Acupuncture Treatment of IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders seen by physicians today. As many as one in five American adults has IBS and yet it goes unspoken because of the seemingly embarrassing nature of the symptoms.

Diagnosis is usually a process of elimination because there are no physical signs that can definitively diagnose IBS. According to the diagnostic criteria developed by researchers, the Rome criteria, you must have certain signs and symptoms before a physician can diagnose you with IBS:

• Abdominal pain and discomfort lasting at least 12 weeks, though the weeks don't have to occur consecutively. You also need to have at least two of the following:


• A change in the frequency or consistency of your stool. For example, you may change from having one normal, formed stool every day to three or more loose stools daily. Or you may have only one hard stool every three to four days.


• Straining, urgency or a feeling that you can't empty your bowels completely.


• Mucus in your stool.


• Bloating or abdominal distension.
  

Symptoms are almost always aggravated by stress. Episodes may also be aggravated by eating, and are frequently relieved after a bowel movement.

IBS according to Chinese Medicine

While other patterns may be present, IBS is almost always considered a disharmony between the liver and the spleen in traditional Chinese medicine. The liver is responsible for the smooth flow of substances throughout the body. This flow can be upset by emotions or stress, causing stagnation of Qi (energy) or blood. Traditional Chinese medicine views the spleen as being associated with the function of digestion and transforming food into energy (Qi and blood). The spleen can be weakened by a number of factors, including overeating unhealthy foods, overwork, too much worry, fatigue, and lack of exercise. When the spleen is weak and the liver is not moving smoothly, the liver overacts on the spleen and can manifest as symptoms of IBS.
To support the spleen and the liver common supplements include Chinese herbal formulas along with digestive enzymes and even probiotics. Acupuncture on a weekly or bi-weekly basis helps to rebalance the body and can correct the liver/spleen disharmony and thereby correct the symptoms caused IBS.

Finally, diet and lifestyle cannot be overlooked and must be addressed. Here are some general guidelines that can be used to balance IBS and liver/spleen disharmony:

• Diet should include good protein and good fats, with moderate complex carbohydrates that emphasize vegetables. Good protein sources are wild and low-mercury risk fish or free range chicken, grass fed beef and lamb free of growth hormones and steroids. Other good sources of protein are nuts, seeds, beans, and free-range eggs.


• Vegetables that are especially alkaline and contain a good amount of water and fiber. They will help to cleanse the body and support the liver. Eat vegetables steamed or sautéed, it helps to support the spleen and digestion. Raw, cold vegetables should be avoided.


• Squashes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes/yams are especially nutritive to the digestion and spleen.


• Whole grain brown rice supports spleen Qi as well.


• Stocks, broths and soups should be a staple in the diet as a great spleen Qi tonic.


• Do not consume water or beverages with meals as to not dilute gastric juices and natural digestive enzymes.


• Avoid common food triggers: caffeine, alcohol, dairy, greasy/fatty foods.


• Getting adequate exercise and practicing stress-relieving measures such as yoga. breathing exercises and meditation regularly.


• Getting adequate sleep to minimize the effects of stress on your body and digestive system.

Why Do We Need Probiotics?

In earlier times, when fermentation was one of the main methods for the preservation of food, the intake of probiotic bacteria was high. Today the situation is different. The use of freezers, refrigerators, the pasteurisation of food like dairy products and the use of different kinds of preservatives have replaced fermentation as a method for the preservation of food. The intake of probiotic bacteria, which is important for maintaining a healthy intestinal environment and immune system, has dramatically decreased.

What are Probiotics?
The term literally means ‘for life’ in Greek and it refers to live bacteria. Do you know that you are made up of more bacteria than cells inside you? To most people, bacteria could just be a dirty word, bringing in its wake dirt and disease. However, most of the bacteria in the human system are good bacteria. They are essential to keep you alive and kicking. Out of the many hundreds of kinds of bacteria that live inside of you, many of them are in your gut. That’s because the gut is where most of your immune system is located. So when there are enough of good bacteria in there, all’s right with your world. You need the good bacteria to overcome the bad ones. As long as that happy balance remains inside, things are fine.

What Probiotics Do
Your body can well tolerate a small percentage of bad bacteria. The good ones keep them in check and don’t allow them to get out of hand. However, when you fall ill or you have an infection and even when you have had a course of antibiotics, it could upset this balance and there aren’t enough of good bacteria to protect you inside. That’s when you need extra fighting power. You need to repopulate your gut with the good so they can bring your body back to a balanced state.

Things that can destroy our good guys are:

(a) antibiotic use
(b) too much alcohol
(c) eating foods impregnated with pesticides, herbicides, antibiotic residues, and

hormonal pollutants
(d) the over consumption of sugars and other refined carbohydrates
(e) the distress of too much stress
(f) the lack of nutrition from living fresh foods grown in nutrient-rich soil
(g) chlorinated water

Where Do You Get Probiotics?
There are various kinds of probiotics – they could be bacterial or of an yeast origin. In the bacterial group, there are different strains you will find within the two groups - Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Today, you get them in a whole range of products. It could be yogurt, yogurt drinks, cottage cheese, or even in a concentrated probiotic supplement. However, what is vital is that the bacteria count in the product you eat or drink be of the necessary amount. There’s no way this is visible so the best thing to do would be to make sure that you buy products from a well-known manufacturer. Probiotic products need to be stored well – the packaging will give you the instructions.

Is Regular Yogurt Enough?
Regular yogurt does not contain any strains of probiotics. Many people tend to equate probiotics with yogurt but this is a misconception. While yogurt can contain probiotic strains, all yogurts are not probiotic in nature as they could be made from various strains. This is why you need to read that label to ensure that you are getting probiotics in the product you are buying. There are some new probiotic yogurt products out there...but beware, they are not all created equal. It is still important to read your labels and stear away from too many added sugars, artificial flavorings/colors and CORN SYRUP! For this reason Activia is not a personal favorite of mine.

Who Should Take Probiotics?
We could all stand to get extra probiotics in our diet, but it becomes especially important if you have just completed a course of antibiotics. This is because the drugs don’t just kill off the bad bacteria, they also do away with the good so all you need to do is to put back the flora that your intestine needs. So probiotics goes great with medication.

Probiotics have also been found very useful in any kind of parasitic or bacterial infection like candida, vaginal and urinary infections, giardiasis, and even conditions like Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. For small children, it brings about a lot of relief in allergies of the skin as well as digestive problems that are caused due to food allergies. All kinds of digestive abnormalities including IBS, indigestion, diarrhea and constipation benefit from probiotics. Also, probiotics can give nice support to the immune system, especially if you find yourself getting ill frequently. Finally, those suffering from lactose intolerance can find relief with probiotics.

Probiotics and Weight Loss
The latest news when it comes to weight loss is that probiotics is a great way to lose weight. A Stanford study seems to indicate that weight gain could be the result of a bacterial infection. When probiotics or the good bacteria populate the digestive system, the bad bacteria starts moving out.

Is Your Paraben Habit Making You Fat or Worse... Causing Cancer?

In recent years PARABENS have become a very hot topic. Many of you may be wondering what parabens are, where you find them and why they should be avoided.

First, lets begin with the what: Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bacteriocidal and fungicidal properties.

Where you find them is almost every cosmetic product. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteralpharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives. Common parabens include methylparaben (E number E218), ethylparaben (E214), propylparaben (E216) and butylparaben. Less common parabens include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben and their sodium salts. These will always be listed in the ingredients section of the product you are purchasing.

Why should we care about parabens? Parabens are considered to be safe because of their low toxicity profile and their long history of safe use; however, a few recent studies have begun to challenge this view.

It seems as if parabens act as endocrine disruptors (they disrupt our hormone system), man or woman, estrogen or testosterone. What is an endocrine disruptor? Endocrine disruptors are chemical substances, primarily man-made synthetics, that interfere with the function of the endocrine/hormone system. These chemicals mimic, block or disrupt the actions of human (and animal) hormones and, unexpectedly, do more damage at low levels of exposure than at high levels.

These chemicals can also work in sinister yet subtle ways by disrupting the body's ability to produce adequate quantities of hormones or by interfering with the body's hormonal pathways. One single chemical can affect many parts of the endocrine system. Often minute amounts of several of these environmental hormone chemicals can combine to create effects thousands of times more potent than a single chemical.

The endocrine system regulates every function of the body. It consists of the thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal glands, the pancreas, the ovaries and the testes, all linked to the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus is like the mainframe computer of the body, sending signals to the glands that provide the instructions for creating hormones.

When you rub body care products on your body or hair dye on your scalp you can absorb or inhale synthetic chemicals that contain endocrine disruptors which may send false signals to your body's endocrine glands. When your glands are confused they cannot function normally and serious health problems result. In addition, when you bathe, whatever chemicals aren't absorbed by your body are washed down the drain into the drinking water supply, where they can cause a cascade of negative environmental problems. These endocrine disruptors are affecting algae and other microscopic life, fish, whales and birds. Humans are exposed when they drink the water and eat the fish contaminated by personal care product chemicals. The government has found sunscreen chemicals in fish and human breast milk.

Endocrine disruptors are stored in a body's fatty tissues and do not get flushed out with water, thus they accumulate over the years. It is now recognized that the dramatic increases of breast cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma and thyroid cancer have been linked to exposure to environmental estrogens. In particular, parabens mimic estrogen, a hormone necessary for a healthy menstruation, reproductive system and fat cell activity.A Scottish study found parabens in human breast tumors.

In the past twenty-five years in the US, alone, thyroid cancer has increased more than 45%, with more women being affected than men, and has become the number one cancer in children under age twenty, many of whom suffered from fetal endocrine disruption.

How can you protect yourself? Read every ingredient on every personal care product label and be suspicious of every chemical ingredient.

Here is a list of common products that contain parabens:

Cosmetics Foundations, powders, concealers, eye makeup (liners, shadows, mascara), facial makeup (blushes), bronzes, makeup removers, lipstick, quick-dry nail products

Pharmaceutical Products Topical dermatological medications, eye, ear and nose drops, rectal and vaginal medications, bandages, parenteral products, including antibiotics, corticosteroids, local anesthetics, radiopharmaceuticals, vitamins, antihypertensives, diuretics, insulin, heparin, and chemotherapeutic agents

Personal Care Products Moisturizing lotions and creams, dentifrices, sunscreens, cleansers and other skin care products, antiperspirants and deodorants, soaps, including liquid hand soap and toothpastes, shampoos and conditioners, colognes, and perfumes

Food Products (E210-219)Marinated fish products, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, spiced sauces, processed vegetables, frozen dairy products, jams and jellies, soft drinks and fruit juices, baked goods, and candies

Industrial Products Parabens are used industrially in oils, fats, shoe polishes, textiles, and glues.

More and more companies are making paraben-free products available:

• Dr. Hauska's Skin Care line


• Jergens just launched a natural lotion that is paraben free


• Tom's of Maine deodorant


• Burt's Bees makes some paraben free products


• Avalon products


• Some Kiehls products


• Juice Beauty


• Check your labels..there are many more on the market now that are paraben-free.

Winter Warning: Start Thinking About Vitamin D

Transitioning into the winter months equates to less sun exposure and significantly lower levels of Vitamin D systemically. Vitamin D deficiency was once thought to be fairly rare and usually associated with a condition known as rickets, but multiple research studies are now revealing that many of us are indeed Vitamin D deficient without knowing it and it can impact various aspects of our health.

Low vitamin D levels are serious business. Not only do you need vitamin D to keep your bones strong but it also plays an important role in your immune defenses against winter colds and flus, and can help prevent cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, infertility and auto-immune diseases. According to the UV Foundation, low vitamin D levels can also lead to fatigue, depression, and aches and pains.

Fortunately, there are other ways to get your vitamin D. There aren't a whole lot of foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D. (Mackerel, sardines, and fish liver oil are among the top providers.) Because our diet does not contain a lot of vitamin D-rich foods, the government also mandates fortification of milk and baby formula with vitamin D. Other dairy products, like yogurt or cottage cheese may or may not contain additional vitamin D. The nutrient can also be taken as a dietary supplement.

However you choose to take your vitamin D, just be sure you're getting enough on a regular basis. The US Food and Nutrition Board recommends 200IU per day, but current research is indicating that that may not be enough. In the winter months I usually suggest a supplement of Vitamin D3 (the most absorbable and active form) of at least 2000IU per day (more if you have been tested and found to be deficient).

If you are concerned about your Vitamin D levels, a simple blood test can be performed by your physician to evaluate your levels.

The Not So Sweet Story on High Fructose Corn Syrup

It has been hard to ignore lately, the ads running on television trying to dispel the negative reputation that high fructose corn syrup has gained over recent years. It's part of an 18-month campaign launched by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) in effort to give high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) an image makeover. The message: High-fructose corn syrup is made from corn, has no artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and is okay to eat in moderation.

There is only one problem: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an ingredient in so many products on the market...how could you possibly eat it in moderation? I have found it listed as an ingredient in vitamins, bread, soda, English muffins, yogurt, cereal, ketchup....the list could go on. So unless your diligently reading your labels...to moderate your consumption of high fructose corn syrup is nearly impossible.

So how did we get here? Why is the use of high fructose corn syrup so pronounced? HFCS has been used as an inexpensive sweetener since the 1970's and we saw a dramatic increase in its use throughout the 1980's as a result of the high prices of sugar import (the U.S. has a high tariff on any sugar brought into the country and very little sugar is actually produced in the United States....companies looked to HFCS as an alternative to the expensive, high taxed natural sugar). To them it’s simply a product that people buy so they want to make it as cheap as they possibly can to increase their own profits at the expense of public health.

So if HFCS is "good for you", "natural" and made from corn, what could possibly be the drawback? Let's take a look at corn. Contrary to popular belief...it is NOT a vegetable, it is a grain. Grains are metabolized by our bodies into sugars very rapidly and cause a huge spike in blood sugar, thus requiring an outpouring of insulin from the pancreas further straining this already so overworked organ. This is one of the major contributors to the massive increase in type II diabetes, obesity and systemic inflammation. Not to mention that several disease states from high cholesterol, heart disease, Alzheimer's and osteoporosis have also been linked to HFCS.

Just because something is touted as being "natural" does not mean that it is healthy. HFCS is in actuality an entirely man-made substance. Nearly indestructible and stable. That is why it is used often as a preservative for foods, not only a sweetener.

We are all well aware that sugar itself is not a purely healthy food. Moderation IS the key. But, unlike with HFCS, many of us know which products contain sugar. It is not hidden as a preservative in food products. In the end, it is much easier to moderate in our diets and is naturally sweet not laboratory made.

In the end, read your labels. Eat natural, whole foods.

A Good Nights Sleep...Insomnia Relief.

Insomnia is estimated to affect more than half of the U.S. adult population. Insomnia can take many different forms: difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up too early, or waking up feeling unrefreshed. In a survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 58% of adults reported having insomnia at least a few nights a week.

Aside from the ever popular sleep aids and medications such as Ambien, what can one do if experiencing sleep difficulties? Good "Sleep Hygiene" is very important. Here are a few ways to naturally promote a good nights sleep:

• Have a routine: Make your bedtime the same time every night. Even on weekends. Wake up the same time every morning.


• The bedroom is a place for sleep: Make sure your bedroom is an ideal place for sleep: Keep it dark and avoid having bright lights from the alarm clock or television. Block out any noise. Also, try not to use the bed for activities other than sleep...train your brain to recognize the bed as a resting place.


• Enjoy a snack prior to bedtime: About an hour or so before your scheduled bedtime have a small snack that contains some carbohydrate and protein. The carbohydrate increases your serotonin and melatonin production, which helps promote sleep. The protein is also very important in that it regulates your blood sugar levels throughout the night. Most people don't realize that when you blood sugar drops at night you will have trouble sleeping. Many times having protein before bed can be an easy fix to insomnia. Sometimes I even have patients have a bit of protein in the middle of the night if they are having trouble sleeping and they will usually fall right back asleep.


• Shower hydrotherapy: If you are having trouble with sleep, one very easy way to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system (the part of your body that helps your relax and sleep) is to take a shower before bedtime. This, however, is not just any regular shower. The key is to alternative between hot and cold water. Maybe 3 minutes hot water, then shock your body with 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat this cycle several times and it is very important to END IN COLD. Then jump out of the shower and hop straight into bed. Let your body warm up under the covers. Sounds bizarre, but this really calms the nervous system and promotes great sleep.


• Lifestyle: Everything seems to revert to living a healthy lifestyle. But good diet and regular exercise cannot be overlooked.


• Supplements: There are several OTC supplements and herbs that can help promote sleep. Always consult your physician before trying these, as some may interact with medications you may already be taking:

Hylands Homeopathic Calms Forte: Helps to relieve nervous tension and sleeplessness naturally.

Valerian Root: Valerian has long been used for it's sedative effects on the body and as a calmant for nervousness and tension.

5HTP: 5 Hydroxytryptophan is the metabolic precursor to the neurotransmitter SEROTONIN and MELATONIN. 5- HTP provides the quickest, most effective, and most consistent overall results in treating insomnia. It is an effective alternative for dealing with sleep problems in a safe and natural way compared to sleep medicines. 5-HTP improves the quality of sleep. More importantly, clinical studies show that 5- HTP is also useful in the treatment of sleep disorders other than insomnia.
5-HTP increases REM sleep significantly (typically by about 25 percent) while simultaneously increasing deep sleep stages 3 and 4 without increasing total sleep time. 5- HTP accomplishes this by shortening the amount of time you spend in sleep stages 1 and 2, which in certain ways are the least important stages of the cycle. The higher the dose, the more time spent in REM.

Melatonin: Melatonin is naturally produced by the pineal gland in the body and helps to maintain the body's circadian rhythm. Melatonin decreases as we age and often times supplementation can aid in promoting good sleep.

Acupuncture: Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help identify and treat any imbalances that may be contributing to your sleeplessness.

Good Mornings with Lemon Water.

Many of us already know the benefits of drinking plenty of water and proper hydration, but with the simple addition of fresh lemon juice you may have yourself a very healing beverage.



I recommend that many of my patients begin each day...first thing in the morning...before any other food or drink (and yes, that means before your coffee..) with a glass of warm or hot lemon water. Why lemon water you may ask? The benefits are remarkable:

• After a nights sleep the lemon water provides an ideal flush to the body's systems..digestive, circulatory and elimination.



• The lemon juice in particular is a great cleanser and purifier of blood, liver and kidney's.



• Lemon juice (although acidic in nature) is anionic and therefore produces an alkalizing effect on the body. This is important because the more alkaline your body is, the healthier it is. Disease states only occur when the body pH is acidic. Being alkaline also helps further the detoxification processes.



• Lemon juice is a great source of Vitamin C: supports immune function. Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron and B-vitamins are also in lemon juice



• Lemon juice supports digestive function and can relieve conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation.

By simply drinking a glass or warm or hot lemon water you can shift your body in to a better state of health and in the end...prevent many future illnesses. And isn't that what medicine should really be about: PREVENTION?