Healthy Alternatives

We regretfully announce that Michael Gonzales has left our practice.  We hope that he can join us again in the future.  His positive energy will be missed.

“I can’t believe it! I have no pain!”

Not long ago, these were the exact words I heard from a patient who suffered from a condition known as, Plantar fasciitis. It is an extremely painful, non-inflammatory degenerative condition of the foot usually considered a sports-related injury. You generally know you have it by limping due to pain in your feet for the first few steps in the morning. However, a large percentage of the non-athletic population also suffers from this condition for people who have long periods of work-related weight bearing. This pain is felt on the bottom of the foot, and in front of the heal.

The patient, whom I will call V, is in her mid-40’s, and a serious bi-athlete runner and biker. She underwent eight months of physical therapy under the supervision of orthopedists and podiatrists. Yet, their form of treatment never seemed to help V and she was not about to give up her sport, regardless of the pain involved. Then, V came to me to try a different non-surgical approach to address her physical ailment. Using the trigger point method of Acupuncture, this procedure was successful in relieving: “80% of the pain”. V continues to train hard and comes in after experiencing an occasional flare-up of plantar fasciitis.
Not only did her pain condition vastly improve, but so did her spirits and outlook.

In V’s case as in so many other similar body healing needs, people will typically consider surgery a last resort. Because of it’s high level of safety, Acupuncture should often be considered an appropriate first resort.

“I can’t believe it! I have no pain!” gives me a thrill every time I hear it.

Recently, I was asked “Why did I get into Acupuncture?” That question forced me to reflect and to do a self-analysis on why I have chosen this occupation - a “field” of body and emotional healing. Acupuncture has been recognized for thousands of years as an alternative, or complimentary, form of medical treatment, though not widely accepted in the Western world; yet. Well, perhaps I cannot save the whole world but maybe a small part of it.

My own personal experiences as a youth practically pushed me into investigating sports injury prevention and management. I was a long distance runner in high school and had to deal with painful stress fractures to my knees. I had what is commonly known as “repetitive use problems”… basically overtraining. After five visits with a Doctor who, although I’m sure he was capable and well-meaning, never once did a hands-on examination. The treatment resulted in temporary relief until I had to go for another visit. Mainly, I was told not to run for eight weeks and forced to put on hold my competitive passion. I felt there had to be another way more active, direct yet not involving serious interventions like surgery… heck I was a kid whose problem came from running all good things.

While enrolled at Lehigh University, I studied physical therapy, biology, and a psychology minor with a class in “Humanistic Psychology”. It changed my world. I discovered that, through a process known as Rolfing, a body structure could be realigned to help relieve pain. This subsequently lead me to the art and science of Acupuncture, and from there I was hooked. I had found my calling.

I believe that the human body is a perfect machine. It gives us warning signs when something is wrong. Our brain sends the necessary chemicals to try and fight off illness and heal what is broken. I am fascinated with the inner workings of our bodies, and how it is designed to function. However, as wonderful a machine with mechanisms trying to keep us healthy, quite often the body needs help from other sources.

It is my intent to provide that assistance where common standard medicine may fall short. I feel fortunate to be in a position where I can provide a method for body healing, carrying on with my desire to help people.

This is not meant to imply that conventional, or “Western” medicine, does not have value and a place in all societies. It most certainly has proven that it is appropriate and new medical breakthroughs will help and save countless people with their illnesses.

Nevertheless, if you are not satisfied with your current treatment whereby the problem(s) continue to plague you with unacceptable progress, or, you may want to try to reduce or eliminate sustaining drugs, and are looking for an alternative, or complimentary, approach in dealing with a physical ailment, please consider contacting me, Rhonda B. Hogan, Acupuncturist here at my office on Easton Avenue in Somerset, New Jersey.

And, keep in mind that the philosophy of Acupuncture encompasses not just the body, but also may heal emotional distress at the same time. The connection between physical pain and emotional wellbeing should not be overlooked.

Along with hearing so much about the swine flu in the media, I keep getting emails from friends asking if I am going to get the H1N1 vaccine for my children and myself.

Is it just my belief or are other people thinking that everyone is overreacting to the swine flu? Why is the media scaring the public?

It is a flu. So I ask, do you get the flu shot every year?  If no, then I ask, why are you considering the H1N1 vaccine?

If you fall into one of the groups that is strongly recommended to get the H1N1 vaccine, it may be a good idea to get it.  I believe that if a person has a strong immune system and is not pregnant, then getting the vaccine may not be necessary, especially if leading a healthy lifestyle that keeps a strong immune system.

Sorry for the long silence. Ray and I had our second baby and I was adjusting to the new addition of Max and juggling his needs with his “big” sister’s needs. Alexis was 23 months old when Max was born and she adjusted better than me. I think we are all getting into a routine. We need more time in the day to get everything done (who doesn’t?), but we are doing well and very happy.

I will try to keep up to date and write about interesting topics, so please feel free to email me with questions and topics that you would like for me to write about. I will probably write a lot about motherhood and babies/toddlers. One thing that I am pretty passionate about is breast feeding so I will be covering what I believe to be the challenges, the conveniences, and the benefits! Stay tuned…

My husband did some gardening a few years ago. Like me, he is more inclined to stay away from pesticieds, and chemicals that are not absolutely needed. He did some research and experimentation with organic gardening. He did the compost pile, picked bugs off plants etc.

He did say one thing that really rang true to me when used in the context of health.

A well know gardening expert had emphisized that the best pesticide is a healthy plant.

Bugs like most creatures, look for the easy way. If a plant is weak from damage, or some disease it’s outer protective layer is softer making the bugs’ job easier. If the plant was damaged, then that’s the panecea for the bug.

It is also true that disease more easily effects those with pre-existing problems. For example, the Swine flu is seriously impacting (or worse) people with immune problems, obesity and other conditions that make them more succeptible to disease.

The message is clear, keeping yourself healthy is very high on the list of ways to optimize your health. It’s been my experience that many people think disease is something random, and unrelated to their activities. Although there is a random element in health, there is also a controllable one as well.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the best medicines… taken regularly it will greatly improve your quality of life, make you less likely to get sick, and increase your chances of a long life.

There is an abundance of reasons to drink milk substitutes- lactose intolerance and allergies affect a huge percentage of the population of the United States; dairy farming is harmful to the environment and can be cruel to the cows; growth hormones and other chemicals given to cows are transferred into their milk and can adversely affect people. Many who don’t like the watered down taste of skim milk simply want a less fatty alternative. Whatever the reason, more people each year are turning away from milk and looking for something to replace it.

To meet the growing demand for milk substitutes, the food industry has come up with an array of nutritious and tasty drinks. Be careful though- not all milk alternatives are created equal. Nutritional content of some milk alternatives is very low, and some are made from products that are so heavily genetically modified that they are no better than the worst cow milk. Without care, using a ‘healthy’ milk alternative can actually be detrimental to your health

Surprisingly, soy milk is high on the list of products to think twice about. By some estimates, up to 90% of today’s soy is genetically modified. Even worse, several chemicals in soy have been linked to increased risk of cancer, thyroid disease, and other major problems. This is not to say that soy milk should be avoided at all cost. Just be sure to read the label and be sure that your soy milk is 100% organic and right for your needs.

There are also a number of other milk alternatives. Experts recommend almond, oat, and hemp milk as excellent and delicious sources of nutrients. Another alternative is fortified organically produced skim milk, which has no fat, no harmful chemicals, and tons of vitamins and minerals. No matter what you choose to drink, it is a good idea to do some research first to make sure that it is low in sugar, high in nutrients, and cleanly produced. Also, be sure that the product you choose doesn’t have any allergens that might affect you- for example, oat milk contains wheat glutens. With a little care, though, you can find a great tasting milk alternative that will benefit you every time you drink it.

People always try to get the best healthcare for their families, and for some this might mean seeing a holistic practitioner. Pets are part of the family too, and if you demand nothing less than the best for your children, you probably feel the same way about your dog or cat. But who gives holistic healthcare to animals? As it turns out, veterinary clinics with holistic and traditional medicine practices are becoming frequent, and acupuncture is right at the top of the list of treatments that pet owners are asking for.

The first records of acupuncture for animals date back to 2nd century China, where it was used on horses and draft animals. It was not until the 1970s that it came to the U.S., but since then it has quickly gained popularity and acceptance not only among pet owners, but also within the veterinary community. It is commonly performed on dogs, cats, horses and livestock, and some vets also practice it on ferrets, birds, rabbits, and other animals.

Since physiology differs so much between species, only licensed vets may practice acupuncture on animals. However, the theory behind it is the same as acupuncture for humans, and it can treat most of the same things. In practice, animals are most often treated for muscle and joint stiffness, pain, and gastrointestinal or respiratory problems. Hip dysplasia for dogs and back or joint stiffness in horses are two of the most common afflictions treated by veterinary acupuncturists.

Animal acupuncture has gained acceptance among vets mainly because it works.

By the way, this is pretty good evidence that the benefits of acupuncture are not simply due to the placebo effect. Since the animals have no knowledge that the treatment is supposed to help them feel better, improvement can’t be attributed to that expectation.

Hopefully, more people will recognize this and lend a little more credence to acupuncture as an effective therapy for both themselves and their animal friends.