For our ancestors, Nature was the supermarket, pharmacy and school. By observing Nature and making experiments with items found in Nature, our ancestors were able to find medicinal herbs to help cure their ailments. Unfortunately, most of these ancient medicine herbal systems have been lost to time or are being associated with black magic. Fortunately, a couple of the systems have survived and adapted to modern times. One of these systems is called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Wisdom Proven Over Time

In TCM, the knowledge of how to use ancient medicine is what is old - not the age of the medicines themselves! TCM practitioners usually are schooled in acupuncture and the ancient medicine of herbs. Although it is true that animal parts are used in TCM, including parts of endangered animals, this practice is being stamped out. TCM now concentrates on acupuncture, herbs and exercise systems like tai chi. TCM is used to treat the whole person, not just a one body part.

One of the Western doctors who champions a synthesis of ancient medicine with modern medicine is bestselling author Dr. Andrew Weil. He says in many of his writings that the human body has self healing potential untapped in the West. Although he urges people to go to an allopathic (conventional) doctor right away if they develop any sudden or drastic symptom, he also recommends holistic ancient medicine such as TCM to help get you healthy and keep you healthy.

What Is Holistic Medicine?

Holistic medicine is a drastically different method of healing than the allopathic way of healing that most Westerners are familiar with. With allopathic healing, you only go to the doctor when something is wrong and depend entirely on the doctor’s bag of tricks to get you better.

In holistic healing, a patient is seen as not a set of symptoms that need curing, but as an entire person. Yes, the symptoms still need relief, but maybe they could be prevented from recurring through lifestyle changes. A holistic doctor, such as a TCM practitioner, spends a lot more time getting to know their patients than an allopathic doctor. What you eat, how you exercise and how you handle stress are all taken into account to help you get better.

In old China, doctors were only paid when you were feeling well, and weren’t paid when you were sick. That was because doctors wee seen as those who could prevent illness rather than cure illness.

Medical screening tests are those performed to identify whether a particular disease or medical condition is present in someone who has no signs or symptoms of the disease in question. Because health screening is offered to healthy people, the criteria for judging the effectiveness of medical screening tests are more stringent than for tests used to diagnose disease in those who have sought medical help for the symptoms of a perceptible illness. The benefits of screening must clearly outweigh potential harm.

Benefits of medical screening tests differ according to the characteristics of the test, and the prevalence (proportion of those with the condition) in the population or sub-population (e.g, sex, age-group, ethnicity) tested. Low prevalence or certain test characteristics lead to more false-positive test results.

Harm From a False-Positive Test Result

A positive test result in someone who does not have the disease will lead to more tests and, if any of these are also positive, possibly to unnecessary treatment. All medical tests and treatments have potential harmful effects, up to and including death. Unnecessary worry or fear from falsely believing one has the disease (cancer, say) may also cause psychological harm. Regular health screening (e.g. annually) with a particular test increases the chance of having a false positive test.

Harm From a False-Negative Result

A negative screening test-result in someone who actually has the disease may lead them to ignore later symptoms and to delay seeking treatment when it is most effective.

Extension of Time With Disease

Medical screening tests should reduce disability or mortality, not just find more cases. If there is no effective treatment for the disease in question, the patient will spend more time being ill than if they had not been tested until symptoms appeared.

Test Itself May Be Harmful to Health

Medical screening tests involving radiation exposure could conceivably increase the risk of cancer over time, especially when used regularly or to screen younger people. Cat-scans deliver the radiation equivalent of about 500 chest X-rays, but are increasingly being offered annually in corporate health screening.

Ineffective Health Screening Reduces Healthcare Resources

The considerable costs and professional time associated with ineffective health screening and its follow-up tests and treatment, reduces the resources available to provide effective healthcare. This may lead to longer waits for specialist care or for treatment, or to some effective interventions not being available to all who need them.

A number of medical screening tests have been shown to be effective in certain populations. For more information on health screening visit the US Preventive Services Task Force http://www.ahrq.gov/CLINIC/uspstfix.htm or http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org and search for screening.

For many years women have been receiving estrogen replacement therapy for the sudden end of hormone production known as menopause. Natural or Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy, (BHRT), is the restoration of hormone imbalance to reduce the negative symptoms and treat conditions caused by hormone imbalances.

BHRT are Hormones such as: Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone that have the same composition as the hormones produced naturally by the human body. To determine what hormones are out of balance, specific testing is performed to identify the specific hormones. Once identified, a specific treatment process is undertaken using bioidentical hormones.

Traditional Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy has been shown to increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer, and blood clots. The use of BHRT has been shown not to increase the riak of these conditions. There are much less side effects to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy because the hormones are natural and our bodies metabolize bioidentical hormones the way it’s designed to. Synthetic hormones can often be quite strong and produce unbearable side effects.

Before undergoing treatment, it is important to test for a hormone imbalance so that there is not another condition such as depression that is affecting the patient. As well, the specific hormone that is not in balance has to be identified so the proper therapy will be given and customized to the particular patients needs. Testing can be done by a salivary test or a blood test. The test called ‘Pellet BHRT’ involves testing the blood to see what hormones are not being delivered in appropriate amounts to the organs.

Traditional BHRT therapy involves taking hormone replacement treatments in the form of creams, tablets, capsules, or troches. Pellet Therapy involves giving the bioidentical hormones in the form of a pellet (similar to a grain of rice) which is inserted directly under the skin and provides constant relief of symptoms for about 4-6 months. As your hormone need increases, the pellet will release the required hormones. Pellet Therapy will require re-insertion 2-3 times a year.

Bioidentical Hormone regimens are made by a compounding pharmacist for each patient individually, based on the specific symptoms and test results. The therapy may be delivered in the form of BHRT Pellets topical creams, pills, capsules, lozenges, or subdermal implants. The method of delivery is based both on the specific hormones in your preparation and your preference. This therapeutic plan is individualized and personalized to meet your needs.

Benefits of BHRT:

-Reduces insomnia and hot flashes
-Better concentration and alertness
-Reduces anxiety and depression
-Improves sex drive
-Decreases bloating, headaches, and irritability.
-Increases weight loss
-Regulates menstruation

Living with a hormone imbalance can be very difficult to manage. Anxiety, mood swings, depression, can take a toll on the individual as well as loved ones. Fortunately research are coming up with safer ways to restore low hormones. BHRT is one method that more doctors are recommending as a safe and easy treatment for hormone restoration. Contact your doctor to find out how Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy can benefit your condition.