Category: Detox

New Year New You

Posted on by Whitney Board
New Year New You detox Spring Integrative Health

5 Nutrition tips for kicking off the new year right!

The number one question I get asked by my clients is “what is the BEST thing I can do to detox my body and start fresh for the new year?” After practicing nutrition and dietary counseling with hundreds of clients over the years, I always answer this the same way. Daily gentle detoxification is the best way to go. I’m all about gently upgrading your lifestyle to make these changes and dietary modifications a habit and part of your everyday.

As a holistic practitioner, I love tying in all things mind/body when it comes to detoxification. I have put together a list of my top 5 go-to lifestyle AND dietary upgrades that are simple to implement into your daily life, and are amazing for the body, for increasing energy and yes, for detox.

#1. CCF tea

If you are a client of mine, you have already heard me talk about this! Cumin, Coriander and Fennel tea is an ancient Ayurvedic recipe (over 3000 years old) and is a gentle and amazing liver detoxifier. This recipe tastes and smells a little bit like a ‘taco tea’ but I promise you will like it, and better yet, your body will crave it. This tea is known for igniting your digestive fires, supports a gentle yet effective flushing of toxins and can greatly reduce any digestive discomfort. This is a go-to for me every single morning.

Make it a part of your daily life: My best hack for making this a part of your daily life is to make this tea in your coffee cup, and make yourself DRINK this tea first, and reward yourself with a cup of coffee. I also love making this in a french press and keeping it near me though out the day so I see it and drink it all day!

#2. Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is an age old Ayurveda process, it works on the detoxifying the body and promoting its natural healing process. It is also amazing for cleaning and detoxify teeth and gums. Even better- it can actually whiten teeth naturally and freshen your breath.

Make it a part of your daily life: Upon waking (or stepping into the shower), take 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil (organic and unrefined is best) or organic sesame oil. For 5-20 minutes, swish through your teeth, as if it was mouthwash. Spit (in the garbage) and rinse mouth out with warm water. You can do this daily, or try adding this into your regular weekly morning routine.

#3. Declutter

You know that amazing feeling you get when you go through your closet drawers and pull out all of the old stuff creating space and better energy in your closet! The new year is a perfect time to do this. We of course LOVE all things Marie Kondo and her book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,’ but if you haven’t read it, challenge yourself to go int your closet TODAY and pull out 10 things. You will be surprised how good it feels and how it creates space for new! And, you will be surprised how you just ‘feel better’ body/mind when you do something like this on a regular basis.

Make it a part of your daily life: My rule of thumb is if I buy a new article of clothing, I ditch something I currently have. So if I get a new sweater, I donate a sweater. Simple!

#4. Get Green

Greens have a magic way of supporting the body in a safe and effective detoxification process. The darker the greens, the more detoxifying to the liver and kidneys. But sometimes salads don’t sound all that good in the winter. That is why I love suggesting to make a morning Gregg juice. If you have a juicer, that is just fine (but takes a lot longer.) Try this blended green juice recipe. Unlike juicing, blending is much more filling because of the fiber content. I love fiber as it aids in digestion and supports elimination. Fiber also helps to fill you up! Don’t be afraid to mix up your ingredients to this recipe. You can try adding a scoop of protein powder, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, and more to make them even more nutritious and more like a meal.

NourishMint’s Green Machine Juice Recipe (blended)

1 large green apple
1 cup kale or spinach
1/2 English cucumber
Juice of one lemon or lime, or 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1” piece of ginger
1-2 stocks of celery

Water (cover all ingredients with filtered water)

2-3 Ice cubes

Make it a part of your daily life: Making a green juice every day doesn’t have to be a 30 minute endeavor. If you have your system in place it can be simple! Simple chop all ingredients and place in a bag or Tupperware the night before. In the morning pop into the blender, cover with water and enjoy!

#5. Tongue Scraping

This is a ritual that once you do it, you won’t want to stop! It clears toxins and bacteria from the tongue, eliminates bad breath, promotes oral and digestive health.

Make it a part of your daily life: Purchase a stainless steel tongue scraper. After brushing your teeth, gently scrape tongue 6-7 times until any plaque is removed. Rinse mouth with water or hydrogen peroxide.

 

Healthy During the Holidays

Posted on by Whitney Board
Healthy during the holidays

By Dr. Jennifer Krieger

HEALTHY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Hi folks, it’s Dr. Krieger here!  I wanted to give you a few of my personal favorite tips and tricks to help you stay healthy during the holidays.

GET OUTSIDE

Don’t let the crisp, winter weather keep you inside.  As Montanans, we have an appreciation of the great outdoors and the Big Sky.  We all know the benefits of exercise – weight management, elevated mood and cardiovascular health – to name just a few.  Stay active by participating in winter sports such as: cross country skiing, ice skating, hockey, downhill skiing, snowboarding, broomball, snowshoeing and winter hikes and exploring.

Take Quick Trip Somewhere Local

You can also take a day trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns, a short ride west of Bozeman to Whitehall, and try your hand at spelunking and exploring these natural and awesome limestone caverns.  These family friendly caves are open seasonally, but offer special candlelight tours during the holidays. Call 406.287.3541 for more information and to reserve tickets. I did the candlelight cave tour a few years back and it was so magical – they have the caverns especially decorated for the holiday season!

KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN

Hand washing is probably the most simple thing a person can do during the winter months to stay healthy and to protect yourself from catching colds and flus.  Using soap and water is still the best practice, but alcohol-based hand sanitizers can also be used. However, you should avoid hand sanitizers that contain Triclosan. Triclosan is a common added antimicrobial agent in many hand sanitizers. This chemical has been shown in studies to lead to antibiotic resistance as well as to interfere with hormone metabolism and cause harm to the immune system.

Make sure that you properly wash your entire hands – palms, back of hands, nail beds and between and around all fingers for at least 30 seconds. Do this before preparing food and eating and after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose. Another easy idea to help keep your hands clean is to sneeze into the crook of your elbow and avoid the use of your hands altogether.

MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

During the holidays, we are reminded to offer charity to those in need.  It is also equally important to make time for yourself in order to help with stress management during these busy times.  Do something for yourself that makes you happy. Such as getting a massage or a pedicure, enjoying a long bath with bath salts and candles, watching your favorite movie, a weekend getaway to the local hot springs, reading a new book or cooking a special meal for yourself.  You can also take a few moments each morning to remind yourself what you are grateful for in your life. Studies have shown that this promotes overall happiness and wellbeing.

SAUNA/COLD PLUNGE

Another way to stay healthy during the holidays is to alternate between warm and cool temperatures. Indicated for colds, flus, muscle and joint pain, sleep disturbances and weight loss. This technique assists in detoxification and supports overall wellness and immune function.  This service can be compared to a “whole body” contrast hydrotherapy treatment.  It is one of my personal favorites and I feel AMAZING afterwards.

  • Alternate time in a sauna (15 minutes) with taking a dip into a cold plunge pool (about 60℉) for 2-3 minutes as tolerated.

  • Repeat the sauna/cold plunge at least 3 times.

  • Remember to end on cold for best health benefits.

  • You won’t regret taking the time out of your schedule for this. People often report instant improvement in overall health after a single treatment!

Holiday Health Dr. Jennifer Krieger Spring Integrative Health

Why Consider Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Posted on by Whitney Board
Chinese herbal medicine

Chinese Herbal Medicine might be able to help you if you have multiple symptoms or symptoms that are vague or hard to pinpoint. It may be able to help you if you have exhausted conventional medicine options or need to counteract side effects of medications. It can also be used a preventative medicine or for conditions that defy a Western medical diagnosis because it uses a different way at looking at health and disease. 

Here are some conditions that are commonly well treated with Chinese Herbal Medicine: 

  • Decrease cold/flu symptoms 
  • Increase your energy 
  • Improve your breathing 
  • Improve digestion
  • Improve your sleep
  • Decrease pain
  • Improve menopausal symptoms
  • Help regulate menstrual cycles (if infertility is an issue)
  • Clear up stubborn dermatological problems

Chinese herbal medicine is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been used for centuries in China, where herbal medicine is considered a primary therapy for many health issues. Like acupuncture, Chinese herbs can address unhealthy body patterns that are the root cause of a variety of symptoms and complaints. The goal is to help you regain balance in your body and to strengthen your body’s resistance to disease. Doing this will help resolve your symptoms.

How is Chinese Herbal Medicine Different?

Most forms of Western herbology and conventional medicine work in a this for that manner. If you have x condition (say a headache for example), take this medicine (aspirin, ibuprofen, or some other pain medication). While this approach can work well to get rid of the headache in the moment, it has not done anything to correct the imbalances in the body that have caused the headache.

This is the main difference between Chinese herbal and conventional medicine. It is rare that a person presents with just one symptom or complaint. More common is a variety of symptoms. If we continue with the headache example, a headache might happen along with digestive upsets, or neck pain, or around the menstrual cycle, or after an accident where the person hit their head. It might happen at a certain time of day, season, or day of the week. It likely happens on the same area of the head every time. (One of my favorite answers to where is your headache? On my head.) 

There is a reason for all of these questions when using Chinese herbal medicine. The constellation of symptoms, history, and other diagnostic tools we use (like feeling the pulse and looking at the tongue), allow us to determine the underlying pattern of disharmony in the way your body is functioning. 

This is a major difference from conventional diagnosis. Instead of honing in on one particular symptom as a standalone problem, we are looking at the body, mind, and spirit as a whole functional person where the various systems must interact and communicate properly for good health. If there is a breakdown in the interaction, symptoms or disease results.

And this is the beauty of Chinese herbal medicine. The nuanced diagnosis allows us to prescribe an herbal formula that has been researched, used, and modified for thousands of years. The formula can be modified as needed to address your individual condition.

What is a Formula is and how it can help you?

Because most of the time patients have several symptoms with their pattern of disharmony, one single herb or ingredient simply cannot do the job. 

To continue with the example of a headache sufferer, this person might be a woman who suffers from PMS symptoms, constipation around her period, neck pain, and a lot of stress. Her symptoms point to a specific pattern and the Chinese herbalist will need to use a combination of herbs to address it. Combining herbs in time tested combinations and formulas enhances their therapeutic effects and also increases the safety of use.

Thousands of years of trial and error, careful observation, and more recently pharmacological research have resulted in a reliable system of combining herbs and confirmed the efficacy and safety of using Chinese herbal formulas.

There are several ways to take Chinese herbs:

The traditional and most potent way to take Chinese herbal formulas is in a decoction, or tea. A decoction is made by cooking the raw herbs in water to pull out the active ingredients, then straining out the herbs and drinking the remaining liquid. This method is the fastest acting. It is also more expensive and some formulas don’t taste great. 

Chinese herbs can also be taken as granules or granules in capsules. These are made by concentrating and freeze drying the decoctions. They are easier and more convenient to take and are less expensive. I tend to prefer using these if possible.

These herbs can also be found in tablet form or as “teapills” (which look a little bit like pellets or BB’s). I do not prefer these forms of herbs because they are not as potent and there can be quality control issues with teapills.

Where can I get Chinese herbs?

While there are a few well known formulas that can be purchased over the counter (mostly cold formulas), the only way to experience the true benefits of Chinese herbal therapy is to consult with a skilled, licensed practitioner.  

If you are suffering from a health issue and wonder if Chinese herbal medicine can help you, please contact at Spring Integrative Health for a free 15 minute consult. 

 

Top Three Tips to Maintain Healthy Breast Tissue

Posted on by Whitney Board

By Dr. Jennifer Krieger

Hey there, it’s Dr. Krieger here!  I am the integrative cancer provider at Spring. Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month?  I thought it would be appropriate to discuss a few quick tips to help keep your breast tissue in tip-top shape. Here are my Top Three Tips to Maintain Healthy Breast Tissue:

Healthy Breast Tissue Tip #1: Get regular exercise

Click Image for more on Cancer and Exercise info!
Exercise to prevent cancer

Healthy Breast Tissue Tip #2: Eat cruciferous vegetables

    • Cruciferous vegetables are part of the Brassica plant family.  They include the following vegetables, to name a few: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, radishes, turnips, watercress, Brussel sprouts, bok choy, arugula, collard greens and rutabaga.
    • Cruciferous vegetables contain phytochemicals (Indole-3-Carbinol, glucosinolates, sulforaphanes) that have been shown in research studies to slow cancer growth and development.  These foods may lower your risk of breast cancer by 40 percent.  So eat up, folks!
    • https://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/broccoli-cruciferous.html

Top Three Tips for Healthy Breast Tissue

Healthy Breast Tissue Tip #3: Stop using antiperspirant deodorant

    • I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re supposed to sweat.  Especially underneath our arms. Sweating through the axillary region (armpits) is a great way to help detox the breast tissue as well as keep us cool and regulate our body temperature.  Antiperspirant deodorant contains aluminum and stops and suppresses this action. Therefore when this happens we can’t move toxins out through our skin. If you’re using an antiperspirant deodorant, try only to use this with intense exercise (if needed). Or switch to a completely natural deodorant instead.  We have a couple of great options at the clinic if you’re interested, just ask!
    • If you want to take it a step further, check out this armpit detox protocol: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319624.php

Click the image below for information on Natural Deodorants!
Healthy Breast Tissue

Treating Headaches with Acupuncture

Posted on by Whitney Board
headaches and the brain treating migraines with acupuncture

Headaches are common. Most people experience some kind of headache from time to time. Tension, dehydration, fatigue, or the onset of an illness can trigger a headache. 

For some people, headaches are a frequent and unwelcome visitor. These headaches can be excruciating and seriously interfere with quality of life. 

Headaches in Western Medicine:

Western medicine recognizes five types of headache: tension, cluster, rebound, sinus, and migraine. Over the past twenty years or so, newer and better pharmaceuticals have been made available to lessen the impact of severe, chronic, and recurring headache. 

Unfortunately, most of these drugs have moderate to severe side effects.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Approach

Chinese medicine is concerned more about where on the head the pain is and what other symptoms are occurring. This indicates to the practitioner what meridians or channels are involved and what pattern might be the underlying (root) cause. Based on that information, he/she will prescribe either acupuncture or an herbal formula, or both.

A newer area of medicine that I am particularly drawn to and have some training in, is functional medicine. Like Chinese medicine, functional medicine takes a whole person approach and looks for patterns to figure out how to help a person. Like Chinese medicine, the majority of treatment involves nutrition, herbs and acupuncture,  lifestyle, and supplements rather than pharmaceutical drugs.

Integrative Approaches Often Work Best

Many times for extremely stubborn or severe chronic headache, an integrated approach works the best. Here at Spring Integrative Health we offer acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, nutritional consulting, naturopathic medicine, therapeutic massage, and Accunect bodywork to address almost all aspects and causes of headaches.

Types of Headaches:

Tension

Tension headaches are usually felt in the forehead, at the temples , or back of the head, and will usually go away with over the counter aspirin or ibuprofen. However, If you want to try a more natural approach, try putting steady pressure in the webbing between your first and second finger. Or, you could try rubbing a little ginger or peppermint oil into the area of the head that aches. Life style changes such as stress reduction, yoga, exercise, and meditation should also help.

Cluster

Cluster headaches tend to come on suddenly and cause severe pain on one side of the head. The eye and nose may water on that side as well. Looking for a Chinese pattern would inform the acupuncture and herbal treatment. I would look for patterns in onset, diet, location,  and co-occurring events. Lab tests might identify markers that would help determine if a nutritional deficit or other imbalance was involved.

Sinus

Sinus headaches often accompany sinus infections and other conditions that feature blocked sinuses. These headaches usually occur in the forehead area, but the pain and pressure can radiate outward from there. Sometimes a change in weather will trigger them. One of the key features of this type of headache is the pressure that goes with the pain. 

Integrated Approach to healing a Sinus Headache:

Acupuncture is very useful in relieving the pressure in the sinuses, while an antibiotic or possibly a naturopathic remedy might be used to treat the actual bacterial infection. In addition a Chinese herbal formula could be used to strengthen the immune system and clear any lingering pathogens, as well as address the underlying disharmony that is weakening the immune system.

Rebound

A rebound headache is caused by medication. Or overuse/dependence on certain kinds of medication. Ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and prescription headache drugs can all cause a rebound headache. If you notice that your headaches are increasing even on the medication, chances are you are getting rebound headaches. The fix for this is using none or less of the offending drug. Acupuncture can be used to manage the headaches while the body readjusts itself.

Migraines

Migraines are often the most debilitating of headache types. Severe pain lasting 4-72 hours, throbbing, nausea and/or vomiting, and sound or light sensitivity are all part of the migraine experience. Sometimes there is a clear trigger for migraine such as wine, or chocolate (sorry to say), certain types of cheese. Avoiding these substances can really help. 

Some women suffer from menstrual migraines caused by hormonal imbalance and the hormonal swings that take place just prior to the onset of their cycle.

Migraine Triggers

Often a trigger is difficult to identify. Because Chinese medicine looks at patterns of disharmony, we examine such factors as: the location of the headache on the head, known triggers, sleep patterns, hormone balance, gut health, food sensitivities, and nutritional status. By looking at these factors I can search for clues to why the headaches are occurring. 

Treatment often involves both an herbal formula and acupuncture as well as some lifestyle and dietary modifications with prescription pharmaceuticals waiting in the wings if needed. Most of the time this approach to treatment results in fewer and milder headaches that continue to diminish in both frequency and severity with treatment.

Never Experienced Headaches Before?

It is a good idea to see your doctor to rule out more serious medical conditions before starting treatment for headaches. If you are experiencing “the worst headache of my life,” particularly if you don’t typically get severe headaches, head to the emergency room to rule out life threatening conditions.

Let’s get Healing!

Headaches are a problem that are near and dear to my heart. After all, if I hadn’t suffered debilitating headaches all those years ago, would I have ever tried and used acupuncture? So, those awful headaches turned out to be a good thing!

 

Detoxification – Just What the Body Needs

Posted on by Whitney Board

By Jennifer Krieger, ND

Detoxification is a complex biochemical process that is designed to remove wastes and toxins and cleanse the body’s cells.  People often ask: Can you actually detox your body? The main ways our bodies detox is through the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Everything that is put into our mouths (medications, food, drink, supplements, alcohol, junk food) will pass through the liver for elimination before being dispersed throughout the rest of the body.  We are also exposed to environmental toxins on a daily basis – pesticides, herbicides, solvents, heavy metals, plastics, chemicals – through our water, air, soil and food supplies. In addition to these external environmental factors, our bodies will create free radicals through the internal metabolism of breakdown of hormones and various biochemical reactions as a means of life.

Wouldn’t you want to help out your body and give your liver a little extra love if you could?  Did you know that you can? You can support your body’s natural detoxification process through various supplements that are aimed at liver support and gastrointestinal elimination, and give these processes an extra boost by also eating an anti-inflammatory and organic diet.  I recommend patients perform a detoxification cleanse twice yearly to give their bodies the best outcome at overall health. Detoxification is also something I discuss with my patients who have gone through conventional cancer treatments as well.

A detox might be indicated for you if you suffer from any of these symptoms:

  • Early aging
  • Headaches
  • Multiple chemical sensitivity
  • Allergies
  • Fatigue
  • Acne
  • Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
  • Foul smelling breath or stools
  • Pain – joint & muscle
  • Nasal congestion, chronic sinusitis
  • Rashes
  • Mood swings
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Hormone issues, imbalances

 

If you are interested in a medically guided detoxification program, please contact the clinic by Clicking here for a complimentary fifteen minute visit to learn more and to see if detoxification is appropriate for you! or Call Us at 406-586-2626!

 

What’s the Deal with Sleep?

Posted on by Whitney Board

Sleep is vital to radiant health and well-being. Even though we don’t yet understand everything that sleep does for us, we know it plays a major role in maintaining our, mental, emotional, and physical health.

Memory and Brain Health

  • While you sleep, your brain is busy. The glymphatic system is a newly discovered waste clearance system in our brain and central nervous system. It is similar to the lymphatic that does the same thing in the rest of our bodies.
  • The glymphatic system works mainly while we sleep to remove toxic substances and waste products as well as deliver nutrients to our brains.
  • This may be why sleep plays such an important role in memory. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that adequate sleep dramatically improves the ability to learn a new task and consolidate memories. It spurs creativity.
  • It also contributes to emotional stability and good decision making skills.
  • Lack of sleep negatively affects mood, motivation and judgment and is implicated in depression, anxiety, irritability, and other mood disorders.

Physical Health

There are so many physical benefits to sleep (see the following):

  • Your immune system depends on enough sleep to function at it’s best.
  • Sleep is when your body heals and repairs itself, helping to curb inflammation.
  • Long-term sleep deprivation is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.
  • Because sleep is important for regulation proper blood sugar, chronic sleep deprivation is implicated in diabetes.
  • Sleep is needed for proper hormone balance.
  • Sleep is also a major factor in weight gain. When the body is not getting adequate sleep, the hunger and satiety hormones get out of kilter. You guessed it: the hunger hormone, ghrelin, levels go up while the satiety (signaling you are full) hormone, leptin, goes down. The result: your appetite signals are skewed and you are more hungry and probably are going to eat more than you need to.

Quality of Life

Everyone knows that you just plain feel and look better when you are sleeping well. Turns out, you are more productive, less accident prone, and live longer as well. It can be hard to get enough sleep!

Sleep deprivation is a major problem in our country. But before you go reaching for a sleep aid (some of which are suspected of interfering with the glymphatic system along with a host of other side effects), please give some serious effort to proven lifestyle changes that aid the sleep process.

First of all, you need to make time for sleep. That means 7-9 hours every night. It works best if you can go to bed and get up roughly the same time every day. Our bodies like their sleep, like their meals, on a regular schedule. A lot of health gurus recommend a 10pm bedtime and a 6 am wakeup, but this is a guideline and you may need to adjust it by an hour or two for your lifestyle.

Insomnia

Many people get into bed but can’t get to sleep. Others may fall asleep right away, but then wake up and then can’t get back to sleep. And the worst part of this is that it tends to be the same night after night. The sleep pattern is off.

You have probably heard most of the usual recommendations about eating earlier, avoiding upsetting topics at night, making time to wind down, making sure your bedroom is completely dark and not too hot. These are all great.

Stress reduction techniques such as meditation, time in nature, warm baths can also make a big difference.

Some recent research has shown that light plays a major role in how our brains and sleep hormones function.

One of the best ways to help reset the pattern is to get outside, morning light as soon as possible after you wake up. Stay outside as long as you can, but at least for a few minutes. This begins to shift the sleep/wake hormones into a more normal pattern.

The blue light that is emitted from electronic devices (phones, computers, televisions) can also disrupt our sleep/wake cycles and cause insomnia. The current recommendation is to avoid all screen time for two hours before bed. If this is not doable for you, be sure to put your phone on the “night shift” setting and download software that greatly diminishes the blue light coming from your computer. Flux https://justgetflux.com/is the one I use on my Mac or you can get SunSet Screen http://www.skytopia.com/software/sunsetscreen/) for your PC. Both of these apps are free and easy to install.

If these measures don’t help or help only a little, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help, and without weird side effects. As always in Chinese medicine, one size does NOT fit all. There are many time test3ed formulas that really help sleep, but they must be fitted to the pattern of disharmony. There are formulas for difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty staying asleep, difficulty getting back to sleep, nightmares, disturbing the sleep, hot flashes and night sweats waking you, etc.

Re-establishing a healthy and restorative sleep pattern is one of the best things you can do for your health. Click here to see how I can help!

 

If you would like to request an appointment for acupuncture please click on the Contact Tab on our home page or click here to be taken there directly.

 

What is Cupping? And why is it good for you?

Posted on by Whitney Board

Those bubbly things are cups and I admit they do look a little weird. These days you’re likely to see the tell tale, but temporary, large rounds marks made by cups on celebrities like Jennifer Anniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, or David Arquette, but the reality is that it is one of the oldest methods of medical treatment known in the world.

Cupping was practiced by the Chinese, as well as ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures.  

I was surprised to see a set of bamboo cups on display in the doctor’s office at the Old Salem Living History Museum in Winston Salem, NC. Apparently the pre-Revolutionary Moravian doctors knew a thing or two about this interesting and effective treatment modality.

Why would anyone want to do that?

Good question. For one, it’s relaxing. Sort of like a deep tissue massage without the pressure. A flame or a pump is used to create a vacuum that suctions the cups onto the skin. Depending on the condition being treated, the cups are either stationary or slid on the skin to massage a larger area. The suction mobilizes the flow of blood, lymph, and that elusive thing known as qi to promote the healing of a wide range of problems: Tight shoulders and neck, low back pain, headaches, some types of tendonitis, gastro-intestinal, and respiratory problems.

A Case Study:

One of the most effective uses for cupping is respiratory conditions. Lingering cough, asthma, bronchitis, even the common cold respond well to cupping therapy. When my daughter was in college, she came down with a bad case of the respiratory bug that was running rampant through the dorms before finals. Not wanting to bring needles and a Sharps box into the dorm, I arrived with my set of cups.

A pale and sweaty face greeted me as she opened the door and a deep cough racked her body.  She didn’t need to say “I feel awful,” but she did anyway. After a review of her symptoms to rule out a more serious bacterial infection, she laid face down on her bed. I affixed the cups to her upper back amidst questions like will this leave a mark? (Yes, but it won’t hurt and will only last a few days), will this work? (Probably will help, won’t hurt).

The cups drew so much heat out of her body, they fogged up. My daughter fell in to a deep sleep for the first time in days. Twenty minutes later, when she awoke and I removed the cups from her back, she took a deep breath without coughing. After a brief look of surprise, she smiled. “Huh.”

“Feel a little better?”

“Yeah. That was weird, but I do feel better.”

She made a rapid recovery after that and had no problem showing up for her final exams.

Obviously, not all cupping sessions produce such dramatic results, but time and again, it has proved to be an effective therapy for both acute and long-time problems.

Please contact me if you have more questions about cupping or are interested in discussing your individual condition-406-586-2626 or contact me here on Spring’s website through the Contact tab!

 

Dr. Holly Thompson

 

The Master Detoxifier: Glutathione

Posted on by Whitney Board

Glutathione is available at Spring as an intramuscular injection, and is one of the body’s main antioxidants.  An antioxidant is a cell protectant, which donates an electron to help regenerate healthy cells in a variety of ways.  Glutathione is necessary in all cells and its depletion eventually results in cell death. Most glutathione is found in the liver and helps us to detoxify by assisting our enzyme function.  It is also found in our eyes and helps counteract damage from UV and other radiation. Glutathione can be depleted in the body in cases of viral infection, environmental toxicity or exposure to household chemicals, in surgery, with generalized inflammation, or if someone is deficient in the dietary precursors that allow the body to make glutathione.  Our bodies deplete glutathione with age, and thus supplementing with it is a prime anti-aging strategy. Each “Anti-oxidant Aid” injection at Spring contains 200mg of glutathione. We can also add glutathione as a push at the end of a Myers’ IV. This is a useful therapy when you are fighting infection, are cleansing/detoxing, or want to give your cells a little extra boost of protection.

 

The Whole Life Cleanse: A Family Approach to Balance and Detox

Posted on by kincade

By Dr. Alisun Bonville

The Whole Life Cleanse: A Family Approach to Detoxification and Balance

Creating balance in your life may seem impossible at times. We are all busy with a multitude of tasks such as walking the dog, making lunches, grocery shopping, laundry, work projects, dishes….the list goes on!  Balance is about increasing the “good stuff” in life and managing the things that cause physical or mental stress.    But who has time for cultivating serenity, clean living, and balance?

In my experience, balance is something that has to be woven into the fabric of daily living or it will simply not happen.

This blog series is about the approach my husband, my kiddos, and I have taken to create balance in our lives and to create a healthy home. Life is happening to all of us…illness, work, school, stress. The Whole Life Cleanse is about changing our perspective and increasing our resources so that when times get tough we have enough stamina, reserve, and balance to weather the journey.

The Whole Life Cleanse is also about keeping our day-to-day activities fulfilling and non-toxic. This is not always easy and I admit we are not always perfect at my house. We have days we eat donuts, the kids watch too much TV or I skip my work-outs.   Being perfect is something I try NOT to do–It stresses me out. So, I live by the 80-20 rule…if I can take a healthy approach to life 80% of the time, then the 20% of donut-eating days are okay. I always tell my patients, “you have to live in this world,” and for our family that means eating a donut or two.

But for the other 80% of the time, I will outline strategies we use for balance. Tips on how to reduce home chemical exposure and healthy dietary suggestions that the whole family will like.  I will also give you tips for reducing toxic relationships, cutting back on the technology “drain” and some key tips for stress management.   So stay tuned…

~Dr. B

 

Read more from this series:

The Whole Life Cleanse: Family Approach to Detox

The Whole Life Cleanse: The Dirty Truth about Poisons Hiding in Your Laundry Room

The Whole Life Cleanse: What is Up with Plastics?

A Glowing Testimonial from a Spring Integrative Health Patient

Posted on by kincade

We had a patient write us a letter that was so good, we had to share it!

I can’t give enough praise to the team at Spring Integrative Health. I was lucky enough to be introduced to Dr. Bonville through another staff member. I had a prior unpleasant experience with a naturopathic physician and I was hesitant to encounter another. I had run out of options with every doctor pointing at the other when I thought I’d try again because I had nothing to lose.

During my first appointment Dr. Bonville listened to my health history and ordered a set of tests. My results were the intolerance of several types of food. She instructed me that my body would be going through a “detox” upon omitting these foods from my diet and if I had any questions she would be readily available to assist me. I took her up on that and emailed her several times a day with questions regarding what I was experiencing or if certain foods were ok. Not ONCE did I feel like a burden. Not ONCE was I made to feel like my questions were silly even though I had already asked. And not ONCE was I ignored. My body through scary and alarming processes for a few weeks. Dr. Bonville was able to help guide me through with support and information, and still continues to guide me as I progress forward in health.

Dr. Bonville changed my life in one office visit where countless other physicians failed over the span of 18 years. I am finally able to pursue a life of health instead of the continual struggle of roadblocks I had been running into.

I can only tell you the staff here are committed to their patients. Besides the resources they have on hand, and the resources they will guide you to, they are starting up a support group for those of us who have food intolerances. I do not know of any other practitioners that would go to these lengths to see that we are being taken care of. If you’re tired of not having answers or a lack of direction, Spring Integrative Health may be your answer.

We feel very lucky that we were able to make such a significant difference in this patient’s life.

Can we help you?

Home Hydrotherapy Techniques and Benefits

Posted on by kincade

Here are a couple of our favorite home hydrotherapy techniques! As always, please contact your doctor before doing any home therapies.

WARMING SOCKS:

Warming socks are a form of hydrotherapy.  Using this treatment will help stimulate the immune system and relieve congestions from the head.  As such, warming socks are often recommended for use during colds, flus, sore throats, ear infections, headaches, nasal congestion, coughs, bronchitis, and sinus infections.  The warming socks treatment is best if repeated for at least three nights in a row–unless otherwise instructed.

Please do NOT do warming socks if you have fever-induced seizures or open wounds on your feet.

Home Hydrotherapy Procedure

1. It is imperative before you begin this treatment that you warm your feet first.  This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could be harmful.  Soaking the feet in warm water for 5-10 minutes or taking a warm bath or shower should be sufficient.

2. Next, take a pair of cotton socks and wet with cold water from the tap.  Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly.

3. Place the cold wet socks on your feet. Cover with thick wool socks.  Go to bed.  Avoid getting chilled.

You will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry in the morning.  Many patients report that they sleep much better during the treatment.

 

WARMING THROAT COMPRESS

Much like the warming socks, the warming throat compress helps relieve pain and congestion, specifically in the throat and neck lymph nodes.  This treatment increases circulation and increases white blood cell activity to help sore throats and chest colds.

1. Warm the throat with a warm washcloth or hot shower.

2. Dry the skin thoroughly and apply a wash cloth that has been soaked in cold water and wrung out so that it is not dripping wet.

3. Wrap a wool scarf over the washcloth.

4. Go to bed this way.  By morning the washcloth will be dry.

 

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