Join the hosts of the Natural Nurse and Doctor Z as they discuss Finding balance with traditional Chinese Herbal medicine: Exploring Yin, Yang, Qi, Blood & Jing tonics

On this edition of the Natural Nurse and Dr Z, hosts, Ellen Kamhi PHD, RN, AHN-BC, RH(AHG) and Dr. Eugene Zampieron, ND, AHG,  wteam up to present an interesting program discussing the properties of traditional Chinese herbal medicine from a chinese philosophical  perspective;

After defining the pathological states (heat, dampness, stagnation, wind, Invasion etc) according to Chinese medicine and the concepts of Yin, Yang, qi, blood and jing, The Natural Nurse and DrZ will discuss particular herbs that display these characteristics, which will inform listeners how to  put together simple formulas for achieving optimal wellness.

They will also discuss highlights of their next workshop & Ecotour to Chinatown in Manhattan, coming up  Sunday October 1st 2023, where the duo will lead participants on a guided tour of apothecaries in the hamlet of CHINATOWN.

INFO and REGISTRATION: 
https://www.naturalnurse.com/event/2023-fall-season-chinatown-herb-walk-tour-in-nyc/

To listen to this special edition, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestion, please use the comment section under this post or contact Ellen Kamhi.

You may also be interested in listening to HAIR ANALYSIS – What you can learn about your health with Dr. Zampieron ND & Ellen Kamhi Ph.D., RN in order to find out the type of toxins that have accumulated in your body. You can consult with Dr. Eugene Zampieron ND.

The main topic of discussion between Ellen Kamhi Ph.D., RN, AHG-RH, AHN-BC and Gary Adelman is the self-help tool to improve your performance by letting go unconscious habits of excess effort and tension. 

About Gary Adelman

Gary Adelman is a certified Alexander Technique teacher by the American Society for the Alexander Technique who has been in private practice in Glen Cove, NY for 29 years. Gary completed a 3 year , 1600 hour Alexander Technique teacher training program at the Alexander Technique Center,  followed by post-graduate study at the Alexander Technique School of Shaike Hermelin in Tel Aviv, Israel. Gary has taught this method at Princeton University, the Omega Institute and the Israeli Tennis Center, as well as giving numerous presentations at local libraries.

Contact: 

Phone 413 441 0517

Web:   www.alexandertechniquewithGary.com 

About Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is a self-help tool that helps improve performance of any activity. It helps people become aware of and let go of unconscious habits of excess effort and tension. By learning how to send new messages from the brain to the body it can help with posture, pain, performance, breathing, ease of movement, voice, stress management and body awareness. Students of the technique report feeling more energized, feel taller, are more connected to their body and often free of long-standing pain.

To listen to the interview, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please use the comment section under this post or contact Dr. Ellen Kamhi here.

In addition to this podcast, you may also be interested in listening to Nutritional Interventions in Psychiatry & Mental illness with Dr. James Greenblatt MD

Sane Asylums – Mental Illness Treatment (ANCIENT and MODERN) was the main topic of discussion when host  Ellen Kamhi Ph.D., RN, AHG-RH, AHN-BC interviewed Jerry M. Kantor, L.Ac., CCH, MMHS

About Jerry Kantor

Jerry M. Kantor, L.Ac., CCH, MMHS, is a faculty member of the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine and owner of Vital Force Health Care LLC, a Boston-area homeopathy and acupuncture practice. The first acupuncturist to receive an academic appointment at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Anesthesiology, Kantor is the author of SANE ASYLUMS.  This book explores the ancient and modern treatment of Mental Illness.

About Sane Asylums book

Revealing the astonishing but suppressed history of homeopathic psychiatry, Jerry M. Kantor examines the success of homeopathic psychiatric asylums in America from the post–Civil War era until 1920, including how the madness of Mary Todd Lincoln was effectively treated with homeopathy at a “sane” asylum in Illinois. He focuses in particular on New York’s Middletown State Homeopathic Hospital, where superintendent Selden Talcott oversaw a compassionate and holistic treatment regime that married Thomas Kirkbride’s moral treatment principles to homeopathy. Kantor reveals how homeopathy was pushed aside by pharmaceuticals, which often caused more harm than good, as well as how the current critical attitude toward homeopathy has distorted the historical record.

Offering a vision of mental health care for the future predicated on a model that flourished for half a century, Kantor shows how we can improve the care and treatment of the mentally ill and stop the exponential growth of terminal mental disorder diagnoses that are rampant today.

Contact:

https://vitalforcehealthcare.com/contact/

To listen to the interview, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please use the comment section under this post or contact Dr. Ellen Kamhi here.

In addition to this podcast, you may also be interested in listening to Nutritional Interventions in Psychiatry & Mental illness with Dr. James Greenblatt MD

On this edition of the Natural Nurse and  Dr. Z,  the hosts of the program teamed up and discussed  Natural remedies for summer ailments.

As we enjoy the beautiful weather and the coming summer solstice energy, many of us love spending time outside enjoying the Great Outdoors.

But of course, being outdoors comes with its own share of seasonal issues…. such as sunburn, heat exhaustion, hay-fever /allergies, bug bites, Lyme disease, poison ivy, food poisoning, aches and pains /strains and sprains from yard work or hiking, and a host of other maladies.

But thankfully, Mother Nature has given us a natural medicine chest full of incredible non-toxic remedies to assist you and your loved ones with many of these conditions.

 Dr. Eugene Zampieron ND,  a licensed naturopathic physician and herbalist, and Ellen Kamhi Ph.D., RN, AHN-BC, RH(AHG), The Natural Nurse®,  focused on homeopathic remedies and other natural approaches to keep you healthy, safe and enjoying the great outdoors during this joyful, sunny season. So please take a listen.

To listen to this special edition, click the player below. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestion, please use the comment section under this post or contact Ellen Kamhi.

You may also be interested in listening to Poison Ivy: Friend or Foe?. You can consult with Dr. Eugene Zampieron ND or Ellen Kamhi PhD, RN, AHN-BC, RH (AHG)

In Honor of “Return of the Waters” Centennial of Saratoga’s Charter.

Water is truly the underlying basis for all life. I love the quote from Star Trek, when an alien being observes “ Humans are no more than ugly bags of mostly water!” Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but humans truly are bags of mostly water… Water makes up between 75% and 65% water, depending on age, size and weight of an individual. In addition to being the majority of the substance in every cell, Water helps to maintain many bodily functions. It enables swallowing and digesting foods, lubricates all mucous membranes and joints, maintains normal body temperature through perspiration, absorbs nutrients and eliminates wastes. Besides being the real basis of life in a physical sense, water is intimately linked to spiritual principles.

Water is used in spiritual ritual, such as baptism in Christianity, bathing in the holy Ganges River in Hinduism, the Mikvah Cleansing Bath in Judaism, among many other examples. In modern times, Dr Glen Rein, the premier researcher on the energetic properties of water used his unique type of expertise to effect changes in the structure of water with Electro-Magnetic fields, thus changing its physical properties and allowing for its application to produce novel, enhanced effects in products for the skin-care industry, among other healing effects. (http://www.innobioteck.com/water-research.html)

Water was the basis of an entire chapter in the History of Medicine in the United States and Europe. A group of medical practitioners, referred to as The Physiomedicalists and The Hydropaths, were branches of medicine based on healing modalities referred to as ‘water cures.’ Many personalities were involved in this movement. Alva Curtis was the founder of the Physiomedicalist Philosophy. In 1835, Curtis opened the ‘Botanicomedical School and Infirmary’ at Columbus, Ohio, which used water cures among its healing procedures.

Vincent Priessnitz (1799-1852) was known as The Sponge Doctor. He was born a peasant in Silesia (now Czech Republic) and never attended medical school , but Priessnitz became one of the most famous healers of all time. He set in motion the forces which would lead to the establishment of hydrotherapy as a legitimate healing medical entity. Priessnitz observed that cattle and deer who had inflammation submersed the effected body parts in cold water, and it seemed to bring relief to their conditions. He then developed the cold water Priessnitz compress therapy by experimenting on his own farming injuries and treating local people in his village. Vincent Priessnitz coined the phrase “ Nothing is impossible to nature, diet, & cold water”. He was arrested several times for practising medicine, but always acquitted because “he was only using water”. Authorities decided to attack him as a sorcerer, and raid his place, looking for drugs, and in frustration, cutting up all his bewitched sponges! However, persecution didn’t embitter him, but only made him more famous. In 1826, he opened his own hydrotherapy institute, with a 45 patient residential capacity which filled instantly! This increased to many institutions with 1600 bed capacity all filled to the brim! Eventually, the Austrian government endorsed his practice and gave him the same status as a medical doctor, building new roads up to his establishments!

An important figure in the development of “ water medicine’ was Dr. Sebastian Kneipp (1824-1897). Kneipp was born very poor in Bavaria. He was very sickly from poor diet and developed tuberculosis. He stumbled upon a book by Hahn (a student of Priessnitz ) about the use of the water cure. After 6 months, he regain his health. Kneipp was ordained as a priest and treated his parishioners with the water cure, becoming known as the cholera vicar. People from all over the world came to be healed by his method of hydrotherapy. Kniepp believed that disease came from deranged blood; water healed by removing toxins restoring normal circulation, and strengthening the body.

Kniepp’s student, Bennedict Lust came to the United States in 1892 , and brought his brand of hydrotherapy to Americans. He also established the first health food store in America, and is known as The Father of American Naturopathy. Lust’s efforts were   supported by his wife Louisa Lust, N.D., who was already an esteemed physician before marrying Dr. Lust. She ran the Yungborn Sanitarium in Butler NJ, one of the premiere healing centers in the United States. The use of water as a respected healing modality continues today among Licensed Naturopathic Physicians (ND’s). They are highly training in the long history and evidence based healing effects linked to the use of water as a healing modality, such as colonic irrigation, enemas, contrast hydrotherapy and fever treatments, just to name of few. These time tested ‘drugless’ therapies bring great relief to millions, as they have throughout history. The waters of Saratoga Springs have a long history of applications, both for bathing and internal use, and as we move forward into modern times, they will hopefully once again be respected, protected and revered!

Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, AHG, AHN-BC is on the Peer Review Editorial Board of several journals/organizations, including: Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Natural Medicine Journal, Natural Standard Database.  (954) 418-2388

Thyroid Function and Healthy Weight Maintenance

By Ellen Kamhi PhD RN, www.naturalnurse.com

The thyroid gland plays a key role in weight problems because it controls the body’s overall metabolic rate. When it’s not working properly, it may lead to an array of health problems, including weight gain, arthritis, depression cold hands and feet, dry skin, high cholesterol, chronic constipation and hair loss. Symptoms caused by low thyroid function are so varied, that they can easily be confused with those of other conditions.

The thyroid is the body’s metabolic thermostat, controlling body temperature, energy use, and, in children, the body’s growth rate. The thyroid controls the rate at which organs function and the speed with which the body uses food. When the thyroid is dysfunctional, there are a number of ways that it can seriously impact your weight.

Correct thyroid function keeps the body at a normal, resting temperature of 98.6° F. The thyroid sends chemical messages via hormones to every cell in the body, directing the maintenance of body temperature, heart rate, and muscle movements. When the thyroid is dysfunctional or underactive (hypothyroidism), it sends out fewer hormones, causing metabolism to slow down. When metabolism slows, the body will store rather than burn calories, causing an accumulation of fat.

Low thyroid function   also leads to a sluggish digestive system, often resulting in a number of gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, gas and bloating, abdominal pain, and decreased absorption of nutrients. Decreased digestive efficiency may lead to a condition called leaky gut syndrome, in which undigested food particles enter the bloodstream causing allergic reactions and depleting the immune system. Weight gain is one of the potential results of these digestive disturbances. Because low thyroid function causes fatigue and lack of stamina as well as muscle aches or weakness, people with this condition may find it difficult to exercise which is another factor in weight problems.

Thyroid problems have been on the rise due to the increasingly toxic environment in which we live. Exposure to radiation, fluoride (in water and toothpaste), mercury from silver amalgam dental fillings, pollutants (thyocyanide) in cigarette smoke, and chlorinated compounds (found in wood and leather preservatives) are just a few of the many causes of hypothyroidism. Radiation is probably the greatest environmental cause of hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems, including thyroid cancer. PCB’s (Polychlorinated biphenyls) , chlorinated pesticides, and heavy metals such as mercury(which comprises up to 50% of silver amalgam fillings) have been scientifically proven to disrupt endocrine function.   Even at low exposure levels during pregnancy, environmental contaminants can interfere with thyroid status in later life. Heavy metals also interfere with an enzyme critical in converting the inactive form of thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form (T3).

Dietary factors that depress thyroid function include synthetic and genetically engineered hormones in meat, dairy products, poultry, and eggs, which block the release of thyroid hormones, and either a deficiency or excess of the mineral, iodine. Although deficiencies are rare in developed countries, excess accumulation occurs due to an overabundance of iodine in commercial salt, baked goods (in dough conditioners) and dietary supplements. Some vegetables that have a wide variety of health benefits, such as raw cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) contain thyroid inhibitors called goitrogens, that may cause an enlargement of the thyroid gland and inhibit hormone synthesis. However, lightly steaming the vegetables stops the activity of the thyroid-suppressing substances. Soy products, especially if not fermented, may depress thyroid function. Other dietary influences include vitamin deficiencies (particularly vitamins A and B), mineral deficiencies (zinc, copper, iron, and selenium), and excess intake of polyunsaturated fats ,such as soybean, safflower, and corn oils. Alternative medicine practitioners generally begin to treat hypothyroidism by strengthening intestinal health and digestion. To help spark proper thyroid function a combination of specific foods, nutrients, exercises and therapies is needed. Thyroid glandular therapy and thyroid hormone therapy may be indicated.

Gugulipid, an Ayurvedic herb that has been used in India for over 2,500 years, is helpful for supporting the thyroid. Studies have shown that gugulipid stimulates thyroid function. Gugulipid is often available as an extract standardized to 2.5-5% guggulsterones. Yoga, Tai chi and Castor Oil packs can also be used in a thyroid healing protocol. . Proper nutrition combined with regular exercise can help restore a weakened thyroid, and lead to weight loss as well!

Ellen Kamhi PhD RN, The Natural Nurse®, can be heard on radio daily. She is the author of several books, including Weight Loss, The Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587612593?ie=UTF8&tag=natunurs-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1587612593

Dr. Kamhi has been involved in natural health care for over 4 decades. She answers consumer questions and has a private nutrition consultation practice. www.naturalnurse.com (954) 418-2388

Featured Image Credit: By CFCF (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Castor Oil (Ricinus communis)

The Ancient Oil that Soothes and Smoothes…

By Ellen Kamhi PhD, RN, AHG, AHN-BC

FACTS: Castor oil comes from the castor bean- which is poisonous!

Castor Bean Plants are also called “The Palma Christi”

Castor Oil was recommended for healing by the famous psychic, Edgar Cayce

The Castor bean is the seed of an herbaceous plant which is cultivated in the temperate climates, often as an ornamental. It grows from 3-10 feet tall. Its native cousins in Asia, Africa and the West Indies can grow to 30-40 ft high! The plant itself is quite poisonous; a child can die from ingesting a single castor bean. However, the light yellow oil pressed out of the bean is safe to use, since the toxic constituents remain in the seeds. The castor bean plant is also known as The Palma Christi, or Hand of Christ, due to the shape of the leaves and its healing properties. Castor oil is mentioned in the ancient Egyptian medical scrolls, the Codex Ebers. The Egyptians used castor oil as a laxative for cleansing the bowels and as a scalp rub to make hair grow and shine. The well known laxative effect is probably due to the active constituent ricinolein, which is a mild irritant to the large intestines. Many senior citizens probably remember their Grandparents reaching for the Castor oil at the first sign of illness.

Throughout history, castor oil has enjoyed popularity as a healing substance. Dr. Forest Clinton Jarvis in his 1958 best selling book Folk Medicine, describes many medicinal uses of castor oil. “Apply it to moles, warts and skin ulcers to remove or lessen the blemishes. Or, rub a small amount on the hair and eye lashes to make them more luxuriant”. Castor oil rubbed into sore joints and muscles right prior to heat application treatment reduces the pain and swelling of rheumatism.

Edgar Cayce, the famous American psychic who lived in the 1940’s, spoke often about the use of a castor oil pack. This is a gentle treatment suggested by Cayce for non-malignant ovarian fibroids and cysts, breast swellings and cysts, headaches, liver problems, constipation and other ailments involving elimination.

Making a Castor oil pack…

Materials :

• Organic castor oil,
• Undyed wool flannel,
• a heating pad or hot water bottle,
• a plastic sheet,
• and some terry cloth towels.

Directions:

1. Soak the flannel in warmed castor oil and then place it onto the body over the area you wish to treat.
2. Cover the flannel with a piece of plastic. A small garbage bag works fine for this.
3. Place the heating pad over the plastic. Keep it on a warm setting. You may choose to use a hot water bottle instead of the heating pad.
4. Cover all of this with a towel to keep the surface you are laying on from becoming soiled and to keep in the warmth. Fasten the towel around you with a safety pin, or use an ace         bandage to secure everything in place.
5. Relax completely for one to two hours before removing the entire pack. The procedure is an excellent stress reducing modality and feels soothing. It can be used for all ages, except for placing it on the lower abdomen of a pregnant woman.

If you do the treatment over your abdomen, it may cause some mild cramping sensations over the right upper quadrant. This may be an indication that the Castor oil is stimulating the liver and Gallbladder. This is quite normal, so don’t be alarmed. Also, You may have a loosened bowel movement several hours after the pack. Again, this is quite a normal occurrence. AVOID IF PREGNANT, unless the midwife or obstetrician directs you to do so/; as castor oil can begin and accelerate labor or cause premature miscarriage.

So, the next time you want a time honored, gentle healing method that is guaranteed to soothe and smooth, reach for the castor oil. You’ll find it, as you reach into, The Natural Medicine Chest and Arthritis – An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide

Join us on this first in a series of herb walks with: Bill Barash, Horticulturist and Dr. Ellen Kamhi,”The Natural Nurse.” We discover some Mullein and share some fascinating information about this magical plant!