Ram Dass: Fierce Grace

If interested in sprituality and health - and if you're reading this, that'd surely be you - a film that you may wish to consider seeing at your earliest opportunity is "Ram Dass: Fierce Grace."

Here's the Wikipedia entry on Ram Dass.

A link from the same site to the film.

Though the film played theatrically in St. Louis only briefly, with a stint at Webster University's Film Series several years back, the good news is that the documentary is available via Netflix, as both a hard copy send to your house, or as an on-demand view.

The next time in the office, be sure to ask Dr. Duckworth about his own studies with Baba Ram Dass.

Fall and Allergies

(From NLTC) According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, ragweed season officially begins August 15th. It is estimated that over 36 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies.

Some ragweed facts: each ragweed plant produces about one billion pollen grains per season. Grains can travel up to four hundred miles due to their lightweight texture. Ragweed is most prevalent in the Northeast, the South and the Midwest and can grow almost anywhere. Americans with allergies miss 3.8 million days of work and or school each year.

What can you do if you suffer from allergies? Meridian Therapy Acupuncture is a wise place to start. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), allergies, through clinical trials, are successfully treated with acupuncture. Through years of clinical practice here at Natural Life Therapy Clinic we know this to be true.

Some homeopathic medicines and Vitamin C, which are virtually free of adverse side effects, can be helpful in reducing allergy symptoms, especially in conjunction with Meridian Therapy Acupuncture.

Vitamin C acts as a antihistamine, has anti-inflammatory effects and tends to enhance immune system functioning. Vitamin C is generally ascorbic acid so if you have a sensitive digestive system you may want to take Ester-C, which is derived from calcium carbonate and tends not to cause any digestive upset. Dosage varies for each person, but a relatively safe adult dosage taken for allergies for one to two weeks would be 1,000mg two to three times daily and sometimes higher if the patient is being guided by a health practitioner. If you are taking any medication you should always first consult with a properly trained licensed health care practitioner before taking supplements.

We recommend Sinusin or Luffeel Homeopathic nasal spray by BHI/Heel for allergies. Sinusin spray can be used for both allergies and other sinus problems, and, in addition, has anti-viral properties. Luffeel is generally used for typical hay fever conditions. We find both to be quite helpful with allergy symptoms and can be used three times daily, or more, with no adverse side effects. We also recommend Allergy tabs by BHI/HEEL in conjunction with the nasal spray.

These BHI products can be purchased at Neels Pharmacy (8 Crestwood Executive Center on Watson Road).

Your body is a natural miracle. It deserves your attention in helping to get stronger and healthier.

Happy Fall everyone!

Marijuana and Health Care Reform, Linked and Debated

While many will think of Montel Williams and immediately assume MW = mediocre daytime talk programming, his work with Air America has a decidedly different feel.

Recently, he spoke about the impact of marijuana legalization on the health care reform debate and was joined by Congressman Ron Paul, among others. Interesting conversation here.

Patient Spending on Alt. Medicine Examined

Some interesting news from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Among the findings:

Approximately 38 percent of adults use some form of CAM (complementary or alternative medicine) for health and wellness or to treat a variety of diseases and conditions, according to data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)³. The CAM component of the NHIS was developed by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data provide estimates of the cost of CAM use, the frequency of visits made to CAM practitioners, and frequency of purchases of self-care CAM therapies.

"With so many Americans using and spending money on CAM therapies, it is extremely important to know whether the products and practices they use are safe and effective," said Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of NCCAM. "This underscores the importance of conducting rigorous research and providing evidence-based information on CAM so that health care providers and the public can make well-informed decisions.

Here's a link to the full report.

Ode Magazine: Laughter Issue

Dr. Duckworth recommends Ode Magazine as a part of your regular cultural intake.

The current issue is dedicated to Laughter and it's been getting some rave reviews.

Click here to read about all about it, while previewing the cover, which features President Obama's grandmother Sarah, in full smile.

Homegrown

Last fall, the St. Louis International Film Festival ran a program called "Homegrown," a 52-minute film on the Dervaes family of Pasedena, CA. Going "off-the-grid" the family of four (think: dad and three adult children) have created a urban farm like few others, turning a fraction of land into a remarkable oasis of healthy food production.

Though unable to embed the video directly here, some interesting clips exist online.

Here's an interview with director Robert McFalls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3E3ldklqS0

Here's a 10-minute clip from the Dervaes family, part of an extensive group of clips they've posted to the web:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q&videos=ZTQT6twWWQM&playnext_from=TL&playnext=1

If you can't find a copy of Homegrown (and they are hard to track), then enjoy the YouTube clips and enjoy the Dervaes family's remarkable story. In fact, here's a link to their primary webpage:
http://www.pathtofreedom.com/

Dr. Duckworth: Vacation

For those looking to book an appointment with Dr. Duckworth, note that he'll be out of the office for a short period, beginning later this week.

Out of the office: Thursday, July 23.
Back in the office: Thursday, July 30.

Acupuncture and Menopause - Weds., July 22

Acupuncture and Menopause
Wednesday, July 22
6:30 - 8:00 p.m., $5
with Jason Hackler, Dipl.Ac (NCCAOM), L.Ac., DOM (NM)

This class will look at how Acupuncture and Meridian Therapy, a 3,000 year old integrated health care system, can successfully address menopausal issues. The class will include a brief historical overview of Acupuncture and Meridian Medicine and several successful case studies, illustrating its effectiveness in treating menopausal symptoms. Treatment approach and protocol, diet and possible herbs/supplements will also be discussed. Jason has been studying Meridian Therapy and Kototama Medicine since 1994. Licensed as Doctor of Oriental Medicine, he is presently Senior Associate of Natural Life Therapy Clinic and Project Director of the not-for-profit Institute of American Acupuncture and Life Medicine, treating the less fortunate of the metro area.

Whole Foods
Town and Country
1160 Town and Country Crossing
Town and Country, MO 63017
(636) 527-1160

One Dime at a Time

Whole Food Groceries has a "One Dime at a Time" program whereby customers who bring their own shopping bags are offered a refund of 10 cents per bag or the customer can designate the refund to go to a designated non-profit organization. The Whole Foods located at 141 & Clayton (Town and Country Crossings Shopping Center) has designated Institute of American Acupuncture & Life Medicine (IAALM) to be the benefactor for the months of July, August and September.

As most of you know, IAALM is a not for profit service organization run and staffed by Jason Hackler and myself. We provide free low-cost health care to indigent members of our community. We operate solely through goodwill donations, thus any donation coming through Whole Foods is vitally important. So, when you shop at the Whole Foods in West County reuse your own bags and help us provide the same health care to less fortunate as is provided at Natural Life Therapy Clinic. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Thomas Duckworth D.K.M. L.Ac.
Jason Hackler L.Ac.
Mallory Reed
Sharon Reed