Maryland Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine Blog | Integrative Health Centers

National IBS Awareness Month (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Susan Miller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:36:19 +0000

Written by Christina Rutheiser,CNHP

In honor of National IBS Awareness month [http://www.aboutibs.org/site/about-ibs/april-ibs-awareness-month] here are Holistic Nutrition Consultant Christina Rutheiser’s top tips for natural approaches to managing this condition:

Manage stress with a comprehensive program including nutrition, breathing, writing exercises, stretching or other gentle movement.

Exclude dietary allergies and intolerances as root causes-elimination diet can be a useful tool. Common allergens are wheat, cheese/dairy, corn, and eggs.

Address yeast issues (candida overgrowth) if applicable.

Eliminate processed / packaged foods and sugar-focus on whole fresh foods with fiber and enzymes.

Avoid caffeine, coffee, soda, nuts, seeds, dairy, citrus, wheat and fried foods while healing.

Digestive enzymes with pancreatin or protease-take according to label directions at the beginning of each meal. Helps digest food, especially proteins, which will help to alleviate / avoid an autoimmune response to undigested food particles.

Acupuncture can help to strengthen the qi in the spleen, stomach and kidneys.

Drinking adequate water is extremely important for both constipation and diarrhea.

Eating 25-40 grams of fiber, especially soluble fiber, will help to regulate and strengthen the bowels. Avoid wheat bran, which may be too irritating; choose oat bran or psyllium seeds or ground flaxseeds.

Enteric-coated peppermint oil is an antispasmodic which can decrease pain (especially in children).

Aloe vera gel or juice can help dramatically with ulcerative colitis.

Wheatgrass juice can help reduce rectal bleeding in ulcerative colitis patients.

Probiotics can help rebalance flora in the gut. Avoid yogurt if dairy is a trigger for your symptoms.

Prebiotics-that is, the food that probiotics eat-can be a useful adjunct to probiotic therapy: look for inulin, resistant maltodextrin, oligosaccharides such as fructooligosaccharide and galactooligosaccharide. Probiotics and prebioticsput together in one supplement are called synbiotics.

Essential fatty acids (omega 3 acids) like fish oil or flax seed oil are helpful in combatting all inflammatory conditions and can reduce the need for corticosteroids.

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be coincidental with IBS/IBD-you might consider getting moderate sun exposure or supplementing with a vitamin D3 (which is the natural form of D).

Herbal teas like ginger or peppermint can help with gas and intestinal spasms. Chamomile, slippery elm, or pau d’arco teas can help soothe the intestines.

DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) chewable tablets can help with stomach pain-the DGL helps rebuild the protective mucous layer inside the stomach.

Green drinks (which have superfoods like chlorella, spirulina, or similar) can help with immune support, supplying nutrients to your liver, and to ensure adequate nutrition during times of poor absorption.

YOU CAN CONTACT CHRISTINA BY CALLING 410.296.5160!

Spring Is In The Air

Susan Miller — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:00:50 +0000

Time For Your
Spring Tune-Up!

Written by William Zvarick

The changes in seasons place additional demands on our bodies. In particular we are more vulnerable physically and mentally as each of the seasons change and therefore more likely to get sick or depressed. Traditional Chinese medicine recognizes this and uses acupuncture to smooth the transition. At certain periods of the year, the body can have difficulty adapting to change and can tire or deplete easily, leaving it more vulnerable to disease.

Just as in nature, spring is a time for our bodies to grow and rejuvenate after winter. It’s a great time to become more active, learn a new skill and generally make the most of life. However, the transition from the short days and cold temperatures of winter to the lighter evenings and warmth of spring can leave many people feeling out of sorts.

A seasonal tune up in spring can help your mind and body to ‘wake-up’, easing the transition into spring. It will also replenish the body’s motivating energy, known as qi , improving ability to deal with stress, boosting energy levels and helping the body to ward off illness and allow the body to function more effectively.

A seasonal tune up works in much the same way as getting your car serviced -motorists are advised to regularly check the oil and water levels, give the tyres a once over and top up the antifreeze in order to keep their cars running efficiently. Your body and mind can also benefit from a quick tune up to help you look and feel your best.

Acupuncture aims to improve overall wellbeing by identifying and treating the root cause of any problem, rather than specific symptoms. Addressing imbalances in the body will help return qi to an optimum level, improving overall wellbeing of the mind and body and preventing further illness.

Acupuncturists look at the whole person so may also provide dietary and lifestyle advice alongside an acupuncture treatment.

Schedule your tune-up today!

Eat a Rainbow of Colors for Good Health

Susan Miller — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:14:28 +0000

According to the American Dietetic Association, March is National Nutrition Month and this year the theme is Eat Right with Color. “Eating a rainbow” each day is a great approach because different colors represent different nutrients and eating across the spectrum will ensure we get a wide range of nutritional benefits. Here is a key to all that you could be giving your body by ingesting ROYGBIV:

Red fruits and vegetables like beets, red peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, cherries, blood oranges, strawberries, and pomegranates:

These foods contain lycopene and other carotenoids that fight cancers (especially prostate cancer), reduce tumor growth, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol to improve heart health.

Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables like apricots, cantaloupes, carrots, lemons, peaches, persimmons, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and yellow + orange peppers:

Eat these if you’d like some beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and other flavonoids that will support eye health, promote healthy skin, and fight free radicals that age the body.

Green fruits and vegetables like asparagus, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, kiwi, leafy greens, limes, and peas: Chlorophyll, lutein, calcium, and a host of phytonutrients make green foods some of nature’s heaviest hitters for good health. Expect reduced cancer risk, a healthier heart, a stronger immune system, efficient digestion, and sharp eyesight when you eat plenty of greens.

Blue and Purple fruits and vegetables like blackberries, grapes, eggplant, blueberries, plums, purple potatoes, purple cabbage, figs, prunes, and raisins:

Resveratrol, zeaxanthin, anthocyanin, vitamin C and other nutrients found in the blue and purple range of foods are powerfighters against cancer and the effects of aging. These foods are also protective of our hearts, eyes, and immune system and will fight inflammation and improve absorption of minerals.

Even white fruits and vegetables like cauliflower, bananas, garlic, ginger, jicama, onions, parsnips, and turnips:

Quercetin, beta-glucans, and lignans are some of the supernutrients found in these white foods (notice that flour and sugar don’t make the list) which boost our immune systems, help balance our hormones, and fight cancer.

So try to get a wide range of fruits and vegetables every day-remember the “strive for five” campaign? It’s a great place to start. But when it comes to vegetables, especially, more is more.

- Written by Christina Rutheiser, CNHP (Towson)

Yoga, stretching may ease chronic back pain

Susan Miller — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:11:49 +0000

(Health.com) –People who suffer from chronic back pain may find some relief in yoga or intensive stretching, but neither form of exercise appears to be more effective than the other, a new study suggests.

Roughly 80% of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lives, and as many as 8% will experience chronic symptoms that last three months or longer. Primary care physicians regularly prescribe painkillers and muscle relaxants to these patients with varying degrees of success, or refer patients to physical therapists, chiropractors or other specialists. Many doctors recommend exercise and stretching , but few studies have explored whether certain physical activities are especially effective for back pain patients.

The new study appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is a follow-up to a small 2005 trial that found that yoga was slightly better for back pain than a comprehensive exercise program including strength training, aerobics and stretching. The researchers suspected this might have been due to the meditation-like “mental component” of yoga , and they expected to get a similar result this time around.

The study included 228 mentally healthy adults with moderate chronic back pain, most of whom were fairly active in sprite of their pain. The researchers randomly assigned then to one of three groups: One group took weekly 75-minute yoga classes, another too weekly stretching and strength classes, and a control group received a book on coping with back pain. The yoga and stretching groups also received instructional videos and were encouraged to practice at home for 20 min a day between classes.

Three months later, the stretching and yoga participants were far more likely than the people in the control group to report improvement on their back pain. Twice as many participants in these 2 groups (about 40%, versus 20% of in the control group) said they’d decreased their medication use, a trend that persisted 3 months after yoga and stretching classes ended.

But not just any yoga or stretching class will do the trick. You will want to avoid vinyasa or “power” yoga classes and should seek out therapeutic and restorative styles instead.

CHECK OUR SCHEDULE FOR CURRENT
YOGA CLASSES BEING HELD AT THE TOWSON OFFICE!

Baltimore area weather brings out the pollen

Domenic Thomas — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:00:50 +0000

Last weekends’ above average temperatures were a nice respite for most of us enduring this colder than usual winter. Unfortunately, if you have allergies it wasn’t a very welcome change. Pollen counts spiked late last week and over the weekend inducing symptoms in allergy sufferers. It’s never too early to come in and get an acupuncture treatment and some herbs to help provide some relief. Most of our patients that suffer from allergies find that getting some treatments prior to the beginning of spring helps them to reduce their allergy symptoms before they start.

Acupuncturist Opening at our Parkville Location

Domenic Thomas — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:43:33 +0000

We are currently looking to add another acupuncturist to our staff at Integrative Health Centers. We are the largest practice in the state of Maryland and currently have three locations in the greater Baltimore area.

I have posted job offers for the last 4 years and have hired 4 full-time acupuncturists in that time. If you are interested in being a part of an innovative and fast growing acupuncture and integrative medicine practice, please email your resume to domenicthomas@mbsmed.com.

The ideal candidate has a TCM background with strong herbal knowledge. Experience is always a plus.

A good article on Acupuncture and Chronic Pain

Domenic Thomas — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:04:01 +0000

This article uncovers one of the ways in which acupuncture helps to relieve chronic pain. This is a similar finding to research which has been ongoing at the University of California Irvine for the past 10 years

news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/05/how-acupuncture-pierces-chronic-.html

Beat the Baltimore snow…Lift with your legs, not your back!

Domenic Thomas — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:32:59 +0000

I know everyone has heard this before, but it is especially important when the snow is as damp and heavy as it is right now. Bending at the waist and using your back to bear the weight of each shovel full can cause severe spinal inflammation. Another safe physical technique is to make sure you don’t “reach” with your shovel. Use compact strokes as close to your body as possible while bending your knees and using your legs to lift and turn to remove the snow. Take frequent breaks every 10 minutes or so and make sure to drink plenty of water. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you’re not sweating, you are actually sweating more! Dehydration increases muscle tension and inflammation while also reducing your muscular endurance.

Take a few minutes to stretch while you take a break and it will go a long way to prevent soreness later. If you feel that you have injured a muscle or joint while shoveling, use ice and ibuprofin until you can seek medical attention. Of course, your friendly acupuncturists and massage therapist at Integrative Health Centers are here for you if you need us!

Be safe and stay warm!

Domenic Thomas, L.Ac.

My acupuncture schedule is changing as of January 31st

Domenic Thomas — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:16:19 +0000

I will be adding all day Friday to my schedule starting the week of January 31st, so come on in and get some acupuncture! It’s that time of year when the cold Baltimore weather and snow removal starts to make the body ache. I’ve already got the heat lamps warming up…

Domenic Thomas, L.Ac.

Working on some new blog posts

Domenic Thomas — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:25:57 +0000

I’ll be trying to post more frequently this year as part of my new year’s resolution for the practice. Any topics people might be interested in or questions you want answered are welcome. In the meantime, take it easy and breathe.

Oh and drink more water!