Most people understand that if they have health issues there are causes of those health issues. Yet when it comes to chronic symptoms, the goal of much of the populace including modern medicine appears to be simply to cover up or suppress symptoms rather than take the time to dig a little deeper. This is entirely understandable; most people lead hectic lives, overloaded with work and family responsibilities, so who has the time to ferret out the cause? Yet by not taking this time and care, we find ourselves living in a world riddled with ever-growing numbers of degenerative diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. We pop the Ibuprofen, Prozac, and Pepcid for decades without a second thought, and then wonder why we have become so degenerate as we age!
Enter in more holistic approaches, such as naturopathic or functional medicine. Whereas conventional medicine is often more aligned with a quick-fix, one-size-fits-all approach, naturopathic or functional medicine is entirely individually based. While two people may show up with symptoms of menopause, for example, careful questioning and testing may reveal different causes. One patient may have a sluggish and “overloaded” liver, preventing proper elimination of hormones, and the other may be suffering from years of stress and adrenal exhaustion causing premature and exaggerated hormone depletion. Both would be treated differently.
As another common example, migraines have many different potential causes. These may include long-term neck (cervical spine) or brain trauma due to previous car accidents or sports injuries, hypoglycemia or low blood sugar issues, hormonal imbalances, high stress or poor ergonomic sitting posture causing tight traps or neck muscles, or the overconsumption of NutraSweet (Aspartame)-containing diet products. Most of these people at a conventional doctor’s office or pharmacy would simply be advised to take pain medication to relieve the migraine pain.
At Vital Health, we are a bit like health detectives. We spend considerable time with a patient, asking many questions, and using extensive questionnaires that point to potential sources. We utilize functional testing methods to reveal underlying nutritional deficiencies and organ malfunction. We may use labs, including blood, hair mineral analysis, stool, saliva, or urine tests. Finally, we create personalized care plans for each patient, that may include herbal formulas, nutritional supplements, diet recommendations, targeted detoxification and weight loss programs, or acupuncture.
Why acupuncture? Acupuncture and Chinese medicine use a different set of methods than naturopathic or functional medicine to uncover and treat the root cause of symptoms. From a Chinese medical viewpoint, energy called “Qi” (pronounced “Chee”) normally flows through specific pathways or channels along the body. If a channel is blocked, too slow, too fast, or reversed, the energy necessary to enervate the organs or tissue is compromised, leading to malfunction or disease. Acupuncture works to unblock or restore the energy flow and balance, enabling the body to heal and recover.
At Vital Health, we aim to treat the root causes, so you can get well, stay well, and feel great again.
©2022 Darcy Greenwald, M.S.O.M., L.Ac. and Vital Health
