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Acupuncture/Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of healing that originated about 4,000 years ago. Using acupuncture, herbal medicine, qi-gong, dietary and lifestyle guidance, TCM has had great success in returning the body to a state of balance, thus alleviating symptoms of disease and restoring good health. TCM is unique in its approach because it seeks to treat the cause of disease, not merely the symptoms.

Acupuncture is a safe, painless and effective treatment that incorporates the use of very fine, disposable, sterile needles that are inserted into specific points on pathways called meridians that flow throughout the body. Acupuncture works by regulating the flow of energy (called ?qi?) through these meridians. It can produce a feeling of deep relaxation while it restores balance to the body.

Chinese herbal prescriptions are often combined with acupuncture to complete the treatment. Anywhere from 5 to 20 herbs may be used that are specifically chosen for the individual patient. Herbs are an important component in the healing process between acupuncture treatments. Simple qi-gong exercises and dietary advice may also be included to provide the patient with tools for self-healing.

Five Element Acupuncture

All forms of acupuncture derive ultimately from Chinese traditional health practices. The ancient Chinese knew that natural cycles and elements controlled their lives, from the fiery heat of summer to the cold and dark of winter, and viewed the human body, mind and spirit as having energetic correspondences to the larger world around them.

Five Element Acupuncture takes an approach to diagnosis and treatment, which emphasizes this link between the elements in Nature and their correspondences in the human body. Symptoms are regarded as a manifestation of an imbalance of the elements, and the diagnosis and treatment are oriented toward finding this imbalance and bringing it into harmony at all levels within the person.

Five Element Acupuncture recognizes the same meridians of qi energy as in TCM-style acupuncture, and points located on those meridians are utilized in treatment. Sterile disposable needles are employed. A typical treatment involves pre-warming each point prior to needle insertion by burning a Chinese herb called moxa.

Many patients feel very relaxed after their treatment, but others who started out fatigued often feel energized. Five Elements style treatments are an excellent way to support healing and enhance wellness.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic medicine is a natural method of healing founded by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. It has been recognized for over 200 years as a safe and effective means of treating both serious and minor ailments. When you come to a homeopath for a consultation, we treat you, the whole person, rather than just your disease. Just as exercise keeps your body strong?and makes you feel good?homeopathy enhances your natural defenses and vital force to help restore your body to harmony and balance. Today it is accepted in many countries as a recognized medical treatment.

Picture a house with windows, doors, a roof, plumbing, all sitting on a solid foundation. An earthquake occurs. The house shifts on its foundation; windows break; pipes rupture; ceilings come crashing down. You engage a plumber to fix the pipes, a carpenter to mend the doors, and a roofer to replace the tiles.

But really it's the foundation that needs to be stabilized so that the rest of the house can be balanced, in its right place, and strong enough to resist future earthquakes.

Traditional medicine is like the plumber, the carpenter, and the roofer. It looks at the individual parts and makes them work. Homeopathy looks at the foundation and seeks to provide long-term solutions to your health problems.

Homeopathy is a natural system of healing that works by using a small dose of a substance to help stimulate the body's healing forces. Homeopathy is an effective & safe treatment that is gentle yet extremely effective when used properly. Homeopathy is based on the principle of the "law of similars." In other words, a substance that could cause symptoms in large amounts can facilitate healing in minute homeopathic doses.

Let's look at some examples: Coffee taken full strength acts as a stimulant and can make it hard to sleep; but the remedy Coffee Cruda, which is the homeopathic for of coffee can help with insomnia. The homeopathic remedy Allium Cepa (Red Onion) is used to treat the runny nose and watery eyes that occur with a cold or hay fever, the very symptoms it would cause if one were cutting a red onion.

Note that homeopathy does not diagnose illness. Rather, it addresses the underlying causes of your symptoms.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can teach and re-program behaviors, habits, responses and
beliefs that are holding you back from living a happier, healthier, more
fulfilling and successful life.

Therapeutic hypnosis is a pleasurable state in which your body is guided by
a trained hypnotherapist in a safe and controlled environment towards a
feeling of peace, calm, and relaxation. Your conscious mind is also guided
to a state of deep relaxation so the hypnotherapist can speak through
various techniques directly to your subconscious mind.

You cannot be compelled to do or say anything in hypnosis that is in
conflict with your personal desires or ethical standards. You are not out of
control in any way; in fact, hypnosis is a state of guided focus,
concentration, and relaxation.

A competent hypnotherapist is trained to help you achieve results in the
fewest sessions possible. Several factors influence the degree and rate at
which success may be achieved such as the rapport between you and your
hypnotherapist, your expectations, and the desire and commitment you bring
to each appointment. Some clients see dramatic results in just one or two
sessions

Hypnosis is the state of highly focused consciousness. Hypnotherapy is the
therapeutic practice of hypnosis for the purpose of effecting positive
behavioral or attitudinal change.

Integrative Psychiatry

Integrative Psychiatry is an approach towards psychiatric care that combines the best of allopathic psychiatry with Ayurvedic medicine and acupuncture.

It includes a multi-dimensional analysis and treatment plan, incorporating a fusion of treatment modalities uniquely designed for each individual and their state of imbalance. This may include medication, acupuncture, herbal formulations, aromatherapy, Western botanicals, diet, and psychotherapy.

The evaluations and treatments are all types of psychiatric conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and ADHD and is a certified buprenorphine provider.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is given for the well being of the body and mind. This may include stress reduction, relief from muscular tension, spasm or pain, or for increasing circulation or energy flow. Massage helps to facilitate and aid the healing process of many different conditions. It has been proved that regular massage therapy can help to lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety and help treat pathologies such as sciatica, carpal tunnel, lower back pain, tension headaches and many other physical discomforts.

Other modalities of massage that may require additional training of the therapist are sports massage and prenatal massage therapy. Manual therapy pre- and post-sporting events and during training help many athletes recover from intense sporting activities, while pre- and peri-natal massage promote a healthy and enjoyable pregnancy for the mom-to-be.

Massage helps to relax the body and mind so that the body can better function on its own. Massage therapy is recognized as effective in reducing or managing pain, improving circulation and respiratory function, stimulating lymphatic flow, calming the nervous system, decreasing stress level, and improving immune system function.

Massage practitioners do not diagnose illness, disease or any physical or mental disorder, nor do they prescribe medical treatment, pharmaceuticals or perform spinal thrust manipulations. Massage is not a substitute for medical examination or diagnosis.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness practice as described by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, is proven to be one of the most efficient methods for treatment of stress, anxiety and management of pain. Kabat-Zinn describes Mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally”. The method is increasingly being employed in western psychology and medicine with success.

Naturopathy

Naturopathic Medicine is prevention based-patient focused healthcare that is derived from a Hippocratic teaching that the human body has an innate healing ability. It is used to diagnose and treat people in efforts to promote health through the education and promotion of therapeutic methods that help maintain balance within the body. Treatment plans are designed for the individual patient, not for the generality of symptoms. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are trained as primary care physicians with a medical education that has additional course work in naturopathic therapeutic modalities. These modalities include clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, counseling, hydrotherapy, body work, physiotherapy, and pharmacology among others. Naturopathic medicine investigates the relationship between physical, mental, and emotional wellness to create health.
The six principles that guide the therapeutic methods and modalities of naturopathic medicine include:
Do No Harm – primum non nocere
Naturopathic medicine strives to use therapies that do not suppress disease or create more harm that blocks the body’s ability to heal.

The Healing Power of Nature – vis medicatrix naturae
The human body possesses an inherent ability to restore health. The physician’s role is to facilitate this process and remove barriers to healing.

Treat the Cause – totale causam
It is the ultimate goal of physicians to seek and treat the underlying cause of disease. Naturopathic medicine strives as an approach to not suppress symptoms as suppression deepens the root of disease. Symptoms are viewed as an expression of the body’s natural attempt to heal and act as indicators for what is occurring within the body.

Treat the Whole Person – totale totum
Each individual has a unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social makeup that all affect the state of health. Naturopathic physicians consider all of the factors that makeup health and disease to create tailored treatment programs that meet different health care needs.

The Physician as a Teacher – docere
It is through education that the physician empowers and motivates patients to take responsibility for their own health. They encourage self-responsibility and work closely in a healthy cooperative relationship.

Prevent Illness
Proactive medicine saves money and improves health. Naturopathic physicians assess risk factors, genetic susceptibility, and vulnerability to disease to reduce and prevent future illness.

Reiki

Reiki is a hands-on healing technique that balances, realigns energy, and activates your own healing powers. It reduces stress, increases energy and focus, and enhances creativity.
Reiki is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy, the energy that is inherent to all creation. It describes an ancient Tibetan energy balancing treatment. It is based on Traditional energy theory (Prana, Chi, Qi, Ki), and incorporates the meridian system of energy pathways running through the body.

Reiki is non-manipulative. Through loose clothing, the practitioner channels Universal Life Energy through their hands, helping to direct energy where it is needed.
Reiki is very relaxing and comforting. Some experience a deep meditative state, some fall asleep, and others become recharged. Some whose brains are on 'overload' simply enjoy giving up daily pressures for an hour and allowing their minds to quiet.

Reiki feels good. It is recommended as a treatment before and after surgery. It is helpful during illness, and can be used along with other conventional treatments. Reiki is recommended for people who feel perfectly healthy, to maintain an energetic balance which can help in the prevention of illness.

Thermography

By Dr. Hillary Smith D.C.
What is thermography?

Breast Thermography (Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging ‘DITI’) is a 15 minute non invasive test of the physiology. It is a valuable procedure for alerting your doctor to changes that can indicate early stage breast disease.

The benefit of thermography is that it offers the opportunity of earlier detection of breast disease than has been possible through breast self examination, doctor examination or mammogram alone.

Thermography detects the subtle physiologic changes that accompany breast pathology, whether it is cancer, fibrous disease, an infection or a vascular disease. Your doctor can then plan accordingly and lay out a careful program to further diagnose and /or MONITOR you during and after any treatment.

How is thermography performed?

* Non invasive
* No radiation
* Painless
* No contact with the body
* M.D. approved

This quick and easy test starts with your medical history being taken. Thermography is a non invasive test. This means there is no contact with the body of any kind, no radiation and the procedure is painless. The first session provides the baseline of your “thermal signature”. A follow up session assures that the patterns remain unchanged. All of your thermograms (breast images) are kept on record and once your stable thermal pattern has been established any changes can be detected during your routine annual studies.

Who can benefit from thermography?

All women can benefit from breast screening with thermography. However, it is especially appropriate for younger women (30 - 50) whose denser breast tissue makes it more difficult for mammography to be effective. Also for women of all ages who, for many reasons, are unable to undergo routine mammography. This test can provide a 'clinical marker' to the doctor or mammographer that a specific area of the breast needs particularly close examination. There are no contraindications and it can be used for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have implants.

Is it safe for a pregnant or nursing woman to have a breast thermogram?

Yes, breast thermography is a safe procedure for any woman. However, during these periods the breasts are more highly vascularized (have more blood vessels) which can make baseline screening more difficult. When pregnant or breastfeeding, thermography is best used for screening of a specific complaints such as a lump, discomfort or infection. Ideally, baseline routine screening should be done 3 months after a woman has stopped breastfeeding.

What can breast thermography detect?

Thermography detects the subtle physiologic changes that accompany breast pathology, whether it is cancer, fibrous disease, an infection or a vascular disease. Your doctor can then plan accordingly and lay out a careful program to further diagnose and /or MONITOR you until other standard testing is positive. This allows for the earliest possible treatment. It takes years for a tumor to grow, and the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for the earliest possible treatment and intervention.

Regular screening can provide an early alert for possible referral to mammography, sonography, or MRI to improve early detection by your doctor.

What is the difference between a thermogram and mammogram?

Breast thermography plays a role in early detection and monitoring of abnormal physiology (including breast cancer) and is considered a screening device. Mammograms are used to precisely locate an abnormal area and are considered a diagnostic tool. Breast thermography does not replace mammography. They are considered complementary to each other.

What are the early breast cancer detection guidelines?

One day there may be a single method for the early detection of breast cancer. Until then, using a combination of methods will increase your chances of detecting cancer in an early stage. These methods include :

* Mammography for all women who are aged 40 or older.
* Regular breast thermography (DITI) screening for women of all ages.
* A regular breast examination by a health professional.
* Monthly breast self-examination.
* Personal awareness for changes in the breasts.
* Readiness to discuss quickly any such changes with a doctor.

These guidelines should be considered along with your background and medical history.

Can thermography detect breast cancer?

It takes years for a tumor to grow thus the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for the earliest possible treatment and intervention. Thermography's role in monitoring breast health is to help in early detection and monitoring of abnormal physiology.

Breast cancers tend to grow significantly faster in younger women under 50:

* AGE AVERAGE TUMOR DOUBLING TIME Under 50 years old 80 days
* Age 50 - 70 years old 157 days
* Over age 70 years old 188 days

Source: Cancer 71:3547-3551, 1993

The faster a malignant tumor grows, the more Infrared radiation it generates. For younger women in particular, results from thermnography screening can lead to earlier detection and, ultimately, longer life.

Doctors do not yet know how to prevent breast cancer. However you can increase your chances of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages by understanding the need for, and participating in an early detection program. Only about 20 percent of biopsied breast lumps are cancerous. And, if cancer is found early, there are choices for treatment. With prompt treatment, the outlook is good. In fact, most women treated for early breast cancer will be free from breast cancer for the rest of their lives.

For more information please call Dr. Hillary Smith D.C.
818 769-4045

Theta Healing

DNA/Theta Core Belief (what we learned as a child) Reprogramming is one of the most cutting edge energy healing modalities. DNA/Theta Core Belief Reprogramming works from an energetic blueprint of a persons physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies; it works from their cellular and their DNA levels. Therefore, no two sessions will be the same. DNA/Theta Core Belief Reprogramming is extremely effective In treating illnesses, physical ailments, and a variety of medical conditions. DNA/Theta Core Belief Reprogramming is effortless. Healing is so simple because you find out where your deep-seated beliefs are holding you back. During a session, you and the practitioner will take a journey into the depths of your core to discover which hidden belief systems are controlling the way you act, think, and live your life. Some of the questions you will explore are:
Are you mentally and emotionally healthy?
Are you making the same mistakes over and over again?
Are you where you want to be?
Are you in a healthy fulfilling relationship?
Are you happy with your financial situation?

It has been documented that you can change your beliefs in seconds instead of months or years of attempting to resolve these same issues on your own at every level with (or without) a traditional therapist.

Yoga

Vinyassa Flow Yoga
Yoga is an ancient physical practice focused on uniting a person with their breath and the universal spirit. The practice is a precursor to meditation allowing the individual to calm and settle their mind. Vinyassa flow is a series of sequenced poses strongly connected to your breathing patterns. Through practice of yoga the individual is able to find a balance of mind, body and spirit.