The Aroma Spa Experience

by Lisa Adele Rojas, LMT, herbalist and aromatherapist

(Appeared in edited form in the January 2011 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Imagine coming in from the cold and entering a serene hot springs spa. In the air is a blissful blend of orange, eucalyptus, lemon grass and clove. You take a deep breath in and feel a fresh note of positivity. Then, as you walk to your awaiting hot mineral tub room filled with your choice of aroma, you are drawn into a meditative state. You undress and immerse yourself in a luxurious aroma bath, and aromatherapy takes its course.

Aromatherapy stimulates and restores the mind with aromatic oils extracted from the life force of plants. They relieve anxiety, lessen fatigue and encourage relaxation by being absorbed through the skin and carried by the circulatory system throughout the body. In warm water, these natural oils from flowers and plants help the skin release toxins, absorb nutrients and retain moisture while the hot spring water increases circulation and causes detoxification.

It is the chemistry of an essential oil that determines its therapeutic properties. Two examples of the molecules are esters and alcohols. Esters are anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and have an immediate reaction on the central nervous system, both calming and uplifting. Lavender, Clary sage, and Bergamot are among this chemical group used for eliminating restlessness and anxiety. Alcohols, found in Tea Tree, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus are vitalizing, detoxifying and have strong anti-infectious, anti fungal and antiviral properties. Their pharmacological activity has been studied extensively and is confirmed by clinical aromatherapists. Even immunity may be strengthened with oils such as Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Rosemary.

After your bath, can you see yourself entering a steam room filled with invigorating and purifying Eucalyptus? When inhaled essential oil fragrances are absorbed through blood circulation and nerve pathways from the sinuses into the central glands of the brain, which control emotional, neurological and immunological functions. When added to steam, essences become specific medicines for respiratory conditions and headaches. For example, mucolytic essences of Eucalyptus or Rosemary aid in alleviating stubborn congestion. Perfect for relieving a stuffy head or just the tension of the day.

So far the aroma spa visit has been successful in clearing old energy and toxins. Breathing is deeper and non-useful mental activity is slower. You are now ready to further your treatment by relieving body pain. When used as a massage or moisturizing oil minute quantities are absorbed through the skin, reducing muscle tension and pain, enhancing circulation, ridding the body of infection and improving skin conditions. Silky soft oil rubbed over the body by nurturing hands or with hot stones helps you remain calm, toned and balanced. You have done well; your body and mind are grateful.

The aroma spa journey you just experienced is the “Signature Special” at Steamboat Hot Springs: an Aroma Oil Bath with Signature Massage. At Steamboat, we recognize the quintessential therapeutic properties of essential oils. Visitors can have them added to their thermal baths, steam or massage therapy. Wonderful treatments for the fall and winter to help prevent and overcome sickness and stress. Look for our “Aroma of the Month,” a skillful blend to enhance our renowned mineral waters for respiratory and immune support, emotional balance, stress relief, or for a natural and soft fragrance experience.

References:

Lisa Adele Rojas, herbalist and aromatherapist with a bachelor’s degree in Herbal Sciences from Bastyr University and a practicing LMT at Steamboat Hot Springs.

www.rjbuckle.com

Myofascial Release with Sonatherapy

(Appeared in the November 2010 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Have you been told that you have to “just have to live with pain” or that the pain “is all in your head?” Have you altered your lifestyle because of pain (unable to socialize, care for your children, work, exercise, etc.)? Do you feel exhausted and run down much of the time? Have you visited a chiropractor or acupuncturist with little success, tried different pain medications or injections, or even had surgery? If these scenarios sound familiar, you may find relief from Myofascial Release.

Myofascial Release offers a non-invasive, medication-free alternative for resolving pain and other symptoms. It is a safe, effective massage technique in which focused, sustained pressure is directed to the connective tissue to cause it to elongate, eliminating pain and restoring motion.

Fascia is a layer of fibrous tissue that permits movement within the human body. It penetrates and surrounds muscles, bones, organs, nerves, blood vessels and other tissues. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a group of separate coverings, it is one continuous structure that extends from head to toe. Each part of the body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like yarn in a sweater. Myo means “muscle,” and myofascial refers to fascia that wraps and shields the muscular tissues.

Trauma, inflammation and surgical procedures create myofascial restrictions that can produce tensile pressures as much as 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain-sensitive areas. Many people who suffer with pain and lack of motion may have fascial problems, and most go undiagnosed.

Conditions that can benefit from myofascial release are chronic back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, dizziness, vertigo, fibromyalgia, headache, plantar fasciitis, post-polio symptoms, TMJ (jaw) dysfunction, women’s reproductive issues, toxicity and whiplash.

Myofascial Release is among several types of massage offered at Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa. Here the technique is based on trigger points that are linked to acupoints and meridians, networks that extend all the way down to the cytoplasm within the cells. Clients can experience a Sonatherapy™ session administered by Dr. Gary Buchanan, with Michael Tamburello doing Myofascial Release (Sona II).

During Sonatherapy, sound, light, color and geothermal hydrotherapy are combined with Myofascial Release, bringing relief with vibrational inductions and entrainments. Myofascial release techniques are available with our other massage therapists as well, when a particular injury or pain pattern is being treated. Geothermal hydrotherapy combined with these massage techniques offers an exceptionally effective treatment.

Sonatherapy combines a geothermal mineral bath, pulsed color and sound bioresonance, followed by a session of Myofascial Release. Our combination of Sonatherapy and Myofascial Release allows a more complete relief because primary problems and secondary associated symptoms and related dysfunctions are also addressed. Thus, in three to four hours, a client can experience the best vibrational and comprehensive therapies available for their very real and protracted pains.

References:

Barnes, John F. Myofascial Release: The Search for Excellence. Rehabilitation Services Inc. 1990.

Barnes, John F. Healing Ancient Wounds: The Renegade’s Wisdom. M F R Treatment Centers & Seminars. June, 2000.

Davis, Carol. Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation. Slack, Inc. October, 2008.

MicroNeedling with DermaRoller™:
A Natural Method for Rejuvenating Skin 

by César A. Maúrtua, MD, Anesthesiologist and Integrative Medical Practitioner

(Appeared in the July 2010 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Microneedling is a simple, relatively new concept that can make the skin look younger by reducing lines, scars and discoloration. Applying tiny micro-punctures to the skin with fine needles stimulates the body’s natural healing response, promoting the proliferation of skin cells and the production of collagen. It is also known as Collagen Induction Therapy, but there is significantly more to it than that.

The microneedling concept was conceived in the 1990s in Germany, where the devices are now manufactured under the Dermaroller™ trademark. A Dermaroller consists of surgical stainless steel microneedles that are precisely imbedded in a small drum-like device that looks much like a tiny lawn aerator. It was originally created for medical indications, but other uses for the device were subsequently identified and imitators of the concept soon followed.

The Medical Dermaroller comes in several sizes, to treat a variety of skin conditions. Studies show that it reduces acne, scarring, stretch marks, oiliness, hyperpigmentation, cellulite and enlarged pores. Because the microneedles of the Dermaroller penetrate the outer layer of the skin, the procedure can dramatically increase the effectiveness of skin treatments such as topical hormone medications, serums, creams and gels.

The Medical Dermaroller procedure requires a topical anesthesia due to the depth at which the microneedles of the medical device penetrates the skin. These devices are designed for single treatments only, by a qualified medical provider who has been trained in their use.

Around four to five days after undergoing the Medical Dermaroller procedure, the client begins follow-up treatments with a Home Dermaroller, which helps to accelerate, stimulate, thicken and rejuvenate the skin. The Home Dermaroller has a shallower penetration, so it does not require topical anesthesia and this phase can be done at home by the client.

The client simply rolls the Home Dermaroller on the skin two to three times per week, as instructed, to accomplish a particular goal. Generally, the client should only feel a prickly sensation and there is rarely any pain. The Home Dermaroller is easily cleaned and, depending on the amount of skin area that is being covered, can be reused up to 150 times over the next year or so.

To date, more than 275,000 medical cosmetic procedures were performed worldwide without complications. With appropriate training, safeguards and preparation, the Dermaroller is a safe and effective tool that can help persons of all ages, complexions and races to achieve dramatic results in skin restoration.
Dermaroller™ services are offered at Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa in Reno.

References:

Banga, AK et al. New Technologies to Allow Transdermal Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins and Small Water-Soluble Drugs. Am J Drug Deliv 2006; 4 (4): 221-230.

Guohua, L. et al. Microchannels created by sugar and metal microneedles. Journal of Pharmaceutical Science 2009; 99 (4);1931-41.

Prausnitz, M. The Mechanics of Microneedles. Proceedings of the second Joint EMBS Conference, Houston, Tx, Oct.23-26, 2002.

Fabbrocini, G et al. Acne scar treatment using skin needling. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2009; 34:874-79.

Modern Healing from the Farmer’s Friend

by Dr. Thomas Stearns Lee, NMD, APH

(Appeared in the May 2010 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) is an ancient method of treating chronic pain and encouraging the healing process. The bee employed is the domesticated honeybee, as other bees and wasps don’t seem to work as well. Done well by either a doctor or an angry bee, the sting works wonders with painful conditions such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, fractures, and sciatica.

Why would someone want to get stung to reduce their pain? They wouldn’t, unless they had reliable advice that it worked. Not all pain is the same, and when you have long-term deep aching pain from arthritis or slow-healing injuries, you might be glad to swap that for some short local stings. In fact, the bee sting used as a clinical dose is not very painful at all. More discomfort is reported with the itchiness on the second day after treatment. An ice cube will treat either situation effectively.

How does this work? Bee venom injected into the top layers of skin stresses the local nerves, which quickly send a signal to the brain. The brain learns from stress and trauma to toughen up and minimize the stress from recurrent trauma.

Those who have been stung in the wild know that the many biochemicals within bee venom are powerful stimulants of major physiological responses.

The use of stress, rest, and cycles of recovery are methods of training any living system. Athletes train with exercise, food, and rest intervals to increase functional abilities. All therapies apply similar principles of stressing a body system to allow the body to become stronger to restore normal abilities and activities.

Chronic neurological diseases are heartbreakingly common in our aging society. The causes of these are numerous and controversial, as are the treatments and therapies used to get relief. For complex and advanced conditions involving this terrible decline in function and life quality, consider locating an experienced bee venom therapist or “apitherapist.” The American Apitherapy Society is a helpful resource.
The American Apitherapy Society has done significant research that suggests BVT is a proven strengthening therapy for symptoms of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. Like many natural and folk medicines, BVT needs continued research to show benefits for the general public.

The fact is that Bee Venom Therapy does help many people who have not found relief elsewhere. It is safe, natural, inexpensive, and often produces better results than conventional drugs. If you face a serious illness, consider bee venom therapy in addition to the best medical care you can access. Keep in mind that the location of stings, their number, and the recovery interval are important variables. Don’t let the hive arrange your diagnosis and treatment – see an experienced and trained provider of this therapy.

References:

Beck, F. Bodog, MD. Bee Venom Therapy: Bee Venom, Its Nature, and Its Effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions, 1935. Hardcover reprint in 1984. Also published as The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy, soft cover, 1997.

Broadman, Joseph., MD. Bee Venom: The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism, 1962. Soft cover reprint: Bee Venom Therapy, 1997.

Kim, Christopher, MD. Bee Venom Therapy and Bee Acupuncture Therapy, 1992. A medical textbook for physicians and acupuncturists in Korean and English.

A detailed protocol for BVT can be found at www.naturodoc.com/bvt.htm

Sonatherapy for Body, Mind and Spirit

by Dr. Thomas S. Lee, Naturopathic Physician and Homeopathic Practitioner

(Appeared in the November 2009 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Sonatherapy™ is a new application of “energy medicine” or “vibrational healing” being developed at Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa in Reno, Nev. This is an exciting modern application of several ancient sciences of human health used to benefit the complex ailments seen today in this community.

In Sonatherapy, the body is exposed to specific frequencies of sound using various means. Through water baths or electronic applicators, these energies produce beneficial effects upon human body tissue or organ systems. The sound frequencies are grouped into chords of waveforms designed by practitioners to create specific shapes and patterns.

These sessions also include light therapy in specific color wavelength ranges and frequencies, as well as supportive methods such as aromatherapy and deep tissue massage. Optionally, sessions are preceded by hydrotherapy in the pristine geothermal spring water at Steamboat.

A session results in a powerful re-entrainment of the body’s normal balance of rhythm in the affected area. This work can bring an injured or diseased body part to a higher level of health and vitality. For those already healthy, it contributes better tone and relaxation. These effects are reported by test subjects and observed in vital sign comparisons.

How does it work?
Most ancient societies have taught that natural forces can promote health and vitality. Sunlight, air, water, and fluctuations of temperature and sound were added to nutrition and cycles of exercise and rest as the best methods of promoting health. These early medical arts were considered vitalistic. They each described health as a dynamic and interconnected balance among these same forces. Today many scientists describe health as including bioelectrical balance. They notice living things respond to certain sounds, light, and magnetic fields with either good or ill effects. Despite the many differences between us, those responses are very similar.

Sonatherapy sessions bring a resonance to the targeted tissues or regions of the body. In Dr. Buchanan’s groundbreaking work, SONA: Healing with Wave Front BIOresonance, the steady growth of this field of sound therapy is chronicled and described. That material shows that optimal frequencies and sonic arrays have been studied by teams of dedicated researchers worldwide for several decades. Together, they have developed these for the entrainment of most known optimal functions of the body and mind.

Why consider Sonatherapy?
Sonatherapy, if applied well and in a timely manner, can help overcome pain, and restore ranges of motion to hurtful joints. It can be used to safely increase one’s level of wellness and fitness as well. A session might help you turn the corner after a tough cold or flu, or it might help you sidestep an infection after being exposed to sick people. These sessions are non-invasive, so you would not need to discontinue any prescribed medication or therapy, if these were felt to be needed.

The Sonatherapy waveform combinations, also termed “Wave Front BIOresonance Codes” are proven to benefit many common complaints. Dozens of case studies have been compiled and published by Steamboat’s Director of Research, Dr. Gary Robert Buchanan, in his book SONA: Healing with Wave Front BIOresonance. Currently, the Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa in Reno is the only location in the U.S. that offers Sonatherapy and provides authorized training for facilitators.

References:
1. Buchanan, Gary Robert. SONA: Healing with Wave Front BIOresonance, 2008, www.communityguilds.org/sona.html
2. The Sona Blog at synergeticenergies.com/BB/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5

Natural Medicine Can Help You Get Off Drugs

By Thomas S. Lee, NMD, APH

(Appeared in Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Pain, anxiety and depression can be problems for anyone and many resort to prescription medications to alleviate their symptoms. All time high pharmaceutical sales and profits bear witness to this.

It’s important to remember that prescription drugs have a downside – especially their habitual use for chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, the long-term or uninformed use of such pharmaceuticals can involve huge risks: high costs, dangerous side-effects, complex interactions with other drugs, depletion of vital nutrient reserves, buildup of metabolic toxins, lack of appropriate medical treatment due to misdiagnosis because drugs mask symptoms – and, of course, addiction.

If a patient is taking several medications for various physical complaints, the possible interactions and complications between these drugs can be confusing to the most experienced pharmacists and specialists. If your doctor claims to understand these biochemical and physiological complexities completely, it might be worth a second or third opinion.

Naturopathic medicine teaches that our bodies are designed to become healthy if basic laws of health and healing are followed. Rather than using painkillers or anti-depressives to mask symptoms, you are asked to find and heal or restore balance to the root cause of your chronic pain, depression, or anxiety.

Pain relievers tend to stop working over time; worse, their chronic use decreases the body’s ability to heal and restore balance. Most pain-relievers work by stimulating the opiate receptor in the brain and adding an anti-inflammatory to decrease swelling and stiffness that comes with an injury or a wound. Inflammation can also be treated with natural medicines and nutrients. Medication and/or surgery are not your only options.

To learn about your options, search the internet for information on Bromelain, Papain, Serrapeptase, Traumeel, Boswellia, Turmeric, Aloe Vera, Willow Bark, Proteolytic Enzymes, Polyunsaturated Oils, Natural Anti-inflammatories, Vitamin D3 and MSM.

Discuss these with your health care professional for guidance.

Alkalize your body with foods, nutrients, and hygiene. Cider vinegar diluted with water, alkalizing fruits and vegetables, far-infrared saunas, cleanses, fasts and mono-diets, Himalayan crystal salt, hot springs hydrotherapy, enemas, colonic irrigations, herbal bathing, and various bowel tonics and cleansers are all available in this increasingly health-conscious and well-informed world. Exercise, bodywork and stretching may also help for pain. Most important, become proactive to eliminate the source of your pain, rather than taking drugs to shut the pain off.

Depression and anxiety drugs can be short-term lifesavers but long-term nightmares. Before taking them, search the following list for natural medicines that might help treat anxiety and depression naturally: L-Theanine, Bacopa, DL-Phenylalanine, St. John’s Wort (Hypericum), Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnate), L-Tyrosine, Omega-3 Oils, and Sam-E. Take time to learn about natural remedies and obtain direction from a trusted healthcare provider. If your problems are of long duration, work with an experienced physician or specialist medically trained in the use of natural medicines. If you are already taking prescription anti-depressants, do not combine these with natural remedies; moreover, NEVER modify your dosage, or stop taking your prescription without professional supervision.

Finally, prayer, meditation, inner reflection, and the worlds of artistic expression also offer tools you can use to address pain, anxiety and depression. Do not underestimate their potent power.

To turn around chronic pain and psychological suffering, you need to know and care for

yourself better than you do now. Inner growth and expanding awareness can result from your persistent efforts and courage, and those simply don’t come in pill form.

References:

1. Hochschuler, Stephen and Reznik, Bob. Treat Your Back Without Surgery: The Best Nonsurgical Alternatives for Eliminating Back and Neck Pain. Hunter House, 2002.

2. Lee, Thomas S., NMD. Tough Love for the Lover of Hydrocodone: Natural Options for Controlling Pain. Online at www.naturodoc.com, 2007.

3. Murray, Michael T, ND. Natural Alternatives to Over-The-Counter and Prescription Drugs. William Morrow & Co, 1999.

Sarsaparilla: A Cowboy Spring Tonic

By Dr. Thomas S. Lee, NMD, APH

(Appeared in Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

In 19th Century America, people used tonics, purgatives, and cleansers to treat not only themselves, but also their livestock and neighbors, to “eliminate poison from the blood and tissues, purify metabolic toxins left after a hard winter, and rehabilitate the body for the rest of the year.” These “medicines” were colorful and sometimes noxious remedies made from whatever plant, animal, and mineral products that were available. One of these —Sarsaparilla—is still popular today.

Sarsaparilla, or Zarzaparilla, is the common name of a tonic beverage decocted from the roots of the Smilax medica plant. The Spanish roots of the common name are sarza for “bramble” and parilla for “little vine.”  Most cowboy movies and TV shows from the 50s and 60s included “Sassparilla” on the saloon menu, along with rot-gut whiskey for wandering gunslingers and ranch hands. The two drinks have very opposite physical effects, so the next time you go to your saloon, knowing the herbal effects of sarsaparilla might make your choice easier.

Native to the jungles of Central America, the Smilax medica plant is a long green, thorny hardwood vine. Indian healers long ago found it surprisingly strengthening and energizing for those who brewed up the root and drank the extract.

Some History of the Tonic:

American cowboys and ranchers in the 1800’s learned of sarsaparilla from the Indian and Spanish peoples they worked with. The herb had been brought to Europe in the 16th century much earlier by returning Spanish soldiers as a cure for syphilis. This of course was not true; but with the plant’s general strengthening and energizing benefits, sarsaparilla was a useful and beneficial treatment for a many conditions.

In the mid-1800s in America, The patent medicine “quacks” claimed Sarsaparilla would improve everything that might ail a person. These were the M.D.’s of that era, known for their fondness for mercury, or “quicksilver” to cure anything and everything. Sarsaparilla was one of the relatively safer and effective patent remedies available.

The bestselling brand of sarsaparilla was Ayer’s, which became famous through massive advertising in 1841 by James Cook Ayer, an MD from the University of Pennsylvania. He began compounding remedies in the back room of his drugstore in Lowell, Mass. By 1870, he was advertising Sarsaparilla in 1,900 newspapers and magazines. He filled hundreds of thousands of bottles daily, labeled them with paper from his own mills, and shipped them to the entire world on his own railroad.

The Connecticut State Agricultural Station, after analyzing Ayer’s medicinal sarsaparilla and eight others, found them to be “of a most complex composition, containing not only sarsaparilla, but yellow dock, stillingia, burdock, licorice, sassafras, mandrake, buckthorn, senna, black cohosh, pokeroot, wintergreen, cascara, sagrada, cinchona bark, prickly ash, glycerin, iodides of potassium and iron, and alcohol.” Although each of these ingredients has medicinal properties, the Journal of the American Medical Association argued that sarsaparilla was “so compounded as to be useless, though generally harmless.” Note, however, at the time, that endorsements for mercury and heroin as cure-alls were also being sold.

What’s in Sarsaparilla?

The root of the Smilax medica plant contains biochemicals called saponins, which include phytosterols. Phyto means plant, and sterols are steroids in a plant or vegetable. Plant hormones are not identical to human hormones, but close enough so that the liver doesn’t have to work as hard to produce actual human hormones.

Smilax sterols are close to human testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. These hormones get depleted by many forces in stressful lives, and a plant sterol liquor, soup, or tea would feel like a tonic for anyone exhausted or injured. Smilax has been proven by herbalists and physicians to be an alterative, meaning a blood purifier, and an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to stressful conditions.

Since our hormones affect every tissue and organ, a list of hormone-like effects supported by plant sterols would be a long one. You might read that “sarsaparilla is good for gout, rheumatism, colds, fevers, and catarrhal problems, flatulence, skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, scrofula, ringworm, purifies the uro-genital tract, has tonic action on the sexual organs, and is said to excite the passions, making men more virile and women more sensuous….”  However, it should not be taken during pregnancy and lactation and should be avoided by men with prostate disorders, people with kidney disorders and those with sensitive stomachs.

How to Make It:

The Sarsaparilla saloon beverage was distilled from the root of Smilax medica. Since ancient healers and local farmers were not technically able to distill alcohol, their decoctions involved boiling the roots for hours, and then mashing them and mixing the soup with a sweetener and an energizer like cayenne pepper or chilies.

These additives were not only for taste. A sweetener would help the sterols be absorbed easily into the digestive system, and the pepper would increase the circulation in the membranes of the stomach and duodenum, helping the medicines be absorbed. Aztec stimulants of cacao were served as peppery aphrodisiac tonics for this same reason.

The Smilax root tastes bland and creamy. Make a mix like cocoa, mixing the powdered root and steeping it in hot non-scalded almond milk or rice milk for half an hour. Use about a tablespoon of powdered Smilax root per mug, and sweetening it to taste with agave nectar or honey. Add some Cayenne pepper to give it a little bite. Drink a mug of this hot  tonic every morning for a week when the seasons change and see what you think of Indian herbalism.

References:

1. www.nypress.com/19/31/news&columns/endgame.cfm

2. The Energetics of Western Herbs: A Materia Medica Integrating Western and Chinese Herbal Therapeutics by Peter Holmes, pg 692-694

3. www.herbalremedies.com/syphilis.html

4. www.smartbomb.com/090800000195.html

5. www.rubylane.com/shops/dolphinacollectibles/item/2114

Bee Venom THERAPY: How a Sting Can Be So Good

By Dr. Thomas S. Lee, NMD, APH

(Appeared in Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Our co-evolution with bees goes back to the earliest agricultural societies. Growing crops larger than those needed to feed a family allowed complex modern society and commerce to develop. It also required the systematic pollination efforts of the honey bee.

Over time, farming communities noticed that bees seemed to care for their caretakers, who would live longer and less painfully than their unstung neighbors. Words of mouth through large families went to the ill and hurting, who began to visit beekeepers for a chance to feel better through their bee stings. This was practiced for thousands of years wherever people grew crops.

What is Bee Venom Therapy?

Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) amplifies the interaction between the brain and an irritant in the skin. Everything else that could or should be going on at that point is amplified along with it. Biochemicals in the bee venom “shout” to the brain to “get the repair crew here right away and deal with these problems.” This works well in chronic disease where the brain has grown accustomed to constant pain and progressing weakness. Moments after the sting, we see the circulation improve, the skin warms up, and muscle reflexes quicken around the site of that sting for hours and sometimes days after a treatment.

Before the days of needles and syringes, live bees were either put onto the skin to sting, or patients were put near beehives which were then aggravated to coax the bees out to sting. Recently, jars of bees were stored in a freezer and sent home with people to be pulled out while the chilled bees were slower, to warm up under a glass placed where the sting was intended to be.

Trying to use live bees in a doctor’s office doesn’t work well as therapy. Good entertainment, however, when you must team up in shooing escapees out of the office. Modern clinical protocols involve injecting an average bee’s load of venom into a patient’s skin at relevant acupuncture, neural therapy, or dermatome points to stimulate their body. When done at proper intervals, BVT has been proven to strengthen and normalize the nerve and vital forces passing through and around that point. These “stings” help people get stronger and feel better.

Only honey bee venom that has been sterilized and dosed precisely for injection is used in therapy. Or, venom can be prepared as a lotion or ointment that meets federal regulatory standards for purity. The hive queen bee would laugh at these hygienic measures, but insect royalty doesn’t have to answer to a medical board. No treatment of venom goes deeper than the skin, or where a bee’s stinger can possibly reach. For those with dread of needles or no access to trained providers, effective bee venom ointments can be prescribed by licensed physicians who would train you in their safe use.

What is in Bee Venom?

Bee venom contains at least 18 active substances. Mellitin, the most prevalent substance, is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents known—100 times more potent than hydrocortisol. Adolapin is another strong anti-inflammatory that inhibits cyclooxygenase, one of the body’s most inflammatory enzymes. Many other specialized biochemicals are found in venom including Apamin, Compound X, Hyaluronidase, Phospholipase A2, Histamine, and Mast Cell Degranulating Protein (MCDP). These work to soften tissues and facilitate the flow of fluids. Also, there are measurable amounts of the neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Seratonin.

Does it Hurt?

A little bit, yes, and it’s a little itchy afterwards.

What’s it Good For?

Arthritis and other systemic inflammations. BVT can be useful in both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, helping both pain and swelling. Even systemic inflammations not related to joints, such as ulcerative colitis or even asthma, may warrant a trial of bee venom. The mechanism of action seems to be the stimulation of endogenous cortisol.

Acute and chronic injuries. Bursitis, tendonitis, and other areas of injury with local inflammation can benefit from BVT. Jaw neck and head pain responds well, as does chronic back and neck pain.

Scar tissue. Keloids and other scar tissues are broken down and softened by the hyaluronidase and other substances in the bee venom. These often respond by flattening out and fading in color. Internal scar tissue, such as adhesions from previous surgery, may respond to treatment over the area.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Many thousands of patients with MS have sought out bee venom therapists and beekeepers. The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America awarded a grant to Dr. John Santilli to prepare the venom in extract form to study its effect on MS patients. The treatment is prolonged and not for the squeamish, but the common responses are increased stability, less fatigue, and fewer spasms.

Who Should Avoid BVT?

People who are allergic to bees should certainly not consider BVT. Bee venom therapy is also not indicated for people who are heavily medicated for pain and inflammation, for current or recent users of steroids, and those unable or unwilling to inform themselves about how to make this therapy help them get better. Like any therapy, the results of BVT are not only related to the provider’s skill or the power of medicines used. The desire to heal and intention to understand and apply this method to heal is necessary for successful results.

That said, some medicines and therapies are better than others. Used well in the right situations, this is one of the best we have available. But be aware that any shutdown of the pathways of inflammation and pain with a drug or a toxin will affect one’s ability to heal. Inflammation and pain are both critical and powerful aspects of the human immune system. Naturopathic physicians want to train up that immune system and strengthen its power, not shut it off. Evidently, so do common honeybees.

References:

1. Beck, F. Bodog, MD. Bee Venom Therapy: Bee Venom, Its Nature, and Its Effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions, 1935. Hardcover reprint in 1984. Also published as The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy, soft cover, 1997.

2. Broadman, Joseph., MD. Bee Venom: The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism, 1962. Soft cover reprint: Bee Venom Therapy, 1997.

3. Kim, Christopher, MD. Bee Venom Therapy and Bee Acupuncture Therapy, 1992. A medical textbook for physicians and acupuncturists in Korean and English.

Therapy with Audible Sound

By Rebecca E. Willis

(Appeared in Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

When you mention audible sound as a healing modality, most people will think of Tibetan singing bowls, chanting or toning, the use of bells, or the Mozart Effect (music used as an essential tool for health). These therapies have a long history and there are many reports of effective therapeutic results.

According to Dr. Richard Gerber, the author of “Vibrational Medicine” we are now in the first pioneering stages of “Einstein Medicine.” This, of course, refers to the famous equation E=MC2, calculating the relationship between matter and energy.

Healing energy is expressed as a frequency. Our society has traditionally put most of its emphasis on the use of matter (such as chemicals in the form of drugs) as a primary healing modality. Today people are becoming increasingly aware of the harmful side effects from therapeutic approaches that are limited to the use of matter. Fortunately, the energy therapeutic or “Acoustic Therapy” modalities have not exhibited many detrimental side effects.

Each cell system within the body has an innate frequency for a healthy condition. Unhealthy cells have lost their healthy sound frequency and are, so to speak, singing out of tune. When the frequencies of health are played, cells will entrain to this frequency. This is like two tuning forks of the same frequency. When one fork is struck and begins to vibrate, the second tuning fork will entrain and also vibrate. When cells begin to vibrate to the frequency of health, they will gradually begin to return to health, and the body therefore heals itself.

This theory of sound can be applied to the body with the use of a machine that generates the appropriate frequency combinations through an applicator that is basically a small loudspeaker which can be held directly against the body. By combining five frequencies of sound, a three-dimensional wave front is produced. This combination of frequencies is called a commutation. The current technology has a repertoire of about 600 commutations.

A typical Acoustic therapy treatment includes a sequence of commutations selected to treat all aspects of a particular condition.

Treatments have proven to alleviate pain, and tissue damage, reduce scar tissue and regenerate cells. Using this therapy, traumatic injuries have been found to heal without any scar tissue. The length of a course of treatment will correlate directly with the length of time that the condition has existed. An injury which occurred within a week or two of treatment can be successfully treated with several sessions, while a chronic condition of long standing will require a more extensive series of treatments.

Several very interesting case studies have been reported involving the treatment of leg injuries in racehorses. The traditional treatments for a torn leg tendon involve 6 to 24 months of work. By using acoustic therapy, tendons have healed in 43 days with no scar tissue, and horses with this type of injury have been able to return to racing.

During the 45 or so years that this therapy has been practiced in England only a small handful of therapists have practiced in this country. With the advent and manufacturing of the equipment, combined with the availability of training, this exciting new therapy is beginning to grow in this country.

References:

1. A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine: Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation (Paperback) by Richard Gerber, MD, Harper Paperbacks (August 7, 2001)

2. Share International interview with Richrad Gerber by Edward Brown. http://www.share-international.org/archives/health-healing/hh_ebnewch.html