|
|
|
|
A Personal Message
This month we are going to touch on the topic of the heart discussing medical, dental and spiritual points of view pertaining to the philosophies and treatments of our clinic.
Most individuals know that it is important to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, reduce stress levels and have cholesterol levels and blood pressure checked periodically. Beyond these simple methods there are other measures we can also take to educate ourselves and further lower the risks of developing heart disease.
Genetic testing can give us that slight edge on learning what we as individuals are predisposed to in regards to cardiac and other health conditions. Our genes can be strongly influenced by lifestyle and preventive practices and genetic tests give us insight into what nutritional, lifestyle changes and even pharmaceutical approaches would be beneficial to our personal health and longevity. In other words having a gene/s that predisposes a person to possibly having heart issues does not mean that those conditions will definitely develop. It does give us specific information and tools to hopefully prevent problems from occurring. There are cardiovascular conditions that may require pharmaceutical treatment but keeping in mind that it is worthwhile to try a more natural approach first as often these measures are adequate in controlling moderately high blood pressure and other cardiac concerns. Natural therapies can also be used as a complementary approach to help support the body when pharmaceuticals are indicated.
Remember it doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to be good to those you love.....especially yourselves!!
|
|
An Excerpt from: "About Your Blood Pressure"
Factors that Influence your Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure is one of the many indicators of health. High blood pressure is not a disease in and of itself, but a sign that your body is under stress.
High blood pressure is the leading reason for visits to physicians as well as for drug prescriptions.
The following are factors that may be contributing to high blood pressure.
- Lifestyle factors: coffee consumption, smoking, alcohol intake, lack of exercise, stress
- Dietary factors: low fiber/ high sugar diet, high saturated fat/ low essential fat intake, diet low in calcium, magnesium and vitamin C, sodium/potassium ratio out of balance (too much sodium not enough potassium), food sensitivities
- Genetic Factors
- Obesity
- Exposure to heavy metals (lead)
Naturopathic Treatment Option
Most cases of borderline to moderate hypertension can be brought into normal range with changes in lifestyle and diet which may include:
- Modifying current exercise regimen
- Implementing time each day for relaxation
- Addressing and managing daily stresses in life
- Limiting or eliminating coffee and alcohol intake
- Weight loss
- Following a whole foods diet
- Identifying potential food sensitivities or exposure to environmental toxins
- Supplementing nutrient deficiencies
- Additional support for the cardiovascular system may include the use of medicinal herbs, homeopathic remedies, orthomolecular medicine and acupuncture.
Our medical team can provide you with a specific program to fit your individual requirements.
For those whose blood pressure does not respond to the above our doctors will partner with you in undertaking more extensive testing and treatment.
Diagnostic testing may include cardiovascular specific genetic testing, heavy metal testing, salivary hormone and adrenal stress testing, and nutritional testing all of which are offered in our medical clinic.
Our extensive intravenous therapy program also offers effective options for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. This includes chelation therapy to remove toxic heavy metals, phosphatidylcholine administration and nutrient replacement.
To read entire article follow link to our website.
|
| The Heart and Chinese Medicine - Dr. Jeni Lim
The "Heart" in Chinese Medicine is considered the emperor of the body.
As the emperor the heart rules the expression of all the emotions. Each organ demonstrates its own emotion but the heart decides whether the emotion is to be expressed or not and to what extent it should be expressed.
In Chinese Medicine the result of hiding our deeper emotions as opposed to expressing them, throws off our Yin and Yang balance. When this happens it can be seen in our faces. This imbalance of energy creates facial asymmetry. You are your face. The face is an external projection of your inner self and the reflection of your emotional world.
Ideally, the face should be symmetrical to reflect optimal health. These are the people who express how they truly feel and in doing so create a balance of the Yin and Yang.
Balancing the interconnected systems of the human body to maintain healthy function is one of the main philosophical concepts that Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on.
Repeated repression of our emotions will not only reveal themselves in the form of deep lines on the left side of the face but they will also be indicative of serious underlying health conditions.
The fourth chakra is the "heart" centre of the body. It is the keeper of wisdom and holds the power to forgive others as well as ourselves. A branch of acupuncture, called Esoteric acupuncture is a powerful technique used to harmonize and balance the heart meridian and the heart chakra to open up emotional issues related to the heart as well as the physical blockages influencing the heart and other organs.
If you would like to explore a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) approach to your health call our clinic for a consultation with Dr. Jeni Lim. Her therapies include TCM, Facial Acupuncture and Rejuvenation, IV Therapy, Neural Therapy, Detoxification and Drainage, Mesotherapy and Ozone Therapy.
|
Oral Health and Your Heart - Dr. Ara Elmajian
The public and especially our patients are starting to understand that there is a direct correlation between the health of their mouths and jaws with the rest of the body.
We've mentioned in previous newsletters how structural problems in the mouth such as missing teeth and loss of vertical dimension (bone) can affect and cause pain not only in the jaw joint but also in distant parts of the body.
Did you know that there are many aspects of oral health that can directly affect the heart?
There is mounting evidence that indicates people (especially males) who have periodontal disease also have a much higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, stroke) than those individuals who take preventive measures to eliminate the biofilm in their mouths.
The bacteria in dental plaque biofilm is the major cause of periodontal disease and the most important link between heart disease and periodontal disease is inflammation. Biofilm harbors many harmful strains of bacteria that during the course of the inflammatory response enter the bloodstream and can travel to other parts of the body, such as the heart.
Chronic infections involving root canalled teeth can have a similar inflammatory response and negative effect on major organs in the body, again such as the heart.
Any form of infection or toxicity (especially chronic) in the body has the potential to wreak havoc not only in the isolated area of infection but in other areas of the body as well.
The mouth is often overlooked in this regard. As was mentioned above, infections in the mouth can be extremely harmful to the heart.
Also heavy metal toxicity as a result of sensitivity to dental materials can have an equally devastating effect on the brain and the kidneys. We will be discussing this topic in a future newsletter.
Wisdom teeth, especially if partially or totally impacted or space in the jaw is inadequate, can also cause health problems. Due to these factors, the areas surrounding the wisdom teeth can become focal points for infection and cause inflammation as noted above.
In the fields of Neural therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the wisdom teeth are related to the heart.
In TCM the four wisdom teeth represent the four chambers of the heart. In this respect it is understandable that wisdom teeth problems can create blockages in the energy (meridian) system of the body and directly affect the heart.
Not intending to spread too much doom and gloom it should be noted that these health problems directly related to oral health are preventable.
Routine dental examinations and oral hygiene procedures can identify and help you prevent potential oral health issues that could be affecting your general health.
|
| Herb of the Month - Dr. Jennie Weisenburger
 Tilia cordata - Linden or Lime blossom
Tilia cordata/platyphyllos, is a deciduous tree, native to Europe which grows in temperate northern climates and can reach 90m tall and live to 1000 years. This plant has been used extensively in European folk medicine. The active components that render Linden a useful medicinal plant include flavonoids (antioxidants) mucilaginous components (soothing and anti-inflammatory) traces of nervine compoments (to tonify and relax the nervous system), tannins (astringent) and volatile oils which give it a sweet fragrance.
In clinical practice we use the flowers and leaves for prevention and treatment of hypertension associated with nervous tension and arteriosclerosis as well as for heart palpitations associated with stress and panic. It is a valuable cardiovascular and nervous system tonic and we most often use the alcohol extract of the leaves and flowers in combination with other herbs.
Tilia is also included in some cold and flu remedies, as it promotes sweating to relieve fevers and reduces congestion. It combines well with Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm - which grows really well in our gardens) to reduce nervous tension, and can be taken as a loose leaf herbal tea infusion as a substitute for caffeine drinks for those living with coronary heart disease.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
