Natural Health and Acupuncture Clinic

Food is our best medicine. Many conditions can be corrected effectively with dietary changes, the use of whole foods and nutritional supplements. A growing body of scientific research continues to validate the safety and efficacy of dietary and nutritional therapies. Our team at the Natural Health and Acupuncture Clinic are experts in their understanding and application of clinical nutrition and dietary intervention and will design a personalized plan based on your specific individual needs.

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Many plant substances are powerful medicines with advantages over conventional medications. They are effective and safe when used properly, in the correct dose and in proper combinations with other herbs, conventional medications or treatments.

Today in medicine we still rely on the curative properties of plants in about 75% of medicines. About 500 herbs are employed in conventional medicine, although whole plants are rarely used. Often it is the "isolated constituents" of plants that provide the starting material for the synthesis of conventional medications. Botanical medicine, unlike it's pharmaceutical counterpart, utilizes the whole plant which reduces or eliminates many of the side effects associated with prescription medication. The human body is much better adapted to treatment with botanical remedies than isolated chemical medicines because we have evolved with plants over thousands of years. Our biochemistry and physiology is historically well suited to digesting and utilizing plant based foods and medicines.

The use of herbal and botanical remedies is experiencing a dramatic resurgence in this country because people are becoming aware of the negative side effects associated with conventional medications and surgery. An emerging health conscious public are searching for alternative, safer and more gentle forms of treatment that botanical medicine provides. Naturopathic physicians are highly trained and experienced in the use of plant-based medicines.

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This powerful system of medicine is more than 200 years old and is used worldwide by hundreds of millions of people to effectively treat both acute and chronic disease. The use of homeopathic remedies is inexpensive and non-toxic and particularly effective in treating chronic illnesses that fail to respond to conventional treatments. Homeopathy is also a superb method of self-care for treating minor conditions such as the common cold and flu.

The word homeopathy derives from the Greek word "homoios" meaning similar and "pathos" meaning suffering. Homeopathic medications are generally dilutions of natural substances from plants, minerals and animals. Based on the principle that "like cures like", these remedies specifically match an individual's symptom pattern and function by stimulating the body's natural healing response. The FDA recognizes homeopathic remedies as official medications and regulates their manufacturing, labeling and dispensing. Homeopathic remedies also have their own compendium, the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, first published in 1897.

Early written accounts of TCM date back to 180 B.C. in China and are based on the belief that health is determined by balancing the flow of the vital life energy (called Qi or Chi) that circulates through all living organisms. According to acupuncture theory, Qi circulates in the body along 12 major energy pathways, or meridians, which are associated with specific internal organs and organ systems. When special needles are inserted into certain points along these meridians, they help correct, balance and re-establish the proper flow of Qi. Clinical research continues to demonstrate acupuncture's effectiveness for alleviating pain, increasing immune function and improving a wide variety of conditions by balancing the flow of vital life energy throughout the body.

The presence of these meridians was established by French researcher Pierre de Vernejoul, who injected radioactive isotopes into the acupuncture points in humans and tracked their movements using a special gamma-imaging camera. The isotopes traveled along these meridians within minutes after injection. The French researcher then challenged his work by injecting isotopes into random points of the body rather than known acupuncture points. In these cases, the isotopes did not travel in the same manor, further indicating that meridians do indeed comprise a system of separate and unique pathways within the body.

The World Health Organization has cited over 100 different ailments for which acupuncture treatment has been shown effective. These range from chronic pain to migraines, sinusitis, colds, flu, asthma, allergies, addictions, gastrointestinal disorders, Meniere'syndrome, stroke, sciatica, osteoarthritis, and many more. There is also evidence to suggest that acupuncture is useful for treating environmentally-induced illnesses, pesticide poisoning, hormone balancing and adrenal dysfunction.

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Our world is becoming increasingly toxic, with the hazardous over use of pesticides and unknown chemicals/ hormones in our food and water supply. Environmental medicine focuses on evaluating environmental factors influencing our health and behavior. The human body strives to maintain a homeostatic condition with optimal functioning. Toxic chemicals, allergens, malnutrition and environmental stressors all compromise our bodies ability to detoxify and perform optimally. Our goal and the Natural Health and Acupuncture Clinic is to address these often overlooked environmental factors, assist the patient in detoxification and restore optimal balance and function.

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Natural hormones are hormones that are biologically identical to those that are produced endogenously within our bodies. Although bio-identical hormones have long been utilized in other countries, in the United States non-bio-identical hormones have been predominantly used for the last 50 years. As the Women's Health Initiative Study documented, synthetic hormones are carcinogenic, toxic and raise a women's risk for other diseases.  Bio-identical hormones are almost entirely without side-effects and, because they are biochemically identical to those produced in the body, they maximize all the positive benefits that endogenous hormones normally contribute to our health and well-being. At the Natural Health and Acupuncture Clinic we are able to evaluate, balance and optimize your individual hormone levels safely and effectively.

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At the Natural Health and Acupuncture Clinic our doctors assess risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease and make appropriate interventions in partnership with patients to create wellness and vitality.