People to Know

As part of my 'People to Know' segment I want to spotlight a website this time. A little unorthodox, but on this website are therapists who I believe could be great 'People to Know'. See....it kind of made sense. "Somatic Experiencing" is based upon the work of Peter Levine, author of 'Waking the Tiger'. And I have seen firsthand how powerful this work is when integrated with the acupuncture I do for PTSD. On this link for the website is all the information about "SE", as well as a directory for practitioners who do this work in all 50 states. When referring to someone who I think can benefit from "SE" I have referred to Teri Sullivan Lutz here in Denver. Her information can be found on the website in the practitioner directory. If interested in just the overall mind body connection to trauma, I cannot emphasize enough to pick up a copy Peter Levine's 'Waking the Tiger'. It's a great first step to understanding how it is not "all in your head".

Robert Crayhon

When I first started practicing nutrition, Robert Crayhon was definitely a name to know. He founded a well known supplement company and he hosted THE best seminars called Boulderfest. This annual festival would bring together Doctors, Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors....all practitioners in the same room discussing the new breakthroughs in medicine and nutraceuticals from across the world, not just in the US. He is a pioneer in the nutrition world. I was fortunate to know him those early years and have him answer my many questions but as anyone who knew him could tell you...getting him to sit still was a rare thing. It was very sad to get this email today. My thoughts are with you Robert.

For those of you who have not heard, Robert Crayhon was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. After surgery to remove as much of the mass as possible he is out of the hospital and receiving IPT treatment to slow the growth of the cancer.

He has a good support team with lots of experience in colorectal cancer but a major complication is derailing his ability to get the best treatment. Robert sold Crayhon Research last year and was counting on income from that sale to propel his next venture in nutrition and to fund his upcoming conferences, and would have used the income to stage his battle with cancer. However, the purchaser of Crayhon Research recently filed bankruptcy leaving Robert without any income. Robert has also exhausted his savings on his current medical expenses.

To help Robert a donation site has been established here: Robert Crayhon Cancer Battle Donations
Please donate whatever you can to help our friend and a great mentor in the field of nutrition. He is entirely dependant upon his friends and colleagues to help him finance his war on cancer and his cachexia.

There is also a website where you can offer moral support to Robert here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/robertcrayhon

And Robert has a blog site dedicated to talking about his experience with cancer: http://www.crayhoncoloncancer.blogspot.com/

Thank you.

David Vaughan

9 News Health Fair...A great way to get those tests you need

The 9 News Health Fair is underway and this is a great time to get some bloodwork done for very low prices. I heard they are even offering Vitamin D testing at certain sites for $40. I included a link to their hompage to find out where all the sites are. If you suspect your cholesterol is high or even questionable, please bring that up and see if they can get a CRP (C-Reactive Protein) and Homocysteine level. Not sure if that is possible, but it is worth a shot. Regardless, this Health Fair is a great opportunity for anyone to get low cost bloodwork and testing done.

Acupuncture Article in The Wall Street Journal 3/23/2010

I always enjoy it when my patients snip out articles they find in the paper mentioning acupuncture and its validity and bring them to me. I know partly it is validation for their family and peers that what they have been spending their money on, no matter how much they can tell them it is working, is not 'voodoo medicine'. But I keep them and put them up in my office. This last one had a huge color picture of the ear, my love and one of my specialties, with acupuncture needles sticking out of it and all these points labeled. My favorite....the "drunk point". In textbooks, this is usually referred to as the "alcohol point", but hey...I'll take The Wall Street Journal's take on that. Whatever gets people to read the article and try acupuncture! Here is the article.

The Sunshine Vitamin that is Good for You Year Round

Known to some as the 'sunshine vitamin', Vitamin D has become very popular. Even though our body's produce vitamin D in response to sunlight, hence the nickname, if you have milk allergies, adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, or stay out of the sun completely you run the risk of a vitamin D deficiency. We can get Vitamin D naturally from a few foods, such as fish, beef liver, egg yolks, fortified dairy, certain grains and cod liver oil, but there are certain medical conditions such as Crohns, Celiac disease and Cystic fibrosis which can affect your intestinal wall's ability to process Vitamin D directly from your food, so supplementation is necessary. But even without those specific health issues, supplementing with Vitamin D daily is becoming increasing popular for overall health.

Taking Vitamin D with your calcium is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use that calcium from the diet. Traditionally, Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. Luckily, rickets is not as common a disease in the US. Some symptoms, however, of a Vitamin D deficiency would be bone pain and muscle weakness. Thus I always recommend supplementing with Vitamin D if there is a history of broken bones or hairline fractures for all you athletes out there. Low blood levels of Vitamin D have also been associated with cancer, severe asthma in children, increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment in older adults. And I know in my clinic I have seen a difference giving people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) higher amounts of Vitamin D during the fall and winter months.

Some research has even suggested that Vitamin D could play a role in hypertension, multiple scelerosis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes and glucose intolerance. Making this inexpensive vitamin all the more attractive.

A common question asked is how people become Vitamin D deficient. Well, fortunately, over time we have all become aware that direct exposure to the suns rays can be harmful. So as we limit our time in the sun, we limit the amount of Vitamin D the body makes when the skin is exposed to sunlight. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Also as we age our kidneys, which convert the Vitamin D to its active form, are less able to do so, thus increasing a risk for a deficiency. Then as mentioned above, if you have certain medical conditions like Crohns, Cystic Fibrosis or Celiac Disease, there is an increased inability to absorb the Vitamin D directly from the foods you eat. Remember we are not so much what we eat, as we are what we absorb.

There are tests to check for Vitamin D Deficiency. The most accurate way to measure how much Vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test. In the kidney, 25-hydroxy Vitamin D changes into an active form of the vitamin. The active form of the vitamin can be measured through the blood. This active form of Vitamin D helps control phosphate and calcium levels in the body. The normal range is 30.0 to 74.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). A level lower than 30.0 usually indicates a Vitamin D deficiency .

How much Vitamin D should someone take? Now this is where it gets sticky because there is no consensus on levels of Vitamin D required for optimal health. There is a lack of any evidence to support a RDA for Vitamin D. Even talking with fellow colleagues I admire and refer to I can find Vitamin D recommendations that go from the basic 2,000 i.u a day all the way to 50,000 i.u. And none of them are actually incorrect. It depends on what you are working on, what their tests showed if you have those results, and of course as always patient needs and compliance. I even carry a chewable Vitamin D that tastes great because I have clients that don't want to take any more pills. And kids like it too. :) Just check with your licensed practitioner for any supplement recommendations and dosage requirements.

For me, Vitamin D, has become one of my favorite vitamins to recommend. It has the things my clients really like....it works, it's cheap, and it has research to back it up. A dose of sunshine in a bottle, what could be better that that?

Shadowcliff HIV/AIDS Retreat Info

Thought I'd just copy my friend Michael's email here for all who may be interested in Shadowcliff. I use to volunteer my services there years ago. It is an amazing place and retreat. Words cannot express how magical this place in Grand Lake, CO is, and the people who attend and make it possible. Shadowcliff will always have a special place in my heart.

Friends of the Retreat at Shadowcliff ....

Pre-registration is now open for the 20-TEN HIV Retreats at Shadowcliff !! There are 2 retreats this year:
June 10-13
and
July 29-Aug 1

For updated information on the retreat, please visit:
www.HIVretreat.blogspot.com

To pre-register, click on the link in the section titled "Registration". Remember you do not pay now, acknowledgement and final confirmation will come later.
Please forward to any individuals, groups, or organizations who you think may be interested.
I am very much looking forward to this year's retreats.

FYI .......
Check out the current issue (02-24-10) of OutFront Colorado (paper form or online). Each year they do a reader's survey for most "OUTstanding" in a variety of categories. This year, the HIV Retreat at Shadowcliff won for most OUTstanding HIV/AIDS Service, and TEN (Treatment Educat10n Network, the organization for the retreat, the forums, the newsletter, the support group, and the blog) won for most OUTstanding Organization. We would like to thank everyone who voted for us and made this happen!

Cheers and be well!
Michael

Chilean Earthquake Relief- Hits Home

For those of you who may not know, my father is Chilean, and all my family on that side live in Chile. Luckily, they are all okay after the devastating earthquake this past weekend. There was structural damage to all their homes and my uncle and 2 cousins are still stuck at the beach because the roads back to Santiago are either too badly damaged to drive back on or completely destroyed. Chileans are strong people and I know they will build their country back but it is difficult to sit here in Colorado and see the damage on the news and just feel helpless.

The American Red Cross has an International Relief Fund that was started to help Haiti and now is in place for Chile. If interested, this is the best way to make sure funds get where they should. All donations are tax deductible. I will be having a donation jar in my office from now on and will be sending the money to this organization. But here is the information if interested in making a donation. Please put "Chile Earthquake Relief Fund" in the memo section of the check so it goes to the right relief organization.

American Red Cross

P.O. Box 97089

Washington, D.C 20090-7089

I know you can also text and it sends $ automatically from your phone but do not know the exact #'s for this. Please check with your plan to make sure it is legit.

MidChix website and article

Have a look at an article on yours truly. I was touched to have a client want to write this about me. This site was the brainchild of 2 very groovy 'chicks', pun intended, who felt they wanted to make a networking site, like Facebook, for the over 40 crowd. Here is the link to the article and the website can be found from there. Join and have fun!

People to Know.....

Every month I will highlight a local business, practitioner and/or layperson that would make a great referral and someone I would recommend to a friend not just a client. This month that practitioner is Dr. Mark Ebadi.
Dr. Mark Ebadi embodies everything you want in a doctor. A no BS attitude, a warm, caring spirit, and brains! I am proud to know him as a colleague who not only respects what I do, his brother is an acupuncturist in California, but also personally. He has treated my family and found what I term medical mysteries that the pediatricians missed. While he is not necessarily medicine happy, he is medicine smart. There are so many people affected by allergies here in Colorado, and so many drugs for them. Taking the right combination is the most important thing. If acupuncture, herbs and/or supplements can't do it, I don't hesitate to send people Mark's way because I know they will be in good hands. He is great with kids and adults and his Lowry office has always been very friendly and accomodating.
I was reminded this month of just how good this doctor is, so for February and my first 'People to Know'..I want Dr. Mark Ebadi to be at the top of the list.

Here is the link to his office website.

Don't forget your Oxygen Mask

When you board a plane they always tell you in case of emergency make sure you place your oxygen mask over your face first and then over your child's. It is amazing to me how this actually can translate into everyday life. Everyday, we are so busy doing for others that I think we forget our personal oxygen masks. We worry about everyone else and put everyone else's needs before our own because it is looked upon as being selfish sometimes to take that time out for ourselves and find what it is that gives us oxygen. Sometimes it is just simply....oxygen. Taking 10 minutes out of the day to simply breath and meditate with no interruptions.

When I went to a seminar on Brain Chemistry in October the speaker told us all how he took one day completely off with no plans. After we all stopped rolling our eyes because we all assumed that of course this guy can do this, he probably makes 6 figures and has a wife to pick up the kids and doesn't have to worry about errands and cleaning I realized he was saying this for his own health and ours. He had burnt himself out by doing the seminars, the practice, the traveling and this was the only way to recharge and be back with his family.

I think whatever you decide is your oxygen, grab it. The lesson is that we all need to put on our masks first because if we don't get ourselves healthy, our kids, our relationships, our life is just going to be an extension of how little oxygen we are allowing ourselves to breath. And we just cannot exist on carbon alone.

Acupuncture and PTSD

I received my monthly 'Acupuncture Today' and was thrilled to see an article on a program helping Vets recover from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). To paraphrase the article, The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin had partnered with a non profit called Save a Vet (http://www.saveavet.com/) and a Veterans Advocacy council to assist in helping veterans and their families in returning to happy, productive and successful civilian lives. Now it is very easy for all of us to undertstand how anyone coming back from war could be given a diagnosis of PTSD. Just like we probably could understand such a diagnosis with those who are now suffering with the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. But PTSD is actually very widespread, and whether it is diagnosed or not, the symptoms can be debilitating for anyone suffering from any trauma. Losing a family member, workplace harrassment, being in a motor vehicle accident or even witnessing a horrific accident can all lead to trauma. And this trauma, if not dealt with, finds a place in the body and eventually comes out in physiological ways too...such as sleep disorders and mood disorders. That is where acupuncture comes in.

When I decided to study even more about neurotransmitters and brain science and go into working with acupuncture for depression and anxiety, I knew the trauma piece was just as important. I am fortunate to have a great referral network of western practitioners who believe in what I do as much as I believe in what they do. When you do this work you have to know about medication and its side effects since many people may be on, or coming off of various western medications. Chinese herbs as well as nutritional supplements can help but all have various effects themselves, so a licensed practitioner has to know what to combine and what not to.

So how does acupuncture work for PTSD?

I have found over the years of working with trauma that is is best to nourish the client first. Every client is coming in at different stages of trauma. To move 'Qi' right away is a mistake that many practitioners make and can send a patient into an anxiety attack. So can too many needles and doing too many different types of therapies at once, such as doing cupping, then needling, then biopuncture. It's asking the body to process too much information at once. Keeping the therapy simple and working to move the stagnant energy blocked by the certain emotions that that client is holding onto while you ground the client and get that 'fight or flight' response to calm down. That's a very simplified version of a first treatment.

I also practice japanese style needling with trauma which is generally less invasive, but to be honest this is because I myself am needle sensitive and when I graduated from my Masters program this type of needling was just the type I felt drawn to. But for sports injuries of course it's chinese needling all the way :). And as anyone who has been to my clinic can attest to, I always do auricular, ear acupuncture, for everything. That is my love! And that is SO significant in trauma work.

With the ear is where you work on the sympathetic nervous system, that 'fight or flight', and stop it being 'on' 24/7. It is the norm for people who have been traumatized to have their defenses up and their fight or flight switch on all the time. What happens when you have that on all the time is you start to perceive danger at the smallest things.....you startle easily, you anger easily and you basically become a walking raw nerve. Sleep disorders become the norm, as well as mood disorders, so insomnia and anxiety and depression are very common.

When you incorporate the ear and start needling the areas of the brain that are affected in trauma, such as the amygdala and hippocampus, you can have such breakthroughs. Sleep gets better, energy gets balanced and moods improve. It is amazing to see the transformation in clients.

I think the biggest step for those with any trauma is always just making the first appointment and coming in. It is a huge deal to be given a diagnosis of PTSD and feeling so vulnerable. But help is out there.

*Sidenote: for those needle phobic or with trauma related to needles, all my treatments can be done with a shonishin (pediatric) kit...no needles. And auricular acupuncture can be done with ear seeds.

Menopause and Big Pharma...a Must Read!

This was in NY Times online today. I found it to be a great overall article on Big Pharma's role in HRT and your health...or lack of it. So here is another article from them.

Go Play Tetris!

I came across an interesting article in the NY Times online I wanted to share. It showed a positive change in peoples reactions having viewed traumatic events after playing Tetris. They became less reactive. I am interested in finding out if this is the same part of the brain that is affected in EMDR, helping to neutralize the event.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/magazine/ideas/2009/#t-2.html

"Fire in the Gut, Fire in The Brain"

I went to a fabulous seminar over the weekend on Neurotransmitters and Brain Chemistry. It left me with many new ideas to ponder and apply in my practice...and of course with my brain feeling a little fried. But that is usually a sign of a great seminar for me, coming out feeling invigorated, overwhelmed and excited all at once. One of the key points he mentioned was for all of us to give ourselves one day off a week to do absolutely nothing. With 2 children, I find this difficult, because even on a supposed "day off", I am trying to fit in the laundry, the groceries, all the extras. So, for all of our health...there must start to be a personal day we choose to take where nothing is scheduled. Now on that day if we decide to go grocery shopping...fine. But it can't be the plan. We'll see how I do with this. Picking the day will be tough!

But, beyond that relatively simple concept, there were so many medical concepts thrown at us this weekend and how important brain health is to our overall state of being. Many practitoners look right at the adrenals, or the gut and ignore the brain all together....and that can't bring about permanent change over time. You always have to look at the brain. "Fire in the gut, Fire in the brain". .

Also acknowledged was the Brain Model of Alternative Medicine...although I like the term 'Complementary' Medicine much better. This includes, Massage, Acupuncture and Manipulation. All of these have been found to enhance Brain stimulation which in turn, enhances Endocrine and Immune modulation. Some studies were even cited with electro-acupuncture with regards to its cerebral response on a functional MRI. This was in 2007 using point LI4. The distribution of signally deactivated area evoked by LI4 was similar to the distribution of the anatomical orientation of pain in brain, and closely related to the limbic system. Showing correlation of acupuncture's analgesic effect.

Then in 2005 there was a study confirming that electroacupuncture treatment increases NK cell activity, and in 2007 a study was done on rats to explore the mecahnism of electroacupunture in improving ischemic stroke.

It's nice to have these recent studies and their positive outcomes because people always ask me for the science behind the 'voodoo' medicine. And I know there have been more in the field of oncology....these are just with neurology and acupuncture.

So....easiest thing to do is try and take a day off somewhere. Stop drinking diet soda, and yes...gluten free is a good thing. But I even find that difficult. However, you will know if Gluten free works for you because once you go Gluten free and your brain fog disappears..that is the clue. Remember 'Fire in the Gut, Fire in the Brain'.

And no....it is not 'easy'. It is a science and once you find the right pathway it is amazing and can be miraculous...but as always one should go to someone who goes to seminars, gets continuing education in these things and actually has a practice to apply these concepts. I loved that the speaker even addressed that principle at this seminar. Did you know in the state of Colorado the Naturopathic Doctors are not licensed and thus not regulated. Please check that your ND went to an accredited school...not an online school where he/she got a degree in a year for a small amount of money. Here is a link to help you find a reputable Colorado ND http://www.coloradond.org/ . The ND profession is a respectable profession and it has been watered down horribly by those who got their degrees by bogus schools and have no real education. Another example of this in my opinion is the fact that chiropractors and Medical doctors can take a 180 hour course and take the national exam and be licensed acupuncturists. Do you want to go to someone who passed an exam by reading cliff notes? Licensed acupuncturists who go to accredited schools attend for over 4 years, graduating with a Masters Degree. It's your body and your money...take good care of it.

Tis the Season....to spread the germs

Flu and cold season is here. There is a lot of fear with the new 'Swine Flu', or H1N1 virus, so I included this link to hopefully help answer any immediate questions about it. I have already seen it in my clinic and was shocked to find out that my client got it from a classmate who came to school sick for a week before finally getting diagnosed because she didn't want to ruin her perfect attendance at school. Remembering to wash hands and cough into your sleeve are still the best precautions we can take. And parents, if your child is sick, or if you are sick...please stay home and rest. Perfect attendance is not that important!


People often ask me to come up with a list of at home staples they can keep on hand for this season. To keep it simple, here are some things you could have and take.

Vitamin D at 2,000i.u's per day is great in the fall...and actually all year round. There are so many things Vit. D does and we need more of it as we get less sun. But it can help prevent the flu. 2,000 i.u's is an adult dose. Plus it is very inexpensive!! We like that!

Good old fashioned Vit. C. is a good immune booster. Ester C is less harsh on the stomach lining. They even have some good tasting wafers out there. Taking more as you feel a cold coming on can help, and if you take a multivitamin I am sure there is some in there already, so adding on to that when you feel that tickle in the throat or a runny nose is a good idea.

If you are a client in my clinic you know I love probiotics. So if you are a heathcare worker or a teacher, tis the season to up the dosage to even 16 billion live cells. 8 billion is the one I have by Pharmax in my clinic called HLC hi potency. This is a broad spectrum one. I think it is one of the best. No, you cannot get enough from eating yogurt. Sorry Jamie Lee Curtis.

If you get a cough, I adore Nectadyn cough syrup. This is not for kids under 2 because the base is a honey base. It is also not available at stores just sold to clinicians. So you can get it from your practitioner.. if they like it as much as I do. But this stuff works well, tastes great and is homeopathic. Works on all kinds of coughs...dry, wet, etc...which is great, since often the type of cough can change within a cold.

Also homeopathicwise, I find MHP's Viral Immune and Bacterial Immune work well preventatively and in the midst of an attack. Also not available in stores but licensed practitioners who carry MHP will have these during cold/flu season defintitely! Plus they are a local company...love that. They also carry an amazing elderberry lozenge that is is a great immune booster and tastes good too. Releases into the system right away.

Beyond that, there are many nasal sprays that I carry that are great but I will tell you of one product you can get at Walgreens that I think it wonderful. Neil-Med Sinus Rinse. I rarely endorse things, but this product I do. It is very simply Sodium chloride and Sodium bicarbonate packets you put in distilled lukewarm water in a patented (I'm sure) designed plastic bottle. It's more simple than a Neti pot and works well to open stubborn nasal passages. I have found it to work for people who did not have success with other things. They even have a pediatric kit...but getting a child younger than 6 years old to do this...well...sometimes a metered dose nasal spray is a lot easier.

Treatmentwise, of course, nothing beats cupping for getting that crud out of the lungs if you do get sick. Or to practice preventative medicine, acupuncture is wonderful for helping to boost the immune system this time of year.

Now that's the kind of healthcare no one can argue about.