Alternative Medicines

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband as you work through his diagnosis and find his pathway to healing.

Physical therapy to increase/maintain spinal range of motion is the most common treatment for this condition, in addition to treatment for pain and inflammation. You mentioned that he is already on pain medication, but you may want to talk to his doctor about natural compounds that may help to address pain and inflammation such as turmeric, white willow, boswellia and ginger. However, he should not begin any supplements without discussing it with his doctor first, especially since he is already taking prescription medications.

In addition, he may want to follow an anti-inflammation diet (for more information, see Battling Inflammation with Food).

God Bless.

Here are a couple of sites that give more basic information on nosebleeds (medically referred to as epistaxis), causes and traditional treatments:
http://www.medicinenet.com/nosebleed/article.htm
http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/003106all.htm

There are some natural compounds that support normal blood clotting, healthy blood vessels, and wound healing that may be helpful. Talk to your husband’s doctor about how these may fit into his regimen, especially if he is currently taking medications.

• Vitamin C helps maintain blood vessels, and a deficiency is associated with epistaxis.
• Vitamin K helps the blood clotting process. It can be found in green leafy vegetables and other produce. (But watch vitamin K intake if on anticoagulant medications)
• Vitamin E can be applied topically inside the nose as a lubricant to dry airways, and taken orally is also useful as it is a natural anti-inflammatory. (But Vitamin E is more likely to increase the risk of bleeding in patients on anticoagulant medications.)
• Zinc is a natural wound healer.
• Grape seed extract, bilberry and quercitin are loaded with bioflavonoids, which help to strengthen the blood vessel walls.
• Astringent herbs such as agrimony, yarrow and witch hazel can be used topically to address the bleeding.

God Bless.

It is not uncommon for blood pressure readings to be lower in the morning; blood pressure is usually at its lowest late at night and early in the morning, and highest before noon.

The difference in your readings is fairly large, though. A drop of more than 40mmHg/points in the top number from your usual blood pressure may possibly be regarded as hypotension, or low blood pressure. But, hypotension is usually only considered a problem when there are symptoms that accompany it, such as dizziness or weakness. With morning low blood pressure it is often recommended to take a few deep breaths before getting out of bed, and to get up slowly to avoid these problems.

Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms or to see if you need monitoring.
God Bless

The use of Lisinopril (a thiazide diuretic) is commonly associated with loss of electrolytes, most significantly potassium but also sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and magnesium. You may want to talk to your doctor about how the medication could be affecting your electrolyte condition before trying to increase your sodium levels through other means.
God Bless

While we can’t recommend anything to specifically replace your medication, there are some natural lifestyle changes that may help address your high blood pressure:

• Exercise regularly (search “exercise” on this site for tips)
• Increase potassium and magnesium intake – fresh produce is often a good source
• Decrease sodium intake – pay careful attention to food labels
• Eat flavonoid-rich foods, such as dark chocolate (small amounts), olive oil and produce
• Eliminate caffeine; try hibiscus tea instead, which may have blood pressure benefits
• Replace refined carbs with foods high in soy or low-fat milk protein
• Talk to your doctor about CoQ10 supplementation
• Relax! Try prayer, meditating, yoga, music

Also, do a search for “blood pressure” on this site, and see what articles are already written on the subject.

As always, take to your health care provider before beginning or changing your health regimen, especially as it affects your medication.

Our prayers are with you on your pathway to healing.
God Bless

While tremors can be symptoms of serious conditions like Huntington’s or Parkinson’s, there are also a number of other causes for tremors, including stress, overactive thyroid, low blood sugar, prescription drug side effects, caffeine, or even simply aging. It would be best for you to consult with a physician to determine what the underlying cause may be, and from there explore potential treatment plans, including nutritional support. Our prayers are with you – God bless.

Unfortunately Dr. Cherry is mostly retired from seeing patients, and is not able to recommend anyone in your area that he knows personally. Sometimes members of your church can be a good resource, as you'd be surprised at how many people pursue natural options for health. In addition, other members of our Pathway to Healing community who see this may provide a recommendation. God Bless and our prayers are with you on your journey to find a pathway to healing.

It sounds as if many of the issues you mentioned are related: prolactin, thyroid and human growth hormone (HGH) are all hormones produced by the pituitary gland, and imbalances or low amounts of one can often result in imbalances or low amounts of another, as well as weight gain. Considering all of these are connected to the pituitary, be sure your doctor has checked the overall health and functioning of this important gland.

You didn’t mention if it was type 1 or type 2, but diabetes is also a hormone (but not pituitary) related disease, and can be affected by or affect conditions such as hypothyroidism. Congratulations on managing your diabetes. For more suggestions in dealing with this challenge, search this site for the key words “diabetes” or “blood sugar.”

While we can recommend lifestyle steps to take, we do not advise doing or taking anything in place of medications prescribed by your doctor. Please discuss any recommendations on this site with your doctor to see if or how they fit into your overall health protocol.

Exercise
For all the problems you mentions, exercise is an important first step. It not only helps with weight management, it can also boost sluggish HGH production and control blood sugar levels. Search on this site for exercise guidelines and tips to start or maintain an exercise program.

Diet
Eating more lean protein and avoiding high-glycemic carbohydrates (refined flours, sugars, processed foods, etc.) can also help with your various conditions. Lean protein can supply essential amino acids, while the high-glycemic carbs bring on insulin spikes that inhibit HGH production and wreak havoc with your diabetes.

Sleep
The majority of HG is produced while you sleep, so be sure you are getting enough good quality sleep. For suggestions on achieving that, search this site for “sleep.”

Nutrients
A full spectrum nutritional supplement can help to support overall health and is a good place to start. With your vitamin D deficiency, look for one that contains at least 1500 IU vitamin D (such as Basic Nutrient Support®). In addition, some specific key nutrients that support thyroid/pituitary function include iodine, selenium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, copper, and zinc. The herbs ginseng and alfalfa and the amino acid L-Tyrosine may also be helpful.

Amino acids in general have been linked with the production and release of HGH, primarily L-Arginine, L-Ornithine, L-Lysine and GABA, and to a lesser extent, L-Glutamine, Glycine, and L-Tyrosine. Ask your doctor whether he/she would recommend that you take a high potency amino acid complex.

Good luck and God bless.

Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that can manifest itself in multiple body parts and organ systems, so every lupus patient is different, with different symptoms, risks and challenges. But underlying it all is inflammation and an overactive immune system, so we’ll start there.

Diet is an important first step in dealing with an inflammatory disease. You may want to read Battling Inflammation with Food, which offers guidelines for foods to avoid (saturated fats, trans fats, corn and soybean oil, refined carbohydrates, sugars, red meat and dairy) and those to add (elements of the Mediterranean Diet, such as oily fish, lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, bright-colored fruits, legumes, spices). An anti-inflammation diet has been shown to be beneficial for many people with lupus.

To ensure consistent optimal levels of some key nutrients found in the anti-inflammation diet, you may want to talk to your doctor about supplementing with the following:

• Omega-3 fatty acids, which have a strong anti-inflammatory effect as well as cardiovascular benefits (many lupus patients are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease)
• Vitamin D, which has also been linked to immune health
• The antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin B3, vitamin B12, vitamin B5, vitamin A, and selenium to help counter the inflammatory effects of oxidation.

Supporting a healthy immune system is the next step. There are a number of herbs, extracts and nutrients that may have an immune-balancing effect, such as astragalus root, probiotics, pomegranate and others. Please see Self-Destructive: Autoimmune Disorders and Balancing Your Immune System for more information and general suggestions for supporting your immune system.

In addition, based on your symptoms, you may have additional things you want to address, such as your joints or cardiovascular system. You can search for those terms on this website and see what is recommended or written about those specifically.

Also, if you are taking corticosteroids, calcium and vitamin K (along with vitamin D) can help to prevent bone loss. And, a magnesium deficiency is more common in those with lupus and is linked to muscle pain, so magnesium may be helpful as well.

A full spectrum nutritional complex such as Basic Nutrient Support® may be the most complete and convenient way to provide a strong nutritional foundation to support your health, with additional products added as needed.

Of course, before starting any supplements, be sure to discuss them with your physician to see how they would fit into your overall treatment plan. God Bless.

What a blessing that you are now cancer free! Our prayers are with you for continued good health.

As for the metoprolol, its main function is to lower hypertension/high blood pressure so it is not surprising that it is having that effect, but as you are aware, blood pressure that is too low can be a problem as well, producing the symptoms you have described. Eliminating the need for the medication by addressing the actual problem of increased heart rate is an ideal goal.

The best place to start achieving this naturally is through lifestyle steps such as engaging in regular moderate to vigorous exercise; finding ways to relax and de-stress; avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and nicotine; reducing sodium intake; and eating a heart healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet.

Next, you may want to rule out common nutritional deficiencies that may be playing a role, such as:
• Magnesium naturally improves the rhythm of the heart and can control a rapid heart rate, and is often found to be low in people with high resting heart rate.
• Potassium is crucial to heart function and the contraction of the heart muscles

If they haven’t already been checked, ask your physician to test for blood levels of these two key electrolytes, and if they are low, discuss supplementation.

You should also make sure other underlying conditions that may be the cause. Two that come to mind are:
• Anemia, which is very common after during/after chemotherapy. With anemia the heart has to work harder to deliver the oxygen, which can increase heart rate.
• Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, which also causes rapid heart rate.

These both can be tested with a simple blood test as well; anemia can often be remedied with iron supplements, but hyperthyroidism is more complicated to treat.

Hopefully one or more of these will put you on the path to a natural solution. God Bless.

If you have the “old” formula of Cardiovascular Support, it is possible the Chinese Hawthorne may interfere with the effects of Digoxin. In general, the ingredients in the new formula should not counteract the medication, but because they may act in a similar way, your dosage may need to be more closely monitored in case they need to be lowered. As always, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider when adding or changing your supplements, especially if you are on prescription medications for a diagnosed condition. God Bless.

Long popular in other countries, Kombucha tea is now gaining popularity in the United. States. It is made by fermenting sweetened black tea with a culture of yeasts and bacteria, and can be bought commercially or made at home.

While Kombucha tea has been promoted as a detoxifying and immunity-boosting elixir that can strengthen the body against many ailments, there does not appear to be evidence to support the health claims. Some animal studies have indicated antioxidant and immunity potential, but no human studies have been published in the available scientific literature yet.

There also may be potential problems with drinking Kombucha tea, depending on how it is produced and how much you drink. Since cultures and preparation of the yeast and bacteria vary, Kombucha tea may contain contaminants such as molds and fungi. After the tea is fermented, it is usually highly acidic and contains alcohol, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, and lactate, which could lead to acidosis if consumed excessively.

At this point, it appears that Kombucha tea can be enjoyed as an occasional drink as long as it is prepared hygienically, but as always, ask your healthcare practitioner, especially if you have any medical conditions (pregnancy, immune disorders, etc.) that may be of concern.

B vitamins, magnesium calcium, inositol, choline, phosphatidyl serine and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) all support nerve health/function and been shown to be helpful for nerve pain and neuropathy, so you may want to start by taking a complete nutritional supplement that contains all of these (such as Basic Nutrient Support®).

There are also natural compounds such as white willow bark, turmeric root, bromelain, Indian frankincense and hops fruit extract (all found in Duramet) that address inflammation and pain.

As always when dealing with medical conditions, please consult your healthcare professional before beginning or changing a supplement program.

God Bless

Here are some vitamins, herbs and nutrients that strengthen and support the nerve cells, tissues and membranes:

B vitamins, specifically B12 and B1
Inositol and choline, which work in similar fashion to the B vitamins.
Phosphatidylserine
Fish oils
Holy basil
St Johns Wort

There are natural substances that have anticoagulant (blood thinning) activity, but drugs like Coumadin, Plavix and others are prescribed to "thin" the blood in order to prevent the formation of or to dissolve blood clots. If you're taking prescribed drugs for clots, you definitely should not go off them suddenly. If you want to try natural products together with anticoagulant drugs, do so only under the supervision of your physician.

A number of natural substances have been shown to act as blood thinners: Garlic extract, grape seed/skin extract, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, tocotrienol complex, ginger, feverfew and ginkgo.

Although these products may thin the blood, that doesn't mean you can substitute them for prescription blood thinners. Their effectiveness hasn't been compared to pharmaceutical blood thinners, and there's no available information on the dosages required to reproduce the effects of Coumadin or Plavix.

If you do decide to use one of these substances in conjunction with anticoagulant drugs - to possibly lower your dose of that medication - you have to be extremely careful that you're not getting too much blood-thinning activity. A major side effect of Coumadin and other anticoagulant medications is an increased risk of bleeding. Because natural substances with blood-thinning activity may also carry this side effect, taking them together with anticoagulant drugs may further increase the risk of bleeding. For these reasons, if you're taking an anticoagulant drug along with a natural blood thinner, do so only under the supervision of your physician, who can monitor your bleeding and clotting times.

Please check out Aloe Vera plant or juice for help. Also possibly tea tree oil casteel soap to shower. Detox tea
may also help in addition. I am not a doctor but prefer to
use natural alternatives if available. And drink lots of
water for cleansing. Above all pray for answers, God will direct you. Good Luck and May God bless *

Dr. James R. Overman, Naturopath has a website: precisionherbs.com He has helped many with concerns of Morgellons Disease. His book: Overcoming Parasites Naturally- on page 177 -discusses Morgellons Disease.

Please check out Dr. James Overman's website: precisionherbs.com. He has helped many -with herbs and natural ways, when conventional doctors have failed. He has a clinic in Ohio -Overman's Healthy Choices. He is an educator and his stepson Eric Pierce works with him.

I HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 YRS. YOU NEED TO BUILD UP IMUNE SYSTEM AND CLEAN ENVIROMENT. YOU CAN CONTACT ME . I HAVE 2 YEARS OF RESEARCH ON MY DESK. DRS. CANNOT HELP YOU. I SPENT SO MUCH MONEY TRYING TO GET WELL. SO HAS EVERYONE ELSE. THE LYMES SITES AND MORGELLONS WILL BE OF HELP. SEVALDEZ@COMCAST.NET.

Here are a couple of websites you may want to look at:

http://www.morgellons.org/index.html

http://www.morgellons-disease-research.com/Morgellons-Message-Board/

Our prayers are with you and your husband in battling this terrible disease. God bless.