Dr. Adam Baumgardner

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The Healing Power of Water

Healing Power of Water

In today’s world, we hear a lot about how eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking the right preventative measures can help us get healthy and stay healthy.   But there is one other thing that is as vital to our health as any of these that is often overlooked.  Even though it is one of the foundational elements of a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t get the same attention as the others.  Water.  Clean, clear, potable water is vital to sustaining our lives and maintaining our health.

More than 75% of our bodies are composed of it and after air to breathe, it is the second most critical element to sustaining life.  While most experts agree that on average a person can live as long as 8 weeks without food, humans cannot live without water for more than 3 to 6 days.  This fact alone shows just how important water is to our health and wellbeing.

Why Water Matters

Our bodies use water and need water for almost every bodily function.  Water helps with circulation by maintaining the right viscosity of our blood.  It helps carry toxins and waste from our cells so they can be removed and is required for the removal process.  Some parts of our bodies are made up almost entirely of water and it is mandatory in order for our bodies to function.  We can lose as much as a gallon of water every day when we sweat, go to the bathroom, and even when we breathe.   Replenishing the water we are using and losing each day ensures our bodies have an adequate water supply to operate effectively.

What Happens When We Don’t Get Enough

Most people talk about dehydration without really understanding how prevalent a problem it is in America and how devastating it can be both in the short and long term.  When we think of someone suffering the effects of dehydration, we often picture someone in a movie who has just come out of the desert with dry cracked lips, who is stumbling and on the verge of collapse.  While this is an extreme picture of dehydration, you don’t need to watch a movie to see someone who is suffering the debilitating effects of dehydration.  Just look around you.  An estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated which means most of the people you see today aren’t getting enough water.

Everyone knows that those cracked lips and stumbling gait are indicators that someone needs water, but do you know the signs and symptoms of chronic dehydration?  They may surprise you and should help you understand why water can be said to have healing powers.  Here are a few of the signs someone is dehydrated:

·        Lack of energy and fatigue

·        Aches and pains throughout the body

·        Dry flaky skin

·        Short term memory problems

·        Impaired brain function

·        Digestive issues including constipation, nausea, and vomiting

·        Joint pain

·        Headache!  Big reason people come to see me!

How Much Do You Need?

Most experts agree that people need 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to remain properly hydrated.  The basic formula for you and your needs is your body weight divided by 2 times 1.1 as we live in a desert and then 1.15 if you drink anything with caffeine in it.  Some of that water can come from other liquids like juice and milk or from foods that contain a lot of water.  My rule of thumb here is cut it in half before you count it.  If you drink 8 ounces of juice count it as 4 ounces.  You can also go eat fruits that are higher in water content to help with your hydration.  Water melon being the highest there is a list of high water content fruits.  Any fruit over 80% water is going to help you out.  Beware of other beverages however, like soft drinks, coffee, and alcohol, which have the opposite effect and contribute to dehydration due to their caffeine and sugar content.  Remember that you are losing, potentially, a gallon of water each day just going about your business; replacing that water is as important to your health as choosing apples over potato chips and yoga over a rerun of Desperate Housewives.  

Best Tip For Hydration

I know you are thinking ‘if I drink that much I’ll be running to the bathroom every five minutes.’  Not if you drink it the right way.  Don’t chug it unless you are exercising.  The rest of the time take a gulp of water every 5 minutes.  Any faster and your kidneys will just dump the water you bring in.  You will have clear urine, but you will stiff be dehydrated!

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4 Myths about Acupuncture

 

Myths About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the alternative treatments that is helping to bridge the gap between the practices of Eastern medicine that have been around for thousands of years. It is also a very good adjunctive therapy to the Western medicine most Americans use as their primary method of managing their health.  Despite being available in America for more than 30 years, many people still do not understand the health benefits of this holistic practice.  Myths and misconceptions about how much acupuncture hurts, how much it costs, how safe it is, and whether or not it is effective keep people from getting the benefits of this ancient art of healing.

Here are 4 of the most common myths about acupuncture and the facts that dispel the myth.

1.   Acupuncture Needles Hurt

Acupuncture needles are very fine and thin with very sharp ends… sharper means less painful when talking about needlesJ. The needles used for acupuncture are very different from those used for injections in Western medicine.   Most patients do not feel the needle being inserted and those that do feel, only feel a tiny pinch or prick that goes away almost instantly. 

Once the needles are inserted, they are left in place for a period of time ranging from 5-20 minutes.  The needles are so thin they do not generally cause tissue damage on insertion or removal and rarely leave a mark on the sign after removal.  When they do it is generally gone the next day.

2.   Acupuncture Only Involves Needles

While needles are the most common tools used by acupuncture practitioners, they do use other tools to treat their patients.  Especially if the patient is afraid of needles.

Some of the most common alternate types of stimulation of acupuncture points are:

  • Acupressure (simple pressure to the AcuPoint use a finger or rod)
  • Acustim (light electrical current to the AcuPoint)
  • Aculaser (Cold laser directed at the AcuPoint.  The replaces Moxibustion in most cases)
  • GauSha (Rubbing of the area around AcuPoints to increase blood flow)

3.   Only People Who are Sick or in Pain Can Benefit

Many people believe that acupuncture is only beneficial for people who are in pain or who are sick, but this is not true.  Acupuncture is gaining popularity as an accepted therapy used in chronic pain management but it can also be beneficial in boosting overall health and wellness.  Because acupuncture is a tool for restoring balance in the body, it can be used for a variety of treatments and has a place in any preventative wellness program.

Acupuncture has also been used to treat addiction and aid in weight loss.  As a preventative therapy, there are many potential benefits offered by the various acupuncture techniques.

4.   You Have to Believe in it for it to Work

Perhaps because of its origins in Eastern medicine, many people continue to doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture and attribute some kind of placebo effect to those who claim it is beneficial.  In essence, they believe that in order for it to work, you have to believe that it will.  However, because acupuncture causes physiological changes on the body, its effectiveness is not reliant on your belief that it will work.  By releasing endorphins, improving circulation, and other physiological changes acupuncture creates positive changes throughout the body.  It can be used to reduce stress, restore balance, and support immune system function… and much more.  If you would like to know if acupuncture might help your condition call and ask.  I’ll be happy to share what I know! 

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