Hi Everyone!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!)
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.
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:
~Nutrition. Which may also include supplements
~Sleep. Proper restful, restorative sleep, of course
~Stress Management such as deep breathing or meditation. (I personally
would also recommend Faster EFT
~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.
Acupuncture, 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.
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.]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Contact Information:
Preventative Medicine, PC
James Keating, DC, MSAc
212 Edison Rd, Suite B
Mishawaka, IN 46545
574-254-1400
Email : drkeatingdc@yahoo.com
Showing posts with label fibromyalgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fibromyalgia. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Newbie Getting Started on Natural Help
For 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."
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 one way, one pill, one treatment, that will work for any of us, much less all of us.
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.
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.
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).
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.
We talked of water and drinking enough of it!
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 still get the benefits of these nutrient and antioxidant rich foods.
I discovered this by doing an elimination test. 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 yes, 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.
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.
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 website explains it's action to help raise serotonin and dopamine, help sleep, stress and much more.
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.
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 Paquenil. 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 pain and detereioration of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other conditions as well! Here's the WebMD site where you can read of it's uses, side-effects, and precautions. Ask your doctor about it too!
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.
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.
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.
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.".
We mentioned Coconut oil for skin, infections and for healing.
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.
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!
Please check out my facebook page for even more information, links, "Notes," articles etc.
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 one way, one pill, one treatment, that will work for any of us, much less all of us.
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.
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.
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).
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.
We talked of water and drinking enough of it!
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 still get the benefits of these nutrient and antioxidant rich foods.
I discovered this by doing an elimination test. 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 yes, 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.
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.
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 website explains it's action to help raise serotonin and dopamine, help sleep, stress and much more.
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.
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 Paquenil. 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 pain and detereioration of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other conditions as well! Here's the WebMD site where you can read of it's uses, side-effects, and precautions. Ask your doctor about it too!
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.
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.
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.
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.".
We mentioned Coconut oil for skin, infections and for healing.
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.
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!
Please check out my facebook page for even more information, links, "Notes," articles etc.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Fibromyalgia & New Dietary Guidelines
Our 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 Physicians HolisticHealth Alliance, contact information below.~~~
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.]~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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!~~~
At Physicians Holistic Health Alliance, 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.~~~
The flyer Ms Strasser passed out tells the basics of the New Diet Guidelines: abreviated here:
- Eat all you want of low starch veggies
- Balance proteins and starchy veggies (nuts, avocadoes, beans, meat, fish,
poultry, dairy) and (potatoes, corn & peas)
- Include at each meal uncooked fats (nuts,avocados,etc) and saturated fats like organic butter and coconut oil
- Limit or avoid processed meats, processed & refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, sugars and alcohol.~~~
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.~~~
Make gradual changes, and be sure to enjoy the food you DO eat.~~~
There is a whole list of easy steps and points to ponder on this Dietary Guideline list. Please feel free to contact the Physicians Holistic Health Alliance to find out more.~~~
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.~~~
Eat wisely to help your Fibro and other symptoms. Ms Strasser can certainly be a huge help in this direction.~~~
Contact info:
Nancy Behnke Strasser, MS, RD
Director of Wholistic Nutrition
Physicians Holistic Health Alliance
phone: 574-273-3880
nancy@caringforthewholeyou.com
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.]~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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.~~~
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!~~~
At Physicians Holistic Health Alliance, 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.~~~
The flyer Ms Strasser passed out tells the basics of the New Diet Guidelines: abreviated here:
- Eat all you want of low starch veggies
- Balance proteins and starchy veggies (nuts, avocadoes, beans, meat, fish,
poultry, dairy) and (potatoes, corn & peas)
- Include at each meal uncooked fats (nuts,avocados,etc) and saturated fats like organic butter and coconut oil
- Limit or avoid processed meats, processed & refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, sugars and alcohol.~~~
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.~~~
Make gradual changes, and be sure to enjoy the food you DO eat.~~~
There is a whole list of easy steps and points to ponder on this Dietary Guideline list. Please feel free to contact the Physicians Holistic Health Alliance to find out more.~~~
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.~~~
Eat wisely to help your Fibro and other symptoms. Ms Strasser can certainly be a huge help in this direction.~~~
Contact info:
Nancy Behnke Strasser, MS, RD
Director of Wholistic Nutrition
Physicians Holistic Health Alliance
phone: 574-273-3880
nancy@caringforthewholeyou.com
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Fibromyalgia and The EsTeck Medical Devise
WOW! 2012 Already! Happy and Healthy New Year to all!
Hi Everyone!
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!
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!
As Dr. Hancock said, this machine is not necessarily an actual diagnostic tool, but rather it provides a guide in the manner of triage and a monitoring tool. 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.
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.
So what are are some of the things measured by the EsTeck Medical Devise? It evaluates:
~ overall homeostasis score
~ basal metabolism
~ the current function of each organ in the body - liver, heart, kidney, etc
~ brain function by individual lobes
~ the hormonal activity - thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, etc
~ cardiovascular function
~ electrolyte status and function
~ oxygen status and function
~ mitochondtial activity
~ autonomic nervous system activity
~ spinal health
~ disease status - cardiovascular, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, tissue inflammation, etc
~ body composition - lean mass, fat mass
~ the amount of water inside your cells and outside of your cells
as stated, up to 69 parameters are measured!
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.
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.
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.)
Dr. Kevin told us about a doctor in California who charges $170 for a scan from the EsTeck Medical Devise.
Dr. Hancock's regular fee is only $50. This is so that more people can take advantge of its help!
I highly recommend you take advantage of this devise. For piece of mind, and the knowledge it can give you of your own body.
Contact Information:
Dr. Kevin Hancock
6910 North Main St., Unit 23
Granger, IN 46530
574-271-1111
Hi Everyone!
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!
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!
As Dr. Hancock said, this machine is not necessarily an actual diagnostic tool, but rather it provides a guide in the manner of triage and a monitoring tool. 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.
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.
So what are are some of the things measured by the EsTeck Medical Devise? It evaluates:
~ overall homeostasis score
~ basal metabolism
~ the current function of each organ in the body - liver, heart, kidney, etc
~ brain function by individual lobes
~ the hormonal activity - thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, etc
~ cardiovascular function
~ electrolyte status and function
~ oxygen status and function
~ mitochondtial activity
~ autonomic nervous system activity
~ spinal health
~ disease status - cardiovascular, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, tissue inflammation, etc
~ body composition - lean mass, fat mass
~ the amount of water inside your cells and outside of your cells
as stated, up to 69 parameters are measured!
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.
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.
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.)
Dr. Kevin told us about a doctor in California who charges $170 for a scan from the EsTeck Medical Devise.
Dr. Hancock's regular fee is only $50. This is so that more people can take advantge of its help!
I highly recommend you take advantage of this devise. For piece of mind, and the knowledge it can give you of your own body.
Contact Information:
Dr. Kevin Hancock
6910 North Main St., Unit 23
Granger, IN 46530
574-271-1111
Friday, January 6, 2012
Fibromyalgia Discussion at Fibro Support Group
Merry Christmas Everyone! 12-21-2011
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.
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.
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 *:)
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.
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.
FYI: the age range of our group this evening was 30 - 80+ years young!
December's Support Group meeting
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
BG's Breakfast Recipe:
1/4 chopped banana
1/2 cup yogurt
frozen peaches or blueberries to taste
granola
Mix well and enjoy!
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!
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!
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.
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! *:)
Love is Great medicine!
* I am honored to be the guest on The Harvest Show 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 www.harvest-tv.com
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.
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.
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 *:)
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.
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.
FYI: the age range of our group this evening was 30 - 80+ years young!
December's Support Group meeting
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
BG's Breakfast Recipe:
1/4 chopped banana
1/2 cup yogurt
frozen peaches or blueberries to taste
granola
Mix well and enjoy!
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!
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!
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.
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! *:)
Love is Great medicine!
* I am honored to be the guest on The Harvest Show 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 www.harvest-tv.com
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Fibromyalgia and Tai Chi for relaxing stress
Our 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
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.
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.
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:
Relaxation
Strength
Breath
Energy
Balance
Thinking & Memory
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, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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.)
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.
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.
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 and 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?
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.
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!
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! *:)
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.
Contact Information:
Kathy Stiffney
Family Chiropractic
1119 South Indiana Ave.
Gishen, IN 46526
(across from Goshen Middle School)
For appointments: call Kathy at 574-202-7710 or 574-534-4591
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.
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.
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:
Relaxation
Strength
Breath
Energy
Balance
Thinking & Memory
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, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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.)
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.
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.
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 and 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?
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.
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!
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! *:)
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.
Contact Information:
Kathy Stiffney
Family Chiropractic
1119 South Indiana Ave.
Gishen, IN 46526
(across from Goshen Middle School)
For appointments: call Kathy at 574-202-7710 or 574-534-4591
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Fibromyalgia, Stress and HeartMath
The 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!
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!
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.
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.
Christine Northrup, author of Women's Bodies,Women's Wisdom, 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."
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.
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.
In my book Fibromyalgia Basics, 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."
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.
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! *
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."
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!
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.
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.
In the words of the Institute of Heart Math, "A change of heart is key to transforming the effects of stress."
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.
It was a very enlightening evening and we thank Diana for her time and generous sharing.
*Granger Gazette, March 2009
**Handout printed for us by Diana. www.heartmath.org (For providers -online)
Contact Information:
Diana Tice
Licensed HeartMath Provider at Expanding Horizons
phone: 574-293-2713
cell: 574-370-4917
e-mail: DTPoet@aol.com
Also please check out www.HeathMath.com
If you have read my book, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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!
Pati's November Events:
Nov 3rd - 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.
Nov 8th - Fibromyalgia Support Group, 6:00 pm. Mishawaka Library, 209 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka
Nov 12th - Sufficient Grounds Coffee House, 1-3 pm. Booksigning and Q & A, 711 West McKinley, (opposite Town & Country), Mishawaka.
Nov. 15th - "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
Nov. 19 - Fall Author Fair, Main Library in Fort Wayne, IN. 12 - 4 pm. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN
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!
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.
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.
Christine Northrup, author of Women's Bodies,Women's Wisdom, 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."
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.
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.
In my book Fibromyalgia Basics, 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."
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.
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! *
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."
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!
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.
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.
In the words of the Institute of Heart Math, "A change of heart is key to transforming the effects of stress."
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.
It was a very enlightening evening and we thank Diana for her time and generous sharing.
*Granger Gazette, March 2009
**Handout printed for us by Diana. www.heartmath.org (For providers -online)
Contact Information:
Diana Tice
Licensed HeartMath Provider at Expanding Horizons
phone: 574-293-2713
cell: 574-370-4917
e-mail: DTPoet@aol.com
Also please check out www.HeathMath.com
If you have read my book, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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!
Pati's November Events:
Nov 3rd - 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.
Nov 8th - Fibromyalgia Support Group, 6:00 pm. Mishawaka Library, 209 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka
Nov 12th - Sufficient Grounds Coffee House, 1-3 pm. Booksigning and Q & A, 711 West McKinley, (opposite Town & Country), Mishawaka.
Nov. 15th - "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
Nov. 19 - Fall Author Fair, Main Library in Fort Wayne, IN. 12 - 4 pm. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN
Monday, October 10, 2011
Fibromyalgia and Nature's Sunshine
Hi Everyone!
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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
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 .
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!
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!
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.
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.
If you have an ailing or aging pet, she can help also!
"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."
Consultation fee: $30. (This one hour is a lot longer than any visit to a doctor's office.)
Contact info:
Baby Girl Herbs
Donna Horner, M.A.
574-255-5202 or 574-370-2030
Please visit facebook.com and type "Baby Girl Herbs" (with caps) into the search box and "friend" her page. It would be most appreciated! *:)
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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
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 .
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!
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!
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.
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.
If you have an ailing or aging pet, she can help also!
"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."
Consultation fee: $30. (This one hour is a lot longer than any visit to a doctor's office.)
Contact info:
Baby Girl Herbs
Donna Horner, M.A.
574-255-5202 or 574-370-2030
Please visit facebook.com and type "Baby Girl Herbs" (with caps) into the search box and "friend" her page. It would be most appreciated! *:)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fibromyalgia, flares, acupuncture
Our speaker for the August 9th Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. James Keating of Preventive Medicine, PC 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 singular 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.
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 Preventive Medicine, PC). There were nods and shakes all around, and an eye-roll or two. He nodded too, knowing exactly what the eye-rolls were for.
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.
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 Prevention Medicine, PC 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.
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? "
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."
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 healing cascade 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!
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.
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 healing cascade, 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.
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.
Nick Bello then reminded everyone that if you are in a flare, you can call Preventive Medicine, PC 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 with you. They will Listen to you. This alone is worth a visit! *:)
Dr. James Keating can be reached at Preventive Medicine,PC on Edison Rd, in Mishawaka, IN. 574-254-1400. He is available for Chiropractic treatments and Acupuncture treatments.
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 Preventive Medicine, PC). There were nods and shakes all around, and an eye-roll or two. He nodded too, knowing exactly what the eye-rolls were for.
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.
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 Prevention Medicine, PC 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.
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? "
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."
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 healing cascade 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!
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.
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 healing cascade, 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.
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.
Nick Bello then reminded everyone that if you are in a flare, you can call Preventive Medicine, PC 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 with you. They will Listen to you. This alone is worth a visit! *:)
Dr. James Keating can be reached at Preventive Medicine,PC on Edison Rd, in Mishawaka, IN. 574-254-1400. He is available for Chiropractic treatments and Acupuncture treatments.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Fibromyalgia & Tai Chi
Hi Everyone!
Our speaker for this evening was Dr. Cynthia Cortez, DD, the owner of T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle. She has been a T'ai Chi and meditation instructor for many years and found it helped her body actually heal 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.
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.
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.
Cynthia has found that Tai Chi can accomplish this by helping the body stay in balance in the day to day world.
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.
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.
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: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/tai-chi-000361.htm
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 each internal organ as well, strengthening and fortifying the liver, lungs, heart, stomach and so on!
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.
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 http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/9856b997cd/1470670689/df13eed2b5 ). 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Cynthia Cortez, of T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle can be reached at
P.O. Box 684
South Bend, IN 46624
ph: 574-254-8358, fax: 574-259-0256
Our speaker for this evening was Dr. Cynthia Cortez, DD, the owner of T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle. She has been a T'ai Chi and meditation instructor for many years and found it helped her body actually heal 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.
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.
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.
Cynthia has found that Tai Chi can accomplish this by helping the body stay in balance in the day to day world.
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.
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.
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: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/tai-chi-000361.htm
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 each internal organ as well, strengthening and fortifying the liver, lungs, heart, stomach and so on!
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.
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 http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/790349/9856b997cd/1470670689/df13eed2b5 ). 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Cynthia Cortez, of T'ai Chi Meditative Lifestyle can be reached at
P.O. Box 684
South Bend, IN 46624
ph: 574-254-8358, fax: 574-259-0256
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Fibromyalgia's possible biomarker - Dr. Bhatt's lecture
Fibro Notes June, 2011
A summary of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group for June of 2011
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!
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!
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.
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:
Rheumatoid Arthritis-~~->Serum Rheumatoid factor
Osteoarthritis-~~->Joint X-Ray (observation)
Gout-~~- >Serum Uric Acid
BBB~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BBB
Clinical Depression-~~->Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine
Fibromyalgia-~~->Substance P, fMRI (functional Magnetic Imaging)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuberculosis-~~->turbecule bacillus
Peptic Ulcer Disease-~~->Helicobacter Pylori
Syphilis-~~->Treponema Pallidum
Pernicious Anemia-~~->Vitamin B12
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Omega 6 is a pro-inflammatory essential fatty acid; Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory essential fatty acid. Our intake of these two essential fatty acids should ideally 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 PRO-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.
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 Fibromyalgia Basics, so I won’t go into it here. But Dr Bhatt explained the mechanism of inflammation here. [Note: please do not mistake the beneficial antioxidant ALA Alpha Lipoic Acid, with ALA Alpha Linoleic Acid, the Omega 6.)
ALA (Alpha Linoleic Acid = Omega 6) breaks down into
DGLA. DGLA breaks down (using the enzyme delta-5 desaturase) into
Arachidonic Acid, a precursor to pro-inflammatory mediators IL-8.
(The process of inflammation)
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).
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?”
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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a Q & A period following Dr. Bhatt’s lecture which was lively, to say the least, on a variety of pertinent subjects.
-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.
-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.
-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.
-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.
-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!
-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.
[ 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.]
-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.
Dr. Kumar Bhatt and The Mishawaka Clinic is located at:
The Medical Arts Building
303 S. Main St. Suite 212
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-254-0800
www.mishawakaclinic.com
Thank you Dr. Bhatt and Kashmira and everyone, for attending the meeting tonight and helping to make it most memorable!
My new book, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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.
If you already have a copy of Fibromyalgia Basics, 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* *J
A summary of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group for June of 2011
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!
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!
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.
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:
Rheumatoid Arthritis-~~->Serum Rheumatoid factor
Osteoarthritis-~~->Joint X-Ray (observation)
Gout-~~- >Serum Uric Acid
BBB~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BBB
Clinical Depression-~~->Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine
Fibromyalgia-~~->Substance P, fMRI (functional Magnetic Imaging)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuberculosis-~~->turbecule bacillus
Peptic Ulcer Disease-~~->Helicobacter Pylori
Syphilis-~~->Treponema Pallidum
Pernicious Anemia-~~->Vitamin B12
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Omega 6 is a pro-inflammatory essential fatty acid; Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory essential fatty acid. Our intake of these two essential fatty acids should ideally 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 PRO-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.
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 Fibromyalgia Basics, so I won’t go into it here. But Dr Bhatt explained the mechanism of inflammation here. [Note: please do not mistake the beneficial antioxidant ALA Alpha Lipoic Acid, with ALA Alpha Linoleic Acid, the Omega 6.)
ALA (Alpha Linoleic Acid = Omega 6) breaks down into
DGLA. DGLA breaks down (using the enzyme delta-5 desaturase) into
Arachidonic Acid, a precursor to pro-inflammatory mediators IL-8.
(The process of inflammation)
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).
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?”
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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a Q & A period following Dr. Bhatt’s lecture which was lively, to say the least, on a variety of pertinent subjects.
-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.
-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.
-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.
-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.
-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!
-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.
[ 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.]
-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.
Dr. Kumar Bhatt and The Mishawaka Clinic is located at:
The Medical Arts Building
303 S. Main St. Suite 212
Mishawaka, IN 46544
574-254-0800
www.mishawakaclinic.com
Thank you Dr. Bhatt and Kashmira and everyone, for attending the meeting tonight and helping to make it most memorable!
My new book, Fibromyalgia Basics, 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.
If you already have a copy of Fibromyalgia Basics, 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* *J
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