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Seasonal Allergies and Acupuncture | acupuncture victoria bc

allergiesSeasonal Allergies and Acupuncture | acupuncture victoria bc   –  written by Victoria Spaurel R.Ac.

Acupuncture is an effective option for allergy symptom control. Although it does not, in my experience, stop symptoms from returning the following year, it does reduce the body’s reactivity, leaving you less dependent on medications, and able to enjoy your spring and summer more.

My treatments allow patients who normally live on anti-histamines all season long the ability to go off them if acupuncture is administered regularly during the season when they are affected. Typically treatments begin with the onset of symptoms and are repeated once per week for 3 weeks, then once every two weeks for the remainder of the season.

Once symptoms are under control patients report improved energy and less reactivity to pollens. In part it is because they no longer require energy sapping anti-histamines to function, but also because their immune system is no longer using up so much energy to react.

An additional benefit to acupuncture for hay fever is that it helps prevent all the secondary infections allergy sufferers are prone to – such as colds, conjunctivitis, or chronic sinusitis.

With the allergy season getting started, consider acupuncture. It is a safe, natural and drug-free method of effectively addressing seasonal allergy symptoms.

– Victoria Spaurel is a registered Acupuncturist having graduated from the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Victoria BC in 2005.  At Diversified Health, Victoria has had tremendous success assisting patients to reach their health goals. She uses a narrative approach to patient interviews, which helps build trust and enriches her understanding of the concerns at hand. Treatments are always designed and paced to suit her patients.

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Headache Free is Possible says a Natural Health Practitioner

Headache Free is Possible says Natural Health Practitioner

Headache Free is Possible

Headaches are common, but they are not normal;and being headache free is possible says a natural health practitioner. By finding the cause of your pain, chiropractic care can give you relief to a discomfort that disrupts your life and often makes everyday tasks unbearable.

Headaches are one of the most common problems/symptoms that affect us. Headaches are also one of the most common symptoms, and there are numerous types of headaches such as tension headaches, migraines, trauma headaches, sinus headaches and rebound headaches.

Other common problems that induce headaches are infections, hangovers, stress, fatigue, physical or emotional trauma, problems in the pelvis and lower back, and a malfunction in the upper spinal bones in the neck, affecting nerves, muscles, and blood supply to the head.

On the surface, headaches seem to come in a variety of forms – throbbing, pounding or stabbing. Chiropractors believe that most headaches are ultimately caused by the overloading of the nervous system.
There are an estimated 4.5 million Canadians spending upwards of $60 million dollars each year on over-the-counter and prescription drugs in search for a permanent solution. For some, the medication works, but for many the relief obtained is temporary.

Powerful drugs numb the nervous system so pain doesn’t register and can cause adverse effects on the stomach, liver, and kidneys. For anyone who is suffering from a recurring headache (two-three times a week), it is important to recognize it as a serious sign that something is wrong. Please remember that the headache itself is not the problem.  However, the headache is only a symptom that something else is wrong. Although a quick relief to the pain, drugs provide only a short-term solution to the problem, while the underlying cause of the headache goes untreated.

Migraines are one of the more painful types of headaches often leaving the sufferer in bed and immobilized. Most migraine sufferers notice symptoms that occur before the headache actually hits, such as visual changes, dizziness, muscle contraction, nausea, etc. The headache itself may last from a few minutes to a few days.

The chiropractic approach to headaches, especially repetitive headaches, is to take a good case history. Through the case history and consultation, we can determine patterns and possible causes. A good example would be a headache that begins several weeks after a car accident. In the majority of cases, we will find the problem is usually caused by one or more subluxations (misalignment of the vertebrae) in the neck.

It is important to know that a headache is a warning sign. The more frequent or more severe the headache, the greater the warning sign. Headaches that happen every day or almost every day are called rebound headaches and are caused by overuse of pain medicines. Often these headaches begin early in the morning. The location and severity of the headache may change from day to day. People who have rebound headaches also may have nausea, anxiety, irritability, depression, or problems sleeping.

Talk to your healthcare practitioner about the medicines you are taking. You can safely stop taking some medicines right away; while other kinds of medicine have to be slowly reduced. After stopping the headache medicine, it is common for your headaches to get worse for a few days. Do not make changes to your drug plan without talking with your doctor.

Make an appointment for an assessment or to discuss any questions you might have regarding headaches; and imagine what your life would be like pain free! Remember that headache free is possible says a natural health practitioner.

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Vancouver Island Health Clinic Endorses Lifestyle Changes to Control High Blood Pressure

If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down; our Vancouver island health clinic endorses lifestyle changes to control high blood pressure.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Vancouver Island Health Clinic Endorses Lifestyle Changes to Control High Blood Pressure

Lifestyle Changes to Control High Blood Pressure

Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

  • Make sure your blood pressure is under 140/90mm Hg. If your systolic pressure (the top number) is over 140, ask you doctor what you can do to lower it.
  • Take your high blood pressure medicine, if prescribed, every day. If you have questions, talk to your doctor.
  • Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, carrying this extra weight increases your risk of high blood pressure.
  • Increase your physical activity. Do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as walking, most days of the week. You can do 30 minutes in three 10 minute segments.
  • Choose foods low in salt and sodium. Most Canadians should consume no more than 2.4 grams of sodium a day. That’s about one teaspoon of table salt a day. For someone with high blood pressure, your doctor may advise less.
  • Read nutrition labels. Almost all packaged foods contain sodium. Every time you prepare or eat a packaged food, know how much sodium is in one serving. Keep a sodium diary. You may be surprised at how much sodium you consume each day.
  • Use spices and herbs instead of salt to season the food you prepare at home.
  • Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, and low-fat dairy foods.
  • Make sure that you incorporate a small amount of “down time” each and every day.

Not only does our Vancouver island health clinic endorse lifestyle changes to control high blood press, but also encourages patient to incorporate massage and acupuncture as part of their new healthy lifestyles.

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Jumpers Knee Treatment

Jumpers knee treatment Jumpers knee treatment is just one of many knee injury treatments offered at Diversified Health. Anyone can be a victim of a knee injury; whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior or  just doing your day-to-day activities. The knee joint is unique in that it carries body weight at the same time as it provides flexibility and mobility and this construction predisposes the joint to risk of injury from sudden movement and repeated wear and tear.

What can cause knee injuries:

• Ligament Sprains – Overstretching  ligaments are bands of strong tissue that stabilize the knee joint together.

• Cartilage Tears – Pressure from twisting and turning during weight-bearing exercise

• Tendon Strains – This is an overuse injury commonly caused by repeated jumping or “jumpers knee”

• Footwear –ill fitting footwear can affect the way you walk and can place stress on the muscles and tendons around the knee joint.

• Frequency/intensity of activity – Any change such as jogging or playing tennis on a different surface can affect the knee joint.

Treatments for knee pain:

A health care practitioner at Diversified Health Clinic will assess your knee to determine the source of the problem and to develop an individual treatment program.  Depending upon the type and degree of injury, the program may include practices such as Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic and Physiotherapy.

Treatments can include manual adjustments, and modalities such as cold laser, shockwave therapy, ultrasound, graston technique or neuro-mechanical adjusting tool.

Returning to activity:

At Diversified Health Clinic we can provide a program to help prevent re-injury as you return to normal activities, including stretching exercises to regain flexibility around the joint and strength training to build up the muscle in the Rehab Gym.

Another element of the rehabilitation program is to retrain balance and coordination. A knee injury involves more than just stress and strain to the soft tissue. It also affects the tiny receptors in the muscles, ligaments and tendons that ‘tell’ you where your knee is positioned. These receptors send signals to correct balance and shift weight.

Whether you require a jumpers knee treatment or a sprain/strain treatment, Diversified Health Clinic will provide you with numerous options that will include exercise programs that will help you strengthen your muscles and get you back participating in the activities you love.

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Natural Health Practitioner Recommends Superfoods that Detoxify

The beginning of the new year is when many of us will start a detox program; but if doing a detox is not your thing, our natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and that you can easily add into your daily life.

Avocados—lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxins.  Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks 30 different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

Beets—contain a unique mixture of natural plant chemicals and minerals that make them an excellent overall body cleansers.

Cranberries—have powerful antibiotic and antiviral substances to help the body cleanse harmful bacteria and viruses from the urinary tract.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil— are loaded with essential fatty acids, that are essential for many cleansing functions and maintaining a healthy immune system. The health of every cell in your body is dependent on getting adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Fresh Garlic—helps cleanse harmful bacteria, and viruses from the body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body.

Lemons— are the perfect liver detoxifiers. Fresh lemon juice contains more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make a substance called glutathione; which reduces the likelihood of negative effects from environmental chemicals. Vitamin C and other antioxidants found in lemons are integral to ward off cancer, fight the effects of pollution and cell damage.

Seaweed—could be the most underrated vegetable in the Western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body so it can be removed. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body.

Diversified Health’s natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and can also set up a personalize workout program to fit your health needs.

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To B or Not to B, that is the Supplement

b12These days, you simply can’t eat enough food to obtain all of the proper nutrition you need due to the fact that our soils have been depleted, or it may be difficult to find enough locally grown produce to fulfill our needs. You know that supplements are beneficial, but do you know the key questions to ask yourself about buying the right vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements?

For example, are you sure that the echinacea product you’re taking is the correct species of the plant? The correct portion of the plant? Processed to provide optimum bio-availability? Are you sure those coenzyme Q10 capsules contain COQ10 and not just a mixture of riboflavin and folic acid which looks just like COQ10?

Wide price differentials exist among particular nutraceuticals, and one reason can be differences in the quality of the raw material between manufacturers. There’s natural diversity in the genetics of the plant that have a long-term impact as to the final quality of the packaged product. Some plants may have high levels of active ingredients, while others may have none.

Vitamin B for instance, supports healthy cardiovascular an nervous system function, as well as the ability to boost energy levels.  But what brand, what dosage and when should it be taken are questions that you should be asking before taking any nutraceutical supplement.

If you’re unsure about the quality of the vitamins, minerals and/or supplements you are taking, ask for suggestions or recommendations by your health care practitioner.  The practitioners at Diversified Health Clinic use only the highest quality nutraceuticals.

Remember, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. We’re here to help, and enjoy participating in your life long good health!

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Sleep, “why can’t I get enough” ?

Sleep, why can’t I get enough? This is the question that most of us ask even knowing that sleep deprivation is often voluntary. Many people would rather work late, watch television, or do just about anything else than obtain what they need in sleep time: 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep allows your body both to relax and replenish itself. For example, studies show that growth hormones secreted during sleep help repair damaged tissue.

For most people, puffy baggy eyes, a droopy face, and an overall draggy demeanor is what they see when they look in the mirror after a hard night of no sleep or insufficient sleep. In contrast, a good night’s sleep, especially when you sleep well night after night, is far more likely to leave you with clearer skin and an improved attitude to life.

Alcohol may cause insomnia or frequent awakenings, and to improve your sleep time and quality, you should eliminate or at least cut back your alcohol consumption.

Caffeine is another sleep robber, because it’s a stimulant that prevents you from falling asleep with ease. Caffeine remains in the body 3 to 7 hours after consumption! Heeding this information, avoid foods and drinks with caffeine, as well as chocolate (which also has caffeine in it) at least 3 hours before you want to go to sleep.

Sometimes medications can induce insomnia as a side effect. Ask your doctor if your medicines could be keeping you awake. If so, your physician may be able to change the medication or reduce the dosage.

You may also want to try a chiropractic adjustment or an acupuncture session which can aid in helping you regain your normal sleep patterns.

What if you can’t sleep, despite following the above advice? Consider making some lifestyle changes.

First, analyze your bedtime habits. Are you going to bed at midnight and expecting to fall asleep instantly? This is less likely to happen if you’ve been having an animated discussion with family or friends or watching an exciting movie on TV. Delay the debate and tape the movie and watch it another day, and turn in earlier.

Also don’t eat fashionably late. If you dine at 9:00, and then expect to fall asleep at 10:00, think again! You’ve given your digestive system plenty to work on. Better to eat earlier, so your body can wind down at night.

Now, if you smoke, keep in mind nicotine is a stimulant that makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep so avoid smoking for several hours before bedtime.

Ask yourself what’s going on with your life now. Are you stressed out, as many people with insomnia are? If so, it’s time to bring down stress levels. One way is through slow, deep breathing. Another strategy to achieve shuteye is mastering simple relaxation therapy techniques. Lie down, close your eyes, and imagine different muscle groups relaxing. You can start with your feet and work your way up to your head, in your mind. Or start with your head and work down to the toes.

Often gentle exercising is an inducement to sleep. Experts report walking is a great cardiovascular exercise that can also relax the body so that it’s ready to fall into a nice deep sleep when it’s time. Take a brief walk a few hours before you’d like to sleep.

It’s important to use your bedroom for sleeping and intimacy only. Avoid using it as an office away from the office or another place to watch television. If you’re facing sleepless nights, purge your bedroom of work and entertainment paraphernalia.

Transform your bedroom into a sleep-inducing room. Do you have a comfortable mattress, clean soft sheets, and is the thermostat set at a moderate temperature? If not, then go ahead and make the needed changes. You may find that they help lull you into dreamland.

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An Introduction to Arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc

Live long enough and you can pretty much count on developing arthritis, so an introduction to arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc just makes sense. Joints naturally degenerate over time!

Arthritis (“arth” meaning joint and “itis” meaning inflammation) isn’t a single condition; it actually consists of more than 1oo different conditions.  These can be anything from mild forms of tendonitis, such as tennis elbow and bursitis, to a crippling systemic form such as rheumatoid arthritis.  There are pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and arthritis related disorders such as lupus.

There are forms of the disease, such as gout that almost nobody connects with arthritis.  The common denominator for all these conditions is joint and musculoskeletal pain which is why they are grouped together as arthritis. Often the pain is a result of inflammation of the joint lining.

Inflammation is involved in may forms of arthritis, it is the body’s natural response to an injury.  The warning signs that inflammation is present is redness, swelling, heat and pain.   When a joint becomes inflamed it may get any or all of the mentioned symptoms.  This can prevent the normal use of the joint and can cause the loss of function of that joint.

Acupuncture has been found to be extremely effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of arthritis. During the acupuncture treatment, tiny needles will be placed along your legs, arms, shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!  Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body, not just directly over the affected area.

Now that you have had an introduction to arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc, please contact Victoria Spaurel R.Ac. to find out if acupuncture is right for you!

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