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.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
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
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Fibromyalgia and Good Nutrition
Fibro Notes for March 10, 2011
Hi !
Our speaker for this month was Dr. Candace Corson, a Yale-trained medical doctor specializing in Family Medicine. Soon after graduating 34 years ago, she learned that normal, basic, good nutrition was sorely lacking in the patients where she was assigned to work. This made it completely impossible to heal or cure anyone’s ailments – the common cold or even the most minor infections would literally go wild and create all sorts of long term, difficult-to-heal maladies.
Because she needed to learn about nutrition (which wasn’t included in her curriculum at Yale), she went to the west coast to study nutrition, supplements, and herbs, all manner of alternative healing methods. This put her in the most beneficial position of being able to help people at the most basic level, so that she could then actually treat people’s illnesses starting from a proper base – a healthy nutritional base. She soon found out that when the proper nutritional needs are taken care of, many illnesses and maladies, soon healed on their own. The body can actually heal itself in many cases, when good nutrition is a part of the lifestyle.
This evening Dr. Corson shared with us some of the most important facts we need to know concerning basic healthy nutrition…which can then help us move on to less pain and fewer chronic symptoms!
“You really ARE what you eat!” Dr. Corson says. Back when your grandparents and great grandparents were thriving, they ate fresh farm foods and wild foods like fresh-picked ripe blueberries, strawberries, veggies, etc. They were grown in good soil and picked when ripe with all the vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes and nutrients a body needs. They also ate wild foods - free range animals like deer (venison) and wild turkey, as well as free-range pigs, beef, and chickens that ate grasses, bugs and natural foods which, when processed internally by these animals (a process called bio-concentration) created the proper foods for people to eat. Their meat was full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and the proper balance Omega 3 to Omega 6 - a ratio of 1:1.
Animals these days are fed grain (basically pro-inflammatory Omega 6) to fatten them up – especially just before they’re sent to market. This throws off the animal’s ability to process the good Omega 3 within their system. So their meat becomes loaded with Omega 6 inflammatory fatty acids, and almost totally depleted of Omega 3 – this includes the eggs from chickens too! And what little Omega 3 is still left is then destroyed by heat, air and light. So the meats, eggs, etc that we eat has a nasty balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 at the most undesireable ratio of 1:25, OR as has been measured in lactating women, up to 1:40! This means 25 to 40 times more inflammatories than should ever be in any human being! Is it any wonder we have so many inflammatory conditions in our bodies? Chrone’s disease, arthritis, lupus, heart disease, cancer and many more – all inflammatory conditions!
Your body needs fats! Without them you would die! Your brain is mostly made up of DHA essential fatty acids, after all. However, these fats must be the right KIND of fats – Omega 3, EPA-DHA, as well as ALA, essential fatty acids are ANTI- inflammatories! Hooray! Dr. Corson drew a picture of a cell on the board showing the double wall of the cells. The “proper fat” (Omega 3) should make up the outer cell wall and inner cell wall, with water as a cushion between the two. Omega 3 keeps the cell walls soft and flexible – “breathable.” These double walls, made with the proper Omega 3, allow nutrients and oxygen to flow smoothly into the cell, process the nutrients, creating energy, and then allow the waste to be released and flow out of cells.
Fatty fish and flax seeds are two excellent ways to get essential fatty acids. If fish is not a regular food for you, you may consider a supplement of Omega 3 Fish oil. (See Fibromyalgia Basics, Tate Publishing, 2011, for recommended brands and doses.) Flax seed is rich in Omega 3 ALA and tastes great in a smoothie or yogurt or even sprinkled on salads.
[By the way, sugar is an inflammatory also. And excess sugar makes your cell walls rigid, which means that nutrients like magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc, not to mention oxygen, has a hard time getting into your cells! Trans fats make the outer cell walls downright hard! Dr. Corson recommends Stevia as a natural sugar substitute. I have also found “Just Like Sugar” to be quite excellent. Both are made from plants, and are completely natural, with no calories, no artificial chemicals, and zero calories. Sucanant is another sugar substitute - with only 15 calories per teaspoon - this sweetener is dehydrated sugar cane. ]
Dr. Corson reminded us that these days fruits and veggies are sprayed with chemicals to prevent bugs from getting to them, and they are picked before they are ripe, leaving them weak in nutrients. Then they are put in a truck and shipped to our local grocery – which may take days! By the time they are on our local shelf, they are days old and sprayed again with other chemicals to make them shiny, so that they LOOK good enough to eat. These fruits and veggies, may not have the same nutritional value as the foods your grandmother ate, but it is still good to load up on all the fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and legumes (beans) you can eat because they are still the best way to go for overall health and well-being - they are still whole, REAL foods with antioxidants, bio-available vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc. So in spite of everything, these vitamins and minerals still fortify your body as no prescription or pill can!
Eating locally from your farmer’s market, or better yet, from your own back yard is definitely the best option. When you do shop the grocery store, be sure to 1) do the bulk of your shopping from around the outer edge aisle of the store, and 2) be certain to thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies. Dried fruits and veggies, or fresh frozen, are also quite full of nutrients and she considers them the next best thing.
The items that are processed, usually found in the center of the store - boxed and prepared/instant foods - can be causing a great deal of your pain! These items contain a lot of Omega 6 pro-inflammatory acids! Read the labels. Pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids are found in processed oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, etc. and in cooking oils, and anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, which of course, often leads to trans fats - HEAVY inflammatories one and all! Check the labels and be sure you are not adding a lot of hydrogenated, sugared, high fructose corn syruped, and trans fats (not to mention MSG in all its forms, by all its names) to your diet! Don’t add more Omega 6. Remember, adding Omega 6’s means you are adding inflammatories! Inflammation creates pain! And it aggravates existing conditions already inflamed.
Dr. Corson spoke of milk. Did you know that a full 70 to 75% of the human population has a sensitivity to milk? The reason is simple. Milk is for nursing. Humans (and all mammals) were meant to drink milk as babies, then wean off it in a year or so. Mother Nature encourages this by adjusting our enzyme, lactase. Lactase is the enzyme which processes the lactose in milk. Babies have lots of it. But as we age to one year old or so, our body stops making it and it begins to disappear from our system. After we are finished nursing there is no longer a need for this enzyme. Dr. Corson also pointed out that humans are the only beings on earth that drink milk from another species. Wolves don’t drink buffalo milk, for example.
Sensitivity to milk can and does cause a number symptoms like sinusitis, bronchitis, thick mucus, and other allergy-like symptoms. And it can also cause inflammation and affect the insulin-like growth factor. Dr. Corson also told of many tests have shown that the more milk and cheese you consume, the higher your risk of Osteoporosis! It turns out that you lose more calcium than you take in after digestion – it creates acid in your cells and so calcium is pulled from your bones to make up for this and neutralize it. Thus less calcium in your bones.
If you want to use milk, in cereal for example, Dr. Corson recommends almond milk, or any type of nut milk. Goat’s milk is less offensive than cow’s milk, though, so that may be a possibility. With the nut milk you get the added benefit of the nuts’ protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Soy milk may not be for everyone as it tends to block foreign estrogens (or xeno-estrogens) and may affect the hormonal balance in some people. The website www.pcrm.org was recommended by Dr. Corson to find out more about the effects of milk.
On the other hand, yogurt is highly recommended! Good intestinal flora is a must in our bodies all the time! This becomes critical if antibiotics have been prescribed! Antibiotics are prescribed for a bacterial infection, and the only way for them to work is to kill bacteria - thus antibiotics. The problem is, they also kill the GOOD bacteria so necessary to our health, and they must be replenished. Yogurt rarely bothers someone with a mild sensitivity to milk because when yogurt is made, lactase is created, which actually helps you digest lactose. But if your sensitivity is severe, probiotics in the form of a supplement is recommended. In any case, maintaining good intestinal flora is extremely important for overall health!
We discussed oats as a wonderful whole grain food that contains especially helpful enzymes that literally work as cancer scavengers! Steel cut oats are ideal, but any oats work in this fashion.
Dr. Corson has such a wealth of information at her fingertips, that it is hard to do her justice! I cannot possibly get everything into a “short” newsletter! You really had to be there! But fear not. We will have her come again and you will have another chance to hear her wisdom!
Summing up: Omega 3 is extremely important to our bodies and helps keep inflammation at bay. Cutting back, or cutting OUT, hydrogenated foods (inflammatory Omega 6’s), trans fats and excess sugar, is very important to keep pain at bay. Adding an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes is the best thing that you can do for your body.
Dr. Corson and I highly recommend Juice Plus+, the fruits, veggies and berries in capsules, as a great way to easily get whole, real foods into your body to help build your nutritional base!
Contact Information:
Dr. Candace Corson, www.Doctor4JuicePlus.com , cell 574-850-2039.
Pati Chandler, PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com, cell 574-344-9998
Hi !
Our speaker for this month was Dr. Candace Corson, a Yale-trained medical doctor specializing in Family Medicine. Soon after graduating 34 years ago, she learned that normal, basic, good nutrition was sorely lacking in the patients where she was assigned to work. This made it completely impossible to heal or cure anyone’s ailments – the common cold or even the most minor infections would literally go wild and create all sorts of long term, difficult-to-heal maladies.
Because she needed to learn about nutrition (which wasn’t included in her curriculum at Yale), she went to the west coast to study nutrition, supplements, and herbs, all manner of alternative healing methods. This put her in the most beneficial position of being able to help people at the most basic level, so that she could then actually treat people’s illnesses starting from a proper base – a healthy nutritional base. She soon found out that when the proper nutritional needs are taken care of, many illnesses and maladies, soon healed on their own. The body can actually heal itself in many cases, when good nutrition is a part of the lifestyle.
This evening Dr. Corson shared with us some of the most important facts we need to know concerning basic healthy nutrition…which can then help us move on to less pain and fewer chronic symptoms!
“You really ARE what you eat!” Dr. Corson says. Back when your grandparents and great grandparents were thriving, they ate fresh farm foods and wild foods like fresh-picked ripe blueberries, strawberries, veggies, etc. They were grown in good soil and picked when ripe with all the vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes and nutrients a body needs. They also ate wild foods - free range animals like deer (venison) and wild turkey, as well as free-range pigs, beef, and chickens that ate grasses, bugs and natural foods which, when processed internally by these animals (a process called bio-concentration) created the proper foods for people to eat. Their meat was full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and the proper balance Omega 3 to Omega 6 - a ratio of 1:1.
Animals these days are fed grain (basically pro-inflammatory Omega 6) to fatten them up – especially just before they’re sent to market. This throws off the animal’s ability to process the good Omega 3 within their system. So their meat becomes loaded with Omega 6 inflammatory fatty acids, and almost totally depleted of Omega 3 – this includes the eggs from chickens too! And what little Omega 3 is still left is then destroyed by heat, air and light. So the meats, eggs, etc that we eat has a nasty balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 at the most undesireable ratio of 1:25, OR as has been measured in lactating women, up to 1:40! This means 25 to 40 times more inflammatories than should ever be in any human being! Is it any wonder we have so many inflammatory conditions in our bodies? Chrone’s disease, arthritis, lupus, heart disease, cancer and many more – all inflammatory conditions!
Your body needs fats! Without them you would die! Your brain is mostly made up of DHA essential fatty acids, after all. However, these fats must be the right KIND of fats – Omega 3, EPA-DHA, as well as ALA, essential fatty acids are ANTI- inflammatories! Hooray! Dr. Corson drew a picture of a cell on the board showing the double wall of the cells. The “proper fat” (Omega 3) should make up the outer cell wall and inner cell wall, with water as a cushion between the two. Omega 3 keeps the cell walls soft and flexible – “breathable.” These double walls, made with the proper Omega 3, allow nutrients and oxygen to flow smoothly into the cell, process the nutrients, creating energy, and then allow the waste to be released and flow out of cells.
Fatty fish and flax seeds are two excellent ways to get essential fatty acids. If fish is not a regular food for you, you may consider a supplement of Omega 3 Fish oil. (See Fibromyalgia Basics, Tate Publishing, 2011, for recommended brands and doses.) Flax seed is rich in Omega 3 ALA and tastes great in a smoothie or yogurt or even sprinkled on salads.
[By the way, sugar is an inflammatory also. And excess sugar makes your cell walls rigid, which means that nutrients like magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc, not to mention oxygen, has a hard time getting into your cells! Trans fats make the outer cell walls downright hard! Dr. Corson recommends Stevia as a natural sugar substitute. I have also found “Just Like Sugar” to be quite excellent. Both are made from plants, and are completely natural, with no calories, no artificial chemicals, and zero calories. Sucanant is another sugar substitute - with only 15 calories per teaspoon - this sweetener is dehydrated sugar cane. ]
Dr. Corson reminded us that these days fruits and veggies are sprayed with chemicals to prevent bugs from getting to them, and they are picked before they are ripe, leaving them weak in nutrients. Then they are put in a truck and shipped to our local grocery – which may take days! By the time they are on our local shelf, they are days old and sprayed again with other chemicals to make them shiny, so that they LOOK good enough to eat. These fruits and veggies, may not have the same nutritional value as the foods your grandmother ate, but it is still good to load up on all the fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and legumes (beans) you can eat because they are still the best way to go for overall health and well-being - they are still whole, REAL foods with antioxidants, bio-available vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc. So in spite of everything, these vitamins and minerals still fortify your body as no prescription or pill can!
Eating locally from your farmer’s market, or better yet, from your own back yard is definitely the best option. When you do shop the grocery store, be sure to 1) do the bulk of your shopping from around the outer edge aisle of the store, and 2) be certain to thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies. Dried fruits and veggies, or fresh frozen, are also quite full of nutrients and she considers them the next best thing.
The items that are processed, usually found in the center of the store - boxed and prepared/instant foods - can be causing a great deal of your pain! These items contain a lot of Omega 6 pro-inflammatory acids! Read the labels. Pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids are found in processed oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, etc. and in cooking oils, and anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, which of course, often leads to trans fats - HEAVY inflammatories one and all! Check the labels and be sure you are not adding a lot of hydrogenated, sugared, high fructose corn syruped, and trans fats (not to mention MSG in all its forms, by all its names) to your diet! Don’t add more Omega 6. Remember, adding Omega 6’s means you are adding inflammatories! Inflammation creates pain! And it aggravates existing conditions already inflamed.
Dr. Corson spoke of milk. Did you know that a full 70 to 75% of the human population has a sensitivity to milk? The reason is simple. Milk is for nursing. Humans (and all mammals) were meant to drink milk as babies, then wean off it in a year or so. Mother Nature encourages this by adjusting our enzyme, lactase. Lactase is the enzyme which processes the lactose in milk. Babies have lots of it. But as we age to one year old or so, our body stops making it and it begins to disappear from our system. After we are finished nursing there is no longer a need for this enzyme. Dr. Corson also pointed out that humans are the only beings on earth that drink milk from another species. Wolves don’t drink buffalo milk, for example.
Sensitivity to milk can and does cause a number symptoms like sinusitis, bronchitis, thick mucus, and other allergy-like symptoms. And it can also cause inflammation and affect the insulin-like growth factor. Dr. Corson also told of many tests have shown that the more milk and cheese you consume, the higher your risk of Osteoporosis! It turns out that you lose more calcium than you take in after digestion – it creates acid in your cells and so calcium is pulled from your bones to make up for this and neutralize it. Thus less calcium in your bones.
If you want to use milk, in cereal for example, Dr. Corson recommends almond milk, or any type of nut milk. Goat’s milk is less offensive than cow’s milk, though, so that may be a possibility. With the nut milk you get the added benefit of the nuts’ protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Soy milk may not be for everyone as it tends to block foreign estrogens (or xeno-estrogens) and may affect the hormonal balance in some people. The website www.pcrm.org was recommended by Dr. Corson to find out more about the effects of milk.
On the other hand, yogurt is highly recommended! Good intestinal flora is a must in our bodies all the time! This becomes critical if antibiotics have been prescribed! Antibiotics are prescribed for a bacterial infection, and the only way for them to work is to kill bacteria - thus antibiotics. The problem is, they also kill the GOOD bacteria so necessary to our health, and they must be replenished. Yogurt rarely bothers someone with a mild sensitivity to milk because when yogurt is made, lactase is created, which actually helps you digest lactose. But if your sensitivity is severe, probiotics in the form of a supplement is recommended. In any case, maintaining good intestinal flora is extremely important for overall health!
We discussed oats as a wonderful whole grain food that contains especially helpful enzymes that literally work as cancer scavengers! Steel cut oats are ideal, but any oats work in this fashion.
Dr. Corson has such a wealth of information at her fingertips, that it is hard to do her justice! I cannot possibly get everything into a “short” newsletter! You really had to be there! But fear not. We will have her come again and you will have another chance to hear her wisdom!
Summing up: Omega 3 is extremely important to our bodies and helps keep inflammation at bay. Cutting back, or cutting OUT, hydrogenated foods (inflammatory Omega 6’s), trans fats and excess sugar, is very important to keep pain at bay. Adding an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes is the best thing that you can do for your body.
Dr. Corson and I highly recommend Juice Plus+, the fruits, veggies and berries in capsules, as a great way to easily get whole, real foods into your body to help build your nutritional base!
Contact Information:
Dr. Candace Corson, www.Doctor4JuicePlus.com , cell 574-850-2039.
Pati Chandler, PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com, cell 574-344-9998
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Fibromyalgia and Chemical Sensitivities
** Fibromyalgia Support Group speaker for our March meeting was, Tamara Ciszczon, a member of our group, and a molecular biologist, who is a veritable fountain of information on toxins and chemicals as they pertain to potential and possible sensitivities in those with chronic illnesses.
Many of those with Fibromyalgia, and other chronic illnesses, are sensitive to chemicals - both inhaled and ingested. Like everything else with Fibromyalgia, there are degrees of this sensitivity, and there are specifics as to just what particular chemicals will cause what particular symptoms due to that sensitivity. Because some people's sensitivites are so severe and so many, and because of Tamara's biology and chemistry background, she has spent years of time and effort studying these chemicals and the potential they have to create symptoms. She had even put many years and effort in studying baubiology, which is a European movement about how to live in harmony with nature. This was necessary because if you are chemically sensitive in a world full of chemicals which provide us with our everyday creature comforts and cleaning necessities, it becomes quite necessary to use and live with natural products, rather than the toxic chemicals found on the open market.
This evening Tamara specifically spoke about chemicals in and around the home that may cause sensitivities to those with Fibromyalgia, or any other condition for that matter. But one can also have chemical sensitivities without any other condition to go with it - a stand alone condition as it were.
Tamara shared with us information about a chemical called Chloridane, which literally wipes out your immune system. It had been used around 1987-1990 as insecticide sprays for termites, freely sprayed all around outside and inside homes at the time. It is an oganophosphate, which will never break down and disipate indoors, it must be physically removed. Sunlight is the only thing that can break it down - and that takes years. Symptoms? Dyspnea (difficulty breathing), wheezing, peripheral muscle weakness, skeletal muscle weakness, anxiety, twitching muscles, abdominal cramps and more...Google "organophosphates" for more. To find out if this chemical is lurking in your older home, you can call and have an air-quality test done. Realtors usually have names of companies who do this type of testing.
VOC's were discussed. Volatile Organic Oils. These are things like paint thinners, listerine, carbon monoxide, nail polish remover, turpentine, etc. I don't know about anyone else, but these things bothered me BEFORE Fibromyalgia. But now these things actually seem to literally change my body, creating all sorts of havoc when I'm around them, so I make a point of keeping them out of my life!
The "cides" were discused. Germicides, insecticides, algicides, etc that we may even have under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. These are household cleaners. The common cleaners that are available everywhere to disinfect and clean your home, kitchen counter tops, bathtub and toilets. Think about it. These items are STRONG chemicals. If they are in the house, you are getting them in your system everytime you breathe them in. If you feel it necessary to use any of these items, please, at least use a face mask - this will help dissipate some of the effect. (My husband sometimes uses pain thinners in the basement, and swears he can't smell them. I DO. I use a face mask and stay out of the basement. Sometimes I even leave the house!)
There are many natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, Seventh Generation cleaners, and others. And of course, there are the Shaklee Products, which are about the only household cleaners and items that Tamara can use. In fact she was so taken with them that she became a Shalee Dealer! See her contact information below.
There was so much to tell us that I'm afraid I cannot possibly do her justice. She talked of Sick Building Syndrome, of synthetic materials like plastics and rubber, of contrast medical dyes when having medical tests done, of heavy metals in the home, as well as the teeth - amalgam fillings in her teeth for example - and aluminum pots and pans and cast iron,and teflon (ugh).
She recommended we have the metal amalgam fillings in our teeth be considered as an unwanted chemical in our bodies and as a possible sensitivity causing physical issues! She recommended using stainless steel pots and pans, or glass. Aluminum in deodorants may be a factor as well. There are several brands which are readily available without aluminum in them. You are rolling or spraying this aluminum under your arms, directly onto your lymph nodes, where absorption is a matter of fact! Switch now! Tom's of Maine, Jason, Shaklee, Crystal and other companies make aluminum-free deodorants. A build-up of heavy metals can create all sorts of medical issus and some of them are not reversible!
When discussing chemicals and their potential and possible dangers we are talking about affecting your body in so many ways. In those of us with Fibromyalgia, these symptoms can show up as sinus blockage, watery eyes, runny nose, or as headaches or migraines, or anxiety or "fuzzy thinking" and disorientation, or as stomach issues with gas and cramping, or muscle pain issues or stiff neck and/or sore neck and shoulder areas. Certain illnesses related to these types of sensitivities range from allergies to Parkinson's Disease, asthma to Sick Building Syndrome and much more...Please be aware and take care!
For more information about his topic you can contact Tamara via her website at
www.HealNotHarmThePlanet.MyShaklee.com
Many of those with Fibromyalgia, and other chronic illnesses, are sensitive to chemicals - both inhaled and ingested. Like everything else with Fibromyalgia, there are degrees of this sensitivity, and there are specifics as to just what particular chemicals will cause what particular symptoms due to that sensitivity. Because some people's sensitivites are so severe and so many, and because of Tamara's biology and chemistry background, she has spent years of time and effort studying these chemicals and the potential they have to create symptoms. She had even put many years and effort in studying baubiology, which is a European movement about how to live in harmony with nature. This was necessary because if you are chemically sensitive in a world full of chemicals which provide us with our everyday creature comforts and cleaning necessities, it becomes quite necessary to use and live with natural products, rather than the toxic chemicals found on the open market.
This evening Tamara specifically spoke about chemicals in and around the home that may cause sensitivities to those with Fibromyalgia, or any other condition for that matter. But one can also have chemical sensitivities without any other condition to go with it - a stand alone condition as it were.
Tamara shared with us information about a chemical called Chloridane, which literally wipes out your immune system. It had been used around 1987-1990 as insecticide sprays for termites, freely sprayed all around outside and inside homes at the time. It is an oganophosphate, which will never break down and disipate indoors, it must be physically removed. Sunlight is the only thing that can break it down - and that takes years. Symptoms? Dyspnea (difficulty breathing), wheezing, peripheral muscle weakness, skeletal muscle weakness, anxiety, twitching muscles, abdominal cramps and more...Google "organophosphates" for more. To find out if this chemical is lurking in your older home, you can call and have an air-quality test done. Realtors usually have names of companies who do this type of testing.
VOC's were discussed. Volatile Organic Oils. These are things like paint thinners, listerine, carbon monoxide, nail polish remover, turpentine, etc. I don't know about anyone else, but these things bothered me BEFORE Fibromyalgia. But now these things actually seem to literally change my body, creating all sorts of havoc when I'm around them, so I make a point of keeping them out of my life!
The "cides" were discused. Germicides, insecticides, algicides, etc that we may even have under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. These are household cleaners. The common cleaners that are available everywhere to disinfect and clean your home, kitchen counter tops, bathtub and toilets. Think about it. These items are STRONG chemicals. If they are in the house, you are getting them in your system everytime you breathe them in. If you feel it necessary to use any of these items, please, at least use a face mask - this will help dissipate some of the effect. (My husband sometimes uses pain thinners in the basement, and swears he can't smell them. I DO. I use a face mask and stay out of the basement. Sometimes I even leave the house!)
There are many natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, Seventh Generation cleaners, and others. And of course, there are the Shaklee Products, which are about the only household cleaners and items that Tamara can use. In fact she was so taken with them that she became a Shalee Dealer! See her contact information below.
There was so much to tell us that I'm afraid I cannot possibly do her justice. She talked of Sick Building Syndrome, of synthetic materials like plastics and rubber, of contrast medical dyes when having medical tests done, of heavy metals in the home, as well as the teeth - amalgam fillings in her teeth for example - and aluminum pots and pans and cast iron,and teflon (ugh).
She recommended we have the metal amalgam fillings in our teeth be considered as an unwanted chemical in our bodies and as a possible sensitivity causing physical issues! She recommended using stainless steel pots and pans, or glass. Aluminum in deodorants may be a factor as well. There are several brands which are readily available without aluminum in them. You are rolling or spraying this aluminum under your arms, directly onto your lymph nodes, where absorption is a matter of fact! Switch now! Tom's of Maine, Jason, Shaklee, Crystal and other companies make aluminum-free deodorants. A build-up of heavy metals can create all sorts of medical issus and some of them are not reversible!
When discussing chemicals and their potential and possible dangers we are talking about affecting your body in so many ways. In those of us with Fibromyalgia, these symptoms can show up as sinus blockage, watery eyes, runny nose, or as headaches or migraines, or anxiety or "fuzzy thinking" and disorientation, or as stomach issues with gas and cramping, or muscle pain issues or stiff neck and/or sore neck and shoulder areas. Certain illnesses related to these types of sensitivities range from allergies to Parkinson's Disease, asthma to Sick Building Syndrome and much more...Please be aware and take care!
For more information about his topic you can contact Tamara via her website at
www.HealNotHarmThePlanet.MyShaklee.com
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Basics
Hi Everyone and Happy Valentine's Day!
Our Support Group this month was small and cozy. We had two new folks this month - a mom and daughter who share the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, one more recently diagnosed than the other. But, and as always, it presents somewhat differently for each of them. Thanks to the brave souls who came. It had been forcasted to snow again that evening and we were all concerned about getting snowed in, but alas...Mother Nature pulled a back-flip on us and it was sunny all day and, as we sat waiting for the other shoe to drop, it never did! Ah well, that just shows that you can't out think Mother Nature!
Because we had two new folks who needed the benefit of knowing "how to begin" and "what to do" and "is this all there is?" and "why doesn't my doctor know what to do?" We spent our evening with the basics. *:)
We covered doctors. Some doctors still don't believe in Fibro; some don't know what to do with it, except write a Rx; and still others will write all kinds of Rx! So we talked about Osteopaths and Naturopaths and the fact that they treat the whole body - the person - instead of just symptoms. Integrative Medical Physicians blend Western Medicine with holistic (or whole body) medicine, but these doctors are hard to find. I have handouts on the counter for all our members, and I made sure they each got a list of Fibro-friendly doctors in our area. These are the doctors (and other health care practitioners) that people in our group have recommended - they are Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Rheumatologists, Acupuncturists, Reflexologists, Physical Therapists and more. Many modes of treatments represented here - they all help.
We covered the basics of what they feel in their body, and yes, pain is a universal for all of us, as is lack of decent sleep and exhaustion of course. But there are many different kinds of pain. We covered nerve pain (and/or skin sensitivity), and discussed Dr. Kelly Boyer, ND and how they now use a treatment of Alpha Lipoic Acid in an IV dosage once a week that seems to work quite well for nerve pain in nearly all her Fibro patients. Dr. Boyer is a Naturopathic Doctor originally from the Born Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Passisni, MD shares the work with Dr. Boyer now in a Borne clinic subsidiary here in Indiana, called Crossroads Healing Arts in Goshen, IN.
We talked about EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, for pain too. And, as it happens (if you believe in accidents) Dr. OZ had a section about EFT on Tuesday's show, earlier that day - so everyone knew exactly what I was talking about! I gave everyone the basic website www.EFTUniverse.com for more information to follow up. Later I shared another website I've found particularly helpful for EFT, www.fasterEFT.com with Robert Smith. I also gave everyone Therese Harmon's information because she is a local EFT practitioner and can help in person. Check out her website, www.YourPathToWholeness.com .
Then we discussed nutrition, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and beans - whole, REAL foods, loaded with antioxidants, which help Fibromyalgia pain. The more the better, because they decrease inflammation for any other conditions you may share with Fibro, and they boost your already weakened immune system which is a MUST for us, and of course, add whole REAL absorbable-type nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamins, enzymes, prebiotics and so on, that make it possible for our bodies to function effectively and optimally on all cylinders! Antioxidants are also found in all the new items like Acai Juice (or capsules), Mangostene, Pomegranate, Goji Juice, Xocai Chocolate which has lots of antioxidants, and Juice Plus+, which is fruits, veggies and berries in capsules - all of which contain their respective antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and probiotics. To find out more about Juice Plus+ go to www.PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com .
We talked about the basic core beneficial supplements for helping the pain of those with Fibromyalgia, which are: Omega 3 EPA-DHA, Magnesium and Malic Acid. We also discussed Alpha Lipoic Acid in capsule form, for use as 1) a super powerful antioxidant, and 2) nerve pain. In my upcoming book Fibromyalgia Basics: A Beginner's Guide, to be released this spring by Tate Publishing, I tell of the University of Maryland Medical School recommending 800 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid for those with diabetic neuropathy, and 400 mg (in divided doses of 100 mg each e.g., 4 times per day) for nerve pain caused by other factors, including Fibromyalgia. After several months, a maintenance dose of 200-300 mg per day works quite well.
Covering the basics for newcomers, always includes informing them:
~that there is a LOT of help out there;
~not everything works for everyone;
~trial and error of a variety of treatments such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, mild exercise, etc, is encouraged;
~there really ARE doctors out there who know what to do, but it may take some looking - DON't settle - find the RIGHT doctor for you;
~and most importantly, that "You are NOT alone! "
Our Support Group this month was small and cozy. We had two new folks this month - a mom and daughter who share the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, one more recently diagnosed than the other. But, and as always, it presents somewhat differently for each of them. Thanks to the brave souls who came. It had been forcasted to snow again that evening and we were all concerned about getting snowed in, but alas...Mother Nature pulled a back-flip on us and it was sunny all day and, as we sat waiting for the other shoe to drop, it never did! Ah well, that just shows that you can't out think Mother Nature!
Because we had two new folks who needed the benefit of knowing "how to begin" and "what to do" and "is this all there is?" and "why doesn't my doctor know what to do?" We spent our evening with the basics. *:)
We covered doctors. Some doctors still don't believe in Fibro; some don't know what to do with it, except write a Rx; and still others will write all kinds of Rx! So we talked about Osteopaths and Naturopaths and the fact that they treat the whole body - the person - instead of just symptoms. Integrative Medical Physicians blend Western Medicine with holistic (or whole body) medicine, but these doctors are hard to find. I have handouts on the counter for all our members, and I made sure they each got a list of Fibro-friendly doctors in our area. These are the doctors (and other health care practitioners) that people in our group have recommended - they are Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Rheumatologists, Acupuncturists, Reflexologists, Physical Therapists and more. Many modes of treatments represented here - they all help.
We covered the basics of what they feel in their body, and yes, pain is a universal for all of us, as is lack of decent sleep and exhaustion of course. But there are many different kinds of pain. We covered nerve pain (and/or skin sensitivity), and discussed Dr. Kelly Boyer, ND and how they now use a treatment of Alpha Lipoic Acid in an IV dosage once a week that seems to work quite well for nerve pain in nearly all her Fibro patients. Dr. Boyer is a Naturopathic Doctor originally from the Born Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Passisni, MD shares the work with Dr. Boyer now in a Borne clinic subsidiary here in Indiana, called Crossroads Healing Arts in Goshen, IN.
We talked about EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, for pain too. And, as it happens (if you believe in accidents) Dr. OZ had a section about EFT on Tuesday's show, earlier that day - so everyone knew exactly what I was talking about! I gave everyone the basic website www.EFTUniverse.com for more information to follow up. Later I shared another website I've found particularly helpful for EFT, www.fasterEFT.com with Robert Smith. I also gave everyone Therese Harmon's information because she is a local EFT practitioner and can help in person. Check out her website, www.YourPathToWholeness.com .
Then we discussed nutrition, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and beans - whole, REAL foods, loaded with antioxidants, which help Fibromyalgia pain. The more the better, because they decrease inflammation for any other conditions you may share with Fibro, and they boost your already weakened immune system which is a MUST for us, and of course, add whole REAL absorbable-type nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamins, enzymes, prebiotics and so on, that make it possible for our bodies to function effectively and optimally on all cylinders! Antioxidants are also found in all the new items like Acai Juice (or capsules), Mangostene, Pomegranate, Goji Juice, Xocai Chocolate which has lots of antioxidants, and Juice Plus+, which is fruits, veggies and berries in capsules - all of which contain their respective antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and probiotics. To find out more about Juice Plus+ go to www.PatiChandlerJuicePlus.com .
We talked about the basic core beneficial supplements for helping the pain of those with Fibromyalgia, which are: Omega 3 EPA-DHA, Magnesium and Malic Acid. We also discussed Alpha Lipoic Acid in capsule form, for use as 1) a super powerful antioxidant, and 2) nerve pain. In my upcoming book Fibromyalgia Basics: A Beginner's Guide, to be released this spring by Tate Publishing, I tell of the University of Maryland Medical School recommending 800 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid for those with diabetic neuropathy, and 400 mg (in divided doses of 100 mg each e.g., 4 times per day) for nerve pain caused by other factors, including Fibromyalgia. After several months, a maintenance dose of 200-300 mg per day works quite well.
Covering the basics for newcomers, always includes informing them:
~that there is a LOT of help out there;
~not everything works for everyone;
~trial and error of a variety of treatments such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, mild exercise, etc, is encouraged;
~there really ARE doctors out there who know what to do, but it may take some looking - DON't settle - find the RIGHT doctor for you;
~and most importantly, that "You are NOT alone! "
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Fibromyalgia & Restless legs
Hi Everyone!
We had a "Casual Tuesday" at our Fibromyalgia Support Group this month, i.e. no speaker, but rather I planned an informal discussion of our specific concerns, things that have helped, things that haven’t helped, favorite doctors, speakers we’d like to hear, etc. This was the plan. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. I have a bumper sticker taped to my dresser mirror - A Yiddish proverb which says, “People plan, God laughs.”
From the first day of snow in this winter of 2010-2011, we have had a total snowfall of 70” in our little area of the world…so far, and a bunch of it fell Tuesday! A couple of real troopers were able to make it in and I thank them for their extraordinary efforts.
The three of us actually covered a wide range of topics ranging from migraines to sleep apnea, cold weather and pain in the hands, the effect of odors and of dry eye with Fibromyalgia, and supplements to help stress – stress from severe temperatures to emotional stress to the stress on your body caused by illness. But we had a special request via e-mail from one member and I’d like to address this for now.
One of our members from St. Joe, Michigan has been doing much better recently – and he’s been working very hard at it. He wrote and said that one specific problem is still particularly vexing and asked if I would bring it up to the group and see if anyone had any ideas on what he could do.
At night his muscle twitching in various parts of his body can even be felt by his wife as it reverberates through their waterbed. He says it feels as if his muscles are quivering. When he moves the muscle, the twitching stops. Then, he stated, “None of his doctors can explain this.” (This mystified me.) Anyone out there familiar with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? Because he is still on a number of prescriptions, for heart and other issues, there is a limit to what he can take, medication-wise. However there are still a number of things he can do.
My RLS symptoms disappeared over eleven years ago after I began using Alpha Lipoic Acid, Omega 3 and Magnesium/Potassium, and found my Sleep Number Bed. For me, this particular combination helped a number of issues, but it’s really hard to tell which one (if it was only one) that did the deed to help the RLS. But this evening we were fortunate to have T.M. here to describe her experience with this particular symptom.
When I read his e-mail to the group, the first thing she said was “Get rid of the waterbed.” She said that she had had one too. But she found that a medium mattress (not firm, not soft) with a pillow-top matress pad absorbed the movement of the muscles, and her husband didn’t feel her twitching at all. (I wonder if a pillow-top pad on TOP of the waterbed would make a difference. And would HE feel it less also?) She also uses 600 to 800 count sheets – much softer – non-abrasive to the sensitive skin which she felt may aggravate the twitching. She also cut out coffee and pop and eats lots of fruits and veggies, which she is certain has helped too. She seldom has any issues with it now.
I checked online for natural help and this a portion of what I found:
Recommendations from Tyler Woods, PhD posted at LiveStrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/82513-natural-remedies-restless-legs-syndrome/ and from Dr. Ray Sahelian http://www.raysahelian.com/restlesslegsyndrome.html involve letting go of caffeine, as in coffee, soft drinks, even chocolate, and stopping the use of tobacco. They tell that exercise can help, even wiggling the toes (or the Toe & Ankle exercises described in my book, Managing Fibromyalgia-Getting to know your Aggravators, 2008, Treble Heart Books). And even something as simple as a cup of Passion Flower tea or Chamomile tea before bed can help - these are very relaxing and soothing to muscles – the whole body, in fact. Here’s another very informative website for RLS http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/restlesslegssyndrome.aspx .
Before taking any supplements recommended by any or all of these websites, such as iron, magnesium, B-Vitamins, folic acid, etc, it is best to discuss them with your physician, especially when taking other medications or prescriptions as they may cause an unexpected interaction.
One other form of treatment that may help is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), a form of needle-less acupuncture that you can perform yourself. www.EFTUniverse.com . I have found this method of self- treatment extraordinarily helpful for sleep issues, for anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain and more. Dr. Mercola tells how it has helped some people even get through Fibromyalgia itself! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/10/new-technique-for-fibromyalgia-relief.aspx.
Even if EFT helps a symptom here and a symptom there - one or several - it is free, it is painless, it's absolutely non-invasive and it may work. What do you have to loose? Pain. RLS? Migraine. Stomach issues? Anxiety...
We had a "Casual Tuesday" at our Fibromyalgia Support Group this month, i.e. no speaker, but rather I planned an informal discussion of our specific concerns, things that have helped, things that haven’t helped, favorite doctors, speakers we’d like to hear, etc. This was the plan. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. I have a bumper sticker taped to my dresser mirror - A Yiddish proverb which says, “People plan, God laughs.”
From the first day of snow in this winter of 2010-2011, we have had a total snowfall of 70” in our little area of the world…so far, and a bunch of it fell Tuesday! A couple of real troopers were able to make it in and I thank them for their extraordinary efforts.
The three of us actually covered a wide range of topics ranging from migraines to sleep apnea, cold weather and pain in the hands, the effect of odors and of dry eye with Fibromyalgia, and supplements to help stress – stress from severe temperatures to emotional stress to the stress on your body caused by illness. But we had a special request via e-mail from one member and I’d like to address this for now.
One of our members from St. Joe, Michigan has been doing much better recently – and he’s been working very hard at it. He wrote and said that one specific problem is still particularly vexing and asked if I would bring it up to the group and see if anyone had any ideas on what he could do.
At night his muscle twitching in various parts of his body can even be felt by his wife as it reverberates through their waterbed. He says it feels as if his muscles are quivering. When he moves the muscle, the twitching stops. Then, he stated, “None of his doctors can explain this.” (This mystified me.) Anyone out there familiar with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? Because he is still on a number of prescriptions, for heart and other issues, there is a limit to what he can take, medication-wise. However there are still a number of things he can do.
My RLS symptoms disappeared over eleven years ago after I began using Alpha Lipoic Acid, Omega 3 and Magnesium/Potassium, and found my Sleep Number Bed. For me, this particular combination helped a number of issues, but it’s really hard to tell which one (if it was only one) that did the deed to help the RLS. But this evening we were fortunate to have T.M. here to describe her experience with this particular symptom.
When I read his e-mail to the group, the first thing she said was “Get rid of the waterbed.” She said that she had had one too. But she found that a medium mattress (not firm, not soft) with a pillow-top matress pad absorbed the movement of the muscles, and her husband didn’t feel her twitching at all. (I wonder if a pillow-top pad on TOP of the waterbed would make a difference. And would HE feel it less also?) She also uses 600 to 800 count sheets – much softer – non-abrasive to the sensitive skin which she felt may aggravate the twitching. She also cut out coffee and pop and eats lots of fruits and veggies, which she is certain has helped too. She seldom has any issues with it now.
I checked online for natural help and this a portion of what I found:
Recommendations from Tyler Woods, PhD posted at LiveStrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/82513-natural-remedies-restless-legs-syndrome/ and from Dr. Ray Sahelian http://www.raysahelian.com/restlesslegsyndrome.html involve letting go of caffeine, as in coffee, soft drinks, even chocolate, and stopping the use of tobacco. They tell that exercise can help, even wiggling the toes (or the Toe & Ankle exercises described in my book, Managing Fibromyalgia-Getting to know your Aggravators, 2008, Treble Heart Books). And even something as simple as a cup of Passion Flower tea or Chamomile tea before bed can help - these are very relaxing and soothing to muscles – the whole body, in fact. Here’s another very informative website for RLS http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/restlesslegssyndrome.aspx .
Before taking any supplements recommended by any or all of these websites, such as iron, magnesium, B-Vitamins, folic acid, etc, it is best to discuss them with your physician, especially when taking other medications or prescriptions as they may cause an unexpected interaction.
One other form of treatment that may help is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), a form of needle-less acupuncture that you can perform yourself. www.EFTUniverse.com . I have found this method of self- treatment extraordinarily helpful for sleep issues, for anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain and more. Dr. Mercola tells how it has helped some people even get through Fibromyalgia itself! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/10/new-technique-for-fibromyalgia-relief.aspx.
Even if EFT helps a symptom here and a symptom there - one or several - it is free, it is painless, it's absolutely non-invasive and it may work. What do you have to loose? Pain. RLS? Migraine. Stomach issues? Anxiety...
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Fibromyalgia - body, mind and spirit
Our speaker for the December's Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting in Mishawaka, IN was Therese Harmon (see Contact Information below). A remarkable lady who has been working in the healing profession for many years, starting out as a pharmacist in France, her first home country. But she began asking herself what is health? What is wellness? Surely not just the absence of illness. She married and came to the U.S. where she decided she wanted more – more learning, more growing, more of helping others in a more hands on way – a more natural way. She began taking classes. She learned about nutrition; she learned about massage therapy and became a Master Massage Therapist; she learned about Reiki, energy healing and healing touch therapy, collecting certificates along the way, spending many hours with each discipline – all new and effective healing energies.
She began using kinesiology, a form of muscle-strength testing, which provides feedback to the practitioner as to the functional status of the body, in order to tell what needs to be addressed. Many chiropractors have used this diagnostic tool since the 1960’s here in the U.S., but it has been used in natural medicine much longer than that throughout the rest of the world. Therese finds it to be very helpful because the body itself tells her what its needs are for her clients.
She has helped many people with Fibromyalgia over the past 20 years and has concluded that Fibromyalgia is a condition, or dis-ease, of the 21st century. It is a condition which encompasses the body, the mind and the spirit. And thus, all three must be addresses for any healing to occur…which is probably one of the reasons why Fibromyalgia will not be “cured” by taking a pill – a prescription.
Those of us with Fibromyalgia tend to be over-achievers and people-pleasers.In other words, we have a hard time saying “no” to requests and we tend to want to do things ourselves because we know it will be done right. We are always doing, going, getting, and tend to do for others so much and so often, that we forget to take care of ourselves. The point is that if you DON’T take care of yourself, soon you will not be ABLE to take care of others. This is when Fibromyalgia flares to its most intense pain and weakness and shares it’s most vile symptoms! You must learn to BREATHE! Take care of yourself. Give yourself a moment. This is when Therese generously guided us in a light meditation of being present in the moment.
We sat straight in our chairs, feet resting flat on the floor, hands resting comfortably in our laps, and closed our eyes. We breathed three long slow deep breaths to get comfortable. Then she told us to become aware of our breathing - in and out – listen to it, feel how our lungs fill and how the air flows out. Then feel how your clothes are resting on your skin – your collar on your neck, your aleeves on your arms, your pants on your knees and your ankles. Feel the socks on your feet and your shoes as they sit on the floor. Breathe. Slowly in and slowly out. Feel your hands resting in your lap. Breathe.
This is taking care of your mind. Centering and bringing yourself peace! In the middle of a harried day, or a time of stress, you can break away – into another room or the bathroom and do this simple meditation to give yourself a special MOMENT. Just for you. For your peace of mind. You can do it for one minute, two or ten or twenty. But to do a meditation of this sort, or even to take the time to say a prayer, alone in your own space, addresses the busy mind – the monkey mind that often takes over, and creates stress and aggravates many of our symptoms.
Then she told us about helping our body. She told us about the best and most important invention of the century to take care of our bodies. Juice Plus+ . Yes, she is a distributor. But even if she wasn’t, she would recommend it as one of the best ways to help heal a body. The fruits and veggies with their antioxidants, enzymes, and probiotics have helped all of her clients with Fibromyalgia, she says. I, personally, use it and find it to be extremely important to give my body a fighting chance against free radicals and to help keep it more alkaline, and to boost my immune system.
Addressing the spirit, she went to the blackboard (which is white). She began explaining a bit about meridians such as those that are used in acupuncture and acupressure. Describing that when there are blockages in those meridians, we have pain. Our thoughts often put up blockages - negative thoughts that run around in our head, saying things like, ”My body is screwed up,” “I’m afraid I can do that because it will hurt,” “I can’t go to work because I’ll forget stuff and get confused.” These thoughts create blockages and things don’t move smoothly in our systems. Our Creator, The Source, whatever form that takes for each of us, wants us to be happy, wants us to be healthy, wants us to have all that we desire, because He loves us beyond measure. With every negative thought we have about ourselves, we are putting up blocks to that love, blocks to our own health, joy, and love. We must replase those negative thoughts with positive, uplifting thoughts, even if we have to push ourselves. But we can replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts using EFT.
We can release those blocks with Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, and Therese showed us how. She led us in a light stress relief tapping session on the stresses of the Holiday Season – trying to be all things to all people, and get everything done all by yourself all at once, that is so indicative of we as Fibromyalgics.
Therese took to the board again and drew an iceberg, describing our conscious thoughts as being above the waterline and our subconscious thoughts being the massive amount hidden below. EFT can get below the waterline at our subconscious thoughts from where nearly all of the negative self talk arises. With EFT, you can reach down below the waterline and “tap away” old outmoded reruns of past negatives that keep arising. This helps the present negatives in ways that you can hardly imagine. Most of our current “stuff” is based firmly in the past or under the waterline. With EFT we can ferret these out and finally release them and so help ourselves in the present.
Often called “tapping,” EFT is used effectively to help relieve stress, anxiety, body aches, stomach and back aches, headaches, pain of all kinds, in fact. For a complete description of EFT, or to have Therese guide you in a session, or to learn how to do it yourself, please visit Therese’s website and/or make an appointment. Also see my website, www.managingfibromyalgia.com, and the page called "Helpful Support."
Note: Therese helps out by teaching and leading sessions of EFT at the Homeless Shelter in South Bend. How better to boost spirits and calm stress, especially at this Holiday Season.
I’d personally like to thank Therese for a very important learning experience this evening for everyone. She is a valuable member of the healing community and cares enough to share that information and more with our group. Please avail yourself of her services, her care and her teaching abilities. She is a wonderful EFT coach and this can help in so many ways. (I have found EFT to be extremely helpful for years – for anxiety, panic attacks, backaches and much more. )
Contact Information:
Therese Harmon, Life & Wellness Coach, Master Massage Therapist, Juice Plus Representative, www.YourPathToWholeness.com
She began using kinesiology, a form of muscle-strength testing, which provides feedback to the practitioner as to the functional status of the body, in order to tell what needs to be addressed. Many chiropractors have used this diagnostic tool since the 1960’s here in the U.S., but it has been used in natural medicine much longer than that throughout the rest of the world. Therese finds it to be very helpful because the body itself tells her what its needs are for her clients.
She has helped many people with Fibromyalgia over the past 20 years and has concluded that Fibromyalgia is a condition, or dis-ease, of the 21st century. It is a condition which encompasses the body, the mind and the spirit. And thus, all three must be addresses for any healing to occur…which is probably one of the reasons why Fibromyalgia will not be “cured” by taking a pill – a prescription.
Those of us with Fibromyalgia tend to be over-achievers and people-pleasers.In other words, we have a hard time saying “no” to requests and we tend to want to do things ourselves because we know it will be done right. We are always doing, going, getting, and tend to do for others so much and so often, that we forget to take care of ourselves. The point is that if you DON’T take care of yourself, soon you will not be ABLE to take care of others. This is when Fibromyalgia flares to its most intense pain and weakness and shares it’s most vile symptoms! You must learn to BREATHE! Take care of yourself. Give yourself a moment. This is when Therese generously guided us in a light meditation of being present in the moment.
We sat straight in our chairs, feet resting flat on the floor, hands resting comfortably in our laps, and closed our eyes. We breathed three long slow deep breaths to get comfortable. Then she told us to become aware of our breathing - in and out – listen to it, feel how our lungs fill and how the air flows out. Then feel how your clothes are resting on your skin – your collar on your neck, your aleeves on your arms, your pants on your knees and your ankles. Feel the socks on your feet and your shoes as they sit on the floor. Breathe. Slowly in and slowly out. Feel your hands resting in your lap. Breathe.
This is taking care of your mind. Centering and bringing yourself peace! In the middle of a harried day, or a time of stress, you can break away – into another room or the bathroom and do this simple meditation to give yourself a special MOMENT. Just for you. For your peace of mind. You can do it for one minute, two or ten or twenty. But to do a meditation of this sort, or even to take the time to say a prayer, alone in your own space, addresses the busy mind – the monkey mind that often takes over, and creates stress and aggravates many of our symptoms.
Then she told us about helping our body. She told us about the best and most important invention of the century to take care of our bodies. Juice Plus+ . Yes, she is a distributor. But even if she wasn’t, she would recommend it as one of the best ways to help heal a body. The fruits and veggies with their antioxidants, enzymes, and probiotics have helped all of her clients with Fibromyalgia, she says. I, personally, use it and find it to be extremely important to give my body a fighting chance against free radicals and to help keep it more alkaline, and to boost my immune system.
Addressing the spirit, she went to the blackboard (which is white). She began explaining a bit about meridians such as those that are used in acupuncture and acupressure. Describing that when there are blockages in those meridians, we have pain. Our thoughts often put up blockages - negative thoughts that run around in our head, saying things like, ”My body is screwed up,” “I’m afraid I can do that because it will hurt,” “I can’t go to work because I’ll forget stuff and get confused.” These thoughts create blockages and things don’t move smoothly in our systems. Our Creator, The Source, whatever form that takes for each of us, wants us to be happy, wants us to be healthy, wants us to have all that we desire, because He loves us beyond measure. With every negative thought we have about ourselves, we are putting up blocks to that love, blocks to our own health, joy, and love. We must replase those negative thoughts with positive, uplifting thoughts, even if we have to push ourselves. But we can replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts using EFT.
We can release those blocks with Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, and Therese showed us how. She led us in a light stress relief tapping session on the stresses of the Holiday Season – trying to be all things to all people, and get everything done all by yourself all at once, that is so indicative of we as Fibromyalgics.
Therese took to the board again and drew an iceberg, describing our conscious thoughts as being above the waterline and our subconscious thoughts being the massive amount hidden below. EFT can get below the waterline at our subconscious thoughts from where nearly all of the negative self talk arises. With EFT, you can reach down below the waterline and “tap away” old outmoded reruns of past negatives that keep arising. This helps the present negatives in ways that you can hardly imagine. Most of our current “stuff” is based firmly in the past or under the waterline. With EFT we can ferret these out and finally release them and so help ourselves in the present.
Often called “tapping,” EFT is used effectively to help relieve stress, anxiety, body aches, stomach and back aches, headaches, pain of all kinds, in fact. For a complete description of EFT, or to have Therese guide you in a session, or to learn how to do it yourself, please visit Therese’s website and/or make an appointment. Also see my website, www.managingfibromyalgia.com, and the page called "Helpful Support."
Note: Therese helps out by teaching and leading sessions of EFT at the Homeless Shelter in South Bend. How better to boost spirits and calm stress, especially at this Holiday Season.
I’d personally like to thank Therese for a very important learning experience this evening for everyone. She is a valuable member of the healing community and cares enough to share that information and more with our group. Please avail yourself of her services, her care and her teaching abilities. She is a wonderful EFT coach and this can help in so many ways. (I have found EFT to be extremely helpful for years – for anxiety, panic attacks, backaches and much more. )
Contact Information:
Therese Harmon, Life & Wellness Coach, Master Massage Therapist, Juice Plus Representative, www.YourPathToWholeness.com
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Fibromyalgia, Laser, PT and Pati's flare control
Hi everyone!
I said I’d keep you posted on my experience with the 830Laser light and physical therapy (pt) when I made my appointment with our November speaker, Mel Arevalo.
I went in with hope, but I kept my expectations in neutral. As we all know, there is no one therapy or treatment that works for everyone. Whether it’s chiropractic, acupuncture, reflexology, massage, physical therapy, cold laser therapy, water therapy or any other treatment, OR even a combination of two or three of them. It often takes experimenting with this one or that one to find out what works FOR YOU. I have found that for me, all of these (and others) have worked to some extent on one or other of my symptoms. Several factors decide which one I will use:
1) which particular symptoms I am hoping to help – I have yet to find one
treatment to help all of the symptoms – or Rx or supplement either, for that
matter.
2) a treatment I am comfortable experiencing
3) a therapist I have a good rapport with
4) whether the therapy helps for a few days or a few weeks
5) whether the therapy is covered by insurance
6) whether it is nearby and I don’t have to travel in the car for two hours (to
Chicago or Ohio, for example), undoing all the benefits of the treatment!
As I mentioned in my prior blog describing Mr. Arevalo’s visit to our group, I don’t often experience daily Fibromyalgia pain any more – I do experience a number of other symptoms, however. I basically keep my pain under control with daily stretches, Tai Chi, meditation, proper foods, supplements and pacing myself realistically. But I do get flares when stressed or when I have over-extended myself, experiencing it mostly in my neck and shoulders, lower back and hip/thigh areas. And yes, the Fibro frogginess, anxiety, and IBS issues usually play a big part in my flares at the same time. The painful physical flares are often connected with my Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and osteoarthritis pain, causing muscle and joint pain. Needless to say, it is to my benefit to avoid flares as much as possible by adhering to the above mentioned formula that works for me…especially the pacing.
I went to see Mr. Arevalo not only for my Fibromyalgia symptoms, but also for the AS and osteoarthritis, hoping to help three birds with one stone. I had no idea how many “parts” or symptoms of Fibro this therapy would help, but I was open to all possibilities.
During my evaluation, Mel discovered, the “knots” in each of the tender points in my neck and shoulder areas extending up to the base of my neck. More “knots” were found in my hip and buttocks area, inside my knees, etc. In other words, he found my active tender points.
The stretches and Tai Chi I had been practicing for the past eleven or more years has kept these muscle groups loose and well functioning, and has helped a lot, but they didn’t get down two or three inches below the surface of the skin where the muscles actually crossover each other and make a tender point. So when a flare occurred, of course this is where the pain showed up.
I have now visited Mr. Arevalo’s clinic for two and a half weeks and I have had a wonderful “loosening of these knots,” starting with the very first visit. However, I committed a grievous error after that first visit. I felt so good when I left the clinic that I went running around doing errands for the next two hours. After that I got tied up in other stuff and totally forgot to drink WATER! I only had a few sips of my green tea now and then from my travel mug. (Charlene forgive me, I really do know better!) Anyway, by late afternoon I was starting to get aches and pains in the small of my back, my hips, thighs, knees, ankles and feet. Then it hit me!!! W A T E R !!! I began drinking like a camel all evening! Then I got busy with my necessary flare protocol – I rolled-on Capsaicin to my back, hips, thighs and knees, and took two 600 mg capsules of Malic Acid and an extra Magnesium/Potassium Aspartate capsule (County Life makes my favorite one)and began gentle stretches. Drinking all this water now is something like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, but I thought, “It couldn’t hurt.” By bedtime things had subsided well enough to get to sleep. I woke in the morning feeling no pain…so it worked! Yeah! I’ll not forget my water again!
My Cardinal Sin, of course was not drinking water immediately after the therapy. The laser and the physical therapy (pt) loosened all the toxins that were held prisoner in and around those knots in my neck. One MUST drink water after any physical-type treatment to flush those toxins out and away from other muscle tissue. Otherwise these toxins will leave the original area when worked on, and then free-float until they latch onto other muscle groups. In my case the laser had truly helped release all those toxins in my neck and shoulder area, then they slid down, latching onto my lower back muscles, hips, legs, and ankles, ultimately making mountains of pain! I have learned a very valuable lesson…again.
That was my first experience with the laser and pt. My second and all the rest of my visits consisted of true relief in my neck and shoulders, hips, legs, et al. The 830Laser treatments, stretches, neck massages, and the brief treadmill jaunts have been geared to my Fibro, AS and osteoarthritis . Each time we did a little more laser and pt, and added another minute on the treadmill (I started at 5 minutes with a break at three minutes—remember, start low and go slow). And after each subsequent visit, I drank three 8oz glasses of water during the following two hours, beginning immediately after my session. The result was no pain in the slightest degree after any of the subsequent sessions. In fact, I felt energized and ready to go. But I forced myself to pacing and being gentle on my body anyway, because these were new experiences to my body and I must adapt gently.
The laser is breaking up the knots! Yeah!
I should tell you that previously, I had been unable to walk more than ten minutes at a steady pace—walking in the park, for example—before my left hip would literally give out, sometimes rather drastically, and always very painfully. So I asked Mel to help me build up my strength and time for walking. I had not realized until now that this hip malfunction was due to the actual tender points’ being aggravated—aggravated to the point of pain and inflammation as I walked, by repeatedly rubbing those specific muscles against each other at the point of intersection where the tender point lies.
I will continue on the treadmill until I can exceed ten minutes, then twenty, then thirty. It’s looking really good right now because Mel is working the laser on those tender points and I can feel the loosening already. These are a bit stubborn, as are the ones on the right side of my neck, but they are loosening, more and more each time! I can definitely feel the difference, in the amount of stretching I can do.
I continue my stretches at home as I sit (or stand) and watch TV. Things are definitely looking up! For a totally painless procedure, I am very happy with the progress I’ve made. I am continuing, progressing and feeling more energetic with each visit. The laser seems to be a great booster to the pt, at least for me, helping to speed things along, completely painlessly. So this particular therapy is a “go” for me. It is not a cure, to be sure, but it is helping a great deal.
Additional:
I have recently learned that there is another place in the area using cold laser therapy. Warren Chiropractic, also on Lincolnway in Osceola uses a different devise, which is also a cold laser therapy devise. Evidently there are a number of different brands, which may or may not have similar effects due to its strength or timing or whatever. I, personally, cannot say anything one way or the other about Warren’s devise as I have not experienced it. However, I was told by a fibromyalgia sufferer that when she experienced the cold laser treatment at Warren, along with the chiropractic, it did help several symptoms for a limited time. She says, “It is a helpful therapy, but not a panacea.”
For more information on the 830Laser Therapy or Mel's Clinic and Physical Therapy see the blog below (November's Fibro Notes). *:)
I said I’d keep you posted on my experience with the 830Laser light and physical therapy (pt) when I made my appointment with our November speaker, Mel Arevalo.
I went in with hope, but I kept my expectations in neutral. As we all know, there is no one therapy or treatment that works for everyone. Whether it’s chiropractic, acupuncture, reflexology, massage, physical therapy, cold laser therapy, water therapy or any other treatment, OR even a combination of two or three of them. It often takes experimenting with this one or that one to find out what works FOR YOU. I have found that for me, all of these (and others) have worked to some extent on one or other of my symptoms. Several factors decide which one I will use:
1) which particular symptoms I am hoping to help – I have yet to find one
treatment to help all of the symptoms – or Rx or supplement either, for that
matter.
2) a treatment I am comfortable experiencing
3) a therapist I have a good rapport with
4) whether the therapy helps for a few days or a few weeks
5) whether the therapy is covered by insurance
6) whether it is nearby and I don’t have to travel in the car for two hours (to
Chicago or Ohio, for example), undoing all the benefits of the treatment!
As I mentioned in my prior blog describing Mr. Arevalo’s visit to our group, I don’t often experience daily Fibromyalgia pain any more – I do experience a number of other symptoms, however. I basically keep my pain under control with daily stretches, Tai Chi, meditation, proper foods, supplements and pacing myself realistically. But I do get flares when stressed or when I have over-extended myself, experiencing it mostly in my neck and shoulders, lower back and hip/thigh areas. And yes, the Fibro frogginess, anxiety, and IBS issues usually play a big part in my flares at the same time. The painful physical flares are often connected with my Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and osteoarthritis pain, causing muscle and joint pain. Needless to say, it is to my benefit to avoid flares as much as possible by adhering to the above mentioned formula that works for me…especially the pacing.
I went to see Mr. Arevalo not only for my Fibromyalgia symptoms, but also for the AS and osteoarthritis, hoping to help three birds with one stone. I had no idea how many “parts” or symptoms of Fibro this therapy would help, but I was open to all possibilities.
During my evaluation, Mel discovered, the “knots” in each of the tender points in my neck and shoulder areas extending up to the base of my neck. More “knots” were found in my hip and buttocks area, inside my knees, etc. In other words, he found my active tender points.
The stretches and Tai Chi I had been practicing for the past eleven or more years has kept these muscle groups loose and well functioning, and has helped a lot, but they didn’t get down two or three inches below the surface of the skin where the muscles actually crossover each other and make a tender point. So when a flare occurred, of course this is where the pain showed up.
I have now visited Mr. Arevalo’s clinic for two and a half weeks and I have had a wonderful “loosening of these knots,” starting with the very first visit. However, I committed a grievous error after that first visit. I felt so good when I left the clinic that I went running around doing errands for the next two hours. After that I got tied up in other stuff and totally forgot to drink WATER! I only had a few sips of my green tea now and then from my travel mug. (Charlene forgive me, I really do know better!) Anyway, by late afternoon I was starting to get aches and pains in the small of my back, my hips, thighs, knees, ankles and feet. Then it hit me!!! W A T E R !!! I began drinking like a camel all evening! Then I got busy with my necessary flare protocol – I rolled-on Capsaicin to my back, hips, thighs and knees, and took two 600 mg capsules of Malic Acid and an extra Magnesium/Potassium Aspartate capsule (County Life makes my favorite one)and began gentle stretches. Drinking all this water now is something like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, but I thought, “It couldn’t hurt.” By bedtime things had subsided well enough to get to sleep. I woke in the morning feeling no pain…so it worked! Yeah! I’ll not forget my water again!
My Cardinal Sin, of course was not drinking water immediately after the therapy. The laser and the physical therapy (pt) loosened all the toxins that were held prisoner in and around those knots in my neck. One MUST drink water after any physical-type treatment to flush those toxins out and away from other muscle tissue. Otherwise these toxins will leave the original area when worked on, and then free-float until they latch onto other muscle groups. In my case the laser had truly helped release all those toxins in my neck and shoulder area, then they slid down, latching onto my lower back muscles, hips, legs, and ankles, ultimately making mountains of pain! I have learned a very valuable lesson…again.
That was my first experience with the laser and pt. My second and all the rest of my visits consisted of true relief in my neck and shoulders, hips, legs, et al. The 830Laser treatments, stretches, neck massages, and the brief treadmill jaunts have been geared to my Fibro, AS and osteoarthritis . Each time we did a little more laser and pt, and added another minute on the treadmill (I started at 5 minutes with a break at three minutes—remember, start low and go slow). And after each subsequent visit, I drank three 8oz glasses of water during the following two hours, beginning immediately after my session. The result was no pain in the slightest degree after any of the subsequent sessions. In fact, I felt energized and ready to go. But I forced myself to pacing and being gentle on my body anyway, because these were new experiences to my body and I must adapt gently.
The laser is breaking up the knots! Yeah!
I should tell you that previously, I had been unable to walk more than ten minutes at a steady pace—walking in the park, for example—before my left hip would literally give out, sometimes rather drastically, and always very painfully. So I asked Mel to help me build up my strength and time for walking. I had not realized until now that this hip malfunction was due to the actual tender points’ being aggravated—aggravated to the point of pain and inflammation as I walked, by repeatedly rubbing those specific muscles against each other at the point of intersection where the tender point lies.
I will continue on the treadmill until I can exceed ten minutes, then twenty, then thirty. It’s looking really good right now because Mel is working the laser on those tender points and I can feel the loosening already. These are a bit stubborn, as are the ones on the right side of my neck, but they are loosening, more and more each time! I can definitely feel the difference, in the amount of stretching I can do.
I continue my stretches at home as I sit (or stand) and watch TV. Things are definitely looking up! For a totally painless procedure, I am very happy with the progress I’ve made. I am continuing, progressing and feeling more energetic with each visit. The laser seems to be a great booster to the pt, at least for me, helping to speed things along, completely painlessly. So this particular therapy is a “go” for me. It is not a cure, to be sure, but it is helping a great deal.
Additional:
I have recently learned that there is another place in the area using cold laser therapy. Warren Chiropractic, also on Lincolnway in Osceola uses a different devise, which is also a cold laser therapy devise. Evidently there are a number of different brands, which may or may not have similar effects due to its strength or timing or whatever. I, personally, cannot say anything one way or the other about Warren’s devise as I have not experienced it. However, I was told by a fibromyalgia sufferer that when she experienced the cold laser treatment at Warren, along with the chiropractic, it did help several symptoms for a limited time. She says, “It is a helpful therapy, but not a panacea.”
For more information on the 830Laser Therapy or Mel's Clinic and Physical Therapy see the blog below (November's Fibro Notes). *:)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Fibromyalgia & Laser Light Healing
Fibro Notes for November 2010
Hi Everyone!
It is truly a pleasure to be able to share with you this information about a new healing therapy. Actually it’s not chronologically new; it’s just new to us in the Michiana area. Cells, whether animal, human or plant, don’t grow in space the same way they do here on earth, so NASA began using this type of therapy over 30 years ago to help heal astronauts and to help grow plants while in space. This therapy has been used on earth in Canada, Europe, Japan and some parts of Asia for nearly 30 years, too. This healing therapy is sometimes called light therapy or cold laser therapy; but what we learned about this month from our guest speaker was specifically, 830Laser Therapy. ™
830Laser Therapy is safe (except, of course in the eyes); it is scientifically proven to be effective, and it’s FDA approved! It is also approved by the Olympic Committee for their athletes! It is used by trained professionals in the physical therapy, chiropractic, podiatry, and dentistry professions and a host of others who are dedicated to healing.
Our guest speaker this month was Mel Arevalo who is first and foremost a Physical Therapist, as is his wife. They work their physical therapy magic in pediatrics, including children with special needs, ADHD and more, and in orthopedics and spine therapy. This husband and wife team had worked at Memorial Hospital for 8 years until recently, when they chose to open their own practice in Osceola, just east of Mishawaka on Lincoln Way East (U.S. 20). See full contact information below.
Together they have learned that although Physical Therapy (PT) does work wonders for pain and healing for all types and varieties of conditions, the use of the 830Laser in conjunction with PT, can enhance and speed the recovery of many conditions in most people.
Mr. Arevalo stresses that this 830Laser isn’t a panacea for all ills, for everyone, but it has worked almost miraculously for many…including his own knees and his wife’s TMJ (jaw pain)! In fact, he has seen it work for many, many of his patients. He gave several examples of a number conditions that have been helped in his patients (unnamed, of course). Most muscle, joint and tendon pain can be helped dramatically with anywhere from two to nine treatments!
What type of ailment does the 830Laser treat? Arthritis, Back Pain, Bursitis/Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Heel Spur/Plantar Fasciitis, Migraines and TMJ are listed on the brochure Mr. Arevalo provided, and there are even more conditions and ailments not listed here. The expected benefits are 1) reduced inflammation, especially acute inflammatory conditions and 2) increased tissue healing, whether from wounds or illnesses, and finally 3) a reduction in pain.
Because it is a “cold” of “soft” laser, you will feel no heat. In fact you may feel nothing at all except a slight tingling. The laser sends photons (light) into your tissue, passing through skin, blood, water and fat to penetrate 2” down below the surface to regenerate and rejuvenate cells, reducing inflammation, increasing cellular tissue healing and, as a result, reducing pain.
Treatments last from 10 - 40 minutes, based on the severity and type of condition being treated. Even though chronic conditions that have been ongoing for a long period of time may take more sessions, many people will find some, or even major relief at the very first session. And you may feel even more relief the next day.
This therapy actually increases your body’s regenerative powers by enhancing your body’s own cell repair and cell growth capabilities. This is healing in its truest sense. And then, with the addition of the stretches and gentle movements choreographed especially for you, the physical therapy will be able to work its real magic by strengthening and firming those muscle groups to prevent further damage and keep them strong and firm. And yes, massage therapy is very often a part of PT.
Insurance is accepted, of course, and if you have a referral from a physician, everyone can stay on the same page. Drs. Staniero, Domingo and Balog from South Bend/Mishawaka are several Rheumatologists in the area who have referred patients to Mr. Arevalo, and I’m certain there are others. If you make an appointment, he can call your current physician and get an OK for therapy in that way also. If you have no insurance, arrangements can be made.
Mr. Arevalo invites you to visit his office at Pediatrics, Orthopedics, and Spine Therapy Center, 1415 Lincolnway West, Suite M, Osceola, IN 46561, or visit their website at www.michianaphysicaltherapy.com for details or to set up an appointment for an evaluation, or call 574-675-7767.
Also please visit www.830Laser.com to find out more about this laser therapy - on the right side of the home page, click on the “View treatment demonstration” to find out much more on the video. Also on the right side near the bottom of the page you can click on “Find a Certified Provider Now.” Although they are not as numerous as we may like, I have a feeling this will change soon… as this therapy becomes more well-known. The New England Patriots find it as valuable as the Olympic Committee!
I’m afraid I’m sounding a bit like an advertisement here. I had “discovered” this therapy two years ago after my first book came out and I became excited at the whole concept. I had no way of knowing it was available anywhere in this area at the time. Now, here we are. And it’s right in my own back yard. My first appointment is Monday and I can hardly wait! I’ll keep you posted! Although I have no daily Fibromyalgia pain as I had had 12 years ago, I do have other symptoms that nag at me, and flare ups now and then, and of course Arthritis in…well, everywhere. So I am looking forward to less inflammation. And who knows what else will be helped along the way. *:)
Keep smiling everyone! It’s Important!
Hi Everyone!
It is truly a pleasure to be able to share with you this information about a new healing therapy. Actually it’s not chronologically new; it’s just new to us in the Michiana area. Cells, whether animal, human or plant, don’t grow in space the same way they do here on earth, so NASA began using this type of therapy over 30 years ago to help heal astronauts and to help grow plants while in space. This therapy has been used on earth in Canada, Europe, Japan and some parts of Asia for nearly 30 years, too. This healing therapy is sometimes called light therapy or cold laser therapy; but what we learned about this month from our guest speaker was specifically, 830Laser Therapy. ™
830Laser Therapy is safe (except, of course in the eyes); it is scientifically proven to be effective, and it’s FDA approved! It is also approved by the Olympic Committee for their athletes! It is used by trained professionals in the physical therapy, chiropractic, podiatry, and dentistry professions and a host of others who are dedicated to healing.
Our guest speaker this month was Mel Arevalo who is first and foremost a Physical Therapist, as is his wife. They work their physical therapy magic in pediatrics, including children with special needs, ADHD and more, and in orthopedics and spine therapy. This husband and wife team had worked at Memorial Hospital for 8 years until recently, when they chose to open their own practice in Osceola, just east of Mishawaka on Lincoln Way East (U.S. 20). See full contact information below.
Together they have learned that although Physical Therapy (PT) does work wonders for pain and healing for all types and varieties of conditions, the use of the 830Laser in conjunction with PT, can enhance and speed the recovery of many conditions in most people.
Mr. Arevalo stresses that this 830Laser isn’t a panacea for all ills, for everyone, but it has worked almost miraculously for many…including his own knees and his wife’s TMJ (jaw pain)! In fact, he has seen it work for many, many of his patients. He gave several examples of a number conditions that have been helped in his patients (unnamed, of course). Most muscle, joint and tendon pain can be helped dramatically with anywhere from two to nine treatments!
What type of ailment does the 830Laser treat? Arthritis, Back Pain, Bursitis/Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Heel Spur/Plantar Fasciitis, Migraines and TMJ are listed on the brochure Mr. Arevalo provided, and there are even more conditions and ailments not listed here. The expected benefits are 1) reduced inflammation, especially acute inflammatory conditions and 2) increased tissue healing, whether from wounds or illnesses, and finally 3) a reduction in pain.
Because it is a “cold” of “soft” laser, you will feel no heat. In fact you may feel nothing at all except a slight tingling. The laser sends photons (light) into your tissue, passing through skin, blood, water and fat to penetrate 2” down below the surface to regenerate and rejuvenate cells, reducing inflammation, increasing cellular tissue healing and, as a result, reducing pain.
Treatments last from 10 - 40 minutes, based on the severity and type of condition being treated. Even though chronic conditions that have been ongoing for a long period of time may take more sessions, many people will find some, or even major relief at the very first session. And you may feel even more relief the next day.
This therapy actually increases your body’s regenerative powers by enhancing your body’s own cell repair and cell growth capabilities. This is healing in its truest sense. And then, with the addition of the stretches and gentle movements choreographed especially for you, the physical therapy will be able to work its real magic by strengthening and firming those muscle groups to prevent further damage and keep them strong and firm. And yes, massage therapy is very often a part of PT.
Insurance is accepted, of course, and if you have a referral from a physician, everyone can stay on the same page. Drs. Staniero, Domingo and Balog from South Bend/Mishawaka are several Rheumatologists in the area who have referred patients to Mr. Arevalo, and I’m certain there are others. If you make an appointment, he can call your current physician and get an OK for therapy in that way also. If you have no insurance, arrangements can be made.
Mr. Arevalo invites you to visit his office at Pediatrics, Orthopedics, and Spine Therapy Center, 1415 Lincolnway West, Suite M, Osceola, IN 46561, or visit their website at www.michianaphysicaltherapy.com for details or to set up an appointment for an evaluation, or call 574-675-7767.
Also please visit www.830Laser.com to find out more about this laser therapy - on the right side of the home page, click on the “View treatment demonstration” to find out much more on the video. Also on the right side near the bottom of the page you can click on “Find a Certified Provider Now.” Although they are not as numerous as we may like, I have a feeling this will change soon… as this therapy becomes more well-known. The New England Patriots find it as valuable as the Olympic Committee!
I’m afraid I’m sounding a bit like an advertisement here. I had “discovered” this therapy two years ago after my first book came out and I became excited at the whole concept. I had no way of knowing it was available anywhere in this area at the time. Now, here we are. And it’s right in my own back yard. My first appointment is Monday and I can hardly wait! I’ll keep you posted! Although I have no daily Fibromyalgia pain as I had had 12 years ago, I do have other symptoms that nag at me, and flare ups now and then, and of course Arthritis in…well, everywhere. So I am looking forward to less inflammation. And who knows what else will be helped along the way. *:)
Keep smiling everyone! It’s Important!
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