Many people are talking about the estrogens in soy but did you know that dairy products account on average for 60-70 percent of estrogens consumed worldwide. We consume milk from cows in the second half of their pregnancy when cow’s estrogens and other hormonal levels are high. We usually associate dairy and drinking milk with calcium, and never think about what else we may be consuming along with the calcium (and dairy, by the way is not the best source of calcium!).

Here is a list of hormones that have been found in cows' milk:

        * Prolactin

        * Somatostatin

        * Melatonin

        * Oxytocin

        * Growth hormone

        * Lutenizing releasing hormone

        * Thyroid stimulating hormone

        * Estrogens

        * Progesterone

        * Insulin

        * Corticosteroids and many more

Now, do you think an excess consumption of all these hormones could disrupt your own hormonal balance? Of course, especially when trying to conceive!!!

Consumption of milk has also been linked to certain cases of male infertility. Excess estrogens and pesticide exposure has been linked to PCOS and Endometriosis.

Studies have found higher concentrations of pesticides in cheese than in non-organically grown fruit and vegetables. The first line of fertility treatment I recommend for PCOS and Endometriosis is to minimize intake of animal products. Animal products have a high content of hormones, pesticides and herbicides which are known endocrine disruptors. They play havoc with our hormones and this can lead to many fertility or menstrual problems.

By Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic, 091-483803

Cancer can be a very dangerous condition for the body and must be addressed as soon as possible to be successful. The first line of defence is to see an oncologist and act on their advice, whether it’s surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy because that’s what will deal with the tumour.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) including acupuncture can be used mainly as a complementary treatment for dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Acupuncture in particular regulates the body’s immune system and reduces toxicity. By doing this the body will have an increased efficacy for the western medical treatment.

The public in general do not know enough about alternative based medicine and the evidence and research showing its effectiveness. The two medical systems have their strengths and weaknesses but by integrating both approaches the patients will benefit greatly.

The Elmtree Clinic

Main Street

Oranmore

091-483803

By Trish Murphy, The Elmtree Clinic

Except for a small few, feet do not bring forth images of true love, unimaginable wealth, or long sought fame. Truth to tell, you hardly ever think about feet except when they are not working the way they are supposed to. How many times have you heard the words “my feet are killing me” echoed throughout millions of homes around the world every day? The causes are varied and range from ill fitting shoes to perhaps biomechanical (structural) issues or diseases affecting the foot.

The social cost of bad feet is high: it can lead to work days lost as the sufferer’s feet hurt so much that they cannot go to work. Chiropodists or Podiatrists are health professionals whose speciality is the human foot. It is their responsibility to not only treat the vast number of foot problems but also to prevent them from forming. Most people who have bad feet however never visit the chiropodist, instead prescribing solutions of self medication which in turn only increase the severity of the problem - mainly due to the fact that the causes of foot problems are rarely obvious.

The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering, its bones, muscles and ligaments carry and support the body in such a way that permits a low tolerance for error or misalignment. This is why a slight imbalance of a body part higher up can actually cause a deformity in the foot; sometimes a foot malady is a symptom of another condition so treating the foot is of no benefit to the sufferer. Therefore when hobbling into their local pharmacy for a quick fix cure the patient is more likely to buy something that will make matters worse or at the very least delay the time before proper treatment is administered.

 ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’.

Preventative care for feet is very important and should be part of your daily/weekly routine. Stretching before activity enables the body to remain flexible. Your feet are not independent parts of your body; being connected to your body they are affected by the way you move it. Increasing the flexibility of your entire body therefore will also help to keep your feet flexible, reducing the risk of injuries.

Two very good foot exercises can be done while sitting at home watching television:

1. Gently curl your toes while flexing your arch, trying to form the letter C with your foot. Hold this position for about 10 seconds and then relax. Switch feet and repeat.
2. Curl your toes whilst seated. Push your feet firmly against the floor. Your arches should start to rise. Hold this position for about 5 to 10 seconds and repeat it several times.

Massage can also be a good addition to a treatment plan. It helps to maintain healthy circulation in the feet and helps reduce inflammation.  For aching and tired feet, massage can help relieve stress and strain. Start by applying heat to your feet, the best time is after a hot bath. Rest one foot across your other knee and massage the sole of your foot in a circular motion using the heel of your hand. Start at your toes and work your way back. Bend each toe separately in each direction and gently rotate each toe. Tug at the toe very carefully. Move up along the sole and sides of your foot. Knead the arch area using your thumbs. Then repeat the massage for the other foot. Use your favourite foot cream or ask a loved one to do it for you!

Foot hygiene may seem like common sense for good foot health but we don’t often spend a lot of time caring for our feet in this way. Follow these basic suggestions:

1.      Wash and dry your feet daily. Apply powder after you dry your feet especially between your toes.

2.      Trim toenails to a slightly rounded edge. Do not cut into the corners of the nails. Use proper nail clippers.

3.      Wear natural fibre socks such as cotton or wool and change them daily. The natural fibre will absorb perspiration, allow your feet to breathe, and reduce bacteria that cause foot odour.

4.      Smooth rough hard skin with a pumice stone, apply moisturiser to the skin. This will keep it soft and smooth in between visits to the chiropodist.

5.      Make sure your shoes fit properly. Ill-fitting shoes can cause tremendous damage.

6.      At night apply foot cream paying particular attention to your heel area to prevent fissures developing.

7.      Avoid excessive exposure to hot and cold. In these winter months wear warm socks with shoes or boots.

8.      Avoid excessive smoking and caffeine in take as these can reduce circulation to the feet.

9.      Avoid home surgery to corns and calluses and do not use sharp instruments or strong chemicals on your feet for any reason – visit your chiropodist who will be able to administer the appropriate treatment and keep your feet healthy!

The Human Foot: Some Facts

• The average adult takes in excess of 18,000 steps a day and even more for kids

• Most feet walk about 70,000 miles in a lifetime – that’s four times around the earth.

• Leonardo da Vinci called the foot a masterpiece of engineering. Each foot has 26 bones, 19 muscles, over 100 ligaments and thousands of nerve endings.

• Every time your foot hits the floor when walking it’s the equivalent of twice your body weight. Running increases this to up to three times your body weight.

• The foot has 250,000 sweat glands releasing about a quarter pint of perspiration every day.  

• Around 70% of foot problems come from wearing the wrong footwear or ill-fitting shoes. The majority of these are caused by ill-fitting footwear worn as a child.

By Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic.

Eastern medicine and in particular Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sees the body as an organ of nature. The ecosystem of our body is made up of many organs that are equal and cooperative parts of a whole. As an all-encompassing global species, humans are not separate from the Earth or from any of its ecosystems. We are one organ among the many of Earth, an organ that needs to educate itself about this entire earthly body.

Nature is actually a vastly complex but a beautifully self-designed living system based on simple but elegant principles of operation.

Similarly, our bodies are living systems where our reproductive system is one micro system of the whole.

When you work on balancing and restoring unison in every organ of the woman’s body, it will do what it has been designed to do naturally - conceive and carry a baby to term.

According to Nei Jing (The Bible of Internal Chinese Medicine), women should be capable of pregnancy from the onset of menstruation until menopause.

Unfortunately fertility disorders are becoming more common in women. It has been estimated that 1 in 6 couples will have problems trying to conceive in Ireland.  Imbalances in women trying to conceive are common but your body is smart enough to send you warning signals. All you have to do is pay attention to it. You may have painful, heavy or absent menstrual periods for example, all which would need to be addressed.

When I am treating woman for fertility problems, the signals and symptoms of her menstrual cycle are very important for getting a picture of the person but only aid in finding the branches of the root for treatment. Other aspects of her body and psycho-emotional functions can then be taken into account to diagnose her overall condition. The treatment of her overall condition, as well as regulating her cycle makes the treatments more effective. Sometimes certain symptoms appear or disappear during the process and these can more often than not be looked at positively that your body is responding to the process.

By Ian Claxton

The health care system in Ireland has become a "sick care" system, focusing on addressing the disease and not the patient.  It appears clear that if the current government carry on with the healthcare delivery they currently practice, through the HSE, they will have failed miserably. The public services have greatly contributed to the bankruptcy of the country and a revolution needs to occur, starting in the department of health to abate the deteriorating health of our people.

To say it bluntly - Our current system is run by the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and hospitals trying to maximise profits with little objectives for the future of its patients. Medical technologies are more expensive, more people want access to them, and repayment schemes neither offer national coverage nor do they reward improved patient care or planning for the future.

In all, the historical role of the doctor as complete caregiver has noticeably diminished. The amalgamation of deteriorated doctor-patient relationships, high dependence on expensive and invasive treatments, and the widespread perception that doctors today are more focused on disease and handing out pills than on health and healing has opened tremendous opportunities for providers of alternative therapies.

A recent survey showed that more than forty-five percent of Irish people are now using some form of alternative medicine. Conventional healthcare providers are confused and frustrated by these statistics, but they are also frustrated by the pressures put on them by the current healthcare system and its woeful results.

So what’s going wrong?

Sadly, conventional medicine as we know it, in its attempt to cut costs by limiting doctors’ time with patients has, in fact, sabotaged the effectiveness of the doctor-patient interaction. Rather than getting the most out of their diagnostic skills, doctors save time by relying on costly, impersonal technologies and pharmaceuticals that can be less effective than a detailed personal case history and physical examination. Alternative medicine takes these and other matters into account, hence acupuncture, reflexology, diet and nutrition, psychotherapy, homeopathy, yoga and physical exercise to name a few, are gathering momentum and becoming more recognised substitutes to conventional medicine.

The healthcare system must reform to restore the primary function of caring and the practitioner-patient relationship, to promote health and healing as well as treatment of disease, and to take into account the deficiency of science and technology alone to shape the ideal practice of medicine. The new design must also incorporate compassion, promote the active engagement of patients in their care, and to be open to what are now termed ‘complementary’ and ‘alternative’ approaches to improve health and well being.

What we currently have is a repayment-driven disease management system that provides care which has little focus on results and in many cases has little scientific evidence of effectiveness. No wonder we spend an extortionate amount of our taxes on our nations’ healthcare and still rank close to the bottom on every index of health.

So what can be done now?

First, we must set out clear guidelines to understand the purpose of the healthcare system. What the system wants to achieve and how we intend to achieve it. To do this conventional and alternative medicine must work together to fit into an integrative redesigned system. The health services must also be measured correctly and show increases in the health of the population that receive the services.

Second, and most importantly the needs of the patient must come first. Insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals must be properly regulated for this to occur. The practitioner must resist ‘external’ financial or other incentives and realise the patient must come first and play an active role in their healthcare based on their needs and values.

Integrative medicine will be the critical component of any healthcare system that offers hope for true reform. The services will need to be delivered by a healthcare team that includes a variety of licensed healthcare practitioners to maximise health, wellness, and healing. Integrative medicine is not a radical movement but it can produce major change and positive results.

The objective of this reform will be to place medicine where it will continue to maintain and build upon its primary platform of science but to reposition itself to create a health system which focuses on the well being of our patients as well as its practitioners. The integrative medical approach emphasising a variety of therapies will also show substantial improvement to both the financial costs to the Department of health and the clinical results compared with conventional medicine alone.

Ultimately, Integrative Medicine is meant to provide the best possible healthcare, for both practitioner and patient, and the success of the movement will be indicated by dropping the adjective!

By Katherine McGee, The Elmtree Clinic

Why would I come to counseling/psychotherapy?

Sometimes in our lives we experience events or issues that we find difficult to cope with. They can happen suddenly or have been recurring for many years. These events or situations can cause anxiety, possibly fear and may seriously impact the quality of our life. We often see no way out, and feel totally isolated. Therapy offers no magic solution. But it does offer us the chance to talk and possibly begin to look at things in a different way. Therapy is hard work and the therapist does not tell the client how to resolve issues. The therapist provides a space where the client can talk and reflect with the therapist on the issues that have caused him or her pain or difficulty.

How long does therapy take?

People often seek counseling in a crises situation and wish to have support during this stressful period. This is called brief counseling. It is focused on supporting the client, while they deal with the present, enabling them to look at the future in a way that is not dominated by the past. Brief therapy can often help identify possible issues that need a longer-term approach.

Psychotherapy looks at the foundation on which we live our everyday life. This is the unconscious, which often influences our thoughts and actions without us being aware of its influence.

Is counseling/psychotherapy for me?

If you are in a time of crises, unhappy at present, hope for change, wish for progress, personal development or personal growth or simply want to develop self confidence – counseling is for you.

What should I do?

The first step is to make an ‘initial’ appointment. This will last for approximately one hour. The aim of the first session is to allow the client to meet the therapist and, to discuss the issues that have caused you to seek therapy. The therapist will explain how therapy works and the boundaries (rules) of therapy. After that initial appointment the client can decide if they wish to continue.

Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinc

The cold and flu season has definitely got underway; and we need to do all we can to keep our bodies healthy and resilient to any opportunistic pathogen waiting to attack our immune system. Like clockwork, October brings us advertisements for immune- boosting cough and cold medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins, and any other dietary supplements. Despite all of these precautions, some of us will still get sick despite all our effort.

Is there any thing we can do to keep our immunity strong?

I think there is, and it doesn't come in the form of pills or mixtures. Despite all our efforts to evade infection we are failing to look after our strongest immunity booster of all – a diet rich in whole foods.

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition” Thomas Edison

The term ‘whole foods’ refers to foods that are eaten in their natural state; in other words, foods that have not been processed, refined or even cooked. They include no harmful additives, processed chemicals, or artificial ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, whole grains and unprocessed meats and fish are all examples of whole foods. By consuming foods in their natural state, we are assuring that we are getting the optimum nutritional value possible from that food.

"Vitality and beauty are gifts from nature for those who live according to its laws." Leonardo DeVinci

The healing properties of food have been known for centuries. Many forms of alternative medicine, including Traditional Chinese and Ayurveda Medicine, focus on the influence and effects that food has on the health and balance of our bodies. In these traditions food are used as a major part of medicine as it is known how powerful the healing potential of the right kinds of foods can be. With this medicine great care is put into figuring out the most appropriate food for the health of our bodies and unique constitutions. Conversely, the average diet in the modern world focuses more on convenience including processed and fast foods with no attention to the needs and wants of your bodies from a medicinal perspective.

Hippocrates knew this when he wrote "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food."

Whole foods contain a natural abundance of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients like fibre and healthy fats that our bodies need to stay healthy and vibrant. As well as keeping us healthy, whole food can negate the effects of eating unhealthily. Eating whole foods will decrease inflammation in the body which are often caused by processed and high fat foods.

"The human body heals itself and nutrition provides the resources to accomplish the task." Roger Williams Ph.D. (1971)

Whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables naturally contain substances known as phytonutrients. Phytonutrients fight off harmful diseases within the plant. When we consume these foods, it is believed that the disease fighting properties of the phytonutrients transfer to us and help in our body’s’ natural line of defence against disease. When these foods are processed or even cooked, many of these phytonutrients can be destroyed before they reach our bodies.

"The absorption and organization of sunlight, the essence of life, is derived almost exclusively through plants. Since light is the driving force of every cell in our bodies, that is why we need green plants." Dr. Bircher-Benner

Just as whole foods can help strengthen our immunity, opposing this are processed foods which can weaken it. There are over 6,000 preservatives, additives, and chemicals that are used in processing foods today, many which are slowly being found to be extremely harmful to our bodies. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) for example has been found to cause many health problems ranging from headaches, dizziness, and mood swings to chest pains, depression, and obesity. Cancer, diabetes, allergies, behavioural problems and neurological poisoning are just a few more possible side effects of processed foods.

"Health requires healthy food." Roger Williams

While consumption of whole foods strengthens our body's defences’ through anti-oxidants and immune boosting vitamins and minerals, processed foods restrain the ability of our white blood cells to fight off infection, making it easier for us to get sick during flu season. Eating too many processed foods can drain us of energy and leave us feel sluggish, tired and moody as it often takes our bodies a vast amount of effort to break down the synthetic ingredients found in these foods. You are likely to feel a noticeable increase in your energy levels when you introduce more whole foods into your diet.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Your mother...

It is more beneficial to consume local produce as they are the most effective immune-strengtheners and also to eat with the seasons so as different foods ripen throughout the year they can be consumed at that time.

Whole foods that are very effective at benefiting the immune system include almonds, garlic, ginger, kale, broccoli, guava, papaya, bananas, red grapes, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, onion, whole grains, kiwi, apple, mushrooms and flax seed.

For an added boost for the immune system consider incorporating these immune boosting herbs into your diet: Astragalus, goldenseal, and Echinacea.

This flu season, before you reach for the pills, health mixtures and multi-vitamins, consider also healing your body with the power of natural produce from your locality.

"One of the biggest tragedies of human civilization is the precedents of chemical therapy over nutrition. It's a substitution of artificial therapy over nature, of poisons over food, in which we are feeding people poisons trying to correct the reactions of starvation." Dr. Royal Lee, January 12, 1951

Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic, Oranmore

Stress is a normal part of our lives and many argue that it is essential to maintain vigour and vitality. Sometimes, however, the stress can threaten to overwhelm us causing feelings of anxiety, panic, apprehension and unease. They are often accompanied by the urge to escape, together with a feeling of impending doom. Others are convinced they are about to have a heart attack, suffocate, lose control, or "go crazy." Once people experience one panic attack, they tend to worry so much about having another attack that they avoid the place or situation associated with the original episode.

Scientists aren't sure what causes panic disorders, but they suspect the tendency to develop the condition may be inherited. Some experts think that people with panic disorders may have a hypersensitive nervous system that unnecessarily responds to nonexistent threats.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, anxiety or panic attacks are most often caused by a blood deficiency that affects the Heart.

Heart blood deficiency

The Heart Blood houses your Shen or spirit. If your blood is deficiency, your spirit will become unsettled and cause anxiety or panic. You may also have symptoms such as insomnia, palpitations and/or a poor memory and feel extremely vulnerable.

The most common cause of Heart Blood deficiency is Stress. If you are already anxious, a vicious circle can form. The Heart Blood deficiency can both cause and be the result of your anxiety. Acupuncture can calm and strengthen you, thus breaking the circle and enabling you to cope with many of the situations that you find so stressful.

Foods that nourish the blood:

The most common nutrients that will enrich and build the blood are iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Adequate protein is also essential. Of these nutrients, insufficient iron is the most prevalent cause of anaemia, but not always rectified simply with the addition of iron. In order to absorb iron, you need adequate copper and B vitamins as well as vitamin C.

Siberian ginseng and valerian are ideal natural products at helping the body cope more efficiently with stress and improve performance.

Excessive caffeine can also deplete your heart blood and can stop you from sleeping. If you are drinking excessive amounts your practitioner may suggest that you cut down on your intake.

Mind training exercises are also very useful for people to be able to handle their own issue and deal with the stress.

Physical exercise will also release a lot of tension and help the body combat stressful events easier.   

Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic

From a complementary and in particular a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective insomnia is strongly related to the Heart and the Spirit (Shen). The Shen is housed in the Heart and a disruption in the ability of the heart to hold the Shen or an aggravation of the Shen itself can lead to the signs and symptoms of insomnia such as over thinking, restlessness anxiety etc.

There is usually another organ which contributes to the imbalance of the Heart and Shen. It is from the axis of the two organ the treatment plan is constructed.

1. The Heart and Liver axis can be disrupted by excessive stress and/or anger. Greasy, fatty foods and alcohol would also have a negative impact and lead to heat in the Liver causing the energy to rise up and aggravate the Shen leading to restlessness and irritability, possibly even violent nightmares.
2. The Heart and Spleen axis can also be disrupted by a poor diet especially dairy and cold foods, eating late at night and/or on the go and excessive worry and overthinking. The Spleen is also responsible for production of blood in TCM and if the blood isn’t nourishing the Heart and Shen, one may experience sleeping issues.
3. The Heart and Kidney axis is disrupted by anxiety and fear and overworking. The Kidneys play a large role in the Yin aspect of the body with its receptive and calming nature. When the Yin of the body is depleted, the heat of the body will be stronger and one may experience night sweats and fearful nightmares for example.

Lifestyle factors will always play an important role in a person’s health. It is important to address these factors to improve all aspects of well being, not just sleeping issues.

Last winter, a woman in her 50’s came to me with a headache, runny nose, and cough that she'd had for two days. Based on her symptoms, I was able to quickly diagnose her illness. In Chinese medicine, we would say she had a ‘cold’ condition. After the treatment, I told her to rest and have soup made with ginger and green scallions. This ‘warm’ remedy was designed to help balance the coldness in her body. In two days, all her symptoms had disappeared. When her husband caught the same cold several days later, she gave him the soup and he was well again in three days.

As simple as this treatment sounds, it goes to the heart of what all Chinese medicine is about - restoring balance to the body. Conditions like this patient's cold often will fade on their own as the body's self-healing powers swing into action. However, other times, the illness will drag on, maybe for weeks. Chinese medicine including acupuncture can help you quickly get at the underlying energetic imbalance that is causing the illness.

Chinese medicine, even in its elementary form described here, can be a powerful first-aid technique. Foods can be potent healers when used the right way. However, if your symptoms are serious, or persistent, always consult a doctor.

THE COMMON COLD REMEDY

Symptoms: An aversion to cold, low-grade fever, no sweating, headache, muscle aches, stuffy nose, cough with clear white phlegm

Treatment: Too much cold in the body, requires "warming" remedies.

Recommended Foods: Mostly warming foods, including the following: ginger, green chives, green scallions, fennel, cumin, basil, rosemary, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley, onion, leek, garlic, chive, mussel, anchovy, chicken and lamb.

Medicinal Foods: Prepare a soup from the following ingredients:

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons green scallion stalk

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon honey

The sooner one notices a cold condition affecting them and takes action the more likely the symptoms will disappear quickley bringing your body back to full strength and vitality.

By Ian Claxton.  The Elmtree Clinic

In this day and age Depression is more common than ever. In fact, according to Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Learned Optimism, ‘people born after World War II have almost ten times the depression rate of their parents and grandparents’.

The main trigger of depression is emotional experiences arising from difficulties in living. Most people can handle everyday stresses - Their bodies and minds adjust to the differing pressures. Is there anyone that is 100% free from depression? No. Everyone gets depressed, to one degree or another - its normal, our natural emotional energy can alternate between highs and lows. It is, however, in times of low energy (including heat and sunlight) that some people tend to get overwhelmed with depression. That is why most people get depressed more in the winter-time when the days are shorter, darker and colder than any other time of year. It is only when people feel that they are stuck, trapped with a bad event, thought, relationship, etc. that they become depressed. When they move or remove that blockage, thought or event they can then feel better.

There are two kinds of depression: unipolar and bipolar. Unipolar depressive episodes occur several times throughout a person's life. Bipolar starts out as depression but progresses into alternate periods of depression and mania, which is why bipolar is called manic depressive. Depression can vary from low-grade gloom and sadness to a condition so debilitating that it is impossible to move or function without help.

Most symptoms have two things in common: coldness (climatic) and weakness (diet & exercise).

Energy (and health) is the key to overcoming depression. Unfortunately, most often, people are treated medically, chemically with stimulants without the underlying cause being investigated.

Depression, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is often referred to as a "cold" disorder that causes stagnation. The body has a number of ways to generate energy in the body: 1) through the sunlight and 2) though diet & exercise.

The sun not only energises the earth, but also everyone on it. Human beings are charged, stimulated by the sun's energy, heat, light, etc.  The environment is a major factor that can have a positive (hot) or negative (cold) effect on depression. It can not always be controlled, which is why the next factor is more important: diet & exercise.

The body digests food and converts it into energy. All plants touched by sunlight contain energy in the form of chlorophyll, but green plants are by far the most concentrated sources. Someone feeling low should think of greens as a means of getting sunshine to the body. Although they may not always find it easy to get up and start exercising it will also be very helpful. Once they start moving and the energy starts flowing again, they usually feel better, relieving emotional tension and stress. Depression, like all emotions, is a function of energy. People who have energy tend to get less depressed than those without.

When your acupuncturist treats you, they will use points to clear the obstruction and move the energy thereby lifting your spirits. As well as giving you treatment, your acupuncturist will support you and encourage you to talk about your problems and worries.  

Recommendations which should help during the emotional and stressful times:

1)     Don’t put yourself under too much pressure

2)     Take some time out for yourself.

3)     Get some form of exercise daily.

4)     Get enough sleep.

5)     Balance your diet with warming foods and spices.

6)     Keep alcohol intake to a minimum or not at all.

Severe chronic depression often accompanies other deeper imbalances and expert diagnosis should be sought from your medical practitioner if that is the case.

Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic

All the cells in the body need essential fatty acids. They are especially important for young children and foetus in order for the brain to develop normally. Both omega-3 and omega-6 are essential fatty acids, it means that the body cannot create them; they must therefore be part of the diet. Mother's milk contains these fatty acids, but the amount varies and is dependent on the mother's eating habits.

Experts suggest a ratio of about 2:1 of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. However, over the last 50 years the ratio has changed to from 2:1 to approx. 20:1. Our diet now includes huge amounts of oils that are extracted from plants and used for cooking or in prepared foods. These oils (such as corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil) are primarily omega-6s. We have decreased our intake of omega-3's found primarily in whole grains, beans and other seeds, and seafood.

Supplementation with DHA (contained in Omega-3) in infants during the first four months of life can improve mental development at 18 months of age, this according to a report from 2000 (Birch et al.). Skills such as problem solving and memory were tested in this study.

A study in Oxford-Durham on supplementation with Omega-3 has had an extremely positive effect on children with dyslexia, dysphasia and ADHD. The results showed the children that had been given active capsules of Omega-3 showed significant improvements in their behaviour after just 3 months. At the start of the study 32 percent were within the clinical range of ADHD. After three months it had dropped to 18 percent. In the placebo group the improvement was barely noticeable.

It is extremely important to look at labels. The best supplements are those that are of pharmaceutical grade and those that have been molecularly distilled (purified of toxins). This increases the safety of their consumption and the potency (quality) of the supplements.

The benefits of Omega 3 are broad, benefiting not just healthy adults, but pregnant women, children and those suffering with all kinds of illnesses. The Elmtree Clinic now supplies Omega-3 supplements. Sustained innovations and a growing body of scientific evidence to support dietary recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids may help the public achieve optimal health.

Ian Claxton, The Elmtree Clinic

Backache is one of the most common complaints seen by an acupuncturist and as Dr. Muiris Houston, a medical correspondent for The Irish Times, revealed in their health supplement on 25^th September last; it is almost twice as effective as conventional medical treatment for chronic low back pain. A large amount of the Irish population suffer from back pain of some sort throughout the year which leads to more time off work than any other problem in the Western world.

One reason why acupuncture is so beneficial for this complaint is that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognises that there are many types of back pain, each with a specific diagnosis.

The three main TCM reasons for backache are:

1)     Deficient Kidney Qi

2)     Qi and Blood Stagnation in the lower back

3)     Wind, cold and/or damp obstructing the lower back

What type are you?

Deficient Kidney Qi

If you have a back problem caused by deficient Kidney Qi then you are likely to have a chronic, dull type of backache. The Kidneys are situated in your lower back and if they are functioning sluggishly a dull ache is created in this area. This ache will often disappear after rest and reappear after further strenuous activity. If you have this kind of backache, your acupuncturist will probably use points that strengthen your kidneys. Heat will also be used to warm the area if the deficiency has caused it to become cold.

Emotional problems and over activity are two important reasons for backache arising from Kidney deficiency. Over activity carried out under stress causes the muscles to tighten up and strenuous activity weakens the kidneys. Getting enough rest, sleeping in a good posture and using chairs that support the spine are all beneficial. Fear is the emotion connected with the Kidneys and chronic fear can lead to weakness in the area of the lower back where they are located. When people are afraid they often pull away or ‘back off’ from things. Over time this can affect their posture and weaken the back.

Qi and Blood Stagnation in the lower back

This type of back problem is sever and painful, but fortunately short lived – it lasts for only a few days or weeks at the most. If it is not treated, however, it can be the precursor of more long-term, chronic back problems. It responds exceptionally well to acupuncture.

The initial cause of this condition is often mental or physical overstrain. People develop tense muscles in the lower back as they try to cope with their problems or strain themselves physically during activity. This prevents their Qi and Blood from moving, which leads to the pain. The pain can develop slowly or the back can suddenly become ‘sprained’ and a person is unable to move. Anyone who has suffered from this acute sprain will testify to its extreme pain.

Your practitioner will usually use a number of different points to treat this condition – most are not on the back at all. For example two useful point that can clear this condition lie on the hand.

Wind, Cold and/or Damp obstructing the lower back

The can cause acute or chronic back pain and is due to these environmental conditions entering the back directly. For example, when you are gardening you may build up a sweat and remove some clothes. As you cool down afterwards, the Wind, Cold or Damp can enter the back through the open pores. Cold causes the tissues to contract, creating pain and the Wind and Damp contribute also. Similar conditions affect people working on building sites on a hot day that turns cool, or after exercise and working up a sweat. To remove the obstructing condition, your practitioner can use points in the area or use cupping to draw the blood to the surface to draw out the condition.

If you want to know more, contact The Elmtree Clinic and ask for a consultation.