Posts Tagged ‘Pain’

Prescription 2015: Walk This Way

December 2, 2015 Written by JP

These days there are more exercise alternatives than ever before. At community pools you can do aquatic aerobics and balance training. Athletic clubs and gyms offer a wide array of classes from Crossfit to Pilates, in addition to mind-body exercises such as Qigong, Tai Chi and various styles of yoga. Even traditional martial arts and boxing are now commonly practiced as novel ways of getting into better shape. From my perspective, this is a very positive trend. Keeping exercise interesting and varied helps a lot people stick to a regular fitness routine.

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Posted in Exercise, Heart Health, Mental Health | 12 Comments & Updates

Warm Foot Baths

September 4, 2014 Written by JP

One of the joys of my work is being able to share information about little known healing options. My exuberance only increases when the remedies I write about are inexpensive, non-toxic and widely accessible. So today is a very happy day for me! The following is positive research on a humble, traditional remedy that could help me, you and many people we know.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Heart Health, Mental Health | 13 Comments & Updates

Tendonitis Remedies

November 4, 2013 Written by JP

A reader asks: “I’ve had recurrent bouts of tendonitis in my elbow and shoulder. When I go to see my doctor about it, he usually recommends Advil or Aleve to manage the pain and swelling. But, I don’t like to take these types of drugs. Are there are any natural remedies that I can use to reduce tendon pain and speed the recovery process?”.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Nutritional Supplements | 8 Comments & Updates

Loving Kindness Meditation

October 7, 2013 Written by JP

It’s relatively easy to recognize when you’re not getting enough exercise, nutrition or sleep. In the case of exercise and sleep, deficiency symptoms are usually subjective – fatigue, mood changes, shortness of breath, etc. A lack of nutrients sometimes presents itself physically, but can also be detected and/or verified with the assistance of diagnostic tests. On the other hand, social connectedness, an equally important aspect of wellness, is often overlooked. And, ironically, it may be one of the most common deficiency states affecting mankind in the 21st century.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Heart Health, Mental Health | 8 Comments & Updates

Prolotherapy for Pain Relief

June 12, 2013 Written by JP

In the Los Angeles area, there’s a popular weekend radio problem hosted by a physician who specializes in a form of treatment known as prolotherapy. After hearing the show for the first time, a client inquired about the science behind this unconventional technique which involves the injection of a “sugar-water” solution into joint, ligament and tendinous spaces. How is it possible that injecting a mixture consisting primarily of dextrose and water can help improve inflammatory conditions such as low back pain, osteoarthritis and tendinopathy, while at the same time promoting a healing reaction? Admittedly, this sounds counterintuitive. Injections, in and of themselves, evoke pain. Dextrose, a high glycemic variety of sugar, is typically associated with ill effects. In prolotherapy, this combination is turned on its head. Research reveals that immediately following each injection, localized inflammation does, in fact, occur. However, as time goes on, this initial inflammation shifts to pain modulation and encourages the proliferation of new tissue via the induction of tissue growth factors

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Exercise | 10 Comments & Updates

Gratitude Journal

May 3, 2013 Written by JP

A primary tenet of my health care philosophy is that almost any action that improves your well being will likely benefit those around you. But, making inspiring, positive changes in your lifestyle goes far beyond obvious strategies such as changing your diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. Your attitude is at least as important. The trouble is that for many, a change in attitude seems even more formidable than giving up junk food, going to the gym or setting a consistent sleep schedule.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, General Health, Mental Health | 14 Comments & Updates

Healing Loneliness

February 8, 2013 Written by JP

Who are the healers of our day and time? In many countries, an image of physicians wearing white lab coats comes to mind. But, I’m here to tell you that if you’re exclusively counting on medical doctors and pharmacists to maintain your good health, you’re at a very big disadvantage. Optimally, healing and the promotion of wellness requires a much broader approach. From my vantage point, the person you see every time you look in the mirror is by far the most important contributor to your health status. But, eating right, exercising and managing stress is far from enough. While important, there’s more that you can and should be doing for yourself and those around you in the healing arena.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Heart Health, Mental Health | 5 Comments & Updates

Trigger Point Therapy Part Two

March 9, 2012 Written by JP

Those living with chronic pain frequently turn to over-the-counter NSAIDs or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for acute or long term symptom management. As expected, this approach generally makes day to day living more tolerable. However, there can be steep consequences to pay for the temporary relief these medications provide. Adverse reactions ranging from compromised bone healing to damage to the gastrointestinal tract have been attributed to regular NSAID use. In fact, the concern about the side effect profiles of NSAIDs is so profound that drug companies themselves are scrambling to find ways to minimize the downsides of this popular class of drugs. Some pharmaceutical manufacturers are even going so far as to combine NSAIDs with natural agents (dietary fiber, lactoferrin and probiotics) that may allow for these synthetic antiinflammatory agents to work in a safer manner.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Interviews | No Comments;

Trigger Point Therapy Part One

March 7, 2012 Written by JP

The November-December edition of the journal Pain Research and Management describes a sad state of affairs that many patients and physicians are frustratingly aware of: “Despite many recent advances in the past 40 years in the understanding of pain mechanisms, and in pain diagnosis and management, considerable gaps in knowledge remain, with chronic pain present in epidemic proportions in most countries.” An underutilized resource known as trigger point therapy may very well help fill some of these noted gaps. And, there’s nobody better to address this potential avenue of healing and recovery than Valerie DeLaune, LAc.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Interviews | 6 Comments & Updates

Medical Marijuana

September 12, 2011 Written by JP

The July-August edition of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine addresses one of the more contentious medical, political and societal issues of our time: medical marijuana. The review provides a balanced perspective about the pros and cons of cannabis use in modern medicine. It not only describes scientific evidence pertaining to legal and illegal cannabis, but also points out issues that require more clarification and future study including: the addictive potential of the “drug”, optimal delivery methods and quality control issues involving natural and synthetic contaminants. My own investigation into the medicinal use of marijuana uncovered some promising and troubling findings. Read more »


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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Memory, Mental Health | 18 Comments & Updates

Best Of Chiropractic Adjustments

December 28, 2010 Written by JP

I have a confession to make. Even after many years of using and working with natural medicine, I still have an underlying fear of chiropractors. Not the men and women who make up the profession. But the actual process of getting an adjustment. I’ve just never gotten used to the cracking and popping sounds brought about by manual adjustments. However my concerns are often at odds with some of the positive evidence that exists about this widely utilized holistic technique. The most recent figures published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimate that upwards of $4 billion a year is spent on “chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation” in the US alone. It appears that many health conscious consumers do not share my reservations about visiting their friendly, neighborhood chiropractor.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health | 3 Comments & Updates

Natural Pain Relievers

July 19, 2010 Written by JP

There are few things in life that are more difficult than being in constant pain or seeing someone you love in the same predicament. Chronic pain related conditions are notoriously difficult to manage in the long term without accompanying side effects from the treatments themselves. But what can one do? You either live with the pain and forego conventional therapies or you take the best pharmacological and surgical advice your doctors have to offer. The latter is what most people settle on and it’s completely understandable. However, there are also natural pain relieving options available. My Healthy Monday tip is that patients and physicians consider adding alternative and complementary techniques to their list of viable interventions.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Mental Health | 33 Comments & Updates

Arnica Montana for Pain Relief

April 28, 2010 Written by JP

I recently received an e-mail from a reader who inquired about the scientific evidence surrounding a popular homeopathic remedy known as Arnica montana. In order to answer this inquiry, I first need to address the issue of homeopathy in general. Homeopathy is a controversial holistic treatment that centers around the theory that “like cures like” – an admittedly unconventional view. Homeopathic remedies are also fodder for vigorous debate in the scientific community because they contain extremely diluted amounts of medicinal elements. In essence, the underpinning theory is that the lower the dosage, the more potent the effect. This claim goes against the generally accepted laws of chemistry and physics. Nevertheless, many consumers and select physicians are stalwart supporters of this esoteric practice. Read more »


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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health | 13 Comments & Updates