Many people may think holistic medicine is incompatible with traditional western medicine such as surgery and the administration of antibiotics or other synthetic medications as a standard treatment.  This is erroneous.  According to the Canadian Holistic Medical Association, holistic medicine is determined as follows.

“Holistic medicine is a system of health care which fosters a cooperative relationship among all those involved, leading towards optimal attainment of the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of health.  It emphasizes the need to look at the whole person, including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values.  It encompasses all stated modalities of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery if no safe alternative exists.  Holistic medicine focuses on education and responsibility for personal efforts to achieve balance and well being.”

Let’s take an example.  Rupture of anterior (cranial) cruciate ligament of the knee is fairly common acute injuries among companion animals: especially, young, active, large breed dogs.  The best treatment for the injury for young healthy animals is surgical repair.  If the ligament is not repaired, the knee joint is no longer stable; therefore the meniscus between the femur and tibia will be worn out. This will most likely cause knee arthritis in future.  These injuries happen among older, less active animals due to loss of the elasticity of ligaments by aging.  For geriatric animals with chronic diseases such as heart failure, renal disease, or endocrine diseases, surgery can endanger their lives.  Managing their pain using homeopathy, herbs and acupuncture is the ideal option for them.  In holistic medicine, if there are several options for treatments, the least invasive option should be tried first.

Treating allergic dermatitis with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications is main stream in traditional western veterinary medicine.  Since these medications simply treat the symptoms rather than underlying causes, often symptoms become chronic and recurrent.

Sometimes, allergy test and treatment consists of avoidance of possible allergens and desensitization injections are administered, but what can you do if your dog is allergic to house dust, cotton and almost all kinds of grasses?

Those animals “allergic to everything” are not normal and need more than medications.

There are so many factors involved in the causes of allergic dermatitis; the owners’ compliances are strongly required.  Changing diet (we often ask to prepare home-cook

meal for the animals because almost all of the food recommended by “regular” veterinarians is not good food) and lifestyle, understanding what do affect on the animals’ immune system, and contamination of the environments  Many owners of allergic dermatitis animals learn a lot and change even their lifestyle and diet  throughout the treatment.  Treatment may take few months to years, but most of the animals have no further recurrences and experience over-all improvement in health.

The modalities in holistic veterinary medicine are acupuncture, Western and Chinese herbs, homeopathy and homotoxicology (modern version of homeopathy), chiropractic, massage, nutrition, Chinese food therapy, glandular therapy, Reiki etc.  All holistic veterinarians received “regular” (means, western) veterinary medical educations and board certified veterinarians.  Some of our holistic colleagues practice western medicine concurrently.  The patients are diagnosed by their appearance, body condition, physical examination, auscultation of chest, abdominal palpation, tongue diagnoses, pulse diagnoses, observation of the animal’s behavior, and questions to the owner.  Since diagnostics is the forte of the Western medicine, we are taking advantage of it.  Blood works, radiographs, ultrasounds, MRI and other methods are helpful to determine the condition and choose the treatment option.  Although the patient’s condition is determined either black or white, we start treating these grey patients.  For example, in Chinese medicine, the disease happens as a result of in-balance of 2 main energies, yin and yang.  If the patient has too much yin, or cold, the body tends to have stiff arthritis, watery diarrhea, so warming herbs and food, such as ginger and lamb stew, are recommended.  On the other hand, if the patient has too much yang, or heat, symptoms are hot-spot (red, itchy dermatitis), bloody diarrhea, hyper-activity.  Cooling food (fish, turkey, raw food) and herbs are administered.  Therefore, even though two patients may have same complaint, they could be benefit from different herbs and food.  We are not only attempting to alleviate the symptoms, but also balance the conditions of the body, mind and lifestyle of the patients.

Most of my patients are geriatric patients suffering from chronic musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis and disk diseases.  Recent study proved that acupuncture is effective for pain control because the insertion of needles to the acupuncture points, which are located near small arterioles and free nerve endings, triggers endorphin and serotonin release from the brain.

Holistic medicine is effective on other internal conditions as well as musculoskeletal diseases.  Acupuncture, herbs and diet change can alleviate, even cure epilepsy in some cases.  Herbs, supplements, diet change, and/or homotoxicology may reduce insulin dosage of diabetes.  Many terminal cancer animals improve their quality of life by changing diet only.  Since some conditions are result to aging, many old animals need life-time treatments, but most them show obvious improvement and treatment intervals could be stretched out to be every 3-6 weeks. Holistic veterinary medicine is certainly the safe, efficacious option for managing chronic condition of companion animals.

Masami Seplow, DVM CVA
Holistic Animal Clinic
206-723-3809

5303 Rainier Ave S

Seattle, WA 98118-2353

(206) 723-3809

Healing is a Journey.  Many people come to me with their physical ailments hoping to gain relief.  What they find is that their experience during the healing process creates an opportunity for re-awakening.  As we begin to learn from our bodies and to listen to them more closely, we are brought back to a more balanced self.

I choose water as a healing element.  Loosening, softening, and flowing into us, water helps in the creation of an opening for healing, an opening that then offers a channel for release.  As we let go of that which no longer serves us, we shed light on new, fresh, and vital parts of our being we once suppressed.

This process is more than just physical; it often triggers an emotional letting go as well.  As we start to stir up old waste in our bodies, our cellular memories rise to the surface and let go.  This can be a powerful time for someone, during which they get in touch with what is true for them and relinquish what is no longer needed or useful.  It is then that the new, fresh, and vital may emerge.

What we do to our bodies has a profound effect on our minds, emotions, and environment; what we think and feel creates our realities.  Modern science is now confirming that all life is connected – every quark, atom, molecule, cell, and being.  Nothing happens to anything that does not affect everything else.  The popular movie, “What the Bleep Do We Know?”, features scientists explaining an ancient wisdom that says, “As above, so below,” or “As inside, so outside.” You are what you eat, think, feel, breath and retain.  Imagine how our consumption choices affect our feelings, thoughts, and actions and, therefore, the entire world.  What we do to our bodies we do to the Earth.

Your intestine, very much like a city, is populated by thousands of types of organisms; some beneficial, some neutral, and some potentially harmful.  The climate we create with the raw materials we provide our bodies are what attracts and maintains these “citizens” in their lifestyles.  Do we want to create a balanced environment of healthy diversity by providing plenty of cleanliness, fresh air, and wholesome food? Or will we promote the influx of harmful “gangs” and parasitic “criminals” by letting the garbage crews go on strike and by filling our inner cities with junk food restaurants and convenience stores that provide only highly processed foods?

1. So what is the answer?

Making healthy consumption choices that support balanced nutrition and effective elimination is very important.  This can be enhanced by exercising regularly and using herbs, fibers, oils and even clay internally for detoxification of multiple organs seasonally.  With colon hydrotherapy- also called colonics, colon irrigation or high enemas- you may be able to cleanse and heal more effectively.  Colon hydrotherapy is the professional term used to describe a way to rejuvenate every cell in one’s body.  The process involves the use of pure water to hydrate the colon, resulting in the improvement of the body’s natural ability to eliminate waste. Colonics also assist in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients.  Moreover, colonics aid in the balancing of the body’s ecosystem by cleaning out harmful or potentially pathogenic bacteria and allowing beneficial or symbiotic bacteria to flourish. For these and other reasons, colonic therapy is sweeping the nation.  Many celebrities are talking about the procedure, and one can even find YouTube videos showing how the process is performed.

People choose this method of internal cleansing for many reasons.   At Alder Brooke Healing Centers we treat each individual as a whole, instead of compartmentalizing the symptoms and ailments in the manner of conventional medicine.  Considering each person’s history, current health, and goals, we begin restoring inner balance, strengthening the immune system, and establishing patterns of living that support one’s whole being in a synergistic way.  This allows us to assist in creating happier inhabitants of a more peaceful planet.

The procedure is as follows: warm purified water trickles into the colon via a small disposable tube, loosening and softening old fecal matter and undigested food particles that stagnate, putrefy, and ferment. Colon muscles then work with the water to wash out and eliminate the waste.  The process is odorless, delivering the removed matter to the sewage system that will return it to the earth to become fertilizer.   The influx of water allows for a gentle exercising of the colon muscles, potentially strengthening and toning the entire bowel.  One goes through as many of the cycles of receiving and releasing as is appropriate for one’s body during a forty-five minute session.  Imagine a wave gently rolling onto the beach, receding and carrying away silt and residue.  As one’s bowel contents empty, one’s liver and lymph release, allowing for multiple organ detoxification.  Ultimately as one’s body is rid of harmful waste, one is able to absorb pure water into the body, cleansing and feeding every cell.

At Alder Brooke, we don’t talk crap: real therapy is happening here.  Education and support for proper consumption and lifestyle plays a key role in the colon therapy and internal cleansing process.  We look at not only cleansing but also at strengthening and supporting optimal health.  We teach healthy choices and provide an individualized outline for creating the best plan for people to reach their highest goals. Of paramount importance in the entire process is being able to love ourselves; it is crucial to healing on a personal and planetary level.

1. Your health is your wealth and happiness, so nurture it well…   You deserve it!

Enjoy the free educational information on my web site and look for a therapist in your area.  Visit one of Alder Brooke Healing Water Centers in Eugene, Oregon or Kona, Hawaii and let us help you design a health plan that is custom to your needs and can be applied everywhere you choose to live and travel.

Aloha and blessings of health and vitality!

Tara Alder

Internal Cleansing Specialist and Health Inspiration

Alder Brooke Healing Arts

www.alderbrooke.com

taralyn@alderbrooke.com