SINUS PROBLEMS LINKED TO THE GUT

The link between sinus issues and intestinal problems is related to the structure of the body and to the close relationship between the lungs and the colon. The skin or membrane that lines the wall of the sinus cavities, the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract are ONE in the same ... just as the skin on your arm is the same skin that covers your toes .

The physical body is structured like a donut. A donut has two outside borders - the larger ring and the smaller ring. The outside ring or border around the donut represents the skin that covers the outside of the body. This skin is the protective border located "outside on the outside", and this skin acts as a barrier to the external environment we live in. The ring around the inside hole of the donut represents the skin or mucosal membrane that lines the tube that goes through our body, from the tip of the nose to the rectum - including the lining of all cavities that branch out from that tube (sinuses, mouth, respiratory tract, stomach, intestinal tract). This skin is the protective boarder referred to as the "outside on the inside", and it acts as a barrier to the external environment that comes through or into the inside of the body - where bacteria, pollen, and harmful substances come in via air through the nose and mouth and in the foods that we consume. Thus, skin and mucus membrane share the same protective function and are physically and structurally related, like brother/sister.

In Chinese Medicine the skin is considered an organ - actually, the skin is considered to be part of the lungs. All skin, including mucosal membrane lining the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, is protective yet porous. The skin has a dual purpose. It must protect our sacred body from harmful influences that exist in the outside environment. It is also one of the primary means by which the body absorbs nutrients and eliminates toxic waste and by-products of metabolism. This is especially true of the skin that lines the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. The "wei qi" or "defensive immune system" is located just beneath the epidermis or outer layer of skin. Whenever a harmful substance penetrates through the protective outer layer of the skin, the "wei qi" must spring into action in order to keep the body pure and the vital organs safe from infection. The response of this sophisticated alarm system is always "allergic reaction". All immune responses are allergic responses. Whether the immune system is responding to an incoming virus, bacteria or pollen in the respiratory tract or to a substance that cannot be digested in the gastrointestinal tract (toxic chemicals, foods and foreign objects), the response is always an allergic response.

Most people assume that sinus problems are due to some disturbance in the respiratory tract and/or to an infection from the outside environment. They treat with anti-histamines or antibiotics but find that relief is only temporary. Most sinus problems are actually related to allergies - particularly allergic reactions coming from food and drink in the gut. If your gut is plugged up with stuff that cannot be processed, your nose will be plugged up. If you have an allergy to red wine and it is in your gut, your nose will be plugged up. Most people are unaware that they lack certain enzymes for digesting certain foods. When they consume these foods, they cannot be properly digested. The body's immune system correctly identifies the undigested substances as being toxic, so it creates an allergic response. All allergic responses are inflammatory in nature and always affect the brain and cavities in the head in some way and to varying degrees. A common side effect of an allergic response is fluid accumulation in the cavities of the body. In Chinese Medicine "damp accumulation" is identified as an underlying cause of most diseases. Damp becomes a breeding ground for mold, yeast and other opportunistic invaders.

When Mayo Clinic cultured the sinus cavity of individuals with sinusitis and chronic sinus infections, they found that 96% had chronic fungal infections - not a bacterial infection. Yet most doctors prescribe antibiotics. A large percentage of the sinusitis patients who get prescribed antibiotics have side effects such as gastrointestinal problems, skin rashes or sinus headaches. The internal milieu of the body turns into a toxic waste ground of damp accumulation ... leading to chronic allergies and more damp accumulation in the sinuses, ears, lymph glands, colon and urinary tract.

Whenever there is a disturbance in the gut, there will be a disturbance in the sinuses. When you improve digestion and restore health to the intestinal tract, you will have fewer sinus problems. In Chinese Medicine the goal is ALWAYS to improve immunity. The key to improving immunity is to improve digestion. You cannot have good health without having good digestion first. Good digestion clears damp accumulation. Chinese herbal formulas for acute and chronic sinus problems address the underlying allergic response mechanism triggered by irritants from both the respiratory tract and the digestive tract. Chinese Medicine is good medicine.

Asthma- A Holistic View

While the tendency to have asthma is oftentimes an inherited trait, the condition is usually related to persistent embedded viral infections. As with all conditions genetic or acquired, the key to health is making sure that the immune system can regulate itself and prevent infections from becoming imbedded and allergic reactions from occurring. An embedded infection is different from an acute infection. As the name suggests, an embedded infection means that the pathogen resides within the tissues of the body. The pathogen is enclosed into the matrix of the tissue, and it is usually sub-clinical (not detectible) until the encapsulated material grows into a mass that is detectible or has otherwise transformed the tissue affected into a morbid state. It is sort of in an "inactive state" due to the way non-specific immunity works to neutralize the infection, but it remains an "active" cause of disease and always rears its ugly head when an acute infection occurs.

The immune process that deals with embedded infections is different than the immune process that fights pathogenic attack from the outside environment. Ideally the "defensive" immune system (known as cell-mediated) should be able to effectively deal with pathogenic attack from the outside environment so that they don't "infect" and become embedded in the matrix of vital tissues. In order for infectious agents from the environment to cause great harm to the body, they first have to penetrate through the skin and protective lining of membranes. The immune system has a very sophisticated and complex security system in place at this level to keep the body from becoming contaminated - and it usually works.

Repeated exposure to infection - whether an "outside job" or an "inside job" (from the outside environment or from imbedded viruses) -- wears the system down and perpetuates the fight or flight mechanism. The immune system becomes locked into a sympathetic mode where there is heightened sensitivity in the nervous system. This requires certain body functions to become and stay more active (i.e, the heart, lungs). In this state, the autonomic functions of the body defer to the "fight or flight" mechanisms – which basically means that normal functions (such as digestion, assimilation, elimination, non-specific immunity) are put on hold so that the energy of the body can be directed to putting out fires. In health, the parasympathetic mode is dominant - which simply means that autonomic functions are more active and "things are working as they should". In chronic "immune disorder" conditions such as asthma, the immune system is locked in the sympathetic mode. This "heightened sensitivity" scenario creates a "viscous cycle" of illness that ultimately leads to chronic adrenal insufficiency and "immune deficiency" states. This state of health puts constant pressure on the heart and lungs, making it difficult to remain calm and breath properly. This is one reason why most asthmatics end up with heart disease and/or hypertension later in life.

Asthma is as much a nervous system disorder as it is an immune deficiency condition. They co-exist and one creates the other and vice versa. Once a person becomes asthmatic, the nervous system is so wired that just about anything and everything triggers an immune response - an asthma attack, wheezing, etc. The triggers include acute infections, food or environmental irritants (pollution, pollen, etc.), excessive emotions or physical activity that puts additional stress on the adrenal-corticosteroid mechanism. The "lung or bronchial disease" aspect is secondary - a consequence, you might say, of the immune deficiency condition. This is where inherited traits factor into the equation. In an asthmatic or wheezing attack, the inflammation of the air passages is an allergic response of the immune system responding to the trigger.

Many asthmatics start out healthy (no asthma) but become asthmatic between ages two and five. This would suggest that the cause is due in large part to embedded viral infections. Like all immune disorders, the condition involves "complicated" patterns of disease. This means that in order to reverse the disease or effectively control it, you must treat the excess patterns (inflammation), the deficiencies (organ weakness and hormonal failure) and the immune regulation out of control problem. This is not an easy task. Conventional medical treatment for these conditions target only one aspect - the inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications suppress the immune system. These medications are catabolic steroids - meaning they are designed to break things down. They are life-saving and pain relieving - but long term use of these anti-inflammatory medications break down tissue (which leads to scarring or degeneration), cause kidney damage and irreparable damage to the fluid metabolism system (causing bloating, weight gain and edema) and cause additional allergic reactions to occur. The treatment only temporarily "fixes" the inflammatory problem ... until the next asthma attack is triggered. This is what we call treating the branch only. Meanwhile, the root causes of the disease - imbedded infections and immune deficiency illness - are not treated and certainly not cured.

Regards curative treatment, you must treat the branch and the root at the same time. The over-reactive immune system must be stabilized first. Then you must treat the underlying root or organic causes. This involves stimulating the non-specific immunity and restoring vitality to weak and/or diseased organs. This can be accomplished using appropriate Chinese herbal medicines and clinical homeopathic formulas. Some cases are more difficult to treat because there are other things going on. The key to health is making sure that the immune system can regulate itself and prevent infections from becoming imbedded and allergic reactions from occurring. We will always be burdened with the programmed organ and genetic weaknesses that we are born with. A person may "have" to treat his/her asthma all their life - but the choice of treatment determines the future health of the individual. Chinese Medicine treats the whole person, including the branch and the root of the disease.

FOCUS ON HEALTH: Holistic Medicines & Healing Modalities

• Chinese Medicine
• Homeopathic Medicine
• Chiropractic Medicine
• BioEnergetic Medicine
• Ayurvedic Medicine
• Naturopathy & Nutrition
• Microcurrent Therapy
• Cranial-Sacral Therapy
• Massage Therapy
• Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong
• Meditation & Prayer
• Reiki, Hands-On Healing
• Sound Therapy - Tibetan Bowls

CAN I AFFORD HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE?

Holistic healthcare is affordable medicine in terms of out-of-pocket expense as well as in terms of the value of being healthy, happy and full of energy all the time. Chinese herbal formulas and homeopathic remedies are similar in cost to over-the-counter conventional cold, allergy and pain medications. They cost substantially less than antibiotics and other prescription medications while delivering the same benefits and without the side effects of prescriptions medications. The value of being well instead of sick with acute infections and repeated illnesses is priceless.

COST BENEFITS OF HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE

~ Fewer doctor's appointments and/or emergency room visit.

~ Fewer absences from work or school.

~ Less need for expensive prescription drugs.

~ Avoid new health problems from complications due to side effects of prescription drugs.

~ More vitality and productivity in your life from being healthy instead of sick.

~ More time to enjoy life!

Homeopathy: The Miracle Medicine

Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine which strives to promote health by reinforcing the body's innate healing mechanisms and to drive toxins out of the body.

Homeopathy does not treat diseases -- it has remedies for people with diseases. Homeopathy treats the person, not the disease. No two people manifest illness the same way.

Whereas conventional allopathic medicines work against the disease (anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-biotic, etc.), homeopathy treats the person with a dose-response relationship: The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy.

Nanopharmacology: Dilute preparations in highly purified water and potentize -- the preparation carries the molecular imprint of the proteins and other constituents of the pathological agent.

Biphasic response: Extremely small doses of a substance exhibit different and sometimes opposite effects than what they cause in high concentrations.

When illness is chronic or difficult to treat, a proper diagnosis and individualized treatment plan should be made by an experienced Chinese medical physician.

Chinese Medicine: Immunology

Chinese herbal medicine is thousands of years oldest It is the most comprehensive pharmacological system in the world.

When properly formulated and prescribed, Chinese herbal medicines are very safe and effective. Like all thing consumed, improper or abusive use can contribute to unwanted side effects.

Commonly used Chinese herbal formulas for acute infectious diseases are based on ancient prescriptions with a proven track record. Chinese herbal formulas are safe because they always include "helper" herbs to mitigate any side effects from the stronger herbs in the formula that initiate the healing response to a disease.

When illness is acute (viral, bacterial), the symptoms of infection (fever, chills, sore throat, etc.) are commonly experienced. These illnesses can be effectively treated with Chinese herbal formulas that are designed to address a wide range of acute symptoms.

When illness is chronic or difficult to treat, a proper diagnosis and individualized treatment plan should be made by an experienced Chinese medical physician.

GOOD HEALTH means. . .RESISTANCE TO ALL DISEASES

Genetics and constitution provide the foundational layer for our physical existence. This hard-wired programming provides the biomechanical and behavioral template upon which the forces of life play out in each of our lives. As we interact with nature and the forces of life we develop patterns of disease that arise from our genetic and constitutional programming. A pattern of disease begins as a functional problem with few signs/symptoms of physical illness. As long as the vitality is strong and the immune system works properly, the body heals itself. Persistent conditions, recurring infections, pain and chronic fatigue -- these are all signs that the vitality is low, the borders are weak, and the housekeeper is unable to keep up with the non-specific immune function of keeping the body pure.

Good health requires a strong immune response to ALL diseases and disease processes. It is not possible to promote health and resist disease by driving diseases or other toxic materials into the body.

The KEY to REVERSING the DISEASE PROCESS......Good Digestion

Good Health = Good Digestion.

Housekeeping (the detoxification process) is a digestive function. All substances consumed, absorbed, injected and accumulating in tissues must be properly "digested" and "transformed" from its substantive and noxious state. Any substance that is not nutritious for the body is toxic to the body. If not properly processed and eliminated, unusable and toxic materials will become trapped in the body and cause disease. The same organ systems and body functions that produce and manage the digestion of foods also provide the means and materials for the housekeeping tasks of the immune system. Poor digestion and elimination is an indication of weak immune function (and vice versa). When digestion is good, immune function is strong. To promote immune function, promote proper digestion. This is the fifth fundamental premise upon which holistic medicine is based.

To PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH. . .REVERSE THE DISEASE PROCESS

Good Health = Promoting Healing

Healing (reversing a disease process) is an on-going creative process which requires every member of the team (every organ system) to be functional and vital. The creative process of healing is primarily a housekeeping function since it is the toxic accumulation of metabolic wastes, viruses, bacteria, parasites, and undigested foods that obstructs the free "flow of qi" (the life force) and which causes a disease process to begin. The first step in reversing a disease process is to detoxify the blood, lymph, tissues and organs of the body of impurities and disease-causing substances. The progression from disease back to health involves driving disease out of the body ... it is a cleansing process. This is the job of the non-specific immune response system (the Housekeeper). This important task requires the proper and efficient functioning of the body's lymphatic, digestive, eliminative and circulatory systems. For any medical intervention to succeed in restoring the health of the individual, the treatment must include proper detoxification and drainage protocols. This is the fourth fundamental premise upon which holistic medicine is based.

The MEANS to GOOD HEALTH....SUPPORT a HEALTH IMMUNE SYSTEM

Good Health: Border Control + Good Housekeeping = A Strong Immune System.

Every life comes with a basic program and instructions for protecting and healing itself. Border Control is the unique life force at the border (in the skin and mucosal membranes) that protects the body from attack by external causes of disease (infections). The cell-mediated immune response (our Border Control) is the means by which the body protects itself from outside intruders. Good Housekeeping is the sophisticated programming and complex biomechanics that provides the means to eliminate the destructive forces of chronic and debilitating internal disease processes. The non-specific immune response (our Housekeeper) is the means by which the body reverses a disease process and heals itself. We are as immune from external causes of disease (infections) as we are strong at our borders. We are as immune from internal causes of disease (chronic inflammation, degeneration and emotional stress) as we are efficient at keeping the house clean and in working order. This is the third fundamental premise upon which holistic medicine is based.

The SECRET to GOOD HEALTH

Good Health = Vitality

When the life force (vital energy) is weak or its "free flow" is obstructed for any reason, disease happens. To prosper and stay well, you must "have it" and you must be "able to use it". You must have core vitality and you must be able to use this vital energy in order to sustain life, create new cells, resist infection, heal trauma and reverse all disease processes. Vitality determines the amount of power you have to be what you want to be. The more you nurture this core strength, the more "life" you will have. The stronger the life force, the healthier you will be. To prevent infection ... and to prevent an internal disease process from destroying your health ... nurture a body that is pure and abundantly vital. The body's health is only as good as the body is vital. This vitality fuels all the metabolic processes required to sustain good health and to become healthy again after illness or trauma. The battle to survive when threatened by disease depends on the strength of the life force ... the body's vital force must be stronger than the destructive force of a pathogen or toxic substance. If you have a weak life force, your body cannot adequately perform its duties. Promote the life force (engender vitality) and you promote health. This is the second fundamental premise upon which holistic medicine is based.

What makes Chinese Medicine and Homeopathy "Good Medicine"?

Chinese herbal formulas and homeopathic remedies are time-tested immune stimulants that orchestrate the healing functions of your body in many important ways. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs that suppress the symptoms of illness, Chinese herbs and homeopathic remedies are life-promoting medicines that stimulate the appropriate immune responses to reduce fever, eliminate pain, resolve congestion, stop cough, fight infection and alleviate gastro-intestinal discomfort. Whether your illness is acute, virulent, or persistent, there are appropriate herbal and homeopathic solutions for any stage of illness. When Chinese herbs and homeopathic remedies are used preventively to improve resistance to ALL disease, your immune response to an acute infection will be stronger than the force of the invading pathogen. The illness will then be quickly and efficiently resolved "at the border" with minimal damage to internal tissues and with minimal loss of vitality.

What can I do to keep from getting an infection?

To prevent infection, nurture a body that is "resistant to disease". A strong immune system is the best insurance against any illness and all diseases.

To be and stay well you have to "have it" (VITALITY) and you have to "be able to use it" (RESIST INFECTION). The more you nurture this core strength, the stronger your protective borders and the healthier you will be.

Life-promoting nutritional Chinese herbs and homeopathic remedies taken in the absence of infection will build immune strength and promote vitality.

If the house you live in (YOUR BODY) is falling apart and cluttered with trash (TOXINS, LINGERING INFECTIONS, ACCUMULATED METABOLIC DEBRIS), you are more vulnerable to infections and you will remain sick longer.

Life-promoting nutritional Chinese herbs and homeopathic remedies stimulate the important housekeeping functions that keep toxic substances and metabolic by-products of disease from accumulating and causing future health problems.