The trigeminal nerve, as suggested by its name has three branches: the ophthalmic, the maxillary, and the mandibular. Inflammation cause a sudden attack of spasmodic electric shock-like severe pain that lasts from a few seconds or minutes. The attacks can be triggered by everyday activities such as washing your face, brushing your teeth, eating, or talking. Usually trigeminal neuralgia (TGN) occurs in middle-age and older people, although it can affect adults of all ages, and it is more common among women. The fact that it is usually one-sided is a blessing.

Bell’s Palsy, a somewhat similar ailment is one-sided and affects the facial nerve (CN VII). It also responds very well to treatment with Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

In Western medicine TGN is considered idiopathic (cause unknown) although is some cases it is attributed to nerve damage from multiple sclerosis, herpes zoster or compression by a tumor.

According to Chinese medicine TGN is caused by an attack of external Wind and Heat which obstructs the flow of Qi and Blood in the meridians. There other potential combinations as well, and after diagnosis, the course of treatment is usually directed at spreading Qi through the meridians in the affected area.

In my twenty-one years of practice I have had excellent results treating trigeminal neuralgia. It can be a very debilitating ailment and to be able to assist people in returning to normalcy in their life is a very satisfying outcome. One of my patients who had been taking maximum dosages of Tegretol, a powerful pain killer expressed his feeling this way:

“A million thanks to Dr. Hardman – I have now gotten my life back. RY”

Dr. Richard Brouse, MA, CD, DACBN, CNN is a Biochemist, Chiropractic Physician and a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist. In 1977 he founded the Sunnyside Health Center and Chiropractic clinic in Clackamas, Oregon. In 1980 he founded the Health Education Corporation and the Northwest Academy of Practical Nutrition where he currently maintains an active nutritional practice.

Thanks to modern technology Dr. Brouse now shares his knowledge via a biweekly series of Tele-Clinic lectures. The lectures start on Monday evenings at 5pm Pacific time and last an hour. Interested parties may call in to the conference dial-in # 1.760.569.7676 and enter the access code 530782# when prompted. Dr. Brouse lectures on the topic-du-jour for about 40 minutes and then opens the line to questions from the listeners.

If you miss a topic of interest you can listen to the recorded session by using the playback number 1.760.569.7699 plus the access code 530782#. The current topic is available for 2 weeks from the audio-bank, and then becomes available for purchase as an audio CD from Health Education Corporation. Contact Karen Cole, Administrator at 503.654.3225 or Karen@HealthEdCorp.com.

The upcoming lecture schedule is:

Monday, April 16^th: ~Cerebral Palsy;

Monday, April 30^th: ~Tendonitis…Shoulder, elbow, knee & foot;

Monday, May 14^th: ~Parasites …Guess who’s coming to dinner?

Monday June 4^th: ~Open Mic Night;

Monday, June 18^th: ~Vitamin E ~ Re: recent Negative press. What’s fact and what’s fiction?

There is only room for 1000 callers so dial in early – you will not be disappointed.

There are multiple causes of which the most common is “acute contagious c.” known as “pink eye”. It is difficult to distinguish viral from bacterial causes without a laboratory culture analysis. Bacterial infections are most common unless an upper respiratory infection such as the common cold co-exists which would make a virus the prime suspect.

It is highly contagious and caution needs to be applied to keep it from spreading through the family, school or workplace. Isolation of treatment materials and diligent hand washing is very important.

Acupuncture treatment is usually very effective in resolving acute conjunctivitis. The Chinese medicine diagnosis attributes conjunctivitis to excess Wind and Heat. If these excesses are not cleansed from the body, an acute condition will become chronic. Acupuncture points on the back of the neck, by the temple and on the hand are used to disperse and drain the excess Wind and Heat.

Certain botanicals (herbs) and/or homeopathic cell salts can also be used to relieve conjunctivitis. One of my personal favorites is Eyebright (euphrasia officinalis) used as an eyewash, combined with acupuncture.

For more information on treatment contact me via: The Doctor is In or call 604.524.6855

Part One.

Chemotherapy, by definition, is drug therapy used, for example, to treat infections, cancers,  and other diseases and infections.

I find it interesting that in my Taber’s Medical Dictionary there is this “CAUTION: Chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer are poisons and pose risks to those who handle them, primarily pharmacists and nurses. Usually only oncology practitioners specifically trained in chemotherapy should perform this task.” The caution goes on to describe the use of proper protection including protective clothing with goggles, mask and special chemotherapy gloves. Specialized delivery precautions are required and prohibitions are listed for the areas used where chemotherapeutic drugs are prepared or administered. Also, “exposure poses additional risks to females reproductive health, including ectopical (mislocated) pregnancies, spontaneous abortions, and fetal abnormalities.” Reference: Taber’s Medical Dictionary Edition 19.

Is it any wonder that the human metabolism already stressed by a serious malady reacts in an adverse way to this chemical soup? In the Merck Manual of Medical Information – 2^nd Edition it states that “The use of alternative medicine may be toxic.” Apparently the combination of chemotherapy drugs isn’t. I can only assume that the authors have never read the caution quoted above.

The same Merk manual quoted above also states that “almost everyone who receives cancer treatment experiences side effects. – chemotherapy commonly causes nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and low blood cell counts that lead to anemia and risk of infections. With chemotherapy, people often lose their hair, but side effects vary according to the type of drug.”

Contrary to the information provided by Merk and other pharmaceutical companies, there have been several well manages studies that show acupuncture and Chinese medicine herbal formulas can be effective in helping patients reduce or eliminate chemotherapy symptoms. The US National Cancer Institute has a list of studies that confirm the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of cancer related problems.

Are you experiencing nausea associated with your chemotherapy? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may help you through the side effects of your treatments. Acupuncture, as on of the pillars of TCM, can be helpful in a myriad of ways. One of the basic aspects of an acupuncture treatment is to balance the triad of spirit, mind and body. The emotional trauma of hearing the “C” word can have a devastating adverse effect on our human psyche. In some cases if left untreated, this “insult” can be more dangerous than the disease and our chances of recovery are diminished.

Watch this CBS News report: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7398476n It will provide food for thought about how much trust we are able to place in even published research.

Contact me via “The Doctor is In” link on my web page for more information.

                             End of Part One. ©2012 William Hardman, Dr. TCM

One of the five pillars of Chinese medicine is based on the concept of Food Cures – eating in the proper way to maintain good health. Seasonal effects and the five energies of foods are essential if we are going to be in harmony with what our body needs to optimize our health. When combined with acupuncture treatments to balance our metabolism, suppressing or stimulating our metabolism as required, you can be on your way to a natural approach to a healthier life©.

The five energies of foods are cold, hot, warm, cool, and neutral and refers to their “energy” rather than their temperature. For example tea has a “cold” energy, so even though you drink it hot, you are actually drinking a “cold” beverage. Have you ever felt cold after eating a banana?

Our society has strayed far away from our optimum eating program. The proliferation of fast foods and/or processed food combined with the infiltration of toxic chemicals creates a cellular imbalance in our metabolism that blocks absorption. This morbid combination is a major contributor to the pandemic obesity situation affecting the majority of our population of all ages.

Dr. Abram Hoffer, the Canadian pioneer of orthomolecular medicine, determined that healthy nutrition required a simple but not easy requirement to have the right nutrients in the right balance get to the right place at the right time. This concept was scientifically proven by Shaklee scientists and confirmed by the landmark study at UCLA Berkley Health Sciences <a href=”http://www.landmarkstudy.com”> We all need the same nutrients on a daily basis – the major variable is the quantity created by demand. A professional athlete may require over 6,000 calories a day and the same intake would send us shopping for a larger  size wardrobe after a few weeks.

Our ability to properly absorb our food can also be affected by food sensitivities (or allergies as they are mistakenly called). A sensitivity is the result of a deficiency of nutrients that can be corrected with a combination of acupuncture and food cures. One very common example is the wheat group (feathers, wool, dust, detergents and pet dander) that can be corrected with the proper balance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs. I provide more information on this in my previous blog entry about Allergens. Did you know that a sinus congestion can be the result of adrenal exhaustion that often results from a stressful lifestyle?

There is much more to wellness than not being sick. If illness were our natural condition we would have disappeared with the dinosaurs. Is your metabolism a metaphor for a vehicle with a full fuel tank and a faulty supply system? In Chinese medicine, good health is considered to be a harmonious landscape. Are you ready for a treatment to return to your natural health and harmony?

∞

It is more effective if you are supporting the effect of the treatment but it is not absolutely necessary. In my clinical experience I have had several patients while in treatment for an unrelated ailment lost their desire to smoke as their treatments progressed.

How many treatments will I need?

The Smoking Cessation Program that I have developed is designed to be one 2-hour session. It is necessary that, if at all possible, you abstain from smoking for the 24 hours prior to your appointment. This will amplify your individual energy imbalance that is contributing to your desire to smoke, and allows the treatment to be customized so that the effectiveness is optimized.

The Program includes information on how to change habit patterns, nutritional guidance, and other lifestyle information to support your wise decision. An excellent handout is provided so you can review the information covered at your leisure. In some rare cases, a follow-up session may be required to assist you if you are experiencing cravings.

What is required?

Call and book an appointment for a time that is convenient for you. It is usually better to book just prior to your regular days off so you are more able to control your environment. Prepayment is required.

(604) 524-6855

Cigarette Smoking

It’s the main cause of about 90 percent of lung cancer cases in men and about 70 percent of them in women. Lung cancer has become more common in women because more women are smoking cigarettes. The more cigarettes a person smokes, the greater the risk of lung cancer.

Why?

If you knew the next cigarette you lit would start the growth of cancer in your body, would you still light it?

We are fast approaching the summer solstice and hopefully it will bring with it some actual summer weather. We all want to be in our best health so we can enjoy it to the maximum. One way to help us achieve that goal is to book an acupuncture treatment and get our energies balanced so the seasonal effect of the summer solstice on our metabolism is an enhancement rather than detrimental.

Summer is related to the element Fire in Chinese medicine and the emotion is Joy. The importance of this element to good health can be appreciated by realizing that Fire has four separate associated body organ and energy systems (Zhong Fu in TCM) compared to only two for each of the other four elements. Paired in their Yin/Yang concept the four are Heart/Small Intestine and Pericardium/San Jiao. The proper balancing of the latter is essential to having our metabolism function in a natural way.
Disharmony of this meridian can be manifested by numerous ailments from headaches to muscle pain – especially in the elbow and the back of our shoulder. Gardening and/or golf are often blamed for the physical symptoms and discomfort can discourage us from being as active as we could be in the wonderful summer sunshine.

Regardless of the public reaction to the HST, it does come into affect on July 1st 2010, and it will apply to treatments after that date. Other health related items such as supplements and herbal formulas are also on the list so I recommend that you stock up on your favourites before the tax has a chance to increase your cost of health.

I want to help you to experience your optimum health this summer. If you present the attached coupon with a treatment this month, you will receive a 10% discount on the regular treatment fee. If you book using my 24/7 on-line system just type “Summer Solstice” in the reason for visit box when booking.

Have a great summer and experience it in the best of health.

Dr. Bill

Certain changes or symptoms occur in the body when a nutrient becomes deficient. By studying this body language, one can determine deficiencies (or excesses) of specific vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. Such analysis is often referred to as “nutritional symptomatology”. It is a way of interpreting bodily signs to find the underlying causes.

The computerized analysis of the Health Appraisal questionnaire generates a multi-page print-out of what your symptoms are attempting to tell you about your current state of health. It recommends specific nutrients that can improve your health based on statistical evidence.

The processing fee for the Health Appraisal is $30.00 including GST and postage.

It is especially helpful at detecting sub clinical conditions that do not show up on a conventional lab test. Each of us is biochemically unique. Fingerprints, voices, and outward appearance – all differ from person to person. Our nutritional needs differ as well. No two bodies react to the same nutritional intake in exactly the same way.

We all have different metabolism, and so have different nutrient requirements. Some of the foods and supplements we take may be absorbed too quickly or too slowly. Some nutritional factors may be almost completely lacking in our systems. Some of them are already produced by our bodies in quantities large enough that we don’t need more. The new version of the Health Appraisal developed by Dr. Coyne and Simply Health Systems is MS Windows® based.

Receive a FREE Health Appraisal with a minimum of $150.00 product purchase (100% satisfaction guarantee, free delivery, GST extra on non-food products) or receive a 20% discount on each of your first two prepaid treatment sessions.

Download a Copy of the Questionnaire

Download notes

*The Word documents are self extracting ‘.exe’ files. The ‘.exe’ for is set to deliver the questionnaire to your ‘My Documents’ folder, but you can change the destination folder to whatever you wish if you don’t have a ‘My Documents’.*

**The PDF file (if Adobe Acrobat Reader® is installed on your computer) will open in the browser window. You can either print it from the window or save it and print it off-line at your leisure.**

• Female Questionnaire Windows
• Female Questionnaire Mac
• Male Questionnaire Windows
• Male Questionnaire Mac

Perhaps there is…

A novel botanical blend has been shown in recent clinical studies to enhance and strengthen the body’s natural defense systems. Apparently this blend was selected from over 200 different herbs for their ability to induce interferon production, a key component of effective immune system response.

Individual ingredients in the immune boosting blend include pumpkin seed (Cucurbita Moschata) extract, which has been reported to induce interferon in cell cultures. It also contains Plantago seed (Plantago asiatica), which has polysaccharides thought to stimulate non-specific immunity. Safflower flower (Carthamus tinctorius) polysaccharides have been shown experimentally to prompt macrophages to produce cytokines. And Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) flower buds have been traditionally used to fight infections. Experimentally, it’s been reported to increase the activity of immune cells.

Recent research is starting to elucidate the potential benefits of this immune-boosting botanical blend in humans. For example, clinical studies demonstrate that this novel, patented botanical blend is effective at inducing the body’s natural production of interferon, a key conductor and activator of immune response processes. Experimental studies have shown the patented blend activates and increases the phagocytic activity of macrophages and may increase the activity of natural killer cells, immune system defenders that seek out and destroy invaders at the cellular immune response level.

Human Clinical Trials

1. Administration of a Botanical Blend in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C¹.

• High dose interferon is approved as a treatment for hepatitis C but has the disadvantage of high cost and severe side effects. The investigators in this study chose to look at the novel botanical blend for its potential natural interferon induction and the impact on patients with chronic hepatitis C.
• The three month study conducted at Kanazawa University Hospital in Ishikawa, Japan, was an open-label trial of patients with chronic hepatitis C who ingested the equivalent of 1 g of the blend daily. Of the 35 patients that completed the study there were improvements reported in malaise, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting with no adverse changes in hematology or biochemical examination parameters. There was a statistically significant decrease in HCV RNA virus levels in patients with high viral titers after 1 and 3 months administration of the patented botanical blend and no serious adverse events were observed with botanical blend administration.
• Although larger scale controlled trials need to be conducted, the study findings suggest that the botanical blend has antiviral activity and may be both safe and useful for administration to patients with chronic hepatitis C, especially in those with high viral titers.

2. Administration of a Patented Botanical Blend in Patients with Pollenosis².

• Allergies such as hay fever are hypersensitivities in which immune responses to environmental antigens cause inflammation and damage to the body itself. Hay fever; for example, is an IgE antibody-mediated hypersensitivity that initiates a local inflammatory response. The investigators of these trials studied the botanical blend containing pumpkin seed extract because pumpkin seed has reportedly been shown to suppress IgE antibody production in Chinese medicine.
• Three uncontrolled trials on 113 subjects with mild nasal allergy or hay fever were conducted between 1998 and 2000. In these trials, subjects who used the botanical blend reported specific improvements in subjective measurements such as sneezing, nasal discharge, teary eyes, and nasal blockage. Still others reported improvements in overall conditions related to nasal allergies following administration.
• In a controlled trial conducted at Yamanashi Medical University, Japan, 10 subjects with nasal allergy consuming 2 g daily of the botanical blend for 4 weeks showed a statistically significant increase in peripheral blood gamma interferon levels after 4 weeks when compared to the pre-treatment measurement. Eight subjects taking placebo showed no such improvement.

3. Effect of Administration of a Botanical Blend in Menopausal Women³.

• Biological factors including hormones and cytokines, as welt as psychological factors are known to be important factors in determining expression of menopausal symptoms. The negatives associated with hormone replacement therapy are driving the search for alternative therapies and some traditional Japanese Kampo medicines have shown promise for improving some symptoms associated with menopause.
• Thiry-two postmenopausal women were given 2 g daily of the botanical blend for 6 months to measure effects on the immune and endocrine systems using Greene’s Climacteric Scale, the Visual Analog Scale, and other biomarkers in a study conducted at Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan. There was a significant decrease in Greene’s Climacteric Scale and VAS scores, significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, significant decrease in facial skin surface blood flow, and a significant decrease in plasma TG and LDL cholesterol after 3 months administration.
• The novel botanical blend appears to have clinically improved menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women and may help to maintain or improve normal biological function and quality of life as measured by these indicators in postmenopausal women.

4. Some Effects of a Botanical Blend on Menopausal Symptoms⁴.

• In a follow up to the previous study, there was a significant decrease in plasma FSH level, and a significant increase in plasma GM-CSF levels and after 6 months administration of the botanical blend in the 32 subjects.
• It is significant that the botanical blend decreased the plasma FSH level and appears to have stimulated myelopoiesis through the cytokine system, thereby reducing menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. The authors propose that in postmenopausal women, this botanical blend may have acted as an immunomodulator and an endocrine modulator.

5. Administration of a Patented Botanical Blend on Physical and Mental Symptoms Accompanying Premenstrual Symptoms (PMS)⁵.

• Clinical effects of the patented botanical blend were measured on PMS symptoms accompanying menstruation. Forty-two women ages 20-35 years old presenting with PMS symptoms took 800 mg daily of the blend for 3 months reported statistically significant improvements for abdominal cramps, low back pain, swollen breasts, acne, breast pain, constipation, nervous ness, sleepiness, short temper, and reduction of concentration after one month.
• Study results suggest administration of the herbal blend may be effective in improving some physical and mental symptoms associated with PMS. As this test was an uncontrolled study, randomized placebo controlled testing is warranted.

Article Source:

CENTER FOR IMMUNE RESEARCH
98480 (New 8/05) Distributed by Shaklee Canada Inc., Burlington, ON L7L 5P2 ©2005 Shaklee Corporation

1. Kaji, S.Yoshida, N. Nagata.TYamashita, E. Mizukoshi, M. Honda.Y Kojima and S. Kaneko:An Open-Label Study of Administration of EH0202, a Health Food Additive, to Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C, Journal of Gastroenterology, 2004; Sep;39(9):873-8.
2. Studies with pollenosis formula including an open-labeled trial with allergy patients at Yamanashi Medical University, Japan. June 2000 (Unpublished).
3. T. Ushiroyama, S. Yoshida, and K. Tadaki: Clinical Efficacy of EH202, a Kampo Formula on the Health of Middle-Aged Women. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2004;32:(5):755-70.
4. T Ushiroyama, S. Yoshida, K. Tadaki. A. Ikeda and M. Ueki:A pilot study of a Kampo formula, EH0202, with intriguing results for Menopausal symptoms. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2004 Apr; 10(’2):397-9.
5. M. Kubo, Y Hashimoto and S. Yoshida: The effect of heath food containing EH0202 on physical and mental symptoms accompanying menstruation in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Clinical Pharmacology and Therapy 2004; 14(2): 129-142.

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.

© Dr. William Hardman, Dr.TCM

Many of these threats are invisible. Viral infections like flu and hepatitis. Bacteria infections. Environmental toxins. Maybe even Avian flu and SARS. They’re out there.

You touch things when you shop. You eat with non-sterile utensils. You shake hands with someone. You are exposed every single day of your life. But you’re not defenseless. Your immune system was designed to protect you.

Your Immune System in the Real World

Complex, multi-layered, and sophisticated, the immune system is your body’s natural shield against infection. And part of that protection includes the production of interferon.

Still, everyday life can compromise immune function. Poor nutrition. Stress. Pollution. Fatigue. These challenges can weaken the body’s ability to make interferon.

What Is Interferon?

A natural substance produced by the body, interferon is activated when a cell is attacked by a virus. It has two important functions. It signals neighboring cells and triggers their resistance mechanisms, and it activates other immune cells that kill invading pathogens. Interferon helps protect us from the daily exposure to millions of germs that can lead to serious infection. It is an essential part of your immune system.

Helping the Body Help Itself

Good news. Today, there are scientific breakthroughs that can help provide unprecedented support to the immune system. One of them is major. The scientist who first discovered interferon in the immune system has now found a way to boost its production naturally – with natural plant extracts. His clinically proven formula was the result of over 40 years of work.*

You can take care of your immune system. Everyone in your family can now have a stronger defense against the threat of infection, which means a happier, healthier life. Natural solutions are available. Get informed. Learn more at naturalinterferon.com.

Link – NaturalInterferon.com