SPRING IS HERE! (we think)

Well.... it may be a little chilly, but Spring is here and the trees are magnificent! (Unfortunately, it it is a particularly bad year for tree pollen allergies.)

Spring is also to time to get outdoors, please be aware to do "tick checks" after walking in the woods to avoid lyme disease.

We wish you all the very best for your health! Po & Geoff D'Arcy, Lic. Ac., D.O.M. and all of us at DWC.

SPRING ALLERGIES? TRY ALLERG-EASE FORMULA

ALLERG-EASE HERBAL FORMULA This effective formula contains Chrysanthemum, an herb that, along with Forsythia, can support normal eye functioning when allergies cause symptoms. Astragalus and Siler support normal immune system function. Turmeric, long used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to support healthy circulation, is potentiated by Bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple which helps maintain normal histamine levels. Also consider taking with Douglas Labs: Quercitin Bromelain - which has strong anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties.

LAB TESTS FOR ACCURATE TREATMENTS

With advanced laboratory testing, it is now possible to alter subtle imbalances present in a wide array of disease states to bring about the better health and well being. Comprehensive testing is now available including menopausal and adrenal hormone levels, nutritional panels, assays for heavy metals and other toxins, food allergies panels, and detoxification pathways.

Brain neurotransmitters can be assessed in states of depression and stress, as well as assessments used to determine how much aging there is in tissues. Genetic testing for so called single point mutations, present in most individuals, is also available and can help determine the right therapy for you surrounding your individual vulnerabilities. Often only a saliva or urine sample is necessary. Discover how lab testing can help you find the answers to your health problems by contacting Arthur Gertler, M.D.

THE BAD NEWS ABOUT HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

The current media debate about the "lack of harm" that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has on our diet misses some obvious points. The average American has increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year. During the time that HFCS has been introduced to the American diet, obestiy rates have more than tripled and the incidense of diabetes has increased more than seven-fold. HCFS -High Fructose Corn Syrup:

1. Sugar in any form causes obesity and disease when consumed in pharmacologic doses. Cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup are indeed both harmful when consumed in pharmacologic doses of 140 pounds per person per year.

2. HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body. High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from "natural" or a naturally occurring substance. The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS. Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called "fatty liver" which affects 70 million people.

3. HFCS contains contaminants including mercury that are not regulated or measured by the FDA. When HFCS is run through a chemical analyzer or a chromatograph, strange chemical peaks show up that are not glucose or fructose. What are they? Who knows?

4. Independent medical and nutrition experts DO NOT support the use of HCFS in our diet, despite the assertions of the corn industry. Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has published widely on the dangers of sugar-sweetened drinks and their contribution to the obesity epidemic. He states that HFCS is absorbed more rapidly than regular sugar, and that it doesn't stimulate insulin or leptin production. This prevents you from triggering the body's signals for being full and may lead to overconsumption of total calories.

5. HCFS is almost always a marker of poor-quality, nutrient-poor disease creating industrial food products or "food-like substances." The last reason to avoid products that contain HFCS is that they are a marker for poor-quality, nutritionally depleted, processed industrial food full of empty calories and artificial ingredients. If you find "high fructose corn syrup" on the label you can be sure it is not a whole, real, fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. And one more thing: Unless labeled "organic", all corn products in this country are GMO. High Fructose Corn Syrup thus falls under this category.

LD-SUPPORT HERBAL FORMULA, PROTECTION AGAINST LYME DISEASE

This formula incorporates herbs known to either directly kill the Lyme bacteria and/or aid our bodies in eliminating the organism, or improving the function of systems of our bodies. The LD SUPPORT formula consists of three "anti-lyme-spirochette" herbs at strong concentrations. 1. Andrographis paniculata (Standardized 10% andrographolides) 2. Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum (5:1 concentrate) 3. Cats Claw, Uncaria tomentosa

Andrographis, Andrographis Paniculata. Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic Medicine for over two thousand years, Andrographis is one of my favorite herbs, from the extensive infectious disease category of TCM. This category of herbs is called qing jie du zao shi – meaning “heat clearing, toxin-relieving, and damp resolving.” Andrographis is a powerful anti-toxin, “heat-and-damp clearing,” and alleviates pain and swelling. It is used for “fire-toxin” rashes, with thousands of years of experience treating infectious disease of all kinds. Many modern studies have demonstrated its use as a remarkable anti-bacterial, anti-spirochetal and anti-viral herb. These studies have proven its use as an anti-parasite herb with a wide range of use against infection in the body.

CHIROPRACTIC CASES: HERNIATED DISC

History: A 37 year old health care worker suffers a severe lumbar disc herniation. The pain extends from his right low back into his big right toe, coursing down the thigh and behind the knee. The physicality of his job has put severe stress on his low back, but he has to work to make money. He is scared that he will be unable to continue working if his low back condition doesn't improve. The patient rates his pain as a 7/10. Orthopedic tests confirmed the diagnosis of a herniated disc in his low back. Very taut and tender fibers are found in his L4-L5 region.

Outcome: 60 to 70% of his symptoms were reduced within the first three treatments. The majority of his symptoms were alleviated within 8-10 treatments. The patient has not had any severe acute attacks. The pain in the leg is minimal to non-existent, and the pain in the low back is rated at a 1/10. Because the pain is job related, and he can't quit, the cause of the back pain is still there. The patient continues with regular chiropractic treatments every two to three weeks to keep his spine moving optimally and fluidly in spite of his strenuous job.

ACUPUNCTURE STUDY: GULF WAR SYNDROME

The Department of Defense has made a $1.2 million research grant to the New England School of Acupuncture (located in Newton, Massachusetts). The goal of the study is to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of Gulf War Illness (GWI). The study is a double-blind, randomized investigation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will assist investigators in the recruitment of patients with GWI. Participants will receive bi-weekly acupuncture treatments. The acupuncturists performing the research will have a 5 year minimum of clinical experience and will also receive a 20 hour training in the symptoms of GWI.

The etiology of GWI is not fully understood within the parameters of conventional medicine. GWI is a syndrome that includes symptoms such as fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, sleep and mood disorders, and difficulty with concentration. GWI may include PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome), depression, anxiety disorders, digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and several psychiatric disturbances. Approximately 100,000 veterans of the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Storm) have been diagnosed with GWI.

MAQUI-SELECT EXTRACT: Immune Support

Chilean Research has shown remarkable capabilities in theses area:

IMMUNE RESPONSE

PROMOTES HEALTHY INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE

HELPS MAINTAIN GLUCOSE BALANCE

SUPPORTS HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL AND BLOOD PRESSURE

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR PRACTITIONER - ONLINE!

Easy and convenient online scheduling. You can click below and make an appointment with your DWC Practitioner :)

ALLERGIES: TREE POLLEN TIPS

1. Sleep with the windows closed and the air conditioner on with the vent closed to the outside. Although it is great to feel and smell the spring air, if you sleep with the windows open, the pollen levels in your bedroom will be higher than they need to be and you will have more symptoms.

2. When riding in a car, keep the windows closed and put the air conditioner on with the vent closed to the outside. If you don’t need the air conditioner, still keep the vents closed to the outside. You want to minimize the amount of outdoor air and pollen you are bringing into the car.

3. Pollen counts tend to be higher in the morning than in the afternoon. If you like outdoor sports activities, do them in the afternoon instead of the morning.

4. When you come home at the end of the day, hop in the shower, rinse your hair and change your clothes. Pollen will settle on your clothes and hair and it is helpful to try to reduce the amount of pollen you are bringing into your home, and especially into your bed.

5. Do not leave clothing outside for any length of time and especially do not attempt to dry clothing outside during the pollen season if you are allergic.

Consider an air cleaner to take the pollen out of the air in the bedroom.

New Acupuncture Study: Acupuncture Reduces Cancer Pain

11 May 2011

A recent study finds that acupuncture is effective for reducing pain in cancer patients. It is estimated that upwards of 70 percent of cancer patients do not get adequate pain relief. The new study and detailed review of randomized controlled trials shows that acupuncture has a role in pain management for cancer patients.

Over 40 percent of patients with early to moderate stage cancer suffer from moderate to severe pain. Over 90 percent of individuals with advanced stage cancer suffer from moderate to severe pain. Pain is due to pre-existing conditions, tumor growth, bone metastases, cancer treatments, and progression of the disease. Acupuncture for the treatment of patients with cancer became recognized as an important treatment application following a 1997 National Institutes of Health study showing that acupuncture is effective for treating nausea due to chemotherapy. Since that time, acupuncture has been shown to treat many types of pain for musculoskeletal conditions. This new study reviewed randomized controlled trials and found that one body of research in particular, published in the European Journal of Pain, pointed to the ability of acupuncture to relieve pain for cancer patients

MAQUI SELECT FOR PETS TOO!

GREEN PETS: If you are taking green medicines, why not your companion animal?

Check-out our brand new Pet website NaturalPetRx.com to order herbal formulas for your pet, simply sign in as a PET-OWNER, enter your email address and enter the affiliate code JA2CQH.

Did You Know?

A study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that Asian-American women who consumed the most soy between the ages of 5 and 11 were 58% less likely to develop breast cancer in comparison to women who consumed little soy during childhood. Source: National Cancer Institute

DWC HERB AND VITAMIN STORE AWARD

Check-out the DWC's award winning store. We were selected for the 2010 Best of Natick Award in the Health & Dietetic Food Stores category by the US Commerce Association.

Check out DWC’s Green Medicine Video Series

Check out DWC’s Green Medicine Video Series These short videos, explain various modalities of alternative or complementary therapies with interviews by Dr. Geoff D'Arcy, of the DWC practitioner’s discussing their Green Medicine practices and the conditions they can treat. All these practices are Green Medicine and do not upset the ecology of their patients or of the planet. Each video is about one half hour long.

10. Removing infected ticks within 48 hours of attachment can reduce the likelihood of transmission, and prompt antimicrobial prophylaxis of tick bites, although controversial, might be beneficial under certain circumstances. Exposure to ticks in yards, playgrounds and recreational areas can be reduced 50-90% through simple landscaping practices, such as removing brush and leaf litter or creating a buffer zone of wood chips or gravel between forest and lawn or recreational areas. Correctly timed applications of pesticides to yards once or twice a year can decrease the number of nymphal ticks 68-100%.

Bromelain also potentiates QRC through another route. By itself, QRC is somewhat poorly absorbed from the GI tract.3 Bromelain is well known for its enhancement of absorption of various compounds, including pentobarbital and antibiotics such as tetracycline and amoxicillin.9 Bromelain also enhances the absorption of QRC.