Pacific Naturopathic
1580 W. El Camino Real, Suite 7 
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 961-1660
IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER:
Dr. Connie muses on Choices
☞ The Magic of the Myers Cocktail
☞ Dr. Marcel: Difficult Decisions About Cancer Treatment
☞ Dr. Cox: Ozone Therapy: Effective and Safe
☞ Dr. Connie: Making Effective Choices
☞ What is Homeopathy?
☞ Dr. Marcel: The Adjunctive Cancer Care Program at Pacific Naturopathic
☞ Our Hawaii Retreat Center: So Many Choices for Finding Peace and Beauty!
☞ Anandini: Living With the Flow of Qi
☞ Thermography: "Normal" Conventional Imaging Results after Thermogram
☞ Jane: Jane's column will return next month
COVID Rules for Patient Visits

Dear friends,

If you are even slightly symptomatic or have tested COVID positive in the past 10 days, please do not come to the clinic seeking care. We are not first responders and patients coming to the clinic for IV therapy or in-person appointments must be protected. Thank you for observing this important rule.

We are following the protocols as set by Sutter Health.

  • We are still offering either in-person patient visits or consultations via Zoom or FaceTime. Your choice.
  • Masks are required in the clinic. No more temperature checks upon arrival.
  • Intravenous therapy is still being offered to non-symptomatic patients in our office. New IV patients are also welcomed.

Please phone for information: 650-961-1660
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What this newsletter is about...

Every single day is chock full of mundane to life-altering choices -- from what to wear, eat or drink to what to do about a pressing life situation. How do we make these choices?

In this issue of the Pacific Naturopathic Newsletter, Dr. Connie begins by musing about how to choose appropriate medical care, whether conventional or complementary; Dr. Marcel discusses the difficulty of making decisions about cancer care; Dr. Cox republishes his informative article about ozone therapy, which is now offered at Pacific Naturopathic; Dr. Connie then offers advice on how to achieve clarity in making decisions; Dr. Shelmire republishes her article on the basics of homeopathy; and Anandini discusses the importance of living in harmony with "Qi."

Once again, we would like to welcome Dr. Brian Cox and Dr. Krystal Shelmire to the Pacific Naturopathic team. The experience and skills they bring greatly expand therapeutic offerings available to our patients.

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FLASH -- FLASH
Dr. Marcel's new book on prostate cancer is now available! Scroll down to read more about it!
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Of course, you'll find our regular updates on our Hawaii vacation rental, thermography, health products we like and the wonderful Myers Cocktail. Humor and and inspiration also have their own regular places in the newsletter.
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Think happy, healthy thoughts!
Find opportunities for laughter!
Express love and appreciation often!
Smile when you read this!

Dr. Connie, Dr. Marcel, Dr. Cox, Dr. Shelmire, Jane,
Anandini, Bridget, Gabe and Marina
Your Pacific Naturopathic Team
About Pacific Naturopathic
Pacific Naturopathic is a true, old-style family business. We've been serving in California since 1993. Dr. Marcel and Dr. Connie are the docs, their son, Gabe, is systems manager, Gabe's wife, Marina, is the thermography tech, Dr. Marcel's sister, Jane, is our mind/body specialist and our 33- month-old grandson, Quinn, (pictured here with a bag full of cars and trucks) is the minister of joy.
Quick Links


Our doctors have years of experience in helping provide information to our patients to help them make informed choices on which path to pursue.  We are experts in evidence-based alternative and adjunctive cancer care.  


Our lovely Hawaii vacation rental has woven its magic with our guests for 15 years!
Book through our office for special savings by phoning 650-961-1660.
Speak with Dr. Marcel for more information.

Serving the Bay Area since 1993. Experience counts in the field of medicine. We have also shared our knowledge by mentoring many other doctors over the years.
Dr. Marcel's just published book....

An Integrative Approach to Treating Prostate Cancer
by Dr. Marcel Hernandez, ND
 
• What is a prostate and what does it do?
• Is a prostate biopsy safe?
• What does the Gleason score mean?
• How is the PSA interpreted?
• What new therapies are available for treating prostate cancer?
• Is surgery the right approach for me?
• What are the side effects of conventional therapies for prostate cancer?
• What evidence-based natural treatments are available for prostate cancer?
 
This is a must-have book for men with prostate cancer, for their caretakers, for health care providers and anyone seeking to understand how an integrative approach combining both conventional and  alternative therapies to treating cancer offers far better outcomes.

Available from Amazon HERE
Dr. Connie's musings...

Choices
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by Dr. Connie Hernandez, ND

Every day of our lives, we have the opportunity to choose how we experience the world.

Our son attended the Living Wisdom School as an elementary school student. A cardinal school rule was to choose happiness. Choosing happiness implies that happiness lies within, and that, regardless of external circumstances, each of us has the power to find happiness. Again and again in our travels, we have visited with people living in abject poverty and have found that they often greet their circumstances with equanimity and even humor.

When you fall ill, you have a choice as to how to face your illness. A fundamental choice is one of perspective. While it would be rare to choose to suffer from a disease, you may choose to reframe your illness as a blessing in disguise, a chance to re-examine priorities, learn, expand your consciousness and change your life. We find that many of our severely ill patients exude more joy than those less challenged by life.  With life threatening illness, they have taken the opportunity to find the blessings in each moment, and to share those blessings with others.

Another choice is how to handle a situation medically. With the advent of seemingly miraculous conventional cures in the last 50 years, people were trained to trust others with their health care. The doctor merited authoritarian status in the minds of many, and people erroneously came to believe that they themselves were not capable of making wise decisions about their own care. With this belief, people lost control over their medical destinies.

Currently, people are able to access much more medical information, and to make choices as to what kind of care they will receive and who they will work with to receive care. These choices come, literally, with cost benefit analyses. We live in a system in which conventional medicine is sanctioned and reimbursed by medical insurance companies. If the priority is that medical diagnosis and care be covered, you may need to choose covered conventional options. Or you may be able to access conventional care for diagnosis and choose other care for treatment. Or you may decide that you’d prefer to choose a medicine with which you resonate.

If you choose “complementary” or “alternative” care, there are multiple options. When you choose, it is important that you understand and resonate with the underlying perspective of the system you choose, and that you give the system time to work before switching horses in mid-stream. Ayurvedic and Eastern medicine, for example, are effective time-tested systems, but the treatments differ. If you sample here and sample there, you are unlikely to follow any system long enough to benefit.

Naturopathic medicine offers a multitude of modalities. The underlying principles include treatment of the root cause of disease, using the most natural remedies with the least side effects, and treating the whole person. One choice you as a patient must make is to involve yourself in your care. Involvement generally includes dietary and lifestyle change, without which you are unlikely to achieve optimal results. If you want to continue to make lifestyle choices that promote disease, and expect only to swallow a pill to get better, you will not do well with naturopathic medicine. If you choose to take responsibility for your choices and your care, you will do well.

Whatever care you choose, your attitude towards your care matters. If your belief is “nobody has ever been able to help me and nobody ever will” or “I know this medicine will kill me” it is unlikely that you will be helped. If you choose wholeheartedly, participate in your care and embrace your course of action, you are far more likely to do well.


Dr. Connie: 650-961-1660
Protect Yourself and Your Family
by Boosting Your Body's Reserves
of Immune System Supporting Nutrients

• • • • •
Myers Cocktail:
Safe, Powerful, Effective
The Myers Cocktail has been around for more than 40 years and is the most popular IV cocktail in our clinic. Read this detailed information sheet and you will see why.


• • •

Want to learn more about the Myers Cocktail? Alan Gaby, MD, has written the definitive, easy-to-read MONOGRAPH about it.

• • •

Please phone 650-961-1660 for more information. A full description of our intravenous therapy offerings is available HERE




Difficult Decisions About Cancer Treatment
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TexMarcel Hernandez, N.D.

Wendell, age 79, came to see me after being diagnosed with stage 4 (metastasized) colon cancer.  He was accompanied by his son, Luke.  Like most people who come to see me, Wendell’s oncologist suggested that he start chemotherapy as soon as possible.  Since his diagnosis, Wendell has lost 30 pounds and has low energy.  Luke did most of the talking and responding to my questions.  Here’s the situation…

Wendell’s oncologist told him that the cancer had spread to various places in his spine and liver and that he had 6 months, more or less, before his cancer overcame him.  Undergoing chemotherapy might  gain him an additional 6 to 12 months of life, maybe a bit longer, depending on his response to chemo.  The chemotherapeutic agent his oncologist wanted to use is called Folfox, a three-drug formula that includes oxaliplatin, an extremely strong chemotherapeutic drug. 

The side effects of his proposed chemo protocol included: black, tarry stools, bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site, bleeding gums, blistering, peeling, redness, or swelling of the palms of the hands or bottoms of the feet, blood in the urine or stools, difficulty performing daily activities such as writing, buttoning, swallowing, or walking, difficulty with articulating words, difficulty with breathing, difficulty with swallowing, dizziness, dry mouth, fainting, increase in heart rate, muscle pain or stiffness, pain in the joints, unsteadiness or awkwardness, unusual bleeding or bruising, unusual tiredness or weakness, vision changes, severe peripheral neuropathy, anemia, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss, blood clots and more. 
 
Both Wendell and Luke were astounded by the number and severity of side effects and wanted my opinion. I said to them what I have said to many other cancer patients in similar circumstances – arriving at a decision on whether or not to do chemo is profoundly personal.  It involves going within and resting in that place of peace where a higher consciousness exists. 

The main issue here is what physical and emotional price Wendell is willing to pay to stay in his body.  He may be too sick to enjoy the extra time that chemo might buy, or he may relish every moment of life, even if he is suffering greatly.  Also important to consider in terms of quality of life is the amount of time Wendell would need to spend in medical institutions to receive treatments, blood tests, scans and consultations.  

Many patients in Wendell’s condition have a great deal of pressure put on them by family members to follow the conventional route, even if they know the person will be suffering from side effects of treatment.  There exists the slim chance, the miracle, the hope that conventional treatment might make it all go away.  In most cases of advanced disease, it doesn't. My part is to help patients like Wendell recognize the path they choose involves a process and to help them achieve peace with whatever they decide to do.

In the meantime, it is my experience that naturopathic adjunctive cancer care offers safe, effective therapies that may surpass those of conventional chemotherapy and help people stay in their bodies with a high quality of life for extended periods of time.  Difficult decisions.

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Dr. Marcel: 650-961-1660
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Ozone Therapy: Effective and Safe -- Now Available at Pacific Naturopathic

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by Brian Cox, ND
When you hear the word “ozone,” you may immediately think of the ozone layer in our atmosphere that protects us from the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays are what create ozone (O3). 

Ozone is an energized form of oxygen which contains three atoms of oxygen rather than the two we normally breathe. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilizer in the world and can be used to destroy bacteria, viruses and odors. Interestingly, ozone occurs quite readily in nature, most often as a result of lightning strikes that occur during thunderstorms. In fact, the “fresh, clean, spring rain” smell that we notice after a storm most often results from the creation of ozone. 

How does ozone work?

The third oxygen atom of ozone makes it extremely reactive, and it readily attaches itself to other molecules. When contaminants such as bacteria or viruses make contact with ozone, the ozone creates a minuscule hole in the cell wall. After the ozone breaches the cell wall, the bacteria are unable to survive. This process is called “oxidation.” Once used, ozone reverts to oxygen, making it a very environmentally friendly oxidant. 

Isn’t ozone a pollutant?

Unlike stratospheric ozone, which forms naturally in the upper atmosphere and protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, ground-level (or tropospheric) ozone is created through the interactions of both human-made and natural emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) in the presence of heat and sunlight. Cars and gasoline-burning engines are significant sources of VOCs, which also come from consumer products such as paints, insecticides, and cleaners, as well as industrial solvents and chemical manufacturing. NOx, the other chemical precursor of ozone, is produced whenever we burn fossil fuels, primarily by motor vehicles and power plants. The sun’s direct ultraviolet rays convert these emissions into ground-level ozone, which is unhealthy to breathe.

Is ozone safe?

Ozone is safe when used under the right circumstances. However, if the proper safety measures are not in place, then high concentrations of ozone in the air can cause health problems. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has stipulated that the allowable safe level of residual ozone is 0.1 ppm. Note that this permissible exposure limit (PEL) is for continuous exposure throughout an entire eight-hour day. If you start to cough when around ozone, there is too much ozone in the air, and you should remove yourself from the location or properly ventilate while remedying the cause of ozone in the air. Do keep in mind that it takes an extended period at very elevated levels to cause irritation to the lungs. 

How is medical ozone produced?

There are two methods of producing ozone: ultraviolet (UV) and corona discharge. Corona discharge creates ozone by applying high-voltage to a metallic grid sandwiched between two dielectrics. The voltage passes through the dielectric to a grounded screen/ plate and in the process, creates ozone from oxygen present in the chamber. UV light creates ozone when a wavelength of 254 nanometers (nm) hits an oxygen atom. Both processes split oxygen molecules into single oxygen atoms (O). These atoms combine with another oxygen molecule (O2 ) to form ozone (O3 ), which physicians then use medically.

Why is Ozone therapy so effective with many issues, especially patients with cancer?

Dr. Cox believes that Ozone therapy is so effective for patients with cancer and many aliments because it helps to deal with the root causes of disease. For example, his experience as well as research has shown ozone therapy to be effective with helping to lower viral loads in patients. He has seen a correlation that when patient’s viral load(s) are significantly reduced, symptoms like cancer are also reduced or may even disappear in many patients. He finds that when patients are screened for viruses that have a correlation with various issues and some cancers, it is especially important to have their viral load tracked along with the relief of their symptoms for efficacy. Call our office to learn more or set up an appointment.

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To schedule with Dr. Cox: 650-961-1660


Making Effective Choices



by Connie Hernandez, ND
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The first step in making effective choices is to be very clear about what you want to realize or achieve, and about what you are willing to do to get where you want to be.  

Are you seeking wealth, power, prestige, or well-being, joy, happiness, calmness? Do you want that new job because it pays you more, enhances your self-esteem, offers prestige? Or do you look for an opportunity to grow personally, expand your professional repertoire, serve others more effectively, balance your work life with your personal life?  Are you looking for an individual advantage or for the greater good of all? If you are an employer, are you looking for the most skilled applicant, or are you looking for an employee with people skills, or an employee with resonant values, manner and goals? Is your health care goal oriented towards optimal health and prevention of disease, or is your goal to dispatch with illness as quickly and effectively as possible?  If you have a deadly disease, is your goal to live as long as possible, or is it your goal to live well the life that remains for you? 

How, then, do you reach clarity? It is useful to seek wise counsel. Wise implies that the person from whom you seek counsel does not have an underlying agenda of their own and does have valuable expertise.   Seeking counsel does not commit you to following another’s counsel, only to evaluate whether that counsel is ultimately applicable to your situation.

Emotionally, check your level of attachment. Holding fast to a course of action does not promote clarity.  On a purely mental level, a plus minus list can help discern what you give versus what you get by following a particular course of action. You will note that the means do not necessarily justify the ends. Beyond mental and emotional decision making, there are multiple ways to tap into your inner knowledge. Unedited journaling, such as is taught by Ira Progoff (At a Journal Workshop, Intensive Journaling) can help connect you. In this type of journaling, you are taught to dialogue with your job, your partner, your dreams and more to understand better what you are seeking, what distresses you or distorts your vision, what feeds you and enhances your understanding.  Tools like Tarot cards, the I Ching, and the Ruins can also take you out of emotional and mental realms and lead you as you seek deep answers.

Taking decision making to yet another level, meditation, contemplation and prayer have the power to attune you to a higher reality, develop your intuition, unleash your creativity, calm the stress, anxiety and fear that can cloud your vision. As you learn to separate intuition from desire, you will make better decisions. As you are more wholeheartedly committed to your course of action, your will power develops and you promote a better outcome. 

One additional choice to make is the decision to evaluate a course of action, and to either persevere or acknowledge that a better course of action has opened up before you. The key is to balance staying the course while being open to changing circumstances. Staying tuned to higher reality will help you make wise choices.

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Dr. Connie: 650-961-1660
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What is Homeopathy?


by Krystal Shelmire, ND
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Homeopathy, also known as homeopathic medicine, is a medical system that was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago. It is based on two non-conventional theories:

“Like cures like”— the notion that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people.
“Law of minimum dose”— the notion that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. Many homeopathic products are so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain.

Homeopathic products come from plants (such as red onion, arnica (mountain herb), poison ivy, belladonna (deadly nightshade), and stinging nettle; minerals (such as white arsenic); or animals (such as crushed whole bees). 

Homeopathic products are often made as sugar pellets to be placed under the tongue. They may also be in other forms, such as ointments, gels, drops, creams, and tablets. 

Treatments are “individualized” or tailored to each person -- it’s common for different people with the same condition to receive different treatments. Homeopathy uses a different diagnostic system for assigning treatments to individuals and recognizes clinical patterns of signs and symptoms that are different from those of conventional medicine.

How Does It Work?

A basic belief behind homeopathy is “like cures like.” In other words, something that brings on symptoms in a healthy person can -- in a very small dose -- treat an illness with similar symptoms. This is meant to trigger the body’s natural defenses. For example, red onion makes your eyes water so it is used in homeopathic remedies to treat allergies

Homeopathic doctors (who also are called “homeopaths”) dilute full-strength ingredients by adding water or alcohol. Then, they shake the mixture as part of a process called “potentiation.” They believe this step transfers the healing essence. Homeopaths also believe that the lower the dose, the more powerful the medicine. In fact, many of these remedies no longer contain any molecules of the original substance. They come in a variety of forms, like sugar pellets, liquid drops, creams, gels, and tablets.

During your appointment, a homeopath will ask a number of questions about your mental, emotional, and physical health. They will prescribe the remedy that best matches all of your symptoms. Then they will tailor the treatment for you.

Consultation

Homeopaths generally begin with a consultation, which can be a 10 –15 minute appointment or last for as long as two hours, where the patient describes their medical history. The patient describes the "modalities", or if their symptoms change depending on the weather and other external factors. The practitioner also solicits information on mood, likes and dislikes, physical, mental and emotional states, life circumstances, and any physical or emotional illnesses. This information (also called the "symptom picture") is matched to the "drug picture" in the materia medica or repertory and used to determine the appropriate homeopathic remedies. In classical homeopathy, the practitioner attempts to match a single preparation to the totality of symptoms (the simlilum), while "clinical homeopathy" involves combinations of preparations based on the illness's symptoms. Homeopathy is both fascinating and effective.

For more information:


To schedule with Dr. Shelmire: 650-961-1660

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The Adjunctive Cancer Program at Pacific Naturopathic

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by Marcel Hernandez, ND


When welcoming a new cancer patient into Pacific Naturopathic, I tell them that like the four legs of a chair offer support for the body, the four components of our adjunctive cancer care program offer support for the cancer experience.

The first leg of the program is oral supplementation.  Regardless of internet hype, oral  supplements are not going to cure cancer.  Rather, they perform support functions like addressing nutrient deficiencies, decreasing inflammation, preventing angiogenesis, stimulating the immune system and, in some cases, causing some cancer cell apoptosis.

The second leg of the program is the mind/body connection.  This part of the program is the most difficult for new patients to understand and implement as western medicine almost entirely addresses illnesses on the physical level.  The scientifically proven fact is that stress undermines the immune system predisposes people to opportunistic illnesses.  Also, old tapes playing in consciousness that are reflective of cancer-caused anxiety contribute to poor outcomes.  We do have an extremely effective mind/body treatment program at Pacific Naturopathic, but few people take advantage of this opportunity.  Working on the mental/emotional level is just not part of our society’s approach to dealing with cancer.

The third leg of the program is the nutritional component.  The dietary approach for cancer developed at Pacific Naturopathic is mostly common-sense healthy eating – low carbs, lots of fruits and vegetables, adequate non-red meat protein, healthy oils, eating mostly organic and avoiding food additives of all kinds and more.  The foundation of the cancer diet is a modified Mediterranean diet, long regarded as the healthiest diet in the world.  For patients from ethnic backgrounds, we help them modify their traditional diets to be more in tune with cancer care.

The fourth leg is the intravenous therapy program.  The heart of the IV program is intravenous vitamin C, regarded in countless studies as therapeutically effective in treating most cancers.  We also offer IVs that address the peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy and IVs that address nutrient deficiencies resulting from the cancer experience.

Not mentioned above are other elements essential to cancer therapy like a consistent exercise program, having a dedicated support community and the importance of integrating a spiritual component into the overall scenario.
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Dr. Marcel: 650-961-1660

Drs. Connie and Marcel's Big Island Vacation Rental

-- The world is your oyster! --


Choices abound at our Hawaii vacation rental!

Choose to embrace rest and relaxation, and spend the day reclining on the deck, enjoying the property, or creating a spa day for yourself.

Choose your outdoor adventure from hiking to zip lining to snorkeling or scuba diving or swimming with the dolphins. Choose to explore the culture and attend a Hawaiian luau, visit an orchid or chocolate or coffee farm, explore the farmer’s markets and small-town boutiques and cafes. Choose to enjoy island cuisine. Choose to indulge in an anything can happen day, and see what the island reveals to you. The world is your oyster!

(photo: swimming with dolphins in Kona)
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and see if there’s an opening for you.
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Contact us directly at Pacific Naturopathic (650-961-1660) if you’re interested in staying at our Hawaii retreat. Please email Dr. Marcel directly at HawaiiND@mac.com with questions. 

If you want to see more photos click HERE, but booking directly through us, not this site, will save you a chunk of money in fees.
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Breast Thermography at Pacific Naturopathic

- "Normal" imaging results after suspicious thermogram -
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When we see a breast thermography reading with a high-risk rating, we may recommend a follow up ultrasound, mammogram, or MRI. Often, these tests come back normal.  Why, then, do we recommend a follow up thermography in 3 months, regardless of the normal test results?

It takes a long time for breast pathology to develop, and we may see indications of developing breast pathology years before anatomic abnormalities can be seen. When we redo the thermography, we can see whether the area in question is continuing to heat up (indicating developing pathology) or whether the area has calmed down (indicating a transient influence on the breast).

If the area continues to heat up or vascular abnormalities are noted, we develop more intensive breast health protocols to address inflammation, lymphatic drainage, estrogen metabolism and detoxification, thus  lowering risk of progression and enhance breast health.

• • •
Read more about 
breast thermography at
Pacific Naturopathic HERE
To schedule an appointment: 650-961-1660

Chinese medicine perspective...

Living With the Flow of Qi*


by Anandini Wadera, LAc
We are all faced with choices constantly. Some of those choices hardly take brain power or our attention, and some choices consume all our mind-space. Some of us are overthinkers, re-hashing the choices we have made, either present or past. Some of us go about our lives and land up somewhere, without having made active choices. Each one has its place.

If we live with the Qi of the seasons, it can be easier to make choices without burden. We are heading into the summer, the Fire season, in which the Qi is ripe for change, for the choices you have been making to feel natural and flow, to turn into action. We have enough Yang Qi internally and externally to support us.

I encourage you to spend some time the next few weeks, as we transition into summer, to consider how you might like to spend these Fire months, intentionally make choices that cultivate a reality that feels easy because you have Yang Qi at your heels. 

I will leave you with Shel Silverstein’s “Invitation”:

If you are a dreamer, come in
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by the fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

  • Qi is the circulating life force whose existence and properties are the basis of much Chinese philosophy and medicine. Acupuncture works by balancing the body's flow of qi.

To schedule with Anandini, please contact her directly at 
anandiniw@gmail.com or 650-922-1129
Visit Anandini's web site: http://anandiniwadera.com
One of our favorite products....

This is so gentle and lovely! We rub it over our hearts before bed for calm, sweet sleep.

Aurum Lavender Rose Cream is a fantastic soothing support for staying centered and promoting well-being. For temporary relief and protection from stress and tension, rub over the heart area every morning and evening or as needed. Aurum Lavender Rose Cream is a great product to help with the stresses of the holidays, traveling, new experiences and any moment you may need emotional strength. Also a great gift idea for your loved ones. Contains homeopathic potencies of horse chestnut, horsetail, St. John's wort, gold and myrrh. Also contains peat extract, lavender oil, geranium oil, rose oil and frankincense in a nongreasy cream base. 

Available in our office for $27.
Mind/body perspective...

Jane's column will return next month



by Jane Hernandez, CCHT


• • •
For more information about Jane Hernandez and her work click HERE
• • • 
Schedule directly with Jane at 510-676-1460




Unusual Medical Practices
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Animal Dung Ointments


The ancient Egyptians had a remarkably well-organized medical system, complete with doctors who specialized in healing specific ailments. Nevertheless, the cures they prescribed weren’t always up to snuff. Lizard blood, dead mice, mud and moldy bread were all used as topical ointments and dressings, and women were sometimes dosed with horse saliva as a cure for an impaired libido.

Most disgusting of all, Egyptian physicians used human and animal excrement as a cure-all remedy for diseases and injuries. According to 1500 B.C.’s Ebers Papyrus, donkey, dog, gazelle and fly dung were all celebrated for their healing properties and their ability to ward off bad spirits. While these repugnant remedies may have occasionally led to tetanus and other infections, they probably weren’t entirely ineffective—research shows the microflora found in some types of animal dung contain antibiotic substances.
Medical Humor: A Break From Reality
Inspiration
Pacific Naturopathic
&
The Hernandez Center
for Adjunctive Cancer Care
1580 W. El Camino Real, Suite 7
Mountain View, CA 94040
650-961-1660