Ki Center Blog

I frequently mention that chasing symptoms is not the way to help people heal. In order to effectively help a person attain balance in their health, you must find the cause of the illness, correct the imbalance and the symptoms will disappear.

The tool I use the most is applied kinesiology. There are many forms of muscle testing such as touch for health, or contact reflex analysis, which all have their basis in applied kinesiology. It is a very reliable tool that enables me to ask the body where the imbalances are and what will correct the problem. I have observed the accuracy of this method of diagnostics time and again, in people and in animals. I have verified this information with standard western medical diagnostics such as blood tests, x-rays and physician verified diagnosis. What amazes me, and my clients, is that it is done completely without the aid of any technology, and still remains accurate and repeatable.

Finding the cause

When I test a person and find an imbalance, it tells me specifically where the problem is but not what the problem is. Your body can definitively tell me there is an imbalance in a particular gland, organ or body system and using the same testing method, find the nutrient or herb that will strengthen it.

Each and every muscle in the body has a corresponding relationship with acupuncture meridians, or energy pathways of the body, and consequently an association with every gland, organ and body system. As an example: I will have you raise your arm parallel to the floor, ask you to hold your arm steady and press down on the wrist to test for a good lock of the muscle. I then touch a corresponding point on your body that correlates with the liver, test the arm again, and if the muscle is weak and is easily pushed down, then I know we have an imbalance in that organ. I can then have you hold a particular liver glandular nutrient, retest the arm while touching the liver point, and if the arm is then strong, I know we have found what your body needs to heal the imbalance. It is quite a bit like tripping circuit breakers in the body.

This type of muscle testing can be used for behavioral or emotional issues as well. Your emotions play a huge part of the overall physical health of your body. Here is something you can try yourself to prove this, and see just how easy it is to test someone:

Trying it for yourself

Have a partner hold their arm out to their side and parallel to the floor. Using two fingers, press down on the wrist and ask your subject to resist the downward pressure. Feel how the muscle is locked in place. You do not have to use a lot of force; you are looking for a good muscle lock not how strong they are. Now, ask them to think of someone they love or at least have good positive feelings for and retest the arm. You should have a good muscle lock and find the arm resists the downward pressure. Now ask them to think of something negative such as Adolf Hitler and retest the arm. You will find that the negative emotion this brings up will instantly make the arm go weak and be easily pushed down.

The body never lies

This type of testing elicits only a yes or no type of answer. However when you ask the right questions, a simple yes or no can give you a wealth of information. Any negative stimuli will affect the body the same way. A good indicator muscle will go weak when subjected to any negative stimulus whether the stimuli is chemical, structural, emotional or energetic in nature. Let me see western medicine produce a machine that can duplicate those types of test results with the accuracy that your own body can every time. The really amazing thing is that however slight the imbalance, the body will still register it and give you an accurate response. Most diagnostic equipment will only report what it has been programmed to report. And of course being a machine, it can break down and can give false positives.

Your body is such an amazingly intricate work of art that surpasses even the most sophisticated computer ever built. If you know how to ask the right questions, the body can and will tell you all you need to know to regain your health.

If you would like more information on how applied kinesiology can be used, how it was scientifically tested and verified, I recommend the book- "Power vs. Force The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior" by David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.

Of all the conditions that people come to see me for, headaches have got to be the most troublesome. So much like a puzzle, and I am not real fond of puzzles, finding the cause can be frustrating and very time consuming. There are many causes of headaches and they can be a single source cause or a combination of imbalances and may change with each occurrence. I know people who have spent thousands of dollars on trying to treat them conventionally and are still afflicted with them on a regular basis.

Finding the Cause

Fortunately the type of muscle testing we do at the clinic can identify the source of the headache at the time, and the general imbalances associated with them. However, because these headaches can be caused by one or more different issues, narrowing them down can be difficult, but not impossible.

Headaches are a symptom of imbalance within the body. They are not in my opinion an illness in and of themselves. Medicating the pain only tends to hide the cause and can create a rebound headache worse than the original. But for anyone who has dealt with this problem, and the sometimes excruciating pain, drugs are the only thing that works to help them feel better.

From an alternative standpoint you must find the basic imbalance in the body that is creating the symptom of a headache. There can be several, and it may take upwards of several months to correct the problem. But patience pays off in the long run, and in the end the headaches have improved if not totally disappeared, and you are much healthier as a result.

Headache Types

Lets discuss some common types of headaches and their patterns.

The Ovarian type: Tends to occur around the menses cycle and can be accompanied by hair trigger mood swings. The Thyroid type: Often a dull headache upon rising and which wears off during the day. The Capillary Fragility type: One of the only types that can wake you out of a sound sleep with a crushing feeling. In this type, look also for signs such as bruising that heals slowly, bleeding gums and GI tract ulcers. The Fatigue type: Typically will start in late afternoon and can be accompanied by exhaustion. The Liver Toxicity type: Nausea and a general sick feeling with a metallic taste in the mouth are signs of this type of headache. The Pituitary type: These are recurring random type of headaches with no distinct pattern, and that is its primary signature. The Gallbladder type: This one resembles the liver toxicity type and can have pain between the shoulder blades or tenderness over the gallbladder. The Environmental Allergy and Sensitivity type: These can be traced to exposure of man made chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and new house syndrome. The Chiropractic type: Caused by a subluxation of vertebrae and usually will be alleviated by spinal manipulation. Recurring headaches of this type may be from ligament weakness and lack of good organic minerals.

There are more types of headaches of course and as I said earlier, you can have one or several of these conditions that can be the cause of the headache. Remember, headaches are a symptom of imbalance, and this must be corrected to get rid of the headaches.

How to treat

When a headache case comes in to the clinic, we start with an extensive history. I will want to know how often the headaches occur, where they start and what kind of intensity they bring with them. I will usually recommend dietary changes to eliminate triggers and specific nutritional supplements to correct the imbalances.

I would like to recommend an outstanding book I use as an informational source that may help you to better understand headaches and their causes, "Alternative Medicines Definitive Guide to Headaches" by Robert Milne and Blake More. You can find this book at many bookstores and of course on Amazon.com.

If you suffer from chronic headaches and have not found any relief, consider an alternative practitioner who is trained in finding the imbalances in your body, and understands the complicated nature of headaches. But please be patient, it will take some time to correct everything that may be causing the trouble.

These days, chronic stress and anxiety seems to be increasing with more and more prevalence. I can speak from first hand experience as I have been going through some serious issues this past year myself. Fully a third of my new clients are experiencing a marked increase in their stress levels with the associated physical symptoms.

Besides the obvious problems of employment, economics and world problems, there seems to be a general feeling of uncertainty about life in general. We are all feeling it; its just a matter of to what degree.

How it affects you

Long term chronic stress and anxiety will wreak havoc on your immune system, the adrenal glands, and the pancreas. As a result you will have a constant roller coaster ride of adrenalin, high and low blood sugar fluctuations, and other symptoms like the lack of quality sleep. When the blood sugar goes up and down over and over, it can create the same symptoms that diabetics experience. Unfortunately, if you do not address the cause of the stress, whether it is in relationships, your job or whatever, the physical load on your body, gone unchecked, will send you on downward spiral of poor health.

What helps

The protocols I use to stabilize mood and brain chemistry, as well as the blood sugar and support of the adrenal glands, can help tremendously to balance out physical symptoms. As to the cause of the stress, you will need to take a heart felt look at what is working in your life and what is not.

Deep breathing can help more than you know. I've talked about this simple yet effective practice in previous columns. Begin by finding a quiet place that you can have five minutes of uninterrupted space. Start with a deep full breath through the nose, hold for a count of three and exhale through the mouth. Do this for at least five repetitions. You will be amazed at how it can help you to relax. The nice thing about this simple technique is it can be done anywhere, even while driving. I am not saying that this alone will reverse your stress, but it can help. When you combine the nutritional support with this breathing technique, you will at least give your body and mind a fighting chance to cope with all that is troubling you.

Anti-anxiety drugs should be used as a last resort. Not only are the side effects problematic, you can risk the potential for dependence on these drugs as well. In most cases, I can find a nutritional or herbal protocol that will benefit your emotional stress without the use of prescription medications. Or if already taking them, it can help you to begin the weaning process to get off of them.

No amount of nutrition or drugs for that matter, will correct the problem until you address the initial cause. Whether you get into some counseling, psychotherapy or support from friends and family, you must correct the cause or struggle with the stress and anxiety.

Another powerful tool I can recommend is exercise. If you can find the time and motivation for daily aerobic exercise, the benefit from this activity can also add to the healing process. Whether you go to a gym or simply power walk around the neighborhood, the release of endorphins and the use of excess adrenalin will benefit your body chemistry. And of course proper exercise will help to stabilize blood sugar and help you sleep.

Don't wait too long

The worst thing you can do is nothing. And men, this is directed at you more than women. We men have a tendency to compartmentalize our stress and anxiety. It does no good to ignore the problem or just brush it aside for later consideration. It will continue to eat at your emotions, and can ultimately result in damage to the one support system you do have—your family. Most women are innately aware that talking about the emotions and addressing the problem is healthy. It will probably not take away the stress but it can help to deflate the sometimes overwhelming feeling of fear and uncertainty that goes along with chronic stress and anxiety.

The extreme amount of stressors in our society these days are not going to go away quickly. The best advice I can give is to buckle in for a wild ride. Support your body chemistry, get a support system in place and do all you can do, like the breathing and exercise, to help support the bodys needs during this difficult time.

I frequently give recommendations on dietary change and balancing your metabolism through the diet. When I talk about holistic nutrition, I am referring to how quickly you metabolize your foods, whether you are more of a para-sympathetic or sympathetic dominant individual and what kind of constitution you have.

The right way to eat

Based on an extensive questionnaire, your profile is established and lists of balancing foods and foods that will create imbalance are provided. This is not a diet. This is a life style change in the way you eat. You would be amazed at the health changes that can take place when you eat according to your body type and profile.

Diet plans such as Adkins, The Zone, South Beach, all have good qualities to them. But when you emphasize one nutrient group--fats, carbohydrates or proteins, I believe you can create an imbalance. For the lucky ones that these diets have produced results for, congratulations. There are many encouraging testimonials of this diet or that diet helping people loose weight. What you dont hear are the many people who have had no luck with any of these diets. It is to these people I write this column.

Determining ones constitution in a dietary profile relies heavily on certain emotional factors. For some, eating is an emotional fix to quiet anger or fear and to medicate hurt feelings. For others, eating means love and attention. It is way of feeling loved. Many have been programmed that eating everything on your plate is a way to get parental approval. My point here is this;Just adjusting the amount of carbohydrates to proteins, or eliminating most fats will only make temporary changes and often will result in rebound weight. Creating a holistic dietary profile and then following the recommendations can result in amazing health benefits.

You are unique. One diet that worked for your neighbor may have the opposite effect on you. An individualized assessment of your dietary needs and constitution, tailors the types of foods, spices and drinks that are most balancing, to you. Again, this is a lifestyle change. Give yourself at least three months to see changes and feel the difference.

The types of foods that are on your lists are largely vegetarian. I personally am not a vegetarian and believe that when it comes to food, your choices are yours alone. I will say that moving your diet to a more vegetarian fare is healthy and beneficial. There is no substitute to eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables raw. The nutrient quality and content that is available in this form is superior to that of canned or overly cooked foods. I limit the amount of red meat I eat. I do eat poultry, fish and good quality vegetable proteins. If however you want to change your eating style to a vegetarian or even vegan style, then that is a good choice as well. The important point is that you know what foods will throw you off, and those that can create balance.

Simply put, clinical nutrition is allowing the body to do what it has been designed to do—repair itself, by using clinically potent phyto-nutrients from whole food sources.

Vitamins, minerals, enzymes and thousands of other complex compounds from foods combine to support the immune system, balance blood chemistry and supply the building blocks for regenerative cell growth. Without these nutrients, the body is incapable of repair and maintaining good health. You can literally starve to death and have plenty of food to eat.

Clinical nutritional therapy provides the missing pieces your body needs to regain chemical balance. Without this balance, disease and illness have ample opportunity to invade, and without a strong immune system for protection, can have devastating results. The body can repair itself in many ways given the right raw materials to work with. The correct raw materials are found in food and food concentrates. It is an amazing process that combines these nutrients with digestive enzymes and begins the manufacturing process to give the body raw building materials to repair and regenerate.

Regenerative Medicine

Doctors and scientists have been studying regenerative medicine for quite some time. Good progress is being made in tissue growth and organ replacement research using stem cells and patient tissue cells to “re-grow” body parts. The best progress has been documented when the patients own cells are used--which certainly answers the debate over embryonic stem cell research. Our bodies keep producing stem cells right up to the time of our death; that’s a medical fact. What researchers are trying to do is produce body parts outside the body from a synthetic basis. But the intricate design of our solid organs is far too complex to duplicate. However, amazing progress in some areas like skin transplants are showing great promise.

Another example of regenerative medicine working is when researchers used pig bladder stem cells to help a man re-grow his finger after being partially amputated. The researchers ground up the dried bladder containing active stem cells, and applied it to the finger. The stem cells stimulated the mans own regenerative cells and within a few short months, the finger returned to normal size, and even regenerated the finger print. Is that not amazing?

The one constant found in this cutting edge therapy is that when the patients own cells are used, and their own body’s capacity to heal is given opportunity, miracles can happen. This would not be possible without a strong foundation to work from. Clinical nutrition provides that structure.

When we eat overly processed foods, devoid of anything resembling nutrition, we short change ourselves and hobble our ability to be healthy. Supplementing with vitamins and mineral products are fine when needed. Using chemical synthetics and fractions of vitamins and nutrients instead of the whole food form, however, can result in disappointing nutritional results. There is no such thing as a riboflavin bush or vitamin D tree in nature. Vitamins and minerals are best when they contain all of the trace minerals, enzymes, co-enzymes, macro and micro-nutrients as found in a whole food form. If you take a supplement that is a chemical synthetic, or just contains a piece of the whole nutrient, then you are essentially taking a drug. A drug changes the function of a gland organ or tissue, but does not change the structure of it. The body combines nutrients with complex bio-chemical processes to change the structure of it on a cellular level, in effect changing the function from the inside out.

Clinical nutrition uses the best whole food organic products to effect chemical change in the body. When the body is balanced, symptoms go away (some times quickly, other times not so quick), but change happens and health returns.

Even with regenerative medicine in its infancy, it has become apparent that success hinges upon the bodies ability to accept and work with “raw material.” We can substantially increase our potential for a long and healthy life by keeping the chemistry part of our body running smart and efficient. Clinical nutrition is by far the best tool out there, in my opinion, to establish and maintain good health for the long term.

There seems to be a significant amount of misunderstanding what holistic healing is all about. In a two part article I would like to explain what you should expect from a holistic healing practitioner and the type of treatment you should be getting.

If you take the example of a four legged stool and each one of those legs represents an aspect of your health: chemical (nutritional), emotional, energetic and structural and each of those legs are balanced and strong then you have optimal health. If on the other hand you have an imbalance in one or more of these legs then the stool is out of balance. A true holistic approach will address all of these facets of health to ensure you are getting the best recommendations possible for your body to heal itself. And this is critical: no matter how talented the practitioner claims to be they will not heal you. You must heal yourself. Claims of being able to “heal you” from any alternative care giver is arrogant in my opinion, and false advertising at the least. At the Ki Center we give you what your body needs based on extensive testing to bring your body back into balance.  Our immune systems were designed to be absolutely top notch at achieving and maintaining health. Many factors have served to compromise that system both in humans and animals. More on that later but for now let’s look at the four factors responsible for health and how to make them better.

Chemical Imbalance

The nutritional leg is the nuts and bolts of your body function. It is responsible for all the factory processes that take place inside you. Everything from hormone production to tissue repair requires nutrients, vitamins, minerals and a thousand other factors to keep the body going on a daily basis. Without the proper materials the factory can’t produce the end product that being healthy body function. When I test the body for deficiencies I’m looking for missing or depleted pieces of this chemical mix. Once replaced the body will start the repair process, slowly at first but it will within 2-3 months get back in balance nutritionally and many of those nagging symptoms will go away. I have used whole food nutritional products, glandular extracts, herbs and just plain old life style changes to achieve this. Chemical fractions of synthetic nutrients won’t give you long term results only short term relief if you’re lucky.

Structural Balance

Another leg on our stool is structure. If your frame is out of alignment, in other words your back is out or there is some part of the bone structure not aligned right then you have a structural imbalance. Lot’s of folks go to the chiropractor for regular adjustments. This is fine but if you are not holding your adjustments and you have to get the same thing fixed each time then something else is contributing to your problem. Is it a chemical component? Perhaps you are experiencing stress which is keeping you from relaxing and in turn tightens the muscles which shifts the bone. Nerves branch out from the spinal cord that carry messages for digestion and organ function. If you have vertebrae out of alignment and it is pinching the nerve then those messages can’t get through or are scrambled, possibly causing digestive problems or a host of other problems. And it can work in reverse as well. Chronic digestive problems will cause problems in structure as well. You can see by these few examples that it all fits together like a puzzle and for your sake please choose a health care practitioner that can see the connections.

All of these four legs are connected and are necessary for balance and health. If you address just one of them and ignore the rest you will not get complete healing. A true holistic approach will look at all of the pieces of the puzzle to achieve balance and allow you to heal yourself. If the practitioner you are seeing can’t take care of all of these areas of health they should at least be able to identify what is missing and keeping you from optimal health and make recommendations to correct it.

Next month I will talk about the energetic and emotional aspects to overall health which in my observation is vastly overlooked in helping people to heal completely. At the Ki Center we look at and test for imbalances in all four of these areas of health. In a nut shell what you will get is a way to improve your health by re-establishing your immune system to it’s most effective and efficient level of operation. We do this by giving the body what it needs and individualizing your care to correct the cause of the problem not just chase after symptoms.

Holistic Healing

A large percentage of people coming to this clinic are at their wits end. They have been through numerous traditional health care practitioners, and yet their disease or illness still persists. In addition, many have developed other problems due to the side effects of medications they have taken.

When, as a last resort, they decide to look at alternative medicine, they bring a healthy dose of skepticism with them. This is an ideal situation for an alternative health care professional.

As one of these professionals, I can honestly say, and with practical experience to back it up, that new hope can be found.

I spent eight years as an emergency medical technician. Traditional allopathic medicine has some of the best tools available to help people in specific situations. Where they fall short, in my opinion, is health maintenance, auto-immune problems and the understanding of how the body works holistically.

The scientific aspect of what they do is excellent. However, when it comes to “outside the box” thinking–how energy, structure, chemistry and emotions play a part synergistically—that is where they (and you) run into frustration and failure.

A phrase I hear quite often from my clients is, “I haven’t felt this good in years.” We are not performing miracles, nor do I heal anyone. You heal yourself. I just find the right tools that it takes to get you there. I look for imbalances in the body, find the tools it takes to correct those imbalances, and let your body do what it is designed to do.

Does this mean that everyone will be able to eliminate all disease and illness from their body? Of course not. Some people have so much long term damage that no amount of care will get them back to their youthful health and wellness. However, you can improve many areas of your health and be in the best possible condition for you, under the circumstances. Sometimes that may mean being in less pain, or simply being able to function better than you did before. Never the less, improvement in any form is a positive move in the right direction.

Whether you choose to explore acupuncture, chiropractic, nutrition, energy work or the various aspects of massage, they all have value, and can be helpful. The trick is to find that which will benefit, and not waste money and time. How that is determined is relatively straight forward. Using kinesthetic body analysis–which accurately identifies imbalances in the body– a plan of action can be established that will begin your return to health.

Chemical Imbalance

When I use supplementation or herbs to correct chemical imbalances, I want to make sure that whatever I am using is specific, and that it will get the job done. I use only Standard Process brand whole food supplements and Medi Herb herbal products from Australia. I have every confidence that these products work. I have seen them achieve amazing corrections consistently, and they are available only from health care professionals. But chemical imbalance is only part of the holistic picture.

An often misunderstood (or missed) piece of your health is that which encompasses the emotional aspect of health and healing. Rapid Eye Therapy is one tool we use in the clinic to regain the emotional balance that can be so critical to overall health. I don’t need to tell you how stress can affect you mentally. What you may not understand, however, is that stress affects your physical well being, too. An accurate quote is, “Where the mind goes the body follows.” There have been many occasions with my clients that an emotional problem has kept them from being completely successful in their healing. Once that issue was addressed, their recovery was accelerated.

Every part of your body works in synergy with each other. Ignoring, or missing part of the whole picture, can certainly cause otherwise good treatments to fail.