There is, in my opinion a disconnect between what we see and read in the research (and what we often do in clinical practice) and what patients actually need to receive as treatment for their conditions. It is a primary flaw with many our clinical decisions. I’d like to illustrate this through the plant analogy. Let’s say you had a thriving house plant hanging in your kitchen. You know what plants need to be healthy right? Sunlight, clean water, clean (toxin-free) soil and some nutrients in the soil for “food.” On the most basic level, when a plant has this environment, it tends the thrive, grow and show the traits of a healthy plant. Now let’s put that plant in a dark closet, stop watering it, stop feeding it and add a few toxins to the soil. In a few days, let alone a few weeks or …
The Healing Power of Light
We are light sensitive beings. Our bodies convert sunlight into Vitamin D. UV rays can make our skin tan or burn. Dermatologists use light to treat precancerous cells or encourage skin peeling. In surgical centers, light can be used as a cutting tool. So why not use light as a therapeutic healing tool? We actually have a broad spectrum of laser and LED light devices with various uses and strengths at our disposal depending on what benefits we want to attain. Most importantly, light can be used to attack inflammation in our bodies which, not properly treated, ultimately leads to many chronic illnesses. These include chronic pain, heart disease, stroke, cancer, further autoimmunity and many more. Whether we’re discussing trauma, concussion (TBI), or the varieties of arthritis and …
Allergies and Autoimmunity
At first glance, someone may wonder what do allergies and autoimmunity have to do with one another? While they are actually very separate issues, they both have a lot in common and understanding the similarities sheds some light on how to better address and treat these conditions. One thing I think we can all agree on is it appears that we are seeing an increase in the number of things people are allergic to and an increase in the prevalence of autoimmunity whether that be thyroid issues, Crohn’s, colitis, MS, Lupus, Arthritis, psoriasis or any other version. Immune System Function The primary job of the immune system can be broken into two steps: Be able to tell the difference between what is “self” and what is the outside world. Our own body and cells should never be considered …