tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33627577398686068872024-03-12T18:04:19.261-04:00Managing FibromyalgiaInformation on topics that help Fibromyalgia symptoms, from research, from speakers at our local Fibromyalgia Support Group, through questions posed by others who live with Fibromyalgia, and musings on my own Fibromyalgia.Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-67109999479494696962013-10-14T10:00:00.000-04:002013-10-14T10:02:14.094-04:00Healthy Movements for FibromyalgiaHello everyone! I apologize for the long delay. Life sometimes gets in the way as we are going along. Been tending to some family medical issues and working on my new upcoming book, <strong><em>Is There Diet For Chronic Illness?</em></strong> My time seems to have been narrowed to a short 20-hour day! But I still insist on a FULL 8 hour sleep. Nothing gets done without that! It's a priority! The following is a summary of our October 8th Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group Meeting. I separated the actual "movements" from the dialog, so that you could print out what section you'd want to keep handy! <br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Introduction to Dave
Shahl’s “Movements”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10-8-13</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The very first thing Dave wanted to
share with us was that we should ignore the word "exercise."
Like myself, he prefers the word "movement." </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our bodies have 60 billion cells,
and they continually die and regenerate on a weekly, monthly, and three
and four-monthly basis. In fact, after 4 months you literally have a brand new
body! But cells become lazy if they <i>don't</i> move. So when you are
eating and feeding them, you want them to be active and functional so that they
can effectively absorb nutrients and oxygen and rebuild themselves and make new
healthy cells. Moving keeps our metabolism up, and keeps our muscles stronger
and healthier. Your movement keeps your cells active enough to
function effectively, then die off when their time comes and rebuild new,
stronger, "younger cells." This is rejuvenation! This is how we
stay young! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dave told of a study done by the
Harvard Alumni of 17,000 men which showed that the more they moved, the longer
they lived. He also told us, however, that there is a break-down point. For example he
explained that every mile you put in (walk) the healthier you become. BUT if
you go over a certain point, your body succumbs to high stress, where your
body begins making excess free radicals, and you become more prone to stress
injuries. Walking 1-2 miles is good; walking 3-6 miles is optimal. But walking
over 6 miles a day can prove damaging to the body in the long haul. 6,000 to
10,000 steps per day, i.e., 20-30 minutes or 40 -60 minutes per day is
optimal. [All this walking, of course, is assuming one is able to
walk this much...just saying.] </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dave also said we should plan our
movements. Simple things like using the stairs when possible. Even if you walk
down and ride the elevator up, those stairs you take, DO help. And in good
weather, don't drive around the block or parking lot wasting gas looking for a
closer parking space, park where you can, and do a bit of walking before you
get into the building. So many of us sit to eat breakfast, sit in the car on
the way to work, sit at our desk, then sit at lunch, sit in the car on the
way home and sit in front of the TV all night. All this sitting does not
move our bodies enough to regenerate cells. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moving, however, doesn't need to be
a huge, painful effort. For example, it takes more energy to stand than it does
to sit. At Notre Dame there are computer rooms that have no chairs, but
have the computers on counters and people stand to do their work. This is
actually an energetic way to work and rejuvenates cells. If you were to stand
during the commercials as you watch TV and do a few of the movements listed
below, you would be rejuvenating your cells too. You would live longer, have
younger healthier cells, your food and oxygen would absorb better and more
efficiently, and you would ultimately feel better. Dave told of a woman who
lived to be 126 years old. She rode her bicycle until she was 110! How's that
for longevity - and energy! Look at nearly all the long-lived persons you hear
about in the news or TV - they are all active. The activity actually keeps them
active!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is a fine line for each of us
however. We must all work our way UP to tolerance. The idea of “no pain no gain”
is not exactly the way to go for most of us. Working a little bit more every
day to work up to a comfortable pace is the key. As far as a regularity of
moving, he feels that 45 minutes two to three times a week in his free
"exercise" class at St Paul's (see info below) or on your own, plus
doing our movements every day to stay active, will help immeasurably. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Water therapy is ideal too. A
swimming pool is perfect "exercise" as the water presses against
our muscles as we use them, thereby nearly doubling our efforts. Walking
in the water and just paddling around is sufficient...laps are not exactly necessary.
I did mention to him that many of us are chemical sensitive, and would
need to find a pool with a tolerable amount of chlorine and not too much.
Also, some are temperature sensitive and the water can’t be too cold or too
warm. But even still, if it's at all possible doing the following
movements in water, or just walking or paddling around in the pool will
help tremendously in easing pain, and rebuilding young healthy
cells! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
**************************************<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Dave
Stahl’s<em> "Movements</em></strong>:"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As Given
to the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>October 8, 2013</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MOVEMENTS</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most of these can be done sitting in
a straight chair with feet comfortably flat on the floor, thighs parallel to
the floor - a kitchen chair, for example. Or they can be done standing. You can
even stand and do them during TV commercials. Do each exercise 4-6 times or
more - working up to tolerance – 12 times each is ideal.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">HEAD</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-turn your head slowly to look
right, then slowly turn your head to look left<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">-look
up slowly, then down <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">-lean your
right ear to right shoulder, then left ear to left shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></span></u><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ARMS</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-stretch arms out and make
circles going forward, then make circles going backward</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-with elbows at your sides, reach
hands out in front and make circles to the right with your </div>
wrists, then to the left.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-with elbows at your side, reach
hands out and make circles inward with your wrists, then make </div>
circles going outward.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-with elbows at your
sides, hands out front, bend wrists down, then up</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-with elbows at your
sides, hands out front, bend wrists left, then right</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-with hand touching your right shoulder,
use your elbow to draw a circle in the air, rotating </div>
shoulder in a forward circle, then in a backward circle<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
- repeat shoulder rolls, with
left shoulder, forward and backward </div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Note</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;">:
remain totally relaxed in these movements. Do not force </span></span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">anything, but move a little bit more each time you do
them.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>LEGS</u></b>:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-standing behind, and holding the
back of a chair, lean slightly to the left, to raise you right ankle </div>
slightly, then bend your right ankle up, then down<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-in the same position, move your
right ankle to the left, then to the right</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-in the same position, rotate
your ankle in a circle to the left, then in a circle to the right</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-repeat the previous three steps with
the left ankle</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
- standing behind, and holding
the back of a chair, lean slightly to the left, and swing your whole </div>
right leg forward, then backward<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-in the same position, swing your
right leg around in a forward circle, then in a backward circle</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-repeat the previous two steps
with the left leg<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BODY</b>: </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-stand with hands on hips or to
the side, roll hips around in a circle to the left, then in a circle to </div>
the right<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-standing in an open area, hands
on hips, slowly bend your body forward at the waist, then bend </div>
your body backward<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-in the same position, slowly
bend your body sideways to the right at the waist, then bend </div>
sideways to the left<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STRENGTH MOVEMENTS</b>:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-standing behind and holding onto
the back of a chair, take a single step back, and spread your </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
feet to shoulder width apart, then squat down half way,
pushing your butt way out behind </div>
you, so that
your torso is parallel to the floor, hold that position for a few seconds and
repeat. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
-standing behind and holding the
back of a chair, step back 3-4 steps – you’ll be leaning at an </div>
angle. Begin doing slow gentle push-ups against the back
of the chair. <br />
Keep your body straight
and elbows flexible. Start with 5 push-ups and work up to tolerance over time
working up to 12. Over 12 is too much. [I had a hard time doing 3 the first
time.]<o:p> </o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Once your muscles are fatigued,
they will begin to rebuild, new young healthy cells. <o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For BACK PAIN</b>: Nearly every activity we do requires we lean forward
and push or pull or reach etc. To relax your back muscles, stand with hands on
hips and slowly bend your body backward at the waist. Do this exercise after
driving for long periods, or sitting at a desk, or pushing a vacuum, or lifting
grandkids, etc<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
~While standing at the kitchen
sink doing dishes, we all lean at an uncomfortable angle slightly forward. To
relax your back, open the doors under the sink and as you do the dishes, put
one foot up on the inside of the cabinet. Then switch feet. This relieves the
strain on your low back area. <o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
~When sleeping on your side,
place a pillow between your knees and calves to relax the hip area. ALSO, roll
up a towel and place it in the curve at your waist. This helps to keep your
spine straight between shoulders and hips.<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
~When sleeping on your back,
place a pillow under the back of your knees. Also, roll up a towel and place
under the small of your back. Again, this helps to keep your spine straight
between shoulders and hips.<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
~I might interject here that it
is important to use the correct pillow – one that fills in the curve at the
neck and allow the head to be in perfect alignment with the rest of your spin.
This will prevent your chin from going down to your chest and cutting off your
airway – it actually opens up your airway and keeps your chin perpendicular to
your spine, allowing oxygen to flow freely. </div>
<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dave
then demonstrated kinesiology, or muscle testing. This is an excellent way to
test foods, supplements, anything, to see if they will benefit your body. Here
is a YouTube video demonstration: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Ng7ivNX-I"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Ng7ivNX-I</span></a>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Dave told us how very important it is to relax. We all
know what stress can do to a body, especially our own body! He then
demonstrated a bit about EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique. The basic original
EFT explanation and directions can be found on Gary Craig’s site, <a href="http://www.emofree.com/eft/eft-tutorial.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.emofree.com/eft/eft-tutorial.html</span></a>
; also check out the "Notes" on my facebook page for information about Faster EFT <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pati.chandler">www.facebook.com/pati.chandler</a></div>
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><br />
Dave holds classes, free to the
public, at St. Paul’s Retirement Community on Monday and Wednesday evenings at
5:30 pm. They are 45 minutes long and are basically theses movements and more.
Call for more information or for listings and places<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the 10:00 am classes elsewhere. <br />
<o:p> </o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Contact info: </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Dave Stahl</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Wellness Director at </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Sanctuary at St. Paul’s, A Trinity
Senior Living Community</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
3602 South Ironwood Dr., South
Bend, IN 46614</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
574-299-2265</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
stahld@trinity-health.org</div>
Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-76948451866474473722013-09-14T20:26:00.002-04:002013-09-14T20:59:12.749-04:00Natural help for PainWhen I am asked the same question several times in one week, it must mean that there's a desperate need to share the information far and wide. So, Here I am. <br />
<br />
I have had others ask me this week, in several venues, about natural help for pain - usually Fibromyalgia pain, but pain in general a couple of times. And I must confess that there is no <i>one</i> right answer to that, because everyone is different. However. There are items that help pain at a deep, internal level, and there are a lots of things one might try for the flare type of pain. Here I have provided a list of several possibilities for the latter. <br />
<br />
Fibromyalgia pain is not like headache or shoulder pain where one can take aspirin a few times a day and it goes away. Fibromyalgia pain is pain on a cellular level AND on a flare level! <br />
<br />
For dealing with the deep, on-going, cellular level pain, I believe that Omega 3 EPA-DHA and Magnesium are essential. They can get to the root of a problem. These work on the cellular level and as such need to be put into the body on a daily basis because we use it UP on a daily basis. <b>Omega 3</b> is an essential fatty acid that comprises the outer membrane of each cell in our body, making it pliable and permeable so that nutrients can get into the cell for efficient functioning. <b>Magnesium</b> is the key to helping make the ATP molecule (energy molecule) in each cell. It is also responsible for 325 other biological processes. And Omega 3 is necessary for the magnesium (and all other nutrients) to get into the cells to make that energy molecule! <br />
<br />
So these are the basis of pain relief - essentially they enable your cells to work properly and make that energy molecule, ATP. <br />
<br />
~Here's further info on Omega 3 and why it helps pain: <a href="http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/056f9c5a43/1470670689/df13eed2b5">http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/056f9c5a43/1470670689/df13eed2b5</a><br />
<br />
~Here's further information on Magnesium and why it helps pain: <a href="http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/056f9c5a43/1470670689/df13eed2b5">http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/056f9c5a43/1470670689/df13eed2b5</a><br />
<br />
<b>Note</b>: Magnesium oil, rubbed into the feet at night, absorbs into the body very well, and is an excellent way to get magnesium into the body while bypassing the digestive system and stomach - much like a 20 minute soak in a bathtub of 1-2 cups Epsom Salts. (Some people experience a diarrhea problem with certain brands of magnesium tablet they are taking.) Magnesium Oil is available online at Swansonvitamins.com, VitaminShoppe.com and others - check Google > "Magnesium Oil". <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>NATURAL Cox-2 INHIBITORS </b>(acting in the same way as Celebrex, e.g. but <i>without</i> any side-effects)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Turmeric</span></b>: Dr. Weil says, "Turmeric contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds, including six different COX-2-inhibitors (the COX-2 enzyme promotes pain, swelling and inflammation; inhibitors selectively block that enzyme)." <a href="http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03001/Three-Reasons-to-Eat-Turmeric.html">http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03001/Three-Reasons-to-Eat-Turmeric.html</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Tart Cherries</span></b>: Ann Hart, Health writer for Examiner.com says, "What the cherry juice does is act as anti-inflammatory food by attacking the Cox-2 enzymes better than some drugs. But with drugs, the Cox 1 also is attacked. You don't want that because Cox-1 protects the lining of the stomach." <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/seniors-and-athletes-turn-to-cherry-juice-to-lessen-osteoarthritic-pain">http://www.examiner.com/article/seniors-and-athletes-turn-to-cherry-juice-to-lessen-osteoarthritic-pain</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Gingko, Green tea, Ginger, Boswella</span></b> and more herbs: Dr. James Duke on MotherEarthNews.com in 2001 provides a whole list of herbs containing Cox-2 inhibitors. Then he says, "One bottle of 200mg-dose Celebrex (60 pills) costs between $150 and $200. A 60-pill bottle of 25mg-dose Vioxx will run you $100 to $125. Sales of both drugs are expected to reach $5 billion annually by 2003." I'm sure it's a LOT more by now! And of course, Vioxx has been taken off the market due to all the damage it had caused!!!<br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbs-containing-natural-cox-2-inhibitors-zmaz00djzgoe.aspx#ixzz2ep2ZjyfH">http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbs-containing-natural-cox-2-inhibitors-zmaz00djzgoe.aspx#ixzz2ep2ZjyfH</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Resveratrol</span></b>: found in grapes and other dark red berries <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15465334">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15465334</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Omega 3 EPA-DHA</span></b> is also a Cox-2 inhibitor: <br />
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11421736">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11421736</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Bromelain</span></b>: Bromelain..."is a pharmacologically active compound present in stems and fruits of pineapple (Ananas cosmosus), endowed with anti-inflammatory, anti-invasive and anti-metastatic properties." <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19339108">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19339108</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Holy Basil</b> </span>(<b><span style="color: red;">Tulsi</span></b>): Tulsi is an adaptogen, and from personal experience, I know that 3 cups of Tulsi tea per day or more is an excellent pain-reliever and energizer! From Herbalmentor.com, "In scientific studies, holy basil has been shown to be a COX 2 inhibitor (many modern pain medications are COX 2 inhibitors), making it useful against arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Tulsi is high in eugenol, a constituent also found in cloves, which is helpful to decrease pain." <a href="http://www.herbmentor.com/holy-basil-tasty-tulsi-tonic-tea/">http://www.herbmentor.com/holy-basil-tasty-tulsi-tonic-tea/</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">White Willow Bark</span></b>: Nature's aspirin - salicin. According to Sherril Sego, FNP-C, DNP at ClinicalAdvisor.com, "The active salicin in white willow bark acts primarily as both an analgesic and an antipyretic.3 The actual mechanism of action of salicin is very similar to that of modern prescription medications in the cyclo-oxygenase-1 and 2 (COX-1, COX-2) pathways. Salicin is a nonselective COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor, effectively acting as an anti-inflammatory by blocking prostaglandin release." <a href="http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/willow-bark-relieves-pain-and-inflammation/article/204756/#">http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/willow-bark-relieves-pain-and-inflammation/article/204756/#</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>OTHER PAIN RELIEVERS - Topical</b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Capzasin</span></b>: This is the brand name of a topical analgesic - I use the roll-on bottle for safety sake. It's action is different than that of a Cox-2 inhibitor. It suppresses Substance P - neutralizes it in fact (Substance P, remember, is that pain-maker signal sent out from the brain). This topical ointment must be used with caution, however. It has only one ingredient - 0.15% capsaicin - the stuff that makes hot peppers HOT! Use a <i>very thin even layer</i> of the roll on liquid to the painful area. In my case it is usually the neck and shoulders. I do NOT put it on at night before bed, because I don't want it rubbing off onto the pillow case and getting in my eyes!!! For night time neck and shoulder pain, I use...<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Salon Pas Pain Patc</span><span style="color: red;">hes</span></b>: These patches are a "peal and stick to the area of pain" thing. They contain "cool menthol" ingredients, rather than the hot ingredient. They come in a variety of sizes, the smaller 2.65" X 1.65" is ideal to place on an angle at the neck/shoulder area. Note: even though only one side of my neck may hurt, I always put one patch on each side. It seems to work better in a balance. The larger size is great for the low back area or between the shoulder blades. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Arnica</span></b> or the brand <b><span style="color: red;">Arnicare</span></b>: This is a benign, but powerful cream ointment. No menthol, no hot. Just an effective cream with an active ingredient called Arnica Montana - a homeopathic cream/ointment that works very well on bruise-type pain or sore-muscle-type pain, for example on the sides of your thighs or the upper arm area. (These are also good places to use Magnesium oil, by the way.) <a href="http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/arnica">http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/arnica</a> <br />
<br />
These natural pain relievers should give you a good start to choose from. *:) I pray you find one or some that help relieve your pain! *:) Pati*Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-92164764644782814562012-11-25T13:03:00.000-05:002012-11-25T13:03:55.588-05:00Acupuncture & EMS for Fibro painHi Everyone! <br />
<br />
Our speaker for October's meeting of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. James Keating from Preventive Medicine, PC (PM,PC). Although Dr. Keating is indeed multi-talented, being both a licenced chiropractor and a certified acupuncturist, it is the latter we wanted to fucus upon this evening. This sounded easy in theory, but PM,PC is a facility with multiple offerings and multiple Health Care Practitioners (HCP's). They offer EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation and accupuncture. <br />
<br />
Dr. Keating first passed out cards telling of the coupon offering 2 free massages for the month of October! Great timing! That won everyone over right away! One member asked, with a cringe, if they did "deep tissue massage." He said that whatever massage therapist you have (they have several), will do it exactly the way YOU request, whether deep tissue massage to release seized up tender points, or gentle muscle massage, or anywhere in between. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief! <br />
<br />
CT spoke up, saying his doctor had recommended he try acupuncture. He had had a bone fusion and a metal plate put into his spine. He is still in a lot of pain, much of it from scar tissue in the surrounding area. So now one of his [many] doctors wants to insert electrodes into his spine so that he can "hit a switch" to stop pain when it occurs. And when another doctor recommended acupuncture, he definitely wanted to come to the meeting tonight to find out more about acupuncture before taking such a drastic step as another surgery.<br />
<br />
Dr. Keating told of being familiar with the procedure of inserting electrodes. Having treated a number of these patients, he told us that most of them are not having much success with it after a year or two and have elected to stop using it, just leaving the electrodes in, un-used. Only one of the many he's seen is still happy with the system. He then explained that the EMS treatment PM,PC uses, is of a like nature, except that these electrodes are temporarily placed on the outside - on his skin - rather than permanently surgically implanted. Somewhat like a very large TENS unit, this treatment first uses hot moist heat pads to open up the blood vessels and bring them to the surface, so that the electcical pads can stimulate circulation in the muscles. The electrical stimulation can be set at the patient's comfort level. This breaks the pain circuit, in much the same way as the surgically inserted electrodes, but without surgery!<br />
<br />
This procedure is extremely relaxing and soothing, and helps alleviate muscle pain magically, almost instantly! RG, MG and myself have all had this EMS treatment done, and we all highly recommended it. MG said that she regularly asked to stay on the machine longer. (Me too!)<br />
<br />
Dr. Keating explained that because PM,PC is able to offer a variety of treatments, the first visit is an assessment and evaluation session, where you and he (or other HCP) go over your medical history and decide which treatment or combination of treatments would be most effective in your particuar case. In CT's case, for example, he might recommend a chiropractic treatment of flexion traction first. And actually, after finding out whether this treatment is helpful, one can even purchase a Saunders Cervical (or Lumbar) Traction Unit to use at home on a regular basis. This brand or any other, may be found on E-Bay and can be very helpful for many people. <br />
<br />
He also noted that any one of these treatments or even combination of these treatments does not work alone. These HCP's also recommend paying attention to and working on other factors as well, namely:<br />
<br />
~Nutrition. Which may also include supplements <br />
~Sleep. Proper restful, restorative sleep, of course <br />
~Stress Management such as deep breathing or meditation. (I personally <br />
would also recommend <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAhNSHNyGd4&feature=relmfu)">Faster EFT </a><br />
~Exercise. But this is not your typical exercise. These exercises would include the stretches and movements that are recommended by your chiropracter, or acupuncturist, or massage therapist for home self-management. They show you how to move and stretch to keep your muscles toned and limber. This helps avoid a lot of the seizing and cramping of your muscles by gently keep them strengthened. <br />
<br />
<b>Acupuncture</b>, Dr. Keating says, works in a four-fold manner. It promotes an anti-inflammatory response, an antibiotic response for immune boosting; it acts as a muscle relaxer and as a pain pill! So if you are in a flare now, see if you can get thee to your acupuncurist now! It will definitely help the pain, but that pain will have less of a chance then to add to your inflammation, or seize up your muscles! The sooner the better. <br />
<br />
He provided a brief history of Acupuncture's "trip to the United Staes," but I'll leave that for another time. Suffice it to say that after many studies and tests by American medical schools, facilities and doctors, it was proven that acupuncture increases circulation, and decreases inflammation. It helps pain of all sorts, and a number of other issues, that are currently being studied..."for proof." [I'm sorry, but 4,000 yrs of successful use is proof enuf for me, but you know the FDA and Big Pharma.] <br />
<br />
Dr. Keating said Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the US, which had at one time included the whole package - the spiritual aspect, nutritional aspect, herbal healing, acupuncture, and more - has pretty much zeroed in on Acupuncture alone. Some therapists do use Chinese herbs, natural roots and other things, which were always combined and made on the spot as needed (fresh), where the patient also steamed and strained the concoctions and so on. But now, they mostly use bottled and prepared herbs, especially in the U.S. At PM,PC they don't use Chinese herbs, but they can and often do recommend helpful supplements found at nearby healthfood stores, or a few at PM,PC. <br />
<br />
CT, of course, asked about the needles used in Acupuncture. They are solid and very fine - about the size of a cat's whisker - smaller than the thickness of a horse hair, and anywhere from 3" to extra long at 5" (which are rarely used). SM asked how deeply the needles were inserted. Dr. Keating said it depends on where it will be located on the body and what he is trying to achieve. On the face, for example, needles are placed very shallowly, and barely pierce the skin. In a thigh muscle or the gluteous maximous, it may be placed deeper. The needle can be inserted into the area above a tender point and release the pain spasm where the muscles have knoted or seized up tightly so that the muscles can relax to normal. OR if a set of muscles have been stretched and are too loose and weak, the needles can be inserted to cause the muscles to pull up and snug back to their normal tone and tension. <br />
<br />
This works extremely well for migraines too and headaches, to relax the scalp muscles and ease the tension at the base of the skull, or near the eyes. Also the neck and shoulder tender points that have seized up can be loosened quite nicely to relieve neck and shoulder pain. <br />
<br />
Fibro Fog, stomach issues and hormonal issues are also relieved with Acupuncture but in a different fashion. The needles are placed in a variety of areas to allow the Chi in the irregular areas to move more freely. The needles may go in the hand or the foot or elsewhere but the Chi will flow exactly to the right hormone, or the intestines or to the brain, helping the Fibro Fog. It's all connected; even if we don't see how a needle in the hand will help mental faculties - it does. <br />
<br />
Dr. Keating spoke of Auricular Acupuncture which is acupuncture of the ear, where where one can find all the points for everything in the body. He spoke of acupuncturre for treating cravings (for sugar, chocolate, etc), smoking, drug use, and more. He spoke of Diet and Nutrition: specifically mentioning that grains, each and every one, turn to simple sugars in the body and are just as hazardous as sugar to the body especially because sugar is an inflammatory - a pain-maker! He spoke of eating anti-inflammatory foods by following the Mediteranean Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Acid/alkaline Balanced Diet, or the Paleo Diet for example. <br />
<br />
Most Insurance Companies cover the massage, EMS, and Chiropractic services, but few cover the Acupuncture treatments. However. This month Preventive Medicine, PC has changed their prices for Acupuncture. They used to charge $75 per treatment. NOW, the charge is $45.00 per treatment! This is really good news. He mentions that 1 - 5 treatments is all that is normally needed for many specific issues. But one can set up regular weekly or monthly sessions for chronic or ongoing issues. <br />
<br />
Contact Information: <br />
Preventative Medicine, PC<br />
<br />
James Keating, DC, MSAc<br />
212 Edison Rd, Suite B<br />
Mishawaka, IN 46545<br />
<br />
574-254-1400<br />
<br />
Email : drkeatingdc@yahoo.com <br />
Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-72721288997843260912012-09-23T21:24:00.000-04:002012-09-23T21:24:58.865-04:00Fibromyalgia, the Thyroid and Cellular InflammationOur speaker for the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group on July 10, 2012 was Dr. Kevin Hancock. “The Thyroid and Cellular Inflammation” was the topic. Ideally, this meeting should have been two days long, but we’ll just have to ask him to return for more.<br />
<br />
Before his talk, however, I noticed a few new folks who really needed to share. I had each person introduce themselves and tell a bit about their treatments and current condition. So glad I did. <br />
<br />
HJ said they had purchased a Sleep Number Bed and found that it didn’t work at all for her OR her hubby. CT said the same thing for him and his wife. Both couples had returned their beds in lieu of another. CT said that he and his wife had discovered the Euromatic bed, which they discovered at Denver Mattress Company and tell they are both extremely pleased with it.<br />
<br />
I still love my Sleep Number Bed and find that a half hour of rest on it in mid-day will greatly relieve a flare, for me. And I sleep all through the night on it. So what this tells me is that everyone is different. (Thank Heaven!) And each of us must purposefully seek out and find what works for us on an individual basis. One member uses a Cuddle Ewe mattress topper that she swears by, “It’s made of down and it’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter.” Another uses the foam Tempurpedic mattress- they also makes a mattress topper. So here I find that I can add a Euromatic mattress to my list of recommendations. Thanks CT! <br />
<br />
SM tells that she has been going to Dr. Hancock for regular Chiropractic treatments, as I have been doing so, and nearly all of her neck and shoulder and low back pain have been greatly reduced.<br />
<br />
As we went around the room several folks found that they shared the symptom of nasty stomach issues. From here we had a brief discussion on probiotics, as well as gluten-free and lactose-free diets, which would be covered in part later by Dr. Hancock. We also covered the critical importance of B-12 and getting tested for deficiency in this <i>and</i> Vitamin D.<br />
<br />
DD hit on one very important factor – the importance of maintaining a neutral to slightly alkaline balance in the body and avoiding foods that make the body acidic. Here’s an excellent site that tells a lot about it <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_acid_alkaline_pH_0.html">http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_acid_alkaline_pH_0.html</a>. She found that although she still does get migraines, they are much less frequent when she’s avoiding her food triggers and maintaining this slightly alkaline balance in her diet. Another thing that has helped her migraines is a form of self-massage that she discovered at <a href="www.Lymphman.com ">www.Lymphman.com </a>. Click on the left side “Sample Self-Lymphatic Activation” for video. By tapping and massaging key lymph nodes, a number of her symptoms have been greatly relieved.<br />
<br />
MG reminded us all how a positive mental attitude, an attitude of forgiveness, can greatly help symptoms, by virtue of placing our minds on the positive. It is amazing how the mind so controls our pain. She stressed how purposefully changing our mind’s direction to the spiritual, to others, to focusing on something that brings us joy, can truly lessen our pain – physically! Prayer, meditation, and thoughts can truly work miracles.<br />
<br />
Armed with the information gleaned from these members, Dr. Kevin was able to tailor his talk accordingly and personalize his info a bit. Nice.<br />
<br />
<b>The Thyroid and Cellular Inflammation</b><br />
Dr. Hancock’s topic was so genuinely loaded with information, that I am already feeling a need for a repeat performance! They say you need to see or hear a thing 3 times before it is yours. I think this may be one of those “things.” <br />
[Note: “ * ” denotes a quote from the presentation slides]<br />
<br />
The title on the first slide was <i>“Hypothyroidism.”*</i> This, of course, struck right to the heart of our matter. Up to 27 million Americans have hypothyroidism; yet only half of this number has been diagnosed. The other half are experiencing symptoms and don’t know why. It is said that up to 90% of women over 40 have subclinical hypothyroidism. That is, they have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, but may or may not be diagnosed. Those that are diagnosed are told they will be on these meds, Synthoid or Levoxyl e.g., for the rest of their lives. And yet they still experience symptoms of weight gain, sleep issues, fatigue, cold hands and feet, depression, brain fog, dry skin, depression etc. How does that happen? <br />
<br />
Well, many times it’s because the doctor is treating the lab tests instead of the patient. Sound familiar? One of the problems is that the TSH thyroid tests are not exactly standard. Every lab and every doctor seems to have a different idea of what normal “TSH numbers” should be. Many labs require numbers between .5 - 5.5 to be considered in the normal range. Dr. Hancock explains that the numbers should be lower at .35 - 2.0 for this reading.<br />
<br />
<i>“But yet NO studies have been published demonstrating that you have a healthy thyroid function when your TSH is within the normal range!”*</i> There are published studies however, telling that TSH values greater than 2 can indicate health issues, even autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s).<br />
<br />
Eighty to ninety percent of those with hypothyroidism actually have an auto-immune related condition (Hashimoto’s) and will not – can not – respond to thyroid replacement drugs such as Synthoid and Levoxyl because they don’t address the autoimmune condition, thus you may still experience symptoms. In order to find out if it is truly a thyroid issue, “reverse T3” and “serum selenium” need to be tested. T3, T4 and the conversion that takes place in the liver must also be tested. This is the only way to know if it is truly a malfunctioning thyroid gland. <br />
<br />
But other organs can be involved as well; the thyroid doesn’t work alone. It is only one part of the synergistic hormonal system involving the adrenal glands, pancreas, pituitary, etc…even the liver. They all work together. Adjusting or adding to one will affect the others. Most thyroid conditions are similar to other hormonal conditions, such as the type 2 diabetes. The real problem may not be the pancreas or thyroid gland at all, but the hormone receptors on the cell it’s signaling. Even food intolerances can play a part in the thyroid problem. Proteins can bind to the thyroid receptors and block the hormone, causing hypothyroidism (creating inflammation in the process).<br />
<br />
<b>So What’s the Solution?</b><br />
Treating the 2 main causes of a thyroid issue is the way to get well. They are:<br />
1) Iodine deficiency<br />
2) Cellular Inflammation<br />
<br />
<i>“Iodine deficiency alone is responsible for 20% of all hypothyroid cases.”*</i> According to at least 5 studies, populations with the lowest iodine levels have the highest incidence of thyroid problems. But even more studies have shown that as the levels of iodine intake increased, thyroid condition, goiters, stomach and breast cancer decreased. <br />
<br />
Iodine is essential for the production of T4 and T3. However, if one has been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s (autoimmune thyroiditis), selenium must be the first part of their treatment in order to address the autoimmune reaction, and then the iodine is given. Otherwise a condition called a “Thyroid Storm” can occur. The selenium given first addresses this autoimmune condition and helps avoid the storm. <br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<b>Iodine Deficiency Self-Test</b><br />
A 2% solution of caramel-colored iodine (not the clear-colored iodine) can be purchased at CVS or Walgreens. With a cotton swab apply a silver-dollar-sized patch of iodine to your inner forearm near your elbow, making a yellow patch on your skin. This yellow patch should stay visible for 24 hours. If it fades away before that, you are iodine deficient. Dr. Hancock’s patch was gone in 2 hours when he did this test. Mine was done today and it disappeared in 3 hours. We are both now taking an iodine supplement. <br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <br />
<br />
Unfortunately iodine is very hard to get in sufficient supply from foods. He referred us to a book titled <i>Empty Harvest</i> by Jensen and Anderson – check it out on Amazon. This book explains why the food we eat has precious little of the minerals and nutrients we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Thus we need to rely on certain supplements, like iodine (potassium iodide or kelp), rather than depending on our food to supply it. <br />
<br />
“<i>Cellular Inflammation is the true underlying cause for 80-90% of hypothyroid conditions.”* </i><br />
Toxins, diet and infections can cause inflammation, actually creating autoimmune conditions. This inflammation may be systemic affecting joints or multiple organs, such as found in arthritis or Lupus, OR the inflammation may be organ specific such as found in thyroiditis. [Note: any medical term ending in “…itis” means that it is an inflammatory condition.]<br />
<br />
<b>Inflammation = Oxidative Stress!</b><br />
Time Magazine states: “When inflammation becomes chronic rather than transitory…the body turns in on itself with after effects that seem to underlie a wide variety of diseases.”<br />
<br />
In the case of Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s) white blood cells cluster at the site (thyroid) and begin to create cytokines which attach to the hormone receptors of the gland. The immune system sees this as an attack on the thyroid gland and then creates even more inflammation. All this inflammation blocks the T3 receptors. <br />
<br />
When the cell receptors are blocked by clusters of white cells: <br />
1) Nutrients can’t get in<br />
2) Toxins can’t get out<br />
3) Receptors are blunted & can’t hear when the T3 or TSH is calling to open the door! <br />
<br />
And when you are tested, your TSH and T3 come back normal because they really are putting out, but they aren’t working because the receptors are blocked by this inflammation. This is Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s), and again, this condition constitutes a full 80-90% of thyroid conditions. So the idea here is to get rid of the inflammation. [<i>Note: Synthoid and Levoxyl do not treat inflammation</i>.]<br />
<br />
<b>What Causes the Inflammation?</b><br />
<br />
<i>Toxins, bad fats and sugars.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Top 5 toxins that cause inflammation:</b><br />
1) PCB’s and Dioxins (found in contaminated fish, meats and dairy)<br />
2) Pesticides (inhaled, eaten on fresh fruit & veggies from the store or rubbed onto hands or onto body from clothing)<br />
3) Heavy Metals (lead, cigarette smoke or mercury found in dentistry, fish, vaccinations)<br />
4) BPA’s (found in plastic bottles and plastic liners in canned foods and in cosmetics)<br />
5) Halogens/Goitrogens (fluoride, chlorine and bromine found in bread, Mountain Dew, Gatorade)<br />
<br />
There is a test online for $15 which is a great tool for the diagnosis of neurotoxic/mediated illness. The test uses contrast, not visual acuity to make the assessment. The test is available at <a href="www.ChronicNeurotoxins.com">www.ChronicNeurotoxins.com</a><br />
<br />
<b>Bad fats cause inflammation:</b> <br />
1) Vegetable oils (processed and turned into hydrogenated fats)<br />
2) Trans fats<br />
<br />
<i>“Foods high in vegetable oils decrease thyroid function”*</i> It takes five days to get hydrogenated fats out of the body (IF your body is functioning on all thrusters). These fats will still be creating inflammation during those five days, even if you stop eating them right now. ( ! )<br />
<br />
<i>“Tests have shown that eating a diet high in saturated fat and low in carbohydrates improved thyroid function, as well as the accompanying weight issue."*</i><br />
[Note: Susan Behnke Strasser, MS, RD, the Director of Wholistic Nutrition at Physicians HolisticHealth Center (PHA) spoke of this diet at our May Fibromyalgia Support Group Meeting. Please see the May Fibro Notes/blog.]<br />
<br />
<b>Sugar causes inflammation</b><br />
<i>"Grains and Sugar have a dramatic effect on cellular inflammation and play a major role in the cause of thyroid conditions.”* </i> Grains are the #1 food for people’s intolerances. They can block hormone receptors and create an auto immune response. They elevate blood glucose levels as much as sugar, and this interferes with the liver’s ability to convert T4 to T3! <br />
<br />
Whole grains contain a sugar called amylase which is known to cause inflammation, most especially when the cells are already inflamed! And GMO foods (genetically modified) create denatured proteins and sugars which promote inflammation.<br />
<br />
Sugar is, in and of itself, an inflammatory. That’s the main reason it is recommended that we cut way back or eliminate all together this nutrient-deficient “food.” Here are 141 reasons <i>not</i> to eat sugar.<br />
<a href="http://nancyappleton.com/141-reasons-sugar-ruins-your-health/">Sugar<br />
</a>. <br />
Neutralizing inflammation is imperative. Although you can’t really “feel” this inflammation, you can certainly reap the after-effects! It severely hampers hormonal processes, including the pancreas (Type 2 Diabetes) and thyroid (Hashimoto’s), inflamed joints (arthritis) and so much more. In fact, there are over 100 distinct disorders that originate in the immune system that are all subject to this cellular inflammation called autoimmune disorders !<br />
<br />
Dr. Hancock told of the Cellular Healing Protocol he has available at his office. It is a 30-60 day program where:<br />
1) You start the diet<br />
2) You start the Cellular Healing Protocol<br />
3) You start the true cellular detox, removing the #1 cause of your cellular inflammation.<br />
<br />
The book, <b>The Cellular Healing Diet</b>, will be made available upon registering for the program.<br />
<br />
Dr. Hancock has the Natural Whole Food Supplements by Standard Process available at his office, and now carries their new Gluten Free multi-vitamin, Catalyn-GF. <br />
If you attended this meeting and filled out your Systems Survey form, please feel free to fax or mail your completed form and make an appointment for your evaluation. <br />
<br />
Contact Info:<br />
Dr. Kevin Hancock, 6910 N. Main Street, Granger, In 46530. <br />
574-271-1111. fax- 574-271-7532<br />
Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-84635633201132771372012-08-12T10:08:00.001-04:002012-08-12T10:20:23.854-04:00Newbie Getting Started on Natural HelpFor our June meeting of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group, we didn't have a speaker, which turned out to be just what we needed. We had a new face (& spouse) come and share this evening. This is always so very encouraging on two fronts because 1) When the spouse is involved, the chances are so much better for positive outcomes, sharing and understanding and 2) it shows me that more and more folks are taking that big step to seek other options, without becoming stuck and giving over their body to another person who "doesn't live IN it - or WITH it."<br />
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Ultimately, I believe that it's our own body that does its own healing, through our actions and through those we give our power to - MD in whatever field, Osteopath, Naturopath, nutritionist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, self and learning/research, knowledgeable friends, and those who've been there. The idea is that we live in this body and it is our own responsibility to seek out what will help it the most. It is my belief that a combination - the right combination for YOU - is what works best for pain of any kind, or for illness of any kind. There is no <b>one</b> way, <i>one</i> pill, <i>one </i>treatment, that will work for any of us, much less all of us.<br />
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And so when CT came in this evening, he was searching for another option besides the doctor who now wants to do surgery on his spinal nerves. He states that so far, even with the prescriptions, the pain management doctor, and the spinal treatments, nothing has helped. Like the rest of us CT went to his family physician for help at first, then on to other "specialists" for back pain, sciatica, and other issues, and still found the pain to change very little, not to mention other maladies, like lack of sleep, stomach issues, etc. Coming to this meeting was his first reach to find out if there is something else "out there" that could help. <br />
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I am almost sorry for the sheer volume of information that was thrust upon him. Other members of the group chimed in with a number of things that helped them, too. I had plenty of handouts, business cards and information from prior speakers, etc as well. To describe everything we talked about, I almost need to have had a recorder to transcribe it all. But I will try to list some of the topics we covered.<br />
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When CT mentioned stomach issues, we talked of probiotics, gluten sensitivity & lactose intolerance. We talked of caffeine in coffee. Some mentioned that coffee affects them very negatively, but MG said that the dark french roast (freshly ground) does not have nearly as much caffeine in it. I told of drinking one or two cups of weak coffee per day, that is, 3/4 hot water and 1/4 coffee in the cup. I, and many others, don't do decaf coffee because it is processed with added chemicals, and many of us are chemical sensitive (which is one reason why prescriptions don't tend to act the way they're supposed to, or we have a reverse reaction to them).<br />
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We discussed lactose intolerance, and different options to dairy milk, such as almond milk, rice milk and soy milk. However if hormones are an issue, in male or female, soy may not be right for everyone because soy mimicks the action of estrogen! And this added extra can throw hormones OUT of balance instead of helping anything.<br />
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We talked of water and drinking enough of it!<br />
<br />
We talked of aspartame, MSG, nitrates (found mostly in processed meats like hot dogs, lunch meats and other meats, and other products), etc. Then we talked about the alkaloids in nightshade vegetables that many of us are sensitive to. Tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant & others are in the nightshade plant family; they are a common aggravator for many of us. But, because they are full of vitamins and minerals and can be beneficial also, I've discovered that, for me, I can eat one of these vegetables per day at a meal, and another one on another day and so on, without any ill effects, so that I can <i>still</i> get the benefits of these nutrient and antioxidant rich foods.<br />
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I discovered this by doing an <b>elimination test</b>. I eliminated all of these nightshade vegetables for one week. It was hard because I truly love potatoes and tomatoes, but I figured it was worth it to see if they affected my pain. Then, after that week, I tried eating potatoes at my main meal. The next day I had tomatoes. The next day I had more potatoes. *:) (I was born in Idaho, what can I say?) And lo and behold I had much less pain! And for a wonder, I was masochistic enough to try another experiment. About a month later I had tomatoes and potatoes in one meal and <b>yes</b>, I was in pain all that evening. OK. So that was proof enough for me that the combination and larger amount of nightshades is a trigger for pain - for me. I still eat only one nightshade at a meal per day. <br />
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Then we discussed the possibility of CT doing an elimination test to see if gluten is an issue affecting his stomach. We described what gluten is, and nearly everyone in the room agreed that they have cut way back on gluten, and several have gone totally gluten-free, to help ease their pain. <br />
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We went back to discussing tea when CT mentioned his lack of sleep. He is currently using a CPAP unit to help some, but still has a hard time sleeping. I spoke of L-Theanine, which is an amino acid found in tea, green tea having the largest amount, then white tea, then black tea. This compound actually helps negate the jittery effects of the caffeine found in tea (which is about one third that of coffee, anyway). L-Theanine is actually put into many OTC sleep medications, not so much because it is a "put-you-to-sleep" compound, but more of a relaxing and calming compound, while at the same time provides gentle access to the alpha wave state, where focus and clear-thought processing can take place. Thus it's used by millions in England at "Tea Time" for an afternoon pick-me-up. This <a href="http://worldoftea.org/caffeine-and-l-theanine/">website</a> explains it's action to help raise serotonin and dopamine, help sleep, stress and much more. <br />
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Regarding sleep, I spoke of how much I really like the Breath Right Nose Strips, especially when my sinuses are acting up. We also discussed Benedryl to help sleep. I've been using 25 mg (of the Wal-Mart brand) for more than 13 yrs with no side-effects, where it helps me get all 4 stages of sleep, and I wake allert and ready to go for the day with no grogginess. Another member said she can't use it because she wakes up groggy. I did mention that 50 mg (double the dose) keeps me awake and wired, so I stay at the low dose. But again, we all made a note that here is another case, like everything else, that not everything works for everyone, and so the best we can do is see what works for each of us on an individual basis. <br />
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JP (who gets groggy using Benedryl) said she uses another RX that she has been using for many years that has helped her fibromyalgia symptoms AND her sleep. It is a prescription that I had not heard of before. She said she has been using it very long time and has had no side-effects whatsoever. I have since met a friend who said that her daughter has been using it for 18 years with no side effects. Not only has it helped her sleep but it has helpedput her Lupus in remission for all these years! Impressive! I did some research on this prescription med called <i>Paquenil</i>. It has been around for a very long time as it was used in WWII for malaria. It has been used successfully to help the <b>pain and detereioration</b> of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other conditions as well! Here's the <a href="http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-6986-Plaquenil+Oral.aspx?drugid=6986&drugname=Plaquenil+Oral">WebMD site</a> where you can read of it's uses, side-effects, and precautions. Ask your doctor about it too! <br />
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MG recommended that CT get a spiral notebook and keep a journal of the foods, medications, supplements he's taking, and write down how he feels each day. This way he can refer back to see what my have caused today's aches and pains. This is especially helpful when doing the elimination tests for gluten, lactose, and nightshades. But also for new medications, activities, treatments, etc. <br />
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I had had a member of our group ask me if cortisone is a common drug for tender point injections. A number of us said that something like Lidocaine would be preferable as cortisone is not one of our more helpful type of drugs for Fibro. Then JP mentioned that she gets Lidocaine injections in her neck & shoulder tender points once or twice a year from her doctor. Fortunately, he is on our list of Fibro-friendly doctors: Dr. Nicholas Staniero, 707 N. Michigan St, South Bend, 574-647-4500.<br />
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I had looked up Integrative Medical Physician online and came up with only one name in our area: Patricia Kelly-Holmes, MD, 1251 N. Eddy St., Suite 200, South Bend, 574-208-9181. She is listed as practicing Integrative Holistic Medicine. Integrative medicine involves a Medical Physician who is also open to natural help, including things like acupuncture, chiropractic, vitamins and supplements etc as well as practicing allopathic medicine, which means that yes, she can and does also write prescriptions if that's what's needed. <br />
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I know there are several others in our area, including those at Physicians HolisticHealth Alliance (PHA) who, as it happens, was having a free "Introduction to Acupuncture" Seminar the next week! CT said he didn't know anything about acupuncture, and so I passed him (and everyone else) the flyer for the seminar. (How's THAT for a Coincidence?) Someone mentioned Dr. Janice Smith on Mishawaka Ave as practicing integrative medicine, but I have no further information - it was third party informtion. It is wise to ask around the medical community, health food stores, chiropractors etc, because not all of them are listed on the internet under "Integrative Medicine Practitioners.".<br />
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We mentioned <a href="http://coconutoil.com/">Coconut oil</a> for skin, infections and for <b>healing</b>. <br />
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Lyrica was mentioned. It works for one or two here and there, but clearly not for everyone! Me included. Gabapentin (brand name Neurontin) for nerve pain was mentioned. And again, it works for some, but not everyone. The other downside to most Rx is that they are not meant for life-long treatment, due to addiction and or when your body gets used to them, they just plain don't work any more. So when you attempt to get off them, there is the huge withdrawal syndrome thing goin' on. In the meantime they have re-adapted your body so that other things don't work as well. <br />
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We actually covered a lot of territory this night, but there's a LOT more "out there." I hope we didn't scare CT away with so much information! We could have gone on all evening! <br />
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Please check out my facebook page for even more information, links, "Notes," articles etc. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/fibromyalgianaturallywithpatichandler"></a> <br />
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<br />Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-43743218003580576372012-08-05T21:36:00.000-04:002012-08-05T21:36:57.579-04:00Fibromyalgia & New Dietary GuidelinesOur Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting for May was filled with information. Our guest speaker for the evening was Susan Behnke Strasser, MS, RD, the Director of Wholistic Nutrition at <i>Physicians HolisticHealth Alliance</i>, contact information below.~~~ <br />
<br />
We began the evening with each member giving a brief synopsis of our condition and what we are currently doing to help ourselves, so that Ms Strasser could get a general overview of the group. Some are under a medical doctor's care and are taking prescriptions (several), while others are taking one or two prescrptions and using supplements and other alternative treatments, and still others are using only natural help including foods, supplements, and acupuncture and/or chiropratic, etc. Some are still in constant pain in spite of eveything they (and their doctors) are doing, others are experiencing periodic recurrent pain, but find it not as bad as it used to be, and still others are generally managing as long as they are constantly vigilant in taking care to "live right, mind their "P's & Q's," eat exactly what they "should," and exercise just enough but not too much - in general perform their own particular balancing act. *:) [Sorry for the personalized editorial.]~~~ <br />
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Ms Strasser discussed how very little training medical doctors have in nutrition, if any, and so they are most likely to dole out prescriptions rather than tell someone to "eat right," to help their symptoms. Proper nutrition for anyone, with or without Fibromyalgia, is the foundation for the body's capability of helping to heal itself. It's true that genetics has a lot to do with what illness we experience and what body type we have and so on. But we are resiliant and we have a lot of power in how we can use what's available to help ourselves. We can most often change our situations for the better, through the foods we choose.~~~<br />
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Americans' choices in foods changed drastically forty years ago when the medical community pretty much guided our change in diet through their studies on Heart Health. We were told in no uncertain terms that fat was evil, carbs were good. And so one began finding foods in the grocery store proclaiming how good this was for you because it was low-fat. This of course created the necessity to raise the carbohydrates in those foods, so that the food would have some kind of flavor.~~~<br />
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Then along came the carbohydrate camp stating how bad the carbs were because it raised the insulin levels. Pretty soon everyone's insulin levels were rising, along with their waistline, and a severe increase in inflammatory conditions directly related to high sugar levels - from pasta, grains, whites and simple sugars - were another factor that came along with the low-fat craze. Yes, whole grains have the same effect on our bodies as whites and sugars.~~~ <br />
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Fats are necessary to our diet; they pull down the insulin response. So ideally, decreasing carbs severely, adding a little protein, and adding fats- yes, even saturated fats like coconut oil and real butter- makes up an ideal diet, not only for weight, but also for stabalizing the insulin response, the inflammatory response and helping to heal the body overall.~~~ <br />
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Taking a little side trip around the world, Ms Strasser told of Tibetans constantly drinking Yak butter tea (straight saturated fat); the French regularly eating high fat butter & creams; and African bushman eating lots of wild game (very fatty). And all these areas have fine heart health in their population. Yet, the US who so condems fat, is listed as number 80th in wellness and heart health around the world!~~~ <br />
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At <i>Physicians Holistic Health Alliance</i>, the very first two things they do for all their patients is address toxins through detoxing, and address their diet. They have found that this route has helped their Fibro patients right away.~~~<br />
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The flyer Ms Strasser passed out tells the basics of the New Diet Guidelines: abreviated here:<br />
- <b>Eat</b> all you want of low starch veggies<br />
- <b>Balance</b> proteins and starchy veggies (nuts, avocadoes, beans, meat, fish, <br />
poultry, dairy) and (potatoes, corn & peas)<br />
- <b>Include at each meal</b> uncooked fats (nuts,avocados,etc) and saturated fats like organic butter and coconut oil<br />
- <b>Limit or avoid</b> processed meats, processed & refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, sugars and alcohol.~~~<br />
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The list included some healthy basics like: drink pure water, eat 7-10 servings of non-starchy veggies per day, eat 1-2 servings of low glycemic fruits per day, leave 3 hours between meals & try not to eat anything after dinner.~~~<br />
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Make gradual changes, and be sure to enjoy the food you DO eat.~~~ <br />
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There is a whole list of easy steps and points to ponder on this Dietary Guideline list. Please feel free to contact the <i>Physicians Holistic Health Alliance</i> to find out more.~~~ <br />
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We discussed where to buy organic foods in our area - Roseland Organic Farms in Dowagiac, MI, the Farmers Market in South Bend and Nappannee. Be cautious in local grocery stores as the word "organic" is thrown around like confettie, but it may not necessarily be so. And the FDA's definition of "natural" as it reads on the label, may not be what WE consider natural.~~~<br />
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Eat wisely to help your Fibro and other symptoms. Ms Strasser can certainly be a huge help in this direction.~~~<br />
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Contact info: <br />
Nancy Behnke Strasser, MS, RD<br />
Director of Wholistic Nutrition<br />
<i>Physicians Holistic Health Alliance</i><br />
phone: 574-273-3880 <br />
nancy@caringforthewholeyou.com<br />Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-11474082300688322962012-03-30T13:00:00.002-04:002012-03-30T13:03:01.971-04:00Fibro and the Importance of NutritionHi Everyone! <br />
<br />
Unfortunately the speaker for our February 2012 Fibromyalgia Support Group Meeting was unable to make it this evening, but we held to the topic and had a really great and informative discussion on nutrition, along with a bit of other...<br />
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I began the evening with announcements. I had received an excited e-mail from a member of the group telling how much help she had received from her new doctor at Physicians HolisticHealth Alliance, Dr. Madiha Saeed. Our member had had two hip replacements along with her Fibro, and was in pretty bad shape when she had gone to Dr. Saeed back in November, and now she's considered a miracle woman! She had been a constant 8.5 out of 10 on the pain and fatigue scale. She is now without pain most of the time and and is on the go most of the day! And she tells me that the doctors there are seeing a lot of pluses with many their Fibro patients now!<br />
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One other announcement is more of a notice of information. I was online in a Fibro support group and came acros this site which I feel is of utmost importance. www.askdocweb.com/falsepositives.html One lady told us that her doctor said he could no longer treat her as he was a natural physician and did not treat anyone who was taking hydrocordone. She was NOT taking any. This woman had found out when she was a child that she had a severe allergy to it and could neveer take it. It was written in her medical records. She had had a blood test and found that she was taking an over-the-counter cold-relief medication that gave her a "false positive" in her blood test for taking hydrocordone! <br />
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You can see where this blood test would shape and determine what other meds a different doctor would have given her. This is not to mention her frustration with the natural physician who never checked her chart, but only went by the blood test to determine his mode of treatment and blatently accuse her of lying when she said she was not taking any meds at all. <br />
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I take Benedryl (Wal-Mart brand) a few times a week for sleep. If I were to have a blood test to test for PCP (the illegal drug) it would come out positive because of the Benedry I take! This is a scarey thought! Alka Seltzer Plus, for example can come out testing positive for Morphine!!!! Advil can test positive for Marijuana! Check out this site. You may want to check out some of your medications. <br />
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After these announcements we began in ernest talking about nutrition and the importance of have a good foundation for your body to work with. Good nutrition is the starting place for everything else. It allows our body to use supplements, and even prescriptions, so much more to our benefit- more efficiently. In fact, it is quite possible to lower our dependance on prescriptions and lower the doses, even delete prescriptions altogether in some cases (like mine and a number of others in our group) when good nutition is a part of your Fibromyalgia treatment program. <br />
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We began, of course, by talking about the no-no's - foods and substances it's best to avoid to help our symptoms. Most of these are in my book, but we went over them anyway. New members or old members - it is good to have reminders. <br />
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<b>Pain-makers</b>:<br />
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<b>Aspartame and MSG</b>, any artificial sweetener like Equal, Sugar Twin, Nutrasweet, Splenda and High Fructose Corn Syrup. These create inflammation in the first place, and in the second place they are excitotoxins. NOT good for nerve endings and nerve pain! http://www.naturalnews.com/excitotoxins.html Several articles here will explain. Dr. Blaylock is a noted authority on this and a number of other issues. http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/ <br />
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<b>Hydrogenated foods and trans fats</b> also create inflammation. Read labels. Go to your cabinet and pull out all the boxed, packaged, and even frozen foods, and read the labels. Hydrogenated this and hydrogenated that is in practically everything! Cooking oils? Crisco for making cookies? PURE hydrogenateds. Pure inflammation-makers! OUch! <br />
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<b>Alkaloids</b> are a form of excitotoxin although not quite as potent as the man-made aspartame and msg. Alkaloids are in natural foods, most especially in nightshades. Nightshades consist of a family of foods including potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant, paprika and a few others. One of our members is extremely sensitive to these and has horrible, painful symptoms with only one small potato a week! Others, like me, are less sensitive. I found out that I was sensitive by doing an elimination test. First, I eliminated all these foods for one week. I couldn't believe how much my pain subsided! It was a real-eye-opener for me! But these foods are full of vitamins and minerals and enzymes and prebiotics and all things good for us. (And besides, I was born in Boise, ID; I HAVE to eat potatoes. It's an unwritten the law.) So I began re-introducing these foods slowly - one at a time. I found that I can eat tomatoes one day, potatoes the next day and green peppers the next day and so on. As long as I don't eat two or more at the same time I do just fine. But I believe that I had to get the alkaloids out of my system first by eliminting them for a time to begin with. I think that was the key.<br />
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<b>Soft drinks</b> are another pain-maker. Soft drinks literally eat up our body's minerals. If there's one thing we've learned about Fibromyalgia is that we are almost always very low in B-vitamins, Vitamin D, and Magnesium. When we are low to start with, drinking soft drinks only adds insult to injury (and PAIN) by dissolving even more of our minerals, including calcium! This first article tells of back pain and soft drinks. http://www.ehow.com/about_5394014_carbonated-drinks-back-pain.html <br />
Dr. Mercola describes the process in this article http://www.mindconnection.com/library/health/softdrinks.htm<br />
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<b>Nitrates, sulfites and other food additives</b> are also pain-makers in folks who are sensitive to them - that's a lot of folks who have Fibromyalgia. Nitrates are a preservative found in packaged and prepared meats and other foods - balogna, salami, hot dogs, some wines etc.This site describes symptoms of sensitivy or allergies to such things. http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=20&cont=285<br />
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[Excess sugar, an inflammatory, aggravates symptoms, as does coffee in some people. But we did not talk about them this evening.]<br />
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<b>Pain Relievers</b><br />
We moved along to better things. The first thing out of my mouth when we began talking about foods to help alleviate pain was tart cherries. <br />
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<b>Tart Cherries</b> are among the very best pain relievers. They are anti-inflammatory ,and they are Cox2 inhibitors! Whatever science says, that's ok. All I know is that they help pain. Period. I have arthritis along with Fibro and this is THE most helpful pain reliever I use. I began using frozen concentrated Tart Cherry juice years ago. It was only found in certain health food stores back then. In the frozen section. I then began finding it in the local Farmers Market (about $3.00 cheaper). It was great because I brought it home and put it down in the fridge to thaw. Then every morning I mixed 1 part tart cherry juice with 7 parts water for a delicious and pain-relieving drink in a 4 oz juice glass. Then as I began traveling more, I decided to try the dried tart cherries so I wouldn't have to mess with a glass bottle in a cooler in the car. The dried cherries worked like a charm. I remembered not to overdo because that is so easy with dried fruit, and stuck to 5-8 dried cherries in the morning, and if necessary another 5-8 in the evening. Too many dried fruits can cause loose stools (fruit), and too much fructose (sugar & inflammation), not to mention more calories. *:) Tart Cherry juice, that has already been diluted, can be found at Kroger. I have found the frozen at Meijer Stores (near the pomegranate juice) and the South Bend Farmer's Market (but you have to ask for it - it's back in their freezer), and all the health food stores. The dried tart cherries I've found at all the local health food stores. (They look like fat red raisins). The juice that is pre-mixed and ready to drink may be available in many grocery stores, but I wonder if it is strong enough a mix to be as effective. With the frozen concentrate, If you are having extra pain, you can always mix it 5 or 6 parts to 1 for a more potent dose. You can't do that with the pre-mixed drink. <br />
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<b>Tumeric</b> is a spice that's often used in curry dishes, but gaining more popularity in other dishes as well. But it has been used as a pain reliever for many years. Testing for many conditions, including arthritis, and even cancer, it has proven to be quite an excellent pain-reliever !http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/turmeric<br />
I began using tumeric again when my shingles showed up. I always have it handy. I usually use malic acid when I have a flare, but tumeric is here for strong flares. *:)<br />
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<b>Ginger </b>is another spice that is an excellent pain-reliever. Yes, regular ginger. The rhizome you see in the produce section of your local grocery stores! http://www.naturalnews.com/029986_ginger_muscle_pain.html It does come in capsules in the health food stores, though, in case you want something quick or don't like the taste. Another benefit is that it also helps nausea. A common symptom for us as well! *:)<br />
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<b>Antioxidants</b> in the form of fresh whole fruits, veggies, beans*, whole grains**, nuts (particularly Brazil nuts and walnuts) are without a doubt the very best and most valuable overall benefit to your body! They enable all other supplements, vitamins and minerals to work better with your body. They are all bioavailable and your body knows exactly what to do with the nutrients! They may also fortify your body well enough so that whatever prescriptions you do have to take, may work more effectively and effeciently, with the least amount necesary!<br />
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[ I drink green tea (and a lot of water, of course) all day long. Green tea is an excellent antioxidant! Holy Basil tea (Tulsi tea) is also a great antioxidant, and it is very helpful for stress! But we did not talk about them this evening.]<br />
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*It was noted that some cans of beans contain food additives like nitrates, and/or sulfites, etc. Read the labels! <br />
**Whole wheat, Rye and Barley are may not be ideal for many with Fibromyalgia. Gluten intolerance and/or sensitivity seems to be a real popular issue with us. If you are sensitive, there are other grains like wild rice, brown rice, organic oats, quinoa, millet and amaranth are all available in our local health food stores to use for our grains. <br />
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We all know that when you walk into the produce section of the grocery store, everything looks all shiney and fresh and wholesome. But we know that pesticides and food washes have been used to bring out their good looks. Buy organic when you can, but even still, buying these foods will still give you antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and prebiotics your body needs. Wash them well when you get home, and enjoy all the benefits within! <br />
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We talked a bit about sleep and mattresses and other things, but I am not writing another novel here, only a monthly summary! *:) And I do want to get it to you as soon as possible so you can take advantage of the events listed above! Be well everyone! And keep smiling. It's important! *:)Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-42741646186225176242012-01-17T10:12:00.000-05:002012-01-17T10:12:26.171-05:00Fibromyalgia and The EsTeck Medical DeviseWOW! 2012 Already! Happy and Healthy New Year to all! <br />
<br />
Hi Everyone!<br />
<br />
Our guest speaker for January's meeting of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. Kevin Hancock, Chiropractor and Health Care Practitioner extraordinaire! He has done remarkable things for my neck and lower back, and for my overall health and well-being this past year. I highly recommend his expertise! For much more than his Chiropractic expertise, as it turns out! <br />
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When he told me about this awesome non-invasive medical devise he's been using, I wanted to be certain all of you knew about it too! It's called the EsTeck Medical Devise. It's an outstanding devise, not only for his chiropractic patients, but for anyone who chooses to get a scan performed. You can use the information gleaned as suggestions and requests for your doctor to look into!<br />
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As Dr. Hancock said, this machine is not necessarily an actual diagnostic tool, but rather it provides a guide in the manner of <i>triag</i>e and a <i>monitoring tool</i>. It has been used regularly in China and India for almost 10 years in order to give the patient a preliminary tentative diagnosis (triage) so that the medical personnel will have an idea of where to start in their healing process, saving precious time in already amazingly busy facilities in these countries. <br />
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The devise is completely non-invasive. Much like an EKG, EEG or EMG machine there are two biosensors (sticky pads) attached to your temples, a finger pulse monitor, a sensor pad to lay your hand on, and two pads to set your feet on. All the readings come from these areas at once, and the EsTeck Devise does some enormously complex mathematical calculations to measure up to 69 parameters of the human body with amazing accuracy and reproducibility.<br />
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So what are are some of the things measured by the EsTeck Medical Devise? It evaluates: <br />
<br />
~ overall homeostasis score<br />
~ basal metabolism<br />
~ the current function of each organ in the body - liver, heart, kidney, etc<br />
~ brain function by individual lobes<br />
~ the hormonal activity - thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, etc<br />
~ cardiovascular function<br />
~ electrolyte status and function<br />
~ oxygen status and function<br />
~ mitochondtial activity<br />
~ autonomic nervous system activity<br />
~ spinal health<br />
~ disease status - cardiovascular, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, tissue inflammation, etc<br />
~ body composition - lean mass, fat mass<br />
~ the amount of water inside your cells and outside of your cells <br />
as stated, up to 69 parameters are measured!<br />
<br />
Once the electrodes are attached, and your feet and hands are placed, the entire procedure takes from 2 to 5 minutes. And the results are available immediately - no wait time for "tests to come back." Dr. Hancock will need to read and describe/explain the results, but you have them right away! And you can both discuss what to do from there. <br />
<br />
It is true that many doctors in the U.S. have not heard of the EsTeck Medical Devise yet, but it has proven to be very effective, efficient and most helpful in the countries where it is well-established. For now, a reading from the devise will give you much needed information about your body and how it is functioning. Armed with this information, you can go to your doctor and say, "I'd like to have this or that checked." And the best part is that after Dr. Hancock, or your doctor treats the condition, you can go back for another scan and find out if the treatment is indeed working or if you need to raise the dose or change to something else. <br />
<br />
Dr. Hancock also has available whole food supplements by Standard Process, a highly respected company in business since 1929. I have been taking their product called "Min-Chex" since I got shingles back in November and find it most helpful! This particular product helps to balance the central nervous system (shingles, remember?) while it also helps support thyroid and adrenals. The company makes a number of excellent whole food products, including the "General Health - Daily Fundamentals" which includes packets of 3 capsules of whole food nutrition consisting of a multi, a capsule of trace minerals-B-12, and a Tuna Omega 3 EPA-DHA capsule. All supplements are Gluten-free. Because they are whole food supplements, they are completely bio-available, that is, your body absorbs them and utilizes all the nutrition your body needs. Standard Process Products are only available through a Health Care Provider and not sold in stores. For more information check out www.StandardProcess.com (Note 1: if you're looking for natural help for thyroid, adrenals,etc ask Dr. Hancock about these Standard Process products). (Note 2: I found out online that these excellent products are available for pets as well - horses, cats, dogs, and more.)<br />
<br />
Dr. Kevin told us about a doctor in California who charges $170 for a scan from the EsTeck Medical Devise. <br />
Dr. Hancock's regular fee is only $50. This is so that more people can take advantge of its help! <br />
<br />
I highly recommend you take advantage of this devise. For piece of mind, and the knowledge it can give you of your own body.<br />
<br />
<b>Contact Information</b>:<br />
<br />
Dr. Kevin Hancock<br />
6910 North Main St., Unit 23 <br />
Granger, IN 46530<br />
574-271-1111Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-89876789600193607342012-01-06T19:20:00.000-05:002012-01-06T19:20:17.873-05:00Fibromyalgia Discussion at Fibro Support GroupMerry Christmas Everyone! 12-21-2011<br />
<br />
Our Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting for December was quite memorable. I just pray I can do justice in writing about it! One of the challenges of being the host of this wonderful group of people is that it is my job is to take notes so that I can write these Fibro Notes, so that you in turn, can have the vicarious experience of "being there." But when I get all caught up in the experience myself, my note-taking ability wanes. This is a shame really, because I heard from each of our attendees that this was an extra special meeting for them. Me too. <br />
<br />
By the way, you may not know this, but these Fibro Notes are sent to 125+ folks in chronic pain with Fibromyalgia and a variety of assorted other conditions! Then, they are posted onto my blog at http://ManagingFibromyalgia.blogspot.com where anyone can read the back issues and postings from 2009 when I began this blog. <br />
<br />
My plan for this evening, as stated in an earlier e-mail, was to discuss how we each manage the "unexpected" things that pop up while we are also experiencing Fibro and whatever else happens to be going on in your body - things like the not-so-common cold or flu or physical injury or shingles or what have you. But I've learned over time, to go with the flow of the evening, it usually works out a lot better. So we'll cover this topic at another time *:)<br />
<br />
There were nine attendees, including myself and two surprise (and most welcome) guests, James Keating, Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncture from Preventive Medicine, PC, and his assistant, Crystal. <br />
<br />
I asked everyone to go around the table introducing themselves, and to please share their "particular brand" of Fibromyalgia, a bit about their physician, how they are treating their symptoms, how long they've had it, what other condition they may be experincing with it, and so on. I have come to find out that this is a valuable learning tool and leads to many discussions, as it did this night as well. We all learn from each other. <br />
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FYI: the age range of our group this evening was 30 - 80+ years young! <br />
<br />
<b>December's Support Group meeting<br />
</b> <br />
1) I'll start with myself to get that out of the way, if you don't mind. My bout with shingles the past five weeks has slowed me down a bit, and I didn't get things done the way I wanted to. Due to a prescription med, I actually slept through /or was semi-unconscious the last few weeks of November and first few days of December. I did things I have no recollection of doing, and I didn't do things I thought I had done. I didn't get dressed or want to do anything but sleep. However, I will say that the Rx greatly helped the pain during this most severe time-period when Fibro, shingles and arthritis were waging war in my body! I began phasing off the meds around Dec 3rd and began daily use of only natural help during the day (L-lysine, white willow bark, tumeric, doubled up on the Alpha Lipoic Acid and antioxidants and immune boosters) and used topical help such as Capsaicin and Udderly Smooth Hand Cream. I am still using these. I was using one Rx med to get sleep at night so the pain wouldn't wake me every 15 minutes, and I have recently been able to stop that too. So things are on the mend. That is to say, I am at least functional once again! My Fibro has been under my control for about 13 years, and now my shingles "aftermath" is too. Thank you all for your prayers! <br />
<br />
2) JH was next to share and told of being diagnosed about 2 1/2 years ago. She is seeing a Rheumatologist and is taking Tramadol, Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Thyroid medication (she has no thyroid gland), Ambien and others. With all this, she is still in daily pain. Fortunately she is not working. JH has seen how walking has helped her dear friend CP, but she told us that her foot is damaged and also in pain, so she cannot walk. She is also getting another Rx from her podiatrist. We then had several folks tell of other ways she could exercise - a hand pedalling machine, swimming, sitting Tai Chi and others. So she went home with ideas to try! Yeah!<br />
<br />
3) CP has had Fibro for a number of years and has found that walking is a huge help for her. She's letting her endorphins do much of the pain-relieving. She did have to slow down some when she hurt her knee, which increased the Fibro pain too, but is back to walking 5 miles a day and feeling better now. (She did mention that she was a dedicated walker before Fibro.) She also finds Acupuncture exceptionally helpful, not only for regular treatment of pain, but for Fibro Fog too. It took a couple of months to find the exact right points for her, but now she is going only twice a month. CP is somewhat of a "snow bird" and spends two/three months of the wintertime in a warmer climate. One particularly nice thing about using acupuncture is that her local acupuncturist has written down the specific points/meridians that work for her and she has given this list of points to her other acupuncturist, so that she can have the same, continual care, twice a month without ever having to miss a treatment even when she's not here! And of course she keeps up with her walking in the nicer weather! Her Fibromyalgia is basically under her control through exercise, acupuncture and several supplements, vitamins and minerals. CP is not working part or full-time.<br />
<br />
4) NT said that she starts off her day with 25 pills - a combination of prescriptions, supplements, vitamins and vitamins (Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Vicodin, magnesium for example). She takes 3 pills at lunch time and about 7 pills in the evening. She is still in daily pain, but also somehow manages to work full time! She has had 17 surgeries over the years adding to the residual pain and Fibro symptoms. We talked about swimming (and/or paddling around in the water) which helps her pain a lot, but is expensive at the places where she is comfortable using it. Some places the water is too cold, other places the water is too chlorinated. All agreed that both of these conditions were NOT desireable. For NT, Pro Health works fine, but it is $10 to come in to use the pool on a "drop-in" basis. And the fee for joining is quite a bit more! We spoke of soft drinks because she had one in front of her. She said she has cut back on them. Several of us agreed that deleting soft drinks had helped the rest of us tremendously, and we each found that adding lots of fresh fruits and veggies helped too. She is working on the latter, but just doesn't like the taste of them them. She did mention that she has a very supportive boyfriend which helps a lot, especially when the stress of other family relationships seem to amplify the pain. We discussed stress as a major aggravating factor to our pain. Weight is a factor for a few of us, and this always adds to the stress and depression issues. She told of going to one particular doctor, and the first and only thing he said was, "Loose weight and you'll be fine!" We all agreed that this doctor was not only rude, but ignorant about Fibromyalgia too. She left his office and didn't look back! We cheered for her! YEAH! <br />
<br />
5) LM was diagnosed 8 years ago at Crossroads Healing Arts Center - the Goshen, Indiana location of The Born Preventive Health Care Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. LM was one of the very first members of my Fibro Support Group when we began in March of 2008. She had had severe Gluten and Lactose issues as a very significant part of her Fibro, which is what led me to begin my inquiries in this direction and it's connection to Fibro. (Up to that point I had had no idea that either was a part of Fibro.) She was quite inspirational for a big part of my second book. Thank you, LM! She had been using nutrition - specifically omitting the gluten and lactose from her diet - and adding a number of vitamins and supplements recommended by those at Crossroads and has not used prescriptions for any part of her treatment. A year ago she went to Rose Quest Nutrition (on Lincoln Way East near this Library) and began a regimen under the tutelage of the nutritionist there. She did mention that it was a bit expensive, but the result is well worth her effort. She is now able to eat a minimal amount of gluten and lactose under specific conditions without any severe effects that she used to experience. She has a strictly regimented routine of specific food and supplements at certain times etc, but she has not felt this good in over 8 years. She is currently working full time and has Fibro under her control through nutrition, supplements, vitamins and minerals. <br />
<br />
6) MG has had a very long road and numerous medical events that have complicated everything. Many years ago, a surgery that was performed on the WRONG part of her anatomy ended up in the severing of her laryngeal nerve, leaving her to talk in a whisper for the rest of her life! This was only one of several surgeries over the years for a number of issues, including the removal of her thyroid in 1996. But it was in the early 1990's when she was the Medical University in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. She takes meds for several other conditions, including her absent thyroid, but she also uses a combination of natural therapies such as deep breathing, meditation, good nutrition, and Juice Plus+ supplements, vitamins and minerals. She and her husband take advantage of the massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and muscle stimulation therapy provided by Preventive Medicine, PC and Dr. James Keating. She is not working full-time. <br />
<br />
7) BG is the spouse of MG, and although he does not have Fibromyalgia, he does have chronic back pain and is helped a great deal by the same natural therapies that MG uses, including Juice Plus+. He is currenty seeing Dr. Keating and finds him tremendously helpful for helping to ease his back pain. BG has come up with a delicious recipe for a healthy breakfast which he shared with us. MG tells that she uses Mountain High Fat Free Yogurt in this recipe because it is the least expensive when they buy it by the gallon for use in their breakfast smoothies! <br />
BG's Breakfast Recipe: <br />
1/4 chopped banana<br />
1/2 cup yogurt<br />
frozen peaches or blueberries to taste <br />
granola <br />
Mix well and enjoy! <br />
<br />
When NT reminded that she didn't like the taste of fruit or yogurt, MG said, "You can always add a little Congac to hide the taste!" Wahoo! <br />
<br />
Dr. Keating was not a silent attendee! He really did participate in many side conversations about the muscle stimulation pads at Preventive Medicine,PC, exercise, massage, acupuncture and supplements, specifically Vitamin D. He stressed the importance of having your Vitamin D level checked. It is importanmt to help pain. Some folks in this area have had levels as low as 4 or 18 etc. When we have a chronic illness, our bodies use Vitamin D quickly each day to help fight the pain and other symptoms. Our level should be reading 50-70 ng/ml DAILY. Taking 4000 to 6000 IU per day is not unreasonable. (I take 6000 IU per day myself.) When you buy Vitamin D, be certain to get Vitamin D3 (not D2) because the D3 is the best absorbed buy our body. It is available in small caps, in liquid, and in sublingual liquid drops (under the tongue). Bringing you Vitamin D level up to a reasonalbe level can make a huge difference in how you feel! <br />
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Regarding massage therapy, it was mentioned that if your doctor writes a prescription for "needs clinical muscle work" this is interpreted as "massage therapy would be helpful for your condition" and it may be covered by insurance. Check with your insurance company and see if your doctor will do this for you! Chiropractic is often covered, acupuncture is sometimes covered depending on your health care, and massage may be covered in the above mentioned instances. <br />
<br />
On a parting note, MG stated that having a supportive loving relationship is an immense help to Fibro pain and symptoms. NT and CP verified this loudly, and seconded the motion, while everyone else whole-heartedly agreed! *:) <br />
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<b>Love is Great medicine</b>! <br />
<br />
* I am honored to be the guest on <b>The Harvest Show</b> on Channel 46, WHME, on January 3rd at 9:00 am EST, in South Bend, IN. Discussing Fibromyalgia in a brief 10 - 12 minutes interview is going to be a challenge, but I'll give it my best. Please feel free to check out the show or view past shows and interviews by visiting their website at <a href="http://www.harvest-tv.com">www.harvest-tv.com</a>Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-23640507391404408122011-12-22T11:59:00.000-05:002011-12-22T11:59:07.439-05:00Fibromyalgia and Tai Chi for relaxing stressOur speaker for November's Support Group Meeting was Kathy Stiffney, a Licensed Massage Therapist and a Tai Chi Instructor from Goshen, IN. She has been teaching Tai Chi for 11-12 years, and this was our topic the evening<br />
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Kathy had been a kindergarden teacher for 27 years, and began training as a massage therapist during that time. She later began learning, and then teaching Tai Chi. It turns out that she, like me, has been fond of all things Asian for many years and this has pulled her to this method of exercise and stress-relief. <br />
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Tai Chi, she explains is a very subtle art. It developed originally as a subtle form of martial art, and has evolved into its own profund mental and physical discipline, which focuses specifically on promoting health, relaxation and the cultivation of the internal vital energy known as to the Chinese as Chi. <br />
<br />
Tai Chi does not focus on the gross motor skills like so many other exercises do. Its purpose is different. It's purpose is to promote:<br />
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Relaxation<br />
Strength<br />
Breath<br />
Energy<br />
Balance<br />
Thinking & Memory<br />
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This method of movement is both gentle and yet demanding. It involves slow, balanced, controlled movements utilizing the whole body in a flowing sequence of positions called, "the form." It is an art of complete inner calm and serene focus. (As I mention in my book, <b>Fibromyalgia Basics<i></i></b>, I've been doing Tai Chi, in my own form, for nearly 13 years. I find that focusing on Tai Chi - my movements and the breathing - takes my mind OFF of other things...like pain, or depression, or stresses or worry running around in my mind. And doing this daily, ten minutes every single morning, bolsters me for the long haul.)<br />
<br />
Kathy demonstrated about 5 minutes of beautifully fluid movements, explaining that she is deep breathing as she moves, she is moving slowly and deliberately, and showed the muscle strength being used to keep the movements slow. And as she turns this way and that, she is slowly massaging internal organs building up the muscles and strengthening the organs - heart, liver, lungs, spleen, intestines etc. This is healing because strength in these muscles helps them function more effeciently. <br />
<br />
Because we were a small group she asked us to join in. We all rose, even the husband of one of our members, FF. It turns out that he pretty much put us all to shame, even with his chronic back pain! Kathy was able to come around to each of us to help perfect the stance and movements as we went along for some very basic beginning movements. <br />
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She also showed us how her class "Ohm's." She said they do ohming before and/or after the class to achieve a sort of connection. She demonstrated how it was done. The toning was very calming just listening to her. I asked if we could all do it together. Everyone was up for it, even FF. The idea is to take in a long slow deep breath, and then let it out slowly, as long as you can - all of it - while releasing the word "Ohmmmmm." Toning in this fashion assures all the "bad air" is released, before taking in more "good air." The "mmmmm" sound resonates so deeply, especially with all of us doing it together - one could actually feel it resonating in the bones. It felt really, really nice - soothing on a physical <i>and</i> emotional level, as well as a deeper level yet. And guess what? It turns out that FF is a prodigy, outlasting all of us in the length of letting out the bad air, on several occassions! Whoda thunk? <br />
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Kathy then showed us how to "body scan." We all know that tension can create pain. But, she said, we often don't realize when we are tense. She described a personal example. She was laying on her couch watching TV one evening when she decided to do a body scan. She took inventory of her body, from feet, legs, torso, arms, neck and even scalp. She discovered that her legs were tense, so she consciously stretched, then relaxed them. <br />
<br />
I would have to say that it could be a real benefit for all of us to do regular body scans. I did this at home and realized that after being on the computer for only 15 minutes my neck was tense. I moved and stretched, and began again on my computer. I discovered that I need to do this body scan about every 15 minutes, and then move and stretch again. I'm certain this body scan prevented a nasty stiff neck before bedtime. It's kind of like taking inventory as to how we hold ourselves. We often hold tension in our body for whatever reason, without even realizing it - neck, shoulders, arms, legs, stomach, back, even our face! <br />
<br />
Then we learned how to do stretches ala Tai Chi! Wow, did that feeel good! But you'll have to make an appointment with her to learn how to do it! *:)<br />
<br />
There's no doubt about it. Kathy has a lot to teach that can help anyone with Fibromyalgia or chronic pain. Her classes are in Goshen, often at The Retreat Goshen's Women's Health Center, and are set up for six weeks at a time, to learn the basics. <br />
<br />
Contact Information:<br />
<br />
Kathy Stiffney<br />
Family Chiropractic<br />
1119 South Indiana Ave.<br />
Gishen, IN 46526<br />
(across from Goshen Middle School) <br />
<br />
For appointments: call Kathy at 574-202-7710 or 574-534-4591Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-42305742639271617642011-10-29T16:42:00.002-04:002011-10-29T16:59:10.070-04:00Fibromyalgia, Stress and HeartMathThe October Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group's speaker was Diana Tice, a Licensed HeartMath Provider. What is HearthMath, you ask? In essence, HearthMath is a stress-relieving program where we can learn to relieve stress as we are experiencing it - to relieve stress in mid-stress! What a concept! <br />
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Knowing that our bodies are chronically stressed just by being chronically ill, and knowing that any emotional stress that comes tripping our way, great or small, can have a huge impact on our pain, this concept of HeartMath was a no-brainer to find out more! <br />
<br />
HeartMath is an entire program consisting of a 5 week learning program which combines instruction from a Licensed Instructor like Diana right here in the area, or video program available on-line, quizes, worksheets and the award-winning emWave Technology. <br />
<br />
Diana was able to give us only a brief "taste" of this amazing program, showing us a few of the tools and techniques to see what HeartMath is all about. She began by passing around handouts, the first of which described HeartMath as "the only scientifically-validated system of stress intervention techniques, and objective biofeedback that quantifialby- and dramatically - boosts the health and performance of individuals and organizations." In a nut shell, this program has been scientifically proven to help relieve stress, and by using their emWave devise or software it can display instant biofeedback and show you right away how much your stress factor has lowered as a result of the program. <br />
<br />
Christine Northrup, author of <b>Women's Bodies,Women's Wisdom</b>, states, "HearthMath is the owner's manual we've been waiting for to help us recognize and use our heart's energy to help heal our bodies and our lives."<br />
<br />
HeathMath's easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tools include techniques such as Neutral, Quick Coherence, Heart Lock-IN, Freeze Frame, Attitude Breathing, Authentic Communicating, Heart Mapping and In-Betweens. <br />
<br />
She shared with us the "Neutral" tool to first. She asked us to breathe - long, slow, easy breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. THEN, visualize that belly breath flowing through your heart - in and out. In through the front of your chest, front of your heart, and out through the back - slowly, deeply. Breath in through your heart and out through your back. We did this for several minutes. I must say it was very relaxing and soothing. This can be done anywhere, anytime. In traffic, in the grocery store, waiting for kids to get ready for school, waiting for someone who's late, when frustrated with bills, or people, or things or time constraints or anything, anytime, anywhere. This is called the "Neutral" tool, bringing one to a neutral position in your thinking. This is key. <br />
<br />
In my book <b>Fibromyalgia Basics</b>, page 108, I quote Drs. William and Carey of the University of Michigan HealthSystem in 2003. Here it is again. "Pain is associated with negative emotions such as sadness, frustration and irritability. When people are in pain and also have these emotions, the pain becomes worse. That is because these emotions are processed in the same side of the brain, as pain. Research has shown that pain decreases when people experience more positive emotions." <br />
<br />
So the idea here is to switch from one side of the brain to the other - via emotions of compassion, gratefulness, love, etc. - in order to help ease pain, become more balanced, calm and stress-free. <br />
<br />
Researcher, author and founder of the Heart Math Institute, Doc Childre "discovered that a positive attitude brings stress-relief only temporarily, but by engaging the heart, positive feelings can create stress relief that not only lasts, but actually reverses the physical damages of stress." He says that when people consciously shift to appreciation, gratitude, compassion, a feeling of love for another, a pet, God's natural world, etc, there is a measurable, scientifically proveable, cascade of neural, hormonal and biochemical events that benefit the entire body! Blood pressure normalizes, stress hormones plummet, the immune system is boosted, anti-aging hormones increase and we regain clarity, calmness and control. All this is physiological, immediate, and can be measured! *<br />
<br />
This action turns out to be another tool. Engaging the heart with a deep emotion in this fashion, while practicing the "Normal" tool of "breathing through the heart" is the next tool called "Quick Coherence."<br />
<br />
In fact, one member of our group gave an example where she could actually see the heart monitor change when she went to visit a friend in the hospital. Her friend was noticeably worried and upset about her condition, laying in the hospital bed hooked up to machines and IV's. When our member walked in, she began fretting and venting telling her how bad she felt and scared she was. But when she was asked about her cat, Lily, and they began talking about her, the heart monitor (her heart reading) instantly began to calm down and become much more even and steady. This is instant stress-relief!<br />
<br />
A test had been done by the HeartMath Group measuring stress levels and the immune system. They took a swab of the inside of the mouths of group of people experiencing stress. After applying the HeartMath techniques including a video of Mother Theresa, another swab was done. Without question, their immuglobulin was UP, showing greater immune support, than when first taken.<br />
<br />
The last tool Diana showed us was the "In-Betweens." This uses the first two tools, on purpose, on a steady, regular basis throughout the day, in between other activities - when waiting for the water to boil on the stove; when waiting on hold on the telephone; when waiting for someone to make up their mind; etc. In other words, the In-Betweens talks about deliberately utilizing your heart to create a loving moment, regularly throughout the day. "When you send loving feelings to another, or the planet, or self, you are acivating hormones and neurotransmitters that benefit and re-vitalize your personal system.This tool also helps clear out much of the 'under-chatter' that mechanically happens to all of us." ** This is like the monkey mind that has us repeating and re-living the what-if's and if-only's - a viscious circle that gets us nowhere but a ride down the stress chute! Imagine...deliberately sending out love from your heart 2 or 3 minutes, several times a day or more...this concept could literally change the world.<br />
<br />
In the words of the Institute of Heart Math, "A change of heart is key to transforming the effects of stress." <br />
<br />
At the end of her talk, Diana read several inspiring quotations from three books. Then using the special emWave technologyn on her computer she asked for volunteers to come and see their heart rate change as they changed the picture on the screen! This was truly awesome. All we had to do was slip our finger into the digital pulse reader and watch a black and white screen on her monitor as it began to glow with color as we thought loving thoughts! Amazing! Then we could read the heart monitor as to what happened. It is quite an experience. We could actually see the change in heart rate as we thought loving thoughts. <br />
<br />
It was a very enlightening evening and we thank Diana for her time and generous sharing. <br />
<br />
*Granger Gazette, March 2009<br />
**Handout printed for us by Diana. www.heartmath.org (For providers -online)<br />
<br />
Contact Information: <br />
<br />
Diana Tice<br />
Licensed HeartMath Provider at Expanding Horizons<br />
phone: 574-293-2713<br />
cell: 574-370-4917<br />
e-mail: DTPoet@aol.com<br />
<br />
Also please check out www.HeathMath.com <br />
<br />
If you have read my book, <b>Fibromyalgia Basics</b>, would you be so kind as to take a moment to visit www.Amazon.com and write a sentence or two under "Customer Reviews" telling how you liked it or how it helped you. More and more Librarians are using Amazon's reviews to get a "bead on" new books to order for their library. The more reviews the better! Thanks so very much!<br />
<br />
<b>Pati's November Events</b>:<br />
<i>Nov 3rd </i>- Blogtalkradio Show, Interview 12 - 1 pm. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/elisabeth-oas/ Topic: Managing Fibrimyalga naturally, including diet. The show is set up to call in or e-mail questions. <br />
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<i>Nov 8th </i>- Fibromyalgia Support Group, 6:00 pm. Mishawaka Library, 209 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka <br />
Nov 12th - Sufficient Grounds Coffee House, 1-3 pm. Booksigning and Q & A, 711 West McKinley, (opposite Town & Country), Mishawaka. <br />
<br />
<i>Nov. 15th </i>- "Networking and All That Jazz Expo" 11-7pm. Business, Health and Networking Expo. I'll be exhibiting with the Talent For Giving local author's group. 52890 S.R. 933, South Bend, IN (Roseland). www.networkingandallthatjazzexpo.com <br />
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<i>Nov. 19 </i>- Fall Author Fair, Main Library in Fort Wayne, IN. 12 - 4 pm. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, INPatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-56916710544228580572011-10-10T21:37:00.000-04:002011-10-10T21:37:13.235-04:00Fibromyalgia and Nature's SunshineHi Everyone! <br />
Our speaker for September's Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group, was Donna Horner, of Baby Girl Herbs. Donna is a Certified Natural Health Professional who studied in Warsaw, IN and Indianapolis. <br />
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Her first experience with the power of natural healing and herbs was with her Golden Retriever, Baby Girl, who had had cancer. The cancer treatments were so hard on the poor thing that she was extremely weak and sickly during the whole ordeal and suffering terribly. When a friend said that this wasn't necessary, and she could feel much better, Donna said, "Yes, do it!" <br />
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The herbs that were given began working within a day. Baby Girl was beginning to look and feel better. She was up and moving around, and happy. Although Baby Girl still had cancer and was failing, her quality of life was so very much better, that Donna began looking into the world of herbs, not only for animals - pets of all kinds - but also for people. She studied and became certified and now is very happily helping people and pets live fuller, healthier and happier lives. She uses them for herself, her pets and her rescue dogs too. <br />
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In working with people, whether you have a stomach issue, a nasty cold or a chronic illness, her goal is to help achieve your optimum health and the state of well-being that you deserve. She works one-on-one with you following a completely thorough consultation. She will NEVER ever, tell you to stop taking your prescriptions, but she will tell you what the prescrition may be depleting in your system. And then she works with you to help rebuild that system back to as close to normal as possible. <br />
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If you have concerns about your immune system with the winter weather coming on, she has a superb immune booster, called The Ultimate Green Zone by Nature's Sunshine, which can fortify your system and help keep the winter nasties down to a bare minimum! In fact this particular combination of herbs can help you in many ways. She works mostly with Nature's Sunshine products, but others, such as Carlson's and Solar Ray are in her inventory as well. She will use the most appropriate supplement or combination she feels would be the most helpful for YOU personally. <br />
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She also spoke about the chemicals that those of us with Fibromyalgia often react negatively to. Chemicals like dyes, heavy metals, food colorings, fillers, aspartame, msg, nitrates and more not only affect us, but those with ADHD, migraine headaches, muscle pain , arthritis and much more. One place you'll find a lot of these fillers, dyes, msg, aspartame, etc chemicals is in your every day multivitamin! Read the labels! You may be reacting badly to a simple vitamin that is supposed to be helping you! She carries a wonderful herbal multi, you may like to try . <br />
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She also uses Silver Shield from Nature's Sunshine, a Coloidal Silver which helps the immune system and helps pull out a lot of those negative chemicals from your system!<br />
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She uses Probiotics and intestinal healing herbs, for many because she's found that many illnesses start in the gut! Once the gut is free and clear and healthy, many other symptoms are helped along the way! <br />
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She often helps other's using Carlson's fish oil, magnesium and malic acid, antioxidants, and of course her herbal combinations specific to you and your system. Thai-Go and Noni Juice, both powerul antioxidants, and more, are in her arsenal as well. <br />
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For those with chronic illnesses, she reminds them that "the illness in not who they are, it is what they are dealing with." And they can deal with it in so many ways. She can help by using "God's pharmacy" - natural healing herbs. <br />
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If you have an ailing or aging pet, she can help also! <br />
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"Baby Girl Herbs will conduct a one-hour consultation to evaluate your health history and concerns. A customized program that addresses your individual needs will be researched and formulated. Baby Girl Herbs will walk with you every step of the way on your path to optimum health and well-being."<br />
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Consultation fee: $30. (This one hour is a lot longer than any visit to a doctor's office.) <br />
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Contact info: <br />
Baby Girl Herbs<br />
Donna Horner, M.A.<br />
574-255-5202 or 574-370-2030<br />
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Please visit facebook.com and type "Baby Girl Herbs" (with caps) into the search box and "friend" her page. It would be most appreciated! *:)Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-30076458088469856652011-08-23T19:00:00.000-04:002011-08-23T19:00:26.464-04:00Fibromyalgia, flares, acupunctureOur speaker for the August 9th Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. James Keating of <b>Preventive Medicine, PC</b> on Edison Rd, in Mishawkaka, IN. The most impressive factor of this particular place of healing is the fact that they do not perform any singular type of treatment. This of course, is right up our alley! I don't think there are many folks with Fibromyalgia who will be helped by any <i>singular</i> treatment, whether it is a prescription, supplements, chiropractic, exercise or what have you. Dr. Keating is also right up our perverbial alley, as he is not only a chiropractor, but also a fully licensed acupuncturist. <br />
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As Dr. Keating and his co-speaker, Nick Bello, came into the room, the topic being discussed was our ever-unpredictable "flare." We all have them. Some more than others. And for some it seems like they live in a permanent flare! Having heard a bit of our discussion, Dr. Keating asked if everyone in the room had experienced massage therapy (which they also offer at <b>Preventive Medicine, PC</b>). There were nods and shakes all around, and an eye-roll or two. He nodded too, knowing exactly what the eye-rolls were for. <br />
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He proceeded to explain that there are a number of different kinds of massage treatments. Sports massage, which is basically for healthy folks who have had a hard work out and need to "loosen up" their muscles. There is deep tissue massage, involving deep penetration of the massager's fingers at the tender points where the muscles are knotted up, with the intention of loosening these rock hard knots and thereby relaxing the muscles. (This often involves pain - which we get for free, no payment involved.) And then there is the gentle, soothing and relaxing massage (sometimes involving herbal oils & ocassionally soft music) which releases both painful toxins and helpful endorphins, thereby helping to ease pain. <br />
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Dr. Keating recommends the latter for anyone with Fibromyalgia, most especially for anyone experiencing a Fibro-flare. Coming in for a massage while you're in the flare is a very wise thing to do, he says, because this can ease up the flare considerably before it takes hold and grows roots (lasting a long time)! One of the reasons <b>Prevention Medicine, PC</b> impressed him as an employer is that they leave time slots open for new patients, and for "emergency" or immediate help for someone in urgent need, such as someone in a flare! He has found that massage is usually the most helpful for the immediate care of a flare. Some may prefer chiropractic or acupuncture, however, and so these are also available for "urgent help," as are hot moist heat applications, and electrical muscle stimulation. This latter is something like exercising your muscles without your having to move. The electrical stimulation machine sends impulses through your muscles to relax and contract them, bringing endorphins to the surface for pain relief. All of these treatments can help right away during a flare. <br />
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Everyone was familiar with, and had experienced chiropractic manipulation, but when Dr. Keating asked if we were familiar with acupuncture, one in our group said, "no." She had been apprehensive about the needles. He explained, then showed her the needles and assured her that these are NOT the same kind of needles that are used when you receive an injection. They are about the size of a cat whisker, and are not hallow but solid, and also surgically sterilized, of course. She asked the next logical question, which was, "Where do you put them? " <br />
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Well of course, the acupuncturist decides where to place them depending on the issue being treated - over-all pain, fibro-fog, stomach issues, hormonal-type issues, headaches, back pain, etc, etc - and according to the meridian (pathways of energy) being affected. He also decides whether 5 needles are enough, or 55 are required. Whatever the case, after the needles are placed, they usually remain in place for about 15 minutes. These needles also release endorphins, which not only help pain but also leave one feeling very "mellow." <br />
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An interesting fact revealed by Dr. Keating was that as each tiny needle is removed at the end of the session, and the tiny hole begins closing up, this action begins a <i>healing cascade </i>by your body. The needles had been treating your own natural immune response as they interacted with the meridians. And now your body begins releasing healing chemicals to each needle site (meridian point) that continues working for the next several days at each of these tiny (seemingly insignificant-sized) "holes." And so these meridian points are receiving healing for more than just those 15 minutes! In other words, acupuncture actually releases your body's own healing energy. Amazing!<br />
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One member mentioned that her doctor had recommended that she should have a specific (rather serious) surgery, and she asked if acupuncture could help this condition. His response, and we all agreed vigorously, was that practically speaking, his recommendtion is, "For any non-immediately-life-threatening condition, his rule of thumb is to try everything non-invasive first, THEN consider the pros and cons of surgery." In other words, what could it hurt to try chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, etc first, BEFORE surgery? It could save you money, time, pain, recuperation, possible infection, and so much more. As I said, we all agreed completely with his wise words. <br />
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Dr. Keating referred back to the subject of "flares," explaining that alopathic doctors, (our western medical physicians) have only a very few recourses to help a flair. They are 1) to write a Rx for pain and 2) write another Rx for an anti-inflammatory (inflammation also creates pain). Acupuncture works in a wholly different way. It helps control pain through 1) enabling your body to release its own endorphins, 2) helping to balance the tension/tone of the muscle, and 3) stimulating the above mentioned <i>healing cascade</i>, that your body performs. There are no pills involved here, or any side-effects, or any precautions mixing unfavorably with other meds you may be taking, plus you have the benefit of that mellow feeling afterwards. <br />
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And, of course massage helps quite well in its own way by breaking up and helping to release painful toxins, releasing beneficial endorphins (your body's own morphine) into your body to help the pain, and to gently massage the muscles to ease pain.<br />
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Nick Bello then reminded everyone that if you are in a flare, you can call <b>Preventive Medicine, PC</b> and almost always be able to make an appointment within 24 hours, so that it can be "nipped in the bud," so to speak, and things can begin healing much sooner! If you bring in a list of "things gone wrong," your immediate concerns and what you have been doing so far, any meds etc, they'll be able to help you much more effectively. (This is good advise for any doctor visit!) They don't run a dictatorship - they WILL talk <i>with</i> you. They will Listen to you. This alone is worth a visit! *:)<br />
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Dr. James Keating can be reached at <b>Preventive Medicine,PC</b> on Edison Rd, in Mishawaka, IN. 574-254-1400. He is available for Chiropractic treatments and Acupuncture treatments. <br />
Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-35124488136975382462011-07-21T12:38:00.003-04:002011-07-21T12:38:43.417-04:00Fibromyalgia & Tai ChiHi Everyone! <br />
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Our speaker for this evening was Dr. Cynthia Cortez, DD, the owner of <b>T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle<i></i></b>. She has been a T'ai Chi and meditation instructor for many years and found it helped her body actually <i>heal</i> after a very severe auto accident. She was in the passenger seat when her side of the car was broadsided by a truck. She had had many many broken bones - clavical, hip, leg, arm, etc and had been in extremely poor condition overall. After all the surgeries and time spent in the hospital, the pain was still excruciating and she was on many pain meds.<br />
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But then she discovered T'ai Chi and began practicing the art daily, in fact many times daily. She said she had actually become obsessive compulsive about it and practiced it nearly all day long because the more she did it, the better she felt. Soon she got off the pain meds altogether, and she hasn't looked back. She became an instructor and is quite successful in the area. <br />
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Cynthia began this evening by giving us a bit of background of this ancient Chinese practice, reminding us that Tai Chi has been practiced since the 16th Century, but only "arrived" here in the U.S. in the early 1970's! Tai Chi is a non-combative form of martial arts. In fact, it is a gentle exercise program that is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in much the same way as is Acupuncture. That is, both use the key concept of balance in all things -yin-yang- and both use the concept of Qi (chee) as being the life force that runs through our body. And when this Qi is blocked, throwing the balance off, then we must work to bring back that balance in order to heal.<br />
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Cynthia has found that Tai Chi can accomplish this by helping the body stay in balance in the day to day world. <br />
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She affirms however, that practicing Tai Chi is not a case of "attend 6 classes and you're fixed." Tai Chi is a lifestyle, meant to maintain this balance for a lifetime - day to day, day after day. After all, you are exposed to stresses every day. It only stands to reason that you must bring back that balance every day to maintain an even keel, so to speak. And so to this end, one must literally make room for Tai Chi as a part of your lifestyle. In other words, make it a routine or habit. <br />
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<i>Note: I began doing Tai Chi in 1999. I have practiced it every morning of my life since I began. It is as much a part of my morning as brushing my teeth or meditating. I would never consider NOT doing it. I practice it in the afternoons, if I've had a stressful day, too. <br />
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The benefits? According to The University of Maryland Medical School it is beneficial for: "...chronic pain, gout, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, headaches and sleep disorders. Tai Chi is also beneficial for the immune system and the central nervous system, which makes it especially good for people with chronic illnesses, anxiety, viral infections, depression or any stress-related condition. The deep breathing of Tai Chi regulates the respiratory system, helping to treat respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. It also stimulates the abdomen, which aids digestion and helps relieve constipation and gastrointestinal conditions..." There's more, but follow the website's link for that: <i><b>http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/tai-chi-000361.htm</b><br />
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Unlike Yoga (also very beneficial for health and well-being) where the postures are stationary, Tai Chi consists of "moving postures." You may have seen TV shows, or even commercials, where a group of people are in a park, doing a synchronized, slow-moving, dance-like exercise - this is Tai Chi. As you move your torso, head, arms, legs and feet, these gentle, slow movements not only exercise the outer body and muscles, these movements also exercise <i>each internal organ</i> as well, strengthening and fortifying the liver, lungs, heart, stomach and so on!<br />
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This is why these low-impact, aerobic, moving postures need to be done on a regular basis as a healthful, immune-supporting, stress-relieving, sleep enhancing form of exercise for people of all ages from 6 to 106! These exercises maintain the health of the organs, and help maintain a balance, while moving your Qi - your life force - freely throughout your body to avoid any blockages which may create illness, or add to an existing illness. Daily stress, for example, among other things, can create numerous blockages. <br />
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Cynthia demonstrated the five element moves of earth, metal, water, wood and fire. Each move, or moving posture, flowed very slowly into the next posture as she focused on the slow action of her move and her deep breathing (as I wrote about in my June newsletter <i><b>http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/9856b997cd/1470670689/df13eed2b5</b></i> ). The earth posture moved into the metal posture; moved into the water posture; into the wood posture and into the fire posture - all in a very graceful, gentle, flowing motion. It was relaxing just watching her!<br />
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The moving postures, the meditative focus on the action, and the breathing all work in concert to achieve the ultimate benefits of this exercise. They involve the body, the mind and the spirit - pulling them all together as one, bringing you into the now, where thoughts of past troubles, or future fears are a non-entity, because you are focusing on what you are doing at the moment. <br />
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Cynthia spoke a bit about meditation as a stress-relieving, mentally healing exercise all by itself, noting that there are many ways to meditate. Many people start out by focusing on a candle flame, gazing at its slow easy flicker, much as one would find it relaxing to stare into the flickering light of a campfire. One can meditate with neutral, gentle music, or nature sounds in the background, or without any sound at all.<br />
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The idea in this meditation is to release the thoughts that are running rampant in your mind - thoughts of pain, of tomorrow, of yesterday, of what ifs, of what I need to do today, etc. Recognizing, then releasing these thoughts, allowing them to float away, in favor of the sound of the music or the nature sounds or the tick of your wristwatch, allows the stress to calm. Doing this on a daily basis - again, as a newly created habit - even if only ten minutes per day, is extraordinarily helpful for chronic stress and chronic pain. <br />
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The benefits are accumulative, as are the benefits of Tai Chi. The more often and more regularly they are practiced, the less stress, and less pain you experience. We are talking about a long-term healthful lifestyle here. A method of improving your health - your stress, your immune system, your very being - from the inside out. Pulling yourself together, as it were...body, mind and spirit.<br />
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Dr. Cynthia Cortez, of <i>T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle<b></b></i> can be reached at <br />
P.O. Box 684<br />
South Bend, IN 46624<br />
ph: 574-254-8358, fax: 574-259-0256Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-71860515684086046522011-06-25T15:44:00.000-04:002011-06-25T15:44:17.951-04:00Fibromyalgia's possible biomarker - Dr. Bhatt's lectureFibro Notes June, 2011<br />
A summary of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group for June of 2011<br />
I was honored to introduce a very special guest speaker and dear friend this evening,Dr. Kumar Bhatt of The Mishawaka Clinic. He is the man who started me on my path of discovery, and pointed me in the direction of my passion. I can never thank him enough!<br />
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As you may know we hold our meetings in the lower level of the library, where there are three various-sized meeting rooms. We generally hold our meetings in the “Friends of the Library” room which holds 25 people (as per the fire code). This had always been a sufficient-sized room in the past. It was not so this evening. Kashmira Bhatt did a bit of negotiating with the Library staff and was able to get permission for her husband to speak in the “Spencer Room,” which holds many more people! And so we were able to relocate. Thank you, Kashmira, for your powers of persuasion!<br />
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Dr. Bhatt began this evening by telling us the old adage, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” With Fibromyalgia there is no existing hammer! (Ouch- I’m not certain I like that particular analogy.) For example, it was only in1980 that the medical condition of depression had been recognized as a legitimate medical condition. There had been no hammer for this condition either! There were no regular blood tests, x-rays or obvious physical anomalies (hammers) prior to 1980 that could identify that this was a legitimate condition. So when the medical community had finally found their hammer – or rather, found the biomarkers of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine - they found that there really WAS an identifiable cause, and therefore a legitimate condition for a thing called depression. Fibromyalgia had been in the same diagnostic dilemma. <br />
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He then gave a list of conditions, where he listed side-by-side their available biomarkers – the diagnostic tools, or specific “things to look for” - with which to identify the particular medical conditions:<br />
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Rheumatoid Arthritis-~~->Serum Rheumatoid factor<br />
Osteoarthritis-~~->Joint X-Ray (observation)<br />
Gout-~~- >Serum Uric Acid<br />
BBB~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BBB<br />
Clinical Depression-~~->Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine<br />
Fibromyalgia-~~->Substance P, fMRI (functional Magnetic Imaging)<br />
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You may notice a difference in the type of testing that is done in these particular conditions. The first three utilize time-honored, long-standing, readily accessible and fairly inexpensive testing on body functions. Simple. Basic. Blood tests and x-rays.<br />
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Depression uses testing of neurotransmitters in the brain, and brain function - much more distinctive, complicated, expensive and not always readily available. Here we have crossed the “BBB” – the blood brain barrier. And this manner of testing is not the walk in the park presented by simple blood tests and x-rays. Neurotransmitters, by definition are fast travelers. It took a long time just to discover that they existed and what they did, they’re still not exactly sure how they work – they are electrical in nature and electricity is still a mystery in many ways, especially in the brain. <br />
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Fibromyalgia has biomarkers too – Substance P and observation via an fMRI. However, these tests are difficult, can be dangerous, are extremely expensive, and not every medical facility, doctor or patient is up for the task! So for the time being we settle for the other “markers” of Fibromyalgia, 1) at least three months of body pain, along with the typical exhaustion, sleeplessness and depression (simply from being in pain for three months, will do it – and the pain has usually gone on a LOT longer than that) and 2) eleven (more or less) out of 18 tender points test as sensitive. These are the current diagnostic tools that are readily available, inexpensive, and the least painful. <br />
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Dr. Bhatt then went on to describe diagnostic criteria for other conditions. The following were once considered diagnostic dilemmas for quite different reasons, and in a strange way, quite similar to our plight. <br />
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Tuberculosis-~~->turbecule bacillus <br />
Peptic Ulcer Disease-~~->Helicobacter Pylori <br />
Syphilis-~~->Treponema Pallidum<br />
Pernicious Anemia-~~->Vitamin B12<br />
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Each of the above conditions was initially treated symptomatically. That is, each symptom was treated individually for the condition at hand. The root cause of the conditions had been unknown and so this was the only method of treatment. The problem was that in each condition one organ or system would be affected; it would be treated; then symptoms would show up in another system or organ; then that would be treated; and then it would show up somewhere else! In other words, the condition or disease was not treated, only the symptoms. <br />
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It wasn’t until a single reason was found – a root cause – for the condition that these began to be effectively treated and even cured! Tuberculosis, for example was found to be caused by a bacteria that was named turbecule bacillus. Once this was found as the cause, an antibiotic could be created to help fight it and even cure it in many cases. <br />
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Peptic Ulcer Disease had long been considered a result of anxiety or stress, much like a stomach ulcer. But with more study and research, Peptic Ulcer Disease was found to be the result of a bacterium and again, a specific antibiotic was then developed to deal with the condition and cure it. And the same thing happened with Syphilis until the bacterium was identified and it was found that penicillin as well as other antibiotics could neutralize the bacterium.<br />
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Until it was learned that a severe lack of vitamin B12, or the inability to absorb it properly, was the actual cause of Pernicious Anemia, many people died from this condition, as they did from the previously mentioned conditions. Now a simple series of B12 injections (until the B12 level is back to normal) has been found to cure this condition. <br />
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All of these listed conditions had been treated piecemeal for many years, and were ultimately considered fatal. The treatments addressed the symptoms, and not the root cause. There had been little else they could do. The symptoms changed or moved around, and even if one part was helped, it broke out in another way, or in another spot. Actually this happens with a lot of conditions, until the root cause is defined in absolute terms, and a successful treatment for that cause is determined. <br />
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Right now there is a LOT of well-funded research going on for Fibromyalgia. Some researchers suspect the root cause may have been found. Promising research in the area of serum testing of Interleukin 8 Cytokine (IL-8), an inflammatory mediator, is now under way. Fibro had never been thought to be an inflammatory condition in the past. But now the researchers are not so sure. <br />
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Dr. Bhatt drew another diagram here, but I confess I haven’t found a way to transpose it to an e-mail or blog where it is actually readable. So I’ll simplify, and pray that I can do him justice. <br />
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Omega 6 is a <b>pro</b>-inflammatory essential fatty acid; <b>Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory</b> essential fatty acid. Our intake of these two essential fatty acids <i>should</i> <i>ideally</i> be 1:1 or 2:1 and yet it is currently calculated at 25:1 by some, and 40:1 by others -far in favor of the Omega 6’s. Soooo much more <i>PRO</i>-inflammatories. Our Western/American diet is absolutely LOADED with Omega 6’s, which is one reason we have so many inflammatory medical conditions running rampant in our country. <br />
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Contributors to this inflammation are the Omega 6’s found in fried fatty foods, hydrogenateds, trans fats, prepared and packaged foods with safflower, sunflower, corn oils, etc (vegetable oils). I explain this more fully in my new book <b><i>Fibromyalgia Basics</i></b>, so I won’t go into it here. But Dr Bhatt explained the mechanism of inflammation here. [Note: please do not mistake the <i>beneficial antioxidant ALA Alpha Lipoic Acid</i>, with ALA Alpha Linoleic Acid, the Omega 6.)<br />
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<b>ALA</b> (Alpha Linoleic Acid = Omega 6) breaks down into <br />
<b>DGLA</b>. DGLA breaks down (using the enzyme delta-5 desaturase) into <br />
<b>Arachidonic Acid</b>, a precursor to pro-inflammatory mediators IL-8. <br />
(The process of inflammation)<br />
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However, when the EPA-DHA of Omega 3 is available in equal amounts to the ALA Omega 6, the enzyme delta 5 desaturase becomes neutralized and would not break down the DGLA into the Arachidonic Acid. The EPA-DHA inhibits the delta 5, and so it will not break down the DGLA in this inflammatory direction. Moreover, this means it will not break down even further into interleukin-8 Cytokine (IL-8). <br />
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In other words, Omega 3 EPA-DHA anti-Inflammatory inhibits the inflammation that the pro-inflammatory Omega 6’s cause. I know, “Why didn’t I just say so?”<br />
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The reason is simple. The promising research now being done is focused on these Interleukin-8 Cytokines – this may very well be the biomarker they are looking for. Researchers are trying to find a more direct route to neutralizing these inflammatory mediators. When they find it, this may well prove to be our “Antibiotic,” or neutralizer. And there we are…looking forward to a positive identification of our biomarker. Getting one step closer! <br />
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There was a Q & A period following Dr. Bhatt’s lecture which was lively, to say the least, on a variety of pertinent subjects. <br />
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-We discussed pain meds like opioids, which aren’t very effective for many in chronic pain, and Ultram which seems to work for acute pain in some, and Elavil or Amitriptyline which can be used for a longer term without incident or addiction. <br />
-Rheumatologists have a difficult time dealing with chronic pain, due to the fact that this pain is usually originating from the opposite side of the blood brain barrier. And not every prescription for these conditions works for everyone; some prescriptions don’t work at all for some; and it’s almost always a case of trial and error. <br />
-The subject of chemical triggers for our Fibro-flairs was brought up. Things like salicylates, odors like household cleaning chemicals, plastics, rubber, even MSG and Aspartame and more. <br />
-For clarification, Dr. Bhatt explained that the EPA part of Omega 3 is mostly used to neutralize inflammation, and the DHA part of Omega 3 is mostly used to benefit the brain, and conditions of and around the brain such as cognitive functions, memory, eye conditions, hearing, etc. <br />
-The topic of Alpha Lipoic Acid, the antioxidant, came up. We talked of its use for skin sensitivity and pain (neuropathy) and RLS. And that it is often used with CoQ10 because they increase the energy metabolism. And both are excellent free radical fighters – antioxidants! <br />
-We briefly discussed Guaifenesin. One member mentioned that her muscle pain is usually helped when taking Mucinex, which she discovered by accident when she had a cold. Dr. Bhatt stated that the main ingredient in Musinex is Guaifenesin, which is an expectorant, and may or may not help some people. But remember to always tell your doctor of anything you are taking. This medication, like anything else, can react badly with other medications.<br />
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[ http://web.mit.edu/london/www/guai.html This is a long article titled “The Truths and Myths of the use of Guaifenesin for Fibromyalgia” or “Guaifenesin: One Medicine, Several Effects” by Mark London at MIT. Note: Mark London has several very interesting articles on Fibromyalgia, Magnesium, and Omega 3, among others.]<br />
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-One member mentioned “The White Paper on Fibromyalgia,” put out by Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and she stated that many of the ideas and concepts about Interleukin-8 Cytokines that Dr. Bhatt had talked about was mentioned in the 70 page paper. I am trying to locate this “paper” and will pass along any further information I come across concerning it, or a website. <br />
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Dr. Kumar Bhatt and The Mishawaka Clinic is located at: <br />
The Medical Arts Building<br />
303 S. Main St. Suite 212<br />
Mishawaka, IN 46544<br />
574-254-0800<br />
www.mishawakaclinic.com <br />
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Thank you Dr. Bhatt and Kashmira and everyone, for attending the meeting tonight and helping to make it most memorable! <br />
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My new book, <b><i>Fibromyalgia Basics</i></b>, has now been officially released and can be seen on Amazon.com’s “Look Inside” feature. You can get a signed copy at my website at www.ManagingFibromyalgia.com securely with PayPal, check or money order. You can also go to www.TatePublishing.com/bookstore where you will find the complete version as an E-Book for just $7.99. It is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com too. <br />
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If you already have a copy of <b><i>Fibromyalgia Basics</i></b>, Thank You! Please take a minute to go to Amazon and leave a sentence or two in the review area. Librarians all over the country look up books on Amazon to see whether they want to order it for their Library. I would like to have my book in as many libraries as possible, so it is available even for those who can’t afford to buy one at this time. They need the information too! Thanks again! Pati* *JPatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-10019880007688264162011-05-04T11:56:00.001-04:002011-05-04T11:58:21.222-04:00Fibromyalgia and Good NutritionFibro Notes for March 10, 2011<br />
Hi !<br />
Our speaker for this month was Dr. Candace Corson, a Yale-trained medical doctor specializing in Family Medicine. Soon after graduating 34 years ago, she learned that normal, basic, good nutrition was sorely lacking in the patients where she was assigned to work. This made it completely impossible to heal or cure anyone’s ailments – the common cold or even the most minor infections would literally go wild and create all sorts of long term, difficult-to-heal maladies.<br />
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Because she needed to learn about nutrition (which wasn’t included in her curriculum at Yale), she went to the west coast to study nutrition, supplements, and herbs, all manner of alternative healing methods. This put her in the most beneficial position of being able to help people at the most basic level, so that she could then actually treat people’s illnesses starting from a proper base – a healthy nutritional base. She soon found out that when the proper nutritional needs are taken care of, many illnesses and maladies, soon healed on their own. The body can actually heal itself in many cases, when good nutrition is a part of the lifestyle.<br />
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This evening Dr. Corson shared with us some of the most important facts we need to know concerning basic healthy nutrition…which can then help us move on to less pain and fewer chronic symptoms! <br />
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“You really ARE what you eat!” Dr. Corson says. Back when your grandparents and great grandparents were thriving, they ate fresh farm foods and wild foods like fresh-picked ripe blueberries, strawberries, veggies, etc. They were grown in good soil and picked when ripe with all the vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes and nutrients a body needs. They also ate wild foods - free range animals like deer (venison) and wild turkey, as well as free-range pigs, beef, and chickens that ate grasses, bugs and natural foods which, when processed internally by these animals (a process called bio-concentration) created the proper foods for <i>people</i> to eat. Their meat was full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and the proper balance Omega 3 to Omega 6 - a ratio of 1:1. <br />
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Animals these days are fed grain (basically <i>pro-inflammatory </i>Omega 6) to fatten them up – especially just before they’re sent to market. This throws off the animal’s ability to process the good Omega 3 within their system. So their meat becomes loaded with Omega 6 inflammatory fatty acids, and almost totally depleted of Omega 3 – this includes the eggs from chickens too! And what little Omega 3 is still left is then destroyed by heat, air and light. So the meats, eggs, etc that we eat has a nasty balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 at the most <i>undesireable</i> ratio of 1:25, OR as has been measured in lactating women, up to 1:40! This means 25 to 40 times more inflammatories than should ever be in any human being! Is it any wonder we have so many inflammatory conditions in our bodies? Chrone’s disease, arthritis, lupus, heart disease, cancer and many more – all inflammatory conditions!<br />
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Your body needs fats! Without them you would die! Your brain is mostly made up of DHA essential fatty acids, after all. However, these fats must be the right KIND of fats – Omega 3, EPA-DHA, as well as ALA, essential fatty acids are ANTI- inflammatories! Hooray! Dr. Corson drew a picture of a cell on the board showing the double wall of the cells. The “proper fat” (Omega 3) should make up the outer cell wall <i>and</i> inner cell wall, with water as a cushion between the two. Omega 3 keeps the cell walls soft and flexible – “breathable.” These double walls, made with the proper Omega 3, allow nutrients and oxygen to flow smoothly into the cell, process the nutrients, creating energy, and then allow the waste to be released and flow out of cells. <br />
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Fatty fish and flax seeds are two excellent ways to get essential fatty acids. If fish is not a regular food for you, you may consider a supplement of Omega 3 Fish oil. (See <b>Fibromyalgia Basics<i></i></b>, Tate Publishing, 2011, for recommended brands and doses.) Flax seed is rich in Omega 3 ALA and tastes great in a smoothie or yogurt or even sprinkled on salads. <br />
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[By the way, sugar is an inflammatory also. And excess sugar makes your cell walls rigid, which means that nutrients like magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc, not to mention oxygen, has a hard time getting into your cells! Trans fats make the outer cell walls downright hard! Dr. Corson recommends Stevia as a natural sugar substitute. I have also found “Just Like Sugar” to be quite excellent. Both are made from plants, and are completely natural, with no calories, no artificial chemicals, and zero calories. Sucanant is another sugar substitute - with only 15 calories per teaspoon - this sweetener is dehydrated sugar cane. ]<br />
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Dr. Corson reminded us that these days fruits and veggies are sprayed with chemicals to prevent bugs from getting to them, and they are picked before they are ripe, leaving them weak in nutrients. Then they are put in a truck and shipped to our local grocery – which may take days! By the time they are on our local shelf, they are days old and sprayed again with other chemicals to make them shiny, so that they LOOK good enough to eat. These fruits and veggies, may not have the same nutritional value as the foods your grandmother ate, but it is still good to load up on all the fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and legumes (beans) you can eat because they are still the best way to go for overall health and well-being - they are <i>still</i> whole, REAL foods with antioxidants, bio-available vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc. So in spite of everything, these vitamins and minerals still fortify your body as no prescription or pill can! <br />
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Eating locally from your farmer’s market, or better yet, from your own back yard is definitely the best option. When you do shop the grocery store, be sure to 1) do the bulk of your shopping from around the outer edge aisle of the store, and 2) be certain to thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies. Dried fruits and veggies, or fresh frozen, are also quite full of nutrients and she considers them the next best thing. <br />
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The items that are processed, usually found in the center of the store - boxed and prepared/instant foods - can be causing a great deal of your pain! These items contain a lot of Omega 6 pro-inflammatory acids! Read the labels. Pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids are found in processed oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, etc. and in cooking oils, and anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, which of course, often leads to trans fats - HEAVY inflammatories one and all! Check the labels and be sure you are not adding a lot of hydrogenated, sugared, high fructose corn syruped, and trans fats (not to mention MSG in all its forms, by all its names) to your diet! <b>Don’t</b> add more Omega 6. Remember, adding Omega 6’s means you are adding inflammatories! Inflammation creates pain! And it aggravates existing conditions already inflamed. <br />
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Dr. Corson spoke of milk. Did you know that a full 70 to 75% of the human population has a sensitivity to milk? The reason is simple. Milk is for nursing. Humans (and all mammals) were meant to drink milk as babies, then wean off it in a year or so. Mother Nature encourages this by adjusting our enzyme, lactase. Lactase is the enzyme which processes the lactose in milk. Babies have lots of it. But as we age to one year old or so, our body stops making it and it begins to disappear from our system. After we are finished nursing there is no longer a need for this enzyme. Dr. Corson also pointed out that humans are the only beings on earth that drink milk from another species. Wolves don’t drink buffalo milk, for example. <br />
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Sensitivity to milk can and does cause a number symptoms like sinusitis, bronchitis, thick mucus, and other allergy-like symptoms. And it can also cause inflammation and affect the insulin-like growth factor. Dr. Corson also told of many tests have shown that the more milk and cheese you consume, the higher your risk of Osteoporosis! It turns out that you lose more calcium than you take in after digestion – it creates acid in your cells and so calcium is pulled from your bones to make up for this and neutralize it. Thus less calcium in your bones. <br />
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If you want to use milk, in cereal for example, Dr. Corson recommends almond milk, or any type of nut milk. Goat’s milk is less offensive than cow’s milk, though, so that may be a possibility. With the nut milk you get the added benefit of the nuts’ protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Soy milk may not be for everyone as it tends to block foreign estrogens (or xeno-estrogens) and may affect the hormonal balance in some people. The website www.pcrm.org was recommended by Dr. Corson to find out more about the effects of milk. <br />
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On the other hand, yogurt is highly recommended! Good intestinal flora is a must in our bodies all the time! This becomes critical if antibiotics have been prescribed! Antibiotics are prescribed for a bacterial infection, and the only way for them to work is to kill bacteria - thus antibiotics. The problem is, they also kill the GOOD bacteria so necessary to our health, and they must be replenished. Yogurt rarely bothers someone with a mild sensitivity to milk because when yogurt is made, lactase is created, which actually helps you digest lactose. But if your sensitivity is severe, probiotics in the form of a supplement is recommended. In any case, maintaining good intestinal flora is extremely important for overall health! <br />
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We discussed oats as a wonderful whole grain food that contains especially helpful enzymes that literally work as cancer scavengers! Steel cut oats are ideal, but any oats work in this fashion. <br />
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Dr. Corson has such a wealth of information at her fingertips, that it is hard to do her justice! I cannot possibly get everything into a “short” newsletter! You really had to be there! But fear not. We will have her come again and you will have another chance to hear her wisdom!<br />
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Summing up: Omega 3 is extremely important to our bodies and helps keep inflammation at bay. Cutting back, or cutting OUT, hydrogenated foods (inflammatory Omega 6’s), trans fats and excess sugar, is very important to keep pain at bay. Adding an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes is the best thing that you can do for your body. <br />
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Dr. Corson and I highly recommend Juice Plus+, the fruits, veggies and berries in capsules, as a great way to easily get whole, real foods into your body to help build your nutritional base! <br />
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Contact Information: <br />
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Dr. Candace Corson, www.Doctor4JuicePlus.com , cell 574-850-2039.<br />
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Pati Chandler, PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com, cell 574-344-9998Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-82102815430890811782011-03-29T21:11:00.000-04:002011-03-29T21:11:46.810-04:00Fibromyalgia and Chemical Sensitivities** Fibromyalgia Support Group speaker for our March meeting was, Tamara Ciszczon, a member of our group, and a molecular biologist, who is a veritable fountain of information on toxins and chemicals as they pertain to potential and possible sensitivities in those with chronic illnesses. <br />
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Many of those with Fibromyalgia, and other chronic illnesses, are sensitive to chemicals - both inhaled and ingested. Like everything else with Fibromyalgia, there are degrees of this sensitivity, and there are specifics as to just what particular chemicals will cause what particular symptoms due to that sensitivity. Because some people's sensitivites are so severe and so many, and because of Tamara's biology and chemistry background, she has spent years of time and effort studying these chemicals and the potential they have to create symptoms. She had even put many years and effort in studying baubiology, which is a European movement about how to live in harmony with nature. This was necessary because if you are chemically sensitive in a world full of chemicals which provide us with our everyday creature comforts and cleaning necessities, it becomes quite necessary to use and live with natural products, rather than the toxic chemicals found on the open market. <br />
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This evening Tamara specifically spoke about chemicals in and around the home that may cause sensitivities to those with Fibromyalgia, or any other condition for that matter. But one can also have chemical sensitivities without any other condition to go with it - a stand alone condition as it were. <br />
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Tamara shared with us information about a chemical called Chloridane, which literally wipes out your immune system. It had been used around 1987-1990 as insecticide sprays for termites, freely sprayed all around outside and inside homes at the time. It is an oganophosphate, which will never break down and disipate indoors, it must be physically removed. Sunlight is the only thing that can break it down - and that takes years. Symptoms? Dyspnea (difficulty breathing), wheezing, peripheral muscle weakness, skeletal muscle weakness, anxiety, twitching muscles, abdominal cramps and more...Google "organophosphates" for more. To find out if this chemical is lurking in your older home, you can call and have an air-quality test done. Realtors usually have names of companies who do this type of testing. <br />
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VOC's were discussed. Volatile Organic Oils. These are things like paint thinners, listerine, carbon monoxide, nail polish remover, turpentine, etc. I don't know about anyone else, but these things bothered me BEFORE Fibromyalgia. But now these things actually seem to literally change my body, creating all sorts of havoc when I'm around them, so I make a point of keeping them out of my life! <br />
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The "cides" were discused. Germicides, insecticides, algicides, etc that we may even have under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. These are household cleaners. The common cleaners that are available everywhere to disinfect and clean your home, kitchen counter tops, bathtub and toilets. Think about it. These items are STRONG chemicals. If they are in the house, you are getting them in your system everytime you breathe them in. If you feel it necessary to use any of these items, please, at least use a face mask - this will help dissipate some of the effect. (My husband sometimes uses pain thinners in the basement, and swears he can't smell them. I DO. I use a face mask and stay out of the basement. Sometimes I even leave the house!) <br />
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There are many natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, Seventh Generation cleaners, and others. And of course, there are the Shaklee Products, which are about the only household cleaners and items that Tamara can use. In fact she was so taken with them that she became a Shalee Dealer! See her contact information below. <br />
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There was so much to tell us that I'm afraid I cannot possibly do her justice. She talked of Sick Building Syndrome, of synthetic materials like plastics and rubber, of contrast medical dyes when having medical tests done, of heavy metals in the home, as well as the teeth - amalgam fillings in her teeth for example - and aluminum pots and pans and cast iron,and teflon (ugh). <br />
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She recommended we have the metal amalgam fillings in our teeth be considered as an unwanted chemical in our bodies and as a possible sensitivity causing physical issues! She recommended using stainless steel pots and pans, or glass. Aluminum in deodorants may be a factor as well. There are several brands which are readily available <i>without</i> aluminum in them. You are rolling or spraying this aluminum under your arms, directly onto your lymph nodes, where absorption is a matter of fact! Switch now! Tom's of Maine, Jason, Shaklee, Crystal and other companies make aluminum-free deodorants. A build-up of heavy metals can create all sorts of medical issus and some of them are not reversible! <br />
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When discussing chemicals and their potential and possible dangers we are talking about affecting your body in so many ways. In those of us with Fibromyalgia, these symptoms can show up as sinus blockage, watery eyes, runny nose, or as headaches or migraines, or anxiety or "fuzzy thinking" and disorientation, or as stomach issues with gas and cramping, or muscle pain issues or stiff neck and/or sore neck and shoulder areas. Certain illnesses related to these types of sensitivities range from allergies to Parkinson's Disease, asthma to Sick Building Syndrome and much more...Please be aware and take care! <br />
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For more information about his topic you can contact Tamara via her website at<br />
www.HealNotHarmThePlanet.MyShaklee.comPatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-37916871449061487932011-02-15T17:43:00.000-05:002011-02-15T17:43:46.462-05:00The BasicsHi Everyone and Happy Valentine's Day! <br />
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Our Support Group this month was small and cozy. We had two new folks this month - a mom and daughter who share the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, one more recently diagnosed than the other. But, and as always, it presents somewhat differently for each of them. Thanks to the brave souls who came. It had been forcasted to snow again that evening and we were all concerned about getting snowed in, but alas...Mother Nature pulled a back-flip on us and it was sunny all day and, as we sat waiting for the other shoe to drop, it never did! Ah well, that just shows that you can't out think Mother Nature! <br />
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Because we had two new folks who needed the benefit of knowing "how to begin" and "what to do" and "is this all there is?" and "why doesn't my doctor know what to do?" We spent our evening with the basics. *:) <br />
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We covered doctors. Some doctors still don't believe in Fibro; some don't know what to do with it, except write a Rx; and still others will write all kinds of Rx! So we talked about Osteopaths and Naturopaths and the fact that they treat the whole body - the person - instead of just symptoms. Integrative Medical Physicians blend Western Medicine with holistic (or whole body) medicine, but these doctors are hard to find. I have handouts on the counter for all our members, and I made sure they each got a list of Fibro-friendly doctors in our area. These are the doctors (and other health care practitioners) that people in our group have recommended - they are Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Rheumatologists, Acupuncturists, Reflexologists, Physical Therapists and more. Many modes of treatments represented here - they all help. <br />
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We covered the basics of what they feel in their body, and yes, pain is a universal for all of us, as is lack of decent sleep and exhaustion of course. But there are many different kinds of pain. We covered nerve pain (and/or skin sensitivity), and discussed Dr. Kelly Boyer, ND and how they now use a treatment of Alpha Lipoic Acid in an IV dosage once a week that seems to work quite well for nerve pain in nearly all her Fibro patients. Dr. Boyer is a Naturopathic Doctor originally from the Born Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Passisni, MD shares the work with Dr. Boyer now in a Borne clinic subsidiary here in Indiana, called Crossroads Healing Arts in Goshen, IN. <br />
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We talked about EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, for pain too. And, as it happens (if you believe in accidents) Dr. OZ had a section about EFT on Tuesday's show, earlier that day - so everyone knew exactly what I was talking about! I gave everyone the basic website <a href="http://www.EFTUniverse.com">www.EFTUniverse.com</a> for more information to follow up. Later I shared another website I've found particularly helpful for EFT, <a href="http://www.fasterEFT.com">www.fasterEFT.com</a> with Robert Smith. I also gave everyone Therese Harmon's information because she is a local EFT practitioner and can help in person. Check out her website, <a href="http://www.YourPathToWholeness.com">www.YourPathToWholeness.com</a> .<br />
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Then we discussed nutrition, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and beans - whole, REAL foods, loaded with antioxidants, which help Fibromyalgia pain. The more the better, because they decrease inflammation for any other conditions you may share with Fibro, and they boost your already weakened immune system which is a MUST for us, and of course, add whole REAL absorbable-type nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamins, enzymes, prebiotics and so on, that make it possible for our bodies to function effectively and optimally on all cylinders! Antioxidants are also found in all the new items like Acai Juice (or capsules), Mangostene, Pomegranate, Goji Juice, Xocai Chocolate which has lots of antioxidants, and Juice Plus+, which is fruits, veggies and berries in capsules - all of which contain their respective antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and probiotics. To find out more about Juice Plus+ go to <a href="http://www.PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com">www.PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com</a> . <br />
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We talked about the basic core beneficial supplements for helping the pain of those with Fibromyalgia, which are: Omega 3 EPA-DHA, Magnesium and Malic Acid. We also discussed Alpha Lipoic Acid in capsule form, for use as 1) a super powerful antioxidant, and 2) nerve pain. In my upcoming book <b>Fibromyalgia Basics: A Beginner's Guide<i></i></b>, to be released this spring by Tate Publishing, I tell of the University of Maryland Medical School recommending 800 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid for those with diabetic neuropathy, and 400 mg (in divided doses of 100 mg each e.g., 4 times per day) for nerve pain caused by other factors, including Fibromyalgia. After several months, a maintenance dose of 200-300 mg per day works quite well. <br />
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Covering the basics for newcomers, always includes informing them:<br />
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~that there is a LOT of help out there; <br />
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~not everything works for everyone; <br />
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~trial and error of a variety of treatments such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, mild exercise, etc, is encouraged; <br />
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~there really ARE doctors out there who know what to do, but it may take some looking - DON't settle - find the RIGHT doctor for you; <br />
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~and most importantly, that "You are NOT alone! "Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-42904281834612782562011-01-16T14:59:00.000-05:002011-01-16T14:59:28.173-05:00Fibromyalgia & Restless legsHi Everyone!<br />
We had a "Casual Tuesday" at our Fibromyalgia Support Group this month, i.e. no speaker, but rather I planned an informal discussion of our specific concerns, things that have helped, things that haven’t helped, favorite doctors, speakers we’d like to hear, etc. This was the plan. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. I have a bumper sticker taped to my dresser mirror - A Yiddish proverb which says, “People plan, God laughs.” <br />
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From the first day of snow in this winter of 2010-2011, we have had a total snowfall of 70” in our little area of the world…so far, and a bunch of it fell Tuesday! A couple of real troopers were able to make it in and I thank them for their extraordinary efforts.<br />
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The three of us actually covered a wide range of topics ranging from migraines to sleep apnea, cold weather and pain in the hands, the effect of odors and of dry eye with Fibromyalgia, and supplements to help stress – stress from severe temperatures to emotional stress to the stress on your body caused by illness. But we had a special request via e-mail from one member and I’d like to address this for now. <br />
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One of our members from St. Joe, Michigan has been doing much better recently – and he’s been working very hard at it. He wrote and said that one specific problem is still particularly vexing and asked if I would bring it up to the group and see if anyone had any ideas on what he could do. <br />
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At night his muscle twitching in various parts of his body can even be felt by his wife as it reverberates through their waterbed. He says it feels as if his muscles are quivering. When he moves the muscle, the twitching stops. Then, he stated, “None of his doctors can explain this.” (This mystified me.) Anyone out there familiar with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? Because he is still on a number of prescriptions, for heart and other issues, there is a limit to what he can take, medication-wise. However there are still a number of things he can do. <br />
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My RLS symptoms disappeared over eleven years ago after I began using Alpha Lipoic Acid, Omega 3 and Magnesium/Potassium, <i>and</i> found my Sleep Number Bed. For me, this particular combination helped a number of issues, but it’s really hard to tell which one (if it was only one) that did the deed to help the RLS. But this evening we were fortunate to have T.M. here to describe her experience with this particular symptom. <br />
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When I read his e-mail to the group, the first thing she said was “Get rid of the waterbed.” She said that she had had one too. But she found that a medium mattress (not firm, not soft) with a pillow-top matress pad <i>absorbed</i> the movement of the muscles, and her husband didn’t feel her twitching at all. (I wonder if a pillow-top pad on TOP of the waterbed would make a difference. And would HE feel it less also?) She also uses 600 to 800 count sheets – much softer – non-abrasive to the sensitive skin which she felt may aggravate the twitching. She also cut out coffee and pop and eats lots of fruits and veggies, which she is certain has helped too. She seldom has any issues with it now. <br />
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I checked online for natural help and this a portion of what I found: <br />
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Recommendations from Tyler Woods, PhD posted at LiveStrong.com <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/82513-natural-remedies-restless-legs-syndrome/">http://www.livestrong.com/article/82513-natural-remedies-restless-legs-syndrome/</a> and from Dr. Ray Sahelian <a href="http://www.raysahelian.com/restlesslegsyndrome.html">http://www.raysahelian.com/restlesslegsyndrome.html</a> involve letting go of caffeine, as in coffee, soft drinks, even chocolate, and stopping the use of tobacco. They tell that exercise can help, even wiggling the toes (or the Toe & Ankle exercises described in my book, <i><a href="http://www.ManagingFibromyalgia.com">Managing Fibromyalgia-Getting to know your Aggravators</a></i>, 2008, Treble Heart Books). And even something as simple as a cup of Passion Flower tea or Chamomile tea before bed can help - these are very relaxing and soothing to muscles – the whole body, in fact. Here’s another very informative website for RLS <a href="http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/restlesslegssyndrome.aspx">http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/restlesslegssyndrome.aspx</a> . <br />
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Before taking any supplements recommended by any or all of these websites, such as iron, magnesium, B-Vitamins, folic acid, etc, it is best to <b>discuss them with your physician</b>, especially when taking other medications or prescriptions as they may cause an unexpected interaction. <br />
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One other form of treatment that may help is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), a form of needle-less acupuncture that you can perform yourself. <a href="http://www.EFTUniverse.com">www.EFTUniverse.com </a>. I have found this method of self- treatment extraordinarily helpful for sleep issues, for anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain and more. Dr. Mercola tells how it has helped some people even get through Fibromyalgia itself! <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/10/new-technique-for-fibromyalgia-relief.aspx">http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/10/new-technique-for-fibromyalgia-relief.aspx</a>. <br />
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Even if EFT helps a symptom here and a symptom there - one or several - it is free, it is painless, it's absolutely non-invasive <i>and </i>it may work. What do you have to loose? <b>Pain</b>. RLS? Migraine. Stomach issues? Anxiety...Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-25408281793535029692010-12-18T10:38:00.000-05:002010-12-18T10:38:02.666-05:00Fibromyalgia - body, mind and spiritOur speaker for the December's Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting in Mishawaka, IN was Therese Harmon (see Contact Information below). A remarkable lady who has been working in the healing profession for many years, starting out as a pharmacist in France, her first home country. But she began asking herself what is health? What is wellness? Surely not just the absence of illness. She married and came to the U.S. where she decided she wanted more – more learning, more growing, more of helping others in a more hands on way – a more natural way. She began taking classes. She learned about nutrition; she learned about massage therapy and became a Master Massage Therapist; she learned about Reiki, energy healing and healing touch therapy, collecting certificates along the way, spending many hours with each discipline – all new and effective healing energies. <br />
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She began using kinesiology, a form of muscle-strength testing, which provides feedback to the practitioner as to the functional status of the body, in order to tell what needs to be addressed. Many chiropractors have used this diagnostic tool since the 1960’s here in the U.S., but it has been used in natural medicine much longer than that throughout the rest of the world. Therese finds it to be very helpful because the body itself tells her what its needs are for her clients.<br />
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She has helped many people with Fibromyalgia over the past 20 years and has concluded that Fibromyalgia is a condition, or dis-ease, of the 21st century. It is a condition which encompasses the body, the mind and the spirit. And thus, all three must be addresses for any healing to occur…which is probably one of the reasons why Fibromyalgia will not be “cured” by taking a pill – a prescription.<br />
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Those of us with Fibromyalgia tend to be over-achievers and people-pleasers.In other words, we have a hard time saying “no” to requests and we tend to want to do things ourselves because we know it will be done right. We are always doing, going, getting, and tend to do for others so much and so often, that we forget to take care of ourselves. The point is that if you DON’T take care of yourself, soon you will not be ABLE to take care of others. This is when Fibromyalgia flares to its most intense pain and weakness and shares it’s most vile symptoms! You must learn to BREATHE! Take care of yourself. Give yourself a moment. This is when Therese generously guided us in a light meditation of <i>being present in the moment</i>. <br />
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We sat straight in our chairs, feet resting flat on the floor, hands resting comfortably in our laps, and closed our eyes. We breathed three long slow deep breaths to get comfortable. Then she told us to become aware of our breathing - in and out – listen to it, feel how our lungs fill and how the air flows out. Then feel how your clothes are resting on your skin – your collar on your neck, your aleeves on your arms, your pants on your knees and your ankles. Feel the socks on your feet and your shoes as they sit on the floor. Breathe. Slowly in and slowly out. Feel your hands resting in your lap. Breathe. <br />
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This is taking care of your <b>mind</b>. Centering and bringing yourself peace! In the middle of a harried day, or a time of stress, you can break away – into another room or the bathroom and do this simple meditation to give yourself a special MOMENT. Just for you. For your peace of mind. You can do it for one minute, two or ten or twenty. But to do a meditation of this sort, or even to take the time to say a prayer, alone in your own space, addresses the busy mind – the monkey mind that often takes over, and creates stress and aggravates many of our symptoms.<br />
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Then she told us about helping our <b>body</b>. She told us about the best and most important invention of the century to take care of our bodies. Juice Plus+ . Yes, she is a distributor. But even if she wasn’t, she would recommend it as one of the best ways to help heal a body. The fruits and veggies with their antioxidants, enzymes, and probiotics have helped all of her clients with Fibromyalgia, she says. I, personally, use it and find it to be extremely important to give my body a fighting chance against free radicals and to help keep it more alkaline, and to boost my immune system.<br />
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Addressing the <b>spirit</b>, she went to the blackboard (which is white). She began explaining a bit about meridians such as those that are used in acupuncture and acupressure. Describing that when there are blockages in those meridians, we have pain. Our thoughts often put up blockages - negative thoughts that run around in our head, saying things like, ”My body is screwed up,” “I’m afraid I can do that because it will hurt,” “I can’t go to work because I’ll forget stuff and get confused.” These thoughts create blockages and things don’t move smoothly in our systems. Our Creator, The Source, whatever form that takes for each of us, <i>wants</i> us to be happy, <i>wants</i> us to be healthy, <i>wants</i> us to have all that we desire, because He loves us beyond measure. With every negative thought we have about ourselves, we are putting up blocks to that love, blocks to our own health, joy, and love. We must replase those negative thoughts with positive, uplifting thoughts, even if we have to push ourselves. But we can replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts using EFT. <br />
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We can release those blocks with Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, and Therese showed us how. She led us in a light stress relief tapping session on the stresses of the Holiday Season – trying to be all things to all people, and get everything done all by yourself all at once, that is so indicative of we as Fibromyalgics.<br />
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Therese took to the board again and drew an iceberg, describing our conscious thoughts as being above the waterline and our subconscious thoughts being the massive amount hidden below. EFT can get below the waterline at our subconscious thoughts from where nearly all of the negative self talk arises. With EFT, you can reach down below the waterline and “tap away” old outmoded reruns of past negatives that keep arising. This helps the present negatives in ways that you can hardly imagine. Most of our current “stuff” is based firmly in the past or under the waterline. With EFT we can ferret these out and finally release them and so help ourselves in the present. <br />
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Often called “tapping,” EFT is used effectively to help relieve stress, anxiety, body aches, stomach and back aches, headaches, pain of all kinds, in fact. For a complete description of EFT, or to have Therese guide you in a session, or to learn how to do it yourself, please visit Therese’s website and/or make an appointment. Also see my website, www.managingfibromyalgia.com, and the page called "Helpful Support." <br />
Note: Therese helps out by teaching and leading sessions of EFT at the Homeless Shelter in South Bend. How better to boost spirits and calm stress, especially at this Holiday Season.<br />
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I’d personally like to thank Therese for a very important learning experience this evening for everyone. She is a valuable member of the healing community and cares enough to share that information and more with our group. Please avail yourself of her services, her care and her teaching abilities. She is a wonderful EFT coach and this can help in so many ways. (I have found EFT to be extremely helpful for years – for anxiety, panic attacks, backaches and much more. )<br />
Contact Information: <br />
Therese Harmon, Life & Wellness Coach, Master Massage Therapist, Juice Plus Representative, www.YourPathToWholeness.comPatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-82474157616556982562010-11-30T10:05:00.000-05:002010-11-30T10:05:38.391-05:00Fibromyalgia, Laser, PT and Pati's flare controlHi everyone! <br />
I said I’d keep you posted on my experience with the 830Laser light and physical therapy (pt) when I made my appointment with our November speaker, Mel Arevalo.<br />
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I went in with hope, but I kept my expectations in neutral. As we all know, there is no one therapy or treatment that works for everyone. Whether it’s chiropractic, acupuncture, reflexology, massage, physical therapy, cold laser therapy, water therapy or any other treatment, OR even a combination of two or three of them. It often takes experimenting with this one or that one to find out what works FOR YOU. I have found that for me, <i>all</i> of these (and others) have worked to some extent on one or other of my symptoms. Several factors decide which one I will use:<br />
<br />
1) which particular symptoms I am hoping to help – I have yet to find one <br />
treatment to help all of the symptoms – or Rx or supplement either, for that <br />
matter.<br />
2) a treatment I am comfortable experiencing<br />
3) a therapist I have a good rapport with<br />
4) whether the therapy helps for a few days or a few weeks<br />
5) whether the therapy is covered by insurance<br />
6) whether it is nearby and I don’t have to travel in the car for two hours (to <br />
Chicago or Ohio, for example), undoing all the benefits of the treatment!<br />
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As I mentioned in my prior blog describing Mr. Arevalo’s visit to our group, I don’t often experience <i>daily</i> Fibromyalgia pain any more – I do experience a number of other symptoms, however. I basically keep my pain under control with daily stretches, Tai Chi, meditation, proper foods, supplements and pacing myself realistically. But I do get flares when stressed or when I have over-extended myself, experiencing it mostly in my neck and shoulders, lower back and hip/thigh areas. And yes, the Fibro frogginess, anxiety, and IBS issues usually play a big part in my flares at the same time. The painful physical flares are often connected with my Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and osteoarthritis pain, causing muscle and joint pain. Needless to say, it is to my benefit to avoid flares as much as possible by adhering to the above mentioned formula that works for me…especially the pacing. <br />
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I went to see Mr. Arevalo not only for my Fibromyalgia symptoms, but also for the AS and osteoarthritis, hoping to help three birds with one stone. I had no idea how many “parts” or symptoms of Fibro this therapy would help, but I was open to <i>all</i> possibilities. <br />
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During my evaluation, Mel discovered, the “knots” in each of the tender points in my neck and shoulder areas extending up to the base of my neck. More “knots” were found in my hip and buttocks area, inside my knees, etc. In other words, he found my active tender points. <br />
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The stretches and Tai Chi I had been practicing for the past eleven or more years has kept these muscle groups loose and well functioning, and has helped a lot, but they didn’t get down two or three inches below the surface of the skin where the muscles actually crossover each other and make a tender point. So when a flare occurred, of course this is where the pain showed up.<br />
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I have now visited Mr. Arevalo’s clinic for two and a half weeks and I have had a wonderful “loosening of these knots,” starting with the very first visit. However, I committed a grievous error after that first visit. I felt so good when I left the clinic that I went running around doing errands for the next two hours. After that I got tied up in other stuff and totally forgot to drink WATER! I only had a few sips of my green tea now and then from my travel mug. (Charlene forgive me, I really do know better!) Anyway, by late afternoon I was starting to get aches and pains in the small of my back, my hips, thighs, knees, ankles and feet. Then it hit me!!! W A T E R !!! I began drinking like a camel all evening! Then I got busy with my necessary <b>flare protocol</b> – I rolled-on Capsaicin to my back, hips, thighs and knees, and took two 600 mg capsules of Malic Acid and an extra Magnesium/Potassium Aspartate capsule (County Life makes my favorite one)and began gentle stretches. Drinking all this water now is something like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, but I thought, “It couldn’t hurt.” By bedtime things had subsided well enough to get to sleep. I woke in the morning feeling no pain…so it worked! Yeah! I’ll not forget my water again! <br />
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My Cardinal Sin, of course was not drinking water immediately after the therapy. The laser and the physical therapy (pt) loosened all the toxins that were held prisoner in and around those knots in my neck. One MUST drink water after any physical-type treatment to flush those toxins out and away from other muscle tissue. Otherwise these toxins will leave the original area when worked on, and then free-float until they latch onto other muscle groups. In my case the laser had truly helped release all those toxins in my neck and shoulder area, then they slid down, latching onto my lower back muscles, hips, legs, and ankles, ultimately making mountains of pain! I have learned a very valuable lesson…again. <br />
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That was my first experience with the laser and pt. My second and all the rest of my visits consisted of true relief in my neck and shoulders, hips, legs, et al. The 830Laser treatments, stretches, neck massages, and the brief treadmill jaunts have been geared to my Fibro, AS and osteoarthritis . Each time we did a little more laser and pt, and added another minute on the treadmill (I started at 5 minutes with a break at three minutes—<i>remember, start low and go slow</i>). And after each subsequent visit, I drank three 8oz glasses of water during the following two hours, beginning immediately after my session. The result was <i>no pain </i>in the slightest degree after any of the subsequent sessions. In fact, I felt energized and ready to go. But I forced myself to pacing and being gentle on my body anyway, because these were new experiences to my body and I must adapt gently. <br />
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The laser is breaking up the knots! Yeah! <br />
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I should tell you that previously, I had been unable to walk more than ten minutes at a steady pace—walking in the park, for example—before my left hip would literally give out, sometimes rather drastically, and always very painfully. So I asked Mel to help me build up my strength and time for walking. I had not realized until now that this hip malfunction was due to the actual tender points’ being aggravated—aggravated to the point of pain and inflammation as I walked, by repeatedly rubbing those specific muscles against each other at the point of intersection where the tender point lies.<br />
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I will continue on the treadmill until I can exceed ten minutes, then twenty, then thirty. It’s looking really good right now because Mel is working the laser on those tender points and I can feel the loosening already. These are a bit stubborn, as are the ones on the right side of my neck, but they are loosening, more and more each time! I can definitely feel the difference, in the amount of stretching I can do.<br />
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I continue my stretches at home as I sit (or stand) and watch TV. Things are definitely looking up! For a totally painless procedure, I am very happy with the progress I’ve made. I am continuing, progressing and feeling more energetic with each visit. The laser seems to be a great booster to the pt, at least for me, helping to speed things along, completely painlessly. So this particular therapy is a “go” for me. It is not a cure, to be sure, but it is helping a great deal. <br />
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<b>Additional: <br />
</b>I have recently learned that there is another place in the area using cold laser therapy. Warren Chiropractic, also on Lincolnway in Osceola uses a different devise, which is also a cold laser therapy devise. Evidently there are a number of different brands, which may or may not have similar effects due to its strength or timing or whatever. I, personally, cannot say anything one way or the other about Warren’s devise as I have not experienced it. However, I was told by a fibromyalgia sufferer that when she experienced the cold laser treatment at Warren, along with the chiropractic, it did help several symptoms for a limited time. She says, “It is a helpful therapy, but not a panacea.”<br />
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For more information on the 830Laser Therapy or Mel's Clinic and Physical Therapy see the blog below (November's Fibro Notes). *:)Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-54344724177999895982010-11-13T10:35:00.000-05:002010-11-13T10:35:02.576-05:00Fibromyalgia & Laser Light HealingFibro Notes for November 2010<br />
Hi Everyone! <br />
It is truly a pleasure to be able to share with you this information about a new healing therapy. Actually it’s not chronologically new; it’s just new to us in the Michiana area. Cells, whether animal, human or plant, don’t grow in space the same way they do here on earth, so NASA began using this type of therapy over 30 years ago to help heal astronauts and to help grow plants while in space. This therapy has been used on earth in Canada, Europe, Japan and some parts of Asia for nearly 30 years, too. This healing therapy is sometimes called light therapy or cold laser therapy; but what we learned about this month from our guest speaker was specifically, <b>830Laser Therapy</b>. ™ <br />
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<b>830Laser Therapy</b> is safe (except, of course in the eyes); it is scientifically proven to be effective, and it’s FDA approved! It is also approved by the Olympic Committee for their athletes! It is used by trained professionals in the physical therapy, chiropractic, podiatry, and dentistry professions and a host of others who are dedicated to healing.<br />
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Our guest speaker this month was Mel Arevalo who is first and foremost a Physical Therapist, as is his wife. They work their physical therapy magic in pediatrics, including children with special needs, ADHD and more, and in orthopedics and spine therapy. This husband and wife team had worked at Memorial Hospital for 8 years until recently, when they chose to open their own practice in Osceola, just east of Mishawaka on Lincoln Way East (U.S. 20). See full contact information below.<br />
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Together they have learned that although Physical Therapy (PT) does work wonders for pain and healing for all types and varieties of conditions, the use of the <b>830Laser</b> <i>in conjunction </i>with PT, can enhance and speed the recovery of many conditions in most people. <br />
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Mr. Arevalo stresses that this <b>830Laser</b> isn’t a panacea for all ills, for everyone, but it has worked almost miraculously for many…including his own knees and his wife’s TMJ (jaw pain)! In fact, he has seen it work for many, many of his patients. He gave several examples of a number conditions that have been helped in his patients (unnamed, of course). Most muscle, joint and tendon pain can be helped dramatically with anywhere from two to nine treatments! <br />
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What type of ailment does the <b>830Laser</b> treat? Arthritis, Back Pain, Bursitis/Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Heel Spur/Plantar Fasciitis, Migraines and TMJ are listed on the brochure Mr. Arevalo provided, and there are even more conditions and ailments not listed here. The expected benefits are 1) reduced inflammation, especially acute inflammatory conditions and 2) increased tissue healing, whether from wounds or illnesses, and finally 3) a reduction in pain.<br />
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Because it is a “cold” of “soft” laser, you will feel no heat. In fact you may feel nothing at all except a slight tingling. The laser sends photons (light) into your tissue, passing through skin, blood, water and fat to penetrate 2” down below the surface to regenerate and rejuvenate cells, reducing inflammation, increasing cellular tissue healing and, as a result, reducing pain. <br />
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Treatments last from 10 - 40 minutes, based on the severity and type of condition being treated. Even though chronic conditions that have been ongoing for a long period of time may take more sessions, many people will find some, or even major relief at the very first session. And you may feel even more relief the next day. <br />
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This therapy actually increases your body’s regenerative powers by enhancing your body’s own cell repair and cell growth capabilities. This is healing in its truest sense. And then, with the addition of the stretches and gentle movements choreographed especially for you, the physical therapy will be able to work its real magic by strengthening and firming those muscle groups to prevent further damage and keep them strong and firm. And yes, massage therapy is very often a part of PT. <br />
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Insurance is accepted, of course, and if you have a referral from a physician, everyone can stay on the same page. Drs. Staniero, Domingo and Balog from South Bend/Mishawaka are several Rheumatologists in the area who have referred patients to Mr. Arevalo, and I’m certain there are others. If you make an appointment, he can call your current physician and get an OK for therapy in that way also. If you have no insurance, arrangements can be made. <br />
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Mr. Arevalo invites you to visit his office at <b>Pediatrics, Orthopedics, and Spine Therapy Center</b>, 1415 Lincolnway West, Suite M, Osceola, IN 46561, or visit their website at <a href="http://www.michianaphysicaltherapy.com">www.michianaphysicaltherapy.com</a> for details or to set up an appointment for an evaluation, or call 574-675-7767. <br />
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Also please visit <a href="http://www.830laser.com">www.830Laser.com</a> to find out more about this laser therapy - on the right side of the home page, click on the “View treatment demonstration” to find out much more on the video. Also on the right side near the bottom of the page you can click on “Find a Certified Provider Now.” Although they are not as numerous as we may like, I have a feeling this will change soon… as this therapy becomes more well-known. The New England Patriots find it as valuable as the Olympic Committee! <br />
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I’m afraid I’m sounding a bit like an advertisement here. I had “discovered” this therapy two years ago <i>after</i> my first book came out and I became excited at the whole concept. I had no way of knowing it was available anywhere in this area at the time. Now, here we are. And it’s right in my own back yard. My first appointment is Monday and I can hardly wait! I’ll keep you posted! Although I have no daily Fibromyalgia pain as I had had 12 years ago, I do have other symptoms that nag at me, and flare ups now and then, and of course Arthritis in…well, everywhere. So I am looking forward to less inflammation. And who knows what else will be helped along the way. *:) <br />
Keep smiling everyone! It’s Important!Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-91782554146920352112010-10-19T22:26:00.000-04:002010-10-19T22:26:00.967-04:00Fibromyalga & Mayo Clinic videoOct, 2010. We had no speaker at this month's meeting, but rather we had a discussion on a video put out by The Mayo Clinic and GAIAM, a company dedicated to the health and healing of people and our planet. <br />
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The title of the video is <b>Wellness Solutions for Fibromyalgia</b> and it is available at Amazon.com for $19.90 plus s&h. It would be less if you don't mind getting a used video. I recommend this video to any newly diagnosed Fibromyalgia patient for a number of reasons. And I'd like to share with you a "review" of 5 sections of the video so you can see why you may like to purchase a copy of your own. <br />
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1) Dr. Brent Bauer introduces you to the concept of integrative medicine. [<i>This is invaluable to my way of thinking. This treatment approach has proven to be the <b>most</b> helpful of all in the treatment of Fibromyalgia - that's why my book, <b>Managing Fibromyalgia-Getting to know your Aggravators</b>, extols it's virtues</i>!] <br />
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Dr. Bauer explains that integrative medicine is simply the best of both worlds of medicine. It utilizes both alopathic (or Western) medicine along with the 3,000 yr-old traditional methods of healing and treatment. This method of treatment combines prescriptions when necessary, with acupuncture or chiropractic manipulation or physical therapy or water therapy, or whatever your doctor thinks may be right for you. Both methods use a form of cognitive behavioral therapy and/or stress reduction--whether deep breathing, meditation, exercise or physical therapy. <br />
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[<i>Note: you'll find that many medical doctors are not familar with integrative medicine. You may want to seek out an osteopath, a naturopath or a physician specifically trained in the integrative medical field. You can find one by checking online at http://www.wellness.com/find/integrative%20doctor and click on your state, or zip code, or you can google "integrative medical physician.</i>"]<br />
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2) Drs. Jeffrey Thompson and Amit Sood, both practicing at the Mayo Clinic, explain this complex syndrome and tell how it is diagnosed. Dr. Thompson explaines that there are no tests to diagnose Fibromyalgia, but rather it is diagnosed by the symptoms. The typical symptoms are overall body pain, tiredness/weakness and trouble sleeping. There is also an extreme sensitivity at any or all of 18 tender points. He also says that these 18 points are not exactly written in stone - there can be even more points. And there can also be fewer. <br />
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Dr. Thompson said that he's heard that some doctors tell their patients that "the pain is all in their head." He says that's quite true. ALL pain emanates from the brain, and so, yes, the pain IS in your head, but so is the doctor's own pain in HIS own head. This is actually a good thing, because the brain, in fact, is the most powerful thing we have to treat and manage our Fibromyalgia pain! Then he talks about why.<br />
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Dr. Amit Sood tells that there are environmental triggers, predispositions, poor sleep, stress and the ever present "overactive mind and underactive body" that can aggravate the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. <br />
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He also says that most people when diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, or even before they are diagnosed, are fearful that their body is being damaged, which may lead to debilitation and disability. "But once they are assured that this is not the case--that there is no actual damage happening to their body--they are usually quite relieved and can better come to terms with their condition." [<i>I believe he may be a bit overoptimistic here</i>.] "Then," he continues, "they can then go about beginning their own healing and treatments in the form of exercise, stress management, sleep management and so on." <br />
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Drs. Sood and Thompson strongly emphasises exercise, explaining that even if you only begin by exercising 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes at noon and 5 minutes in the late afternoon (5-5-5), you will have exercised 15 minutes that day. As your body becomes accustomed to that amount of exercise, after a week or two, you can GRADUALLY add another minute to each of these and then another then next week and so on, until you can get in a half hour or more of exercise per day. <br />
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Both doctors stress the importance of spirituality, positive self-talk, positive attitude, humor, goal setting and pacing and much more, finalizing their contribution with the 5 most important TIPS for dealing with fibromyalgia: 1) reduce stress - learn stress management techniques like meditation, positive self-talk or even expressing your spirituality; 2) get restful, restorative sleep via your doctor's assistance or acupuncture, or massage therapy or other means - if you're not sleeping well, it's almost impossible for muscle pain to get better; 3) exercise every day, eg. yoga, tai chi, chi gong - but don't over do it, because that can increase pain; 4) pace yourself - do everything in moderation; 5) maintain a healthy lifestyle - eat lots of healthy fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and enjoy fun occassions, and family. <br />
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3) Dr. Donald Hensrud takes you on a trip through the grocery store. This section is very informative, especially for those who are not familiar with the importance of diet and Fibromyalgia. He literally walks through a grocery store picking up foods to put in his cart, as he explains why this or that food is beneficial for helping pain and other symptoms. He also explains that we should be cutting back (or omitting) excess sugar, hydrogenated fats, coffee, soft drinks and the like. <br />
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Diet is indeed a very important factor for those of us with Fibromyalgia. Learning all you can about this one important factor can certainly help alleviate a lot of pain. [<i>See my blogs below on <b>Fibromyalgia and Diet</b> with Dr. Corson, or with Cindy Cohen, RN</i>.] <br />
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4) Rodney Yee takes you through a simple sitting meditation, where you sit comfortably in your chair and listen as he speaks-- soothingly describing how to relax. Then he describes a meditation while you are lying down. The visual background is a beautiful mountain meadow on a sunny day, and the music is so soothing and relaxing, that playing this section of the tape can literally melt away your stresses as you watch or listen. This is an excellent walk through a light, relaxing meditation. [<i>For newbies to meditation,and others, you will find this to be very soothing and relaxing</i>.] <br />
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5) Rodney Yee is also a famous yoga master. In the same beautiful mountain valley on a sunny day, he and two of his assistants demonstrate a number of simple yoga positions, called Asanas. He utilizes folded up blankets for the easing of the positions and a chair to lean on, so that none of the Asanas would be too strenuous or painful in any of the moves. These positions have been selected especially for Fibromyalgia sufferers and are not overly strenuous.<br />
[<i>Note: I have been practicing Tai Chi daily for 11 of my 12 years with Fibro and consider myself fairly limber for the shape I'm in. I had no trouble doing these Asanas, but for someone new, it may be pushing it a bit. I plan to stick with Tai Chi, thank you very much</i>.]<br />
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This DVD is helpful in a variety of ways as you can see by the above description. And there's much more that I haven't covered. Telling about integrative medicine is very helpful too, and I highly recommend those who are newly diagnosed to look deeper into this method of treatment. And this video is helpful as a meditation aid or an aid to learning a few the yoga positions or even shopping at the grocery store! All in all, for beginners, it can be quite helpful.Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-59988260935069035392010-09-20T10:25:00.001-04:002010-09-20T11:21:52.518-04:00Fibromyalgia & MSG/aspartameHi! I went on a hunt, thanks to a member of our Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group, for a particular article on Aspartame and MSG. What I found literally came to me in an e-mail the same day from another Fibromyalgia sufferer in Three Oaks, Michigan. Connie Howard sent me a link to a YouTube.com article titled *The Dangers of MSG*. (Thank You, Connie!) This appeared on a four part news cast and is a REAL eye-opener. <br />
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We already know that those of us with Fibromyalgia are exceptionally sensitive to MSG and Aspartame and any kind of excitotoxin, but this spells out those specific dangers for us AND the general public- especially our children! Attention: those with Migraines, chronic headaches, Fibro Fog, ADD, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's! <br />
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I hope everyone will listen to each of the 4 parts of this series. It not only explains a number of other names this stuff goes by, it also tells how to buy products <i>without</i> it! Along with this very informative Youtube series (about 3 minutes each) if you look to the right hand column, you will also find info on soft drinks, and other articles on MSG. <br />
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As I said a REAL eye-opener! Here's the link!<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txiVDY-prk4&feature=relatedPatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3362757739868606887.post-19416953045399552692010-09-18T10:04:00.002-04:002010-09-18T10:14:43.339-04:00Fibromyalgia & ChiropracticThis month 's meeting featuured Dr. Kevin Hancock from Granger, IN<br />
(contact info below). It never fails that each time I see him there is something <i>more</i> he can share. He lost 60 pounds which I noticed right away! So I promptly asked him how in the world he did it! But more on that later. This month he came to talk about Chiropractic and what it is he does in his practice - his mindset, as it were.<br />
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Many people think a Chiropractor merely lines up the spine and that's it. Au Contraire! Dr. Hancock is one of those dedicated Chiropractors who is there to help correct total body function - a whole body wellness approach - using a variety of adjuncts to his very effective Chiropractic Therapy. <br />
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He has numerous Fibromyalgia patients and is very well aware that each and every one has a whole different set of symptoms. He knows that each and every one requires different methods, means and modes for assistance. Most importantly, he understands that with each person, starting out slow and gentle is the way to go...working muscle, joint and spine with with a fine, slow touch to tolerance - just a little at a time. Then with each successive visit work up to a little more and more and so on. <br />
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Another very helpful method of pain relief he often adds for Fibromyalgia patients is Oxygen Therapy. This really helps oxygenate the blood, bringing much need help for pain in the muscles of the upper arms and sides of thighs. There has been research showing hypoxia in muscle tissue of those with Fibromyalgia. This Oxygen Therapy, where a nasal tube is worn while you are hand-pedalling a table cycle, enables the oxygen to be pumped throughout your body while you pedallling. This takes the oxygen right to where it's needed...EVERYWHERE! Muscles included! <br />
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Dr. Hancock also recommends other therapies if your particular case calls for it, such as nutritional advise, supplements, Oxygen Therapy, EFT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, methods of getting good sleep (ultra important for us!), Yoga or other methods of help. <br />
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Day to day stress in healthy people creates a menagerie of aches and pains. But for those of us with Fibromyalgia...well, we excell in the stress department! This is basically because a chonically ill body is chronically stressed! And so all of these methods of assistance which he may recommend, along with Chiropractic Therapy, is geared to help lower stress in our body, as well as learn how to manage outside stress it as it comes. In other words, helping the total body function.<br />
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But nothing happens until he does x-rays and provides an evaluation and assessment. He talks with you to find out about your past, chronic and immediate pains and any prescriptions or other treatments you are currently using. In other words he wants to know all about YOU, and what YOUR specific concerns are. <br />
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He informed us that, the body is a self-healing system, and the nervous system is what runs the program. Pain, illness and discomfort is the result of something interfering with the function of the nervous system. The objective of the Chiropractor is to free up this interference in order to enable the body to perform its function of self-healing. <br />
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He recommended we check out www.askdrjohnson.com. Click on "Fibromyalgia" and read about how Dr. Johnson (and Dr. Hancock) treats this complicated syndrome and listen to Dr. Johnson's video. They really DO understand!<br />
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Now about his weight loss! Dr. Hancock has come across a safe and fast diet, where he lost 60 pounds! 40 pounds of it in 6 weeks! And has kept it off for months! This system uses a combination of homeopathic herbs in a bottle as a supplement to assist the body while you consume a mere 500 calories of food per day! He says it sounds hard, but in fact it is quite easy...he invites you to click on www.SafeFastDiet.com to read his story and find out more. <br />
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Dr. Kevin Hancock can be reached by calling 574-271-1111<br />
or you can visit him at 6910 North Main St., Granger, 46530 (the corner of Cleveland and Main St.)Patihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989547328573949129noreply@blogger.com0