Circulation improved, muscle soreness eased by massage therapy

Massage therapy improves general blood flow and alleviates muscle soreness after exercise, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The study, reported online in advance of print in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, also showed that massage improved vascular function in people who had not exercised, suggesting that massage has benefits for people regardless of their level of physical activity.

Improved circulation and relief of muscle soreness are common claims made for massage’s benefits, but no studies have substantiated such claims, even though massage therapy is increasingly used as an adjunct to traditional medical interventions, said Shane Phillips, UIC associate professor ofphysical therapy and principal investigator on the study.

“Our study validates the value of massage in exercise and injury, which has been previously recognized but based on minimal data,” said Nina Cherie Franklin, UIC postdoctoral fellow in physical therapy and first author of the study. “It also suggests the value of massage outside of the context of exercise.”

The researchers had set out to see if massage would improve systemic circulation and reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Healthy sedentary adults were asked to exercise their legs to soreness using a standard leg press machine. Half of the exercisers received leg massages, using conventional Swedish massage techniques, after the exercise. Participants rated their muscle soreness on a scale from 1 to 10.

As expected, both exercise groups experienced soreness immediately after exercise. The exercise-and-massage group reported no continuing soreness 90 minutes after massage therapy. The exercise-only group reported lasting soreness 24 hours after exercise.

Exercise-induced muscle injury has been shown to reduce blood flow. In this study, brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) – a standard metric of general vascular health, measured in the upper arm – was taken by ultrasound at 90 minutes, 24, 48 and 72 hours after exercise.

For the exercise-and massage-group, FMD indicated improved blood flow at all time points, with improvement tapering off after 72 hours. As expected, the exercise-only group showed reduced blood flow after 90 minutes and 24 and 48 hours, with a return to normal levels at 72 hours.

“We believe that massage is really changing physiology in a positive way,” said Franklin. “This is not just blood flow speeds – this is actually a vascular response.”

Because vascular function was changed at a distance from both the site of injury and the massage, the finding suggests a “systemic rather than just a local response,” she said.

“The big surprise was the massage-only control group, who showed virtually identical levels of improvement in circulation as the exercise and massage group,” said Phillips.

“The circulatory response was sustained for a number of days, which suggests that massage may be protective,” said Phillips.

For people with limited mobility or those with impaired vascular function, further research may show that regular massage offers significant benefits, the authors say.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/275739.php

Picture courtesy of www.clubcorp.com

Candida: A Small Yeast with Big Health Implications

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus that can when conditions permit, can flourish in our bodies contributing to a variety of health concerns. Many people are familiar with candida as the culprit behind vaginal yeast infections and oral thrush, but candida overgrowth can occur in many places including the skin, the digestive tract, and even the bloodstream.  Although candida is considered a normal component of the gut flora, its numbers are kept in check by the immune system and the beneficial bacteria in our digestive tracts. However, there are many factors that tip this balance in favor of candida overgrowth including:

• A diet high in refined sugar and carbohydrates (including alcohol) and inadequate fiber
• Chronic stress leading to increased blood sugar (which feeds the yeast) and lowered immune function
• The use of certain medications including antibiotics, steroids, and synthetic hormones including the birth control pill
• Environmental toxins such as mercury

When candida proliferates in the digestive tract, it changes form and begins to penetrate the intestinal lining contributing to a condition called “leaky gut”. This increased intestinal permeability allows undigested food particles and yeast cells to enter the blood stream which stimulates the immune system and creates inflammation.  This process explains why candida overgrowth can contribute to the development of food intolerances. Furthermore, candida creates many metabolic by-products that increase the toxic burden in our bodies. Because candida can ferment the sugars and starches in food, it not only leads to uncomfortable digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, and gurgling in the gut, but the alcohol that is produced can destabilize blood sugar levels and contribute to sugar cravings.

The symptoms of candida overgrowth are numerous and not just localized to the digestive tract:

• Generalized: fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, headaches, muscle and joint pain, blood sugar imbalance (including sugar and alcohol cravings)
• Digestion: gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, acid reflux, rectal itching, thrush, bad breath
• Skin: acne, hives, eczema, psoriasis, fungal infection of skin/nails
• Genitourinary: vaginal yeast infections, PMS, recurrent urinary tract infection, cystitis
• Respiratory: sinus congestion, chronic post nasal drip, mucous in the throat, sinusitis, asthma, hayfever
• Psychological: irritability, depression, insomnia, anxiety, inability to focus, hyperactivity

To bring candida levels back into balance requires a multi-faceted approach including a low sugar/refined carbohydrate diet, anti-fungal herbs and nutrients, and probiotics. Also, it is important to facilitate repair of the intestinal lining to heal the “leaky gut” as well as aid the liver in the detoxification of fungal metabolic by-products. When treating candida overgrowth, it is possible to experience a “die-off” reaction as the yeast cells are killed and their metabolic toxins released into the body. This die-off reaction often consists of an aggravation of pre-existing candida-related symptoms including headaches, fatigue, digestive disturbance, joint or muscle pain, and skin rashes. It is very important during the treatment to drink ample water (2L for women and 3L for men), ensure daily bowel movements, and use soluble fiber (eg from chia seed) to facilitate removal of yeast cells and toxins from the digestive tract.

http://advancednaturopathic.com/index.php?page=candida-a-small-yeast-with-big-health-implications

Quality early childhood programs help prevent chronic diseases in later life

Disadvantaged children who attend high-quality early childhood development programs including healthcare andnutrition have significantly improved health as adults, reports a new study.

The study was led by researchers from UCL (University College London), the University of Chicago and the University of North Carolina. These findings build upon existing evidence that high-quality early childhood programs produce better economic and social outcomes for disadvantaged children.

Based on more than three decades of studying children involved in the Abecedarian program in North Carolina, this new research shows that children who participated in the early childhood development program, which combined early education with early health screenings and nutrition, have a significantly lower prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in their mid-30s than children in the control group who did not participate in the program.

“Prior to this research, we had indications that quality early childhood interventions that enrich the environments of disadvantaged children helped produce better health later in life,” said Dr Gabriella Conti, study author from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care. “Abecedarian shows that investing in early childhood programs that offer a nurturing and stimulating environment, together with health care and nutritional components, can promote health and prevent disease. It also shows that an integrated developmental approach to health offers a different way to fight costly adult chronic diseases.”

The Abecedarian program was unique in providing cognitive and socio-emotional stimulation, together with primary paediatric care and nutrition to disadvantaged children, beginning shortly after birth. Children received two meals and an afternoon snack at the early learning centre and were also offered periodic medical check-ups. Children who received this treatment, as well as those in control groups who did not, have been followed for over 30 years to determine whether an intellectually stimulating early childhood environment could prevent developmental delays among disadvantaged children. This is the first time their health outcomes have been analysed.

The intervention improved the body mass index of the participants in their childhood. The boys in the treated group were less likely than those in the control group to be overweight throughout their preschool years.

Men who were children in the treatment group were found to have lower systolic and diastolic blood pressureand were less likely to develop stage I hypertension in their mid-30s. They also had lower prevalence of multiple risk factors. None of the treated group males manifested metabolic syndrome – co-occurring hypertension, central obesity and dyslipidaemia, which dramatically increases risk of heart disease, strokeand diabetes. In contrast, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among control group males was 25 percent. Women in the treatment group were less likely to be affected by abdominal obesity and less likely to develop pre-hypertension. Both men and women were at significantly lower risk than their non-participating peers forcoronary heart disease.

“Creating fully functioning and flourishing adults depends crucially on a variety of early life experiences: health, nutrition, good parenting and early stimulation and learning. Together, they boost the capability for knowledge and self-regulation, giving children the capacity to shape their lives in many positive ways – educational achievement, higher earnings, better health and stronger families,” said study author Professor James Heckman, Nobel laureate economist from the University of Chicago. “We need to invest early if we want to raise a generation of healthy, socially and emotionally talented people equipped to lead successful lives. It’s the most effective and cost-efficient investment we can make.”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/274694.php

Picture courtesy of www.victorianweb.org

Calcium and vitamin D improve cholesterol in postmenopausal women

Calcium and vitamin D supplements after menopause can improve women’s cholesterol profiles. And much of that effect is tied to raising vitamin D levels, finds a new study from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) just published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Whether calcium or vitamin D can indeed improve cholesterol levels has been debated. And studies of women taking the combination could not separate the effects of calcium from those of vitamin D on cholesterol. But this study, led by NAMS Board of Trustees member Peter F. Schnatz, DO, NCMP, is helping to settle those questions because it looked both at how a calcium and vitamin D supplement changed cholesterol levels and how it affected blood levels of vitamin D in postmenopausal women.

Daily, the women in the WHI CaD trial took either a supplement containing 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo. This analysis looked at the relationship between taking supplements and levels of vitamin D and cholesterol in some 600 of the women who had both their cholesterol levels and their vitamin D levels measured.

The women who took the supplement were more than twice as likely to have vitamin D levels of at least 30 ng/mL (normal according to the Institute of Medicine) as were the women who took the placebo. Supplement users also had low-density lipoprotein (LDL – the “bad” cholesterol) levels that were between 4 and 5 points lower. The investigators discovered, in addition, that among supplement users, those with higher blood levels of vitamin D had higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL – the “good” cholesterol) and lower levels of triglycerides (although for triglycerides to be lower, blood levels of vitamin D had to reach a threshold of about 15 ng/mL).

Taking the calcium and vitamin D supplements was especially helpful in raising vitamin D levels in women who were older, women who had a low intake, and women who had levels first measured in the winter – what you might expect. But lifestyle also made a difference. The supplements also did more to raise vitamin D levels in women who did not smoke and who drank less alcohol.

Whether these positive effects of supplemental calcium and vitamin D on cholesterol will translate into benefits such as lower rates of cardiovascular disease for women after menopause remains to be seen, but these results, said the authors, are a good reminder that women at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency should consider taking calcium and vitamin D.

“The results of this study should inspire even more women to be conscientious about their calcium and vitamin D intake – a simple and safe way to improve health. One action can lead to multiple benefits!” says NAMS Executive Director Margery Gass, MD.

The study, “Calcium/vitamin D supplementation, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and cholesterol profiles in the Women’s Health Initiative calcium/vitamin D randomized trial,” will be published in the August 2014 print edition of Menopause.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/273628.php

Picture courtesy of www.worldhealth.net

Keep yourself, your pets and your home healthier with apple cider vinegar

(NaturalNews) Apple cider vinegar is an age-old remedy that has a surprising number of uses, and while ewhole books have been written on this amazing remedy, many of us are still unaware of just how usful apple cider vinegar (ACV) can be. The following are just a few of the ways that we can use ACV to add to our health and our lives:

1. Tummy troubles, indigestion and bloating

Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink before meals to improve digestion. This will also help prevent indigestion and bloating, and a little ACV taken in water at the first sign of heartburn will usually stop it in its tracks.

Because ACV is antibacterial, it can also help prevent the bacterial infections that may cause food poisoning.

2. Healthy hair

Rinse hair after washing with a mixture made of two tablespoons of ACV and 500 ml of water. It will balance the pH of the hair, leaving it thicker, smoother and healthier. The vinegar smell will dissipate once the hair dries.

3. Alkaline body

ACV is commonly used as a health tonic mixed in water with honey, as it promotes alkalinity. This means that it can be of benefit for many of the diseases caused by an overly acidic body such as arthritis, gout and even cancer.

4. Cure hiccups

A teaspoon of undiluted ACV is said to sometimes stop hiccups immediately!

5. Post-exercise drink

ACV mixed with water has been used as an antidote for lactic acid and fatigue after working out, as it provides potassium and other nutrients as well as valuable enzymes that assist with recovery.

6. Night cramps

One or two tablespoons of ACV mixed with water and honey to taste can be sipped prior to sleep to prevent night cramps.

7. Diabetes

ACV may be of benefit to diabetics, as it has been shown to reduce blood glucose.

8. Candida

Regular consumption of ACV can assist with improving gut flora and reversing the overgrowth of Candida and other unwanted bacteria or yeasts.

9. Weight management

ACV has a history of being used as an aid for weight loss and weight management. It has been shown to not only have beneficial effects on blood glucose and insulin levels but also appetite control.

10. Pet health

ACV can also be used to keep your dog healthy. Add a little to drinking water or food as a general health tonic, to help digestion, reduce allergies and prevent parasites. Spray a water/ACV mixture on skin conditions, ear infections and thinning fur and use as a rinse after bathing.

11. Nontoxic cleaning

Make a nontoxic cleaning spray using a 50/50 mixture of water and ACV in a spray bottle. Use this to clean hard surfaces. It absorbs odors and has antibacterial properties.

12. Spider and insect bites and stings

Make a simple poultice using Slippery Elm Bark powder, a couple of drops of lavender oil and ACV to mix into a paste. Spread thickly on bites, stings or splinters and cover with a dressing. Repeat as often as necessary until heat, pain and swelling has gone.

Of course, don’t forget to use apple cider vinegar in salad dressings and always ensure that you buy raw, unpasteurised ACV with the mother, which can be identified by cloudiness or floaties in the vinegar.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043920_apple_cider_vinegar_home_remedies_health.html#ixzz2teQtVamp

A new treatment for eating disorders that do not respond to standard therapies

A new therapy, based on neuropsychological functioning, has been tested in patients with severe or enduring eating disorders and is presented in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (P&P).

Patients suffering from eating disorders show deficits in neuropsychological functioning which might pre-exist and underlie the etiology of the eating disorders and influence relapse. Deficits in cognitive flexibility, i.e. set-shifting and central coherence, might perpetuate the symptoms. Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) was developed to improve cognitive flexibility, thereby increasing the likelihood of improved outcome. The focus of CRT is on how patients think, rather than on what patients think. The present study investigated the effectiveness of CRT for patients with a severe or enduring eating disorder by means of a randomized controlled trial comparing intensive treatment as usual (TAU) to CRT plus TAU. Eighty-two patients were randomly assigned to CRT plus TAU or TAU alone. Outcome measures were set-shifting, central coherence, eating disorder and general psychopathology, motivation, quality of life and self-esteem.

Assessments were performed at baseline (n = 82) and after 6 weeks ( n = 75) and 6 months (n = 67). Patients who received CRT in addition to TAU improved significantly more with regard to eating disorder-related quality of life at the end of treatment (T1) and eating disorder psychopathology at follow-up (T2), compared to those who received TAU only. Moreover, moderator analyses revealed that patients with poor baseline set-shifting abilities benefited more from CRT than patients with no deficits in set-shifting abilities at baseline; the quality of life of the former group was higher than that of the latter at follow-up. CRT seems to be promising in enhancing the effectiveness of concurrent treatment.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/272025.php

Picture courtesy of www.karger.com

 

What is Homotoxicology?

Homotoxicology is an approach to healing that integrates the treatment principles of homeopathy with the diagnostic approach of allopathic medicine. Developed over fifty years ago in Germany, homotoxicology is becoming more widely practiced in the United States. Practitioners trained in
homotoxicology offer homeopathic remedies for a variety of health concerns. The Institute for Traditional Acupuncture and Herbology has expertise in homotoxicology and welcomes contact from patients and providers about this effective system of medicine.

The goal of treatment in homotoxicology is to detoxify the body and restore the body’s natural biorhythms. For those with health challenges, homotoxicology maintains that health cannot be achieved without ridding the body of toxins. Homotoxicology involves using homeopathic remedies to facilitate the removal of toxins and stimulate the body’s capacity to heal itself. The practice of homotoxicology incorporates the philosophy that each human being possesses an innate self-healing mechanism that can prevent and treat illness.

Homotoxicology combines modern conventional medicine, or allopathic medicine, with a holistic approach. Patients are evaluated for presenting medical symptoms, diagnoses, history, lifestyle factors, and other issues related to body, mind, and spirit. After a comprehensive analysis, homeopathic remedies are recommended to treat acute symptoms, build internal functional strength, and ultimately cleanse the underlying toxicity causing the patient’s ailments.

2. What are homeopathic remedies? What is homeopathy?
Homotoxicology uses homeopathic remedies to detoxify the body. Homeopathic remedies, which are FDA approved, come in tablets, liquid vials, oral drops, and injection solutions. Remedies are taken orally, topically, through inhalation, and injection. They work synergistically to stimulate the body’s inherent capacity to heal itself. Most homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances that come from plants, minerals, or animals.

The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. Homeopathy is an alternative medical system that was founded in Germany during the 18th century. The system of homeopathy uses small doses of highly diluted remedies that stimulate the body’s defenses in order to restore health. A homeopathic remedy is prepared by Institute for Traditional Acupuncture and Herbology, Inc.

Click to access Homotoxicology.pdf

Chinese herbal compound relieves inflammatory and neuropathic pain – UCI study also shows novel analgesic to be nonaddictive

A compound derived from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been found effective at alleviating pain, pointing the way to a new nonaddictive analgesic for acute inflammatory and nerve pain, according to UC Irvine pharmacology researchers.

Working with Chinese scientists, Olivier Civelli and his UC Irvine colleagues isolated a compound called dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) from the roots of the Corydalis yanhusuo plant. In tests on rodents, DHCB proved to diminish both inflammatory pain, which is associated with tissue damage and the infiltration of immune cells, and injury-induced neuropathic pain, which is caused by damage to the nervous system. This is important because there are no current adequate treatments for neuropathic pain.

Moreover, the researchers found that DHCB did not generate the tolerance seen with continued use of most conventional pain relievers, such as morphine.

“Today the pharmaceutical industry struggles to find new drugs. Yet for centuries people have used herbal remedies to address myriad health conditions, including pain. Our objective was to identify compounds in these herbal remedies that may help us discover new ways to treat health problems,” said Civelli, the Eric L. & Lila D. Nelson Chair in Neuropharmacology. “We’re excited that this one shows promise as an effective pharmaceutical. It also shows a different way to understand the pain mechanism.”

Study results appear in the Jan. 20 issue of Current Biology.

They are the product of a collaboration between two teams separated by the Pacific Ocean. As traditional Chinese medicine gains greater acceptance in Western medical practice, Xinmiao Liang at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China and his group have been working to create an “herbalome” of all the compounds in plant extracts that display pharmacological properties. The UC Irvine team suggested applying “reverse pharmacology” – a novel drug discovery approach that Civelli devised about 25 years ago – to the herbalome project.

Together they screened 10 traditional Chinese medicines known as analgesics, testing nearly 500 compounds for their pain-relief abilities. Only DHCB in corydalis induced a reproducible effect.

Corydalis is a flowering herbal plant that grows in Siberia, Northern China and Japan. People utilize its root extract to alleviate menstrual cramps, chest pain and abdominal pain. It’s been previously studied for its analgesic properties, but this is the first time DHCB has been identified, extracted and tested.

Chronic neuropathic pain affects more than 50 million Americans, yet management of this pain remains a major clinical challenge due to the poor results and severe side effects of conventional analgesics. Civelli said that drawing upon traditional Chinese medical-herbal products could lead to a breakthrough treatment for these patients.

DHCB needs to be evaluated for any toxicity before it can be developed as a drug. It’s also possible that if the compound is chemically modified, a more potent pharmaceutical may be found. While DHCB is not currently available, it is part of the Corydalis yanhusuo root or extracts that can be purchased in health stores or online.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/270792.php

Picture courtesy of http://www.cell.com

Definition of Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and optimal
health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that encourage individuals’ inherent self-healing
process.  The practice of naturopathic medicine includes modern and traditional, scientific, and empirical methods.

The following principles are the foundation of naturopathic medical practice:

• The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae): Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in people that is ordered and intelligent. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and augment this inherent self-healing process.
• Identify and Treat the Causes (ToIle Causam): The naturopathic physician seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.
• First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere):Naturopathic physicians follow three guidelines to avoid harming the patient:
  • Utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat;
  • Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms; and
  • Acknowledge, respect, and work with individuals’ self-healing process.
• Doctor as Teacher (Docere): Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.
• Treat the Whole Person: Naturopathic physicians treat each patient by taking into account individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. Since total health also includes spiritual health, naturopathic physicians encourage individuals to pursue their personal spiritual development.
• Prevention: Naturopathic physicians emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease, and by making appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness.

Naturopathic Practice
Naturopathic practice includes the following diagnostic and therapeutic modalities: clinical and laboratory diagnostic testing, nutritional medicine, botanical medicine, naturopathic physical medicine (including naturopathic manipulative therapy), public health measures, hygiene, counseling, minor surgery, homeopathy, acupuncture, prescription medication, intravenous and injection therapy, and naturopathic obstetrics (natural childbirth).

http://naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=59

National College of Natural Medicine Launches New SIBO Center

SIBO Symposium Kick-Off in January for New Clinical Approaches to IBS Disorders

PORTLAND, Ore. (Nov. 4, 2013) — National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) today announced the opening of NCNM Clinic’s SIBO Center, believed to be the first natural medicine clinic in the U.S. with a center dedicated to the treatment of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and associated gastrointestinal disorders. IBS, one of the most common and hard-to-treat health conditions, is thought to affect more than 60 million Americans. A small but growing number of physicians are recognizing the significant link between IBS and SIBO.

A study published in 2000 in the Journal of Gastroenterology reported that 80 percent of those suffering with IBS symptoms of bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation were found to actually have SIBO, a chronic bacterial infection of the small intestine. Because SIBO is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed, the symptoms can worsen without treatment. Patient demand for help with SIBO has been largely unmet as standard Western medical treatment options often do not resolve the condition.

A New Clinical Approach to IBS

Professor Steven Sandberg-Lewis, ND, and SIBO Medical Director Allison Siebecker, ND, co-developers of NCNM’s new SIBO Center, have been collaborating with their medical counterparts on hard-to-treat gastrointestinal issues for several years. Their efforts have met with much success.

Sandberg-Lewis observed, “Medical doctors who unsuccessfully treated patients with IBS began referring them to us. Nutrition is one of the cornerstones of naturopathic medicine, so we work closely with our patients who test positive for small intestine bacterial overgrowth using various diets to maximize their nutrition without feeding the overgrowth of bacteria. After treating IBS patients with a combination of pharmaceutical or herbal antibiotics along with diet, we found that we were having very successful treatment outcomes, and the referrals began to increase,” he explained

The big shift for Sandberg-Lewis and Siebecker came when QuinTron Instrument Company, Inc., based in Milwaukee, Wisc., donated two BreathTracker machines to NCNM Clinic to test patients for SIBO. The BreathTrackers accurately measure the amount of trace-gases, such as hydrogen and methane, which are produced by bacteria in the small intestine. This overgrowth can interfere with the absorption of iron, vitamins and essential fats.

Successful Case Studies

Sandberg-Lewis has patients who have suffered severely from SIBO for more than 20 years. They were referred to him after enduring a battery of tests, including upper GI endoscopies, colonoscopies and abdominal CT scans, which came back negative, showing no cause for their acute pain and distress. Sandberg-Lewis said within months of SIBO treatment, including the restriction or elimination of certain foods from their diets, patients’ gastrointestinal distress ceases and many report much welcomed weight loss. “As health is restored, many of our patients tell us they feel like their lives are being returned to them,” Sandberg-Lewis said. “I feel privileged to be able to help patients this way.”

The decision to open a dedicated SIBO Center within NCNM Clinic came with the success both naturopathic doctors have had treating gastrointestinal conditions in their patients and in preventing relapses of the condition. He explained, “We realized that by treating SIBO, we were on the leading-edge of a new clinical approach to IBS and other SIBO-related health disorders, such as chronic iron deficiency anemia, rosacea, fibromyalgia and gastroesophageal reflux.”

Sandberg-Lewis noted, “Patient demand for standard medical or holistic help with these diseases is woefully unmet. Few practitioners understand the basic principles of SIBO or effective treatment for IBS. Patients need access to testing, pharmaceutical and herbal management, nutritional advice and experienced guidance by qualified healthcare practitioners.”

SIBO Symposium

Sandberg-Lewis and Siebecker, now seen by colleagues in both Western medicine and naturopathic medicine as leaders in the emerging field of SIBO and IBS treatment, are eager for medical practitioners of all disciplines to join them and other leading SIBO medical experts as NCNM hosts the first annual SIBO Symposium to be held at NCNM on January 18-19, 2014.

In addition to Drs. Sandberg-Lewis and Siebecker, keynote speakers include Mark Pimentel, MD, FRCPC, director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Program and Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and widely considered to be the foremost researcher of SIBO in the U.S; and Leonard B. Weinstock, MD, FACG, president of Specialists in Gastroenterology and Advanced Endoscopy Center in St. Louis, associate professor of clinical medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, and the author of more than 40 research papers that focus on associated diseases of SIBO.

Designed for the gastroenterologist, the alternative medicine practitioner as well as the public, this symposium will present a multifaceted treatment approach. Discussions will include specific testing, pharmaceutical and herbal antibiotics, and a prescribed diet that reduces the bacteria, allows the intestinal lining to repair, and reduces digestive and systemic symptoms associated with chronic health disorders. This approach has not only shown a high success rate in treating SIBO, but also in preventing relapses.

https://ndnr.com/naturopathic-news/national-college-of-natural-medicine-launches-new-sibo-center/