Environmental Medicine and Naturopathic Remedies

There may be an atmospheric source to your pain.

This sounds odd at first, but, after weighing the possibilities it might make perfect sense. Think how subtle and not-so-subtle influences of what you are exposed to everyday affects your health. Although you may be fully aware of such influences, now you can consider a way to deal with them through environmental medicine.

In 1965, medical doctors formed the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) stating that it was,

“…to promote optimal health through prevention, and safe and effective treatment of the causes of illness by supporting physicians and other professionals in serving the public through education about the interaction between humans and their environment.”

Since this inception, the AAEM has been joined by scores of researchers and universities to study the impact of our surroundings on our health and using natural remedies to treat such impacts.

If your health has been a struggle or you’re just concerned, take the time to visit someone trained in environmental medicine. It could be a move that surprisingly increases your quality of life.

A Quick Glance at an Environmental Medicine Analysis

When environmental medicine is applied, many factors need to be determined. Therefore, upon visiting a practitioner, a detailed assessment is constructed. Some indications that may be considered include:

• In-home and out-of-home influences
• Chemical, physical, biological, psychosocial or traumatic influences
• How much exposure
• How exposed: inhalation, dermal or ingestion
• What consumer products are being used
• Distance of outside influences

The list often continues until a plan of action can be determined. Once there is a good guess at what may be causing your discomfort or threatening your surroundings, naturopathic remedies could be applied.

Environmental Medicine Naturopathic Remedies

As conventional medicine continues to address the symptoms, environmental medicine will go to the source. Doing so requires using naturopathic remedies such as acupuncture, botanical medicine, nutraceutical supplementation and clinical nutrition as an adjunct to the environmental medicine analysis.

Acupuncture: Open Clogged Pathways

Through the scope of ‘removing stuck energy’ acupuncture has been linked to enhancing detoxification of heavy metals (a major environmental hazard) and other systemic toxins. This is done through stimulating particular organs such as the kidneys, liver and lungs to ramp up functioning. This, in conjunction with other naturopathic approaches, can be highly beneficial.

According to the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, approaching special points just on each ear has shown some great benefits. This acupuncture has been used for environmental toxins influenced as drug addiction as well as adjunctive use to conventional care.

Botanical Medicine and Clinical Nutrition: Herbal Detox and Food Strengthening

The two modalities of botanical medicine and clinical nutrition often work hand-in-hand through digestive health. Using herbal sources as botanical medicine to clear the body of environmental toxins has been steeped in ancient medical healing and should be used today more than ever. Add in clinical nutrition, a diet high in foods that increase antioxidants and have the ability to “grab” toxins. Along with acupuncture, using these remedies increases the chances of shielding yourself from negative environmental influences.

Some beneficial herbs to consider are:

• Garlic – In a 2012 study published in Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology Researchers concluded that garlic was “a safer medication” than the synthetic amino acid “for the treatment of mild-to-moderate lead poisoning.”
• Cilantro – A 2010 study published in Biological Trace Element Research shows how cilantro protect cells from free-radical damage caused by lead and in 2012 Scientific World Journal that cilantro reduced the amount of lead absorbed by bone tissue in animals.
• Chlorella – A single-celled, micro-algae called chlorella has been touted as one of the most powerful detoxification tools to eliminate accumulated toxins from your body.
• 350 people participated in a three year double-blind placebo controlled study at a Russian metal foundry (factory). Combined with cilantro, all heavy metals including mercury were removed from each individual.

Nutraceutical Supplementation: Strengthen and Detox with Outside Support

Shoring up your system while ridding it of accumulated environmental toxins proves to be a win-win. Using nutraceutical supplementation allows for a daily protocol to maintain not only a healthy immune system, but a way to increase such benefits as cellular wall strength, digestive health and skin barrier support, to name a few.

Probiotics, the good bacteria needed to keep the immune system microflora colony forming units (CFU) balanced is a nutraceutical that almost everyone should utilize. Professor of microbiology, immunology, and surgery at the University of Western Ontario, Dr. Gregor Reid, published probiotic work in the journal for the American Society for Microbiology in 2014. This work studied how special yogurt with high probiotic bacteria protected pregnant women and the fetus from mercury and arsenic heavy metals absorbed through their surrounding everyday environment. There has also been research showing a protection from heavy metals upon entering the brain derived from specific bacteria, namely Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis, when used in proper amounts.

Environmental medicine and naturopathic remedies bring alternative therapy to a whole new level. Without the use of conventional drugs, embracing a detailed protocol of natural treatments creates a healing that could be the path that holds longevity.

At Integrative Med Solutions, we will design an acupuncture and clinical nutrition treatment program that works for you. In many cases, insurance covers portions of the acupuncture treatment. Allow us to support you to achieve optimal health. To make an appointment or find out more about how acupuncture and naturopathic medicine can benefit you, please call our office at 914.337.2980 or Click Here to schedule an online appointment.

*Please Click Here to see a current list of Insurance Companies that commonly carry acupuncture benefits for its members. Please call 914.337.2980 or securely email info@intmedsolutions.com to verify your specific benefits. If you are emailing, please include your full name, date of birth and insurance identification card number.