Network Healing Centre
April 2006
Newsletter

Important Dates to Remember!

Monday, April 10 to 14 – Naturopathic Office is closed
Friday, April 14 – Good Friday (Office is closed. Extra hours on Tuesday evening)
Monday, April 17 – Easter Monday (Office is Open)
Friday, April 21 – Dr. Michael’s Office is closed. Extra hours on Tuesday evening

Are you interesting in subscribing to our Monthly Newsletter via email? Just go to www.networkhealingcentre.com to sign up. It is located under the Newsletter option.

Gateway to Healing Introductory Workshop
With Dr. Michael Tucker, DC
Tuesday, April 18, 2006 from 7-8 pm

A complimentary Information Session for all New Patients to attend as well as anyone who is interested in learning more about Network Spinal Analysis Chiropractic and how this gentle method can help in many different ways. The Workshop consists of a half hour talk about the work, followed by a half hour demonstration of the work. This workshop is an important part of your care and we encourage you to join us.

Call Andrea at 725-0988 to reserve your space.

By Dr. Michael Tucker

The following is a transcript from a course in Somato Respiratory Integration given by Dr. Donald Epstein D.C., the developer of Network Spinal Analysis. It is inspiring to me that Dr. Don can teach a three day course and remain as intense as the following.

When an event occurs that our brain perceives as not being safe for us to fully experience, the energy and information of the event is translated into vibration, which is then stored as tension in the body. It is not unlike the after-image of a flashbulb. Our body then walls off the offending energy and tension over time with muscular spasm, spinal distortion, and reduced breathing into the area. Reduce motion in the area may also be seen.

Until it is safe to experience that energy again and our body develops the strategy to accomplish this, we cannot digest the information form the trauma nor can we feel whole or truly be well.

Healing is reduced in defense, as is your ability to “find” those parts of your body that are the physical anchors to the alienated, isolated, abused, or denied energy that was never fully dealt with was also compromised when your body perceived the barrage of stressful input. Your ability to connect with, or touch those areas of your body or to direct your breath into those areas also becomes impaired. You are unable to receive the message and “medicine” from that region.

In defense, you tense more easily and your physiology also more easily returns to and sustains a state of stress. This becomes the body’s new functional baseline. In this state we become more structurally rigid or armored. Our blood pressure tends to rise, our range of motion and emotion is decreased, and our reaction to new stress is heightened. The brain continues to perceive life defensively, produce stress chemicals and inhibit the ability to pay attention to the incomplete “energy” or “unfinished business”. We focus upon the external threats to our stability, structure, organization, and identity.

Posture, muscular tension patterns, connective tissue tension, choices of life, and even spinal alignment are emotional reactions to a hostile and defensive perceptions of the world. Many of us remain in defense throughout our lives. The higher (more evolved brain) rarely has the opportunity to develop its unique properties and evolve new strategies for living and experiencing life.

Sinusitis and CranioSacral Therapy

By Rosemary Brown-Tucker

CranioSacral therapy can successfully help chronic sinusitis sufferers by this gentle whole body approach. This therapy works by releasing the connective tissues and nerve centers that affect blood flow to the sinus lining and the drainage openings of the sinus cavities. Chronic and acute sinusitis may require balancing of the sacrum, low back, neck and face.

CranioSacral therapy is especially indicated if there has been a history of sinus, facial, or jaw surgery; head injuries; a history of premature or traumatic birthing; or dental history of orthodontics or tooth extractions.

Rosemary has extensive training and experience in addition to CranioSacral therapy in the field of Cranial Biomechanics.

Childhood Asthma

By Angela Soberal, RMT

Can You Prevent Asthma?

The rate of asthma in children is increasing in Canada, and many other parts of the world. It makes sense that if the rate of asthma can go up, modifying the environment children live in should be able to make the rate of asthma go down. This is an area of very active scientific research. The page will give some information, based on relatively early research results, on things you can do to prevent your children from developing asthma.

Dust Mites

Dust mite allergy appears to be the most important reason for the increasing rate of asthma in children. As houses become more and more air-tight, amounts of dust mite become higher and higher. Studies from several parts of the world have shown that the larger the amount of dust mite in the home (especially the child's bedroom), the higher the risk of dust mite allergy in children, and the greater the risk of developing asthma.

Things you can do to reduce the amount of dust mites in your home (and especially your child's bedroom) include:

• Plastic-covered mattresses are ideal for reducing dust mite in your child's crib or bed — the most important source of dust mite for small children. You should remove the bed sheets weekly, damp wipe the plastic mattress, and wash the bed sheets. Blankets should be washed monthly.

• When your child moves to a regular mattress, if you can afford it, encase it in dust mite-proof covers from a medical supply store.

• Have a hard wood floor in the child's bedroom.

• Avoid excess clutter (excess toys, books, etc.) in the child's bedroom.

• Keep the household humidity level at 50% or less.

Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke is probably the second most important factor for risking asthma rates in children. You should not allow your child to be exposed to cigarette smoke.

Breast Feeding

One Canadian study has suggested that breast feeding for at least the first 4 months of age reduces the risk of asthma. In this study, a hydrolyzed formula (Carnation Good Start®) reduced the risk of asthma similarly, although formulas do not contain live cells to fight infections and other important factors found in breast milk.

Pets

Some very early Canadian research suggests that adults regularly exposed to a furry animal are more likely to develop asthma. It is possible that this may also be true for children. In families where allergic diseases (asthma, hay fever, eczema, allergies) are common, it may be prudent to avoid buying pets.

Dirt

Recent research from several countries suggest that if the immune system of infants under 6 months of age is very busy fighting off infections, "it may be too preoccupied" to develop the kinds of cells and chemicals needed to develop allergic reactions. There is some evidence that children who are exposed to more "germs" — such as children with several older siblings, children in day care before 6 months of age, and children who live on farms are less likely to develop allergies, and allergic-type diseases, such as asthma. These children may have more viral infections, possibly leading to more wheezing episodes when they're very small, but they may be less likely to develop more long-lasting asthma associated with allergies.

Can a child with asthma outgrow it?

Even though asthma is a potentially dangerous disease, with good treatment, most Canadian children with asthma do well. The best studies on long-term outcome in asthma come from Australia. These studies show that about 2/3 of children with asthma outgrow it — sometime before or around puberty. In a small number of these people, asthma comes back later in adult life. In most of the remaining 1/3 of patients, their asthma improves as they grow older. In only about 10% of children with asthma will their asthma continue to be a major problem as they enter adult life.

Can Complementary (Alternative) Therapies be used to treat Asthma?

Conventional asthma therapy can improve asthma control and prevent potentially-dangerous asthma attacks in virtually all children with asthma. While some families may wish to consider alternative treatments, it must be emphasized that these treatments, when used, should be used in addition to conventional therapy, rather than instead of conventional therapy, to avoid the possibility of a severe asthma attack.

Massage therapy (stroking and kneading motions of the face, head, neck, and shoulders, arms and hands, and legs, feet, and back) for 20 minute sessions, taught by a trained massage therapist, has been shown, in a carefully-performed medical research study, to reduce anxiety in children 4-14 years of age, improve pulmonary function in children 4-8 years of age, and, possibly improve pulmonary function in children 9-14 years of age.

Exerts from the CHEO- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario website

Spring Cleaning with Far-Infrared Sauna

Sweat your way to improved health!

Our Far Infrared Sauna (FIRS) will rid your body of toxins, provide relief from muscle and joint pain, fibromyalgia and arthritis, reduce cellulite, boost immune system, burn 300-600 calories per session and more. Studies about the healing properties of FIRS found evidence that repeated exposure increases blood flow, enhancing cardiovascular conditioning. It is recommended treatment for post-chemo patients.

FIRS is a proven, safe form of radiant heat at lower temperatures (40-60 C) than conventional saunas (90-115 C) penetrating more deeply into the skin and releasing 15-20% more toxins principally cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals (such as mercury and aluminum), sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. This unusually high concentration of heavy metals and other fat-soluble toxins is not found in the sweat from normal exercise. Mercury is the most toxic element on earth, second only to plutonium.

The recommended schedule is two times a week for five weeks, once or twice a year. Each relaxing session is 20-30 minutes in duration.

Inquire with Andrea about our information binder. Additional research papers are found at http://www.physiotherm.net/infraredSauna/18/benefitsOfInfraredSaunas.html and www.sunlightsaunas.com.

Spring Special 10 sessions for $215.00 + GST (20% discount)
or an individual session for $30 + GST.

FIRS has positive effect on
• The immune system

• Body weight

• Metabolism

• Skin complaints

• Blood circulation

• Purification and detoxification

• Muscular and joint pain

Healthy Breakfast Tips

By: Dr. Leesa Kirchner, N.D.

To skip breakfast or to not skip breakfast

• Most people believe that a steaming coffee in the morning is a good energy booster, only without a good breakfast, it can be followed by an energy nose-dive.
• It is important to have a variety of fruits, juices, hearty whole grains, which are full of vitamins and minerals, in order to carry you through until lunchtime.
• Eating breakfast in the morning can improve your memory and concentration and make you calmer.

Squeeze a lemon

• start your day with a glass of warm water with the juice of one lemon to help take a load off your lymphatic system, help cleanse your system and detoxify your liver cells.§ lemon juice is also full of vitamin C and is antibacterial and antiviral so it can help you ward off colds
• the fresh zingy lemon scent may boost your energy levels too

When choosing a cereal

• Read the packaging and choose one with the least sugar and fat and the most fiber.
• Try and choose a cereal with a lower glycemic index
• Choose the least processed cereal i.e. rolled oats, puffed brown rice and corn
• Try different whole grains i.e. try spelt, kamut, quinoa.
• Make your own muesli mix
• Add dried fruit or nuts and seeds to add flavour, nutrition, variety to your cereal

Try different kinds of milk

• There are a variety of milks available at health food stores. With your cereal you can try different flavoured soy milks or rice milks, almond or oat milks
• The milks can be added to dry cereal or porridges

Try whole fruit spreads and nut butters

• Try variety of fruit spreads on wholegrain bread, toast, flatbread
• There are a variety of nut butters available at health food stores such as almond butter, soy nut butter, and sunflower seed butter, all of which are great sources of nutrients

For extra energy

• Include a good amount of protein in your breakfast
• The nut butters are a good source of protein and it is easy to add protein powder to variety of breakfast foods i.e. hot or cold cereals.

Think about flavourful liquids

• you can make smoothies or shakes easily in the mornings
• you can use fruit juices and different seasonal fruits to make a variety of drinks in the blender
• for smoothies you can use different milks, juices, nuts, seeds, flaxseed oil and protein powder just thrown into the blender.
• add a drizzle of maple syrup for added flavour and some extra calcium

Try this papaya shake which is packed full of vitamins and minerals

1 small fresh papaya

5 fresh strawberries

juice of half a lime

1 ^1/2 cups of apricot juice

1 tbsp of maple syrup

Blend until smooth
Makes about 2 large glasses