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Alternative Cancer Care, Integrative Medicine, Natural Immune Health

Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Cancer Care

Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Cancer Care

Acupuncture is a beneficial and very important part of cancer care in all its stages. Chinese medicine, alone or when integrated with conventional care, can amplify the desired benefits of current treatments, prevent recurrence and metastasis of early tumors, promotes foundational health, improves quality of life, and may prolong life even in advanced stages.

Some of the successful alternative cancer care methods in Sonoma County such as acupuncture and other ChineseAcupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Cancer Care -Hill Park Medical Center medicine methods can further optimize conventional treatment outcomes by limiting side effects of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, enhance immune function and extend one’s life. Jennifer’s experience in preventing and lessening side effects such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, alopecia, anxiety, depression, insomnia, mouth ulcers, cystitis, skin rash, diarrhea, cardiac toxicity, hepatic toxicity, immune suppression have brought numerous patients much relief and support along their path toward healing.

Fu Zheng Therapy

Chinese Medicine has been used for the treatment of tumors for over 3,000 years. In regards to cancer care: Fu Zheng therapy is specifically applied in cancer care, which translates as “to strengthen what is correct and to secure the root”. This results in enhancing immune fortitude and preserving the function of the internal organs. This also counters chemotherapy-induced immune suppression or the decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Guiding Qi through its channels, acupuncture aims to achieve continuous balance and harmony. Over the course of time, various treatment protocols have been developed to:

  • Reduce tumor size, pain, swelling and inflammation
  • Prevent the initiation, formation and development of cancer
  • Increase the function and activity of the immune system
  • Enhance the regulating function of the endocrine system
  • Enhance and protect the structure and function of the organs
  • Strengthen digestion and absorption of nutrients
  • Improve metabolism
  • Protect bone marrow and generation of new blood cells
  • Increase effectiveness of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy and hormonal therapy
IV Therapy Support

Acupuncture can greatly augment the benefits of IV therapy, especially High Dose Vitamin C treatment. Acupuncture works synergistically with IV therapy in the overall desired effect, as well as allows each individual to relax and fully receive the benefits. Jennifer Monin provides a unique service at Hill Park Medical Center in supporting patients with nurturing and strengthening acupuncture treatments in conjunction with their IV therapy for cancer care.

Pre and Post Surgical Support

Therapeutic and reconstructive surgery often introduce a variety of unwelcome conditions including pain, anesthesia-induced nausea, bruising, anxiety, fatigue, constipation, and scarring that can be relieved with Chinese Medicine. Treatments can increase peripheral blood circulation to increase nutrient supplies, hasten wound healing, assist nerve regeneration, minimize scarring, enhance immunity, and prevent lymphedema.

Hormonal Therapy Support

Chinese medicine can support the side effects of early menopause and night sweats, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, osteoporosis, cardiovascular health.

Individualized Treatment Plans

Treatments are targeted to be effective regardless of the stage a patient is in: immediately upon diagnosis, before or after surgery, in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation or in the following years as a supportive preventive therapy. Dietary and lifestyle suggestions are provided to promote better general health and improve long-term optimal health.

Jennifer MoninLAc has been practicing acupuncture for the past 20 years. She has extensive experience supporting individuals with cancer – including work at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiology in Havana, Cuba and as a long-time volunteer at Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic in Oakland, CA. She is honored to support patients in all stages of cancer at Hill Park and is also available for treatments pre and post IV therapy.

GI Health, Natural Immune Health, SIBO

Small Intestine Bowel Overgrowth

By Dr. Michaela Falkner, ND

Small Intestine Bowel Overgrowth is a common and often overlooked cause to chronic digestive health concerns.

Small Intestine Bowel Overgrowth (referred to as SIBO) is an accumulation of normally occurring bacteria in the small intestine, not necessarily in high numbers, but in a region that they don’t belong. Often mistaken for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), SIBO is the cause of 60% of incorrectly diagnosed cases of IBS. It is generally less responsive to changes in stress and mood than traditional IBS, so while many patients report pretty good results from stress reduction techniques, they still have persistent symptoms.

The research on SIBO is still new, but we know that SIBO tends to result from a few different factors including stagnant bowels and lack of proper movement, lack of sufficient stomach acid, and a few more structural issues. SIBO can also be an indicator or accompany many underlying conditions such as autoimmune diseases, adhesions from surgery, post infections, and many others.

The small intestine is supposed to have relatively few bacteria in it, but due to the above causes, bacteria will set up shop and start digesting our food for us in the small intestine as opposed to the large intestine. This causes an abundance of gas that becomes trappped temporarily in the small intestine until it can move onto the large intestine. This is where many of the symptoms of SIBO originate.

So what does SIBO look like? Common symptoms are bloating (especially after eating healthy foods that are high in fiber and prebiotics), reflux, gas, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, or combination diarrhea-constipation. This bloating is further exacerbated by carbohydrates and sugar. A keynote symptom I often see in patients is that the “healthier” they eat (salads, veggies, etc), the worse the gas and bloating.

Does this sound like you? Have you tried pro-biotics and your gut issues worsened? Have you attempted to eat a better diet only to feel much worse? Do you commonly go to bed looking a few months pregnant, but wake up with a flat stomach in the morning and feel great fasted? SIBO even interferes with your absorption of vitamins and minerals, leading to hair loss, fatigue, depression, and low iron stores.

The best way we can diagnose SIBO is through a breath test. A special diet and fast is followed, then a patient blows into a little bag to establish a baseline. The patient then drinks a lactulose solution and breaths into the bag multiple times over 2-3 hours. The samples are then sent in and analyzed for methane and hydrogen gas. By looking at how much those gases increase over the 2-3 hour timespan can help your doctor determine if you likely have SIBO or not.

If you have been diagnosed with SIBO, there are various things we at Hill Park Medical Center can do to support you. We can provide nutrient IVs to boost energy and immune function to support you while you are undergoing treatment. SIBO often causes difficulty in absorbing key nutrients like B12, iron, and magnesium, which can leave us feeling depleted, so a quick IV can help add those nutrients back into your body.

We have developed our own Hill Park Medical Center SIBO herbal compound that has been shown to be effective to eradicate the bacteria residing in your gut while supporting healthy movement of the bowels. Some of the herbs we commonly use are garlic, oregano, goldenseal, and caprylic acid. We then accompany these herbs with different factors that help “reteach” the bowels to move appropriately such as B6, 5HTP, ginger, and our bitters formula. There are also various diets to explore, including FODMAP, SCD, and elemental diets. This overall approach serves to correct the root cause of the concern and decrease chances of recurrence.

Our doctors have extensive firsthand experience with SIBO and know that there is no one way to correct it. Let us help you to find your solution to the discomforting symptoms, including embarrassing gas and bloating that you might be experiencing! Make an appointment to get started!

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Protecting Our Health After the Fires: Tools for a toxic environment

Protecting Our Health After the Fires: Tools for a toxic environment

Our bodies mirror what is happening in the environment. Here in health-conscious Sonoma County, we’re pretty good about avoiding known toxins such as BPA in water bottles and pesticide use. We’re now in uncharted territory in the aftermath of the North Bay wildfires, which have had inevitable toxic impact on our air, soil, and water quality.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are dangerous hormone-modulating and potentially carcinogenic toxins that can remain residual in our environment for weeks to years.These pollutants include the daily use products in every household that burned as well as fire-specific chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—some are benign, some carcinogenic, several can stick around for a long time. Flame retardants (PBDEs) are being phased out of California, but how many older sofas burned out there? Heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury are also a big post-fire toxin concern.

Molecular-sized toxins, either brought in from the outdoors or emitted from our household furniture and belongings, settle with the dust in our home which we, our children, and our pets then ingest.

Here are some ways that you can improve your internal and environmental landscape to protect your health:

Food is Medicine

Include these naturally-detoxifying foods in your diet to promote optimal liver function:

  • Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, collard greens
  • Water-soluble fibers such as: pears, oats, apples, and legumes (beans)
  • High sulfur-containing foods such as: garlic and onions
  • Artichokes, beets (tops and bottoms), carrots, dandelion (tops and bottoms), parsley, cilantro, turmeric root, sweet potatoes, and squash
Herbal Support
  • Liver support: Milk Thistle, Artichoke, Burdock Root, Dandelion root and leaf, Schisandra
  • Turmeric (fresh root or Meriva SF): enhances detoxification, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory
  • Mushrooms: Reishi, Turkey Tail, Shitake, Maitake, Cordyceps—these are nature’s potent detoxifiers and immune protection for the earth and our bodies
Supplement Support
  • A high-potency multivitamin and mineral can help protect against toxin exposure. Antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E protect the liver against damage, as well as aiding in the liver’s detoxification process. B vitamins, calcium, and trace minerals also play a role in the elimination of heavy metals and other toxic compounds.
  • Lipotropic nutrients (compounds that stimulate the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver) such as choline, betaine, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 have a “de-congesting” effect on the liver, promoting both improved liver function and fat metabolism.
  • N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), alpha lipoic acid (ALA), chlorella, and modified citrus pectin all serve to substantially increase liver detoxification thru direct liver function enhancement and/or capturing toxins for proper elimination.
  • Blue Heron: GI support and detoxifying binders for proper elimination
Gentle Regular Detoxification
  • Regular weekly hyperthermia treatments such peat baths (see our New Year newsletter) and infrared sauna therapy are excellent ways to routinely enhance toxin elimination.
Lifestyle
  • Clothing, pets, cars, and outdoor recreational items can be a passive collection of toxic chemicals in our day to day lives.
  • Regularly wash your clothes, wash your bodies, wash your pets, and have shoe-free home.
  • Consider HEPA air filtration systems and indoor plants for clean air quality in your home.
  • Environmental Working Group: find the cleanest products possible at www.ewg.org
Stress

We’re exposed to toxins on a daily basis, external and internal, in many forms. Chemical exposure has its highest impact when we are vulnerable, such as in time of stress and fear. Take good care of yourself with adequate stress support including:

  • Therapy as needed for support of life’s abundances and relationships
  • Finding the right exercise routine that works for you
  • Adaptogenic herbs
  • Adequate quality sleep
Compassion

Surround yourself with souls you love who love you in return—this is in many forms: friends, chosen family, pets, neighbors. Our quick smiles, nods, or waves in brief encounters. We’re all in it—life’s absurdities. Let’s have some ease on our soul’s journey with a quick smile for one another.

Please check in with your physician about starting any treatment in case you may be allergic or have a need for a personalized program. Heavy metal and toxin analysis is provided at our center and our Natural Remedy Store staff are available to assist with any of the supplements or herbs mentioned in this article to best support you and our community.

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Dispensary Discount: 10% off Meriva SF

Dispensary Discount: 10% off Meriva SF
Curcumin: An “All in One” Solution

We have found Meriva SF to have great outcomes for reducing joint pain, relief of stiffness and soreness, improving immune health, detoxification, improving digestive function, and as an important part of cancer prevention and treatment.

Humans have benefited from the anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects of curcumin for centuries. Curcumin is the orange pigment in turmeric root that contains potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune enhancing, and anti-cancer effects.

There is amazing work being done in the science community around the benefits of this herb, from it’s anti-allergy effects to its advanced use in cancer treatment. Curcumin has been the subject of hundreds of research studies published in the last several decades. Research of particular interest to our cancer patients is its potential to enhance the positive actions of chemotherapy in cancer treatment while protecting our tissues from the negative side effects of chemotherapy.

Eating turmeric in its powdered or whole root form is a great inclusion to a healthy diet, though research has shown that there is low bloodstream absorption in this form to provide sufficient systemic levels for all our tissues to benefit.

As medical technology has evolved, we’ve been able to bind curcumin to phospholipids, which are the essential components of human cells. This maintains the natural plant based effects while permitting a highly effective absorption to access all it’s potent benefits.

As many of you know, we are regularly prescribing curcumin for our patients – and – there are numerous curcumin
products on the market. We have found Meriva SF to have great outcomes for reducing joint pain, relief of stiffness and soreness, improving immune health, detoxification, improving digestive function, and as an important part of cancer prevention and treatment.

Many of our patients are picking up Meriva this spring for allergy treatment and refills for ongoing maintenance use of various health concerns. We’d like to support your use of this herb with a 10% discount from our dispensary on Meriva SF through May 1st, 2018.

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This Relentless Viral Season: Vitamin IV and Injection Therapy for Immune Support

This Relentless Viral Season: Vitamin IV and Injection Therapy for Immune Support

The viral season is relentless this year. This year many folks are having viral infections during allergy season—very confusing, very uncomfortable. There are a few strains that we’re seeing most prominently: a horrible stomach flu that is causing a week-long fever, a chest viral infection that is causing a month-long cough, and a general flu strain from the winter that is taking about 4-6 weeks for people to fully recover from.

Any of these sound familiar?

A key treatment for full recovery for patients has been vitamin IV therapy. When we don’t have time to stop for the weeks necessary to recover from a month-long viral infection, our cells will recruit all our vitamins and minerals necessary to keep us going. This translates into a longer recovery time, prolonged fatigue, and a poorer baseline of energy prior to the viral infection.

IV nutrient therapy delivers vitamins, minerals, and select nutrients directly into the cells for a full recovery, and much of the time, a much better baseline of energy. One of the benefits of vitamin IV therapy is that higher therapeutic doses are achieved when the nutrients are delivered directly to the cells (doses that are limited by oral intake) which offer a faster rate of optimal recovery.

The main ‘stars’ of our Immune Support IV include vitamin C, B vitamins, Zinc, and Selenium—all drive up an immune response to fight off a current infection, repair your energy after an illness, and prevent future illnesses from settling in.

We also have a very effective Immune Support injection (delivered in the arm or buttock) for a regular, affordable
immune boost and protection. The injection includes these immune ‘stars’ at effective, but lower doses.