bookmark_borderHow To Get Well

Don’t know what’s wrong and not sure where to turn for expert medical advice and treatment?

If you have a serious chronic condition, it may help you to know that it will take time to reverse a process that has developed over many years. There is no quick fix or magic bullet available for most chronic degenerative disorders. It takes a physician like Dr. Singer to apply good, scientific medical knowledge to help the healing process begin.

Maybe it’s time to visit Dr. Jonathan Singer, one of the pioneers in combining traditional medical care and natural treatments at his health care clinic in Denver, Colorado.

 
Dr. Jonathan Singer Understands When You Just Don’t Feel Well:
Visit Dr. Jonathan Singer’s Website

bookmark_borderAcupressure

by Dr. Martin Orimenko – Live Well Holistic Health Center, Ardmore PA

Acupressure and acupuncture are ancient natural healing methods that have been around for more than two thousand years. These natural modalities are based on the idea that stimulation of specific points on the surface of the body stimulates the flow of vital energy which moves through our bodies along pathways known as ‘meridians’, separate from the nerve pathways. This vital energy keeps us healthy and balanced. The acupuncture points occur along these meridian pathways which course through our bodies from head to toe, dipping in and back out of the vital organs, and affecting every physiological function.

Acupressure and acupuncture have been effective treatment modalities for thousands of people seeking an alternative and natural treatment, especially when the modalities they were trying previously were either not working or were to invasive or dangerous, such as surgery. The way acupressure and acupuncture works according to traditional Chinese doctors is that the stimulation of select pressure points on the body “moves stagnant chi” or life force energy. According to TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), any lesion or problem area in the body will have stagnation of the flow of chi, and stimulation of certain points will clear this stagnation, bringing life force energy to the area, facilitating the body’s natural healing mechanisms. According to western science acupressure/acupuncture increases the flow of blood through the area, again facilitating the body’s healing mechanisms. It also relaxes muscles and reduces pain and inflammation.

Stimulating acupressure/acupuncture points by various means can facilitate hundreds of different positive effects in the body. In ancient times the points were stimulated with simple finger pressure. Later the Chinese used bamboo slivers. Then, when the industrial age unfolded, stainless steel needles were created and have been used ever since. With the new technological age came the development of refined electrical instruments and lasers and use of these devices for treating acupuncture points has proven to be very effective. Dr. Martin Orimenko uses both lasers and refined electrical instruments in his treatments as well as the original finger pressure or ‘acupressure’. This approach is gentle, harmless and highly effective. Kids love it!

There also exists a wonderful system of acupuncture known as ‘auricular therapy’ or ear acupuncture. There is a very detailed map of the entire body in the ear, three times more detailed than in foot reflexology, than can be extremely effective for treating many health issues. Not only are the body parts represented, but there are also specific points for a wide variety of conditions such as allergies, depression, hypertension, skin conditions, constipation and addictions, to name a few. Needles are often used, but I prefer a special instrument that not only detects imbalanced, low-energy points, but also treats them with an adjustable micro-amp electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture / acupressure is a wonderful healing modality that has withstood the test of time and is a great alternative to more invasive or drug related medical treatments. Acupressure and acupuncture can be used as alternative healing methods for treating sports injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, migraines, allergies and asthma, hormonal imbalances, PMS/Menstrual Imbalances, High Blood Pressure, Digestive Issues, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Insomnia, TMJ, Children’s Health, ADD/ADHD and Fertility.

About the Author: Dr. Martin Orimenko is a Chiropractor, Naturopath and Nutritionist who practices a unique blend of different holistic modalities in treating patients of all ages for a wide range of health conditions. Dr. Orimenko is currently available for treatments at his MainLine natural health center, the Live Well Holistic Health Center in Ardmore, PA Acupressure and Auricular Therapy are just a few of the modalities that he employs to support health and wellness in his natural healing practice. Other modalities include kinesiology, nutrition and cleansing, neuro-emotional technique, ayurveda, and natural supplement prescriptions.

bookmark_borderFooling Our Bodies, Fooling Ourselves

America has become the greatest “Pop” culture in the world… as in popping pills to make us feel better. Got a headache? Take an aspirin. Can’t sleep? Take a sleeping pill. Depressed? Take an anti-depressant, and so on. Men over 40 are urged to pop a “love pill” in order to be able to “perform” in bed. The mantras of the pharmaceutical industry are being chanted to us over and over again; each time we turn on the TV we are bombarded with commercials that tout the miraculous effects of such-and-such a drug, followed by a myriad of
possible side effects, including death! But the mantra goes on, chanting us into a dangerous illusion that everything will be alright if we just take that pill…

Wait a minute… Is there not something terribly wrong with this picture? Are our bodies so innately dysfunctional that we have no other choice than to hope the doctor will figure out which drugs or surgery are going to solve our problem? The answer to the last question is NO. I have nothing personal against doctors – in fact, I probably wouldn’t be here today without them. However, the system into which they have been trained – and entrained – more often than not, doesn’t respect the natural healing mechanism of our bodies, assuming instead that when a function goes wrong it must be “fixed” by drugs or surgery. Diet
and nutrition are wholly underestimated in the healing process, as are lifestyle and relationships. Medicine has become so compartmentalized and specialized that we tend to concentrate on the details of a particular ailment and lose the greater picture of what is actually happening for the patient. The myth that the medical industry has all the answers is so prevalent that the bodies that it is supposed to heal have little or no say in their own healing process.

Yes, I did say “bodies”, and not “people”. The point I am trying to make here is that we tend to forget that our bodies are not just machines that could use an oil change from time to time. They have their own “consciousness”, and often try to tell us things that we don’t necessarily want to hear. When our body experiences pain, it is telling us that something is wrong and needs to be attended to. Annoying as it can be, pain serves a vital function and must be respected for the message it conveys. Which is not to say that nothing should be done to alleviate the pain, once the message has been acknowledged.
This is a dilemma that modern medicine has created, since it is based on symptomology, which dictates that we treat symptoms instead of taking a look at the bigger picture and figuring out “the cause of the cause of the cause”, just as Hippocrates once stated. Instead of running around trying to put out the fire wherever it pops up, we need to find the reason behind it, whether it be purely physiological, mental, emotional, or even “energetic”. Some of us believe that disease has an energetic cause, meaning that it originates in the energetic field of the person. Looking at health in this way is called a “holistic” view. This term has been overused and abused, but it still has a meaning that no other word can convey: “whole”. And this is the way that we came into this world, as “whole” beings, not just a digestive tube or a nervous system, or a bunch of limbs, a trunk and a head. We are Whole beings, complete with our own unique energies that enable us to function as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual beings.

Looking at things from a greater perspective, one could make the analogy between how our cells work together to create harmony in our bodies (homeostasis) and how our human societies work. As long as our bodies, and our societies, have the necessary elements (healthy food, clean air and water, shelter and clothing, good relationships with self and with one another), both bodies and societies can live in harmony. In our bodies, our cells work hard to build new cells, create tissues, organs and systems, get rid of waste, etc. However, at this time in history, they are constantly being bombarded with new and strange chemicals that they don’t recognize and have no clue what to do with them. Communicating amongst each other, stressed and overworked, they find solutions to deal with these chemicals, such as creating specific, delineated areas to dump the toxic waste, that we call tumors. But when the toxic waste becomes so abundant that the cells can’t even perform their basic functions, the “toxic waste dumps” become overloaded and run into the rest of the body, which could be what we call metastasis. If enough toxic waste overruns the vital systems, the organism shuts down and dies. This is an oversimplified
representation, its purpose being to demonstrate movement and flow, not to prove a point.

In a similar way, human societies are dealing with an overload of unnatural stimuli (drugs, alcohol, toxic TV, artificially imposed work hours, etc.), which push a certain number of us into erratic, unhealthy behavior, such as addiction and violence. Wanting to stop the damage, the system puts those individuals who cannot cope with the system’s constraints into delineated areas (prisons, mental institutions, special schools) but doesn’t realize that its own obsessive behavior (imposition of rules dictated by a few to control the masses) is the cause of the diseased society in the first place. If the cells of the brain suddenly
decided to dictate to the kidneys what they are supposed to do, the body would disintegrate into chaos. It is actually the cells of the kidneys that inform the brain of the levels of sodium and potassium, as well as the blood volume; the brain cells in turn produce hormones to regulate those levels. But one cannot work without the other, and a brain cell has no more importance than a kidney cell to the life of the organism.

This brings me to the crux of this article, which has to do with vaccinations. Vaccinations are the ultimate example of how we, in this society, have been fooling our bodies, and thus fooling ourselves into believing that we are doing something good for our bodies, and thus for society, by getting vaccinated. According to Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com, there is no hard scientific evidence supporting the idea that vaccines can somehow trick our bodies into protecting us from disease. Most of the diseases that we receive vaccines for have disappeared, not because of the vaccines, but because of improved hygiene. Take a look at some vaccine history, gathered from reputable sources like “The Lancet” and “Journal of the American Medical Association”, appearing here thanks to Natural News:

In the 1970`s a tuberculosis vaccine trial in India involving 260,000 people revealed that more cases of TB occurred in the vaccinated than the unvaccinated. (The Lancet 12/1/80 p73)

In 1977, Dr Jonas Salk, who developed the first polio vaccine, testified along with other scientists that mass inoculation against polio was the cause of most polio cases throughout the USA since 1961. (Science 4/4/77 “Abstracts” )

‐ In 1978, a survey of 30 States in the US revealed that more than half of the children who contracted measles had been adequately vaccinated. (The People`s Doctor, Dr R Mendelsohn)

‐ In 1979, Sweden abandoned the whooping cough vaccine due to its ineffectiveness. Out of 5,140 cases in 1978, it was found that 84% had been vaccinated three times! (BMJ 283:696‐697, 1981)

‐The February 1981 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 90% of obstetricians and 66% of pediatricians refused to take the rubella vaccine.

‐ In the USA, the cost of a single DPT shot had risen from 11 cents in 1982 to $11.40 in 1987. The manufacturers of the vaccine were putting aside $8 per shot to cover legal costs and damages they were paying out to parents of brain damaged children and children who
died after vaccination. (The Vine, Issue 7, January 1994, Nambour, Qld)

‐ In Oman between 1988 and 1989, a polio outbreak occurred amongst thousands of fully vaccinated children. The region with the highest attack rate had the highest vaccine coverage. The region with the lowest attack rate had the lowest vaccine coverage. (The Lancet, 21/9/91)

‐ In the USA, from July 1990 to November 1993, the US Food and Drug Administration counted a total of 54,072 adverse reactions following vaccination. The FDA admitted that this number represented only 10% of the real total, because most doctors were refusing to report vaccine injuries. In other words, adverse reactions for this period exceeded half a million! (National Vaccine Information Centre, March 2, 1994)

The yearly influenza vaccines are prepared using guesswork, not knowing at all which strains of the virus will be predominant. Many people receiving the flu shot do actually get the flu, and often experience flu symptoms more severely than those who are not vaccinated. There have been thousands, if not millions, of vaccination-related accidents, resulting in death or serious impairment of mental and/or physical capacities. These accidents are not always documented, as we saw in the statement released by the National Vaccine Information Center, and never publicized by the drug companies, whose financial interest comes before public welfare. Again, I have nothing against the individuals working for these companies, who are just trying to do a good job and make a
living in a system that caters to the rich and tricks the rest of us into believing we somehow have a chance to “make it rich”. However, the people at the heads of these pharmaceutical giants need to take responsibility for their actions, and instead of asking the Secretary of Health for blanket legal immunity in case of adverse reactions from the H1N1 vaccine, should be taking every precaution to make darned sure that no one will ever have an adverse reaction of any kind to their flu shots. Cut to 25 year-old Desiree Jennings, victim of a flu shot that
robbed her of her ability to walk forward, or to speak coherently. She can walk backwards and run forward, and incidentally when she runs forward her speech becomes normal. Even a one-in-a-million chance of this happening should never be tolerated!

There are many ways of helping our bodies improve their natural immunity, without having to inject toxic waste into them. Eliminating artificial molecules found in our diets and medicine is a good start – drinking clean water is essential, and of course breathing fresh, clean air. Even if we don’t necessarily have access to a totally natural, organic diet and clean water and air, we can still help our bodies to build their own immunities by making sure that we deal with our stress, by getting enough exercise and sunshine, and by learning to breathe in a slow and rhythmic way. Consciousness is the key to living a
healthy, happy life. Becoming conscious of our movements, our bodies, our thoughts and feelings, will help us to go within and listen to our bodies, listen to ourselves. For we have the answers to all of our questions, if only we allow ourselves to go to that place where they are found, in the center of our being where all exists, and all is one.

I realize that this may be difficult for many of us, but I must insist on the fact that most of the difficulty resides in the mind. Our minds are fabulous instruments, but only when they serve our greater purpose, and not the other way around. The analogy I evoked earlier applies here as well: one group of people in power does not serve the greater good very well. In our society, the intellect has been propelled into an all-important role, leaving intuition and emotional intelligence in the dust. By putting the intellect back in its place and giving our other mental and emotional functions their due respect, we increase our chances of becoming happy, healthy individuals, and thus helping to create a more just, healthy and happy society.

So popping pills is not the answer. Nor is getting a vaccination. The only real answer to questions about our health lies within ourselves, and within Nature, who has provided us for millions of years with all the remedies we could ever dream of. We walk upon the Earth, who has supported our lives and our societies for generations, and has never asked for a thing in return. Perhaps we owe her some respect, recognition for all that has been offered to us, instead of
pillaging and raping all that can be exploited from her. In native societies, rape does not exist. Women are treated with the respect that the Mother Earth deserves, and gets. We would do well to learn from these native societies, and treat our bodies, and ourselves, with the respect that we deserve.

Sarah Dickinson Murray,
Medical Intuitive and Natural Health Consultant

Wilmington, Delaware
October 28th, 2009

bookmark_borderMore insurers are paying for alternative remedies

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione, Ap Medical Writer – 23 mins ago

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is one in an occasional Associated Press series on their use and potential risks.

___

Acupuncture, not pain pills that “make me loopy,” is what Cynde Durnford-Branecki wants for her aching back, and a treatment costs her only a $20 copayment.

“If I didn’t have insurance, there’s no way I could afford to go,” said the 51-year-old graphic designer who lives in San Diego.

After years of being lobbied for more choice, insurers and employers increasingly are covering alternative therapies. There are even alternative “HMOs” — networks of nontraditional providers that sell services to big employers and individuals.

It is one of the last frontiers for moving alternative medicine into the mainstream, fans say. Some are pushing to require or expand coverage as part of health care reform.

Choice may sound like a good idea, but it can lead more people to use remedies they may not realize are of unproven value. It also can mean the people who use those treatments will wind up paying for them, rather than have their insurer pay for proven remedies. Here’s how:

_Insurers only cover a narrow range of alternative services for specific conditions where there is evidence of value, such as chiropractors for some types of back pain. But these services are marketed for many other uses that lack such proof, such as chiropractic treatments for asthma or ear infections, and acupuncture for high blood pressure or insomnia. Patients can be stuck with the tab, even though the provider is in their insurer’s network.

_Most insurers do not pay for herbals and dietary supplements because they are of unproven safety and worth. Yet some insurers, such as Aetna, let sellers advertise supplements to members, which can imply a benefit and coverage. Kaiser Permanente’s HMO carries many supplements in its pharmacies and allows its network doctors to “prescribe” ones that it then sells to members, who pay the full cost.

The result: Consumers who choose alternatives can wind up paying a greater share of their health care. Every person who chooses St. John’s wort instead of Prozac for depression, red yeast rice instead of Lipitor for lowering cholesterol, or an unproven therapy instead of a visit to a medical doctor, pays out of pocket and saves the insurer money.

Insurers insist that saving money is not their motivation for offering or promoting alternative remedies.

“In no way would it benefit Aetna to have our members using harmful things,” said Aetna spokeswoman Wendy Morphew.

Instead, these companies say they are offering the choice that consumers have long demanded, and a safer way to get supplements that people already are buying from sources of dubious quality.

“We’re not suggesting you buy this. But if you buy this, here is a place to get it safely,” said R. Douglas Metz, a chiropractor who is chief health services officer of American Specialty Health Inc., of San Diego.

It is the largest of about half a dozen firms that provide complementary and alternative medicine services to insurers, employers and individuals. Like an HMO, it has 15,000 chiropractors, 6,000 acupuncturists, 6,000 massage therapists and others in its network.

About 13 million Americans are covered or eligible to use its services, including Durnford-Branecki, who works for the firm.

Aetna became one of its customers two years ago. A recent Aetna newsletter told members they could get at least a 15 percent discount and free shipping on more than 2,400 health and wellness products offered through American Specialty, including vitamin and herbal supplements, aromatherapy products and homeopathic remedies.

“They offered a great program,” credentialing providers in their network and finding good supplement suppliers, said Robin Downey, head of product development for Aetna.

“We have members who come to us and ask us for these services. When we can get a discount for them, that’s something we are able to pass on,” although Aetna also recommends that members talk with their primary doctors about anything they plan to try, she said.

The discount program is “an offering,” not a recommendation to use a product, said Dr. Robert McDonough, who develops clinical policies for Aetna.

Metz, of American Specialty Health, said: “We only sell products for which there is no known evidence of risk. Our rule is, if a healthy person can safely take the product we will sell it.”

However, he sees great danger in people diagnosing and treating their own ailments, a mindset he described as “I’ve got a headache and I’m going to go on the Internet and see if there’s a dietary supplement that can help me.”

Metz also does not use any of these remedies himself.

“The sense that dietary supplements are safe because they’re natural is not something that I believe,” he said.

bookmark_borderHolistic, Alternative and Integrative Medicine

There are a wide range of different forms of holistic, alternative and complementary treatments, many with differing philosophies, but what they all have in common is seeing people as consisting of more than just a physical body. Therapy is aimed at the whole person, who is seen as a unique individual, an inter-relationship of physical, emotional, and spiritual components. A brief note on terminology: at one time the word used for these different forms of attempting to heal was “alternative” medicine. Gradually it has become known as “complementary” to highlight the fact that it can be used to complement conventional medicine. More people like to think of it as “integrative” care, in which an individual can integrate both conventional medical treatment and complementary therapy approaches.

Dr. Andrew Lipton, D.O. – Family Practice, Osteopathy, Chelation/IV Therapy, Nutrition – Main Line of Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania

Dr. Marina Yanover, ND, LAc – Naturopathic Medicine Family Practice & Acupuncture – New York City, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Connecticut

Dr. Ronald Dushkin, M.D. – Homeopathic Medicine and Alternative Medicine – New York City and Northern New Jersey (NJ)

Dr. Jonathan Singer, D.O. – Preventive Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Holistic Family Medicine – Denver, Colorado (CO) and Cheyenne, Wyoming (WY)

Live Well Holistic Health Center – Dr. Martin Orimenko, DC, ND, FIACA – Director – Chiropractic and Body Work, Massage, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Nutrition, Cleansing, Ayurvedic Medicine, Emotional and Lifestyle Counseling, Nutritional Supplements – Ardmore, PA, Main Line PA, Philadelphia, Southeastern PA

Ame Salon and Spa
– Holistic Wellness, Massage, Reiki, Nutrition, Integrative Medicine – Wayne, Delaware County PA, Main Line PA, Southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware

Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurveda is the name of the 5000 year-old comprehensive system of medicine that combines natural therapies with a highly personalized approach to the treatment of disease. Ayurvedic Medicine places equal emphasis on body, mind and spirit, and strives to restore the innate harmony and balance in each individual. It involves a system of constitutional (metabolic body type) diagnosis and herbal therapeutics, cleansing methods, lifestyle and diet, designed to guide an individual back into harmony with his or her environment.

Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a system of medical treatment originated by Samuel Hahnemann in Europe 200 years ago. This natural and effective medical system is currently in use throughout the world, and is enjoying a renaissance in the United States. Philadelphia’s Hahnemann Hospital was founded as a homeopathic hospital, as was the Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania. Homeopathic practitioners administer small but energetically-active doses of natural substances to persons with an illness, in order to “signal” their systems to respond more completely, so that the illness may be resolved. Treatment is based on each individual’s “constitution”, or unique qualities based on physical, emotional, spiritual, and historical elements. These natural medicines are regulated by the FDA and are manufactured under the strict guidelines of the Homeopathic Pharmacopea. Homeopathic treatment can be used in the treatment of people with acute, recurrent and chronic conditions.

Holistic Nursing
Holistic nurses have the unique ability to provide services which facilitate wholeness. The concepts of Holistic Nursing are based on a broad and eclectic academic background, a sensitive balance between art and science, analytical and intuitive skills, and the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of modalities to promote the harmonious balance of human energy systems. The holistic nurse assists people to assume personal responsibility for wellness.

Immunological Testing
Technologies now exist which allow the measurement of the cell populations directly involved in the immune system. These are referred to as T cells, B cells and natural killer cells. The immune system is our first line of defense against the constant assault by bacteria, viruses and environmental pollutants. A weakened immune system can result from improper nutrition, bacteria, viruses, stress, cancer, cancer treatments or depression increases susceptibility to disease. With medical supervision, and immune testing individuals may be better directed to complementary treatment programs.

IV/Chelation Therapies
Chelation Therapy is a method wich can be used for drawing toxins and metabolic wastes from the bloodstream. Chelating agents, administered intravenously, are used to remove arterial plaque, rid the body of toxic metals, and reduce internal inflammation. Chelation has been used with degenerative diseases, arthritis, diabetes, scleroderma, and lupus. By restoring circulation in the body, in some cases chelation therapy may help with cardiac and circulation problems. Chelation practitioners hold certification from the College of Advancement in Medicine, and require medical supervision.

Nurse Midwifery
Certified, alternative form of women’s health care, includes full-scope OB-GYN care with annual exams, birth control, breast checks, pap smearsand other gynecological testing, as well as prenatal care and delivery.

Osteopathy
Since its inception over 100 years ago, the central tenets of osteopathic medicine are on prevention as well as cure, and to treat the patient as awhole rather than narrowly focusing on a specific ailment. The best known part of osteopathy is osteopathic manipulation, which is based on an understanding of the inter-relationships of the structure and the function of the body. In treating patients, osteopathic doctors generally utilize various forms of physical manipulation, which allow the body’s innate healing mechanism to operate more efficiently.