My Diet Rant

As I may have mentioned in the past, I personally believe that when it comes to diet and nutrition, it depends on an individual's present place in life and what it is they are trying to achieve. 

Certainly this meshes with texts, where a number of different diets are mentioned that have specific purposes and goals, and with the potpourri of diets in the world today.

I have done and tried many diets myself. One reason is that I usually refuse to recommend anything health wise, especially a diet to any friends or clients, unless I have tried it myself.

I have done in no particular order, the Scarsdale Diet ( I was age 15-16), a non-dairy diet where I had no dairy at all for years, a non red meat diet and only had poultry during Sabbath and Holidays and fish whenever (semi carnivore Pescatarian diet?), the Blood Type (B) diet (one of my favorites), the Food Combining diet first according to Dr. Norman Walker and then from other sources, have never done Weight Watchers but have 2 beautiful siblings that swear by it so it MUST work, the Electro-Chemical Diet recommended in The Healing Benefits of Acupressure by Houston (somewhat similar to the Alkaline Diet in our text), a Chinese Medicine type diet where I ate specific foods to strengthen and balance specific organs and systems, the Candida Diet (similar to the Liver Diet in the text), the 3 day gall bladder diet / cleanse, juice diet for 7 – 10 days (you can't call it a fast if you are drinking juices), and last year was following Tim Ferriss's 4 Hour Body or Slow Carbohydrate Diet.

Presently I am "somewhat" macrobiotic and deviate here and there based on my intuition, and if I've had a bad period and decide to cheat with some comfort food.

There are others diets and lifestyles as well that do not come to mind presently, but the point here is nonetheless made.

I can surely say that whatever my purpose was for each diet at that specific time, I definitely accomplished what I needed to more or less, and then moved on to whatever my next particular goal was in terms of eating habits.

They ALL work for the most part. Why should they not? Maimonides mentioned many years ago that essentially a person's health is directly related to his diet and that most diseases come from corrupt eating habits. It's directly linked 

regarding eating living things? Maybe I am lactose intolerant or have severe bloating when eating certain foods or combining certain ones? 

Do I have high cholesterol level in my blood and am dealing with heart or blood pressure issues? Maybe I am allergic to certain foods like fish, nuts, or eggs? Maybe I have Celiac disease (way too harsh of a word for that particular issue) and am intolerant of gluten? Do I have a hormonal imbalance and a possible thyroid problem? Diabetes and high blood sugar? Hypoglycemia?

All of the above will dictate a person's diet and how they eat. The  main thing is to follow a specific regime and order of eating whatever the case and to do it habitually so that it becomes second nature. 

Whether it is preventative so as not to bring about certain ailments, or to get rid of certain ailments or difficulties, or for good general health and well being. Eating in the dictated specific way whatever it is, will work and will bring about the desired results for most people if they follow it diligently and go by the book.

People change over time and issues change over time. Whether it is something in my biological makeup affecting my body based on time, experience, and habits, or philosophical or spiritual beliefs  and opinions that are influencing me in other ways. There's no better or worse. 

Just like finding out recently that eggs aren't really as bad for serum cholesterol as was thought and that the yolk is actually good for your heart, yesterday's diet may not quite fit the bill anymore, and you will have to be flexible and move on to a diet that is more appropriate for you at that specific time and place.

Alternative Medicine: Manipulation And Body Based Practices

So in Holistic Medicine, what's the best way to go? Herbs? Acupuncture? Maybe what's best are Complementary and Alternative Medicine techniques for manipulation?


The answer is probably all. A multidisciplinary approach is best in holistic medicine, and body work and manipulation has much to offer.

Manipulation as well as body based alternative practices involve working the structure, function, and different areas and systems of the body; skeleton and joints, soft / connective tissue, circulatory system, and lymph network. Some popular and well known body therapies fall within this category.

Spinal, Skeletal, or Structural manipulation is performed by Chiropractors, Osteopaths and by other professionals such as physical or athletic therapists, and some conventional medical doctors as well. Practitioners use a controlled impulse / force to a bone, joint, or the spinal column, moving it beyond its present passive range of motion; the force used is related to the type of manipulation needed and its purpose and goal. These types of manipulation and treatment are among those applied to people with low back pain which is a common ailment in our time that can sometimes be difficult to treat.


Massage therapy may also include many different techniques. In short, practitioners press, rub, and manipulate the muscles and other soft connective tissues of the body. People go to massage for a plethora of health purposes and for well being, including to reduce pain, rehabilitation of sports and other injuries, orthopedic issues, stress reduction, to promote relaxation, to reduce anxiety and depression, and for general well-being.


As an Athletic Therapist I was trained to use a number of modalities, including massage in all its glory - Effleurage, Petrisage, Tapotement, deep tissue, friction, mobilization. I have used these, as well as Acupressure and Trigger Point massage many times. Releasing cramped muscles, warming up athletes, rehabilitating injuries, relaxing and soothing stiffness. Overall in the different areas of Athletic Therapy with much success, whether in rehabilitation, or maintenance.


Osteopathy predates Chiropractic by at least 20 – 25 years, and apparently, funny enough, DD Palmer the founder of Chiropractic was briefly jailed for practicing Osteopathy without a license. Structural adjustments are a key part of Osteopathy, though today it is only one of four approaches. Structural, Myofascial, Visceral, and Craniosacral Osteopathy are all practiced in the field today, so Osteopathy is in itself multidisciplinary.


I was trained in all four approaches and in a myriad of techniques from each discipline. My recent partner whom I share a private clinic with, and also worked with at an HMO is a licensed Chiropractor. We have had the pleasure of treating each other many times, without regarding each other as competition, and with mutual respect and understanding trying to help each other. These sessions have been amazingly helpful, stress reducing, and educational. 

Plus, I originally went to study Athletic Therapy in order to go to Chiropractic school afterwards, and researched both fields before deciding on my path. Since lower back pain is somewhat of an epidemic in the Western world, most people come for Osteopathic treatments of that issue. Mind you, most people go to all alternative treatments across the board mainly for lower back pains and issues. 

For the most part, I have mostly treated, lower back pain, sciatica, anterior / posterior tibialis compartment syndrome, migraines / other headaches, neck / shoulder / upper back pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee pain, ankle pain, general joint pain and / or weakness, arthritis, tinnitus, torticolis, child development issues, pregnancy issues and (back) pain, digestive issues, constipation, swelling and joint pain, bed-wetting, incontinence, and the list goes on...


In my first year of studying Classical Osteopathy, I completed a certificate in Advanced Reflexology (I also have certificates in Acupressure and Sports Massage), another form of Bodywork, in order to be able to start treating people holistically, to have another tool of diagnosis and treatment. I continue to use the tools I acquired from Reflexology and Acupressure, especially when giving patients self-care work and homework to do on their own. 

They are very easy to do by yourself and it gives patients excellent maintenance tools and responsibility for their own health. I have also been treated quite a few times with Reflexology and Shiatsu ( a form of Acupressure). I merited to help people with jaw clenching issues, especially while sleeping, babies and adults with constipation and digestive issues, stress-related issues and pains, plantar fasciitis, menstrual cramps, headaches, torticolis and other issues.


I have used Jin Shin Jitsu on myself and with clients for about ten years now, and I recently purchased a book I have yet to read on the Rosen Method of Bodywork, which a friend recommended.
Alternative Medicine also encompasses movement therapies—a broad range of Eastern and Western movement-based approaches used to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Examples include Tai Chi, Feldenkrais method, Alexander technique, Pilates, and Tragering.

There you have it. A tasty menu of delights to choose from for all your aches and pains. 

May they all be relieved!

Giving In To, Not The Alternative

Is it true that there is a real difference between Alternative and Conventional Medicine?

For the following also, I am not saying that author/s and texts are necessarily refined purists who are saying that the ONLY way to go all the time every time is with alternative medicine. But it does sound like that sometimes for sure when you read what's out there.

Clearly learning more and more about the different subjects tends to educate me and show me what choices I have and how I can be more informed about them. The bottom line though is that a course in Naturopathy for example, with a Naturopathic text book, will spout the Natural, and personally I would not be studying it and learning about alternative medicine if I did not think that was the way to go all the way. When possible.

But I actually don't necessarily agree that the alternative route may be the way to go for "everyone" "every time". And here's why...
There are times where I have felt that I have exhausted my arsenal, have exerted my efforts, given it enough time, and...? well..? nu...? and there's nothing left to do but pop a pill. Thankfully these instances have been very few and far between. In my case it's been with the rare headache mainly, and for various reasons. The last time it was purely out of necessity and logistics. It's circumstantial. I'll explain.

After having attended a festive Purim Holiday celebration the night before, where we drank lots of red, dry, wine, I awoke with a HUGE headache and hangover. To me this was funny, as I had not actually gotten drunk or indulged in an exaggerated manner. No one, we were somewhat inebriated and definitely in good humor.
The drinking was quite subdued, and controlled, and though the wine was abundant it was not in excess. The alcohol should have worn off by this point for sure.

Then I remembered! Despite the food and the meal, there was no way I had had enough water the day before, even with my intermittent drinking. I was basically dehydrated for the most part and thus my headache, nausea, and dizziness, et al.

What was I to do? I had to work a full shift for 5 hours with a patient every half hour that needed to be treated with Osteopathy. Plus I could not afford to take off sick as I really needed the work.
I started drinking water, possibly took some Nux Vomica the traditional Homeopathic hangover remedy, started working some pressure points and Reflexolgy... Even if all this could work, I had no time to let it or to attend to it, and others, my patients were depending on me and needed me fully. I first also needed to get to work on time.

Thankfully when I got to the pain clinic where I work, and I arrived on time, my colleague and superior an MD from the former Soviet Union, an Anesthesiologist was already there. I gave in to myself and the situation, and asked him for an Acomol or two from the nurse's room. He humbly apologized and told me there was none, but gave me I think it was an Optalgin instead.
Who knows, they all look and sound the same to me. It's medicine for G-d's sake whichever way you look at it!

It usually takes about a half hour for the stuff to kick in. It was a bit delayed in my case, and I had to force myself through a couple of grueling first treatments. I even told my director that if all else fails, I may have to cut out and leave in an emergency for health reasons.

After more than an hour though, my headache was gone, I was able to function and focus, drink much more water and hold it down, and even eat. I was thankful for the pill actually, and glad I was able to do what I did.

It really helped me pull myself together, but I thus learned from personal experience about the powerful “drugs” many of my patients take and how it affects their system, and most likely overwhelms their liver when taken for long periods on a daily basis.

This whole thing is as opposed to the other week when for some reason most likely related to fatigue, I woke up in the morning with a bad lingering headache in my left temple. It was getting pretty bad, banging in like a nail and cutting like a knife intermittently when I moved in certain ways.

I had some Bach Rescue Remedy lying a round, grabbed a couple of drops and rubbed it into my left temple. Then I grabbed my recently bought DiaDens frequency generator and put on the goggle attachments and ran the eye fatigue headache frequency for five minutes while lying in my recliner.

Man! It felt weird, like my eye balls were being sucked out while also being pumped from the inside. I even opened my eyes during the treatment to make sure I was okay. Everything was fine and dandy and my eyes were still seeing and functional, so I shut them for the duration. Was cool!

I finished, and Ta Da it was amazing. NO HEADACHE! GONE! I love that little machine. I was refreshed, replenished, completely cured and continued my day at home doing work as I needed to. Amazing, but circumstances specifically allowed for it this time.

I definitely believe that the first line of defense should be the natural and so called alternative when possible, but if all else fails, or I have no other choice because of the situation or circumstances, there is no reason to needlessly make myself suffer, to let things get worse, and to ruin my day and prevent myself from accomplishing.

Wake up to the reality at hand!

Alternative Medicine: Deja Vu?

Are there some Complementary and Alternative medicine basics which can clarify and simplify exactly what it is and how it works?

I personally began to notice as I read many texts and articles on natural and alternative medicine, that I was continuously reading the same chapters, articles, and information over and over, and I was overcome by a powerful feeling of Deja Vu.

What was happening to me? The page numbers seemed to get higher, but the information and words were the same. Maybe “I” needed help and all that I was reading was getting to “me”? Then I realized what was actually happening. Everything read the same almost exactly.

Have you ever had Deja Vu? Have you ever had Deja Vu? Have you ever had Deja Vu?

It reads something like this, “Cut out environmental and food allergens, avoid dairy foods, saturated fats, and processed foods, remove all your amalgam fillings, exercise, use homeopathy, bodywork, Bach flowers, herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and acupuncture, meditate and visualize, detoxify yourself, use hydrotherapy, eat organic grains, fruits, and vegetables and moderate amounts of organic fish, poultry, and meat...” Aaaaaaagggggghhhhhhh....

What was I expecting? Where is the uniqueness and the “ah ha!” insight that I am yearning for in Natural and Alternative Medicine that will make me say, “That's it! Amazing! Wow! Unbelievable! Just what I was waiting for!”?

You see, that EXACTLY is just it, and that's what is so simply amazing about it all. We have to go no further and look no further than our bodies, ourselves, and what is around us. Sure there are amazing innovations, discoveries, technology, and new methods in natural medicine all the time, but the ultimate purpose is still the same and with good reason.

We are physical, mental / emotional / intellectual, and spiritual beings, and it is these levels within us that we try and address when there are illnesses and we need to bring ourselves back to balance. Of course it all looks and sounds the same time and time again. Because it is! We need to go back to ourselves, the source, and deal with what needs to be dealt with at its source.

And what that means is, using tried and true methods many of which whose sources are ancient, in order to do what's right for ourselves, our being, and our environment on every level to the best of our abilities.

So yes, we need to eat right, sleep right, work right, cleanse our bodies, exercise and stretch our bodies, be careful what we put in and around them, and keep our minds and brains clean and clear. To say the least.

It may sound and look the same, but each of us is a unique individual and each ailment is a unique entity. These natural tools may seem to be the same and the ultimate purpose of our perfect balance most definitely is. So it looks and sounds boring?

Knowing how to apply each of the methods for each individual and each unique case is where the innovation lies, and the simplicity is where it's at. Certainly a lot more simpler than navigating the symptomatic maze of conventional medicine in my humble opinion.

Think about that the next time you come across the same material and have a feeling of Deja Vu.

Think about that the next time you come across the same material and have a feeling of Deja Vu. ;-)

A Bit On Homeopathy And Bach Flowers

I am a big fan of both Homeopathy, Classical and Symptomatic, as well as Bach Flowers, and am always talking to friends and clients about my experiences, and about what they can also do to help themselves. It's important to know some of the basics of homeopathic remedies that are available and how they can be very helpful to you.

Bach Rescue Remedy is a good friend of mine, and it is advertised everywhere. It must be due to the level of emotional stress and the fast pace of life. For some of my clients who suffer from headaches, I recommend that they rub a few drops of Rescue Remedy into their temples, and also to take homeopathic coffee – Coffea Cruda, one particular remedy that calms the nerves, relaxes and brings on sleep, and can quite often cure a headache.

I have used Homeopathy for years, and in my particular case, it usually helps for first aid the quickest and the best. With nausea or stomach / overeating issues, I usually have almost immediate results with Nux Vomica.

I always have Arnica with me for traumatic occurrences, especially during martial arts classes. One combination formula which I like, and put together after years of experience for both myself and clients, is Arnica, Rhus Tox and Ruta Grav as an overall general cure for musculoskeletal issues and injuries.

All in lower doses for symptoms of course, so as not to affect the person's constitution in a Classical Homeopathy constitutional sense which usually happens with the higher doses. These and / or the Heel company's Traumeel pills and / or cream, I often recommend to my patients as an adjunct to our Osteopathic treatments with usual success.

My broken finger about 5 years back, almost completely healed after about three months, due to the expert care of a top Homeopath in England who gave me exact instructions as to how to proceed, and with what remedies, and even herbal salves to apply on the injury.

It was excellent for pain which helped right away, overall healing, and for reabsorbing of the scar tissue. I was soaking my finger in Hypericum / St. John's Wort tincture daily at the beginning as per his instructions, and this reduced swelling and pain as well as sped up the healing.

I have been treated with the Bach Flower individual essences in the past and even more recently by a graphologist who diagnoses and then combines Bach Flowers and regular Homeopathy. Any changes if at all, were subtle and not really noticeable, and then were definitely more the emotional than physical.

Related, is the fact that I have had similar weak physical results with Classical Homeopathy, though with my expert Classical Homeopath in England, I did manage to reach, heal, and transform deeper emotional levels that I had not gotten to in the past. The jury is still out on that...

There are many opinions as to what to avoid while on Homeopathic remedies. The opinions run from slight to extreme. Things like, mint, camphor, chamomile, garlic, onion, ?chocolate?, coffee, cola. I'm of the more easy going types and as I said, I trust my Homeopath in England. So basically avoid chamomile in any way shape or form while on remedies. And if you happen, to touch, smell, or taste / drink any, then just start  the remedy/ies over the next day.

To your inner healing!!!

The Best Discogenic Low Back Pain Exercise

Let's continue on the subject of helping you with the best lower back stretches.
 
In clinic I treat a major amount of patients who suffer from Discogenic Pain. Natural Treatment such as Osteopathy among other things is very helpful for such cases and can bring about dramatic changes.
 
So many patients ask me as a result, if and how any exercises can actually be used to help low back pain of discogenic origins, and if yes, then what is the best exercise for doing it.

Many of my patients come to see me suffering from back pain, with low back pain in particular. Pain in the back is an extremely common cause of disability and pain. Since back pain can stem from various different things, finding out what the exact cause is can help us get to the root of the problem and help provide us with a proper treatment protocol for this problem. Many conditions can be the root cause, including strained back muscles, intervetebral disc herniations, stenosis or narrowing of the spine, and other things.
 
There are times when it is thought that the back pain comes about from the lumbar spine discs that are being worn out and becoming degenerated. Such lower spine disc pain in the lumbar area may also be called discogenic lower back pain.
 
What exactly may cause discogenic lower back pain may not even be clearly understood. There are certainly visible differences between a healthy lumbar disc and a degenerated one. One issue is that there are those that say that this degeneration process is part of good ol ordinary aging. Most degenerated dics will not cause any symptoms. That being the case, it is even less understood why some people actually do suffer from major pain as a result.
 
Plus, the pain often does seem to get better as time goes on. So despite the fact that there is degeneration involved and it may be part of aging, people with such discogenic low back pain frequently have improvement with time. Some may be concerned that the appearance of discogenic low back pain may be the start of chronic back pain. This is scary. Most often this does not happen. Most people ailing from such low back pain can see improvement over time with some basic treatment and exercises.
 
Diagnosing lumbar discogenic back pain may not be that easy. There are specific things to look for in the physical exam, but these same results may also be found in those suffering from other kinds of back pain. Sure, the usual x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs may be done, but because degenerated discs may be found in normal people because of ordinary aging, the scans may show abnormal (supposedly) discs in those without pain or symptoms at all. So how can we prove that it IS disc pain, even if a disc does seem to be not normal in the scans?!
 
The discogram is a major test used to see if there is a discogenic low back pain diagnoses. A small amount of dye is injected into the suspected problematic disc. The source of apin as well as the disc's structure are both analyzed with the discogram. The test may be called positive, if there is pain from the injection that is the same as the disc pain that the patient feels.
 
It is often hard to treat discogenic low back pain, but fortunately enough some basic treatments and exercises can solve the actual back pain and I am going to take this even a step further in a moment.
 
Medicines either by prescription or even over the counter can also work well to get rid of the low back pain. These can be anti inflammatories or NSAIDs which help in the treatment of both the back pain and possible related inflammation. NSAID's side effects can include gastro intestinal bleeding, so people with ulcers in their stomach and GI tract should not be taking them.
 
As far as exercises and treatment go, there are those that advise strengthening the back muscles as a major step to treat discogenic low back pain. By working on and improving both the flexibility and strength of the muscles of the back, there is a better and more even weight distribution on the spine with less force then being placed on it.
 
So we all know what I think about back muscle "strenghtening", and you can read a bit more on that in my article Sa+sb=fb: Strong Abs And A Strong Butt Equals A Flexible Back! The flexibility however, is an amazing idea that I definitely agree with.
 
As I've said there, the weakest link in the back in L5 / S1, the last lumbar vertebrae on the base of the sacrum, and the disc in between them. That's the one most often with discogenic problems as a result and this causes compensations and lesions in the lower lumbar spine and the whole spinal column as a result.
 
You see, the Sacrum and Occiput or the head and lower back, are like two ends of a snake or whip, and depending on where a problem may occur one acts as a head or handle, and the other as a tail or tip. It's basically like a steering wheel which determines where and how the spine should go and how it should behave.
 
The key then is to release pressure on the weakest link, while using the mechanism of the spinal column and cord via the Occiput and Sacrum to straighten out the whole spinal complex. This results in the desired flexibility and release of the sacrum and lumbar spine, bringing about the desired balance and even weight distribution which will relieve discogenic low back pain as a result.
 
Many of you may have seen this on my video for lower back pain which is posted on top of my blog as the first entry or know about it and other exercises from my other articles.

• Lie flat on your back with your legs stretched straight out in front of you.
• Prop yourself up comfortably on your elbows with your forearms on the floor, bed, or mat next to your body.
• You are now propped up and looking straight in front of you.
• In no particular order:
• Split your legs to about twice the width of your hips.
• Internally rotate your hips and legs so that they turn towards each other.
• Dorsiflex the ankles by pulling your toes up and back towards you while pushing your heels down. This pulls on the posterior calf muscles the gastrocs / soleus which you will feel stretching.
• All this opens up and releases the sacro iliac joints.
• Maintain all these parameters that you have set up, for 60 seconds as you lower and roll your chin and your forehead towards your chest and sternum.
• Deep breathing in through the nose and out the mouth as you do all this.
• Keep the shoulders relaxed but supported by your arms.
• You will feel the neck stretching for the first few seconds as it does the work, but by the end of the minute you should feel your lower back being stretched and released as well which is the purpose here. Even if not, the work is most likely being done, so give yourself time to feel and let it work, because it does the job it’s supposed to do anyway.
• Relax and release everything.
• Slowly lower yourself down and lie on your back.
• Do 3 to 5 times per day for just the 1 minute.

Enjoy!
 
In general it is thought that besides for surgery and treatment with the mentioned drugs, there are very few treatment options. In a situation of surgery being done, a lumbar spine fusion is often done, or even the quite new lumbar disc replacement surgery which is being developed, as well as Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy which was developed in the late 90s.
 
In my opinion those should be left as a last resort after all other options are exhausted. The body is very resilient and has the ability to heal itself if it is aligned correctly and its balanced structure allows for ideal function.
 
That's the purpose of the exercise here in helping to treat the discogenic low back pain. With this, the best exercise for the problem as well as others, you can ultimately reach a level of being more mobile, pain free, and totally healthy.

Arthritis And the Alternative

There is a lot of information out there and so much to say about Complementary Alternative Medicine and Arthritis. What is it? Is there a cure? How do we go about it?

Though the term Arthritis is used loosely as if it is one disease, it actually identifies over 100 different types of illnesses. Common features include inflammation of the joints, surrounding tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It can affect almost every part of the body, and according to the National Institute of Health, the effects of Arthritis range from slight pain, stiffness and joint swelling, to crippling and disability, and it may affect people of all ages.
 

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of Arthritis, is often due to accidents and injuries, and after age 45 is more prevalent in women than in men. It is considered by many to be a natural result of the aging process. Chief underlying causes are age, excess weight, general wear and tear, inadequate diet and exercise, while additional causes may be due to skeletal defects, genetic factors, and hormonal deficiencies.

Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of protective cartilage at the ends of the bones, which then allows the bones to make direct unprotected contact. This creates bones spurs, abnormal bone hardening, inflammation, and severe pain. As a result, the bones become more brittle and subject to fracture. Biomechanical changes, especially tissue acidity can contribute to the development of Osteoarthritis.

Free radical damage, nutritional deficiencies, poor dietary and lifestyle choices, food and environmental allergies, genetic predispositions, and even pain medication use, can cause or contribute to biochemical processes that bring about changes to the biomechanics of joints and muscles.
 
Rheumatoid Arthritis though less common, is also serious and painful and can result in crippling disabilities in young and old alike. It however, does usually start at a younger age, between 20 and 50 and in the US, mostly in women. In this condition, the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues.

This may affect many organs in the body and can spread throughout, but usually it results in significant disability, deformity, and inflammation of the joints and connective tissue. This incapacitates the synovial membranes lining the joints, which causes the joints to become tender, swollen, and deformed.

This is an autoimmune disease, in which various combinations and severity of food allergies, nutritional factors, toxicity, abnormal intestinal permeability, and microorganisms bring about inflammation of the body. Genetic and lifestyle factors obviously come into play as well.
 
Gout is Arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid in the body, resulting from meats especially organ meats, or other foods, or from the body itself. Purines present in these types and other foods, actually break down into uric acid which is normally excreted through the urine. With inadequate elimination resulting in abnormal levels, uric acid crystallizes in the cartilage and synovium, causing sharp, needling pain in the joints as well as fever, chills, and loss of mobility.

This causes constipation, indigestion, headaches, depression, eczema, and hives with a greater risk of heart and kidney problems. Uric acid accumulation to begin with, may happen due to kidney or other metabolic problems. Enzyme defects, chronic anemia, or other complex conditions may increase production of uric acid, while dehydration or kidney disease can cause poor clearance of uric acid from the body.

Alcohol also inhibits uric acid elimination by the kidneys, and medicines such as aspirin and diuretics put extra stress on the kidneys. So proper diet, nutrition, and metabolic balance, all play crucial roles in the prevention and treatment of Gout.

Other less common forms of Arthritis include Ankylosing Spondylitis, an inflammatory condition that serves to bend or fuse spinal vertebrae. This is most usually found in men with the HLA-B27 gene.
 
Psoriatic Arthritis, follows skin psoriasis onset and includes swollen joints, especially in the ends of the fingers and toes. Underlying factors that contribute to this disease include improper bowel and liver function, overgrowth of candida, or infestations of other organisms in the bowel's microflora.
 
Infectious Arthritis, with fever, stiffness, and inflammation, especially in the knee joint, is caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections. This can be caused by both local microorganisms, or microorganisms elsewhere in the body that can influence an area, bringing about conditions such as Reiter's Syndrome, rheumatic fever, and Lyme disease.

In general, a number of underlying imbalances with associated physical, mental, and environmental factors can contribute to Arthritis, while a large number of factors may be the cause of Arthritis, including non stable joints, injuries, changes connected to age, toxins, microbes, altered biochemistry, hormonal factors, genetic predisposition, environmental, psychological, dietary, dental factors, and even allergies.

It is actually accepted today in the medical community, that people may have Arthritis brought on by allergies. Stress as well is a major influence, as it affects the production of progesterone and also thyroid hormones, bringing about menopausal difficulties that cause women to develop Arthritis as a result. It also can cause cortisone deficiency induced by stress, which can be a factor in some forms of Arthritis.

Conventional medicine has a huge list of medicines that are prescribed for Arthritis, most of them to merely block the pain. Conventional drugs will just hide the symptoms, while ignoring the underlying causes of the disease, while alternative medicine recognizes that Arthritis results from multiple causes, some not that obvious and many not that easily detectable.

Unlike conventional medicine which tries to merely deal with the symptoms, with alternative medicine Arthritis becomes a correctable disease that needs certain adjustments to our organs, diet, and lifestyle.

The main things for treating and preventing Arthritis are proper diet, nutrition, detoxification, and stress reduction. Very important in first treating Arthritis is achieving normal body weight, since excess weight puts more stress on weight-bearing joints affected by Arthritis.

Whole unprocessed foods high in nutrients are needed to fight harmful free radicals, enhance tissue health, repair joints, muscles, bones, and tendons, to balance tissue alkalinity, and to promote regular bowel movements.

Reducing acidity a precursor to inflammatory conditions, is done by by reducing acid forming foods while increasing alkalinity with alkaline foods to form a natural pH balance in the body. Reducing hydrogenated and trans fats while increasing essential fatty acids, is also necessary in order to reduce inflammation and the destruction of joint tissues.

Specific care must be taken to avoid substances that may cause allergic reactions or inflammation in the body. Saturated fats, white flour and sugar, red meat, ham, chemical additives, yeast, milk and dairy products, all increase inflammations, cause allergies, interfere with hormone production, cellular integrity, and the function and mobility of the joints.

Allergic and allergy like symptoms are present in many Arthritis patients, so all patients should be tested for food and environmental allergies, and at the very least, the most common ones should be avoided and removed.

When necessary, hormonal supplements and replacement should be used along with vitamins, minerals, herbs and other natural supplements, which can provide excellent relief without the side effects of ordinary drugs.

The main purpose and goal here is to help rebuild damaged cartilage and prevent the joints from breaking down, while also causing anti inflammatory and analgesic effects to bring about soothing and relaxation.

It is best to also use natural supplements with antioxidant properties to help neutralize free radicals that act on synovial membranes, to help regenerate cartilage cells, and to maintain proper cellular functions.

Removing toxins from the body is highly therapeutic for Arthritis patients. Detoxification helps them reverse toxin accumulation in the body brought about by bacterial and yeast infections, parasites, environmental pollutants, and leaky gut syndrome.

Meditation, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and a variety of mind / body methods greatly help reduce stress. Pain management and correction of musculoskeletal issues are addressed by a number of effective methods, including bodywork, chiropractic, acupuncture and Ayurvedic medicine.

All help provide release of muscle tension and poor circulation causing nerve and joint pain, while breaking up muscular wastes, increasing circulation, oxygen flow, and healing nutrients, while carrying toxins away.

Children's Health And The Alternative

The area of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Children's Health deserves much more attention and research.

So you'd think children's health is all about pediatrics, but it's really much more than that and even starts way before a child is born with the parents and their lives and involvement. It may seem that the focus is an individual child, but actually it's the entire family unit.

There's so much involved and it happens in stages and cycles of life. From planning a family, conception leading to pregnancy and childbirth, and then beginning with childhood vaccines shortly after birth.

Whether it's in in hospitals, long term care facilities, emergency care, or multidisciplinary primary health care settings, the natural community believes that healthy communities raise healthy children. So that also means empowering parents to use safe, effective and natural medicines at home with their children.

 

Natural / Alternative medicine offers a unique holistic approach to empowering children and families to break out of the conventional box and to actually improve their health.

Alternative care can compliment and is in addition to a child's regular doctor visits. The natural approach to health and healing differs from conventional medicine. By using gentle and non invasive treatments to restore and maintain health, side effects from natural treatments are absent or at least minor or rare.

 
As with adults, more aggressive therapies and surgery with children should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Communicating and listening to a child's symptoms is important for clues that indicate where the imbalance is in the body, and addressing the underlying causes of said symptoms will bring about healing.

The approach of suppressing symptoms thereby avoiding the cause through conventional medicine, will only cause more symptoms and decrease health.

 

Creating an individual health plan is necessary to focus on a child's specific strengths, weaknesses, sensitivities, and susceptibilities based on history, lifestyle, emotional health, mental health, environment and genetics.

The individual plan must be developed specifically for a child and may include the use of various different natural healing modalities.

The goal is to stimulate a child's natural healing ability through the use of natural medicines that are effective and safe. The body has an amazing talent to self heal given the correct environment and circumstances.

Natural and alternative medicine focuses on tweaking this natural talent to restore and maintain health and to get rid of blocks and barriers to healing. Health and healing can unfortunately be prevented by toxins, bad nutrition, and even too much stress.

Parents need to be encouraged to ask questions and to be empowered to make correct decisions about their own and their child's health by using open and honest communication. Even before conception while involved in family planning, they must make the effort to show their concerns and ask questions.

 

Both parents and a child's doctor and natural practitioner need to review important information and details together. In this way, both traditional wisdom combined with modern medicine and research are used to measure parents' health and that of each individual child so as to create a specific treatment plan.

 

Treatment plans and natural modalities may include:

• Herbal medicine (specific for children)
• Nutritional medicine
• Homeopathy
• Acupressure
• Bodywork / Massage
• Hydrotherapy
• Mind-body medicine

Also, counseling for parents and their children is necessary for support, especially during transitions and different stages in life, and gentle, understanding guidance while dealing with challenging events towards a life that is more balanced.

Natural medicine is useful for any child, with whatever symptoms they may have, because focus is given to improving the ability to heal. A treatment plan's extent, length, and other specifics will vary depending on an individual child's level of well being and health.

Parents often visit both doctors and natural practitioners in general for advice and help with many things, among them being:

stomach aches, stress, immunization and vaccine options or information, sleep disturbances, skin rashes / eczema / skin issues, sinus / nasal issues, hyperactivity, food sensitivity, flu, fever, eye infections such as pink eye or conjunctivitis, ear infections such as otitis media, diarrhea / constipation, cough, cradle cap, chickenpox, cold, colic, attention disorders, asthma, and allergies, and the list goes on...

Natural / Alternative Practitioners can help and should be consulted besides for doctors in order to give parents an informed choice as to how they wish to proceed in the treatment of their children.

As well, through Alternative medicine we can:

• aid kids and help them stay away from being exposed to various toxins and also help their body detoxify,
• reduce the risk of problems stemming from drugs, from being vaccinated or having surgeries,
• allow parents to receive appropriate information regarding childrens vaccinations, more natural vaccines or alternative choices,
• reduce a mother's and child's recovery time after birth,
• reduce the possibility of being injured, of having surgery, physical trauma, and emotional / mental trauma
• help improve a child's ability learn, concentrate, and study without the use of drugs in conditions such as ADD, ADHD, learning disorders or hyperactivity.
• optimize health through the stages of conception, growth and development, to adult,
• Make available to parents health advice congruent with a natural approach.

As much as possible, Alternative practitioners should also be taught to do total physical exams, and to know how to take a thorough medical history, but at the very least they should work hand in hand with the child's physician, considering and taking into account their medical exam and diagnoses.

All children should have a “physical” annualy at least. Depending on a child's medical history and symptoms, other examinations and tests should be done, such as blood tests, allergy tests, stress, orthopedic, or a nutritional assessment.

Performing and interpreting both natural and conventional medicine lab tests is necessary. Depending a child's present situation (and medical results obtained), a natural practitioner may ask and recommend other additional tests to evaluate stress, toxins, allergies, or sensitivities to food / substances etc.

This way, diagnosing is done for conditions from both a conventional as well as natural point of view. Natural diagnosis is more for seeking out specific imbalances in our body and systems.

Through this natural and alternative practitioners can get to the root cause of disease, not only its symptoms, and catch early disturbances, before they turn into conditions, diseases, and illnesses.

When natural treatment plans are prescribed and carried out, a child's specific plan may involve combinations of natural treatments and modalities some of which were mentioned. 

Progress is then monitored both by a parent as well as the practitioner. Reassessment in follow up visits during and following treatment plans is essential in order to assess a child's progress.

It is important to work in tandem with other different health care experts and practitioners. Naturopathic doctors, as well as other natural and alternative therapists actually do refer to pediatricians, work with them and family doctors, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, massage therapists, counselors and other various professionals to provide integrative healthcare of high standards as a team.

Often, natural doctors and practitioners may have similar training to physicians, but their guiding principles may be different. First and foremost, a child's health is top priority. As a result, not to cause harm, they use natural treatments that are effective and safe as opposed to conventional medicine which may tax the system and even be toxic.

The ultimate goal, is to strengthen and improve each person's ability to heal the self, and not to override the body's natural healing mechanisms. 

This is done by first finding and then treating the cause of disease rather than only suppressing symptoms, healing the whole person with their body, mind, and spirit, with thorough assessments, examinations, and individualized treatment plans, and by teaching the important principles of life long prevention and healthy natural living.