Hardman Acupuncture & TCM

“In treating infertility, Dr. Brown follows the principle that that you must ‘nourish the soil, before planting the seed’ .”

Our GP couldn’t tell us why we weren’t getting pregnant,” says Shannon Kush, a 31 year-old student of sign language and deaf studies in Vancouver.

Ms. Kush and her husband, Garrett, a chiropractor, have a four year old daughter, but after two years of trying to conceive another child and failing, they were considered to have “unexplained infertility.”

A friend recommended traditional Chinese medicine and Ms. Kush reluctantly decided to try it. After three months of acupuncture and herb treatments, she was pregnant.

Today, one in six couples in North America is infertile and 15 to 20 per cent of them will never know why. Add to this the fact that women are delaying childbearing to pursue careers and that Western medical treatments offer women aged 35 to 39 only a 30-per-cent chance of conceiving, and it’s not surprising that there’s a boom in other kinds of medicine. Some fertility clinics in Canada are now recommending acupuncture to their patients.

Chi (pronounced chee), or energy, is the basis of Chinese medicine. An imbalance of chi at any point in the body’s system can cause symptoms or disease. To correct an imbalance, herbs and acupuncture are prescribed. Supporters say traditional Chinese medicine is non-toxic and relatively affordable compared with Western reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), which costs on average of $10,000 and more.

“We couldn’t afford in vitro,” Ms. Kush says candidly. She had already tried a fertility drug for six months and undergone surgeries for endometriosis, a condition in which the lining of the uterus attaches outside the organ, causing scarring.

Although skeptical of the theory of Chinese medicine and terrified of needles, she decided to try the treatment. The herbal mixtures “tasted like dirt,” she says, but after only a month of taking them and having acupuncture treatments, she saw changes. “My nails weren’t splitting any more and my hair stopped falling out. After a couple of months, my PMS lightened. My menstrual cramps, which usually had me curled in a fetal position on the bed at least a day a month, went away.”

Now pregnant, Ms. Kush is due to give birth in July.

She was treated by Lorne Brown, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. “In Western medicine, PMS is considered to be normal and isn’t associated with infertility,” Dr. Brown says, “but in Chinese medicine it indicates a subtle imbalance that needs to be corrected.”

Hair loss, which suggests prolonged stress, is also associated with infertility. “If die stress is reduced and the chi is able to flow freely,” he explains, “all parts of the body will be nourished, including the hair and nails.”

In treating infertility, Dr. Brown follows the principle that you must “nourish the soil before planting the seed” – improving the overall health of the reproductive organs in order to optimize conception. “Ideally, I treat women for about three cycles with acupuncture and Chinese herbal mixtures to regulate their menstrual periods and balance their hormones,” he says. “The quality of the egg and the health of the baby are influenced by the woman’s health during this time.”

Dr. Brown refers to recent medical studies showing that acupuncture can increase blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. “This improves the quality of the eggs and thickens the uterine lining, making it more receptive to implantation.”
He treats patients who are trying to conceive naturally as well as those who are preparing for IVF and other reproductive technologies.

It was a combination of IVF and acupuncture that helped Brenda Swartlikoff, 38. She and her husband, Jason, had been trying to have a child for more than five years. After her first IVF embryo transfer, Ms. Swartlikoff suffered a miscarriage. After two more unsuccessful transfers, she tried insemination, but no luck.

“Somewhere in there we began adoption procedures,” she says. “I also decided to see a Chinese-medicine doctor.”

After several months of acupuncture treatments alone, Ms. Swartlikoff tried another IVF and became pregnant. She soon noticed some changes. “Within a month of starting the acupuncture, my cycle went from 33-32-31 days right to 28 days and it remained like that through my entire in vitro process. And I felt so relaxed after each treatment, like I’d been to a spa.”

Just over a week ago, she gave birth to a healthy girl.

Although Western science has just begun to investigate the 2,500-year-old traditions of Chinese medicine, studies support Brenda Swartlikoff’s positive experience.

“Acupuncture is one of the hottest things in the infertility field right now,” says Alice Domar, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Domar Center for Complementary Healthcare at Boston IVF, a large fertility clinic.

“From a scientific point of view, the research on acupuncture and infertility is tantalizing,” Dr. Domar says. “A 2002 study by [Dr. Wolfgang] Paulus got worldwide attention and showed a lovely increase in pregnancy rate using acupuncture during in vitro fertilization cycles.” Published in the prestigious medical journal Fertility and Sterility, this study compared two groups of 40 women aged 21 to 43. One group received acupuncture to relax the uterus, the other did not. Twice as many of the women who received acupuncture became pregnant.

But Dr. Domar remains cautious. “Other studies have not been as supportive of the hypothesis and suggest it may be a placebo effect. We need more data.”

Stephen Hudson, an obstetrician and gynecologist, and medical director of the Victoria Fertility Clinic on Vancouver Island has no such reservations. “I recommend all of my patients who are undergoing treatments such as IVF consider acupuncture. I think it relaxes them. Anything that positively affects your mental and physical health is going to help you improve the odds of getting and staying pregnant.”

A year ago, Tom Nadeau of Montreal was diagnosed with male infertility factor. A salesman, he attributes his very low sperm count and motility to the heat and constriction of long work hours in his car every summer. Male infertility factor accounts for one-third of infertility in couples. Female infertility accounts for another third, but most assisted reproduction technology is aimed at women.

Both Mr. Nadeau (not his real name) and his wife, Joan, opted to be treated by Aina Zhang, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Ms. Nadeau, 38, to optimize her general health and Mr. Nadeau, 33, for infertility.

Following Dr. Zhang’s advice, Mr. Nadeau reduced his work hours, changed his diet, drank teas made of specially prescribed Chinese herbs and underwent once-a-week acupuncture treatments. “I was skeptical at first,” he says, “but now I like the Chinese philosophy of balancing everything. It takes a while, but the results are there.”

After a year of seeing Dr. Zhang, Mr. Nadeau’s semen analysis shows normal levels. A 2005 study published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility backs up his experience. It showed significant increases in the number and motility of sperm in men who had acupuncture treatments.

Three weeks ago, the Nadeau’s used intrauterine insemination to try to conceive. The procedure, in which sperm is injected directly into the uterus, requires healthy sperm. For Tom Nadeau, it was no problem.

• Leslie Grant Timmins

Leslie Grant Timmins is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.

This article was published in the
Toronto Globe and Mail, April 15, 2006

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For more information on this procedure, contact Dr. Hardman
www.hardmanacupuncture-tcm.com
or by telephone 604-524-6855.

by Carole Jackson of Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

I received a great deal of enthusiastic E-mail in response to articles that we have published regarding acupuncture and its benefits. So, with that for inspiration, I asked Matthew Bauer, a licensed acupuncturist in La Verne, California, author of Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture (Avery) for the top five uses of acupuncture.

The exciting thing about acupuncture is that it is not for “fixing symptoms.” Rather, it stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself. It can be used on its own, or it can be used in conjunction with Western medical techniques to, as Bauer describes it, “tie up the loose ends” left by medications or procedures. And unlike drugs, acupuncture is almost entirely free of negative side effects — and often has many positive side effects.

BAUER’S TOP 5

• Pain relief. This is a broad category. Physical pain of virtually any type can be helped by acupuncture. Doctors who are trained in Chinese medicine look at each patient as an individual, and make a diagnosis using techniques that seek what is unbalanced in the body. For example, if an affected area feels better when the doctor applies pressure, the patient is said to have a “deficiency.” But if the affected area feels worse, the patient has an “excess.” In this way, different patients can come in with seemingly the same problem yet may be treated differently. People are treated for back and neck pain, joint pain, pain that comes from the nervous system, and even phantom limb pain.

Because acupuncture aids in the body’s ability to heal itself, it often happens that the body not only heals the intended part but also heals other areas as a happy result. One word of warning: Patients often enter an extremely relaxed state when they have a session. You may want to have a friend drive you to your first appointment to gauge how you will react.

• Hormone imbalances/female disorders. The majority (70%) of acupuncture patients are female, and many of them deal with hormone imbalances that manifest as menstrual problems, premenstrual syndrome and symptoms of menopause. Additionally, women often seek acupuncture for pain relief, such as migraines, and find that the migraine is a result of a hormonal imbalance. That said, remember that although acupuncture can assist with hormonal symptoms, underlying issues related to hormone imbalance (such as osteoporosis and vulnerability to reproductive cancer) are not addressed. Acupuncture will not fix the underlying problems of these issues, so do not abandon the regular oversight of your obstetrician/gynecologist and naturopath team just because you may be feeling better.

Interestingly, Bauer points out that the hormone is a relatively new scientific discovery and that Chinese medicine doesn’t have a word for it. Instead, a practitioner might refer to a “blood imbalance” based on the color of the patient’s tongue or the strength of their pulse.

Chinese medicine can relieve the symptoms of menopause as well as menstrual cycle problems. Acupuncture also can be used to treat couples with fertility problems. (Both partners are treated.) For all “blood imbalance” treatments, Bauer recommends a practitioner who is trained in herbal remedies as well as acupuncture, preferably a doctor of Ortental medicine (OMD), as many of these disorders can be treated with teas and herbs as well.

Men, too, can use acupuncture to assist with hormone imbalances that manifest as mood swings, fatigue, headaches and sexual and reproductive issues.

• Immune system boost. Acupuncture helps to build the body’s immune system because it helps the body heal itself by opening up pathways of energy flow. It is effective in treating patients with all sorts of illnesses and complaints, from the common cold to AIDS.

While acupuncture is by no means a cure for HIV or AIDS, patients who receive such treatments get fewer colds and flus, and they experience a better quality of life.

Bauer recommends a series of treatments for people with a low immune history to build the system, followed by occasional “booster” treatments. He notes an old Chinese saying: “To wait for symptoms is to dig a well after you are thirsty.” But he also notes that for 2,000 years, human nature has basically remained unchanged. Few people come in for their ounce of prevention, and instead wait for their pound of cure.

• Stress relief. Acupuncture usually puts people in a state of deep relaxation. “Most of us are too focused outwardly, and that is where stress comes from,” says Bauer. He also notes that stress is a plague in the modern world. “The way I see it, there are two kinds of stress,” Bauer explains. “The first I call obvious stress. This is your job, or your marriage, or the other pressure you feel from society. But the second I call insidious stress. This is the uneasiness that is a part of our culture regarding the uncertainty of the future of humanity. We now have the ability and see how possible it would be to destroy life on the planet. This is stressful. And it is so ubiquitous that we often don’t notice how it is affecting our daily lives. But when we are in the relaxed state that acupuncture can bring on, it opens the energy pathways, eases blockages and places the body into a state of calm and balance.
• Pediatrics and geriatrics. Babies and children under age five will benefit from acupressure more than acupuncture, but the touch therapy is a great way to create balance in both little ones and older folks while building up their immune systems. “Kids’ systems are continually swaying from one extreme to the other,” Bauer says. “And their nervous systems are not yet fully developed. They need to be touched to help them develop, which is why parents are encouraged to hold and cuddle their babies.” As children age and move through hormonal and psychologically vulnerable stages, acupressure, and as children get older, acupuncture, can continue to help them maintain balance.

At the other extreme, older patients are usually “hanging by a thread,” Bauer says. “While a little nudge in the wrong direction could send them over the edge, a little nudge in the right direction can vastly improve their quality of life.”

Bauer would like to see facilities in retirement homes and communities that offer both acupuncture and acupressure. He believes it would significantly reduce the need for drugs, thereby reducing the side effects and the cost to older patients.

To find a licensed acupuncturist (LAc) or OMD in your area, visit the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture’s Web site at www.medicalacupuncture.org.

Be well,

Carole Jackson
Bottom Line’s [ Daily Health News ]

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Article Source:

Cures the Size of a Pin Prick – Matthew D. Bauer, licensed acupuncturist, La Verne Acupuncture, La Verne, California. He is author of Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture (Avery).

For more information on how Acupuncture and TCM can improve your health & wellness,
contact Dr. Hardman by email
hardman.wellness@telus.net
or by telephone 604-524-6855.

“The vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effects on the human temperament would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.” – Albert Einstein

In an issue (of my Health Points Newsletter) I made a brief reference about the connection between microwave cooking and cholesterol. I don’t consider it fair to suggest something without offering a viable alternative, so I would like to share my personal solution to the problem.

When I need to cook food, I use a steamer. With a bit of practice, I have found that if I put my steamer on the heat first, by the time I have my veggies washed and chopped, the steamer is ready, and within minutes they are ready to enjoy. Most items will steam as quickly as they can be nuked, and they survive the experience with the majority of their God-given nutrients intact.

If I need to re-heat something, I also use steam. I have a steam-tray for my Wok, and I simply sit the dish of food on the tray – cover it – and within minutes, it is steaming hot – once again with nutrients relatively intact.

My inquisitive mind, combined with a very basic knowledge of electronics, made me feel that anything that could explode an egg – one of the basic sources of life – was worth of a large bit of caution. My suspicions were further aroused with the warning that they could be harmful to pacemakers. There had to be more to microwaves than the information listed in the Owner’s Manual.

One day I was in a small coffee bar, buying a pack of gum to replace my recently departed smoking habit. The cashier was in the process of entering my purchase into the electronic cash register, when a waitress popped a muffin into the nuker and hit Start. The cash register immediately lost its program as a result of the Electro-Magnetic interference. Excuse me; I’m out of here!

Anyone who has ever had the experience of cleaning off an “easy-wipe” interior can relate to the fact that microwaving is an act of violent, destructive power.

Microwaves are based on the principles of alternating current – they force atoms and molecules to reverse polarity 1- 100 billion times a second, and the oxygen of water molecules react most sensitively. It is the friction from this violence in water molecules that generates cooking heat. This action heats from the centre of the cell outward, the opposite of conventional cooking. The structures of molecules are torn apart and deformed, which results in impaired quality.

A Swiss scientist, Hans Hertel, was the first person to carry out a quality study on the effects of microwaved nutrients on the blood and physiology of humans. He noted that eating microwaved nutrients caused changes in the blood of his study participants. He found that this deformation of food molecules also results in the formation of new compounds (radiolytic compounds), of which we know nothing about, nor their long-term effects on human physiology.

Some of his significant findings, following the intake of microwaved food, included:

1. An increase in cholesterol levels
2. A decrease in hemoglobin (anemic tendencies)
3. Lymphocytes (white blood cells) showed a distinct short term decrease
4. Signs of stress on the body indicated by the increase of leukocytes, which can lead to pathogenic effects such as poisoning and cell damage.

Other independent studies have tracked an increase in symptoms such as headaches, eye strain, fatigue, dizziness, moodiness, irritability, hair loss, muscle and heart pain, breathing difficulties, a pulling sensation in the scalp and brain tumors coincidental with increased microwave use, a 1000% higher incidence of Down’s Syndrome in a town with a high concentration of microwave towers, and rats exposed to as little as 60 Hz of non-ionizing energy had a decreased immune response.

The American Embassy was bombarded by the Soviets with the infamous Moscow (microwave) Signal for 30 years to eavesdrop and jam its electronic equipment. After observing the adverse effects upon the American’s health, the Soviets now have standards up to 1,000 times more stringent, as a result of their experiment.

Has your radio ever started playing in the off position? Is there a safe threshold? Time will tell. In the interim, I prefer not to be part of the social experiment!

Blue skies, smooth highways, good health and God bless.

- from ‘The RV Times’, August/September 1996

Also of interest (a must read!):

A 26-year old decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he told me he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that the water was not boiling, but instantly the water in the cup “blew up” into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build up of energy.

His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring. He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as: a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a tea kettle.

General Electric’s response:

Thanks for contacting us. I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it. To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds before moving it or adding anything into it. If you pass this on … you could very well save someone from a lot of pain and suffering.

==> Click here to view a mpg video demo of what can happen <==

For more information on this procedure, contact Dr. Hardman
www.hardmanacupuncture-tcm.com
or by telephone 604-524-6855.

STUDY – WebPosted Wed Jul 6 13:13:16 2005

Acupuncture can be a useful tool in reducing intravenous drug use in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, home to an estimated 4,000 addicts, a new study shows.

Addicts said the acupuncture approach helped them to deal with painful withdrawal symptoms. Many also preferred it to usual treatments like methadone, said Dr. Patricia Janssen, an epidemiologist at the University of British Columbia who led the study.

In Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, the prevalence rate for HIV is 30 per cent and 90 per cent for hepatitis C, making it a priority area for public-health programs aimed at reducing the use of injected drugs. Janssen said addicts perceived acupuncture as a more natural treatment, and that it appealed to people from diverse cultures.

The researcher said she was inspired by what she has seen on her many visits to China, and wanted to see if acupuncture could be an effective alternative to methadone. “Acupuncture is not alternative in many parts of the world. It’s mainstream. So it’s just a matter of having an imagination, and thinking about different possible approaches.” Janssen said she and her colleagues weren’t prepared for how many drug users turned up for acupuncture during the voluntary program. There were 2,755 treatments for a group of addicts who visited clinics every couple of weeks over a three-month period. A statistically significant number of them reduced their drug use after they were treated.

The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Urban Health. The study’s authors hope the findings will help to win over the medical establishment. “It helped people reduce the side-effects of substance withdrawal, so it’s one more tool that we have to help people withdraw from drugs.”

FROM JAN. 19, 2005: Free heroin for addicts in new study [CBC British Columbia] Addicts reported less intense withdrawal symptoms including “shakes,” stomach cramps, hallucinations, “muddle-headedness,” insomnia, muscle aches, nausea, sweating, heart palpitations, and feeling suicidal.

Janssen is embarking on a new clinical trial that will treat pregnant drug-addicted women with acupuncture, instead of the usual methadone.

The treatment could lessen or eliminate the need to give the newborns morphine, to help them deal with the pain of addiction inherited from their mothers.

Copyright (C) 2005 CBC. All rights reserved.

The following information is resourced from the Health Sciences Institute e-Alert. Their free medical information letter called the Health Sciences Institute e-Alert is written by Jenny Thompson, and circulated by www.hisbaltimore.com

The following text is excerpted from Ms. Jenny Thompson’s article titled “This Little Piggy” dated May 04, 2004.

Dear Reader,

Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from onychomycosis?

That’s pronounced: onako-my-kosis. And if it doesn’t have a catchy ring to it, it’s far more appealing than calling it what it really is: toenail fungus.

Not pretty, but what can you do? This common problem affects more than 12 million Americans. And many HSI members too, judging from the numerous postings on the HSI Forum that have addressed this annoying health problem.

Recently, a member named Bill posted this typical question: “Does anyone know of a non-prescription way to clear up toenail fungus?”

The key phrase here is “non-prescription,” because one of the ironies of this condition is that it’s not harmful to your overall health, but the drugs used to address it definitely can be.

A stitch in time…

You may have seen the TV commercial for a toenail fungus medication in which a cartoon fungus spore lifts up a toenail and burrows in under the nail where he and his fungus friends wreak havoc. It’s an uncomfortable image, but that’s about how it works. When your bare feet are exposed to damp conditions in public areas – such as locker rooms or swimming pools – a fungus called trichophyton rubrum can slip in under a toenail and begin growing. Damaged nails are most susceptible, and people who have immune system disorders, diabetes or a history of athlete’s foot are particularly vulnerable.

Toenail fungus can be unsightly, but it doesn’t hurt, and except for extreme cases it doesn’t create any health problems. But once a nail is infected, the fungus can spread to other nails, including fingernails, so it’s a good idea to treat it early, before it grows out of control.

Some of those toenail fungus commercials will lead you to believe that medication is the only way to treat the problem, but don’t you believe it. And, as I said above, the side effects for those medications are far worse than the fungus. They include headaches, nausea, and rashes and even blood disorders. Liver damage is also enough of a danger that patients taking these drugs need to have their liver function tested during the medication period, which can take up to a year or more. That’s because toenails only grow a couple of millimeters each month, and the healing progresses at the same slow speed – whether you use a prescription or natural methods.

Fungus fighting oils

One of the most common natural treatments for toenail fungus is tea tree oil, which is discussed at length on the HSI Forum. A member named Lynn says that after trimming her nail back (easy to do when it’s in a deteriorating condition), she used a soft toothbrush to apply the oil twice each day. This process took nine months, but the nail eventually grew in just fine.

Lynn might have helped her cause by taking one additional step. In a Health e-Tips e-letter last year, Amanda Ross wrote about some of the safe treatments for toenail fungus recommended by Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. Because it’s sometimes hard to get natural anti-fungals (such as tea tree oil and oregano oil) under the nail in sufficient concentration, Dr. Wright suggests applying DMSO, a natural solvent available at many natural food stores. Amanda writes: “DMSO carries the natural anti-fungal solutions right through the nail where they can start to work against the fungus.”

Amanda also notes that oregano oil appears to be the most effective natural anti-fungal, but cautions that it’s very strong. If it irritates surrounding skin, it can be diluted with a little olive oil to reduce potency.

Powerful stuff

In one of the toenail fungus threads on the HSI Forum, a member named Rosie says, “Dr. Wright recommends the good old fashioned topical antibiotic iodine for toenail fungus, specifically potassium iodide (SSKI).”

Rosie’s correct. Dr. Wright has written many times about how SSKI can inhibit or kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, and he highly recommends it in combination with DMSO for treating toenail fungus.

But SSKI use comes with a couple of warnings. Very few people are allergic to iodine, but those who are should avoid its use in any form, including SSKI. Iodine can also suppress thyroid function when taken for long periods of time. So to be on the safe side, consult with your doctor or a naturopathic healthcare professional before using SSKI. Those with thyroid conditions need to take special care in monitoring thyroid function while using this treatment.

And then there’s the sock problem. If you apply SSKI to your toes and then put on socks, the iodine may stain the fabric with an orangey-brown color. So if the appearance of your socks is a concern, take care to reduce contact with toes that are freshly treated with SSKI. SSKI sometimes requires a prescription, but may be available without one in some compounding pharmacies and health food stores.

Getting off on the right foot

There are a couple of things you can do to help prevent onychomycosis from ever getting started. If your feet are regularly exposed to damp conditions, avoid using nail polish, which can help trap moisture beneath the nails. Keeping your feet clean and dry also helps, as does changing your socks or hosiery daily.

And by all means, at the first sign of toenail discoloration, flaking or deterioration, begin treatment immediately and you may avoid spending the next year with your feet smelling like oregano.

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Reference: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ key words “this little piggy”

Disclaimer. Dr. William Hardman, Dr. TCM, provides this article for information and education purposes. It should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. Consult your health care professional on matters pertaining to your health and well-being. Although it is your right to self-medicate, by exercising that right you are accepting full responsibility for the outcome.

Source: Pediatrics November 2004

If you have an allergy, your body’s immune system has been programmed to treat a particular substance in food or the environment as an enemy. Defending us against harmful substances is part of the immune system’s job. With allergies, the immune system reacts to a substance that, for the non-allergic person, is completely harmless. Hay fever, for example, is an allergic reaction to pollen. Why do some people have hay fever, while everyone else can breathe in pollen particles with no problem? Because the immune system in the hay fever sufferer sets an allergic reaction in response to pollen molecules that come in contact with sinus passages.

IgE (immunoglobulin E) is the antibody class that is largely responsible for allergic reactions. IgE triggers a special type of immune cell called the “Mast cell” to release histamine and other potent chemicals into the blood stream. The first line of our immune defense network, Mast cells act like sentries at the places where we interface with the outside world: the intestinal tract, the sinuses, the lungs, and the skin. Mast cells come equipped with IgE antibodies positioned on their surfaces. Before joining forces with Mast cells, IgE antibodies are pre-set to recognize specific antigens. This pre-programming takes place through the activity of T cells and B cells, which are other key players in the immune system. When an antigen comes in contact with IgE antibodies, an “antigen-antibody” complex is formed. This complex signals the Mast cell to open up storage granules inside the cell that contain histamine and a host of other potent chemicals. This process is called “degranulation.” Once in the bloodstream, these substances produce allergic reactions in the skin, the respiratory tract, and the gastrointestinal tract.

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, enrolled children to study the effects of acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis. The average age of the participants was 11 years. Thirty-five children received the active acupuncture for eight weeks while 37 received the sham treatment. Researchers recorded the number of symptom-free days, adverse effects, medication use, and blood tests among others to score the results. The results showed that those receiving active treatment had more symptom-free days and lower rhinitis scores. In addition, immediate symptom relief was seen after the active acupuncture. No difference was found in the blood test between the two groups. The authors concluded that active acupuncture was more effective although larger studies are needed to ensure the safety of acupuncture in children¹.

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¹ A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Childhood Persistent Allergic Rhinitis. Pediatrics. Nov 2004; 114(5): 1242-7.

Study reports that acupuncture relieves pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis

According to a recently completed research study, acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee and serves as an effective complement to standard care. This landmark study was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), both components of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The findings of the study — the longest and largest randomized, controlled phase III clinical trial of acupuncture ever conducted — were published in the December 21, 2004, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The multi-site study team, including rheumatologists and licensed acupuncturists, enrolled 570 patients, aged 50 or older with osteoarthritis of the knee. Participants had significant pain in their knee the month before joining the study, but had never experienced acupuncture, had not had knee surgery in the previous 6 months, and had not used steroid or similar injections. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or participation in a control group that followed the U.S. Arthritis Foundation’s self-help course for managing their condition. Patients continued to receive standard medical care from their primary physicians, including anti-inflammatory medications, such as COX-2 selective inhibitors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioid pain relievers.

“For the first time, a clinical trial with sufficient rigor, size, and duration has shown that acupuncture reduces the pain and functional impairment of osteoarthritis of the knee,” said Dr. Stephen E. Straus, NCCAM Director. “These results also indicate that acupuncture can serve as an effective addition to a standard regimen of care and improve quality of life for knee osteoarthritis sufferers. NCCAM has been building a portfolio of basic and clinical research that is now revealing the power and promise of applying stringent research methods to ancient practices like acupuncture.”

“More than 20 million Americans have osteoarthritis. This disease is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among adults,” said Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., NIAMS Director. “Thus, seeking an effective means of decreasing osteoarthritis pain and increasing function is of critical importance.”

During the course of the study, led by Dr. Brian M. Berman, Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine and Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 190 patients received true acupuncture and 191 patients received sham acupuncture for 24 treatment sessions over 26 weeks. Sham acupuncture is a procedure designed to prevent patients from being able to detect if needles are actually inserted at treatment points. In both the sham and true acupuncture procedures, a screen prevented patients from seeing the knee treatment area and learning which treatment they received. In the education control group, 189 participants attended six, 2-hour group sessions over 12 weeks based on the Arthritis Foundation’s Arthritis Self-Help Course — a proven, effective model.

On joining the study, patients’ pain and knee function were assessed using standard arthritis research survey instruments and measurement tools, such as the Western Ontario McMasters Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Patients’ progress was assessed at 4, 8, 14, and 26 weeks. By week 8, participants receiving acupuncture were showing a significant increase in function and by week 14 a significant decrease in pain, compared with the sham and control groups. These results, shown by declining scores on the WOMAC index, held through week 26. Overall, those who received acupuncture had a 40 percent decrease in pain and a nearly 40 percent improvement in function compared to baseline assessments.

“This trial, which builds upon our previous NCCAM-funded research, establishes that acupuncture is an effective complement to conventional arthritis treatment and can be successfully employed as part of a multidisciplinary approach to treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Berman.

Acupuncture–the practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being — originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. In 2002, acupuncture was used by an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2002 National Health Interview Survey. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. In recent years, scientific inquiry has begun to shed more light on acupuncture’s possible mechanisms and potential benefits, especially in treating painful conditions such as arthritis.

Study Suggests Treatment is Effective, Even in Difficult Cases

One of the most frequent injuries suffered by professional athletes and weekend warriors alike is epicondylitis, an inflammation of the muscles and tendons of the forearm. More commonly known as tennis elbow, it is caused by repeated twisting of the wrist or frequent rotation of the forearm, and can lead to a weakened grip, elbow pain, and damage to the tendons that connect to the humerous, the bone of the upper arm.

Traditional treatment of tennis elbow consists of therapies such as braces, medications, heat, physical therapy and rest, the majority of which are effective in relieving pain but do very little to prevent the condition from recurring. Research from a pilot study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in San Franciscoⁱ suggests that acupuncture not only relieves the symptoms of tennis elbow, it appears to resolve the condition completely.

In the study, Dr. Peter Dorsher, a medical doctor certified in acupuncture, performed acupuncture on 22 patients with varying degrees of tennis elbow. Dorsher used “rounded” acupuncture needles, which are designed to pierce the skin and enter the muscle with as little damage as possible. All the patients were treated with French energetic meridian therapy, with needles inserted at local points on the elbow in tight myyofascial bands.

Each patient was treated between 2-10 times. After an average of 3.9 treatments, a “maximal response” was achieved, with every patient reporting a disappearance of their symptoms. This response also appeared to last much longer than that usually seen in patients using painkillers, braces or other traditional methods. At a mean follow up time of 8.5 months after receiving acupuncture, 17 patients (77.3%) experienced a resolution of their symptoms and had returned to full, normal activities; another two patients had returned to normal activities except those that involved heavy lifting in the affected arm. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Dorsher’s study is that many patients had endured months of pain before turning to acupuncture. Subjects in the study group suffered symptoms an average of eight months; six patients had experienced symptoms for more than two years.

Furthermore, nearly every patient who participated had previously attempted to cure their tennis elbow through conventional means, with some patients trying multiple therapies without success before trying acupuncture. Of the 22 subjects in the study, 14 had undergone “extensive hand therapy interventions”, 17 had used an elbow brace or splint, seven received corticosteroid injections for pain relief, and one patient had elbow surgery, all without achieving the desired effect, before turning to acupuncture.

In an interview with Reuters Healthⁱⁱ, Dorsher said that it was unclear why acupuncture seemed to help patients in the early and letter stages of tennis elbow but added that the needles appeared to immediately loosen the tight muscles around the elbow joint. Acupuncture was found to be so helpful, he noted, that he now performs it as a primary form of treatment.

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ⁱ Dorsher PT. Treatment of chronic lateral epicondylitis with acupuncture: a pilot study. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, San Francisco, CA, November 4, 2000.
ⁱⁱ Norton A. Acupuncture serves up cure for tennis elbow. Reuters Health, November 6, 2000.

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”  – Father James Keller

What is a Gallbladder?

One dictionary describes it thus: anat. A small, pear-shaped muscular pouch situated beneath the liver in man and serving as a reservoir for bile conducted through the gall duct. A Medical Dictionary states it is the pear shaped reservoir for bile beneath the liver.

Hopefully, you are still intact with all the parts your Creator included under standard equipment, and you don’t have a scar marking where it was. It is an essential organ for optimum health – if we didn’t require one, we wouldn’t have one.

What does my Gallbladder do?

The function is partially defined in the above description. Our liver continuously excretes bile a.k.a. gall, and the gallbladder is the storage tank where it is concentrated, which enhances its effectiveness as a digestive aid. Concentrated bile is far more effective than bile secreted direct from the liver.

Allow me to present a brief refresher on our digestive system. Raw, hopefully well-chewed foods arrive in our stomach for rotting & ripening, as described in Chinese physiology. A healthy stomach will convert our food into a liquid-like chyme (kīm) in about 45 minutes, aligning it for exit order of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A time frame of 1 – 4 hours is more likely given our common practice of over-taxing the process with multiple food combinations.

This chyme is pushed into our small intestine by stomach contraction. Then the process of sorting the pure (nutrients) from the impure (waste) is activated by a multitude of enzymes primarily produced by the pancreas and the liver. These enzymes are supplied to the upper portion of our small intestine (the duodenum) via the Common Bile Duct.

The presence of fats in the chyme triggers the production of a Duodenal Hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK stimulates the gallbladder to contract, releasing stored bile into the duodenum via the Common Bile Duct where it emulsifies the fat in the chyme, preparing it for absorption or elimination. These contractions can also trigger a gallstone attack.

Whew! Glad to see that you’re still with me. Physiology is so much more than a five-syllable word and it is difficult to simplify such a complex system in relatively plain language.

What’s the matter with fat?

Fat is an essential nutrient for our good health. We need a layer to insulate our body and preserve body heat, support and protect vital organs, and fats act as carriers for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin D makes calcium available in our body tissues and fats are also important for the conversion of carotenes into vitamin A. The problem is when we get too much of a good thing or the wrong type of fat.
We must keep in mind that one gram of fat yields approximately nine calories. Fats digest slowly by slowing down our stomach’s secretion of hydrochloric acid and gives us a prolonged sense of fullness, and any excess consumption will be stored for future use – usually right in the place where we least want it. Our excess body fat becomes a toxic waste dump and for every pound of excess body fat, we develop an extra mile of capillaries to nourish it, creating a strain on our cardiovascular system in general and our heart in particular.

Fats derive their taste from “fatty acids”, and the two basic types are saturated and unsaturated, the latter type consisting of the three “essential” fatty acids: linoleic, arachidonic and linolenic. An excellent source of additional information is Fats That Heal Fats That Kill by Udo Erasmus, circa 1988 (third printing).

How does it affect my health?

To best answer this question, I will combine Western and Eastern concepts. Our Gallbladder and Liver are interdependent and interactive. The basic function of the gallbladder is to receive bile from the liver, utilizing Liver-Qi to secrete it from storage on demand. The bile aids digestion and we are healthy. In dis-ease, when our Liver-Qi is stagnant and the smooth flow of bile is interrupted we can experience many disharmonies.

The resultant digestive upset may be something as simple as nausea and belching, or a myriad of symptoms may occur. The interruption in Qi flow may cause us to become indecisive, experience one-sided temporal or parietal headaches, pain in the Anterior Deltoid (shoulder) and/or the Popliteus (back of knee) muscles peaking at midnight, and we may experience a loss of flexibility in our sinews. Our skin may have a slight jaundiced (yellowish) appearance. Our sleep may be interrupted, waking between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m., with difficulty falling asleep again. The Spiritual Axis in chapter 43 says, “When the Gall Bladder is deficient one dreams of fights, trials and suicide.”

Bile consists of cholesterol, bile salts, lecithin and other substances. If the cholesterol crystallizes as the result of a fat allergy and combines with bile and inorganic calcium*, a calculus is formed which is commonly known as a gallstone. They can range in size from a large grain of sand to the size of a golf ball. The majority of our population has gallstones in their gallbladder as a byproduct of our lifestyle. As long as they stay put, they are not a problem. When something like a fatty meal triggers a higher than normal flow of bile, and one of these ragged little critters decides to go along for the ride, it can get our attention. If it is able to pass through the common bile duct, we may only experience a sudden sharp pain, and then nothing – at least until the next time we ingest a Rueben sandwich or other fried food!

If you awake about 2:00 a.m. with excruciating pain in upper right quadrant of your abdomen possibly referring into your back, accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting, you are probably experiencing a gall stone attack (biliary colic) and will require immediate medical attention. A gallstone that becomes lodged in the common bile duct can result in Pancreatitis if the enzymes produced by the Pancreas are blocked from entering the duodenum. Surgical intervention may be necessary. The highest risk group, known in medical circles as the Four F’s, is the Fair, Fat, Forty and Female category. Multiple pregnancies increase the risk factor.

Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder or bile duct from the abrasive action of the gallstones rubbing against tissue and represents a serious medical condition. See your doctor immediately. You may have eaten your way into the abyss where remedial surgery is your only choice. Prevention and/or a gallbladder cleanse are no longer viable options, and you may come home with a microsurgery scar marking the spot where your gallbladder used to be.

How can I cleanse it?

There are several natural methods available to us to regain and maintain a squeaky-clean gallbladder. The first step is to make lifestyle changes that will discourage the formation of stones. To prevent gallstones, eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that is vegetarian or close to it. Prior to reducing your fats, read about good fats and bad fats and make sure that your low-fat choices will provide you with the essential fatty acids. Fried and fatty foods are the most common cause of biliousness, and can be eliminated. All starch, bread and grain products are high in *inorganic calcium (see action above) and would be a good thing to eliminate or eat in moderation. If you know that you are free from a citrus allergy, the juice of an unsweetened lemon in a glass of hot water, taken several times a day for 3 to 4 weeks has helped dissolve gallstones. Other juices that complement the hot lemon are carrot, beet & cucumber; carrot & spinach; carrot, celery & parsley; and carrot, beet & coconut.

In my last article titled Liver Quiver, I mentioned a list of nutrients under Remedial action and several of them are applicable. In addition, Alfalfa tablets taken as tea can cleanse and nourish the liver and gallbladder. Fresh, organic Apple Juice can soothe an attack and consumed on a regular basis, will usually slowly dis-solve the stones. Barberry Root Bark is helpful but contraindicated with pregnancy. The Coffee Retention Enemas stimulate bile flow and may assist in flushing any deposits out of the liver. Taken in therapeutic doses, Lecithin, a proven fat emulsifier, will help dissolve cholesterol-based stones. In Europe, Peppermint Oil capsules are used to cleanse the gallbladder. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), because of its active ingredient curcumin, has been proven to reduce gallstones.

A remedy for the tenacious!

If you want to clear your gallstones by bedtime tomorrow night, buy a pint of purest, cold-pressed Extra Virgin olive oil and eight or nine lemons. Bottled, pure juice will work, but fresh is preferred. About 45 minutes prior to starting the oil & lemon juice, lay on your right side, with a hot water bottle or hot pack placed over your liver area. Start the procedure at about 7:00 p.m., and you must be sure not to eat anything solid after the midday meal on the chosen day, but you can have normal drinks during the interim. Start with four tablespoons of the olive oil and immediately follow them down with one tablespoon of neat, unsweetened lemon juice. After fifteen minutes, repeat this pair of doses in exactly the same way … and continue at fifteen minute intervals until all of the oil has been taken, then finish off the treatment by drinking any remaining lemon juice.

It is important that all of the oil should be taken at those fixed intervals and all on the same evening. In an occasional case the patient will throw up some of the oil during or after the treatment, and this in spite of the fact that the acid juice “lays” the oil and takes away the possibility of nausea developing during the treatment. Any oil that is thrown up is merely excess quantity which is not required by that particular person’s system for achieving full results – i.e.: the system will either retain and use all the oil, or else it will use all that it requires and reject the balance. Note carefully: Even if you vomit any of the oil during the treatment you must still carry on taking the oil without interfering with the fifteen minute intervals between doses. If you fail to observe this instruction, it is possible that you may leave stones in transit and these could give bilary colic after a few days, when they begin to move without the soothing, softening action of the oil. No such after-affect has ever come to my knowledge when the full pint of oil has been taken.

What do the stones look like? During the twenty-four to forty-eight hours after taking this treatment you should pass all bowel movements into a receptacle and run tap water strongly on the excrement with a view to washing out the stones from it. Most of the stones will sink; some of them may float. When passed per rectum, these stones will be found to be softened to the stage of rubberiness.

They may vary from the size of a golf ball to that of a pea or split pea. In nearly all cases the stones are bilverdin ones – that is to say, they are made of solidified green bile and they are blue-green in appearance. I have only two cases on my files where bilrubin stones were passed. These are stones of solidified red bile pigment, and the patients brought along the stones to me to satisfy my own curiosity. The stones were like strawberries and just as easy to squash between the finger and thumb. Mixed with those red stones were others consisting of both green and red bile, the result being stones the normal color of gall.

The above procedure, basically verbatim, is taken from the Nature Cure book HERBAL CURES OF DUODENAL ULCER AND GALLSTONES by Frank Roberts circa 1975. I have been recommending this program to my patients for many years and it has never failed. Results have been confirmed by ultrasound and several surgeries have been avoided. It has been modified slightly from Mr. Roberts’s original technique to improve the effectiveness and reduce any risk of discomfort.

I also combine the technique with an acupuncture session, using points that relax our bile duct and encourage the flow of bile. This treatment is usually scheduled within forty-eight hours of using the oil and lemon. I then have patients follow up with pure apple juice and mono (single) food meals to soothe any internal inflammation that may have occurred from the discharge of the stones.

Why is surgery so popular?

We are a society of convenience. Many of us would rather give away the odd part of our temple than be pro active about our health.

Gallbladder surgery is a multi-billion dollar industry and a relatively safe procedure to perform. New techniques are being developed which include the use of ultrasound to pulverize the stones and an experimental oral medication CDCA that is used to dissolve the stones. In some cases a stone lodged in the common bile duct can be removed by the use of an Endoscope inserted into the mouth and threaded down the plumbing tube, through the stomach, into the duodenum and then the bile duct. Doesn’t that sound like a party you would like to miss?

For more information on this procedure, contact Dr. Hardman
www.hardmanacupuncture-tcm.com
or by telephone 604-524-6855.

A news report from Sacramento, California reported on April 6, 2004 that lawsuits were filed in three separate California courts against twelve companies who either produce or use the artificial sweetener aspartame as a sugar substitute in their products.

Even though concerned scientists have been attempting to educate the public on its adverse effects since as early as 1970, aspartame was approved for use in carbonated beverages in 1983. Today it is found in over 5000 foods, drinks and medicines.

Aspartame has been identified as a neurotoxin. It is also marketed as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful, and it is found in diet drinks, sugar free gums, Flintstone vitamins, yogurt and children’s aspirin.

There are 92 documented symptoms of aspartame, from coma to death. The
majority of them are all neurological because aspartame destroys the nervous system. Some of the common aspartame medical problems include headache, memory loss, seizures, vision loss, coma and cancer. It worsens or mimics the symptoms of such diseases and conditions as fibromyalgia, MS, lupus, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue and depression.

Research has proven that aspartame liberates free methyl alcohol. The resulting chronic methanol poisoning affects the dopamine system of the brain causing addiction. Methanol, or wood alcohol, constitutes one-third of the aspartame molecule and is classified as a severe metabolic poison and narcotic. Recent news is full of reports of world-class athletes and other healthy consumers of aspartame suddenly dropping dead. Sudden death can occur from aspartame use because it damages the cardiac conduction system.

You can learn more about the background of aspartame by watching a six-minute video call “Sweet Misery” at www.soundandfury.tv . Go to the link www.nationaljusticeleague.com for more information on the lawsuits filed against the manufacturers and the other companies using aspartame in their products.

This information is presented without prejudice to assist consumers in making informed choices about additives in their foods.