Eliminating Endometriosis and Other Women's Health Issues with TCM

Acupuncture and Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease in which endometrial cells grow outside the uterine cavity, usually on the abdominal cavity. Normally, the cells remain isolated to the uterine cavity, where hormones influence their growth and behavior. Women who suffer from endometriosis, however, experience endometrial cellular growth outside the uterus, resulting back pain, abdominal pain, premenstrual spotting, urinary pain, vomiting and other related symptoms.

According to a study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), endometriosis affects 6-10% of the general female population. This same study indicates the rates of endometriosis are higher in women who experience pelvic pain and/or infertility, with the disease occurring in 35-50% of women (source).

There are three basic classifications of endometriosis:

1. Mild endometriosis: characterized by the formation of small patches of endometrial tissue growing outside the uterine cavity.
2. Moderate endometriosis: involves larger and more prominent growths of endometrial tissue.
3. Severe endometriosis: involves the formation of fibrous scar tissue binding together the pelvic organs.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, is often used to treat cased of mild, moderate and even severe endometriosis. According to TCM, endometrial lesions are categorized as static blood (blood that is stagnant is not moving throughout the body). This makes sense considering the disease involves abnormal cellular growth in areas where it shouldn't be. The presence of static blood encourages the formation of disease, and there's some belief that it increases the risk of certain types of cancer as well.

TCM states that blood must flow freely and unrestricted throughout the body to maintain good health. When a person experienced poor circulation, he or she is more susceptible to disease and illness. So, how can acupuncture help to restore the body's blood flow and treat endometriosis?

We offer a more direct approach to treating endometriosis, including the use of herbal medicine, cupping, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and food/lifestyle changes, all of which are designed to restore the body and mind back to its healthy state. 

Acupuncture involves the placement of thin needles in various parts of the body (known as acupuncture points). The underlying principle behind this centuries-old form of TCM is that it restores the body's flow of energy (Qi); thus, correcting imbalances while promoting a healthy circulatory system. Acupuncture corrects Qi blockages, restores the body's life force, and stimulates the self-healing mechanism, all of which prove useful in the treatment of endometriosis.

Here are some other tips for dealing with endometriosis:

• Relax... stress is known to irritate and worsen conditions such as endometriosis.
• Perform deep-breathing exercises and/or meditation.
• Strive for a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night.
• Place a heating pad on you abdomen to relieve endometriosis-related pain.
• Increase your intake of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
• Cut back on refined sugars and processed foods.

Give me a call today to learn how you can get back on track to better health!

Kathy E Thomas

Lake Premier Wellness Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

2430 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726

All Stressed Out...7 Stress Reducers for Optimal Health

Remember from our last blog how STRESS is a big cause of disease-causing INFLAMMATION?!...here are ways to combat it.

Stress isn't necessarily negative. In fact, it can be motivating and act as a natural alarm system. However, when the automatic "fight or flight" response doesn't switch off in everyday situations or stress becomes chronic, it has a detrimental effect on the mind, body, and spirit. Long-term stress can cause disease or worsen conditions you already have. Controlling stress will enhance your sense of well-being, improve your health, allow you to cultivate happiness and contentment, and help you live longer. If you're feeling stress or anxiety, don't reach for pharmaceutical interventions just yet. Consider these natural ways to remain calm, cool, and collected:

1. ACUPUNCTURE! After an acupuncture session, you'll notice that you feel more relaxed. The treatment repairs imbalances, allowing neurotransmitters, endorphins, hormones, and blood and nutrients flow freely. A Huffington Post article cited a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology that discovered stress hormones were lower in rats that had received acupuncture. Benefits have been reported almost immediately even in acute cases of stress, such as pre-operative anxiety.

2. Keep a Journal: When you feel stressed, identify the cause and write it down. You'll gain insight into your triggers and potentially learn ways to avoid them or alter your thinking when faced with a stressful situation.

3. Prioritize: You are allowed to say NO! When you have a jam-packed schedule, don't take on more than you can handle. Prioritize your tasks and responsibilities. If necessary, schedule downtime just as you would schedule a meeting.

4. Stop Tossing and Turning: Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep allows you to reset. While stress can often disrupt your sleep schedule and leave you lying in bed awake at night, there are ways to overcome insomnia. (Including Acupuncture, of course!) Turn off your television and computer, engage in a relaxing activity about an hour before turning in, go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, and only use your bedroom for sleep and romantic time with your significant other.

5. Ask for Help: A combination of acupuncture and talk therapy is effective in reducing anxiety and handling stress. If you're feeling overwhelmed, seek professional help. A support system (including friends and family) can go a long way. {Please contact me for referrals}

6. Exercise: Whether it's a vigorous run or a yoga class, any form of exercise will release endorphins, improve your mood, and take your mind off of your worries. Your body will thank you.

7. Meditate: Slow down your racing mind and tap into your inner peace with daily meditation. Even when it's for just a few minutes, find a quiet place and practice deep belly breathing. When thoughts inevitably surface, acknowledge them and then let them go. Try a variety of forms of meditation, such as a guided meditation, mindfulness meditation, mantra meditation, and transcendental meditation, until you find the one that works for you. Trouble sitting still? Moving meditation, like qi-gong, yoga, and tai chi are effective as well.

Call me today to find out how we can put together an anti-stress and anxiety plan for you or someone you care about.

Kathy E Thomas
Lake Premier Wellness Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
2430 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726
352-323-0795

Alzheimer's, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity, IBS, and MORE...What Does Inflammation Have To With It?

Inflammation is the life-saving component of your immune system that helps fend off bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbial invaders. Without inflammation we would be sitting ducks in a very hostile world, with no way to repair the damage constantly inflicted on us.

f you hit your thumb with a hammer, the resulting swelling and inflammation is obvious, painful, and short lived. Your immune system sends white blood cells and other hormone-like substances to help start the healing process. Inflammation here serves a healthy purpose.

"Inflammation is your body's response to stress -- whether from your diet, lifestyle or environment," says a 2006 article by Body Ecology. "Think of what happens when you catch a cold. You may experience inflammation in the form of a fever as your body heats up to eradicate the effects of the invading virus."

Inflammation goes chronic when there is a persistent stimulus. The stimulus might come from an army of free radicals launched every day when we eat foods made with processed (hydrogenated) vegetable oils – French fries, fried food, non-fat dried milk, powdered coffee creamer, most salad dressings, crackers, cookies, chips, and other processed and convenience foods. The stimulus might be an allergy to wheat (gluten) which inflames the gut. Or a low-grade, lingering infection. Or a growing load of heavy metals, pesticides, and chemicals. There is a lot of opportunity in today's contaminated, junk food-filled world for a combination of factors to constantly irritate the body's normal functions.

Chronic inflammation falls below the threshold of perceived pain. You don't think you feel sick, but a fire is quietly smoldering within you, upsetting the delicate balance among all of the major systems: endocrine, central nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular/respiratory. In a healthy body, these systems communicate with each another. With chronic inflammation, that communication becomes distorted.

Chronic inflammation feeds a smorgasbord of chronic diseases. If you don't have a chronic disease yourself, you know someone who does. An estimated 80 percent of visits to doctor's offices are for issues

CHRONIC DISEASE • Persistent or recurring disease, usually affecting a person for three months or longer • Generally triggered by diet and environmental contaminants • Standard medicine believes such diseases can be managed but rarely cured • Includes allergies, Alzheimer's, arthritis, asthma, cancer, COPD, Crohn's, chronic fatigue, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, emphysema, fibromyalgia, Gulf War Syndrome, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, Lyme, lupus, multiple sclerosis, obesity, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more

relating to chronic disease. The CDC tells us 7 of every 10 Americans die of a chronic disease.

Persistent, systemic inflammation is at the root of practically all known chronic health conditions, including everything from rheumatoid arthritis and high cholesterol to dementia and cancer. These conditions are not necessarily inevitable, and neither is chronic inflammation, but you have to know what lifestyle and dietary steps to take in order to avoid them, many of which are fairly simple and straightforward....

Transition away from inflammatory foods like sugar, refined carbs (pasta, chips, crackers, cookies...), and store-bought milk.

Drink plenty of clean, fluoride-free water - Pure, mineral-rich water is the most basic, yet one of the most powerful, anti-inflammatory nutrient that you can feed your body. Drinking naturally high-pH water from mineral sources will not only help to alkalize your body, which will prevent diseases from taking hold, but will also purify your blood and cleanse toxins from the body.

Eat plenty of fermented foods - Kombucha tea, kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented vegetables, and apple cider vinegar are all excellent examples of probiotic-rich superfoods that will help to populate your gut with beneficial bacteria, and ensure that your digestive tract remains healthy and well-functioning. Fermented foods and beverages also help prevent harmful pathogens from taking hold within the body. 

Cut out the carbs and omega-6 oils, and eat plenty of healthy, saturated fats - The average American doctor would probably cringe at this advice, but saturated fats like those found in butter and fat from grass-fed animals, as well as in coconut and palm oils, are actually beneficial for your health, while carbohydrates and oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids are heavy promoters of disease-causing inflammation. Your best bet is to skip the low-fat diet and start eating more healthy fats in combination with mineral and enzyme-rich whole foods.

Get plenty of natural sunlight exposure - The vitamin D hormone plays a critical role in regulating immune function, as well as preventing the onset of chronic illness. A powerful, natural anti-inflammatory, vitamin D is easily accessible through natural sunlight exposure or supplementation, and it is one of the most powerful interventions for deterring inflammation.


Want to make sure you are eating right for your body? Call me to schedule your No-Cost consultation now!

Kathy E Thomas
Lake Premier Wellness Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
2430 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726
352-323-0795