Be Well Blog

Integrated Medicine Explained Part II: Homeopathic Medicine

In last month's newsletter we promised to provide you with more specific details about the different practices that contribute to Integrated Medicine.  Our first article, still available on our web site, explores the theories behind mind-body medicine.  This month we will provide you with a better understanding of Homeopathic medicine.  We hope our articles provide insights and information while inspiring deeper investigation, and we welcome your questions or comments.
 

Homeopathic Origins
Known documentation of the core principles of homeopathic medicine dates back as far as writings by Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.).  In 1796 German physician C. F. Samuel Hahnemann developed these principals into a system of medicine that he called "Homeopathy."  His research was so extensive and thorough that it is considered by modern medicine to be the first ever "clinical trials."  What Hippocrates and Hahnemann couldn't know was that their theories were actually based upon advanced science, known to us today as Quantum Physics, which recognizes the interchangeability of matter and energy.

Homeopathic Medicine In Practice
Homeopathic medicine's fundamental healing principles are based upon the "law of similars," otherwise known as "like cures like," and the ability of the body's natural energetic forces to be stimulated to positively affect the body's "matter."  Homeopathy maintains that this vital force has the ability to react and adapt to internal and external causes, and can be empowered to eradicate illnesses through the physical introduction of artificial symptoms similar to those of a given disease

Resolution of an illness occurs when the sick individual is given a small dose of a medicine capable of producing symptoms similar to those of their disease.  The immune system's response is thus energetically enhanced to promote healing and optimal health. 
 

Remedies As A Mirror
One way to better understand how Homeopathic remedies work is to imagine having a virus or disease prevalent enough to have "stunned" or overwhelmed your immune system.  In other words, your ailment is winning the battle, becoming chronic or worse.  Through the introduction of specific Homeopathic remedies your immune system is reawakened.  As if peering into a mirror, your body's physical and energetic self "sees" the symptoms more clearly.  Through this renewed recognition, your immune system is more capable of defending you against the disease itself.
 
Used As Prevention
The same principals of stimulating the immune system apply when using Homeopathic remedies to prevent illness.  Sensing the symptoms, the immune system strengthens its defenses against that illness or virus in advance of external exposure.
 
Different From A Vaccine
It is vital to understand that unlike vaccines, homeopathic remedies do not contain diseases, dangerously toxic heavy metals, or squalene oil adjuvants used by pharmaceuticals to transmit the vaccine into your body.  Homeopathic remedies are water based solutions of greatly diluted natural elements that only replicate symptoms.  You can read more about the dangers of vaccines by clicking on the links contained in this issue's article, "Swine Flu: Cutting Through The Hype" .
 
Recognized And Accepted
The American Institute of Homeopathy describes its medical specialty as a scientific, therapeutic method which embodies a philosophy of understanding people and illness in a holistic context with the goal of promoting optimal health and healing, based upon the FDA recognized Homeopathic Pharmacopœia of the United States.
We agree, which is why Homeopathy is one of the elements of our integrated, holistic, family practice.

Integrative Medicine Explained

By Dr. C. Evers Whyte

What is “Integrated Medicine?”  Ask ten different doctors this question and you might get 10 different answers.  It’s an exciting topic in that new findings are being published every day about how the success of medical outcomes are  improving through integrating different therapies, protocols and even medical paradigms.

My answer is this: Integrated Medicine is a model through which a physician or therapist first looks at a person who is coming for help, asks themselves, “What does this person need to become whole again?” and then uses any and every tool and resource available to facilitate that healing process.  It is more than the combined use of various “conventional” and “alternative” therapies, but aims to access deeper levels of our consciousness.  For example, a hug could be clinically described as, “two persons wrapping their arms around each other and squeezing,” but we all know this explanation lacks the true essence of what a hug is all about!

To begin to understand and appreciate the “process” of Integrated Medicine we first have to appreciate that while our bodies are made of interconnected physical systems–cardiovascular, skeletal, endocrine, nervous, etc, we are more than the sum of these parts.  We are in actual fact, beings composed of integrated and interpenetrating Intelligences: body, mind, soul, and spirit.

To be healthy, we need all these aspects of our beings to be “aligned” and working harmoniously.  If there is dis-harmony, there is dis-ease.  As an Integrated Medical physician, I seek to align and integrate all effective medicinal modalities to heal all the integrated elements, or Intelligences, of your being.

The patient that comes into our office with fatigue and brain-fog may be suffering from iron-deficiency, anemia, or adrenal exhaustion, perhaps hypoglycemia, decreased melatonin production, or the reluctance to go through the natural process of grief at a loved-one’s death after a long illness.  As I work with the patient to find the root of her ailments, we may discover that a number of these diagnoses are correct, perhaps even all of them.  This patient doesn’t have a Prozac deficiency.  She may need a change in

The Benefits of Acupuncture

 

 

Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine that’s been used successfully for over 8000 years.  It is based upon the Taoist tradition of observing the flow of energy within and without, where the body is viewed as a network of interrelated energy channels or “meridians.”  Illness and pain are the result of blocked or imbalanced energy currents.  Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles painlessly inserted into specific points on the body to stimulate or unblock the flow of energy and restore one’s natural balance and health.

In the East this energy is called “qi” (pronounced “chee) and is linked to our relation to nature and seasonal changes.  Western science believes acupuncture likely works by stimulating the central nervous system to release chemicals that dull pain, boost the immune system and regulate various body functions.  

However one wishes to view it, thousands of years of use and modern day scientific studies have proven the effectiveness of acupuncture to treat a wide variety of health problems including  pain of all origins, disorders of the neurological, muscular, respiratory, and gastro-intestinal systems.  It’s also used to treat osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chemotherapy-induced nausea, bladder control, carpel tunnel, anxiety, insomnia, allergies, asthma, high blood, constipation, weight loss, smoking cessation, and more.

Acupuncture can treat so many different maladies because it recognizes that all parts of the body create an integrated, “whole” being.   And unlike conventional pharmaceuticals, there are only beneficial side effects to acupuncture such as sleeping better, having more energy, breathing deeper and many other bonuses.

Like other Integrative Medical Practices, acupuncture believes the body naturally wants to remain healthy and balanced.  Like a ship on the water that rolls with daily sea changes and challenges while remaining upright, the body’s innate design urges it to return to a fully functional, balanced position.  Acupuncture  gently assists the body to heal itself naturally.

Post Lyme Disease Syndrome

By Dr. C. Evers Whyte

There’s a very good chance that you’ve never heard of “Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome,” even if you’ve suffered from Lyme disease itself.  Post Lyme Disease Syndrome (PLDS) is as controversial as it is complicated, and many doctors will assert that it simply does not exist.  However, if you have been treated for Lyme disease (LD) and still feel ill, you know, along with a growing group of medical professional, that PLDS is in fact, dreadfully real.  And much like LD, PLDS manifests and presents itself in a variety of ways that can make it difficult to decipher and therefore treat.  Sadly, many Lyme experts believe that the generally-accepted assessment and treatment practices are woefully inadequate.  The good news, however, is that more and more doctors are recognizing the realities of PLDS and better still are having success treating it.  There is hope!

HOW IT ALL STARTS
To truly understand PLDS we need to begin with an understanding of LD’s basic biology and how doctors in the US have been directed to view and treat it.

LD is caused by a strain of spirochete bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi.  Unfortunately, a majority of doctors, contrary to both empirical findings and a large body of research, stubbornly insist that once LD is treated with the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommended 21-day course of antibiotics, it should be considered cured.  Therefore, patients still experiencing symptoms are too often dismissed with a diagnosis of psychosomatic post-Lyme rather than an ongoing infection, or a set of very real physical ailments stemming from the Lyme disease and probable co-infection(s). 

There are several studies that refute this outdated protocol for LD treatment.  One in particular suggests that an estimated 30% of Lyme disease patients do not recover at all after being treated with the CDC recommended antibiotic protocol. 

In addition to this, it is unusual to contract only one infection from a tick bite.  Co-infections are rampant: Borrelia; Erlichia; Babesia; Bartonella; Micoplasma; and Rickettsia are all prevalent in the northeast, and most ticks are infected with these disease causing bacteria along with the one that causes Lyme.   Still, many doctors don’t test for these co-infections, or look deeper into the patient’s whole picture for breakdowns in various other bodily systems, triggered by these infections. 

To make matters even worse, doctors are under an enormous amount of pressure to argue against the existence of chronic Lyme infection because the insurance industry doesn’t want to pay for the ongoing treatment necessary to rid these unfortunate souls of the tenacious infection(s).

Natural Allergy Relief With No Side Effects

Natural D-Hist goes head to head with Claritin with better results and fewer side effects.

Allergies can make us miserable any time of the year, but during the spring and summer they tend to be worse and keep us from enjoying the outdoors.  Unfortunately, most anti-allergy products are chemically designed to force the body to function in a way that is not natural, hence the many side effects.

Two of our Center’s most popular products are “Natural D-Hist,” for adults and “D-Hist Jr.,” for children.  Scientifically formulated for maximum effectiveness with carefully selected dosages of four natural components, and thoroughly researched, Natural D-Hist is a fast acting, non-drowsy, all natural remedy that can stop allergic reactions before they begin.  And best of all, there are no side effects and a even a money back guarantee.

To help convince you of its effectiveness, we’re offering free samples of Natural D-Hist for you to try.  To further convince you that it’s so much better for you than conventional allergy drugs, we’re providing a head to head comparison of the side effects caused by Natural D-Hist and Claritin.  All the listed information comes directly from the two products’ literature.

D-Hist Jr. & Natural D-Hist's side effects:  Their packaging information states that 

Natural D-Hist's extensive human trials have produced no side effects.  And just for good measure they go on to say that a person’s first time taking some herbal remedies may result in a mild upset stomach that usually disappears when the herb is taken closer to meal time.  And, even though none have been recorded with Natural D-Hist, they warn that if an individual happens to be allergic to any given herb, a mild rash or hives could result.

The listed side effects for Claritin tablets, Claritin Reditabs and Claritin syrup are:  Headache, somnolence, fatigue, dry mouth, nervousness, wheezing, hyperkinesias, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, malaise, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, epistaxis (nose bleed), pharyngitis, influenza-like symptoms, tooth disorder, stomatitis, earache, rash, altered lacrimation, altered salivation, flushing, hypoesthesia, impotence, increased sweating, thirst, angioneurotic  edema, asthenia, back pain, blurred vision, chest pain, eye pain, fever, leg cramps, rigors, tinnitus, weight gain, hypertension, hypotension, palpitations, superventricular tachyarrhythmias, syncope, tachycardia, blepharospasm, dizziness, dysphonia, hypertonia, migraine, paresthesia, tremor, vertigo, altered taste, anorexia, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, gastritis, hiccup, increased appetite, loose stools, nausea, vomiting, arthalgia, myalgia, agitation,  amnesia, anxiety, confusion , decreased libido, depression, impaired concentration, insomnia, irritability, paranoia, breast pain , dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, vaginitis, bronchitis, bronchospasm, coughing, dyspnea, hemoptysis, laryngitis, nasal dryness, sinusitis, sneezing, dermatitis, dry hair, dry skin, photosensitivity reaction, pruritus, purpura urticaria, altered micturition, urinary discoloration , urinary incontinence, urinary retention, abnormal hepatic function, including jaundice, hepatitis and hepatic necrosis, alopecia, anaphylaxis, breast enlargement, erythema multiforme, peripheral edema, thrombocytopenia, and finally, seizures.

Many of the worse symptoms are contributed to Claritin Syrup, designed for children!

So, when are you coming in for your free samples?  Call us, we'll put some aside for you!

(203) 708-9299

 

Dr. Donielle Wilson, ND

Naturopathic Family Practice

Why I Do What I Do

Today I met with a patient with an all too familiar story.   For 10 years she’s suffered persistent and worsening symptoms, visiting doctor after doctor, only to be told that everything is “normal.” 

You might ask, “How can it be that a medical professional would send someone home to continue suffering with no further concern, not to mention curiosity, as to what was at the root of her symptoms?”

I believe this occurs for two reasons.  One is that the body is really good at compensating and keeping things "normal" in the blood while the other parts of the body are ailing, which is why blood test results often come back "within the normal range" even when the patient feels terrible.  The second reason is that conventional medical training focuses on the extreme of medical conditions.  This means that for someone whose