The Health Detectives

Having heard an interesting talk about acupuncture a few days ago by Chris Ashdown at The Ark, haverfordwest, it prompted me to write some words of encouragement along the preventative thinking line!

Acupuncture which has been well tried and tested (handbooks date back some 5000 years, no I haven’t added an extra 0) looks at the whole person’s life as do many of us in natural therapies. Interestingly the chinese doctors were only paid for WELL patients… I think that would focus some practices in the NHS!  They would look at whether people were living appropriately for the ‘seasons’ of the year … or of their life, with the over all aim of conserving their ‘Chi’ or energy reserves to be in good health for life, not just youth! The chinese system talks of different chi from that we are born with (ancesteral) which is really hard to replace once lost, so has to be conserved by living appropriately. Then there is the energy we do (or don’t) get from our food, and so on.

Chris gave a winter example that we can all relate to – winter is the season of drawing in energy and not expending it unwisely, its when animals would hybernate for example, and NOT be rushing round flat out christmas shopping and wrapping presents into the night after a full on day’s work and a further hammering from all the xmas sweets and alcohol. Basically it’s when our energetic body wants to be curled up in a blanket by a fire with no big demands until Spring, so that  the whole cycle of growth and energy can start again.  How TRUE!

So we all know the pressures but what of the health consequences? Having drained our reserves, we all know people who get run down, get a bad cold or flu over xmas (when their adrenalin stops keeping them going as soon as they have reached xmas and done all the preparations)… and often soon afterwards many more people feel depressed. Again this can be the biochemical burnout taking hold. The immune system is often compromised and this has many effects, and even things we may not think of, such as effecting night sweats, photosensitivity (over sensitive to day light or electromagnetic sources such as computer screens and mobiles), and perhaps allowing existing imbalances such as gut fungus and candida, parasites, IBS , and our defenses in general to suffer.

If we are depressed biochemically it is hard to motivate ourselves to do useful energy measures such as exercise or good diet that takes a little more time and planning. In come sugars and quick to grab things that perhaps further upset the gut balance – hello bloating, headaches, constipation and insomnia. We can so easily set off a long chain reaction and find ourselves living at half our physical potential.  Watch out spouses.. this won’t help our sense of humour.

Chris explained that in some traditional hospitals you would be sent for different treatments depending on your level of need (or the state you had got yourself into!) They would look first at the food you are eating and the situation you are in – sleep, pollution, lifestyle etc. Then they might give you some foul tasting herbs to deal with immediate issues, like parasites, before sending you for acupuncture for deeper rooted energy and meridian imbalances which effect the running of the whole system. I guess without Chi we are like robots rather than human beings ?!

Oh and there are even hospitals with tree lined avenues for patients to do their daily ‘prescribed Qui Gong’ exercises which work on specific health systems, organs and conditions! A prescription for exercises – now that would be a useful lesson over here – so if any of you want to check out the little films which show you qui gong exercises – basically you get well gradually by doing these standing still postures daily – so not strenuous at all, the link is http://www.qigonghealingarts.org/qigong-exercises/master-lam-kam-chuen-free-qigong-videos/

But for now – looking after your whole system at this time of the year is going to set the tone of what the spring and summer can bring you in your life. So reboost your system by nurturing and perhaps consider having a thorough health MOT with us over the next month at The Ark, Haverfordwest.  We can see where you are biochemically and even energetically, and work with you to make sure 2012 is a year where you won’t have to face the challenging economic and employment situation in an already depleated state.

Don’t worry if you are not local to us – we will certainly do MOT’s at a distance if you send us a HAIR SAMPLE – see else where on this site for details – its fast and easy to send in your form and a hair sample, and we will test it as fully as we test patients in person – but please put as much detail as possible on your form. If you need supplementation it’s better to know now, so that it would have a chance to rebuild you well before spring when you will want to be enjoying a new year! You are not alone – we have all been over doing things and are now busy picking up the pieces for a spring clean of our health. Now… where did I put my Vit B2 ?

To your very good health!

Scientists have identified a protein called ‘wnt’ found to be vital to the production of colour in hairs. However, researchers have yet to prove that faults in the system turn people’s hair grey.
Nowadays too much bleach can be a factor. This interferes with the immune system, leading to high levels of hydrogen peroxide which is part of our immune defence, and if there’s too much or too little of something this causes an imbalance, and thus a weaker immune defence.

Poor immunity is undoubtedly a major factor in allowing Candida to overgrow. A weak immune system appears to be the norm these days. The main reason is often nutrient deficiency.  Almost every nutrient known has a role to play in creating immunity, and since most individuals exhibit multiple nutrient deficiencies, they inevitably have chronically impaired immune systems.
Psychological stress appears also to be a much overlooked cause of immune weakness, and the same is true of electromagnetic and geopathic stress.

I just spoke to two women today who had recently had a hysterectomy and they were now both suffering from recurring bladder infections. Bladder infections, also called cystitis or urinary tract infection, is usually caused by a bacteria and leads to inflammation and infection in the lower urinary tract. Catheterization can also lead to a urinary tract infection, which is why it’s not uncommon for newly post-op hysterectomy patients to come down with an infection.

However, when the infection reoccurs it’s likely to be due to the changes in the hormones (endocrine system) causing an imbalance that need correcting, and it might also have lowered your immune system so that you can’t fight off the bacteria. You need to have all your endocrine glands tested to find out how to rebalance the system. This includes the pituitary gland, pineal gland, adrenal glands, thyroid, and the glands involved in blood sugar regulation. Also in the same session, we would make sure to test all your free radical scavengers which is your defence against pathogens and bugs and a requirement for getting rid of the bacteria for good. We only give natural, safe remedies to rebalance your systems quickly. This is a much longer lasting solution and builds your future health. Always remember to drink enough water after surgery, which can easily be forgotten when you’re immobile.

There are mixed feelings even in the NHS with those I have talked to about the year old vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV). Some question the need to give it so young as the main problems only start for most when they become sexually active. It is also a new cocktail and has no meaningful history so in effect the girls receiving it are guineapigs.

When it came out, I spent several days on the phone trying to get a sample of the vaccine so we can test that our patients can tolerate it. My calls were met with hostility even when I explained that we wanted to support those clients who WANTED their daughters to have it but wanted  to make sure they could cope with it as safely as possible.  Even though we are not anti vaccines in principle, the fact that often toxic metals such as aluminium and mercury (both neurotoxic) are added, along with other adjuncts (to speed the immune response) means that it is rational to have concerns.  Yet  the head pharmacists, and even those in charge of public health, would not allow us a sample or even to make a homeopathic copy. They would not return calls or reply to emails. We are happy to work with them on issues that our patients are concerned about.  They clearly are uncomfortable with any suggestions that vaccination is not plain sailing. 

Many healthy kids would probably have no reaction at the time - although at a deeper immune level may well do.  This may not ever be picked up, as links to the vaccine would not be made when they have other health issues later – unless they have a negative reaction to the jabs at the time.    

However, just one example from our clinic recently – and I hope our young patient will not mind us referring  to her plight -  a young healthy girl developed a bad throat and loss of voice that would not clear. Then, when the parents realised it only started after her third jab of Cervarix, we tested with kinesiology and found that her throat problems related directly to something in the vaccine.

What it had done was NOT an immediate  external reaction,  such as a sore arm  like her friends, but a much more hidden response in her immune system which we had to correct with the right remedies. It had interrupted the body’s ability to fight fungus, so the initial throat infection was fungal, and we treated that and she improved but it was still weakening her voice. When the vaccine connection was made we tested and found that was the deeper issue. We hope to hear her singing in a couple of weeks at a concert!

So the bad news is…. vaccines can be bad for the health at a deep level … and in any case only offer  (according to the information from the manufacturer) about 70% immune protection  from the virus that can trigger cervical cancer. The good news is, with testing, we can check the link  to any problems you believe it might have caused, and we can remove the disturbance it causes her deeper health,  to take your daughter  beyond the negative effects.

We are really happy to check vaccines before or after your kids have them, and as parents ourselves who have experience of the pressure to vaccinate or not, will support your child’s health whatever decision you have made. 

It’s a hard decision for any parent so here are some thoughts that will hopefully help:
Firstly, ensure your child is fully well before any jabs – we are happy to do health MOTs and in particular to check the immune system – either if you come to our clinic or if its urgent, through a hair sample (see site for details).

If your child has already been vaccinated and you have concerns however ‘intuitive’ – you know them better than the doctors and you have no vested interests in the vaccines financially – so please listen to yourself. If you are in a position to bring the vaccine sample along – great and we have a number of samples, including CERVARIX  too, so we will test your concerns out.

The advice we would give any parent who suspects a negative effect on their child’s health after the vaccines – even if it’s not immediate – is that they go online and report it http://vaers.hhs.gov/index – or google vaccine side effects, reporting and you should find what to do next – and to put it in writing to your doctor and even the local pharmacists as they are at the front line and often tell patients about drugs and what not to take them with when the doctors don’t know.

Here is a link to a vaccine info site http://www.vaccine-tlc.org/

We hope this has been helpful to those of you with worries and hunches in your own families.

There is some information on the Dr Mercola site …. its about homeopathy, and near the end of the article the author refers to a site on vaccines and reporting. Interesting article on homeopathy too! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/22/Why-Skeptics-Love-to-Hate-Homeopathy.aspx

We are not nutritionalists, but are often asked to test different foodstuffs as people try to understand some of the signs and symptoms they have been having. We also try to encourage those who have had various patch tests at hospital or allergy tests from various other sources and come away with a depressingly limited ‘OK list’… because we aim to correct whatever imbalance causes them not to tolerate many basic foods. After that they should be OK to eat a normal healthy diet.

We would usually see food intolerances as a TEMPORARY thing.  Foods such as cows milk are often brought up by people when they first come to us. Some people’s liver detox pathways are not working well.. others are carrying a typical parasite in their system, and sometimes people are having an inappropriate immune response.  There are many reasons why food intolerances show up and we look for that cause and do our best to reset the body to be well, and at that stage those foods usually do not present problems again.

I have just read an article on an American doctor’s site about milk. What was interesting from a Health Detective’s point of view, was that instead of the common complaint that people can’t tolerate dairy products, this article was making a link between pasteurised milk CAUSING health problems such as astma, and osteoporosis as well as immune weakness. The main point being that heating the milk to pasteurise it kills the useful enzymes and the range of bacteria that give us a healthy immune system in the first place. 

They also made the distinction between mass milk of all qualities being mixed together and handled from farm to customers via the PROCESSORS – where  as the movement now fighting back in the states (especially california) is about reconnecting with consumers, and giving them RAW milk from organic clean grass fed cows – and helping REDUCE many health problems.  The epidemic of astma and autoimmune problems and osteoporosis, the article considers, comes after a prolongued period where only pasteurised milk has been allowed. This sterile milk without even the useful bacteria and enzymes has contributed to a USA population with astma and immune problems. It goes on in the following exerp to make links between osteoparosis/loss of bone density and the pasteurised milk. These are the words of one of the founders of the organic raw milk movement revival, not ours. But certainly we often test people’s calcium levels and ability to form bone well, and look at how to biochemically correct calcium imbalances – where calcium often doesn’t make it INTO the bone  – staying in the blood instead -HOWEVER MUCH CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS OR CALCICHEW THE DOCTORS PRESCRIBE.

We find people awash with blood calcium but not able to absorb it. We often find they need large doses of EFA’s to get the oils into the right place. Others have their oil systems clogged up with transfats (the nasty fats from over heating oils – yes we are talking chips and biscuits – please don’t shoot the messengers! – actually crisps are one of the worst sources of transfats) – and we need to remove these first  – then strengthen the bones. We also find a lot of patients needing probiotics, often specific  ones, such as after prolonged/repeated doses of antibiotics which strip many of the immune active bacteria from our gut lining.

SO do come for testing if you are worried about your bone health. Its often just about getting the right minerals flowing in the right places around your body. Here is the exerp on bone health from the Raw milk advocates and an American MD  – food for thought. (I won’t do the pun about ‘giving us something to (calci)chew over’…. calichew contains aspartame so doesn’t seem a good idea either if its supposed to help your health! More along the lines of ‘what you gain for the bone you lose for the brain’ as aspartame has a neurotoxic effect on brain chemistry).  Too much information?!

If you would like to bring in samples of fresh / raw and unpasteurised milk for us to test for you – do get in touch. But I understand from my dairy farming neighbours that they would get in real trouble selling anyone milk straight from their cooler… it seems we have to work hard to get at ‘the real thing’ these days  – thank heavens for farmers markets and farm shops to keep us in touch with where real food comes from!

exerp: 

Chances are you know someone with asthma or hayfever. Millions of people have it in this country. That’s an awful lot of blue puffers as most of those people control their asthma in this way. However, by not asking for better treatment, referral, more investigations, these people are doing themselves a great disservice. Most  people  have asthma that can be controlled even better or become symptom free – and thus the diagnosis of asthma would no longer apply.

We find that many asthma symptoms can be relieved or even disappear when you find out WHY the breathing and the lungs are struggling, and then treat this underlying cause. It could be due to a build-up of fungus, inflammation, an allergic response due to a low immune system as well as an inappropriate reaction from your immune system just to mention a few. The adrenal glands could be depleted and the cortisol levels are often out of balance.

There are very good herbal and nutritional supplements that can re-establish the body’s biochemical balance within a short period and people find that asthma symptoms are greatly relieved, and they can often reduce or stop taking any other medication. Even the natural remedies are usually only taken for a limited period till your body balance is restored and your body can do the jobs itself again. This is provided you find the corrective remedy, which is fairly straight forward through testing.

Puffers generally work as symptom controllers and don’t really treat the cause of the problem. Some people turn out to be intolerant to the propellent in the puffer so if you are on medication, preferably avoid a puffer with a propellent – ask for a nebuliser instead. Its a good idea to get  tested  to see whether you can tolerate the puffer as they can contain toxic metals that you may be sensitive to, thus making the breathing problem worse.

Asthma in children can respond particularly well  gaining a lot of relief  through natural medicine. You don’t have to wait for your child to grow out of it and struggle for years. In the clinic, I often use The Bowen Technique with immediate results and where parents often used to take their child to hospital,  by the end of the day they would in stead see asthma symptoms going. 

 Here’s a very useful first aid Bowen move for you to use if your child – or any other person – has breathing problems, coughing, an asthma attack or similar. Alastair Rattray shows how to do this so well on his website (I’m still working on my Bowen website!) and it’s really worth doing this little move when you feel your child needs some relief from coughing or troublesome breathing: http://www.bowen-for-asthma.com/release.html.

We have had a few people mention hay fever in clinic recently – not because they are having symptoms now but because they are very wisely thinking ahead. So we get the chance to have a delve into their immune system to see if we can stabilize that … and maybe they can get away without the grim symptoms later on in the season of exams among other things! So if you would like to hit summer in a different way this year – book soon as clinic slots fill up fast. And don’t forget to send us a post card when you  are out in the sun and symptom free!

Letters are dropping through the doors of thousands of families whose children are aged between six months and five years urging them to go for a swine flu vaccination. It is an invitation which has left many puzzled as to what to do for the best.

With last year’s swine flu scare having fizzled out so spectacularly – officials are now predicting 1,000, rather than 65,000, deaths in the UK – and with no-one sure about the chances of the virus making a serious return, is there now a danger of overreacting?

We can offer a test and support of your child’s immune system and have access to various natural remedies to boost the immune system as well as dealing with viruses. So whether you choose for your child to have the vaccine or not, make sure their immune system is in a state to cope with it beforehand. Please book as soon as possible so that we can give the immune system a chance to work optimally.

We’re hoping to get hold of a sample of the actual swine flu vaccine so that we can test whether your child can tolerate the vaccine. Contact us for more details.