Generally, I don’t support the idea of just using Vitamin C only or any one vitamin or mineral when treating patients. The reason for this is that nature never gives mono-nutrient therapy–ever. Most plant and animal foods contain complexes of these vitamins and minerals.

Generally, I don’t support the idea of just using Vitamin C only or any one vitamin or mineral when treating patients. The reason for this is that nature never gives mono-nutrient therapy–ever. Most plant and animal foods contain complexes of these vitamins and minerals.

No bio/neurochemical processes in the body works in a vacuum by itself. Complexes of vitamins and minerals push enzyme reactions forward to keep the biological systems working at the highest efficiency. When one is infected with a virus, or bacteria, often the biological systems get overwhelmed using all the reserves possible to fight off the invaders.

Coupled with this is the patient who suffers from vomiting or diarrhea, often becoming weaker from dehydration and the increased loss of these critical nutrients from their systems.

This set of actions and interactions often prolong the length of the illness and in fact can create more problems than the infective agent can cause in and by itself. The key with intravenous therapy is first to make sure that dehydration is not the issue.  All biochemical reactions  happen in this fluid matrix. The second thing that needs to happen is to get the essential vitamins and minerals into the system—because without these essential components no biochemical process can go forward an the normal rate. This includes all cellular function.

All trillion or so cells in the human body/mind need these nutrients for proper function—and that includes the white blood cells that are fighting these infections. If you suffer from vomiting/diarrhea, are dehydrated, and losing these critical nutrients through the process how can you actually fight off the infection to any degree of efficiency?   You can’t—its that simple.

The IV’s aren’t a complicated mixture.  We use a lot of Vitamin C. We know that infections in mammals cause the abrupt and sustained fall of Vitamin C from blood, tissue and urine levels and the subsequent localization of the vitamin at the infected site. We also know that low levels of Vitamin C can be associated with the risk of bronchitis.

It also appears that supplementation of Vitamin C may increase serum interferon (produced in the liver) levels in response to viral infections. Also it has been noted that zinc levels decrease during viral infections. Zinc has been shown to reduce viral illnesses time when used to treat the common cold.

Patients who have a increased susceptibility to infection are often found to be low on selenium. An increase in the ability of mammals to cope with infections has been noted for magnesium. It has been noted that deficiency’s of Vitamin B-5 may cause frequent upper respiratory infections. Hopefully, these few observations lead us to the bigger picture—namely that these vitamins are necessary for cellular function.

Working in concert with nature is the primary idea behind nutritional treatment. If you can support and keep the cell healthy, one can keep the organ healthy and thereby keep the organism healthy…and that organism is you…with respect dr dave, nmd

The claim used to defend this is loosely based on ethics.  It would be unethical to give someone a placebo shot and wait to see if they catch the flu virus and get sick, when it is assumed the vaccine will protect them.

Flu vaccines are designed to work with a healthy immune system to create antibodies to the specific strains of virus used in the vaccine, to allow your body to have a “head-start” on fighting off the virus if you come across it in life.

Problems with this theory include:

1.      Children under 6 and adults over 65 have diminished immune systems, as well as those with chronic disease, nutritional deficiencies, or any immune compromising diseases.  Their bodies have a difficult time making the necessary antibodies.

2.      The vaccine is only effective if you come in contact with the same strain of virus as was used in the manufacturing of the vaccine.

3.      The Influenza Virus is extremely mutatable, meaning the chances of coming into contact with a match to the vaccine is questionable. As it is there are years where the flu vaccine that is administered is no match for the virus that is prevalent for that year.

4.      If you have a healthy enough immune system for the vaccine to cause the anticipated reaction within your body, your immune system will be healthy enough to withstand the fight against the invading virus on its own.

Other than the Influenza Virus, there are roughly 200 other viruses that cause “Influenza-Like Illness.”  Your body aches, fever, cough, and sinus congestion could possibly be from any one of these.

This year’s vaccine contains the H1N1, “Swine Flu,” virus.  The “pandemic” that was touted on the news so fervently, was actually recanted and the actual number of people affected by Swine Flu was significantly less than anticipated.  What do the manufacturer’s do with all the left-over vaccines?

Ingredients in any of the vaccine may include:

1.  Preservatives:
a.      Formaldehyde
b.      Mercury, in the form of Thimerosol
c.      Polysorbate 80
d.      MSG

2.  Surfactants
a.      Including one commonly used as a spermicide
b.      The trade and generic names of which are confused across even CDC documents, who knows which ones were used in each vaccine.

3.   Antibiotics
Including those with FDA required Black Box Warnings on prescribing inserts, warning of potential tendon rupture.

4.   Steroids

5.  Many known carcinogens used in the manufacturing process

6.   Let’s not forget that these viruses are grown in eggs, allergies anyone?

The rate of febrile seizures in children this year has been 10 times the normal amount anticipated.  Risk verses Benefits is the general rule. But one must ask themselves whether any childhood seizure is more of a benefit than the risk of getting the flu. Sounds crazy if that is what is being acknowledged.

At The Source Naturopathic Medical Center, use Nutritional IV therapy for those who come in with flu symptoms. This is an all natural IV that includes Vitamin C, B complex and more to build your immune system. Please see article posted on Nutritional IV therapy on our website or call the office. It is best to come in right when you feel the symptoms.

To your health. With respect and service, Dr. David Arneson

Research:

http://bit.ly/9gydxp Australia April 2010:  Flu vaccination ban goes national after fever, convulsions in children

http://bit.ly/96bMV3 After Australia, Finland bans H1N1 vaccines | Bharat Chronicle

Shortly after Australia banned flu vaccines in children due to an alarming increase in vomiting, fevers and seizures caused by the vaccines, Finland has now suspended H1N1 vaccines due to increased H1N1 swine-flu reports of narcolepsy in children and teens. Narcolepsy is a nervous system disorder characterized by extreme fatigue and daytime sleepiness. It indicates a serious malfunction of the brain and nervous system.

The study has concluded and we will be publishing the results by end of 2010. For more information please contact our office and Dr. Arneson will be happy to answer any questions.

The new formulation, developed by Arizona nutraceutical company, Liquid CMO, LLC, has produced remarkable testimonial results with no harmful side effects and no known drug interactions and is looking to document elimination of symptoms.

Pilot study participants had the opportunity to benefit from the positive effects current users of the supplement have experienced in last two years of human trials, while taking the newest Liquid CMO formulation.

All participants were medically supervised by myself, David Arneson, NMD, Medical Director of The Source Naturopathic Medical Clinic.

Dr. Arneson received his Doctorate from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences and is an Adjunct Professor of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. The college WAS NOT part of this study.

Cetyl myristoleate is a naturally ring waxy alcohol (Long Chain Fatty Acid) discovered in 1972 by Dr. Harry Diehl. Dr. Diehl applied for and received two U.S. Patents on Cetyl myristoleate, the first in 1977 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and then in 1996 for osteoarthritis.

CMO has been found through clinical studies and client testimonies to benefit many with autoimmune diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s disease, Sjögren’s syndrome and multiple sclerosis. According to personal accounts by current Liquid CMO users, stiffness, pain and swollen joints have decreased or vanished.

Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in your joints wears down over time. While osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in hands, hips, knees, neck, lower back.

Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by long-term, body-wide pain and tender points in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in hands and feet, depression, and anxiety. Fibromyalgia can develop on its own or along with other musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Information on the product that was tested, Liquid CMO, can be found at  www.liquidcmo.com or more information by calling (877) 734 – 4261.

Vioxx was recalled in September 2004 due to cardiovascular deaths. The sad thing is the potential for harm was known before the drug went to market and the information not released to the FDA.  This was plain and simple murder. What did the FDA do?  They fined the drug company. No one stood trial for lying about research and killing people. And we want these people controlling our choices? This is about money; this is not about us as the consumer.

In April 2005, Pfizer issued a Bextra recall, but they kept Celebrex on the market with much stronger warnings. But these are the same people that want to take away our nutritional tools…the tools that have little if any side effects and work on the majority of you. If the same rules applied that they are now enforcing on nutritional supplements were applied to their medicines about 95% of their products would be banned.

One of the leading nutritional experts of all time was Paavo Airola, Ph.D., ND. He states the problem with what seems to be a high level of confusion covering nutritional information very clearly: “The difficulty in obtaining absolutely reliable, objective, and scientifically correct information on the most vital questions related to health, and particularly related to nutrition.” He goes on to say in his book, ARE YOU CONFUSED, that what we need is we need research done in an independent and forthright matter. That is to say independent of the research that is done today with many having an axe to grind and independent big business and the pharmaceutical companies. As it is there are hundreds of centuries of empirical evidence and actual application of many of these nutritional therapies without evidence of damage to the populations as a whole.

The problem when using modern research methods, using the standard of the double blind-placebo controlled study, is that they don’t work on nutrition.  A double blind-placebo controlled study blinds the doctor leading the study so that they don’t know which patient is on the studied ingredient or the fake pill. When used in nutritional studies, remember using only one vitamin at a time for example, 95% of those studies will inherently fail to show positive results. The reason is quite simple—when was the last time nature gave you a singular nutrient? Read the next statement by Majid Ali, M.D.:

…No molecule exists in biology alone, functionally or structurally. This is self evident. And yet we physicians insist in diagnosing “a nutrient deficiency” to understand “a disease” which we can then treat with “a nutrient therapy”…The central issue here is: Mononutrient therapy has no place in the clinical practice of molecular medicine.

A single nutrient does not work in a vacuum; it works in combination with all the other nutrients. To do research as it applies to the overall health of the biochemistry of any one human being with a single nutrient is bound to fail. Therefore they reach the conclusion that we need none of it. What balderdash.  The leading so-called experts leading this foray into banning these nutrients from your life misunderstand one important fact: we are not all the same—our requirements to meet the daily stresses of life differ—our genetics are different—our circumstances are different. Take the studies on Prozac or countless other drugs, the two variables are Prozac and the fake pill. Yet I ask any discernable human being that still has a sense of logic left…since we are all different are we not a variable also? So there is 600 people in the study-300 in the Prozac group and 300 in the placebo group…there are multiple variables. The assumption in the modern medical world is that Prozac works the same on everyone. If this statement were true then we wouldn’t have any depression.

On TV recently I saw an advertisement that stated: 2 out of 3 people on antidepressants note that their symptoms have not resolved and now they want to add another psychotropic drug to this regime. You must understand that it is rare in the pharmaceutical industry to study two drugs working together against a placebo. We don’t have a clear mechanism of action of Prozac in the human being and we want to add another mind drug without a clear mechanism of action. These are the same people that don’t understand the complexities of nutrient interactions. These are the same people that will tell you that amino acid protein and Vitamin therapy are harmful to you. They don’t have an answer for our differences and they have to make everything the same so that it becomes easier for them. Their research is flawed and their reasoning is flawed. And instead of coming up with clear concise reasoning they are more than willing to force you into doing it their way.

Recently, a major drug company found that one of the active forms of Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxamine) was protective against damage to kidneys during diabetes. This form of B-6 can be taken safely without concern for nerve damage. A lot of diabetic patients use this vitamin. They filed a research document with the FDA wanting to research this vitamin as a drug. Of course once a vitamin is considered a drug it has to be taken off the market so that it is not longer available to the general population.

The FDA has said it will now ban pyridoxamine and it will only be available as a drug. With this action the freedom of the diabetic patient to minimize suffering is effectively squashed.  And what might have cost you $12.00 dollars will now cost you, or your insurance company 100 times as much if you can even find a doctor willing to write a prescription for you. What is going to stop them from doing this to every vitamin out there? Nothing. And this by the way is exactly how they are going to bring the nutritional supplement business under their control. They’ll say it is for your safety and for the good of the common folk—and this is pure balderdash. I will defend to my death the right of my patient to educate themselves and to do what works for them. This is going to be a fight—one by the way we are currently losing.

The Counsel for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) sounds nice doesn’t it?  Makes us think that someone out there is looking out for our best interest. Of course behind the scenes are the heavy players—drug companies such as Bayer, Cargill, Monsanto, Wyeth, BASF and more. Other heavy pushers for these new laws are congressmen and senators who get enormous amounts of re-election money from these giants of reform whose only role in this is to make more money. Major nutrient makers have climb on board and shame on them because it is obvious that all they care about is money also. If they even cared remotely about you they would be finding a way to give you quality without jeopardizing your freedoms of choice.

Every Mom and Pop truck garden, everyone that makes up herbal remedies in your home, anyone that sells a nutritional food to anyone else is going to feel the teeth of big government in the nap of their neck. They say this isn’t true but it by God is true. And it time to step up…write to your congressman or senator—tell them by God you are not going to put up with it!

One final comment: When modern medicine got to big it just got too confused. Used to be we physicians stopped by to visit with you even if nothing was specifically wrong. We cared about our patients. That level of caring wasn’t imbedded in the fear of getting sued for malpractice. We understood that to effectively treat you we couldn’t just break you down into some mechanical system. That there was an emotional you and a spiritual you that we needed to perceive and work with. We listened to what you had to say—which by the way, is the major complaint with modern medicine—70% leave the doctors office and state that “the doctor never listens to anything I say.”

We understood that even the emotional stresses in our lives create changes at the physical level. We understood that just given the patient a forum to addresses their issues was many times the best way to bring you back to health—or at least the best starting point. And for some of us the rule has always been—START SIMPLE AND WORK OUR WAY INTO THE LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY THAT EACH PATIENT NEEDS INDIVIDUALLY IN THEIR CASE. Nutrition has been the mainstay of this medicine for tens of thousands of years. Let’s fight to keep our rights intact.

With Respect,

Dr Dave

Many of you might ask—what does this have to do with me? Any country that is a member of the United Nations signs on with one simple understanding—if you are a member state than you are bound by the rules and laws adopted by the United Nations. Welcome United States citizens to the Gestapo mentality that seems to have somehow invaded the freest nation in the world. The New World Order is here. The right you have to get these items is soon to be taken away from you. You might all do some research and find out how the European euro translates into dollar amounts because that is the next step.

Read the following text taken verbatim from Wikipedia:

“The Codex Alimentarius officially covers all foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, but far more attention has been given to foods that are marketed directly to consumers. In addition to standards for specific foods, the Codex Alimentarius contains general standards covering matters such as food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, and procedures for assessing the safety of foods derived from modern biotechnology. It also contains guidelines for the management of official (i.e., governmental) import and export inspection and certification systems for foods.”

This doesn’t seem to be bad in the context that it is written. As many of you know, and I believe that most that do supplements and procure their own are well educated in finding decent and reliable products. And I have no qualms that the consumer should get what they pay for. There are some scalawags out there that will cheat there own mother to make a buck. I spent much of my time educating the patient in how to assess products, the manufacturers of those products, and to also educate them in the proper use and safety of the products that they consume. That is my job and I am well trained to do so. In fact, the word doctor comes from the Latin word ‘docere’ which literally means ‘to teach’. I have no qualms that we need to weed out the few that would take advantage of those that can get caught up with the hype and low grade sales pitches. Yet, we will always have these types of greedy people amongst us. Adopting laws to control less than 10 % (if it even that) that negatively affect the rest of us 90% is akin to burning the house down to get rid of a few rats. Most of us would agree that procuring a couple of cats would have worked without negatively affecting everything else.

The proponents of the Codex insist that these rules are voluntary. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Please note that the European Union has adopted these rules and laws. “In 1996”, as related in Wikipedia and other site locations, “a German delegation put forward a proposal that no herb, Vitamin, or mineral should be sold for preventive or therapeutic reasons, and that all supplements should be reclassified as drugs.” And the absolutely amazing part of this—the proposal was agreed to by the delegates that were there at the conference!  Implementation wasn’t carried out because of vigorous protests.  But in the following paragraphs you will see that the government of the United States, via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in the process of adopting these rules and laws. What this means is clear—remember that Vitamin C you bought a short while ago—the one with the 500 milligram caps—the one you paid probably less than $20.00 dollars for—it will be made unavailable to you because it is above the recommended daily allowance (RDA). This Vitamin C, will have to be made by a major pharmaceutical company—will have to be scripted to you by your doctor—and will probably cost you in the neighborhood of ten times as much—that’s right $200.00 dollars.  In fact it will be a crime to have it in your possession without a script. This has already happened in Europe.

The RDA was established in 1941 and the question that they wanted an answer to was this: WHAT WAS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT NEEDED, ON A DAILY BASIS, TO KEEP AN AVERAGE HEALTHY PERSON FROM SHOWING THE CLINICAL SIGNS OF DISEASE. Our RDA for Vitamin C is somewhere between 60-100 mg depending on who you ask. Dogs and Cats make about 1000 milligrams of Vitamin C in their livers everyday. Human beings, great apes, and guinea pigs can’t make it in the liver. We have to get it from our food. Make any sense to anyone out there that 60 mg is enough for us? Then when the dogs and cats were stressed out, via cold water baths, it was found that their livers produced about twice as much Vitamin C. Simply because Vitamin C is necessary to deal with stress though the production of adrenalin, the neurotransmitter that helps us adapt and to meet the challenges of the stressor.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that the guidelines are to, “[keep you] from overdosing on vitamin and mineral supplements.” I have been a physician for almost 10 years focusing on nutritional treatments and I have never sent anyone to the hospital for an overdose of a vitamin or mineral. I have never seen an article in the paper that states anyone has…although it does happen on a rare occasion. And because of this rare occasion they insist on taking your freedom away from you. What they are really saying is that the majority of the population is so ignorant—so stupid—that they can’t possibly do this right. What pure unadulterated insanity! Now this makes me angry as hell and it should make you angry. In fact most of my patients, and in fact most of you, understand more about nutrition than most modern day physicians. Read the following statement carefully—mull it over:

More than two-thirds of the medical schools in the United States still do not have a specific nutrition course in their curriculum. This ongoing failure to teach nutrition and practice nutritional medicine is embedded in the idea that we get our recommended daily allowance (RDA) of nutrients if we eat within certain defined parameters. There is a clear understanding now that even RDA’s of these nutrients, established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 1941, may keep subclinical disease states subclinical. Because the RDA’s for vitamins are minimum amounts that will only prevent the signs and symptoms of deficiency diseases, the daily intake should often be higher than recommended. Furthermore, however well RDA’s work as a guideline, for any given person, they may be an underestimate or overestimate of the amounts actually needed for any specific health problem.

Further research indicates that less than 5% of the medical doctors and osteopathic doctors in this country have any meaningful nutritional education in medical school. In fact, chiropractors know more about nutrition than standard medical doctors. Now ask yourself this question—who are the people writing these rules– politicians? What the heck does a politician know about nutrition? So what would be their incentive to do this?  What once was an idea to help consumers receive quality has now gravitated itself into big business. This is now about big money. It is also a well known fact amongst us professionals that the FDA is principally run by big Pharmacy. And how would we know that?

The FDA banned the herb Ephedra which they blamed for some 70-100 deaths in this country in one year. In fact, used appropriately, it is a wonderful herb for allergies and other related conditions. 95% of you know how to do this appropriately. Now when Viagra, the erectile dysfunction medication, came out there were some 1400 deaths in the first year related directly to the use of the drug—did they take this off the market? No they didn’t. Do you really think big pharmacy cares about the people? Viagra–NAMCS data on new drugs show an estimated 2.6 million mentions of Viagra at physician office visits in 1999. These requests have gone up considerably in the last ten years. Viagra is easily a billion dollars a year to the pharmaceutical company that makes it. So the old saying comes to mind—“Money talks and honesty walks.” Even your soft drinks are under attack. Soon to be banned is the addition of things like ginkgo biloba, ginseng, chromium picolinate, guarana and goto kola. You will find these in assorted teas and soft drinks. Now another question—do you see people dying like flies while drinking these drinks? We are talking bout herbs and nutrients countless societies through the ages have done with little if any side effects…had they been harmful to us we would have quit doing them long ago.

For almost ten years I have treated depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol dependency with specific amino acid formulas and vitamin therapy. I do have the rights in the State of Arizona to prescribe antidepressants although it is extremely rare for me to have to do so. Several facts and truths about psychotropics are never told to the patient. This information is readily available to the doctor. First, we have no clear understanding how these drugs actually work in the brain. As one example, if we review the drug Prozac in the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) we’ll see under the listing—mechanism of action—“UNKNOWN…but is thought to be…” This is true for of all psychotropics used today including the anti-anxiety meds.  Secondly, research on these medications, for approval from the FDA, rarely have  study groups larger than 400-600 patients and rarely exceed 4 months in length. In fact, if one looks at the PDR, the manufacturer of these drugs rarely approves their use beyond 4-6 months. Yet when the patient goes to the doctor they are commonly told that they may have to be on these medications the rest of their lives.  Thirdly, medical professionals have absolutely no idea of the long term affects of these medications and it is interesting that there is some research that indicates that the suicide rate in the US has risen consistently since the advent of Prozac in the early 1990’s.

More comments in Part Two

With Respect
Dr Dave

Generally, I don’t support the idea of just using Vitamin C only or any one vitamin or mineral when treating patients. The reason for this is that nature never gives mono-nutrient therapy…ever. Most plants and animal foods contain complexes of these vitamins and minerals. No bio/neurochemical processes in the body works in a vacuum by itself…complexes of vitamins and minerals push enzyme reactions forward to keep the biological systems working at the highest efficiency.

When one is infected with a virus, or bacteria, often the biological systems get overwhelmed using all the reserves possible to fight off the invaders. Coupled with this is the patient who suffers from vomiting or diarrhea, often becoming weaker from dehydration and the increased loss of these critical nutrients from their systems. This set of actions and interactions often prolong the length of the illness and in fact can create more problems than the infective agent can cause in and by itself.

The key with intravenous therapy is first to make sure that dehydration is not the issue. All biochemical reactions happen in this fluid matrix. The second thing that needs to happen is to get the essential vitamins and minerals into the system—because without these essential components no biochemical process can go forward at the normal rate. This includes all cellular function. All trillion or so cells in the human body/mind need these nutrients for proper function and that includes the white blood cells that are fighting these infections.

If you suffer from vomiting/diarrhea, are dehydrated, and losing these critical nutrients through the process how can you actually fight off the infection to any degree of efficiency?  You can’t, it’s that simple.

The IV’s aren’t a complicated mixture. We use a lot of Vitamin C. We know that infections in mammals cause the abrupt and sustained fall of Vitamin C from blood, tissue and urine levels and the subsequent localization of the vitamin at the infected site. We also know that low levels of Vitamin C be associated with the risk of bronchitis. It also appears that supplementation of vitamin C may increase serum interferon (produced in the liver) levels in response to viral infections.

Also it has been noted that Zinc levels decrease during viral infections—zinc has been shown to reduce viral illness time when used to treat the common cold. Patients who have an increased susceptibility to infection are often found to be low on selenium.  An increase in the ability of mammals to cope with infections has been noted for magnesium. It has been noted that deficiencies of Vitamin B-5 may cause frequent upper respiratory infections. Hopefully, these few observations lead us to the bigger picture—namely that these vitamins are necessary for cellular function.

Working in concert with nature is the primary idea behind nutritional treatment. If you can support and keep the cell healthy—one can keep the organ healthy and thereby keep the organism healthy…and that organism is you. This is our goal at The Source Naturopathic Medical Clinic.

With respect,

Dr. Dave

They are always looking for the underlying cause of the illness and do not just focus on the most apparent symptoms. Naturopathic physicians refer to specialists as needed, either within the profession or to allopathic (MD) or osteopathic (DO)colleagues.

Licensed Naturopathic Physicians receive extensive didactic and clinical training in the following modalities:

* Clinical Nutrition

* Dietary Supplementation

* Clinical Psychology

* Naturopathic Manipulative Medicine

* Acupuncture

* Botanical (Herbal) Medicines

* Homeopathic Medicines

* Pharmaceutical (Conventional) Medicines

* Minor Surgery

Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care profession emphasizing:

* prevention and treatment of disease

* maintenance of optimal health

* promotion of the individual’s inherent self-healing process

Naturopathic medicine accomplishes health care using holistic diagnosis in conjunction with the following therapies:

* clinical nutrition

* botanical medicine

* homeopathic medicine

* physical medicine

* lifestyle counseling

* pharmaceutical medicine

* minor surgery

How are naturopathic physicians trained?

All modern licensed naturopathic physicians have Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine degrees from federally recognized medical schools. Their education includes:

* the same premedical undergraduate coursework required by other schools of medicine

* a competitive application and admission process

* graduation from a four-year, federally recognized, naturopathic medical school

* two full years of supervised clinical internship

* optional residency programs

Naturopathic medical students study the same basic and clinical sciences as do other medical students, and in addition, a full spectrum of natural medicines and therapies.

How do naturopathic physicians diagnose and treat people?

As primary care providers, naturopathic physicians use:

* standard medical diagnostic techniques such as extensive health history, physical examination, blood tests, radiology, and other standard laboratory procedures.

* holistic interpretation in order to find the underlying cause of the disease process.

* natural medicines and therapies as the first line of treatment, and rational use of drugs and surgery

With advanced board certifications, some naturopathic physicians also practice as certified specialists.

Dr. David Arneson, NMD

In the next few paragraphs I will endeavor to write a brief, and understandable, explanation of why nutritional therapy is necessary in the detoxification and long-term recovery of anyone attempting to recover from the use of mind altering drugs. These drugs are not necessarily street drugs. Many have come to me after deciding to eliminate prescription medications that have addiction and dependency issues surrounding them.

First, one cannot say that there is any one cause for addiction—addiction has many facets which ultimately involve all systems of the human—Body/Mind/Spirit. However, the one thing that is true about all mind-altering drugs, including alcohol, is that they all cause dynamic changes to the human’s biochemical and neurological foundation. No one should state that the biochemical and neurological foundation is “normal” before the use of these caustic outside chemicals.

Yet, if one is to repair the house that has been damaged in the storm—to come to some appreciation of what “normal” functioning is for any one individual–then one must use what the house needs for such a repair—the proper building and repair materials.  If the human body is the equivalent of the house that is need of repair, then the proper building and repair materials the body house knows are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fluids that must be taken in daily for proper health.

Unfortunately, health is a relative term. It is understood now that the changes in biochemistry/neurochemistry, if we do nothing, may take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years on the average to reverse. A diet that might suffice for a non-addict rarely serves to push the addict/alcoholic into rapid recovery and healing of the biochemical/neurochemical processes. ALL patients that have a history of long term drug and alcohol abuse/dependency, and this includes all prescription mind altering drugs,  need more at the level of focused nutritional therapy than the average non-addict for detoxification and continued recovery.

The first level of deciding a treatment regime for any patient is in assessing how the particular drug of choice affects the body/mind. For example, alcohol and heroin have different effects, mechanisms of action, on biochemical processes in the human. It makes sense that the treatment regimes would be somewhat different. In that regard, nutritional therapies have been derived to specifically address the differences in these deficiencies.

Many ask, “Why hasn’t my standard medical doctor addressed these issues?” A Harvard Medical School research team recently addressed this question: As it were, when the finally results were determined it turns out that most medical doctors receive absolutely no nutritional biochemistry in medical school. They are saturated in learning pharmaceutical biochemistry. Yet there is not one case of alcoholism that has ever been “cured” when the patient has been treated with Prozac.

The same can be said or any of the other drugs designed to affect brain chemistry. In fact, in many cases these mind-altering pharmaceutical drugs just serve to keep the body/mind biochemistry skewed, thus reducing the patient’s chance of long term recovery. When a focused nutritional therapy program is implemented in individuals the increase in length of recovery is dynamic. Some programs report as high as 85% of their clients make one year without relapse. Those that don’t utilize nutritional therapy still report a dismal 20-25% with one year successful recovery.

The next question that seems logical is: How long must one be on the nutritional therapies?  Treatment cannot be successful if one assumes that one size fits all—or that one therapy can work the same regardless of the drug that was abused. Everyone is different genetically. How anyone person assimilates, or the capacity to utilize, the nutrition is determined by their genetics.  Any doctor that uses nutritional therapy understands this.

This is quite the opposite of standard medicine’s protocols for “curing” addiction. They cause more harm then good with their approach. Some individuals will approach their own individual normalcy quite rapidly and a good healthy diet and exercise program may give them the sense of body/mind wellness. Others, because of genetic deficiencies may have to utilize focused amino acid therapy longer. Yet I have some who choose to continue the supplement program because they need the additional time to stabilize mental function and give them the ability to rejoin society.

One must understand that balancing chemistry is one thing, healing the mind of the emotional and spiritual processes affected by drug and alcohol abuse is another thing entirely. Yet one cannot go forward without the foundation of good neurochemistry, after all that is the way—we meet the world, assess what is going on around us, find solutions for problems, and feel happiness.

Whatever happened to the doctor that helps guide the patient into physical and mental wellness is quite the mystery. To ignore how the body/mind functions on a daily basis via proper intake of good nutrients defies all logic. Proper nutrition and quality exercise is exactly what the body/mind needs to function properly.

I use amino acid therapies, intravenous vitamin therapy, and other critical nutrients to supply the nutrients necessary in the repair of biochemical/neurochemical pathways early in the process of detoxification and recovery. In the treatment of alcoholism I see patients get through the worst part of the detox in 3-4 days. I’ve never had an alcoholic go into seizures when treated aggressively with IV therapy and amino acids. The time frame for recovery from street drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and opiates are much the same. Detoxing a patient from drugs with longer half-lives such as methadone or some anti-anxiety medications may take 3-4 weeks.

In conclusion, if you want something different in your life, if you want a different outcome, then you must be prepared to do things differently. I’ve spent the last 19.5 years in my own recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction trying to find the answers to the mysteries of these chronic diseases.

Even so I cannot tell you anything more than this is a body/mind/spirit process—whether you are in the disease state or whether you are attempting recovery. In the last 5 years I have learned that if I treat these addictions and dependencies holistically—body/mind/spirit—the results are dynamic. Nutritional therapy ultimately helps clear and focus the mind so that recovery has meaning and purpose to each individual. So that the healing of the mind/spirit is has a higher probability of success.

With respect,    Dr Dave

Sweat lodge frame

Sweat lodge

The Sweat Lodge

By David Arneson, NMD

“Let us not forget that even for the most contemporary thinker who sees a majesty and grandeur in natural law, science cannot explain everything.  We still have to face the ultimate miracle: the origin and the principle of life.  This is the supreme mystery that is the essence of worship and without which there can be no religion.  In the presence of this mystery all peoples must take an attitude much like that of the Indian, who beholds with awe the Divine in all creation.”

Ohiyesa (Charles Alexander Eastman)

Santee Sioux

Historically, the sweat lodge has an extensive cultural background.  In Finland the sauna was the ritualistic bath.  When one went into the sauna it was necessary to prepare as if to go to church.  In Northern Russia the paritsia (meaning to steam oneself) was used for physical treatment, ritual, and for social events.  Historical records show that the sauna, paritsia and the Native American sweat lodge have an uncanny resemblance:  the use of a small, relatively air-tight structure, the production of steam by pouring water on hot rocks, and the use of fragrant herbs.

The combination of ritualistic, social and therapeutic ideas and modalities was also much in common.  There were similar sweat baths in Japan, Africa, Greece and countless other cultures.   Ivan Lopatin, in his article, Origin of the Native American Sweat Bath, states, “They both [the sauna and the sweat lodge] belong to the same general type and seem to have had an identical origin.  Indeed, every characteristic of the sauna is at the same time a characteristic of the Native American sweat bath.”

There are many scientific benefits of the sweat lodge.  The skin has been called the third kidney because of the ability of sweating to remove toxins from the body.  The heat of the sweat lodge also has a deleterious effect on many viruses and bacteria.  The endocrine glands are stimulated by the rise in heat, and impurities are flushed out of the body’s organs as the capillaries dilate and the blood flow increases.  A Finnish study has shown that people with high blood pressure experience a marked, although temporary, drop in blood pressure when sweating in a sauna.

The negative ions released by pouring water on hot rocks counter fatigue and tension.  However, it’s also easy to get carried away in the sweat lodge and cause serious damage to oneself, so the wise will heed the following advice on how to make the sweat lodge a memorable and safe journey.

• Eat very lightly during the day and fast for at least two hours before the sweat to avoid nausea, or worse!  A Navajo once told me that they fast for two days and take an herb to empty their bowels, thereby enhancing the detoxification that goes on in the sweat lodge.
• HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!!  Drink plenty of water well before the sweat.  Remember the basic rule: once you notice you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
• Wear loose, light weight clothing of natural material.  In a coed sweat, men usually wear shorts or bathing trunks and sometimes a t-shirt or tank top.  Women can wear the same, or a loose dress that covers the thighs and bodice.  Tight spandex and elastic can become very uncomfortable, so remember, the idea is to release heat, protect delicate skin, respect the feelings of others, and be as comfortable as possible while sitting on the ground getting soaking wet for an hour or two.   Please avoid strong fragrances!
• Metal jewelry can become very hot so it’s best to take it off.  Eye glasses can also get hot and there’s nothing to see in the pitch dark lodge, anyway.
• Shoes must be removed before smudging and entering the lodge.

The sweat lodge leader has many responsibilities.  Most importantly, he or she is responsible for the safety of everyone in the sweat lodge and so must be very observant.  The leader needs to know if anyone is allergic to the types of herbs used to smudge or purify the lodge.  He needs to know if any person is suffering from any ailment or condition that the heat and moisture may exacerbate.  She needs to be aware of any emotional and/or spiritual hardships that someone may need help with, too.

Each participant has a responsibility to communicate this information to the leader before the sweat.   The leader cannot enter the lodge with the mind and spirit weighted down with personal problems.  He must enter the lodge with focus and a clear mind in order to perceive how best to serve others.  It is her greatest prayer that she should become as a hollow bone for the Great Spirit to work through her to help heal all who need healing.

I’ve participated in many sweat lodge ceremonies and it is difficult to elucidate exactly what I have learned.  As one cannot go to a church once and know everything about that particular religion, one cannot go to one sweat lodge and know everything there is to know about the sweat lodge.  Paradoxically the more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know.  It is this infinite aspect of the tradition that keeps me involved in the learning process.  Therefore, it is with some trepidation that I venture into this writing experience because at all costs, I do not wish to dishonor that which our Native American brothers and sisters hold with such reverence.  I have a deep and abiding respect for the culture and the ceremony.

The type and energy of the lodge, the intentions of each individual person in the lodge, the focus and heart of the leader, the interactions of the people, and the recognition of all who enter that this is a sacred space; all have some bearing on what you experience and take with you when you complete the ceremony. I’m convinced that the Inipi (as the Lakota Sioux call the sweat lodge) is truly a ceremony that assists in the journey to healing and purifying the body, mind and spirit.

I’ve had the honor of sweating with Native Americans of the Lakota Sioux, Oneida, Osage, Cree, Iroquois, Crow, Apache and Blackfoot cultures.  I’ve learned a little from each one and know that the way of ceremony may be different, but the intention is the same: we need to be a part of, not apart from; we need to disconnect from the concrete jungle and take the journey inward to reconnect with our souls and with our brothers and sisters, and with all of creation;  we need to reinforce the idea of community.

It is through our own effort in the maintaining of our wellness of body, mind and spirit that we can become a positive force in giving something back to the community and world in which we live.  This is not to say that the sweat lodge experience is the only way to accomplish this goal, but it is the primary purpose of the ceremonial sweat lodge.

I remember my first sweat lodge experience as totally a physical event.  It was all I could do to hang on to complete the journey.  Later several people who had been in the lodge told me that the sweat had been a mild one!  It is this aspect of the lodge that most non-indigenous people connect with: the sweating out of the toxins, the increase in blood flow to the vital organs and the wonderful clean feeling, when complete, inside and out.  But if that were all there were to it, one would be able to go down to the local health spa and sit in a sauna and reap the same results.

While I remember it as excruciating, the lessons from the first lodge were powerful.  The first lodge for most is physical.  It teaches us to stay humble, to accept what comes with some sense of dignity and faith.  For this reason the lodge is a powerful teacher of how to accept overwhelming situations that come at us in life.  The journey through the physical aspect of the lodge also allows us to journey inward to discover the inner strength to hang on in what seems to be an impossible situation.  We begin to discover that we do have situations that occur in life where physical strength alone cannot overcome the obstacles in our path and that we can tap into another source of strength…the inner pathway…our higher power.

Because the sweat lodge is dark, wet and warm it has been described as the womb of the Earth Mother.  When we enter we should leave all that connects us to what we know as reality and should prepare ourselves to be reborn.  To enter the lodge with the world on our shoulders, to carry any negative energy into the lodge lessens the potential of the ceremony’s outcome.

This is the reason that each individual is smudged with sage, cedar, or other herbs before they enter the lodge.  Jamie Sams (Native American medicine teacher, Iroquois/Cherokee descent), says it well: ”There cannot be an at-one-ment among the participants if someone is carrying resentment, hatred, jealousy, envy, or any other negative emotion.”

I learn more as time goes on, yet I still struggle with the cultural impatience that seems to permeate our society.  I’ve been told that when you are ready your teacher will find you.  These past twelve years have been definitely learning years, and the learning experiences are coming faster and faster.  It is my hope that in recounting these personal experiences and the passing on of information that is pertinent to these experiences, that I will have assisted those that are searching for knowledge.

“The color of the skin makes no difference.

What is good and just for one is good and just for the other,

and the Great Spirit makes all men brothers.

I have a red skin, but my grandfather was a white man.  What does it matter?  It is not the color of the skin that makes me good or bad.”

White Shield

Arikara Chief