Homeopathic Practice: general guidelines for clients

1 Feb 2024 Your Overall Health

Welcome to In Health Clinic, Homeopathic Practice!

My name is Reena Abraham, Classical Homeopath.

I look forward to working with you!

Below you will find some useful information to help you understand how your visits with me will help you in your quest for improvement and lasting change in your overall health and well-being.

You, the Client

Homeopathy can be subtle and gradual in its curative action. However, there are combinations of certain general responses that indicate a movement toward healing.

Homeopathy encompasses the individual as a complete being; and as such, explores all the different subtleties in the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual make up of that person. It is this all-inclusive understanding of the individual that sets Homeopathy apart, as the one, true holistic healing modality.

Your Homeopathic Consultation

With this guiding principle in place, your consultation appointment with me will be very different from your experience at a conventional doctor’s office.

Your first appointment will be a pleasant, in-depth intake session approximately 1.5 to 2 hours in length. This is where I get to know you, and to understand your symptoms in full detail.

Because the basis of Homeopathy is like cures like, the more information that is gathered in this appointment, the better the match of the remedy  prescribed for you. I am assessing your overall Constitution; that which makes up who you are as a person.

This is the beginning of the quest to find and match your specific Constitutional remedy. This match can take some time, but the healing you will experience in the process will be noticeable and sound. Once your remedy has been prescribed, it is important to take it as directed. I will provide this information to you via email within 24 hours after your first appointment. This email will include your prescription , details of pharmacy or online links to purchase or order remedies.

Follow-up Appointments

Follow-up is an essential part of your process toward cure. During the time you are taking the remedy, regular follow-up visits are strongly recommended, to give me an idea of how things are progressing. They will help me assess your progress and evaluate your response to the remedy.

Even when you are doing well or continuing to make progress, it is important to keep your follow-up appointment. The follow-up appointment will help nurture the healing process, by keeping me up to date and helping me to  assess whether to adjust your remedy or change it all together. This is also a time to discuss things that happened in-between your appointments. If you kept notes during this time, the follow-up is the best time to share them.

Everything is important when you are on a remedy. The reason the first appointment is so long, is in order to give me a baseline from which to work with you. Then each follow-up appointment, will help me see your progress and decide whether or not your remedy should stay the same or needs to have some changes made to it.

The follow-up visits are scheduled at varying intervals, or as needed. They may fall anywhere from weekly, once in two-weeks, or monthly, depending upon the individual characteristic of each person’s progress.

Once you are making steady progress on your remedy, your remedy will also help you resist disease in the future, by increasing your resistance to emotional stress. Of course, diet and lifestyle must also be factored in to the equation.

Sometimes, a follow-up appointment seems unnecessary, when we feel good and are making progress. We are all used to the conventional idea of going to the doctor only when we are sick. However, our observation has been that those patients who return for their regularly scheduled follow-up appointments, complete their Homeopathic treatment in a shorter time and with better results. Although you may be taking Homeopathic remedies and be under active care for as long as two years, or more, it is important to keep in mind that the ultimate goal of Homeopathic treatment, is to reach a high level of health and allow our bodies to take care of its needs, naturally, without the crutch of constant allopathic care.

I welcome and value your questions or concerns about your treatment.

Antidotes to Avoid

Homeopathic medicines can have a powerful effect when properly chosen and given at the correct time. Certain environmental factors may, however, prevent or hinder their action. Please read the following instructions carefully. Please note that all of the remedies have a labeled indication on the bottle of “Headaches.” This labeling is a requirement of the FDA, but does not indicate the condition for which you are being treated.

Taking the Medicine

  1. Avoid Touching the Medicine. Make sure that your hands are free of strong odors. Shake directly into your mouth, or use a disposable plastic spoon. The Homeopathic medicine should be taken sublingually or dissolved under the tongue.
  2. The Mouth Should be Substance Free. When taking the medicine, the mouth should be free from food, liquid, gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. Avoid eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth for twenty minutes before and after taking the medicine. In acute situations, rinse your mouth very well with water if it is not possible to adhere to this.
  3. Protect the Medicine. Direct sunlight, heat over 110 degrees (such as a car in summer) and strong odors will often destroy a medicine before you even take it. Avoid wearing perfume when you take a medicine.
  4. Discard Spilled or Transferred Medicine. If, by accident, some of the medicine should spill from its container, do not return it to the container. Discard it. Do not transfer the medicine to other containers or bottles that have contained other substances. Do not reuse the containers when they are empty, as they may still carry medicinal properties.

Ways Homeopathic Medicines May be not effective

The everyday items on this list are antidotes that will cancel the effects of your Homeopathic Remedy and should be avoided.

  1. Coffee. Coffee may antidote Homeopathic medicine in certain sensitive people, occasionally, after only one cup. If you are particularity sensitive, please avoid it. Decaffeinated coffee will also antidote sensitive individuals. Please also avoid coffee flavored foods and drink (Kahlua, coffee ice cream, coffee yogurt etc.) Black tea, herb teas, Coca Cola and other caffeine containing substances generally will not antidote.
  2. Camphor. Mucous membrane application of camphor may antidote medicines. Avoid anything that has significant amounts of camphor, such as deep heat rubs, liniments, Vicks, Ben Gay, Tiger Balm, Carmex, Noxema products, some massage compounds, some cosmetics, many lip balms (Chapstick, Blistex etc.), some Chinese candies, most cough lozenges and others. Even though ingredients don’t specifically list camphor (ie lip balm) they often have camphor substances such as Mentholatum. Also avoid Tea Tree Oil, Eucalyptus, Listerine, and mothballs.
  3. Anything to Which You Are Particularly Sensitive: Avoid any food, chemical, or substance which you know causes severe reactions in your particular system–i.e., hives or skin eruptions after certain food, odors which make you faint, things which specifically cause asthma, etc. Moderate use of alcohol and tobacco does not generally interfere. However marijuana will usually antidote and cocaine will always antidote and should be avoided.
  4. Electric Blankets: Waterbed warmers and heating pads are OK and will not cause a problem.
  5. Routine Dental Work: Cleaning of the teeth is OK and does not cause problems. However the actual drilling, and perhaps the chemicals, used in dental work often will antidote Homeopathic medicines.
  6. Traditional Medicine: Traditional medicines are designed to remove specific symptoms without much regard to the person as a whole. This approach often leads to suppression of the symptoms and antidoting of the Homeopathic medicine. Please tell your practitioner about all drugs, strong herbs, diet pills, birth control pills, etc. that you are taking. Under no circumstances should you stop strong traditional medicines without first consulting your Homeopathic Practitioner. An occasional Tylenol or aspirin will not cause a problem.
  7. Skin Medicines: It is not uncommon for Homeopathic medicines to bring back old skin symptoms. Please do not use locally applied medicine of any kind, without first talking to your practitioner. This is especially true of topical steroids.
  8. Solvents: Avoid heavy, prolonged exposure to solvents or fumes especially if working in an enclosed space. Also avoid hair permanents.
  9. Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil, as well as Eucalyptus and Melaleuca oil will antidote.
  10. Immunizations: Immunizations may antidote remedies and disrupt the immune system. Please talk to your Homeopath before having an immunization.
  11. Diagnostic Tests: Blood work will not antidote. X-Rays, mammograms or ultrasounds can antidote and CT/MRI’s almost always antidote.
  12. Other Treatments: The balance of symptoms on all levels is a delicate one, and it can be easily upset. It is best not to mix acupuncture, polarity therapy, psychic healing and other energy plane manipulations with Homeopathy. Magnets can antidote.

Signs the Remedy is Working

  • Your chief complaint, or main reason for seeking treatment has shown improvement.
  • Feeling better in yourself. Somehow you feel right, like your old self. Your spirit has come back, you are more confident. Feelings like this are a sure sign.
  • Being able to deal with life more effectively and with less stress. Having more energy, feeling more lively, able to do more, able to run again, laughing a lot. Changing your life, even if it just seems to happen coincidentally. Perhaps your job changes or there is a shift in your attitude toward work or study, or toward colleagues, friends or family. Or you may have a more outgoing approach to life, changing your friendships somewhat, getting rid of bad relationships and taking on new ones.
  • Becoming more creative.
  • The Homeopathic aggravation; After taking the Homeopathic remedy, there can be what is termed an aggravation. This is a limited in duration, aggravation of symptoms; mental, emotional and/or physical, and is an indication that the remedy is acting. This worsening is often based on toxins being eliminated through the outlets of the body, via the stool, or urine, through the skin as rashes, pimples, boils or fever, through the nose as sneezing, a cold, etc. Temporary worsening is not to be interpreted as side effects, but as signs of your body working to heal itself. It is not necessary that every patient should experience this. Feel free to contact me if you have any concern.
  • A brief return of old symptoms is good, especially when they return of reverse sequence to the original occurrence in your life. These may be transitory – just a few seconds like a flashback – or lasting longer like a cloud passing. This is called the Law of Cure and happens occasionally. This Law of Cure also means that symptoms will be eliminated in an order, from serious to less serious ones, from internal organs to external or less critical ones, from inside out as we say, from above down. However, respiratory and heart improvements can go up and outwards as these go from the lungs (serious) to the throat and nose (less serious). The return of a cough in asthma can be a good sign that the chest is clearing out.
  • So asthma becoming a skin rash or sneezing bouts is good;
  • It is also fine for physical symptoms to just get better, provided the process fits the law of cure.
  • Occasionally a meaningful dream or sequence of dreams, even if it’s not understood, could be a healing indication if the dream feels right, important or positive in some way.

Homeopathic Pharmacies to order remedies from: You may order remedies from the following pharmacies

  • Hylands.com for cell salts

Seasonal Affective Disorder: What is it? How can we keep it under control?

30 Nov 2021 Your Overall Health

As the seasons chan

ge and the weather gets colder, do you feel yourself getting glum? The days are shorter, and we don’t see much sunlight after work hours as the sun sets earlier.  If you are among the 10-20% of people who suffer from this, you may have something called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. 

SAD is a type of depression that develops during the dark and cloudy gray days of winter. Surprisingly, this depression does not surface until the spring and early summer, after the winter months have sapped our energy and lowered our moods.

SAD

What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?

While loss of energy and depression are most common, other symptoms can include:

  • Hopelessness
  • Anxiety
  • Heavy feeling of arms and legs
  • Oversleeping
  • Social withdrawal
  • Weight gain
  • Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed

What causes SAD?

The specific cause is still unknown. Generally it seems to affect certain patients more than others. A person with a genetic predisposition or mental health issues is most vulnerable. The common theories explaining SAD are:

  • Biological clock (circadian rhythm):  Reduced levels of light will disrupt the body’s internal clock which can lead to depression.
  • Serotonin levels: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that effects mood and gets a boost from sunlight. These levels may drop in the winter and trigger depression.
  • SADMelatonin levels: Melatonin is a hormone that helps control our sleep patterns and moods. Production of this hormone can be reduced during the winter months which can disrupt sleep and trigger low moods.

Who is most at risk?

  • Females
  • Having a family history of SAD
  • People with clinical depression or bipolar disorder
  • People living very far away from the equator

What are some ways to help prevent prevent SAD?

  • Exercise regularly 4 times a week for a minimum of 30-45 minutes.
  • Getting outside in the sun for as little as 10 to 15 minutes can help prevent SAD.
  • Replace your traditional vanity light with a full-spectrum bulb to reap its advantages while getting ready for school or work in the morning.
  • Supplement with Vitamin D 2,000 IU daily. Increased dosages should only be taken if recommended by your doctor.  Vitamin D supplements are especially important if you wear sunscreen regularly.

Sciatica

6 Dec 2019 Pain, Your Overall Health , ,

This is one of the most common causes of pain in the low back, buttocks with symptoms that travel down the leg. It is commonly self-diagnosed, but immediate care is rarely sought making it one of the more common and frequently untreated conditions in our country.

What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is pain, weakness, numbness that descends from the low back, buttock and radiates in a pattern down the sciatic nerve. Symptoms generally are on one side of the body and can be from several causes. The medical diagnosis of true Sciatica is Lumbar Radiculopathy. Many soft tissue injuries will mimic radiculopathy and may be diagnosed with sciatica without a true lumbar issue.

What causes Sciatica?
Lumbar disc disease which is pressure or stimulus on the nerve causing radiation, caused by disc collapse, herniation or spinal stenosis. Muscular cause of sciatica is caused by tightness in the piriformis muscle(buttock), and can be a combination of piriformis with gluteus Medius, tensor fascia lata and quadratus lumborum. Swelling in the lumbar disc area or surrounding muscles can also lead to a diagnosis of sciatica trauma or repetitive strain. The most common reasons for getting sciatica are the following:

  • During Pregnancy
  • Long hours working in a seated position
  • Jobs that have squatting regularly
  • Runners
  • CrossFit athletes, Commuters in a sedan style vehicle (angle of the hip puts them at risk)
  • Long or new workouts

How is sciatica diagnosed?
It is diagnosed by MRI and orthopedic testing that your Orthopedist or Chiropractor will do. Symptoms typically include the following:

  • Low back pain
  • Hip pain
  • Pain in the buttock and into the leg
  • Burning or tingling down the leg
  • Shooting pain in the buttock or leg
  • Aching pain in the buttock (early stages)
  • Pain is worse with sitting
  • Pain is better with standing and walking around

How is sciatica Treated?
The most common treatment in the USA for sciatica is massage to the piriformis muscle and the low back muscle complex. The second most common treatment and highly recommended to prevent re-occurrence is chiropractic care along with muscle therapy. The chiropractic treatment insures that there is alignment in the lumbar spine, pelvis and sacrum which can be common triggers to tightening up of the muscles responsible for the nerve pain in the buttock and low back. However, alignment alone is not enough to treat this condition and muscle work performed by your chiropractor or a trained massage therapist is required to get rid of symptoms and pain.

What happens if I think I have sciatica?
Begin by stretching or rolling out the piriformis; follow this up with ice to the area. If it is only aching and causing a mild limp and hasn’t progressed into radiating pain yet and rolling hasn’t taken care of the problem, contact your chiropractor or massage therapist. More serious cases may take injections or acupuncture in conjunction with the manual therapies.

We have a complete foam roller guide for your body and we would love to give one to you. Feel free to come by our office and ask for a foam roller sheet.

Best Immune Vitamins

18 Oct 2019 Your Overall Health , ,

The immune system is an ever talked about topic in our modern world with autoimmune conditions on the rise and kids at school getting sick every other week. It is important for everyone to know which vitamins, herbs and minerals are most essential to keep us healthy.

We have 1 child that is school age and it is important to me that she stay as healthy as possible and doesn’t bring everything home to her younger sister. We also work in health care where sick kids are coming to see us.  How do I stay healthy during the year with cold and flu season especially since I am putting myself in the line of fire? I think this important for you to know that while you may not have a 2 year old coughing in your face, you might have the sick co-worker next to you that also covers their mouth like a two year old.

With supplements, vitamins, homeopathy and herbs all promising to help the immune system -which are the best and most valuable herbs?

Where do I start to help have a baseline healthy immune system?

Make sure you have your basic nutrients in check. This is done in our office through a vitamin analysis testing. We use the Spectracell laboratories to determine the deficiencies in your body.  The test goes over vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and a few other important facts in the results. We provide you with a comprehensive test read off to go over the results.

Which Vitamins are best for baseline health if I am not testing?

Without testing, this is just a guess, but we do have an idea of the most common vitamin deficiencies that occur in our country today.

  • Vitamin D
  • Folate
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin B2
  • Vitamin B1
  • Zinc
  • N-Acetyl Cysteine
  • Glutathione
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin E (long list – huh?)

Which one is best for my immune system specifically?

Vitamin D – Does some many things and is famous for bone health and calcium absorption but it also supports immune function, brain function lung health and so much more.
Zinc – Supports immune function, enzyme function and wound healing.
N-Acetyl Cysteine – decreases inflammation, decrease muscle fatigue, liver detoxification and immune function.

What Herbs can I take if I keep getting sick to support my immune system?

We use the term support since some herbs actually boost your immune system and this can be bad when you use them for too long. They can flair up your allergies.
Elderberry – Is a powerful antioxidant that fights cold and flu symptoms while also reducing inflammation and protecting the heart. The berries and the flower are used in most preparations.
Astragalus – Is an ancient long used herb meaning it helps the body adapt to stressors. It is an adaptogenic so it addresses-in this case deep cellular disease or recurrent illness as well as a cold or flu.
Arabinogalactan – Is an herb that has been consumed for thousands of years and most commonly comes from the North American Larch tree. It has shown to naturally improve resistance to infection by positively influencing the natural killer cells in our immune system.
Reishi Mushrooms – has been commonly used once someone gets sick but they have found that it supports and improves the function of our lymphocytes to help fit and prevent infection from occurring.

Ok I have been trying to support my immune system but I still got sick what now?

If you get sick, we employ both herbs and vitamins that are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral to heal your body and get you back in action.
Herbs and vitamins:

  • Andrographis
  • echinacea
  • Monolaurin
  • berberine
  • coptis
  • garlic
  • vitamin C
  • vitamin E
  • vitamin A
  • zinc

The herbs are available in our office in different varying blends and will be blended based on the cold and flu symptoms you are experiencing.  For instance-  do you have a cough and chest cold, is it sinus or do you have a high fever?  Most of these herbs are given to adults or older children.
My list for the little ones is different and they may also need something in a liquid form because we don’t get good at swallowing pills till around 13 years of age.
Elderberry, Rosehips, Astragalus, Arabinogalactan, echinacea, Mullein, & ginger.
When you get sick consider reaching for an herbal biotic or going to your functional medicine doctor, Naturopath or Chiropractor if they are trained instead of taking antibiotic which destroy your gut and has other unpleasant side effects. We love seeing you and the little ones whether they are sick or well; keeping you in a healthy state is our passion.

How to keep cheerful when the weather looks grey?

13 Feb 2019 Your Overall Health

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) effects about 4% of the population in a severe way, 10% to 20% in a mild to moderate way and many more people may just feel a little lower when looking up at a grey sky. It is also 4x more common in women than in men. If you have a family history of depression, anxiety or mood disorders and you add the seasonal weather on top of that it can cause big problems in a person’s life.

Some of the things that occur naturally in the winter are: feeling more fatigued and gaining weight. This is because in cold whether we are naturally programmed to move slower; a sort of human hibernation period to protect us from injuries.

Some of my favorite tips to combat this are as follows:

Don’t fight it: hibernate and choose activities that make you feel warm, nourished and cared for. Some examples may be choose a nice book or to read for winter, fluffy wool socks or going to a cabin with a large fire-place.
Reduce training schedule: Athletes will often have less events or races in the winter so they can reduce the intensity of the work out to help the body recover and restore for another season.
Recover and Restoring foods: Soups with a nourishing broth and the root vegetables can be a healthy way to replenish the nutrients that got depleted over a years time.

Light Therapy: Philips the company makes a wide range of light therapy alarm clocks and energy lights to help with your mood and wake time. Our favorite is GoLITE BLU Energy Light. It’s $122 (This has been independently studied to improve energy levels in about 70% of participants making it a very effective therapy for Seasonal blues). A cheaper option is a full spectrum light bulb in your vanity while getting ready in the morning and this will run $9-$15 but not as effective for more severe cases.
Exercise in the morning: Brisk exercise in the morning by either walking the dog or push-ups for 15-20 minutes improves blood flow, improves metabolism and mood.

Water: Drink 32 oz before exercise and breakfast and continue to drink lots throughout the day. Average male 150lbs should drink 75 to 150 oz per day. If you struggle with enough water then download an app or get a water bottle that tells you how much you have been drinking.

How can Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy help you?

13 Feb 2019 Your Overall Health ,

What is ESWT?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy, also known as ESWT, is a non-surgical treatment option for chronic plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, shoulder tendonitis, and other chronic tendinopathies. “Extracorporeal” means “outside the body.” Shock waves, also known as pressure or sound waves, are generated by a special ESWT device and focused onto the targeted tissue. The shock waves are delivered to stimulate and reactivate the body’s repair mechanisms to advance normal tissue healing.

What is involved in the procedure?

On the day of the procedure, you will arrive at our office at the designated time prior to the scheduled appointment where you will meet your physician and technician. You will lie back comfortably with the area to be treated resting on the machine on a soft, water-filled membrane. The practitioner will make sure you are comfortable throughout the procedure. During the treatment, you will hear repetitive clicking sounds.

ESWT benefits patients because their condition can be treated extracorporeally, meaning outside of the body. Since ESWT is non-invasive, there is no lengthy recovery period, virtually no time off from work or risk of causing further damage. The same cannot be said with surgery.

What conditions can be treated by ESWT?

ESWT can effectively treat a range of musculoskeletal conditions. Complaints involving attachment points for tendons and ligaments in major joints such as the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, shoulder, elbow and knee are common areas for ESWT treatment. Please contact In Health Clinic to discuss your individual condition with one of our practitioners.

How can I prepare for ESWT?

You will need to be available for the full course of treatment.

You should not take any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, for two weeks before your first procedure, and throughout your treatment. If you are unsure if any of your medicines contain NSAIDs then please check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

What kind of recovery can I expect?

ESWT forces your body to create new tissue cells in the damaged area. Expect gradual healing to take place over days, weeks or months. Though not typical, some have mild soreness or bruising after treatment. Some people experience no more pain from day one. Most will have noticeable to significant improvement by the thirteenth week. A second treatment after sixteen weeks may be necessary in approximately 20% of patients. As it took time to create the injury, healing also takes time. Total healing of the area can take up to one year.

The best thing about ESWT is that unlike surgery, you avoid getting worse before getting better. You do not need to plan lengthy time off from work or your life for painful post-procedure recovery.

Are there any side effects to ESWT?

Compared to invasive or endoscopic surgery, ESWT has fewer side effects and a much shorter recovery time. The most common side effects include temporary pain (bruising and soreness,) swelling and petechiae (broken blood vessels that are generally of no concern.) These possible occurrences, however, usually clear within a few days. Moreover, the risks associated with surgical incisions and general anesthesia are eliminated.

How many treatments will I need?

The number of treatments varies depending on the indication and tissue response. The effect of the treatment is cumulative, so you will typically need more than one (3–5) treatment. Very often though, you will experience relief right after the first treatment.

When should I consider ESWT?

If you have had your condition for more than six months and have tried three conservative therapies with no results, don’t wait. It is natural to procrastinate, but it is not a good idea for tendonosis conditions, since continuously using degenerative tendon tissue can cause further damage.

For example, every time that you feel pain when you place weight on your heel or lift something with your arm, it’s because you are pulling against the tendon fibers. When the condition progresses to a rupture, ESWT is no longer an option and you will have no treatment alternative but invasive surgery.

Additionally, if left untreated, you can experience new problems. With heel pain in your foot you may naturally compensate by walking on your toes or limping to protect yourself from pain. These abnormal movements will, in time, cause strain to your knees, hips and lower back, or even worse, may result in the same condition in the other foot. Compensation issues occur whenever you have chronic pain left untreated.

If your pain has just begun, you may be able to avoid ESWT by early intervention. Please feel free to call us and we will recommend a specialist who can help you take care of the problem today. Take care of yourself. Fix the problem, don’t delay.

I’ve tried other things but they didn’t help. How do I know ESWT will?

Tendonitis sometimes resolves by itself or with the help of treatments such as strapping, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, or cortisone injections. When the condition is new (usually less than six months) it is called acute tendonitis.

Acute tendonitis is an inflammation. All of the treatments used at this stage are meant to rest the area or deal with the inflammation. Those who do not get better in the “acute” phase have what is called chronic tendonosis. The difference between tendonosis and tendonitis is simple: tendonosis is an inflammation. Tendonosis is degenerative or damaged tissue. You can use steroid injections repeatedly with no result if the problem has gone beyond inflammation. Surgery used to be the only option for tendonosis. ESWT treats tendonosis because ESWT forces the damaged tendon to heal.

How do I know ESWT is right for me?

Our In Health Clinic practitioner will perform a thorough examination and will decide if ESWT treatment is right for you after looking at all the options. For instance, you could be a candidate if you have been diagnosed with chronic plantar fasciitis for at least six months and if your symptoms have failed to respond to three conservative treatments which may include rest, physical therapy, heel cushions, non-steroidal medications (Motrin or other anti-inflammatories), cortisone injections, taping, orthotics, shoe modifications, night splinting and casting. In the past, surgical intervention for chronic plantar fasciitis was required when these other treatments had failed, but today, ESWT is available as an alternative, noninvasive treatment option.

Is ESWT covered by my insurance?

Our Clinic are happy to contact your insurance company to find out if there is coverage for ESWT. Please call us for an informational packet and to discuss your condition and insurance coverage.

Brain Fog and Dementia

13 Dec 2018 Your Overall Health

Millions of Americans are suffering from what we call brain fog and they often worry that it is dementia. But brain fog is when the brain’s ability to think quickly or to respond to more complex tasks or speed of remembering something is compromised; just like the processor speed of a computer that is running too many applications. Dementia is a general symptom of several diagnoses and only impedes memory. We are going to delve into the most common causes of brain fog and how you can work to make sure your brain is protected and working at its best possible speed.

What are common reasons for brain fog to occur?

Menopause
Reaction to allergen’s – food or seasonal
Hormone shifts
Early Alzheimer’s or Dementia
Extreme Stress
Lack of regular sleep (often due to not getting 6-8hours a night)
Depression and anxiety
Medications
Blood sugar dis-regulation

What are the symptoms?

The definition of brain fog is temporary diminishment of the mental capacity, reasoning and memory. Here are the things you can expect someone to say who has brain fog:

  • Repeating the same question because their brain doesn’t actually take the time to wait and listen to the answer
  • Trouble remember details of an event or daily life
  • Trouble remembering names and even faces
  • Getting distracted in the middle of a task and not being able to come back to that previous task to complete it.

What is the difference from brain fog and dementia?

Brain fog effects several areas of the brain such as, conscious reason, confusion, poor spatial awareness (clumsiness), memory and lack of concentration; while dementia only effects the memory part of the brain. Brain fog can be brought on by a lot of different causes such as stress, whereas dementia is most often symptomatic of a more serious disease such as Alzheimer’s.

How do I prevent Brain fog or dementia?

By knowing that brain fog or dementia runs in your family, you can create ways to prevent it from progressing or effecting your life.

  • Get regular sleep of 6-8 hours
  • Manage your blood sugar by making sure you eat protein with food even snacks
  • Get exercise which improves blood flow to the brain and to the body
  • Reduce stress
  • Remove any vitamin deficiencies
  • Learn new things

Once I have dementia or brain fog is there anything I can do?

Even though diminished brain function can’t always be reversed, you can recover significant amounts of ground through correcting imbalances in neurotransmitters, nutrient deficiencies, hormones, digestion and work – stress balance, and here is how:

  1. Take B- vitamins, especially B6 which is very important in the function of nerves and the brain
  2. Take nutritional sleep aids if you are having trouble sleeping such as melatonin, phospatidylserine etc. (please always consult a doctor first)
  3. Detox from either heavy metals or toxins to help the brain function better
  4. Fix digestion issues since the brain and gut function on an axis that is necessary for them both to work
  5. Avoid food’s that tend to cause brain inflammation or what we call molecular-mimicry, such as wheat which molecularly looks like the cerebellum and can cause brain fog and other issues

Huperzine and lion’s mane can be very helpful in improving cognitive function by improving neurotransmitter levels. (consult your doctor before use)
Brain exercises can be done through programs like Luminosity.com or taking a class and learning something new to you. Do what you are not good at -for example, an athlete will take an art class or an artist will take a sports class.
Exercise 20 minutes a day to improve blood flow and function of the heart as well as the brain.
Anti-inflammatory supplements and diet can also help if auto-immune disease is present such as fish oil, turmeric, boswellia and gluthione etc.

What is autoimmune disease?

23 Sep 2018 Your Overall Health ,

With Autoimmune issues on the rise today, people are more and more concerned with prevention and how to protect themselves.

What is an Autoimmune condition?

Whenever the body starts attacking its own tissue and cells, we characterize this as autoimmune. Some of the most common autoimmune conditions are hypothyroidism, gastro-intestinal issues, arthritis and many more. Autoimmune conditions are categorized by the organ they attack and are not currently being treated as an attack on the whole immune system.

Here are a small sample list of autoimmune diseases:

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Sjogren’s arthritis
  •  Lupus
  • Celiac Disease
  • Polymyalgia Rheumatica
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Vasculitis
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis
  • Type 1 Diabetes

What causes Autoimmune conditions?

As a growing number of conditions falls under the autoimmune category, we wonder the possible causes. Some are more likely to have auto-immunity in their families, some from toxins, more from poor diet (weight can play a factor), smoking, drug use (including prescription), severe or chronic stress and hormonal imbalances. There are more than 80 classified autoimmune diseases and they can be difficult to determine where they come from and which one you have.

What are the most common symptoms of Autoimmune disease?

  • Fatigue
  • Joint Pain
  • Swelling
  • Skin problems (like eczema)
  • Abdominal pain and discomfort
  • Recurring Fevers
  • Swollen Glands

If these symptoms sound vague and like the symptoms of a lot of different diseases, you would be right and this makes diagnosis so difficult.

What testing is done?

Doctor’s start with laboratory testing to determine which type or category of disease a patient has and may order the following tests:

  • Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA)
  • Autoantibodies (thyroid or other organ based)
  • Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
  • C-reactive Protein (CRP) Test
  • Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
  • Complement Test C1, C1q, C2, C3, C4, CH50, CH100, Total Complement

How is it treated?

Autoimmune conditions are treated in several ways such as diet, exercise, nutraceuticals, hormones, anti-inflammatories and sometimes steroids if the attack is severe enough. Most people try and use natural alternatives and only steroids when more severe attacks occur. Below is a list of treatments including Dr. Walker’s favorite functional medicine strategies:

  • Diet: Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP) similar to paleo but much stricter (see a basic list on our website link)
  • Exercise: Low impact exercise such as yoga, biking, swimming and walking with mild weight lifting being done as ability allows
  • Nutraceuticals: Vitamin A and D, Liposomal Glutathione, Short-chain Fatty acids, Turmeric, Boswellia, L-Glutamine, essential minerals (some of Dr. Walker’s list)
  • Steroids and autoimmune suppressants: in more severe cases: Hormones, estrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormone, melatonin to help balance the system.
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen and Naproxen

If you are struggling with what you think may be autoimmune don’t suffer alone, there are lots of health care professionals to help you and at our office we work together with your specialist to make sure you are uniting both functional medicine and Western care to have the best and healthiest you possible. We don’t want the feeling of sickness to prevent you from enjoying life!

The Chiropractic Approach to Low Back Pain

18 Jun 2018 Pain, Your Overall Health , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is back pain?

Back pain typically occurs in the lumbar spine and pelvic region otherwise known as the buttocks.  The pain can occur from a tightening of muscles or joints that get jammed due to a specific incident or small injuries that occur over time from work, athletics or even desk jobs.

What is the most common cause of back pain?

The most common cause of back pain is related to repetitive strain injuries that occur on the job or during daily activities.  Working on the computer, cooking, sewing or any activity that keeps you repeating the same movements from the same position can be the culprit of that nagging backache. The strain happens when either the muscles are tight and you are unable to stretch them, or when a joint is misaligned and the muscles become painful as they try to re-align the joint.

What are the less common types of back pain?

Degenerative disc disease, arthritis, herniation and neurologic conditions are all injuries that occur to the spine and more commonly in the low back.  These conditions will likely cause you great distress and you will need to seek a health care provider’s services.  The following symptoms require an immediate visit to your doctor:

  • History of cancer
  • Unexplained weight loss >10 kg within 6 months
  • Age over 50 years or under 17 years old
  • Failure to improve with therapy
  • Pain persists for more than 4 to 6 weeks
  • Night pain or pain at rest
  • Persistent fever (temperature over 100.4 F)
  • History of intravenous drug abuse
  • Organ transplant
  • Recent bacterial infection
  • Major muscle weakness
  • Trouble lifting your foot
  • Numbness and lower extremity weakness
  • Anal sphincter dysfunction
  • Recent trauma
  • History of osteoporosis

What are the basic causes of back pain?

  • Desk job
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Herniated disk
  • Gravity
  • Sports injury
  • Bacterial Infection
  • Fractures
  • Cancer
  • Repetitive strain
  • Jammed (misaligned) joints

Why see a Chiropractor instead of a massage therapist?

Chiropractic care helps re-align joints which stops the pain related to the muscles trying to push the joint back into alignment.  A typical response to this type of pain might be to stretch or get a massage.  While this might temporarily ease the pain, if you don’t re-align the joints, the muscles will loyally return to their job of trying to push the joint back into place and you will be back in pain once again.  This isn’t to say that massage can’t be a terrific partner in getting rid of long term pain. We feel that massage and chiropractic can make an excellent team!

Getting adjusted not only will help relieve your low back pain, but offers other health benefits as well.  According to research by Sean M. Hannon, BA, DC, chiropractic adjustment can result in the following physiologic changes:            

  • Increased strength
  • Increased oxygen consumption capacity
  • Increased range of motion
  • Decreased pain
  • Increase cardiac regulation
  • Increased immunity

Considering these benefits, it is easy to see why athletes and other health conscious people seek out regular chiropractic care. If you suffer from chronic or even occasional back pain, contact our office.  We can help!

What are some of the techniques we use to treat low back pain?

Our doctors are trained in many different types of adjustment techniques ranging from hands-on to instrument adjusting.  They also use different types of soft tissue therapies that can benefit an injury whether it is chronic or acute.  Treating both joint and soft tissue issues allows an injury more complete resolution than either alone.  The techniques used are:

  • Graston – soft-tissue and fascia therapy
  • Activator – instrument adjusting (non-force)
  • Sacro-occipital Technique (SOT) – Use of pelvic alignment (non-force)
  • Diversified Adjustment – Manual medicine with hands
  • Thompson Drop Adjustment – Using the table to increase speed of adjustment but not the pressure put on a body
  • Quantum Neurology – instrument adjusting (non-force) uses nerve reflexes as well
  • Gonstead – Classic manual chiropractic adjustment
  • Kinesio tape – muscle therapy and proprioceptive training using tape
  • Cranio-sacral technique – hands-on soft-tissue manipulation
  • Pediatric and Pregnancy Specific adjustments – hands on but specifically designed for certain times of life
  • Webster Technique – pelvis alignment for turning breech babies

How to stay on the Diet you Choose at the Holidays

14 Dec 2017 Your Overall Health , ,

Present your diet as a get “Healthy Plan” instead of a weight loss plan.

People are pretty excited about someone pursuing health but the we often get jealous of someone potentially losing more weight than themselves (there is an oddly sabotaging attitude about this issue).    Also as a doctor I would much rather people think about making dietary changes for healthful reasons than weight being the motivation.

Be upfront

Tell people what you are eating and what you have to avoid so they won’t think you are insulting their famous cookies or family pot roast recipe.  People are more likely to feel important and validated if they know up front you won’t be eating so they don’t focus on you not eating their food.

Come prepared

Bring your own foods especially if your diet change is due to finding some new food allergies.  If you suddenly can’t eat dairy then some holiday favorites may not be available to you. Coming prepared with your own food/drink will help you enjoy your holidays all the more.

Remember that your family loves you and just wants to share.

Especially grandparents like to cook for people they love and this may be upsetting to them if you refuse their food, but it isn’t about  them.  Your diet is important to you and they should respect that; they may give you a hard time only because they feel hurt you aren’t trying their food.  Remember that you love your family always.

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