoskeletal pain. She works both in person and remotely.

Over the past couple of years, I have continued to do a blend of exercises that Michelle prescribed to me, as well as some yoga poses every morning. Doing these activities helps to keep me out of pain when I’m standing all day at work.

A couple of months ago, I was having a conversation with a friend, and she brought up that she had started doing daily yoga by following Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I especially loved that my friend said, laughing, “Some days I wonder how Adriene knew just what I needed!”

I had heard of Yoga with Adriene so many times, but had never checked it out. I decided it was finally time, and I have been doing yoga every day since. Some days I do a 10-minute session and other days I do a 30-minute session. The more I do, the more I want to do. I have noticed a big change in my core strength and flexibility, not to mention my calmness. I love that Adriene offers a wide variety of routines, from gentle and meditative to more strenuous and flowing. She also has playlists divided by type and duration. I have saved my favorite videos in my own playlist, which makes it easier to select the best routine for the day.

I highly recommend finding a movement practice that you can easily fit into your life. It’s especially convenient to have things that you can do at home on a regular basis. So many people who were going to a gym regularly before the pandemic lost their routine during the lockdown. Thankfully, we have resources on the internet and practitioners working over Zoom to help us feel better and establish a healthy routine.

From acupuncture to Zithromycin

There are so many descriptors for what we offer at Red Clover Clinic: natural medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, integrative health are a just a few. These terms can be confusing. For example, “alternative medicine” implies that our approach offers an alternative to conventional medicine, which it does. However, it also implies that it could replace conventional medicine, which it can’t. “Integrative” is a nice word and concept, but our clinic doesn’t operate within the conventional medicine structure (there are some truly integrative clinics, where both eastern and western medicine practitioners work together), so what we offer isn’t exactly integrative either. 

What further confuses our clinic’s position in the larger healthcare ecosystem is that we live in a culture of polarized thinking: we have to support one political party or the other; we believe in climate change or we don’t; and we even feel pressure to choose either natural medicine or conventional medicine treatment. We’ve lost the ability to recognize all of the options in between. 

This article has come about because I had a client who was hesitant to tell me that she made the decision to go on an antidepressant medication. That makes me sad, because I want whatever is best for each of my clients. I strongly believe that they are sovereign over their body and are free and able to make the best choice for themselves. I also believe that we need access to all kinds of medical treatment, from acupuncture to Zithromycin (an antibiotic). 

If anyone else out there feels like they’re “cheating” on me when they go to the doctor, or vice versa, please know that you’re not! You are simply gathering information and making decisions that fit you most appropriately. A few thoughts on making your healthcare decisions:

• First and foremost, make healthcare decisions that best support your quality of life and personal circumstances. 

• Be informed and work with practitioners who are willing to answer your questions. 

• Try to find practitioners who are open to what other practitioners have to offer.

• Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself. Practitioners should be on your team, not the other way around.

• Choose the least invasive/toxic interventions first, and find what works for your situation. 

• Medication, though sometimes necessary, doesn’t replace healthy lifestyle choices.

• If you need a medical intervention, such as surgery or chemotherapy, still choose to eat a healthy diet and get acupuncture, massage, or cranial-sacral therapy.

Finally, don’t feel bound to choose only natural or only conventional treatment methods…they can be complementary!

How full is your rain barrel?

While pondering what to write about for this issue of the newsletter, I realized how exhausted and overwhelmed I’ve been feeling. And, come to think of it, my clients have been feeling similar versions of fatigue. I think the combination of normal personal challenges, world news, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, political strife, and, of course, the raging Delta variant has us all in a state of shock and overwhelm. While wondering how we will feel and manage if one more thing gets added to the above list, I remembered writing a newsletter a few years ago called “How full is your rain barrel?” I think this is the perfect time to share it again.

Adapted from the November/December 2016 issue

I recently gave a talk about German auricular acupuncture at a health fair. Afterwards, a couple of people came up to me saying they could relate to a certain phenomenon that I had described. 

The phenomenon that I described goes something like this. You’re humming along, relatively healthy, body functioning normally, until a distinct moment when everything falls apart. For example, you bend over to pick a pen off of the floor, your back seizes up, and it hasn’t been the same since. Or you experienced a stressful event like a car accident, then developed fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or an autoimmune condition. I hear stories like this from my clients all the time.

Have you experienced something like this?

This phenomenon is explained by the rain barrel theory. Imagine that we each come into this world with an empty rain barrel, which represents our capacity for healing. As we go through life and experience stress, illness, injury, toxic exposure, poor diets, and more, our rain barrel starts to fill up. As the contents of the barrel reach the tippy top, all it takes is one more drop for the barrel to begin to overflow. When this happens, we begin to experience a whole host of symptoms, because the body is out of energy neededto heal and adapt to what life presents us with on a daily basis.

What can you do if your rain barrel is overflowing? 

You have two obvious choices: you can make your barrel bigger, or you can drain it. To make your barrel bigger, you can reduce stress, get plenty of sleep, clean up your diet, exercise, meditate, and take more breaks. These are important tactics to halt the cascade of symptoms and thus improve and maintain your health, but there is a limit to how big you can make your rain barrel.

When it comes to draining your rain barrel, I know of only two methods: clearing blockages from the body’s memory bank and identifying, then treating by detoxifying, chronic stressors.

Clearing blockages

Our body and brain retain memories of stresses and traumas that we have experienced throughout our lifetimes. Sometimes it’s big events. Other times insignificant injuries and illnesses consume the body. When a blockage develops, there is little energy left to heal new injuries or illnesses. German auricular acupuncture can identify what and how severe these blockages to healing are. The blockages can be treated with acupuncture needles and low-level laser therapy, which can drain your rain barrel significantly.

Identifying and treating/detoxifying chronic stressors

Over our lifetimes, our bodies are exposed to many stressors, such as toxic substances and foods that are less than nutritious. The most common body stressors include food sensitivities, immune challenges, chemicals, heavy metals, and scars. These exposures can gradually stress and assault an organ, a gland, a joint, or any part of our body.

When someone comes to the clinic with a particular complaint, it is important to identify whether or not their complaint is being caused or exacerbated by a particular stressor. If it is, they won’t heal completely without avoiding exposure, detoxifying, and/or treating that stressor. Using Nutrition Response Testing, the exact source of body stress can be identified. Treatment methods include avoiding certain foods, nutritional supplementation, herbal/homeopathic therapy, as well as low-level laser therapy for the treatment of scars. By detoxifying the tissues of heavy metals, chemicals and immune debris, and treating scars, your rain barrel can be drained even further.

Imagine the state of health that is possible if you not only adopt the health-supporting methods that increase the size of your rain barrel, but also piece together the puzzle of causative factors and get the appropriate treatment to help you drain your rain barrel!

Are you suffering from chronic, unexplained pain?

If you are struggling with joint pain, muscle pain, urogenital pain, headaches, burning feet, and/or general, unexplained inflammation, you may be suffering from oxalate toxicity. Oxalates are a crystalline substance found in plants, that can accumulate in our tissues, causing pain and dysfunction. Our bodies also metabolically produce oxalates. If we consume foods that are high in oxalates, and/or we have a compromised digestive system, we may run into problems.

In the latter half of the 19th century, oxalate poisoning was a well known condition, that seemed to worsen during the spring and summer months when high oxalate foods were in abundance. Unfortunately, that knowledge has been forgotten, and the only medical acknowledgement of oxalate issues is in patients with chronic kidney stones. Furthermore, the current health food movement has promoted the use of some extremely high oxalate foods as staples in large quantities, e.g. spinach smoothies and almond flour baked goods.

There are many lists available with information regarding oxalate levels in foods. Unfortunately, there are many discrepancies, which can create confusion. A good place to start is reading through this abbreviated list of exceptionally high and very high oxalate foods, which are mostly agreed upon. 

Exceptionally high oxalate foods: spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, soy, rhubarb, almonds, plantains, buckwheat, amaranth, sesame seeds, cashews, peanuts, chocolate, and carob. 

Very high oxalate foods: beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, blackberries, figs, kiwi, adzuki beans, black beans, pinto beans, white beans (cannellini, navy, great northern, etc.), quinoa, teff, most nuts, chia seed, hemp seed, poppy seed, and green and black tea.

Decreasing oxalates in the diet

If you eat foods that are listed above, and you have pain symptoms, you may want to consider decreasing or avoiding consumption of these foods. If you notice a change in your symptoms, then you have your first answer.

It is important to exercise caution when reducing oxalates, however. If reduced too abruptly, after a few days of feeling better, you may start to experience oxalate dumping side effects. These symptoms are very similar to over consumption of high oxalate foods, i.e. pain, inflammation, headache, etc. 

Compromising factors

There are many factors that can set someone up for struggling with oxalates more than others. These include:

• Antibiotic use: antibiotics can kill off the natural gut flora that help to break down oxalates.

• Yeast overgrowth: Yeast produces oxalates and converts collagen (the main structural protein in connective tissue) to oxalates.

• B vitamin deficiency: Certain deficiencies can cause the body to produce more oxalates.

• Magnesium and calcium deficiency: These minerals bind to oxalates and carry them out through the stool.

• Fat malabsorption: If fat isn’t being fully digested, it binds with calcium, leaving the oxalates unbound, and free to be reabsorbed.

• Hyper-permeable gut (Leaky Gut): This allows the oxalates to get into the blood stream, and increase their absorption.

Beyond the diet

A low oxalate diet is the primary and most complicated part of treating oxalate toxicity. That said, it is also important to reduce the body’s production and absorption of oxalates. This is accomplished with strategic use of supplements.

The long haul

There is nothing fast about the oxalate detoxification process. It can take 2-3 years to fully get on top of the condition. It also requires strict diet management.

As with everything, each person is unique. Some may experience extreme symptoms, while others only mild symptoms, and some, none at all. You may be a person who only needs to avoid spinach, almonds, and cashews, while others have to be extremely strict. No matter what, it is helpful to better understand what your body tolerates and what it doesn’t, and adjust your diet the best you can.

If you suspect that you may be struggling with oxalate overload, and want to explore your options further, I would be happy to work with you. I have a special interest in this topic, as it has proven to be the key to the majority of my health complaints. It is an ongoing process, but I am happy to say that I continue to see improvement over time. 

What has changed? What have we learned?

After a year of living under the dark cloud that is the coronavirus pandemic, we’re still struggling with uncertainty and trying to maintain hope. In spite of increased vaccination rates, the infection rates continue to be high. Being vaccinated does protect us from severe expression of the disease, but not as much against contracting or spreading the disease. This means we still need to be vigilant with safety practices and avoid exposure as much as possible. 

During the past year, most of us have tended to turn inward and develop new ways of living and being. For some, the solitude has been a relief, while others have struggled with isolation. Those of us who found comfort in our seclusion are feeling a bit anxious as society around us starts to reawaken. It feels awkward and rushed, somehow. At the same time, we are all craving the hugs and the face-to-face connections that we have been deprived of. 

Many of us have been asking ourselves and each other: What has changed permanently? What have we learned? What will go back to what it was like before? Many have enjoyed the flexibility of working from home, while others feel separated from their coworkers. We have developed new technologies for communicating with others from anywhere in the world, both for work and learning opportunities and personal connection. Some of these technologies may continue to be useful when things return to “normal.”

What has changed at Red Clover Clinic?

For the time being, we continue to uphold the protocols that we implemented at the start of the pandemic. We screen everyone who comes through the door; clean all contact surfaces after every client; schedule slightly longer appointment times, for the most part; and, of course, we require masks. 

The thing I have appreciated the most during the past year, is the extra time with my clients. It has allowed room for sharing ideas, venting, mutual support, and problem-solving. In time, we may be able to relax our protocols a bit. The thing I miss the most is having table warmers and sheets on the treatment tables. The paper just seems so cold, loud, and wasteful!

What have we learned at Red Clover Clinic?

I’m grateful for the work of Dr. Frank Springob, the brain behind Morphogenic Field Technique (MFT). At the start of the pandemic, he jumped into gear and developed test kits that have been extremely helpful during this time. I’m starting to see more and more people who are struggling with the after-effects of COVID. I’m grateful to have more MFT tools to assess and treat “long hauler” symptoms. In my limited experience so far, it seems that these tools are effective, but it does take time for the long haulers to fully recover. 

Dr. Springob also developed ways of testing the after-effects of the COVID vaccines. These symptoms have been so far much easier to address. One clinical pearl that I have found to be very effective at moderating the intense immune reactions following a COVID vaccination is Echinacea Premium by MediHerb. You may not be able to fully avoid the symptoms, but they should be a lot milder and shorter in duration by taking the herb.

Whether or not you choose to get vaccinated, it is very important to continue to support your immune system, and live as healthfully as possible. A healthy diet, exercise, and good sleep are the most important things we do everyday. Supplements and herbs are a bonus. If you need help developing or tweaking your routine, let me know.

I think it is important that we all give some thought to what we are grateful for and what we want, as individuals and as a society, as we reorganize, reintegrate, and return to the world. We can choose to be mindful, compassionate, and gentle as we move through the process. 

Keep your blood sugar balanced

This article was selected from our archive of newsletters. Blood sugar is always an important topic to revisit. It's easy to get off track with sugar consumption, and it's nice to have a reminder to check in with yourself, your health, and your habits.

The general public has become more aware of the fact that high-sugar foods are bad for their health. There still seems to be a disconnect, however, between knowing that sugar is bad for health and understanding that most blood sugar-related diseases, such as type II diabetes and hypoglycemia, occur as a result of a high-sugar diet. This means that you can avoid these diseases by getting the sugar out of your diet and managing your blood sugar.

Another aspect of high-sugar diets that isn’t part of common awareness is that the first step to managing any kind of hormonal disruption is to manage blood sugar. Yes, those of you suffering from insomnia, mood changes, PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, etc. can benefit greatly by managing your blood sugar!

Below are strategies for managing your blood sugar and some detailed information about how your body processes sugar.

Understanding the physiology of blood sugar regulation

It all starts with the pancreas, which secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon. Insulin is secreted during digestion to move carbohydrates/sugar from the blood into the cells, so that the cells can produce energy. Excess energy is stored as glycogen in the liver for future energy needs. The pancreas secrets glucagon between meals to convert the stored glycogen back into blood sugar so that the cells have a constant fuel supply. Yes, carbohydrates are necessary, but only in managed quantities.

Insulin and glucagon work together to keep the blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. If one’s blood sugar strays too far above or below the set point, the body shifts into a stressed state and engages the adrenals to secrete cortisol and adrenaline. You can imagine that this might show up as anxiety, a rapid heart rate, or a hot flash.

Cortisol is necessary to keep the liver receptive to signals by glucagon to release glucose back into the bloodstream. If someone has lived in a state of constant stress, their adrenals may grow tired and not produce enough cortisol to do their job. This can lead to hypoglycemic crashes not long after a meal. The crashes can manifest as light- headedness, nausea, or panic if the person doesn’t quickly consume a glass of juice or eat some crackers.

When someone consumes large quantities of sugar/carbohydrates, the liver can store only so much glycogen before it begins to store the extra carbohydrates as fat. The habit of eating a lot of sugar/carbohydrates leads to weight gain and obesity.

A hormone that counteracts insulin and its propensity for fat storage is human growth hormone. Exercise and fasting trigger the pituitary to release HGH, promoting tissue growth and repair. This is the important link between exercise and blood sugar management. It also contributes to our understanding that a lack of human growth hormone may play a role in wound-healing issues in diabetics.

When blood sugar management goes awry, other endocrine glands will compensate. For example, as shown in the image below, taken from Life Without Bread, by Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allan, high blood sugar can cause a relative increase in insulin and a relative decrease in sex hormones and growth hormones. In the second scenario, the relative increase in insulin causes a relative increase in thyroid hormone secretions. Either result is an example of metabolic dysregulation, which leads to unwanted symptoms.

Understanding the numbers

Measuring blood sugar is a simple thing to do with an inexpensive glucose meter, found at a drugstore or on Amazon. You can also learn what your blood sugar level is if you get lab tests done at your doctor’s office.

A good fasting blood sugar in a healthy person is between 75 and 85. After a meal, it shouldn’t exceed 110, and in a very healthy person, it won’t ever get to 100. Insulin and glucagon keep your numbers in a fairly tight range when you are healthy. 140 is considered to be borderline diabetic. In a diabetic person, blood sugar level may go as high as 200, which is a bit scary, as peripheral nerve damage begins when blood sugar exceeds 120. Retinal damage begins to occur when blood sugar exceeds 140.

If you measure your blood sugar at home following a meal, you can begin to see which foods affect you the most and then avoid them. It is an empowering way to take control of your health. When you decrease your intake of carbohydrates/sugar, you will see changes very quickly in your blood sugar numbers, and you will be able to get control of the cascade of symptoms that occur with high blood sugar readings.

What else can you do?

• Avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar episodes) by eating something at least every 3-1/2 hours. Remember to bring snacks with you so you don’t get stuck without food.

• Eat complex rather than refined carbohydrates, and eat them in small quantities (e.g. 1/2 cup of brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, fruit).

• Don’t consume caffeine before eating breakfast. Caffeine seems to decrease insulin sensitivity and increase cortisol release. High cortisol over long periods tends to produce glucose, i.e., raise blood sugar.

• Eat a protein-rich breakfast.

• Oops…eat too many carbs? Go for a brisk walk. This will allow your body to use the excess glucose, rather than secreting insulin to get the glucose into the cells and store it.

• And, finally…avoid sweets as much as possible! The more you follow the above guidelines, the easier it will be to thwart sugar cravings.

Take control of your health!

By making these simple, but crucial, changes to your diet, you will make huge strides in managing your blood sugar. Even type II diabetics can make major changes in their blood sugar by diet alone in a relatively short period of time.

Healing the body by addressing the mind and spirit

There are many factors that affect our health: physical, environmental, social, emotional. To fully understand and heal a condition, we must untangle and address all of these factors. For example, even if a case of back pain was caused by an overt injury, there may be an emotion or a pain memory that, left unaddressed, prevents the original injury from healing. 

The power of German auricular medicine is its ability to address all aspects of the mind, body, and spirit. To explore this idea further, we must revisit the concept of focus activity. A “focus” is a stubborn and hidden blockage to healing, caused by either a body/brain memory of a particular stress or trauma or from a physical or emotional wound that is concealed within the body. The body becomes consumed with healing these blockages and can’t attend to healing other day-to-day issues.

Once we have identified the focus point (we do this by scanning the ears with particular tools, until we feel a change in the pulse) we must dig deeper, to see if there is an emotional component to the blockage that is preventing the focus from healing. We can scan for emotional points or we can look for past traumas. You can look back to the June/July 2020 edition of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, where I discussed treating traumas of the soul.

Many emotions are mapped out on the ear. There is an interesting correlation in auricular medicine between organs and emotions that often relates to Chinese medicine theory. In Chinese medicine, the heart is associated with joy, the liver with anger, the spleen with worry, the kidney with fear, and the lung with sadness and grief. On the ear, for example, the anger and rage points relate to the sympathetic chain (the nervous system connection to the organs) of the liver and gallbladder. Another interesting example is that the bullying and violence point is the same point as the pancreas.

In cases where the organ point relates to an emotion, it is important to distinguish if there is an actual organ problem, or if it is purely emotional. Not every physical issue has an associated emotion, and not every emotional blockage is associated with a physical issue; however, the connection comes up frequently. We must remember that traumatic experience exists on a spectrum. The extent of the trauma is dependent on the perception of the threat by the individual, as well as the individual’s stability and constitutional strength.

All of us have a mind, body, and a spirit/soul, and to heal and maintain health, we must address all of these aspects of ourselves. By treating only the physical aspect of back pain, the condition may remain more chronic. If we treat the emotion underlying the pain along with the back pain itself, and any other blockages that may prevent healing, we have the hope of actually healing the condition more successfully.