HOW DOES IT WORK?
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One of my most frequent questions as an acupuncturist is from people familiar with Western Medicine but wonder, what is acupuncture, how does it work and what can be treated? Since I’ve answered this question personally time and time again, I decided to look to Western Medicine itself for the answers to these questions. Here is a snippet from Webmd.com with their understanding of what we do! Enjoy.
“What Is Acupuncture and How Does It Work?
Sixteenth century Chinese doctors believed that illness was due to an imbalance of energy in the body. In acupuncture, disposable, stainless steel needles are used to stimulate the body’s 14 major meridians, or energy-carrying channels, to resist or overcome illnesses and conditions by correcting these imbalances. Acupuncture is also thought to decrease pain by increasing the release of chemicals that block pain, called endorphins. Many acu-points are near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins (morphine-like chemicals produced in our own bodies during times of pain or stress). Endorphins, along with other neurotransmitters (body chemicals that modify nerve impulses), block the message of pain from being delivered up to the brain.
What Conditions Are Treated With Acupuncture?
Although acupuncture is not a “cure-all” treatment, it is very effective in treating several diseases and conditions. Acupuncture is most effective at treating chronic pain, such as headaches; menstrual cramps; and low back, neck, or muscle pain. It can also be used to treat arthritis, facial pain, pain from shingles, and spastic colon and colitis conditions. Acupuncture has also been successful in treating obesity and addictions such as nicotine or drugs. Acupuncture also can improve the functioning of the immune system (the body’s defense system against diseases).
Importantly, don’t rely on acupuncture for treatment of chronic or serious illness unless you see a doctor first. Acupuncture may not be the only way to improve your condition. Your health-care provider may recommend acupuncture treatment along with other treatment methods such as physical therapy or medication. For certain conditions, such as cancer, acupuncture should only be performed in combination with other treatments.”
IT’S JUST ANOTHER MANIC MONDAY.
By · CommentsDoc G, dropping some more Monday morning knowledge!
IT’S MONDAY MORNING!
By · CommentsTO CELL OR NOT TO CELL.
By · CommentsCNN spent a good deal of its news space today running the story about how our cell phones may in fact be giving us brain cancer. Shocking I know. What I found to be most interesting, especially as a healthcare worker, was the not the information as people have been saying this for years. What is really interesting is that CNN also used this topic as one of its Poll Questions and asked people if they would now change any part of their cell phone usage with this new information being out. 63% of the respondents said that they would change nothing….that’s right, one of the world’s major news stations is quoting a study that directly relates cell phone usage to brain cancer and 63% of people when asked said that they wouldn’t change a thing.
Are we that addicted to the feeling of holding a cell phone up to our heads when we talk or is change just that scary?
ARE YOU WEALTHY?
By · Comments“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”
Mahatma Ghandi
X-RAY VISION.
By · CommentsAlki Wellness in Santa Barbara has an x-ray suite and offers radiologic services to its patients. We do so for a number of reasons the most important of which is patient safety. Many people who present to a Chiropractor can be suffering from previously undetected spinal degeneration that is easily seen on x-rays. Establishing the condition of your spine is one of the primary goals of our initial examination. Another reason for taking spinal x-rays is to enhance the specificity of the Chiropractic adjustment. If I, as a doctor, am able to visualize the spine as a whole with all of its inherent nuances I am much better prepared to provide you with the most specific and safest adjustment possible. It truly can make all the difference. Lastly x-rays can provide us with a baseline in the event that you do possess some change that needs to be monitored over time. As always we offer free consultations for Chiropractic and would be happy to take the time to discuss your individual needs with no obligation.
Dr. Marc Grandle
INFLAMMATION – FRIEND OR FOE?
By · CommentsThe fact that illnesses related to chronic inflammation are now affecting over 50% of the American population, just doesn’t sit well with me. What really makes me lose sleep is the fact that these conditions can easily be prevented or improved simply by changing the foods that we choose to eat on a daily basis. We are not victims to these types of diseases; we are simply uneducated and misguided when it comes to how much nutrition plays a role in our health.
Medical research has found that inflammation is an underlying contributor to virtually every chronic disease from rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and some silent killers such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. Yikes!
Would you expect your car to run well if you put oil in your gas tank? I don’t think so. So why do we fill our bodies with junk food and then ask, “Why is my body failing me?” when we get sick? Proper nutrition isn’t complicated. Nature provides us with the foods that we are intended to eat such as lean meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruit. What complicates nutrition is all of the quick and easy options that we have available to us, such as fast foods and processed foods in packages.
To protect yourself from inflammation and the complications that accompany it, I encourage you to eat the natural foods I mentioned above. In addition, start reading food labels to get a good idea of what you’re putting in your body. Be aware that the major inflammatory contributors are refined sugar; flour products like pasta and bread, soybean, cottonseed, corn, safflower and sunflower oils. Omega-6 fatty acids, another key inflammatory agent, have also been abundantly added to processed foods for the last 50 years.
MONDAY MORNING YELLOW LIGHTS.
By · CommentsACCOUNTABILITY.
By · CommentsThe very first step in the process towards better health is recognizing what needs to be changed. With my coaching clients I first have them fill out a questionnaire about what exactly it is that they’re interested in working on. Due to the fact that the vast majority of them have the goal of losing weight or incorporating a healthier lifestyle, we end up having two categories – positive attributes and habits to add or build upon and negative habits and attributes that we want to minimize.
What is the key to adopting a habit or new behavior after it has been recognized as a necessity? Step 1 in my mind is accountability. Many people are able to hold themselves accountable and see a goal through on their own, but the vast majority of need a little bit of assistance. I have a personal training client that asked if it was alright that he text me every night before going to sleep. He told me that if left to his own devices he would stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning surfing the internet and watching old movies – BUT – if he knew that someone else was going to know his bedtime he would put himself to sleep at a reasonable hour. Sound crazy? In my mind something is only crazy if it’s being done without yielding the desired results. In my mind, NOT using something as simple as a text message for accountability and having to live your life exhausted because you aren’t getting the benefits of a good night sleep is what’s really crazy!
Here’s my recommendation: Find someone that you both trust to be there for you and hold you to task. This can be anyone from a friend and/or family member to a professional coach and ask them to be your accountability partner. It’s a very easy job, and one that is usually fun for both parties.
You can also use the website www.habitforge.com, a great resource that will allow you to set up a goal for a 21 day minimum and then send you a daily email questionnaire asking if you’ve completed your task. Everyday you have to either click YES and go on to the next day or NO in which the program has you start over at Day 1 again! Talk about incentive! It’s a very powerful tool and one that I recommend highly.
Be well!
