Functional Health ▪︎Nutrition
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FUNCTIONAL NATUROPATHY HEALTH CARE
~Because there is no one else like you.~
Functional Naturopathy is a patient-centered approach to individualized health and nutritional care that focuses on the whole person. By examining your entire life and complete medical history, we find underlying causes that may be contributing to health problems or chronic disease, such as nutritional issues, stress levels, hormonal imbalance, environmental influences and genetics. Functional naturopathy looks for the root cause of disease by examining how all the systems of the body work together.
Why choose functional naturopathy?
When your body’s biological systems become out of balance, chronic disease may follow. Functional naturopathic medicine seeks to restore and rejuvenate the body’s optimal functions that have been metabolically disrupted by aging, lifestyle, diet, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, autoimmune diseases or cancer. Some hallmarks of functional naturopathic medicine include:
- Evidence-based medicine. Functional naturopathy uses the latest medical science and research to guide diagnosis and treatment decisions.
- Individualized health assessment. Functional naturopathy doctors use specialized tests to gain a better understanding of your body’s metabolic functions. These tests may include a comprehensive stool analysis, urine metabolite testing, saliva and hormone assessment, and serum analysis.
- A comprehensive health study. You are the greatest resource for your personal health. That’s why your doctor will listen to your complete health history, including discussing symptoms pertaining to digestive health, autoimmunity and chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, food allergies or sensitivities, genetic influences, and physical and social environmental factors.
- A focus on quality of life. Functional naturopathy focuses on the whole person – mind, body and spirit – to guide the body to an optimal state of well-being.
- Applies to any condition. Functional naturopaths work closely with all medical specialties and any medical condition. Functional naturopathic medicine also applies to patients of any age with chronic conditions or those seeking generalized wellness and healthy aging. _________________________________________________________
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ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN
Taber's Medical Dictionary defines pain as "the sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Thus the pain includes not only the perception of an uncomfortable stimulus, but also the response to that perception....Experiencing pain is influenced by a great number of interacting physical, mental, biochemical, physiologic, psychological, social, cultural, and emotional factors."
It is necessary to distinguish between two basic types of pain, acute and chronic, and they differ greatly:
* Acute pain warns us that something is wrong. It is telling us to stop, change what we are doing, or that we have just been injured. It results from disease, inflammation, or injury to tissues. The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated. The pain is usually confined to a given period of time and severity. This type of pain generally comes on suddenly, for example, after trauma, injury, or surgery. The pain may also be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. Acute pain can, in rare instances, become chronic.
* Chronic pain is persistant pain over a longer period of time than acute pain and is resistant to most standard medical treatments. Chronic pain is often caused by a debilitating disease or injury. For example: cancer, nerve compression or entrapment due to skeletal degeneration, spinal cord damage, or phantom limb. Chronic pain can often be made worse by environmental and psychological factors. Chronic pain can, and often does, cause severe problems for patients. It robs people of their productivity and their sense of well-being.
Causes of Pain:
-- Arthritis -- Neuropathic pain
-- Abrasions -- Repetitive stress injuries
-- Back pain -- Sciatica
-- Bruises -- Shingles
-- Cancer pain -- Sports injuries
-- Headaches -- Spinal stenosis
*Migraines; Cluster Headaches; Tension Headaches -- Surgical pain
-- Head and facial pain -- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders
-- Inflammation -- Trauma
-- Infection --Vascular disease or injury
-- Joint pain
-- Muscle pain
-- Myofascial pain syndromes
History of Pain:
Ancient civilizations wrote accounts of pain on stone tablets. Their recorded treatments included: pressure (massage), heat (hot stones), water (hydrotherapy), and sun. Early humans related pain to evil, magic, and demons. They went to sorcerers, shamans, priests, and priestesses, who used herbs, rites, and ceremonies as their treatments of pain.
The Greeks and Romans were the first to theorize that the brain and nervous system have a role in producing the perception of pain. Evidence began to accumulate in support of these theories in the Middle Ages and Renaissance period (1400's and 1500's).
In 1664, the French philosopher Rene Descartes described what to this day is still called the "pain pathway." Descartes described how the heat from a fire near ones foot, traveled to the brain and he compared the "pain sensation" to the ringing of a bell. (One might say "I think therefore I feel pain".)
In the 19th century, physicians and scientists discovered that opium, morphine, codeine, and cocaine could be used to treat pain. In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert Schweitzer wrote, "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death itself." Pharmacists then developed aspirin, the most commonly used pain reliever today.
Today, pain is a serious and costly public health issue. It challenges family, friends, and health care providers who must give support to the individual suffering from the physical as well as the emotional consequences of pain.
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HERBS FOR PAIN AND INFLAMMATION
There are many alternatives when considering avenues to manage chronic pain. Herbal Therapy is one area that is rapidly growing in popularity. Herbs rarely have an adverse side effect like many pharmaceuticals do and are now easy to access, thanks to the
Internet.
When using herbs for pain management, please be reminded that anti-inflammatory herbs will not heal your condition itself, despite their pain-easing effects. Addressing the cause of chronic inflammation is essential when working your way toward optimal health; inflammation triggers pain and is a major risk factor for chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Warnings aside, here are five herbs that combat inflammation and are all readily available online and at some health focused stores.
- White Willow Bark—This herb contains salicin, the compound from which commercial aspirin was originally extracted. The analgesic actions of the bark are slower acting than synthetic aspirin, but results last longer. In addition to its pain-relieving properties, it is an anticoagulant, assisting in the prevention of blood clot formation and thickening of blood that may lead to stroke or heart failure. It has also been credited with the alleviation of acute back and joint pain, as well as osteoarthritis. Native Americans simply chewed the bark from the tree for natural pain relief.
- Boswellia—Sourced from a resin found in the bark of frankincense trees, boswellia has been shown to thwart chemical reactions involved in the creation of inflammation. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have long used boswellia to treat arthritis; the herb may also benefit people with inflammatory bowel disease.
- Bromelain—An enzyme extracted from pineapple stems, bromelain reduces levels of prostaglandins, hormones that induce inflammation. Bromelain may benefit people with arthritis and conditions marked by musculoskeletal tension (such as TMJ syndrome), as well as those suffering trauma-related inflammation. What’s more, the enzyme may promote healing in muscles and connective tissues. Some holistic health practitioners have prescribed patients to eat 8 whole pineapples for 10 days, and they claim their pain was reduced significantly.
- Curcumin—An Ayurvedic remedy known to tame arthritis pain, curcumin is a compound found in the curry spice turmeric. In an animal-based study published in 2007, scientists discovered that curcumin could overpower proinflammatory proteins called cytokines. The compound may also help decrease pain associated with autoimmune disorders and tendonitis. This herbal news is a great reason to eat a little curry! Red Coconut Curry is one of my favorites.
- Ginger—Sipping ginger tea not only helps relieve cold-related congestion, but supplementing with ginger may deliver other long-lasting health effects. Research indicates that ginger may calm arthritis pain by lowering your prostaglandin levels. One 2005 study even suggests that ginger could reduce pain and inflammation more effectively than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin). Ginger is available in most grocery produce sections, and ginger tea is quick and easy to make. Slice a thumb-sized bulb of fresh ginger, add to 4 cups of water, and boil for 5 minutes. Strain, add honey, lemon or your choice to taste.
- If you consider the use of herbs for pain management, please consult a doctor or holistic health professional before you begin the regimen. Some herbs interact with drugs you are receiving for pain or other conditions you may be medicated for and the combination may harm your health when improperly administered.