One of Dr. Connie's Favorite Places to Muse is at the Pacific Naturopathic Retreat Center in Hawaii

ENERGY!

We live in fast moving, mind boggling times -- politically, economically, electronically, scientifically. The only constant is change itself. We have progressed, in culture and consciousness, from Newtonian understandings of the nature of realty to the understandings of Einstein. We now know that we live in a sea of energy; that there is an energetic reality to our physical beings; that physical reality is patterned by this energetic reality. The energetic reality is the more powerful and causative reality. In reflection of this understanding, medical diagnosis and treatment have moved to the use of ultrasounds, lasers, and devices which sense and emit electromagnetic frequencies.

Naturopathic medicine is, at its roots, a medicine based on energy. Naturopathic medicine has its origins in the understanding of and respect for the Vix Medicatrix Naturae, or the healing power of nature -- that nonphysical energy that permeates all living organisms. That energy has been called by many names, names primarily known through spiritual healing traditions. It is prana, it is chi. Paramahansa Yogananda described that energy as conscious cosmic energy. I like that description as it reflects inherent intelligence.

Naturopathic medicine, as a vitalistic medicine, endeavors to unblock and encourage the free flow of conscious cosmic energy through the body. It is that energy that balances, harmonizes, vitalizes and heals. To resonate with and move that energy, we have homeopathic medicines and flower essences, acupuncture, and hand healing. We have therapies based on light and sound, heat and cold, and on the five elements.... earth, air, water, fire, and ether. These healing modalities are fundamental to the flow of healing energy throughout the body.

This being a scientifically savvy age, naturopathy has also adopted and adapted sophisticated diagnostics and treatments based on physics and biochemistry, nutrigenomics, and electronics. This is well and good. I do find myself, however, yearning for the balance of the water cures of the early 20th century, the ancient sun and sound based healing centers, mud baths and more -- all of which attempt to free the energy flow.

Beyond that are those practices which teach direct access and channeling of conscious cosmic energy... deep meditation, spiritually based yoga, chi kung. tai chi. My personal practice includes the Energization Exercises, a series of 39 exercises brought to us by Paramahansa Yogananda to awaken and direct conscious cosmic energy through our bodies. Enjoying these exercises on a daily basis, I find my spine aligning itself, imbalances correcting themselves, energy expanding, vitality returning. Were I to chose one health practice to do on a daily basis, whether for mental, emotional, or spiritual reasons, it would be the Energization Exercises.

Energization posters, and a companion book by Yogananda, How to Achieve Glowing Health and Vitality, are available now at Pacific Naturopathic.

Energization classes are taught at Ananda Palo Alto as class 2 of the meditation class series.

For more on energy and healing through energy, see sidebar for information on a 9 class series at Ananda, directed by Dr Shanti and Dr Connie, and beginning April 11th.

Find out more about Dr. Connie's consulting services at  
www.naturopathichealthconsultations.com   

Feeling Fatigued?  

Ten Simple Solutions!

Connie Hernandez, N.D.

One of the most common complaints we hear in the office is that of fatigue. 

There are many reasons why fatigue might occur: anemia, infection, chronic illness, low thyroid, adrenal exhaustion, hormonal imbalance, excesses or deficiencies of various nutrients and foods, stress, depression, pain. Sometimes testing and history do not reveal an obvious cause for the fatigue. That doesn't mean that nothing can be done. In fact, there are simple vitalizing techniques that can benefit just about everyone. Here are some of my favorites.

You can feel vital and vibrant!

Find out more about Dr. Connie's consulting services at:  

What Causes Fatigue and How Do We Deal With IT?

A Naturopathic Perspective 

on Changing Body Chemistry

Fatigue. Exhaustion. Lethargy. Brain fog. Languidness. Lassitude. Listlessness. Weariness. In many names and guises, fatigue is the single most common complaint we hear as doctors.

Even though "fatigue" has a diagnostic code in the ICD-9 guide, fatigue is not a diagnosis. It is a symptom. There is something else going on that causes the fatigue. Discovering and addressing the cause of fatigue can transform a person's life. Ah, but there's the rub. Where do we begin to look for the cause?

As Naturopathic Doctors, part of our training is to look for the "center of gravity" of any ailment. When a person enters our office we do a quick scan. How is the person carrying himself/herself? Are they slumped over and shuffling along, or are they radiating energy? What is their facial expression? Have they dressed with care, or are they disheveled? Does the fatigue have its origin in the mental, emotional, spiritual or physical realm? Stasis on the spiritual path can cause fatigue, as can boredom. Depression and fatigue go hand in hand. Chronic illness and pain are fatiguing. During a naturopathic office visit, these areas are discussed and evaluated for their contributions to fatigue.

On the physical level, both acute and chronic illnesses contribute to fatigue. A host of metabolic imbalances also cause fatigue. In the medical paradigm that Naturopathic Doctors work within, yes, we do prescribe remedies to alleviate symptoms, but we see our main task as discovering and eliminating the cause of a complaint such as fatigue, on whatever level(s) the cause exists.

When a new acquaintance asks me, "What do you do?" and I tell them I am a Naturopathic Doctor, the most common response is a blank face as the questioner tries to understand and categorize my response. I then tell them that my specialty is changing body chemistry in the least invasive, most effective manner possible. For example, a pharmaceutical can relieve the symptoms of a migraine. But that migraine had a trigger. Once the trigger is identified and eliminated, no more migraine, no more meds.

At Pacific Naturopathic, we use mainstream laboratory testing, specialty laboratory testing and cutting edge, evidence-based technologies to discover imbalances and normalize body chemistry. Here are a couple of examples of how Naturopathic Doctors at Pacific Naturopathic might evaluate the biochemistry of a patient complaining of fatigue.

A good beginning point is the Hernandez Wellness Panel, a comprehensive screen we designed to assess blood chemistry. With this test we can see if iron, B-12 or folic acid anemia plays a part in our patient's fatigue. The Hernandez Panel also looks at the liver, kidneys, and thyroid gland, at electrolyte balance, and at the cardiovascular and immune systems. Imbalance in any of these can play a part in causing fatigue. We order so many Wellness panels that we negotiated an amazingly low rate with the lab. Your cost for three pages of detailed lab results is $172, about a tenth the going price.

The Adrenal Stress Index looks at the circadian rhythm of your body by measuring salivary adrenal hormones collected at various times throughout the day. The adrenal glands are profoundly affected by unmanaged stress and adrenal dysfunction can be the precursor to a number of acute and chronic conditions. Your cost is $120 to Diagnostechs Lab.

Intracellular Micronutrient Testing is a blood test that measures how micronutrients are actually functioning within your white blood cells. This test offers a nutritional assessment applicable to a broad variety of clinical conditions including fatigue, arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, immunological and metabolic disorders, and nutritional deficiencies. Your cost is $170 to Spectra Cell Laboratories, and a blood draw fee.

Most of our patients who complain about fatigue remember a time when they felt vibrant and energetic. They are tired of feeling like they are not firing on all cylinders. If you feel like this, take heart... we can help you find out why this is happening. Phone us at 650-917-1121 for an evaluation.

Find out more about Dr. Marcel's work with men at:

Rapid Pain Relief 

With Elijah Free

Elijah Free, MH, CMI, CMT  

To contact Elijah, please either call the clinic at 650-917-1121 or e-mail at [email protected].

Looking for a conscious, meaningful, caring gift for a birthday or special occasion? A gift certificate to a Pacific Naturopathic practitioner lets a special person know you really care about their well-being. 

Gift certificates for all practitioners and modalities offered at Pacific Naturopathic are available by phoning our front desk at 650-917-1121, or just stopping by.

Normal Thermographic Pattern

All current breast screening tools utilize some form of energy to create images of breast tissue.

Mammograms, MRIs and ultrasound are able to detect abnormal lumps and bumps in the breasts, and are used to indicate the need for biopsy. MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is generally recommended when there is a need for clarification of findings, or when women are at very high risk for breast disease. As the name implies, this medical imaging technique uses a magnetic field, plus pulses of radio wave energy, to picture organs. Ultrasound imaging, as that name implies, uses high frequency sound waves to picture soft tissue. Breast ultrasounds are generally used, as a follow up to mammograms, to differentiate solid from fluid filled lumps in the breasts. Mammograms, the primary conventional breast screening tool, send x rays through the breast tissue to form an image. Since radiation exposure is a risk factor for cancer, women have justifiable concerns.

Breast thermography also relies on energy, infrared imaging in this case, to detect heat patterns in the breast. A noninvasive imaging technique, thermography neither radiates nor compresses the breast. Heat emitted from the skin is translated into electrical impulses which are seen as colors. Vascular patterns and the temperature patterns the colors reflect are interpreted, allowing the technician to detect unusual processes occurring in one or both breasts. Since physiologic change occurs before lumps and bumps form, thermography offers early screening for breast pathology. 

The cost to you of breast thermography is $225.

Thermography at Pacific Naturopathic