Acupuncture & Herb Clinic in Cape May County NJ

Herbal Medicine- Is It Safe?

With the recent arrival of Spring, plant life is in full bloom everywhere. It seems everyone is grateful for the re-emergence of Life from its long Winter sleep! Gardeners are working in their yards, people are out strolling, taking in the vibrant colors and familiar smells of the season. This appreciation of Nature's gifts and plant life is shared among all humans that inhabit the globe.

In most cultures, plants are used extensively for their healing capabilities. Until the last 60 years, plants were the predominant form of medicine in the United States. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of all remedies used around the world are plant-based. Another interesting fact is that many of the pharmaceuticals used in America are still made of, or were originally made from, herbs and plants. For example, menthol in cough syrups and topical ointments comes from mint, while the salicylic acid used in aspirin is made from white willow bark.

In my practice, I am often asked "Is herbal medicine safe?". This is a very good question, and there are really many aspects to this question. Key points for discussion are: Is the use of a plant for the purpose of healing my body safe? Are the herbs pure and free of contaminants? Will the herbs interact with any of the pharmaceuticals I am taking?

The question of safety regarding the use of plants for healing can be addressed as follows: Many herbal medicines can be thought of as "superfoods" that are just as safe as the vegetables and plants that we eat for dinner. The herbs are a little more wild, and perhaps tough, so that we cannot just steam them up to eat them. Instead, we have to boil them and drink them as tea.

Many medicinal herbs are unfamiliar to us and not ordinarily consumed like we would plants such as broccoli and asparagus. However, when prescribed by a degreed Herbalist they also can be used safely and effectively. The herb companies that our center contracts with represent industry leaders. Their products are stringently tested for the presence of heavy metals, pesticides, and any other contaminants. These companies are certified and third party-tested to the highest standard. It is very important when using herbs to deal only with companies proven to be of the highest caliber.

Finally, a concern of many patients is how an herbal preparation might interact with any pharmaceutical drugs they are taking. The risk of an adverse interaction is very low when herbs are used under the guidance of a trained Herbalist working in conjunction with the patient and their Physician.

Schedule a Consultation at the New Eastern Health Center to see if Herbal Medicine is right for you.

to learn more about Herbs and acupuncture in South Jersey visit www.neweasternhealth.com

Rejuvenation Workshop:  June 6th & 7th

           Includes two days of group & individual healing arts to
                   optimize health and uplift Mind, Body & Spirit.

• Two morning yoga classes

• Two lectures (12:30pm ea. day):"Invest in Your Health & Strategies for Optimal Health"

• Therapeutic Massage w/Essestial oils to encourage removal of   toxins

• Balancing Acupuncture Treatment

CALL EARLY: Space limited: Create your schedule to suit your learning / healing style.  
INVESTMENT: EARLY registration $230.00 (or $250.00 after 5/31/09)
Payment Method: Cash or Check (payable to Sunstone)
Register by Phone or request registration form by mail:
 609.368.0222#2 OR #3 (Amy Sue or Michele)

Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Care of Cancer Patients

   Nowhere does the promise of Integrative Medicine, the blending of the best of alternative and conventional approaches, hold so much promise than in the field of cancer management.
   Cancer is a very complex medical condition.  One of the reasons that cancer is so difficult to treat, is that cancer is not just the isolated disease of cancer.  Each different region of a person's body in which cancer grows represents a unique and seperate disease entity. Scientific breakthroughs in cancer treatment are developing daily, and we have come a long way in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with cancer.
   Traditional Chinese Medicine holds tremendous potential in the management of cancer patients. When patients are undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments, it is often not a case of whether the treatments will eliminate the disease, but rather the case of whether the patient can tolerate and continue these treatments long enough for them to be fully effective.  Acupuncture treatments provide an effective way to strengthen a patient's energy to tolerate these treatments.  Additionally, Acupuncture is recognized by the National Institute of Health as being highly effective in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea.  Another reason that cancer patients should enlist the help of an acpuncturist would be to alleviate some of the often severe pain associated with cancer and cancer treatments.
   During the course of chemotherapy treatments, cancer patients are monitored to ensure that they have an adequate level of red and white blood cells.   If their level of healthy blood cells drops below a certain level, they must hold on further treatments until that level comes back up. Specific herbs have the ability to boost levels of red and white blood cells dramatically, allowing patients to complete their course of cancer therapy. During my clinical interships at the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine, I witnessed firsthand the almost miraculous ability of Herbs to boost those blood cell levels.
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds the tremendous potential to teach patients how to live a lifestyle that is considered to lower the risk for the development of cancer.  This stems from a theory called Yang Shen, or "nourishing life". As the incidence of cancer in our modern world is becoming more prevalent, Traditional Chinese Medicine is being called upon as a largely preventative medicine to teach people how to live balanced and healthy lives.

visit www.neweasternhealth.com to learn more

During the time of the Industrial Revolution, our civilization began to spend significantly more time indoors. It was discovered that certain types of bone diseases had become common. In children, stunted growth and deformity was observed, soon to be known as Rickets. Adults suffered from a thinning of the bones called Osteomalacia. It was discovered that these conditions were due to a deficiency of the vital nutrient vitamin D. This vitamin is created in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. In response to the emerging indoor lifestyle, several industrialized countries began to fortify dairy and cereal products with this essential nutrient. An improvement in bone health was the outcome.

Recently, it has come to the attention of the scientific and medical communities that vitamin D deficiency is again widespread amongst our general population. A study performed on a group of children living in the northeastern United States found that 75 percent of the participants had seriously low vitamin D levels.

Why this widespread vitamin D deficiency? There may be a connection between the lack of time spent outdoors, possibly combined with the use of sunblock, and the recent rise in vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is unique as no food contains vitamin D in great concentrations. The Inuit population of the polar north was able to obtain satisfactory amounts of this vitamin by feasting on cold water fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This does not seem like an appetizing option for the rest of us. Obtaining the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D through fortified milk would require us to drink ten glasses a day. Got Milk?

Research is emerging that vitamin D deficiency is involved in many disease processes thought previously unrelated. Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in conditions such as colon and breast cancers, depression, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and certain autoimmune diseases. Lack of vitamin D is also suspect in increased risk of catching the flu.

Exposing the skin to the sun for 15 minutes a day a few times a week allows the body to produce vitamin D. However, that is only if you live in a geographic area that receives a high enough concentration of UVB rays. People who live north of an imaginary line drawn from Los Angeles, California to Columbia, South Carolina would not receive strong enough rays to produce enough vitamin D during the winter months. This poses a problem for those who spend the winter in New Jersey. For those of us who do spend our winter months in the northern latitudes, it is advisable to research a quality vitamin D supplement.

There are very few supplements that I choose to use on a daily basis, preferring to rely on healthy foods and herbs for nutrients. Vitamin D, however is a part of my regular routine. Here at the New Eastern Health Center we have a vitamin D supplement available, a natural form of superior quality vitamin D3 that it is easily metabolized.

Breathwork as a means for Health and Wellness.

A study was done on centegenarians(those who live to be 100) from all over the globe. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors surrounding these individuals remarkable longevity. The observers investigated various data such as location, climate, food sources, cultural and religious values, and the individuals mental/emotional outlook. It was found that many of these centegenarians shared commonality across several areas of factors investigated. However it was observed that almost 100 percent of the subjects of this study engaged in slow deep abdominal breathing.

Traditional Asian Medicine has valued the role of deep breathing in maintaining and promoting health since ancient times. Breathwork is considered to be as valuable as methods such as acupuncture or herbal medicine for healing. The combination of deep abdominal breathing with slow movements is known as Qigong(“chee-kung”) in the Chinese culture. The Chinese martial arts such as Tai Chi and Kung Fu all place great emphasis on abdominal breathing. Chinese Opera singers are also masters of abdominal breathing.

The western medical community is now recognizing breathwork as beneficial to a wide array of bodily processes. Relaxed breath control efficiently switches the central nervous system to the parasympathetic mode, which is the exact opposite of the stressed out “flight or fight” mode that we all too often find ourselves in. Dr Andrew Weil, a Harvard trained M.D. states that “stress is a leading cause in every disease process within the body.” The body, when residing in a relaxed state increases blood circulation, improves digestion and elimination as well as regulates the hearbeat. Recently, The Harvard medical press reported that breathing exercises can have a lowering or stabilizing effect on the blood pressure.

On a mechanical level deep diaphragmatic breathing acts like a 'second heart' in the diaphragm region to circulate blood throughout the internal organs as well as to the periphery of the body. This improved circulation has the effect of cleansing of tissues as well as stimulating the endocrine system. The cleansing and purifying aspect of deep breathwork reaches down to the cellular level. Germs, viruses and bacteria cannot survive in a high oxygen environment within the body. When we practice deep breathing we can activate and strengthen our immune system to fight off infection and disease.

There are two components to a breath: inspiration and expiration. The word inspiration and its root inspire have the original meaning of: to be with spirit or to be infused with spirit. There are many cultures around the world that believe one can gain spiritual peace through various methods of breathing. This applies to us in the field of health in that Breathwork can be greatly beneficial in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders. When we are in an anxious or stressed state, on a physical level we breathe shallowly and quickly. The mind and the body are like a feedback system whereby they each influence the other. Conversely practicing deep relaxed breathing is a physical practice that invariably brings about a resultant relaxation in the quality of mind and emotions.

To find out more about Breathwork or Qigong contact us here at The New Eastern Health Center. Qi gong and Tai Chi classes are beginning now, call to enroll.or visit  www.neweasternhealth.com

It is late in the day at the end of a stressful work week...you've been pushing yourself in a frantic rush to beat deadlines.  All of sudden, it catches up to you...as the deep, dull pressure starts throbbing in your head. Does this sound familiar?  Well, you're not alone...

• Physicians report that patients complain more of headache than of any other single ailment.  
• Headache is a leading cause of absenteeism in the workplace and accounts for the loss of some 150 million workdays per year in the United States alone.
• Over 90% of adults have had at least some degree of headache within the last year.
• It is estimated that 10 million people in the United States seek medical help for the treatment of headaches.

 
Headaches come in various forms ranging from simple tension headaches to the more serious migraine headache.  A tension headache is often described as a non-throbbing, mild-to-moderate headache on both sides or generally over the head. Migraine headache is usually a severe, often throbbing, pain more often in one temple or over towards the eye, or on both sides of the head. Migraine headache may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and noise, and may be increased with movement. Important to note is that some headaches are a symptom of a serious medical condition. You should seek medical attention if your headaches are undiagnosed and/or are in this category.

How are tension headaches or migraines usually managed?  Headache sufferers are the main purchasers of the 20,000 tons of aspirin, plus much of the acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other non-prescription medications, consumed yearly in the United States. 
 
Episodes of tension or migraine headaches can be treated with alternative methods that offer little or no side effects. Acupuncture has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of simple tension headaches as well as migraine headaches.  A study performed by the Center for Complementary Medicine Research in Germany has shown acupuncture to be more effective than medication in the treatment of migraine headaches. The treatment of migraine headaches with acupuncture is most successful as a program of regular acupuncture treatments geared at diminishing future attacks. Migraine sufferers who engage in regular acupuncture treatments report less frequency of episodes as well as diminished intensity of the migraine attacks. 

So the next time you find yourself stressed out with that familiar "vise-like" feeling wrapping around your head, give your local acupuncturist a call....you'll be glad you did.
visit www.neweasternhealth.com to learn more

The Way of Healthy Weight Loss

A four part seminar.  Join us for an informative, fun, transformational class about how Natural Medicine can lead to permanent Weight Control.  

Call 609-827-4366  To Sign-up.  visit www.neweasternhealth.com