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

My Story:  How I Reversed a Potentially Serious Condition

Regardless of how much we think we know, we tend not to be our own best doctor. I was reminded of this recently as Dr. Marcel and I visited with Dr. Chi, a well known doctor of Chinese medicine practicing in southern California.

It was probably about 6 years ago that Dr. Marcel and I saw Dr. Chi at a medical convention in Los Vegas. There are numerous booths at these conventions, all vying for the attention of the participants, demonstrating diagnostic techniques and showcasing their products.  We noticed a long line of doctors patiently waiting at one of the booths to be evaluated by a Chinese doctor who was offering tongue and fingernail diagnosis. I wasn't particularly drawn to the booth as, as far as I was concerned, I was in perfect health and not all that interested in another opinion. I waited and watched as Dr. Marcel was diagnosed, then headed for the convention hall. Dr. Chi beckoned me back and asked if I didn't want to be evaluated myself. I allowed him a look at my hands. He drew his breath in and informed me that I was at very high risk for breast cancer. Having no obvious hormonal problems, and having just had a clear mammogram and ultrasound, I dismissed Dr. Chi and his diagnostics.

A few months later, as we were training in our office on our new breast thermography machine, I was stunned to see that my left breast had a very high risk rating, looking suspiciously like a developing breast cancer. That finding was enough of a coincidence to cause me to go on Dr. Chi's rather intensive protocol. Following that protocol for 3 months, I saw my risk rating diminishing. Following a revised protocol for another 3 months, I saw the risk rating reduce down to a very low risk rating. Very impressive!

Even more impressive, as I look back on that experience, is the fact that Dr. Chi also indicated to Dr. Marcel at that time that he was at a high risk for prostate cancer. As many of you know, Dr. Marcel was subsequently diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer, not revealed by his PSA, his symptoms, or other physical exam.

We were intrigued, and have waited patiently for the opportunity to study with Dr. Chi. We were able to do so this past weekend. As a part of his seminar, Dr. Chi offers diagnosis to each of the doctors present. This time, Dr. Chi held my hands, asked my age, and then said softly "You don't think you have anything to be concerned about, and that may be true at this moment, but I see the signs of several developing conditions." Dr. Chi saw that my blood was not properly oxygenated, causing very cold hands and feet, not mediated by thyroid function, but by poor circulation of the blood. Those of you who know me know that this is a major complaint that I have. Dr. Chi indicated that my low tissue oxygenation puts me at risk for the development of various cancers. Dr. Chi also told me that I was not assimilating nutrients as well as I might, and that this was putting me at risk for osteoporosis.

Given Dr. Chi's 100% batting average in diagnosing and treating myself and others I know, I have decided both to follow his advice, and to incorporate his diagnostics and treatment protocols into my practice. Dr. Chi estimates that I can reverse the risk factors he noted by following his protocol for up to a year. He tells me that the changes will be visible in my tongue and nails.  And I believe him!  (See Dr. Marcel's article below for a discussion of tongue and fingernail diagnostics.)

A Case of Thick and Pale Tongue

Connie Hernandez, N.D.

We were well schooled, in naturopathic medical school, in interpreting conventional laboratory diagnostics, physical exam findings (pulse rate, blood pressure, heart rhythm, lung sounds, dilated pupils and more), and case histories. Through our years of practice, we added complementary laboratory diagnostics and electronic evaluation of bodily energy flows.   As time has passed, we continue to explore both deceptively simple and intriguingly complex methods of diagnosis , and to hone our intuitive skills.

Diagnosis begins from the moment of meeting a new patient, and evolves from there.  Here's an example from a few weeks ago.

A friend had expressed concern to me about his wife's health, and asked me to spend a few minutes with her.  Barb had put on a little weight since I had last seen her. Her eyes were slightly puffy, and her ankles a little swollen. She held her hand out to me, and I found it to be cold and clammy. I noticed that Barb's skin was dry and cracked, and she was shedding some hair. I asked her to stick out her tongue, which I saw was pale and thick.

Barb complained of the chilliness, and told me she was just not feeling quite right. She thought she might be a little depressed, as she was not her usual enthusiastic self. She just felt a little too tired to make any effort. Barb said her troubles had started after a recent, very stressful surgery after which she had received repeated doses of antibiotics to control a post operative infection. Her digestion went off at that point, and she found that foods she had always enjoyed now bothered her.

I ordered several lab tests, including our comprehensive thyroid screen... Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free T4 (thyroid hormone put out by the thyroid gland), Free T3 (active form of thyroid hormone), reverse T3 (an inactive form of thyroid hormone) and antithyroid antibodies. I was pretty sure of what I would find.

The results both confirmed my expectations and surprised me. We look for TSH to be less than 3. The higher the TSH, the more severe the low thyroid condition. Barb's TSH was 22, the second highest TSH I've seen in many years of practice. Compounding the situation, the little T4 she had was not converting to T3... typical of post surgery and of various nutrient deficiencies. Her antithyroid antibodies were positive for Hashimoto's thyroiditis.  Barb was iron deficient, and subsequent testing also revealed she had developed a sensitivity to gluten and dairy. (Sensitivities to common foods often develop after antibiotic use, and gluten sensitivity is a common problem in autoimmune thyroid.)

I asked Barb to avoid gluten and dairy, and to rotate other foods. We supported her thyroid with iron and other nutrients necessary to the conversion of T4 to T3, and with a thyroid glandular containing both T4 and T3. To support the energy center governing the thyroid gland, I asked Barb to wear a blue scarf around her neck, to practice a few simple yoga postures (the lion and the shoulder stand), and to sing along with herself as she played the piano.

Six weeks later, Barb was feeling herself again. Her joie de vivre had returned. Her skin was less dry and her body had warmth. Barb was particularly delighted by the use of color and sound in her treatment protocol. She playfully stuck her tongue out for me to see, and it was of normal size and of a healthy pink color.

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

Fingernail and Tongue Diagnosis

and

An Offer to Participate in 

a Unique Project

Our patients know that as Naturopathic Doctors, we walk in the "integrated medicine" arena, an arena that combines the strengths of conventional medicine with the best of alternative and complementary medicine.  At the physician level, the field of alternative and complementary medicine is not unique to naturopathic doctors.  The field is also heavily populated with progressive, MDs, DOs, Oriental Medical Doctors and Chiropractors.

As NDs, our number one concern is to do what is best for our patients.  Our basic tenet is that we utilize analyses and recommend treatments that are the least invasive, most effective and evidence-based. From this philosophical basis, we have begun the process of adding a new set of skills to our repertoire,

For more than 2000 years, Chinese doctors have depended on externally observable markers to perform fast and accurate screens of what may be going on inside the body.  Dr. Connie recounts our dramatic experiences in this regard in her articles, above.  Folks who have visited Oriental Medical Doctors may have experienced pulse and tongue evaluation.  Fingernail diagnosis is another effective means of discovering underlying conditions, even before the conditions manifest.

To a skilled practitioner, fingernails and tongue markers correspond to organ function and bodily health in clear and measurable ways.  An adult fingernail completely regenerates very slowly, every six to eight months or so, so changes can be tracked over the long term.  The tongue, however, sheds its upper cellular layer every three days, providing immediate feedback on treatment protocols for specific conditions.

Combining tongue, fingernails, and other easily observable physical markers can yield an accurate assessment of a condition in both the present moment and over the long haul.  For example, a lack of lunula 

Cherry Angiomas

(the little half moons at the base of the fingernails), branching dark veins on the underside of the tongue, earlobe creases and cherry angiomas (little bloodred spots and bumps) on the forehead may indicate a cardiovascular condition.  Hormonal imbalances may manifest as white spots on the nail bed or cherry angiomas on the abdomen and chest.

The remarkable Dr. Chi, whom we have previously mentioned in this newsletter, says that studies by doctors have shown more than an 80 percent accuracy rate in tongue and fingernail diagnosis, and the results have been verified by Western-style blood tests and imaging procedures. 

Fingernail lunula

Dr. Chi is also well-known in the alternative and complementary medical field as the formulator of an herbal formula that has proven effective in preventing the conversion of testosterone to a cancer-causing form of estrogen (the action of the herbal formula is that of an "aromatase inhibitor").  Another of his products stops the vascular proliferation in breasts that often precedes breast cancer. 

Dr. Connie and Dr. Marcel have begun compiling a database of tongue, fingernail and other physical signs, as they relate to our patients' health concerns and how the signs change after appropriate therapy.  If you would like to participate in this database, the cost, until the end of the year, is only $25.  After December 31, the cost will be $75. 

The results will become a part of your chart and will be reviewed without charge, and new photos taken, in future office visits.  After joining the database and being photographed, you will receive a written initial analysis via email, photos of your tongue and fingernails, and recommendations to correct noted imbalances.  By joining the database, you will have established a baseline for future evaluation.

Please phone the office to schedule a short intake and photographic session with Dr. Marcel if you would like to participate, 650-917-1121.

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.