Life Without Bread

Paleo and low carb diets are the latest nutrition buzz. You might be wondering if avoiding carbohydrates is a way to lose weight, a healthier way to eat or just a fad? What exactly is a carbohydrate anyway?

Let’s turn to the book Life Without Bread, by Christian Allan and Wolfgang Lutz to find some answers. Lutz, an Austrian physician, published the original German version in 1967 after decades of helping his patients live healthier lives by following a low-carbohydrate diet.

The authors of Life Without Bread are proponents of eating animal foods and vegetables (except potatoes) freely, and limiting all sources of high carbohydrate foods: breads, pastas, cereals, pastries, potatoes, sweet/dried fruits, and anything sweetened.

Their recommendation is to restrict daily “utilizable” carbohydrate intake to 72 grams per day. Utilizable, a.k.a. net carbohydrates, translates to the amount of carbohydrates that ends up in the blood stream after eating a certain food. To give you a point of reference on net carbohydrates, one medium apple has 21 grams, one medium bagel has 54 grams and one medium baked potato has 33 grams of net carbohydrates. A great, inexpensive resource for net carbohydrate content of foods is The New Carb and Calorie Counter by Dana Carpender.

The health benefits of limiting sugar/carbohydrate intake

According to the authors, limiting sugar load on the body is the best way to improve and maintain health. They give many examples of how a low-carbohydrate diet improves health, including balancing hormones, supporting cardiovascular health, healing gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, and preventing diabetes and cancer.

When we eat sugar, insulin is released into our bloodstream. Sustained high levels of insulin upset the balance of all the hormones in the body. The body is always trying to maintain homeostasis, and if a hormone level increases, others have to adjust to bring the body back into some sort of balance.

In other words, high insulin levels can

• upset the levels of steroid hormones, triggering a decrease in immune function

• disrupt thyroid hormone levels causing hypo- or hyperthyroid conditions

• create an imbalance in the sex hormones, causing menstrual or menopausal complaints

• lead to insulin resistance, resulting in type II diabetes

• decrease growth hormone. leading to atherosclerosis and the lack of tissue repair from injury, etc.

What happened to the lipid hypothesis?

A chapter in Life Without Bread discusses the outdated belief that fat is bad for us and the cause of cardiovascular disease. Since fat was demonized in the 1950s, people began eating low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets. Since then, health in the US has fallen apart. Obesity has risen to dangerous proportions and chronic illness is on the rise. Lutz and Allan cite much research debunking the myth that fat and cholesterol are the cause of heart disease.

If you’re looking for a good reference to better understand basic nutrition (I’ve included a short guide below) and the benefits of limiting carbohydrates in your diet, I highly recommend Life Without Bread. It is backed up by research and years of experience–and it is very readable!

I was particularly struck by the “teeter-totter” drawings depicting how hormones adjust if insulin levels rise. In other words, that extra cookie not only promotes weight gain, it also affects sleep, hormone levels, mood, the immune system, and digestive tract, not to mention that it increases the risk of type II diabetes, cancer and heart disease. I finally get it!

A Guide to Nutrition Basics

There are three basic types of nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

• Proteins are the primary building blocks for our cells and tissues. They perform many functions and take on different forms, such as enzymes, antibodies, and hormones. Complete proteins contain essential amino acids (essential, meaning they must be obtained from your diet). Complete proteins are found in animal foods. In order to receive the full benefit of dietary protein, all essential amino acids must be consumed in the same meal, which makes relying solely on plant proteins complicated. If only a few amino acids are consumed in a meal, they can’t be stored and are subsequently eliminated, causing the potential for deficiencies.

• Fats are the primary storage form of energy in the body and provide the most energy to our cells. Fats also have different forms and functions in the body such as hormones and being the primary constituents of cell membranes, which play a role in metabolic functions. Fats are classified as saturated and unsaturated. Both forms contain the essential (i.e. must be obtained from your diet) fatty acids. Saturated fats, found in animal foods tend to provide equal amounts of the essential fatty acids, whereas unsaturated fats from plant sources provide predominantly one or the other.

• Carbohydrates are predominantly an energy source. There are simple carbohydrates, which metabolize quickly, and complex carbohydrates, which metabolize more slowly. The main point to understand about carbohydrates is that they all break down into sugar, and eating large amounts of carbohydrates in any form can be detrimental to your health.​

Are you really a healthy eater?

By a happy coincidence, there is an excellent article this month in Acupuncture Today, written by Marlene Merritt, DOM, LAc, ACN  about the myths and truths of healthy eating. I highly recommend that you read “Are you really a healthy eater?

Are your teeth hiding something from you?

I recently returned from Nova Scotia where I attended a Level III course on German Auricular Medicine. It was a wonderful experience that included refining current techniques and learning a few new ones.

One technique we concentrated on was the assessment and treatment of hidden dental foci. I have discussed the treatment of focus activity in a few newsletters, including the September/October 2014 issue.

What’s a focus?

Let’s review… A focus is a stubborn and hidden blockage to healing that interferes with the body’s ability to self-regulate and heal. It is typically caused by past stress or trauma or hidden inflammation. An otherwise healthy person may be unaware of focus activity in the body until another stress occurs that triggers a cascade of symptoms.The stress could be an accident, intense emotional stress, or otherwise innocuous illness,

One way to think about it: “A focal disturbance that goes unnoticed is like a smoldering fire which threatens to flare up with the next gust of wind.” (Beate Strittmatter, in her book Identifying and Treating Blockages to Healing.)

When someone does not respond to acupuncture, homeopathy, or chiropractic treatment–or they only get a few hours of relief–their main complaint is most likely not the primary problem. Their primary problem is most likely caused by a focus.

Another way to think about it is that a healthy person who has no hidden foci will typically recover from an injury or illness after a short period of rest and healing. Someone with a chronic focus, on the other hand, will most likely experience worsening symptoms or develop a chronic condition.

What on earth could your teeth be hiding?

Most of us have experienced dental work, be it a filling, crown, tooth extraction, or root canal. The trouble is, the trauma from dental work, unsuitable filling materials, deep tooth decay, or impacted wisdom teeth can leave behind debris and inflammation that is often painless and goes unnoticed. The body will attempt to protect itself from this debris and localized inflammation by walling it off from the rest of the body. This process gradually drains the body’s energy and leads to focus activity.

Why is dental health particularly important?

If there is inflammation in a tooth, our body as a whole is going to be weakened by it. Furthermore, the meridian system is connected to each tooth, creating correlations with other parts of the body. A diseased tooth can cause a stubborn problem in a distant part of the body. If the tooth problem isn’t remedied, the related part of the body will fail to heal as well.

In the early 20th century, Dr. Weston Price became curious about chronic health problems associated with root-canaled teeth. He continued his studies and wrote two books on the link between dental pathology and chronic illness. This article addresses health concerns associated with root canals and some of Dr. Price’s findings.

Assessment and treatment of hidden dental foci with German auricular medicine

In the German auricular medical system, we often use laser light encoded with specific electrical frequencies to gather particular kinds of information from the body. Think of tuning into a different radio station to hear a different program.

Beate Strittmatter, mentioned above, discovered that by using a particular frequency, she could single out focus activity in the dental area. Since the only way to find this information is with the use of a frequency, it is called the “hidden system.” Addressing hidden dental foci becomes very important in the case of chronic problems that are not healing with regular focus therapy.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to address all focus activity, be it dental or otherwise. Even a healthy person who is free of symptoms can preventively benefit from addressing focus activity. Removing the stress caused by a focus through use of German auricular medicine can restore your energy reserve so you can respond to new stressors and challenges down the line.

Do you have any chronic health problems that don’t seem to respond to typical therapies?

Roadblocks to healing

Is something preventing you from healing?

Earlier in my practice when someone came to me with a particular complaint, I tried to figure out how to directly treat the symptoms and condition, then balance the energy in the body. 

Sounds good, right?

Sometimes the results were good. But, sometimes they weren’t—the symptoms lessened temporarily, but then came right back. This was not only frustrating for my clients, but for me as well. I knew that there was something missing in my approach, and I had to figure out what it was.

Scrolling forward, I have learned that what needs to occur is to identify, clear, and treat roadblocks to healing. More often than not, the thing or things that are blocking you from healing are masked and difficult to identify. Fortunately, I have found two modalities, German auricular acupuncture and Nutrition Response Testing, that make it possible for me to identify, monitor, and treat these roadblocks. Using these two techniques has significantly improved my results so that many more of my clients can heal and improve their health. 

What can cause a healing roadblock?

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. 

The person who has such a blockage will experience chronic conditions, possibly without having experienced obvious injury or illness. Perceivable, diagnosable conditions can be ameliorated by lessening the stress load on the body by treating focus activity. Focus activity can be identified and treated with German auricular acupuncture, using needles and/or low-level laser therapy. 

Obstructions and confusion in the nervous system

Our nervous systems can get disrupted from time to time by various stressors in our bodies and environments. When this happens, the body just won’t heal. It’s stuck. Using Nutrition Response Testing (see article in March-April 2014 newsletter), I can find out if your nervous system is stressed or confused, figure out what is causing it, and help you to fix it. These obstructions and confusions are most often caused by one or more of the items listed below under body stressors.

Body stressors

Throughout our lives, 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, scars (which also fall under the focus activity category), as well as things like watches, jewelry, cell phones, etc. These exposures can stress and assault an organ, a joint, or any part of our body over time. 

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 body stressor. If it is, they won’t heal completely without avoiding exposure, detoxing, or treating that stressor. 

Using Nutrition Response Testing, the exact source of body stress can be identified and treated. Treatment methods include avoiding certain foods, nutritional counseling, nutritional supplementation, herbal therapy, and low-level laser therapy.

As you can see, if you’re not getting better, it’s important to dig a little deeper.  You might be surprised by what’s causing a roadblock in your healing.

A late summer plant walk

I found these two beautiful kidney remedies growing near each other on the same day in late August in Silverwood Park.

Joe Pye Weed – Eupatorium purpureum

This is a plant that grows where water and land meet. It often has calcifications stuck around its roots, which explains its other name: gravel root. These two signatures point towards its primary use in herbalism to balance water and solids. This makes it an excellent kidney remedy. It can help to flush out excess fluids, as well as to pull out calcifications from the kidneys and joints, i.e. kidney stones and arthritis. This powerful plant can free up and lubricate frozen joints as well as help to heal broken bones.

Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis

Goldenrod has strong diuretic properties brought about by stimulating the kidneys. Thus, it is useful to treat swelling in the body. As well as being draining in nature, it is also cooling, making it a useful urinary tract infection remedy. Much as it clears fluid and inflammation from the lower part of the body, it can also clear mucous and inflammation from the sinuses. It can be a useful addition to an allergy protocol.

Eat your veggies!

It’s summer! The growing season is at its peak. Farmers markets and grocery stores are chock full of locally grown vegetables in all colors, shapes, and sizes.

We focus so often on what we can’t or shouldn’t eat, so in this article, I want to focus on what we should eat—and eat in large quantities—vegetables! They are so good for us.

Apart from canned and frozen versions, vegetables are typically purchased whole. This is a good thing. More and more, people are aware that eating foods as close as possible to their natural state is best for their health. The nutrition found in a carrot, as opposed to the nutrients found in a standard vitamin pill, could not be more different. 

The whole carrot includes a whole food complex. This means that it includes both the specific vitamins represented by the pharmaceutical counterparts in the vitamin pill AND phytonutrients and other constituents that work together to give you more nutrition that is more easily assimilated.

Variety is the key

Variety is the key…don’t just eat salad, or just raw carrots, or just tomato sauce. Variety is not only the spice of life, it also gives us nutritional balance and the best chance to experience vibrant health and vitality. 

Which brings me to another important point. Fruits are not vegetables! You can’t replace your veggies with sweet-tasting fruits. 

You need to eat from the following categories of vegetables to get a broad array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants: 

• Dark leafy greens: kale, collards, chard, spinach, arugula, endive, escarole, mustard greens, lettuce

• Sulfur-rich vegetables: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, radishes, turnips, onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus

• Colorful veggies: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin, peppers, radicchio, red cabbage

• Seaweed: any seaweed harvested from clean waters will do if consumed a couple of times per week. 

Eating a variety of organic vegetables daily will help to reduce your risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer. Vegetables are a healthy source of fiber, which promotes good digestion and helps to stabilize blood sugar. 

The dense nutrition found in vegetables will help to detox your body of harmful heavy metals, chemicals, and toxins, which will result in decreased inflammation throughout the body, clearer skin, clearer thinking, and increased energy and vitality.

Make time for veggies

You might be thinking that this all sounds great, but who has the time? You need to make the time. Your health is important! All it takes is a little bit of planning, creativity, and experimentation to find out what you like, and how you can prepare your food efficiently. 

When you eat out, look for salads and sides of vegetables to boost your vegetable intake. When you are at home, think about how your meals can be built around vegetables rather than protein or grains. The protein and grains should be the garnish, rather than the other way around. 

You can also look for creative ways to sneak in more veggies by making things like cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles with a few fun kitchen tools. I have found that snacking on carrot sticks has made me happily reduce my intake of dark chocolate…who would have thought?

Many things don’t even take more time, if you have the ingredients on hand. 

• add spinach to your scrambled eggs or black bean quesadillas

• make a salad rather than a sandwich

• sauté vegetables instead of cooking rice or boiling pasta. If you miss your starch, eat squash and sweet potatoes. 

Once you start eating more vegetables, you will find you have more energy. Furthermore, you will begin to crave these wonderful jewels that Mother Nature produces for us. 

What are your favorite veggies?

Parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme

Herbs are another gift of the plant kingdom. Typically, culinary herbs are high in volatile oils that act as carminatives to settle the digestion. They add a lot of flavor to a meal, as well as help to digest it comfortably. Apart from cooking, these herbs made “famous” by Simon and Garfunkel are also useful additions to a herbal pharmacy.

Parsley

Parsley is probably the most commonly used culinary herb. Aside from being a common garnish, it is used to flavor just about anything. Medicinally, it acts not only on the digestive tract, but also on the kidneys. It is a diuretic that helps to clear congestion from the kidneys, making it useful to manage gout, swelling, kidney stones, and other conditions.

Sage

Sage is commonly used to flavor meats and stuffings. I think it is also delicious with squash and potatoes. It’s super tasty when whole leaves are toasted lightly in olive oil, making a nice garnish for many dishes. Sage tea is a useful remedy for sore throats and fevers. It is also mildly astringent, making it a good treatment for bleeding gums and night sweats. Sage (specifically, the desert-grown variety) is always a part of my herbal repertoire when treating hot flashes.

Rosemary

Like sage, rosemary is a strongly flavored herb that is a good compliment for heavier foods like roasted meat and vegetables. It is also delicious in breads. Rosemary calms the digestion, improves circulation and relieves nervous depression. It is very useful in skin and hair treatments, and can relieve headaches.

Thyme

In my mind, thyme is a little more versatile than rosemary and sage, but can also be used in the same ways. Slightly lighter in flavor than rosemary and sage, thyme works well with lighter soups and vegetables. Apart from the digestion, thyme has a strong effect on the lungs. It can treat colds, coughs, phlegm, and shortness of breath.

Poor posture = loss of function = pain

Do you have nagging pain in your low back? Do you carry chronic tension in your shoulders? If you have chronic discomfort in an area with no known injury, you may wonder why that is. The best answer is postural stress. Can you relate to the photo at left?

There are several very common postural stress patterns that I see in my clinic: posterior neck pain and stiffness, shoulder pain with restricted range of motion, a painful knot near the shoulder blade, low back ache, and hip tightness. People typically describe these areas as tight and restricted, with nagging pain. These patterns are quite frustrating, because they are stubborn and resistant to treatment.

How to think about postural stress—the back has a front

When we have pain in our shoulders, we typically massage our shoulders. When we have pain in our backs, we massage, twist and stretch out our backs.  Though this offers relief as we're doing it, it often doesn't fix the problem. 

We would do better to remember that our back has a front. How we hold our body has a big impact on how we feel.

The common pain patterns that I see are a result of tight flexor muscles (generally, those on the front of the body) and/or stretched, weak extensor muscles (those on the back of the body). 

Looking at the figure above, we can see that the front of the body is collapsed and contracted, while the back is arched and stretched, like a hinge closing on itself. We need to figure out how to pry open the hinge, stack the body the way it was meant to be, and focus on healthy, functional movement.

Shoulder or scapular pain

If someone has shoulder or scapular pain, I not only work on the area where it hurts with acupuncture and massage, I also work to loosen and stretch the front of the upper body, specifically the pectoralis muscles (pectoralis major illustration) on the chest and the subscapularis (subscapularis illustration) in the armpit. If you don't loosen these muscles, the pain in the shoulder and around the scapula will come right back. 

With this pain pattern, it is common to see rounded shoulders and shoulder blades that seem to be sliding down the back. In this case, relaxing the chest isn't enough; the back muscles must be strengthened as well.

The door stretch shown above is a helpful exercise you can do yourself. Hold each stretch until you feel the muscle fibers releasing. It is also important to do the stretch with your hand positioned at different heights to open the chest more completely.  

Neck pain

Once the upper torso is loosened and more functional, the neck will typically feel and move better.  If there is still residual pain, then the muscles of the neck need to be addressed. 

The best place to start is by massaging and pinching tender points along the scalene (scalene illustration) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM)(SCM Illustration) muscles on the sides and front of the neck, as seen in the first illustration. These muscles should also be stretched, as seen in the second illustration. 

It is also important to stretch and loosen your sub-occipital muscles (at the base of your skull) by tucking your chin and gently pressing it posteriorly, and massaging them with your thumb or pressing them into a tennis ball.

Low back pain

If someone has low back pain, it is very important to be sure the iliopsoas muscle (iliopsoas illustration) isn't contracted. It often becomes shortened with extended sitting. If it is contracted, all the back stretches in the world aren't going to solve the problem. I recommend lunges with an arched back (below, left) to stretch the iliopsoas, before stretching the back itself.   

Prying open the hinge of the hip

For hip pain and tightness, I always recommend using a tennis ball to roll out the hip flexors, with a focus on the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle (TFL illustration). Look for the most tender spot that may refer pain down the leg or into the buttocks, then allow yourself to sink onto the tennis ball. A foam roller can also be used to roll out the tight areas on the hips and legs. Don't forget to also roll out the gluteus muscles to improve hip function. 

Once the muscles have been softened, you can stretch out your low back with a forward bend (above, right). This has the added benefit of stretching out your hamstrings, in case they are tight and pulling down on your pelvis. The pelvis forms the foundation for your structure, and when it is functioning properly, your whole body will stack and move as it is meant to move.

Helpful homework

These are a few simple exercises you can do to support your body and correct postural negligence in between acupuncture and bodywork treatments. Over time, your body will become more functional and your pain and discomfort will decrease. 

For the best, most  efficient results to reestablish proper posture and function, I refer my clients to Michelle Mariska for Healing Motion Therapy, based on the Egoscue Method. This method has helped me and many of my clients tremendously. Read the following article to learn more about this powerful method.

Healing Motion Therapy

by Michelle Mariska

Healing Motion Therapy (HMT) takes your whole body alignment into consideration when treating your symptoms. The therapy’s basic principle is that everything in the body is connected. The body needs to be evaluated and treated as a whole, rather than just focusing treatment on areas of the body that are experiencing pain.

During an initial appointment, I will obtain an understanding of the pain you are experiencing and evaluate your body’s posture and alignment to understand the source of the pain. I then walk you through an evaluation, including use of photos that are helpful in understanding postural and alignment issues.

Based on my analysis, I’ll next guide you through a short series of exercises, designed specifically for you. The exercises are simple, gentle, and easy to replicate. Clients are expected to complete the exercises at home, then come back for another session in two to three weeks.

Most clients see and feel positive results at the first session. Typically, four to eight sessions are necessary for clients to maximize the postural changes. At each subsequent visit, your static posture and gait are re-evaluated and a new set of exercises is provided.

I often see overused and tight muscles in the mid-back from too much sitting. We sit at work, we sit in the car, and then we sit at home. For example, a client comes in with knee pain. Upon evaluation, I explain that tightness and decreased motion in their mid-back contributes to a lack of motion in their pelvis. The pelvis has muscles connected to the knee, and is thus causing the knee pain. The client is often amazed how their knee pain is relieved after doing the individually designed exercises that are focused on their upper body, not on the area that is painful.

HMT differs from physical therapy because it treats the cause, not the symptom. The therapy also works great as an adjunct to other modalities, including acupuncture and massage. HMT enables another practitioner to reach a new level of healing, since we are releasing the superficial layer of muscle compensation.

Symptoms treated-muscle and nerve pain of the back, knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, foot, neck, elbow and hand. If it’s connected to your body, I’d like to think I can help you.

Michelle Mariska has a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology. She has over 17 years experience helping clients relieve their symptoms and live a pain-free life. HMT is based on the teachings of Pete Egoscue and The Egoscue Method in San Diego, CA, where Michelle worked for four years.

Healing Motion Therapy is located at 2718 E 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55417

(612) 799-6946 or michelle@healingmotiontherapy.com

Is a scar scrambling your nervous system?

If Humpty Dumpty had been put back together again, he would have had scars. Scars are the byproduct of the body repairing a wound. That’s a good thing, right? Yes, but once the body has healed, scar tissue may present some problems. Scar tissue on the skin’s surface can scramble nerve signals, causing a wide variety of symptoms, including pain and organ dysfunction. 

Most of us have visible scars somewhere on the surface of our skin, testaments to past surgeries, stitches, cuts and scrapes, or mole removal. (Scars can occur beneath the skin too, but that’s a subject for another article.) I first learned about the importance of treating scars when I began studying German auricular acupuncture. This article will focus on the repercussions of visible scars and what can be done to alleviate their symptoms. 

An introduction to the skin and its dense network of nerves is useful to understand how scars on the skin can cause distress. The network of the skin’s nerves communicate on the surface level, but also coordinates communication with the organs and various structures of the body that lie beneath it. The brain and nerve plexuses throughout the body coordinate all this communication via nerve impulses, which are basically exchanges of energy. When the skin is cut, the nerve communication is broken. As the wound heals, the communication can begin again, but may be impeded by the scar tissue, which isn’t quite as good as new. 

Scars have the potential to interrupt and absorb the energy of nerve impulses, rather than allowing them to flow freely. The stored energy in the cells of scar tissue was actually measured by German neurophysiologist Albert Fleckenstein to be equal to that of a 1.5 volt battery! Not all scars become “active,” in this way, but many do. Interestingly, they may not become active until many years after the initial injury or surgery. This activity seems to be spurred by periods of stress on the body, including illness, poor nutrition, emotional stress, pregnancy, etc. If a scar becomes active, it will eventually begin to randomly discharge energy out of sequence with the normal functioning of the body, causing the nervous system to become scrambled, either a little or a lot. 

When these random energy discharges happen, any organ system can be affected. For example, it is not uncommon for a woman who has given birth to have a scar (C-section, episiotomy or tearing) that causes interference in the normal functioning of the body, most notably in the thyroid gland. Scars can be the cause of or contribute to unexplained pain, digestive upset, anxiety, hormone imbalance, headaches and migraines, as well as any stubborn condition that won’t improve.

When scanning the ears using German auricular acupuncture, it is possible to pick up the energetic interference from scars. In this system, the practitioner can treat the scars both on the ears and the scar itself. The most effective way to treat the scar itself is with low-level laser treatment. By monitoring the pulse while running the laser light across the scar, I can feel which areas are active, and when the energy has been cleared. Scars typically require a few treatments to become deactivated, but results vary depending on the scar. Some clear after one treatment, and some require many treatments.

A muscle testing technique I have recently begun using, Nutrition Response Testing (NRT), is also useful in testing for scar interference, among its numerous other attributes. (Read more below.) By using this method, it is very easy to see if there is a scar causing nervous system interference or organ stress, and which scar it is. It also offers easy monitoring of progress in the treatment of each scar. Treatment using Nutrition Response Testing  is the same as described above, with the addition of massaging the scar with wheat germ oil between laser treatments to enhance the effect. 

I’m thrilled to be able to combine both German auricular acupuncture and Nutrition Response Testing to find and clear active scars in order to unscramble my clients’ nervous systems, allowing their bodies to function properly and heal themselves. If you’re feeling a bit like Humpty Dumpty who has been glued back together, I invite you to come in for an assessment, and see if a scar is affecting your health and well-being.

Nutrition Response Testing

I recently began to use Nutrition Response Testing (NRT) at Red Clover Clinic, a very effective way to assess and treat the outcome of the undernourishment and highly stressful lives that are so much a part of modern society. 

Most of us are exposed to many toxic chemicals, heavy metals, GMO and processed foods, plastics, and other factors that interfere with the proper functioning of our bodies. And, despite the fact that we are “over-nourished” with junk food and foods lacking dense nutrition, we are malnourished when it comes to the basic nutritional building blocks we need to nourish and repair our bodies. Not a pretty picture!

The NRT assessment begins with a couple of neurological muscle tests to see if the nervous system is blocking healing in any way. The practitioner then assesses each of the major organs using a muscle testing technique, looking for signs of stress. Once this information is collected, the priority organ is determined, so that the rest of the assessment and the treatment will be highly precise. 

Next, we must determine if there is anything causing stress to the organ. The stress could be caused by food sensitivities, immune challenges, chemical or heavy metal toxicity, or scars (see above). If there is a stressor, it must first be addressed, followed by the addition of any specific organ support. Treatment of the stressors and the organ support consists of specifically chosen whole-food supplements, primarily from Standard Process. 

It’s really amazing what can happen when the body is given the precise nutrition it has been lacking. When it is well-nourished, the body can heal itself! Feel free to contact me if you’re curious about what Nutrition Response Testing can do for you, or ask me about it at your next visit.

Why and how to do an elimination diet

The article on gluten intolerance in the last issue of Red Clover Clinic Newsletter got a great response—thank you! The most common comment was “Now I understand why gluten has become such an important health issue.” The demonstrated interest in gluten intolerance means the obvious topic to discuss next is the elimination diet. 

Elimination diets are a useful tool for two reasons: they can not only unravel food sensitivities, but they also give your body a break by reducing its toxic load. Other than a stool test that screens for antigens, an elimination diet is the only way to figure out which foods are creating issues for an individual. 

People suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, skin rashes, arthritis, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome or other chronic digestive issues, chronic migraines, and sinus issues should consider doing an elimination diet to see if they have any food sensitivities that are triggering their symptoms. 

Even if you choose to not permanently avoid a food you may be sensitive to, eliminating it completely for a few weeks periodically will help to get your symptoms back under control and make you feel better. It is also a good reminder of how well you can feel if you avoid their triggers most of the time.

There are four main steps to an elimination diet: 

1. Planning what to eat and what to avoid.

2. Avoiding the suspected foods for at least 2 weeks.

3. Challenging your body by adding back the suspected foods one at a time, allowing at least 3 days in between each addition.

4. Creating a new, long-term diet plan based on the results of your testing.

Planning what to eat

A thorough elimination diet will be very structured, eliminating all of the typical foods associated with food sensitivities: wheat, gluten, soy, corn, dairy, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), peanuts, sulfites, citrus, shellfish, sugar, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, vinegar, yeast and artificial food additives. Whew!

The foods that can be eaten include: rice, quinoa, millet, non-nightshade vegetables, non-citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, fresh fish, and wild meats. 

If you are mostly curious about how your body reacts to gluten and dairy, you can do a modified elimination diet that focuses primarily on eliminating all gluten and dairy products. In this modified version, it is still best to eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sugar, yeast and vinegar, in order to avoid yeast overgrowth in the system. Yeast overgrowth, also known as candida, can be an added burden to the immune system and can cause many of the same symptoms listed above. While you’re making the effort, it’s important to give your body a break from all of the potential irritants, and allow it to heal.

Avoiding suspected foods

Once you have your diet planned out, it’s time to avoid all the foods listed above for a minimum of two weeks. You may experience a worsening of your symptoms in the first few days, as your body starts to flush out the toxins associated with your food sensitivity. The symptoms should start to improve after the first week if they are due to a food that you have cut out of your diet. During this period, you may find it helpful to keep a journal, and track the foods you eat and the symptoms you experience.

Adding back suspected foods

After two to three weeks, you are ready to start challenging your body by adding foods back in. If you haven’t already started a food journal, this is when to begin. Be sure to log what you are eating, what your symptoms are, and when they occur. 

Begin by selecting a food that you want to test out first. The test period for each food is 3 days. On the first day, eat a small amount of the food in the morning. If you don’t notice any symptoms, eat a larger portion with lunch and again with dinner. 

For the next 2 days, avoid this food again and see if you notice any symptoms. If the food doesn’t cause symptoms anytime during the 3-day period, it’s unlikely to be a problem food. If this is the case, it’s important to wait to add it back into your diet until you have tested all the other foods on your test list. Now proceed to the next food on your list, and introduce it following the same method.

Creating a long-term diet plan

When every food on your list has been tested, you can start to create a long-term diet based on what you have learned. First and foremost, avoid the foods that caused a reaction. Other than that, it is best to center your diet around organic, whole foods. The primary focus should be on lots of fresh vegetables of all colors, complemented by nuts, seeds, whole grains, and protein from organic/free-range/wild-caught sources. 

The information gleaned from doing an elimination diet can make a profound change in your health. The successful implementation of an elimination diet requires a lot of planning and commitment. If you are ready to commit to the process and need some help, Red Clover Clinic is here for you. 

Herbs of the North Shore

At the beginning of August, I spent a few days on the North Shore at a personal retreat center called A Room of One’s Own, in Lutsen, MN. It was a wonderful break in the action before the big move! I especially enjoy hiking on the trails near Lake Superior, and taking in all the incredible plant life. Here are a few beautiful specimens that I found.

Usnea – Usnea filipendula

Usnea is a lichen that grows on dead tree branches and trunks. It is also known as “old man’s beard,” and here you can see why. Usnea is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects. I typically use it in small doses for staph infections. It is best to use usnea, either topically or internally, in small doses for a short time.

Club Moss – Lycopodium clavatum

This isn’t an herb that I have used, despite the fact that I admire it every time I visit the North Shore. It grows on the forest floor. It is traditionally used to treat bladder and kidney disorders, acting as a diuretic. The spores have historically been used topically on various skin conditions, including eczema and bed sores. According to Maria Treben, an esteemed Austrian herbalist, it also can be used to treat leg cramps.

Horsetail – Equisetum arvense

This prehistoric plant likes to grow in damp soil. It functions as a diuretic, represented by its hollow stem in the doctrine of signatures. It is also useful in promoting healthy skin and nails. Similar to club moss, it is a vascular plant that reproduces by spores rather than seeds.

Solomon’s seal – Polygonatum multiflorum

Solomon’s seal grows in woodlands throughout our area. I use a tincture of the root constantly for musculoskeletal complaints and injuries. In Chinese medicine it is also used for lung infections and dry coughs. Matthew Wood describes its effect on connective tissue as tightening that which is loose, and loosening that which is tight. This is one of the top ten most-used herbs in my apothecary!

Purple Loostrife – Lythrum salicaria

This plant is considered to be invasive throughout our area and eastward. Herbalist Jim McDonald  has become quite a fan of this plant for drippy and irritated sinuses. It not only dries up the drip, but it also soothes the inflamed tissues. Similarly, it can be used in an irritated digestive tract with diarrhea. It’s always nice to find good uses for über-plentiful species.

Understanding gluten sensitivity

Eating gluten-free is all the rage. Have you jumped on the bandwagon, or are you a skeptic? In this article I will explain why gluten sensitivity is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for many people, and why to consider avoiding it.

What is gluten?

First, let’s define what gluten is. Gluten is found in wheat (including spelt and kamut, more ancient forms of wheat), rye, barley, and oats. Gluten is made up of two proteins, gliadin and glutinen, both which cause adverse reactions in many people. Gluten is what makes dough doughy. Imagine smooth and pliable pizza dough being tossed in the air. This wouldn’t be possible without gluten.

Why is gluten suddenly a big problem?

Bread has been eaten for thousands of years, so why has it emerged of late as a problem for some? The wheat that was consumed 12,000 years ago is known as einkorn . It is still available and is the only non-hybridized wheat on the market. Einkorn contains much less gluten than modern-day wheat.

Over the centuries wheat has been hybridized to increase the gluten content to improve the texture of baked goods. In the past 50 years alone, the gluten in wheat has quadrupled. Furthermore, einkorn only has 14 chromosomes, compared to the 42 chromosomes that modern wheat has. The added chromosomes are genetically coded for a type of gluten that is actually more irritating to our bodies. As you can see, we are getting a much larger dose of gluten than we used to, and it has different and more irritating qualities.

Celiac disease vs. gluten intolerance

Celiac disease is a gluten allergy. Gluten causes an immune reaction in the body of those with celiac disease that causes the villi (finger-like projections that increase nutrient absorption) lining the intestinal walls to be flattened and damaged over time. People with gluten intolerance may have similar symptoms as people with celiac disease but they don’t end up with damage to the villi. Celiac disease is no longer a rare condition, but it is certainly less prevalent than gluten intolerance, which is becoming quite common.

The genes for both celiac disease and gluten intolerance have been identified. It is estimated that 81 percent of the population has some of these genes. The genes may not be turned on in each individual, but it is an indication of why gluten issues are prevalent. A study comparing blood samples from over 9,000 Air Force recruits from the early 1950s to a similar sample of people today showed a four-fold increase in prevalence of celiac disease.

Gluten reactions cause a wide variety of symptoms. The symptoms don’t always appear immediately following the consumption of gluten. Over prolonged and repeated exposure to gluten, people may suffer from digestive upset, neurological problems, mental/emotional symptoms, and autoimmune issues.

Gluten proteins can leak through damaged intestinal walls and cause an inflammatory response in any susceptible tissue. This inflammation can play a role in conditions ranging from arthritis and allergies to insulin resistance and obesity.

Anyone experiencing chronic joint pain, allergies, skin problems, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ADD/ADHD, depression, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis and many more inflammatory conditions should consider leaving gluten behind.

Testing for gluten intolerance

There is much confusion regarding appropriate testing for both celiac disease and gluten intolerance. The blood tests that doctors often perform for gluten intolerance have a high false negative rate. If there is no damage to the intestinal villi, the test will come back negative.

This could be problematic for two reasons. It is only diagnosing celiac disease once the damage has been done to the body. If there is no damage, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a gluten sensitivity. Similarly, the standard biopsy test for celiac disease waits until there is evident damage to the villi, which doesn’t help celiacs prevent this damage before it occurs.

Currently, the only accurate test is a stool sample that tests for immune antibodies. The company EnteroLab offers tests to the general public looking for food intolerance screening. According to EnteroLab, at least 50 percent of the population tests positive to gluten sensitivity, and half of those who are sensitive are symptomatic.

Another, less expensive, method of testing is to eliminate gluten from your diet for four to six weeks, then add it back and see what happens. This is less scientific, but highly experiential. When people experience how differently they can feel without gluten, they are more motivated to avoid it.

What to eat?

Eating gluten-free can be challenging, but with a little education and effort, it is very doable. The first place to start is to avoid processed foods or select them very carefully. Gluten is often hidden in these packaged foods, and not obvious in the list of ingredients. This article contains a good list of pointers of what to look for on a food label. 

There are also many gluten-free products on the market that can make eating easier. One thing to keep in mind is that grains in general can be difficult to digest in large quantities, and just because they're gluten-free doesn't mean you should consume them with reckless abandon. 

If you have a hankering for a sandwich and you haven't had one in weeks, gluten-free bread to the rescue! The gluten-free grains are rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and amaranth. Corn is also gluten-free, but be careful, because too much corn can cause an inflammatory response.

Focus on healthy fish, meats, fruits, and vegetables. Dairy and eggs are also gluten-free. Avoid, bread, pasta (unless rice- or corn-based) and other traditional baked goods. If you have a craving for a sweet treat, I have included a couple of recipes below. Don't forget about dark chocolate--it is a great low-sugar/gluten-free option!

Many restaurants now have gluten-free menus and a more educated staff, making dining out a lot less scary for those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

After the initial grieving period, going gluten-free, or mostly gluten-free, can be a rewarding, health-promoting experience. It's not a bad idea for everyone to moderate their gluten consumption, and avoiding gluten is one more piece to the puzzle of multiple health challenges. Imagine a life with less inflammation and pain, better moods, more energy, clearer thinking, and easy digestion.

Treating yourself gluten-free

Sweet Potato Pecan Muffins

• 1 15 oz. can pureed sweet potato

• 1 cup almond butter, roasted, no salt

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ginger

• 1/4 tsp cloves

• 36 pecan halves, for decoration

Place paper liners in a standard muffin tin to ensure easy removal. Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk all ingredients together. Spoon or pour batter into muffin tin. Decorate top with 3 pecan halves. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned, and a toothpick comes out clean. Store in an airtight plastic bag or container in the refrigerator. Makes 12 standard muffins.

Note: I prefer the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. However, if you prefer a sweeter muffin, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or a packet or two of stevia powder.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

• 1 cup (heaping) unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil

• 5 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1 pkt. stevia powder (optional)

Pulse the coconut in a food processor several times to break into even smaller pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and run until completely mixed, scraping down the sides if necessary. Scoop the mixture with a small cookie scoop or use a teaspoon to scoop small portions and roll into little balls. Work quickly, as the mixture melts with the warmth of your hands. Refrigerate until set, and the store in a covered container in the refrigerator

Healthy blood, healthy body

From the perspective of both Chinese and western medicine, the health of our blood is essential to our overall health. What can we do to support the health of our blood? 

I’ve devoted this entire newsletter to discussing how to support blood health and function, including introducing you to a new tool Red Clover Clinic has begun to use, which I fondly call “the blood laser.” Read on… 

What does blood do?

Blood is one of the foundations of life. Chinese medicine considers it one of the Vital Substances. It nourishes the body, moistens the tissues, and support the Shen. Shen can be translated as spirit or mind. It is responsible for consciousness, mental function, mental health, and vitality. It also plays a big role in sleep. 

Chinese medicine theory also states that blood holds the Qi (energy) and Qi moves the blood. Most importantly, if Qi and blood are moving, disease can’t take hold. In fact, many of the diseases associated with aging are associated with the blood not flowing properly, also known as blood stasis.

In western medicine, the primary functions of blood are: 

• Transporting oxygen, nutrients, and wastes to and from the cells and various components of the immune system to where they are needed.

• Regulating temperature through circulation.

• Circulating hormones to all parts of the body

• Clotting and closing of wounds.

Laser irradiation of the blood

As we saw in the May-June 2013 issue of the  Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, low-level laser therapy has developed over the past few decades to speed the healing of wounds, lessen the inflammation in arthritic joints, increase circulation around trigger points in order to release them, stimulate acupuncture points, and more. 

Another lesser-known benefit of laser light to the body is the impact it has on the blood. Red Clover Clinic is now using the recently developed R-J Laser LightNeedle 300 (the “blood laser”), which delivers red and blue-violet laser light to the blood non-invasively. 

Generally speaking, laser irradiation  of the blood brings the body back into a state of homeostasis; that is, it has a normalizing effect on the whole system. It triggers various immune responses to rid the body of inflammation, which translates to less pain. It improves blood circulation throughout the body, and specifically in the central nervous system (the brain). It improves communication between muscle and nerve cells for improved function. It normalizes tissue metabolism and promotes the mitochondria to produce more ATP, which translates into more energy.

Since the Russians began doing research on intravenous laser irradiation of the blood in 1981, many additional studies have shown its positive effects on cardiovascular health, hypertension, neuropathy, muscular sclerosis, diabetes, autoimmune disease, allergies, acute infections, fatigue, fibromyalgia, systemic inflammation, liver disease and kidney disease.

A small study  done on young, male body builders perfectly shows, I think, the general boost the blood laser can give the body. The study concluded that laser blood irradiation measurably increased both strength and endurance, an effect that appeared immediately after the treatment and lasted for 16 weeks.

What is a treatment like?

The blood laser has six fiberoptic cables that are clustered into a small mouthpiece. The mouthpiece, covered with a disposable  plastic covering, is placed under the tongue. The client rests for up to 20 minutes while the device emits laser light to the veins under the tongue. 

The recommended dosage for general support is 20 minutes once per week, for a series of four to ten weeks, or longer for a chronic condition. For a more severe problem, say diabetic ulcers, the treatment can be given twice per week, until the ulcers have begun to heal. On the other hand, if someone is trying to get over a lingering cold or cough, one treatment might just do the trick.

Stories from my practice

I have used the blood laser on clients (and myself) for about two months at the time of writing and have already seen and experienced big changes. Here are a few anecdotes from my practice:

1. Personally, I have much more energy with a greater ability to focus, and improved sleep.

2. One client experienced a significant decrease in springtime allergy symptoms after her first treatment. 

3. Someone else suffers from very sensitive skin with significant itching following a severe systemic candida infection many years ago. Following each treatment (three so far) she notices a big reduction in symptoms that last almost through the week. 

4. A fibromyalgia client has been having better weeks with more energy and less overall pain since commencing blood laser treatments.

5. Another client who had recently finished radiation treatment three to four weeks earlier wasn’t getting her energy back. After one blood laser treatment she felt close to normal for almost a week. After two more treatments, her energy was totally restored.

6. Across the board, the most common comment is “Wow, I had so much energy this week!”

For those of you who asked for more scientific information…here it is!

According to M. H. Weber in his paper “The Intravenous Laser Blood Irradiation – Introduction of a New Therapy ,” laser blood irradiation causes the following changes to occur:

1. Immune system effects: improved immunologic activity of the blood, i.e. stimulation of the immune response, both specific and non-specific; increase of the immunoglobulins IgG, IgM and IgA; stimulation of interferons, interleukins and TNF-alfa; stimulation of the proliferation of lymphocytes; activation of phagocytic activity of the macrophages; proliferation of lymphocytes and B- and T-cells; and lowering c-reactive protein.

2. Circulatory system effects: improvement of regeneration of erythrocytes and of microcirculation; reduction of aggregation of thrombocytes; activation of fibrinolysis; and stimulation of the NO-production in monocytes with vasodilation and improvement of endothelial dysfunction.

3. Impact on muscle and nerve cells: normalization of the cell membrane potential, which helps muscle and nerve cells to transmit signals between each other for increased function.

4. Impact on overall energy and whole system : mitochondria are stimulated to produce more ATP, which translates to more energy; and normalized tissue metabolism.

 Herbs that influence the blood

Nettles to build the blood

The nettle plant is highly nutritious and makes a wonderful green vegetable in the spring. Once you wash it and cook it, the sting will disappear. It is known to nourish the blood, and treat  anemia-type conditions, including low blood pressure, pale face, fainting and fatigue. It is also helpful in cases where blood deficiency and excessive bleeding go hand-in-hand.

Yarrow to move the blood

Yarrow is one of my favorite plants. I love its herbaceous scent, hearty flowers, strong stems and delicate feathery leaves. I’ve been monitoring a few specimens on my morning walks, and they are now starting to bloom. One of yarrow’s many strengths is to move and cool the blood and thereby stop bleeding. I use it fresh, dried, or in ointment on fresh cuts and bruises with amazing results. Tea and tincture are taken internally for bleeding due to blood stasis in the digestive and respiratory tracts and the female reproductive system. Blood stasis is when coagulated blood obstructs the vessels, causing fresh blood to be forced out around it. To treat this type of bleeding, we need to move blood. 

Shepherd’s Purse to stop bleeding

Shepherd’s Purse is primarily used to stop excessive bleeding. It is warming and stimulating, and is best for blood that is “dark and oozing,” according to herbalist Matthew Wood . It is especially useful for women suffering from excessive menstrual bleeding and hemorrhaging, fibroids, and postpartum bleeding. Shepherd’s Purse is also useful for bleeding in the digestive and urinary tracts and for wounds that continue to ooze. From a biomedical perspective, Shepherd’s Purse stops bleeding due to its vasoconstrictive and coagulating properties.

Burdock to “clean” the blood

Blood can get overloaded with toxins if our body’s detoxification processes are broken down or overwhelmed. This can manifest in all types of skin conditions from acne to eczema to psoriasis. In Chinese medicine, we call this toxic heat in the blood. According to herbalist Peter Holmes , burdock root regulates the system by “restoring, altering and eliminating.” In other words, it gently brings the body into harmony by detoxifying the blood and tissues. Burdock also regulates the immune system, which, as we now know, is tied with the blood. This is why I give it to almost all of my clients suffering from seasonal allergies…with great effect, I might add.

Clearing blockages to healing

I recently returned from another German auricular acupuncture training in Ottawa, Ontario. (Maman, the giant spider pictured to the left, created by sculptor Louise Bourgeois,  is one of many signature images of Ottawa.) 

The training was called “Clearing Blockages to Healing,” a simple name with profound meaning. I knew the new information would allow my auricular acupuncture assessments and treatments to work on an even deeper level than before, but I was, once again, truly blown away by the healing potential of this modality. 

As discussed in a previous newsletter, one of the primary features that distinguishes German auricular acupuncture from other types of auricular acupuncture is focus therapy. A “focus” is a stubborn and hidden blockage to healing, due to a body/brain memory of a particular stress or trauma or from a physical/emotional wound that is concealed within the body. The body becomes consumed with healing these blockages and it can’t attend to healing other day-to-day issues. The person who has such a blockage will experience chronic conditions possibly without experiencing obvious injury or illness. Even perceivable, diagnosable conditions can be ameliorated by focus therapy, by lessening the stress load on the body.

The new protocol I use to find, prioritize, and treat focus activity takes great concentration on my part and is somewhat time-consuming. Ultimately, it is truly worth the extra time and energy. Already some of my clients have noticed a difference!Red Clover Clinic adds low-level laser therapy—no-needles, no pain

Let there be “laser” light!

Red Clover Clinic adds low-level laser therapy—no-needles, no pain

Another big announcement for my auricular practice is the addition of the RJ LaserPen.  With the LaserPen, I can give an auricular treatment with absolutely no pain or discomfort, and I can add healing bio-frequencies (electrical frequencies that resonate with particular tissues in the body), particular to the issues that I am treating. 

This is great news for anyone who is needle-phobic, children, and anyone who finds the heftier German needles to be a little uncomfortable! The LaserPen offers an auricular treatment that is at least as effective as a needle treatment. I’m sure this will come as a great relief to many of you! And, in addition to the LaserPen, I also have two other wonderful laser tools described below.

I  think we’re all a bit starved of light in this slow-to-emerge spring. We know that spring will come eventually, but in the meantime, we can turn our attention to getting light energy from sources other than the sun, namely, laser light.

If you want to know more about laser light and how it is used therapeutically, read on!

What is a laser?

LASER stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” Basically, a laser amplifies light at a specific wavelength, in a very narrow bandwidth, with high coherence. (The peaks and valleys of the wavelengths are consistent and even.) Don’t worry, you don’t have to understand the physics of laser light to understand how it affects you physiologically! 

There are two types of medical lasers: lasers for surgery and lasers for biostimulation/biomodulation (the stimulation and modulation of the metabolic functions of the human organism).  The latter is known as low-level, or cold laser, and it is the type of laser used therapeutically by many healthcare practitioners. 

Low-level lasers are becoming more common to treat wounds, injuries, pain, and skin issues, as well as being used to stimulate acupuncture points. There is also the possibility to exert a more systemic effect with laser treatment, thereby treating cardiovascular issues, immune issues, allergies, fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, diabetes, chronic liver and kidney diseases, among others. 

How do lasers work therapeutically?

The photons of light trigger the photoreceptors on the cells to transform light energy into cellular energy. The result is increased oxygen and ATP production. This increase in cellular energy stimulates systemic biochemical responses, including increased circulation and microcirculation, increased action potential of nerve cells, increased collagen synthesis (wound healing), balanced immune function, and mediation of pain signals. As you can see, laser light provides general stimulation of the entire organism.

A secondary effect of laser therapy is the transfer of bio-frequency information into the cells. Research has been done to determine which frequencies resonate with particular tissues. For example, treating nerve damage with laser light that has the frequency that resonates with healthy nerve tissue added to it, allows the nerve cells to synchronize with the healthy frequency for optimal results.

In order to achieve a good therapeutic effect with low-level laser therapy, it is important to use a laser that has enough power, but not too much. If there is too little power and subsequently too low a dose of laser light, there won’t be much of a therapeutic effect. Likewise, if the power and dosage are too high and fall beyond the therapeutic window, cellular response and function can be inhibited. 

This is why it is important to have high quality, well-researched equipment, that is built with the appropriate power and is programmed with settings designed to help the practitioner determine the proper dosages. With the right equipment, low-level laser therapy is completely safe, without negative side effects and highly effective.

The RJ LaserPen, designed and manufactured in Germany

The effect of the treatment also has a lot to do with the type (power, brand, accessory) of laser being used, the dosage of laser light given, and the tissue being targeted. 

The  RJ-Laser  equipment I am now using in my practice was designed and manufactured in Germany. RJ-Laser has been designing medical laser equipment for more than 30 years. They offer high-quality, well-researched products, with a wide assortment of laser tools for many different applications. 

At this time I have three different pieces of laser equipment, in addition to the base unit. The laser pen  featured above, can be used for auricular acupuncture as well as to treat body acupuncture points and small joints. I also have a cluster probe to treat larger muscles and joints, as well as a variety of skin pathologies. The most interesting attachment is the blood laser. This attachment targets the blood, offering a more systemic laser treatment. The blood laser will be featured in the upcoming issue of the newsletter with a more thorough explanation of how it works.

Fend off the flu! 13 tips for 2013

The flu seems to be quite virulent this year. According to the latest statistics, this is considered to be the worst outbreak in a decade, with many flu-associated deaths. What can you do to protect yourself? Whether you are a proponent of the flu shot or not, the following tips will help to keep your immune system strong in 2013.

First…the everyday basics:

1. Wash your hands frequently.

2. Get 8-9 hours of sleep per night.

3. Get frequent, moderate exercise.

4. Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of clear water per day.

5. Limit sugar intake.

6. Limit alcohol intake

7. Avoid processed foods and focus on eating nutrient-dense foods (organic vegetables, nuts and seeds, organic hormone-free meats and eggs, fermented vegetables, etc.)

Second…the important additions:

8. Be sure you’re well nourished. To accomplish this, consider taking  Catalyn from Standard Process. It supports general nutrition by way of a whole food supplement.

9. Be sure your vitamin D levels are in the optimal range. You can request a blood test next time you visit your doctor. It’s a safe bet to take 4000-5000 IUs per day, especially during the fall, winter and spring. I like to take Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion in sesame oil, and have it available for purchase.

10. Take a good quality probiotic. Freshness is important. Buy from a store with good turnover. I prefer brands sold in natural foods stores/coops over those sold in big box stores. Standard Process makes a great product called  Prosynbiotic. 

11. Take Elderberry tincture or syrup both as a preventative and a treatment for the flu (see below). This is great for kids, because it tastes great!

12. Protect yourself from airborne bacteria and viruses by inhaling antimicrobial essential oils regularly (tea tree, eucalyptus, niaouli, nerolina, to name a few). My recommendation is to either diffuse Niaouli Melablend or use a Breathe inhaler (see below), both from Plant Extracts, International. 

13. And, last but not least, GET REGULAR ACUPUNCTURE! Studies  have shown that acupuncture promotes the production of T cells in the body, which help to ward off harmful bacteria and viruses. (Neuroscience Letters, 2010) 

Many studies have proven the effectiveness of Elderberry to prevent and treat the flu. One is listed in this article . Elderberry grows throughout our area, and is found in many city parks. Next summer consider collecting some and making a delicious syrup out of it! If you need Elderberry’s healing properties now, I have the tincture available.

Breathe inhalers are handy little things to carry in your pocket. Any time you’re exposed to sickness, unscrew the top and inhale deeply to fight off bacteria or viruses that are on the attack. You can also inhale through your mouth to be sure your whole respiratory track is protected. Red Clover Clinic stocks inhalers from Plant Extracts International.

Standard Process whole food supplements

I have personally enjoyed the benefits of Standard Process whole foods supplements and introduced them into my practice in October. I’d like to share with you what I learned about these useful supplements during an educational weekend touring their impressive facility in Palmyra, WI. 

The company

Standard Process is the first and oldest whole food supplement company in the United States, started by Royal Lee in 1929. Their products have been sold through health professionals since that time. They grow as many of their raw materials as possible on their 1,000 acres of organically certified land. This nutrient-rich soil is tested, along with incoming raw materials and the final product, at every stage of production in an in-house quality-control lab.

Whole food supplements

The best way to nourish your body is by eating a diet rich in whole foods. Unfortunately, most of us fall short when it comes to getting the variety and quality of food we need, not to mention the fact that many vegetables are being grown in soils that have been stripped of many necessary nutrients by conventional farming methods. If you are taking any prescription and/or non-prescription drugs, you may be losing nutrients as well. This is where supplementation comes in, but not all supplements are created equal.

Most supplements on the market are made up of synthetic vitamins and minerals. A synthetic vitamin is an isolated chemical that has been identified as the active constituent of a vitamin complex molecule. This is the pharmaceutical version of nutrition. Studies have shown that the body better absorbs nutrients when taking them by a vitamin in its whole food form, rather than in isolation.

By combining concentrated whole foods, Standard Process is able to create supplements that go above and beyond the synthetic variety. Whole food nutrition includes the following important components: (1) synergistic nutrients, (2) glandular support, and (3) phytonutrients. 

1. As mentioned above, single vitamins taken out of a whole food may not be as effective in promoting health as eating the food itself. Each food has its nutrients and synergistic cofactors that provide you with the most effective, well-balanced nutritional supplement. 

2. Animal glandular tissues provide nutrients to stimulate the corresponding tissues in humans, enhancing natural cell and tissue repair. This particularly appeals to my Chinese medicine background, since it is common practice to recommend eating the part of an animal that is weak in your own body. In the modern Western world, we have practically stopped eating organ meats, and have thereby lost a lot of nutrition and healing potential.

3. Phytonutrients are nutrients found in plants that are necessary to maintain health. They have many purposes, including supporting the immune system, supporting cellular communication, acting as antioxidants, etc.

Standard Process makes over 175 supplement products to both support general health and to treat particular disorders and deficiencies. In most cases, it is recommended that the supplements be taken with each meal since your body absorbs supplements best when all its digestive functions are active. 

Red Clover Clinic has many Standard Process products in stock. If you are interested in learning more about general nutrition or treating a particular complaint, please feel free to contact me!