In spite of this, many acupuncturists, including the Chinese, treat a wide range of ‘mental disorders’ with acupuncture. Many people have stated that acupuncture is clearly effective in helping symptoms such as insomnia and bed-wetting, and can also create a feeling of general well-being. Patients who receive acupuncture for specific problems, such as ankle pain, will often note how well they feel after the treatment. It would be very misleading to give figures of ‘cure rates’ for these problems because such disorders naturally relapse and remit, often improving when a sympathetic listener becomes involved. I think it is fair to say, however, that acupuncture can sometimes effect mood changes that help these problems significantly. The Chinese have completed trials on some of the more clearly defined and serious mental diseases, such as schizophrenia. In a trial involving over 400 patients they claim a 54 per cent cure rate for this disease, with a further 30 per cent showing ‘significant improvement’. These figures are exceptionally high and, if correct, are most interesting. Their criteria for evaluating a ‘cure’ or a ‘significant improvement’ are not clearly stated and so it is difficult to be sure whether these results are valid. Many claims have been made for the effects of acupuncture in the treatment of a variety of ‘nervous disorders’ but, sadly, there is no good hard evidence to substantiate or refute such claims; however, from a variety of excellent research papers it is clear that acupuncture can influence quite radically many areas of the central nervous system. This work is of a purely scientific nature and at present it is not directly applicable to the clinical effects of acupuncture therapy. Please refer this ACUFINDER link below for more information.

https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Treatment+of+Neurological+Disorders+with+Acupuncture

I have personal experience with several of my patients for several above disorders and experienced very favorable results from treatment. If you, your family members or someone you know is suffering unnecessarily from any of those disorders discussed above, please free to contact me for a free consultation. And of course try my website www.acupuncturehalls.com

Martha E. Hall L.Ac Dipl OM

Is it really worse than, say, cocaine? Well according to some researchers it should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol. Studies show too much sugar not only helps make us fat, it also wreaks havoc on our liver, mucks up our metabolism, impairs brain function and may leave us susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, and possibly cancer. Kind of like watching a train wreck in slow motion says one researcher. So what are the ramifications and how can we deal with preventing long-term damage to our bodies?

First of all to examine the hold sugar can have on us, substance abuse research indicates when subjects taste sugar, the brain lights up in the same regions as it would in an alcoholic drinking a bottle gin. Furthermore too much sugar forms free radicals in the brain and compromises nerve cells’ ability to communicate. This could have repercussions on how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle associated moods.

A 16 ounce Starbucks vanilla latte and plain Einstein Bros. bagel will max out your day’s allotment. That being the recommended nine teaspoons a day for men and five for women. A better choice would be black coffee or my fav, a cappuccino, and plain yogurt with walnuts. Sugar contributes to premature aging just as cigarettes and UV rays. When sugar is present in the skin, it forms cross-links with amino acids (the building blocks of protein) which jam the repair mechanism and over time leave you with prematurely old-looking skin.

Best way to start your morning is a whole natural food protein based shake with little carbohydrates and whole food nutrition. Muscles use mostly carbohydrates for fuel, which break down into glucose, a simple sugar that can kick=start your energy but again too much of this and then again we have insulin creating foods. I’ll talk about that in another blog, but snacks with “natural sweeteners” may contain fructose, a sugar metabolized in the liver not the muscles. So have a protein-packed snack with minimal fructose before exercise. Try a energy bar with a modest amount of sugar an hour before workout.

And as always, see your local Acupuncturist for additional information on healthy life style choices.

Martha E. Hall LacDipl OM

While not widely used in many communities in the US, Acupuncture, and “Traditional Chinese Medicine” ( TCM) has been around a long time, as a matter of fact, much longer than some of our more accepted modern medicine. Acupuncture treatment is more than 5,000 years old and contrary to popular belief, was not exclusively a Chinese practice. Many people including Eskimos, Arabs, and South African Bantu tribesmen, have used different methods of acupuncture throughout history. The ancient Chinese medical text “Huangdi Neijing” was written around 200 B.C. and included information about acupuncture, which is now used worldwide, with more than 8,000 practitioners in the United States alone. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangdi_Neijing

Acupuncture is based on the belief that our life energy, or Qi, must flow uninterrupted through our body. Qi, blood and body fluids are the fundamental substances that make up the body and regulate our functions. The health and circulation of blood and body fluids depend upon the proper flow of Qi. Qi runs through your body along the channels called “meridians”. There are 14 meridians in the body and each one is connected to a specific organ or gland. If any of these meridians become obstructed, your Qi becomes blocked, resulting in pain or illness. Acupuncture stimulates specific points along the meridians, which stimulates the body to heal itself.

Modern Western theory of why acupuncture works is that the insertion of needles into particular points stimulates our central nervous system to release biochemicals, such as hormones and neurotransmitters. These biochemicals then help ease pain by the release of serotonins, regulate our body functions, and strengthen our immune system. And as an interesting aside, ever see the late and wonderful friend to the animal kingdom, Steve Irwin, treat an injured elephant? Steve Irwin and the “New Breed of Vets” use elephant size acupuncture needles to stimulate acupuncture and pressure points, which help heal the 2 ton elephant’s injured and sore muscles. Didn’t think those points were important? Ask that elephant what he thinks.
http://www.elephantcare.org/manhandl.htm

While acupuncture is not an all inclusive answer to every ailment, it is a very effective treatment for many of our modern day ailments. If you would like more information or a free consultation please feel free to contact me.

Martha E. Hall L.Ac Dipl OM
www.acupuncturehalls.com

There are three main types of damage that occur to the musculo-skeletal system; the first is a sudden injury or sprain which might be a domestic injury, or might be incurred during a sporting activity or in a car accident. This usually causes local pain and bruising lasting for a few days, or even a few weeks. The other main group is arthritis and this can be divided into two important types, Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is by far the commoner type of arthritis and can be thought of as ‘wear and tear’ damage to a joint. It usually occurs in older people and tends to affect the spine (both neck and lower-back), the hips, knees, elbows and shoulders. Nobody is clear about the exact cause of Osteoarthritis; it can sometimes run in families or it may result from severe localized damage in earlier life, such as a broken bone. Osteoarthritis tends to develop in one or two of the main weight-bearing joints of the body, but it does not usually affect all the joints of the body. The pain caused by osteoarthritis fluctuates; if a person suffers from osteoarthritis of the knee there will be periods when the knee is painful, and other times when the pain is less severe.

The X-ray of an osteoarthritis joint looks ragged and shows some joint destruction, but such X-ray findings do not correlate with the pain suffered. If joint destruction is demonstrable on the X-ray the patient may not have severe pain, and conversely the patient may have severe pain with few X-ray findings. The main problem with osteoarthritis is pain, which in turn causes a general lack of mobility and limited joint movement.

Rheumatoid arthritis is far less common than osteoarthritis and represents a completely different disease process. The small, non-weight-bearing joints in the hands and feet are affected by an active destructive process. This process is poorly understood and can occasionally result in joint deformity.

For further discussion on acupuncture and arthritis please go to the link below for a discussion with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Director of Education, Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainArthritis/story?id=4583539

And, if you would like further information on any of the above, please feel free to contact me for a free consultation or visit my website at www.acupuncturehalls.com

Martha E. Hall L.Ac Dipl OM

And as an interesting aside some other unique characteristics of our AB friends are that they are rational, deal with goals and obstacles on a cool and logical basis. Sometimes speak their mind whether people want to hear them or not. And, they do not observe social cues or cannot make the effort to tell white lies and in general as seekers of the truth.

Nevertheless, Type AB’s should take steps to reduce heart disease risk. Exercise 30 minutes most every day, avoid saturated fats, keep your weight and blood pressure in a healthy range. Once again good advice for all blood types and especially for our AB type friends and relatives.

So you O’s, A’s, B’s and AB’s, all feel free to contact me should you have any questions. And once again would like to emphasize the important role of blood profiles in determining necessary supplements and other medicinal and acupuncture modalities to support lasting good health. Should you or anyone you know wish to contact me for further information, please feel free to at your convenience.

Martha E. Hall LAc Dipl OM

In addition, the system allows entry of pertinent data such as age, sex, blood pressure, which it combines with the blood profile, subsequently providing a prediction of cardio vascular disease developing during the following 10 years, which is very accurate. All for about $40 and 10 minutes of your time.

But lets see what else is in blood which might affect health. There are four major blood types (A,B,AB, and O) which were first described by scientists more than 100 years ago. Actually hundreds of different “types” within these four major groups as well.

The most significant sub-groups are the Rh types. These are positive or negative designations given to blood types. There are five main Rh antigens (substances that initiate immune reactions) which determine whether a person’s blood is Rh positive or negative. Being Rh positive is much more prevalent than Rh negative. About 38 percent of Americans have 0-positive blood while only 7% have 0-negative.

Rh type is crucial when matching blood donors to recipients. A person with Rh positive blood can receive blood from an Rh-negative person, but not visa versa.

If you or anyone you know would like to stop by for an inexpensive blood analysis please feel free to contact me. The health you save may be your own, so I will be looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours in health,

Martha E. Hall

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body which runs from your spinal cord, past your buttocks, and down each of your legs up to the little toe. Pain which runs the full length pathway of this nerve is referred to as “sciatica.” Sciatica itself is not an ailment; rather, symptomatic of a problem with your sciatic nerve. such as a herniated disk. Causes of sciatica include unhealthy habits such as poor sitting and sleeping postures, excessive sitting, and insufficient exercise and stretching of the muscles of the hip which causes irritation of the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc, also called a slipped disc, is a common cause of sciatic nerve pain that is felt in the lower back and radiates down one leg. Mild sciatica usually goes away on its own, but more severe sciatic nerve pain requires treatment. Such treatments can include prescription medications, physical therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture. Acupuncture, to me, is the best method (this coming from an Acupuncturist), because the sciatic nerve is a trigger point which can only be reset using a acupuncture needle and sometimes along with an “estim machine” (a device that generates continuous electric pulses using small clips).

Acupuncture treatment customarily begins with an interview in which the acupuncturist checks your pulse at different positions on the wrist; observes your appearance for clues to your health; asks about your past medical history and present state of health; and palpates specific acupuncture points. The acupuncturist inserts thin needles into your skin at specific points on your body. The procedure is not painful and a small amount of needles may be placed in various points on the body. These points may be local and/or distal points. After the needles are placed, they may be moved or stimulated during the treatment and infrared heat most likely will be used in conjunction with the treatment. The treatment typically lasts about 20-30 minutes. Effective treatment may be continued once or twice a week for 4-8 weeks, depending on the severity of the condition.

In my experience, in time every case of sciatica can be cured. The amount of treatments needed for a complete cure varies according to the severity, cause, and duration of the sciatica. Typically an acute attack of sciatic pain lasting for a few weeks can be cured in as little as 3 treatments. Sciatica that has been ignored for many months can take longer to cure.

If you or someone you know suffers from sciatica, please feel free to contact me for a free consultation. I have had very good past results treating patients for sciatica and urge you to investigate acupuncture as an alternative to living with the debilitating pain and discomfort of sciatica.

Martha E. Hall L.Ac Dipl OM

Headaches are a common complaint and while sometimes notoriously difficult treat, can be the cause of considerable distress. Acupuncture has been used to treat a wide variety of headaches, particularly migraines, the results very encouraging. And while a large percentage of all headache sufferers obtain significant lasting pain relief, migraines seem to respond as well as, if not better than, other types.

Acupuncture therapy may cause the headaches to vanish completely, or occur with a markedly decreased intensity and/or frequency. The pain relief can sometimes be maintained for years and re-treatment is usually required less frequently for headaches than for some other conditions. Acupuncture promotes muscle relaxation therefore most patients experience relief during or after an acupuncture session. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a very consistent and philosophically-based framework for headache etiology, and has been applied to headaches from its earliest beginnings.

The greatest advantage of acupuncture over Western medicine is that it does virtually no harm. Some medications can have serious side effects and can (in some instances) actually lead to a “rebound” headache. Unlike synthetic drugs, acupuncture has virtually no side effects. If you or someone you know has been having headaches, why don’t you give acupuncture a try? Most patients find it very euphoric. Below are some links that are of good reference to headaches and acupuncture. It can help you live a longer, healthier, pain free life.
Yours in health,

Martha E Hall L.Ac Dipl OM

http://www.acupuncture-treatment.com/headache_migraine.html

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/abc/headaches.php

Enzyme Therapy In Malignancies

As you may remember our previous discussion of proteolytic enzyme therapy revealed potentially favorable results in treatment of joint dysfunction and abnormalities such as arthritis and side effects associated with pharmaceuticals.

In Europe, therapy of malignancies also includes enzymes in large dosage which has lengthened survival. Enzyme preparations carefully formulated to avoid dissolving in stomach acid thus available to get into the blood without being destroyed. In cancer cases, the cancer cells are surrounded by a layer of fibrin (a protein involved in blood clotting) up to 15 times thicker than the layer of fibrin that surrounds normal cells. This fibrin layer permits these malignant cells to escape destruction by killer immune cells, which are unable to detect the cancer cell antigens. The systemic enzymes remove this fibrin coating, permitting the immune cells to again kill the tumor cells.

Additionally, immune cells become stimulated by enzymes to increase the production of tumor necrosis (cell death) factor which attack tumor cells, as well as cells infected by viruses. This is vital to cancer defense!! Systemic immune therapy has prolonged life for many patients. This is just one of many ways you can take charge of your life, to help you live a longer healthier, pain free life. See your local Acupuncturist to help you get started today.

Yours in health,

Martha E. Hall L.Ac Dipl OM

Oh boy you say, what in the world are proteolytic enzymes … something equally as fun as conjugating verbs or calculus? Well, maybe not as much fun but much more important.

The word “Proteolytic” simply refers to protein … Proteolysis is the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids of which proteins are made. Some amino acids necessary for protein production are produced by bodies while others are not and therefore referred to as “essential” and must be ingested through dietary sources.

Enzymes are biological catalysts generated by an organism to speed up chemical reactions. Enzymes are widely recognized for their importance in digesting food. They also break up circulating immune complexes in the blood. Enzymes can act to prevent too much fibrin (non-globular protein involved in the clotting of blood) from being deposited in wounds, fractures and joints. These enzymes also remove necrotic (dying cells) debris and excess fibrin from the blood stream. So why you say if these substances are so important have I never heard of them? Good question, enzyme therapy is a prime example in which US medicine is missing the boat due to a lack of awareness and unwillingness to use therapies not made by “big pharmaceuticals.” Enzymes cannot be patented so they are of little interest to drug companies. Digestive enzymes are something that should be a part of your diet. If they are not, see your local Acupuncturist, Herbalist or Nutritionist, to see about adding them to your lifestyle.

Stay tuned as there’s more good news to come from use of these enzymes and my next discussion will be of their important role in disease prevention.

Yours in health,

Martha E. Hall L.Ac