If you or someone you know has yellowed, thickened, cracked and/or swollen and inflamed toenails, it is caused from a fungus called onychomycosis [which literally means fungal infection of the nail].
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Typically this disease is caused by a fungal tinea species and can also be caused by a candida yeast fungal species. It is also possible to spread these tiny microorganisms to friends and family when good hygiene is not the standard. Either species of fungus can cause a progressive condition that can infect one or more nails, causing them to thicken, discolor, crumble and separate from the toenail bed and cause a foul odor (Dutra 2014).
Good news – This infection can be removed and healthy pink toenails can be yours once again.
What is this fungus and how do we get it? Environmental conditions necessary for it to survive and spread include: Sweaty feet with cotton socks, or socks that don’t breathe, or hold moisture and can cause more than one toenail to become infected. Public use areas that are warm, humid and moist; such as locker rooms, pools, saunas, gyms, even home showers shared by family members are suspect. These are perfect environments for these organisms to infect others through bare foot surface contact.
Once the fungus resides within the toe and nail tissues, your footwear and improper hygiene can sustain the culture, then cultivate and spread it as long as the environmental conditions remain consistent. Acquiring the fungus has mostly to do with improper hygiene and footwear.
Public use showers and locker room floors are fungus cultivating environments.
There appear to be other factors that include age and other medical conditions that can cause more severe foot and toenail problems. These other factors may include abnormal PH skin, poor circulation, Athlete’s foot, diabetes, immune problems, another infection or injury of toe or nail and skin psoriasis (MayoClinic 2011). It is said before a person reaches 70 years old, there is a 50/50 chance of contracting this fungal condition.
A mechanical or tissue breach may also make you prone or susceptible to acquiring this infection. For instance, when you wear an improperly fitted, or undersized shoe and walk in a way that creates a bio-mechanical foot-toe friction, an opportunity is provided to the fungus which infects tissue. For example, when the end of the big and small toe nails repeatedly catch friction between the toes and shoe material, a loosening of the nail(s) from the toe bed(s) can lead to micro-trauma of both skin and nails. Micro cracks in skin and nails present a perfect opportunity for bacteria to set in and spread its infectious fungus (Dutra 2014).
Also beware, unsterilized salon-home nail clippers, emery boards or other instruments can become infected and spread the fungus. And once it’s on your toenails… after clipping them, it is possible to spread it to the fingernails if you don’t wash your hands.
And if you use a lot of toenail and fingernail polish to cover discolored nails, this may sustain the life of the fungus indefinitely. Because of the way nail polish seals in bacteria and moisture, the tissue does not breathe or heal well.
Marc Woodard tending to foot health while hiking in the Nevada Desert, 2017.
If this fungal infection goes untreated it can continue on indefinitely and may cause, or contribute to increased health risks caused by other medical complications. “When the immune system is weakened due to other medical conditions especially those with Aids, leukemia or have received an organ transplant serious health risk may result” (MayoClinic 2011).
There are medical treatments, pharmaceuticals and natural remedies you can use that may remove this fungus once and for all. However, if you have a medical condition and/or infection is causing extreme pain and is of health concern, it is wise to seek medical attention in treating this disease immediately.
Your medical treatment options,
It is highly recommended you make an appointment with your primary care doctor or podiatrist for proper treatment of fungal foot, toe, toenail or fingernail infection. Your doctor will likely prescribe one of the following topical medications: For mild infection this may likely include one of four applications: Formula 3, Elon, Fungasil, or Penlac. For a more serious condition an oral antifungal drug may be prescribed, such as Sporanox or Lamisil.
Before oral medication is prescribed your doctor will likely need to assess your health risk through lab work. This assessment is done to determine the functionality of your liver and what prescriptions are safe for your use.
Doctors often prescribe antifungal powders with orals to increase the odds that the fungal infections will stay neutralized or completely abated.
Natural treatments may remove or improve this condition. The most popular ones are listed.
Vinegar soaking [1 part vinegar/2 part water], ~ 20 minutes daily; no less than 2-3 times per week.
Some even treat this fungus with a daily application of Vicks Vapor Rub. However it is wise to consult your doctor about this as there is no known study that proves it will kill this fungus.
Apple Cider Vinegar [soak foot in equal parts mixed with water].
Tea Tree Oil [swab pure oil on nail, or dilute with equal parts olive oil or thyme oil to apply to skin]. I’ve found this treatment to be one of the most affective at killing the fungus, when treatment continues for 2 months. However, it may return when proper footwear and hygiene in not addressed.
White vinegar [considered the best solution in dealing with toe nail fungus]. 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, soak 15 minutes daily].
Garlic has allicin and is an anti-fungal element [use equal parts garlic and olive oil]. If you don’t have garlic oils, crush two garlic cloves and two Tsps. of olive oil. Let mixture stand 24 hours, then apply and cover with bandage daily], (Top10 2014).
Before and after treatment
Note: All natural treatments mentioned here are strictly informational. We do not provide medical advice. Consult with your doctor or other health care provider before using any of these tips or treatments.
How can you prevent toenail fungus from developing?
Purchase properly fitted shoes that breathe and provide enough room for your toes.
Wear sandals when appropriate.
Air out shoes, throw away over worn socks and shoes.
Change socks daily and especially after sweating in them and don’t wear socks that absorb moisture.
Use anti-fungus powders and sprays; maintain short, dry and clean nails.
Don’t pick at skin around nails even when there is infection.
If you have your toenails manicured by a saloon, ensure they sterilize and disinfect instruments prior to use.
After social functions remove nail polish.
Bare foot walking in public places should be avoided.
See your podiatrist if you have foot and/or toe fungus.
A new treatment in the marketplace that appears to be promising is photodynamic laser therapy. This is where intense light is focused on a nail where an acid is applied as part of the protocol to kill the fungus.
No more embarrassing reasons not to go barefooted.
Remove this fungus once and for all and get back the health of your toenails. These medical treatments and natural tips have worked well for others and they can work well for you. Make the effort to see your doctor and/or apply a treatment that will work to remove this fungus once and for all.
Works Cited and Reference
Bing. “Toenail Fungus Pictures and Free – Bing Images.” Bing Images – Toenail and Fingernail Fungus. Microsoft. Web. 23 May 2014.
Dutra, Tim, Dr. “Toenail Fungus.” FootVitals. IMG Health Publications, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 May 2014.
MayoClinic. “Nail Fungus.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 23 May 2014.
Top 10. “How to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus.” Top 10. Top 10 Home Remedies. Web. 23 May 2014.
Woodard, Marc T. “Diabetes A Serious Disease.” MirrorAthlete Fitness Secrets. MirrorAthlete, 19 September 2017. Web. 19 September 2017.
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2023 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
So your ready for a lifestyle change… And you want to learn how to turn around an unhealthy lifestyle and achieve fit healthy longevity. My recommendation, study other cultures within and outside of Western influence and compare a populations health, disease, diet, activities, religion, socialization behaviors, mortality rate and age per capita data – e.g., compare nomadic tribes, people in blue zones and certain religious cultures, etc., versus Westernized demographic and lifestyle statistics.
What demographic experts have found – cultures absent of Western influence live longer in good health with little to no disease. If you learn how to tweak your lifestyles closer to theirs, it is more likely than not you’ll achieve similar wellbeing and longevity benefits – even within a Westernized culture once you know how.
Many clients I worked with over past years were overweight and sought a quick weight loss and/or physical enhancement solution to lose body fat and get more fit. A question often asked from the overweight and unfit population, “are all fast weight loss and fitness and performance enhancement; and restrictive diet solutions and processed foods; and polluted air and water; and noise pollution; and unhealthy relationships bad for us?”My simple answer is “in the long run, yes.”
So how does one achieve the goal without dabbling in unhealthy fitness and diet fads and product gimmicks and mind-body numbing drugs, etc. Let alone decipher the good from bad consumer stuff… and not increase health risk? Although I can’t cover everything in this article, I can help you make a significant lifestyle change that will make a big difference in your life if your ready for it.
If you only “tweak a few lifestyle habit(s)” daily… as described in principles 1-3 below, you’ll improve your state of wellbeing, fitness levels and experience less illness and disease. But if you continue to find short cuts to cure what ails your mind, body and spirit and change nothing… living the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now may never come to pass.
Ageless MirrorAthlete, Chapter 17, “Longevity Secrets Divulged,” shares detailed demographic lifestyle habits and behaviors within a blue zone culture about people that just won’t die. Learn how they live long active lifestyles without disease. Like Nomadic people, they share similar lifestyles and longevity benefits. Learn about natural weight loss, increased fitness levels and living long active lifestyles – and so much more. Read the free book preview now. https://amzn.to/351RnMO
It is no secret, nomadic tribe activities include walking from place to place to shelter seasonally and hunt and gather for food daily to sustain a lifestyle on the move. There are many things we can learn about remote cultures absent of Western influence and disease. The most obvious, nomadic people don’t sit idle for very long, they also don’t have convenient access to processed foods and drinks; and don’t typically become obese with related disease; and live 10 years or longer on average than their Western counterparts. If your going to stay fit healthy long term, the most important activity change habit you must apply now is daily walking, biking or other aerobic activity.
“To begin living a nomadic-like lifestyle and begin receiving the fit healthy longevity benefits – first… Condition Your mind/body to walk Daily – then you’ll achieve the metabolism and cardio-muscular endurance of a nomadic tribesman” [MirrorAthlete].
If not able to walk based on current physical condition, or maybe your rehabbing from an injury, etc., their are affordable stationary leg and arm cycling home equipment products for purchase that will improve cardio and muscular endurance and rehabilitative benefits you need and deserve daily. This course will ultimately condition you to walk and/or keep the body in a good state of repair.
“What can we learn from these people and how can you tweak a lifestyle change program to reap similar fitness and longevity benefits.“
“I know many of you may be unable to walk abroad for your daily exercise for various reasons. That’s why I recommend a small investment in home exercise equipment to accommodate a busy lifestyle and/or medical condition and/or protection from a Covid19 environment” [Marc Woodard]
TODO Leg/Arm Peddler – “use as a bike pedal exerciser”
“A Mini bike peddler can be used for leg cycling exercise at the office or home to increase circulation and relieve tension. The pedal motion is smooth and quiet, you can do exercise while you are on phone, watching tv, working ,or playing video games.” Learn more about the TODO Arm/Pedal Stationary Exerciser/Medical Peddler with Digital LCD Monitor now: https://amzn.to/33ZhlBr
TODO Leg/Arm Peddler – “use as an arm pedal exerciser
“Adjustable resistance for customize exercise, easy to adjust the tension by rotating the knob, pedal is very easy, it is perfect for rehabilitation following a surgery or injury, also great for elderly to do exercise for their legs and arms.” Learn more about a variety of arm and legs cycling equipment for home and/or office use now: https://amzn.to/3nToAma
Principled Lifestyle Change Habits Require No Fads or Gimmicks
The reason so many people fail at long term weight loss within Western cultures is because of sedentary habits and unhealthy behaviors; consume too many processed foods and drinks and drugs; and/or use diet and performance enhancement fads and gimmicks throughout their lives and/or become overweight and get sick.
There are 3 fit healthy lifestyle change principles you can apply now based on demographic data of remote cultures mostly absent of illness and disease and live longer than their Western counterparts – I believe, if anyone applied these 3 core fit healthy longevity principles, they’d receive similar benefits.
Principle One – Walking is an aerobic exercise activity we’re physically designed to do well for life. Walking motivates the mind to find purpose and will power to achieve set goals – through walking the bodies natural release of feel good metabolic chemicals improves mood and state of wellbeing. The daily release of adrenalin and other healthy feel good brain-body chemicals during exercise also provides the motivation necessary to change unhealthy lifestyle habits and behavior into healthier ones. Which lead to healthy body weight, increased fitness levels and mobility; and wellness, etc.
Principle Two – Although most of us will never hunt and fish for sustenance, our marketplace does offer a variety of fresh whole foods identified as – Certified organic farmed fresh. Knowing how to identify organic vs processed foods and removal of unhealthy food chemicals is important if you want to achieve and sustain healthy body weight and good health for life.
“In the age of home food delivery… hunting for organic foods have never been more convenient. Leaving more time for daily exercise and an active lifestyle for self or with family” [MirrorAthlete].
Principle Three – When possible find a stress and pollutant free sanctuary to exercise [i.e., free of noise and air pollutants and processed foods temptations]. If possible find a healthy place indoors and/or transport oneself to a healthier place to exercise, unwind, relax and detox if only for a few hours. It does not cost anything to walk, or little cost to hop aboard public transportation to perform walking exercise in a cleaner environment. Once you begin applying “Nomadic Dual Purpose Exercise” [Defined Below], it will naturally reduce your body weight and increase state of wellbeing… and once repeated and conditioned daily – you’ll crave and have the will power to do it again every day.
“Find a quiet or remote or relaxed place free of environmental pollutants, noise and stress to exercise and achieve a feeling of wellbeing and wellness.“
Learn how to plan and exercise and achieve your fitness and wellbeing goals whenever and wherever you want now: https://amzn.to/2SPhzEG
Plan walking exercise daily to optimize the fat burning metabolism. During low stress walking activity – Carry a back pack with 2-3 liters of water. Plan to rehydrate on your walk and shop activity to your favorite whole foods store to gather healthy food products for your next meal. Shopping whole foods while walking is a lifestyle change practice you can condition yourself to do daily – similar to how a nomadic tribesman walks to fish and hunt. In doing so you receive similar fitness and healthy food nutrients at the dinner table.
“Take advantage of back pack technology. During aerobic exercise hydrate and have reliable communications should you need help on the road, or remote workout location.”
Nomadic tribes people walk miles daily to move camp, hunt and gather food – If you don’t exercise with frequency, or haven’t exercised with intensity or effort in a while, I recommend you begin a slow paced daily walking activity if there is no medical reason not to.Once you condition yourself to walk daily, work towards increased walk pace, not less than 15-30 minutes in duration. The more you walk the more calories you burn and the leaner you become and the better you’ll feel. After exercise your metabolism also stays elevated for up to two hours – burning even more calories at rest.
When you begin a walking program, it is important to purchase a proper fitted walking shoe with sufficient heal- ball-toe and arch support.
Nomadic tribes people eat very little to no processed foods – Eat less processed and convenience foods and more whole foods and drink more water.Avoid processed ready-to-eat meals and sodas and beverages.Especially those packaged within colorful and attractive packages.This is code for “contains food chemicals.” Look at the food ingredient labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient names – buyer beware. All baked and frozen foods ready to consume have varying degree of chemical preservatives, additives, dyes, artificial flavors, Trans Fats and other chemicals to keep them fresh looking in appearance with long storage life. These chemicals are known to cause illness and disease long term.
Nomadic tribes people live outdoors in fresh air environments – Move yourself outdoors for exercise activity as often as possible – preferably in a pollutant free environment…. and/or before/after motor vehicle traffic rush.If air quality is bad regardless, go to a healthier air environment or exercise indoors. Be sure to drink 2-3 liters of water daily to help remove toxins from the immune, circulatory and flush the bodies filtration systems and keep bones joints well lubricated. Coffee, beer and sodas and energy drinks are not healthy alternatives to water.
To achieve a fit healthy lifestyle change and benefits similar to a remote culture based on the 3 common principles… Tweak your lifestyle to live more in line with a nomadic, or remote culture absent of Western influence to achieve the longevity benefits.
Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
At one point in my life I sought alternate treatment for severe chronic back pain. I only did so after all other conventional treatments had failed.
It’s true physical therapy, diet, ideal body weight, prescriptions and exercise do help with weight bearing, pre-post surgery pain relief and the healing process.
But when you have substantial structural and neurological damage in/around bone and soft tissue which includes tendons, ligaments and muscle, you’re most certain to experience varying levels of acute and chronic pain for long periods of time.
Learn more about hard to find natural healing and well-being secrets found within Ageless MirrorAthlete. Click on the link and read the free book review. We appreciate an Amazon or B&N review and rating… Thank you for you support.
For those that go under the knife to correct and alleviate pain, risk of complications do occur. Under the best case surgical scenario, repair with significant pain relief is experienced – but not guaranteed.
Because of my unique pain story, I preferred to work around the pain centers throughout the body using alternative pain relief methods. Since there’s no guarantee surgeries could provide a pain free experience… “I ventured into acupuncture.”
At one point in my life I would have tried any type of pain relief modality opposed to surgery. Whether I believed it would work or not. And at that time acupuncture was something I didn’t have a lot of faith in “but I was running out of options and desperate to reduce pain spikes.”
My current thoughts on acupuncture – “Ultimately I became a believer.”I’m not exactly sure how it physiologically improves function and heals at a cellular level. BUT I do see how it can relieve pain through stimulation of muscle chemical and electrical transmitters in the body.
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. Treatment for stomach pain, etc…
I also understand our bodies have this Chi energy force that travels throughout our neurological or meridian highways. Where electrical-chemical energy flow can become blocked through illness, disease and injury and creates inflammation and neurological pain. And when acupuncture needles are inserted at various points along these highways, energy flow that was once blocked can become unblocked. And when that happens pain is relieved.
In various cultures the energy flowing through our neurological highways is not only known as Chi. But can be seen or understood as life energy and cross-compared, or liken to Prana, life force, Spirit, subtle and vital energy, etc. If you want to know more about these things simply google those terms on the Internet.
For me acupuncture worked, “However at first, I was baffled on exactly how.”
I can only explain it in the following manner. “I think of my body with millions of electrical circuits where one has shorted somewhere, or was inflamed through illness or disease or injury and sending pain signals to the brain. Whereas the pain signal can be temporarily or permanently relieved through a by-pass, or neighboring circuit… in effect – pain signal to the brain can be removed or neutralized.” This does not mean your free of cellular disease or neurological damage.
“A relatable analogy would be similar to an electrical circuit that powers a lightbulb.” If you take electrical current to earth ground instead of sending it to the brain-bulb or switch-ON for pain – In essence the circuit is dead, “SWITCH-OFF” and pain gone.
Western medicine defines, relates and applies acupuncture treatment in the following manner.
“Approximately 2,000 different acupuncture points lie along the body’s meridians. The idea behind acupuncture is that stimulating these points with acupuncture needles or pressure relieves obstructions in the flow of energy, enabling the body to heal.”
“In the Western view, acupuncture likely works by stimulating the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals called neurotransmitters and hormones. These chemicals dull pain, boost the immune system and regulate various body functions” (Watson 2017).
Pain can be relieved anywhere within the body. And for every illness, disease or pain center, there is a meridian pain relief connection with the brain-body. As you can see in the photo, depending on pain relief modality needed, may require multiple needle insertions per treatment. At one time I had ~50 needles inserted to alleviate, or disconnect the pain.
These concepts and principles are easy to visualize through my mind’s eye. Since I have an electrical-mechanical background and physiological knowledge through undergraduate studies… my mind accepts both Eastern acupuncture and Western healing and pain relief modalities logic. Regardless of whether Eastern medicine can fully explain through empirical data the exact healing agents on brain and body function… I accept acupuncture’s healing principles and believe in it. “Belief is half the battle to curing what ails the mind, body and spirit.” At least I believe this like many others.
Many scientists consider acupuncture a pseudoscience because it cannot be proven through a controlled lab environment… why it works for some, not others and why it works at all. I can completely understand the difficulty of creating a blind study where trial subjects wouldn’t know whether a needle was sticking them for example; while another group in the study was actually stuck. Plus cause of pain origins and level of pain sensitivities – is often subjective and not substantiated through medical diagnosis.
I believe if you believe something is possible the psychosomatic (mind/body) meridian highway and healing connection can be made to greater degree. That is the portion of brain during meridian stimulation effectively releasing electrical-chemical healing agents to a target area to mitigate pain.
Understanding these connections and relationship allows those like myself (alternative medicine believer) to channel the acupuncture stimulant point that allows damaged cell tissue to turn off pain receptors by channeling through a different meridian highway connections – “essentially grounding the pain, someplace else that can’t be felt.”
I can tell you there are different techniques used by acupuncturists when getting stuck with various sized needles. …
Many years ago, I experienced two different styles of acupuncture. A hard and soft style. “Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the most common form of acupuncture studied and practiced in the United States. Japanese style acupuncture takes a more subtle route than TCM. Fewer and thinner needles are used with less stimulation” (Acufinder.com 2017).
During the TCM acupuncture treatment, “the needles were inserted deep into my low back and caused discomfort and aggravation – multiple times.” They were inserted fast and hit damaged nerves frequently and was very painful process. After needle insertion an electrical pulsating current was sent through wire leads attached to the needles. This pulsating current went through the needles – then stimulated the damaged neurons under the skin. Eventually this treatment re-routes the pain signal from registering within the brain. Once the needles are inserted it’s all good and it is relaxing.
TCM with electro-stimulation.
Regardless of the aggressive TCM needle insertion technique – although painful seemed to turn-off a lot of back pain registering in the brain for me. However after 10 sessions I called it quits. Although I considered TCM a success, it was during the tenth session a needle hit a sensitive nerve in the low back and caused me to jolt. This was followed by a back spasm and a bit of cussing, “Don’t judge… God that hurt bad.” I did finish the session… gritting my way through it and managed to refrain from further cussing.
Thereafter and understandably so, I had fear of going back for more TCM treatments. I didn’t request another referral from my HMO. Instead I sought out Japanese style acupuncture to help alleviate a little more pain, since I didn’t complete the recommended 18 sessions. Fortunately my HMO authorized another 12 acupuncture sessions using a local Japanese soft style acupuncturist service.
Japanese style – these needles are very small.
The Japanese acupuncture application is completely different then TCM and very tolerable. The needles are more delicately inserted and don’t penetrate deep into the skin. My personal experience… I didn’t feel any discomfort during these treatments over the next 12 months.
If you have a lot of nerve damage and areas of the body are pain-sensitive to touch – Japanese style acupuncture may work well to help relieve pain anywhere in the body.
The Japanese preparation and process works like this: Very light massage, relaxation with suction cup may be used. They are heated cups placed on skin surface and along meridian pathways. When cooling, cause a suction [or vacuum] – draws oxygenated blood to damaged tissue area to increase blood circulation to expedite healing process.
Suction cups are often used in conjunction with Japanese acupuncture therapy sessions.
Thereafter inserted needles may be applied. This technique worked wonders to remove more back pain. Needles were not only inserted in the low back, but other parts of the body to help relieve radiating nerve pain.
To this day my total body pain is very manageable and allows me to live life to the fullest. I’ve not seen an acupuncturists for years.
I’ve read a few blogger sites on the benefits/to no benefits of using acupuncture. The feelings on this pain relief service is a mixed bag.
It’s considered by many who believe in Eastern medicine a natural science that can heal and alleviate pain and may/may not cure disease. To Western medicine practitioners, many professionals and lay persons at best believe it’s a pseudoscience that falls into categories more like magic and faith healing.
Instead of trying to convince you acupuncture may work for you, I think it is best to leave the following thoughts and insight. Like Pranic healing – modern science does not understand and has no way to prove how acupuncture and life Chi energy actually heals and alleviates pain for some and not others. Modern medicine scholars look to prove the brain-body self-healing connections and why it’s not 100% effective for some, but works 100% of the time for others.
I’d agree “maybe some lack the connective brain function or capacity to accept or believe an alternative healing method outside of Western medicine could help.” Therefore self-healing through meditation or acupuncture or Pranic healing, etc., won’t work for some – for lack of internal chi channeling ability, belief or faith… who knows for sure. All I know is it worked for me.
Unfortunately unless science can unequivocally prove something… it is open to public/patient/scholastic medical scrutiny. Maybe it could work for everyone if they simply believed it could.
But this should not limit people to reason “how” the impossible can become possible. Simply reflect on a few of man’s unbelievable achievements and cures… how they were first cast into disbelief throughout history… then the present believed the impossible – possible.
For example, it was impossible for man to fly, let alone sore through space and land on the moon. Or, until Penicillin as an effective antibiotic was discovered… many with serious disease through infection were doomed to die with no hope. During historical times scientific positions, IF based simply on belief – could not accept any medial application outside of that box… But today’s anti-aging and healing science appears to know no limit of life extension possibilities based in Eastern, Western, Faith healing, etc… why have these positions of alternative medicines changed before proven through science. Well if you believe organic bio-bots can be injected into the body to rearrange DNA and cure what ails you – although it sounds impossible – I assure you it’s not. Just because something can’t be proven at this time possible through empirical data, does not mean it’s not possible.
Start thinking what may be possible to cure what ails. If you need significant pain relief, I believe a combination of Western and Eastern medicine and treatment is your best bet. Especially if your stuck taking a boat load of prescription pills and want to improve your situation and lifestyle.
“For the self-healing and alternative medicine believer – Meditative and Spiritual untapped brain-body function has the healing energy and capacity necessary to cure what ails us.” [MirrorAthlete 2017]
Japanese style cupping for back pain relief, may be used used in conjunction with acupuncture.
I agree like many of you “science does not know everything about the connected brain-body self-healing capacity.”It has long been said people on earth only use 10% of their brain capacity. This too is controversial due to opposing views of natural selection. Since the brain tissue has metabolically evolved throughout time, to lose 90% of capacity would have catastrophic consequences on the human regulation of body function… What if brain capacity increased 1-2% up to, or over that10% without body function affliction. I believe this has already been accomplished by faith healers, spiritual mediators and proteges to name a few? “Begin thinking outside the Western influence box!” There’s no scientific proof using more brain capacity to increase IQ or self-heal is harmful to health.
In relationship to this line of reasoning – acupuncture and panic healing may open a 2% healing mind-body-spiritual connection and opportunity to increase brain capacity and improve bodily function to heal damaged cellular tissue and get well. Just because science can’t prove how brain capacity and body function coordinate above and beyond what natural selection scholars, doesn’t mean self-healing and alternative medicine doesn’t work.
Since most aren’t educated and trained in meditative and alternative medicine and therapeutic practices… if open to the wellness and healing possibilities – allow someone schooled in alternative pain relief modalities to help heal you if all else has failed.
If you have acute, chronic or severe pain regardless of what the cause, what have you got to lose? Give acupuncture a try? What doesn’t work for others may work for you? You may have the ability to unlock the Chi force hidden within part of your untapped brain capacity to make use of Eastern medicine like I did… which has provided significant pain relief and increased mobility function.
I believe one day science will prove through empirical trials how and why acupuncture works for some patients and not others. Then hopefully educate everyone on how to tap this self-healing power.
Like Einstein’s Theory of Relativity “Time was no longer uniform and absolute.” Physics could no longer be understood as space by itself, hence space and time was also dependent on velocity. Until this time Isaac Newton’s physics and astronomy stood as a 200-year-old theory of mechanics.
Acupuncture is thousands of years old. But has only been accepted in Western medicine and studied for decades. What has Western medicine yet to discover about the practice as applied to individual life force healing energy? Will it take 200 years or more to discover all of it’s secrets? Who knows.
If you want to try acupuncture and your primary care physician won’t refer you, or it’s not covered in your health insurance there are 3 things you can do.
During your private or employer annual health insurance selections – pick a provider or policy that covers acupuncture [most HMO policies offer it]. Or, if you have coverage for this service, but a physician won’t refer for whatever reason, request a new primary care physician. Or request of your primary care physician to be referred to a physiatrist. A physiatrist is a pain management medical [pain specialist]; and will likely honor your referred request to an acupuncturist if covered within your HMO insurance.
References:
Craig, Gary. Acupuncture Meridians Pathways of Chi Energy. Healing with EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques. Website: http://www.healing-with-eft.com/acupuncture-meridians.html
Google answer site. Do We Use all of our Brain Power? http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/751682.html
Novella, Steven. Does Acupuncture Work or Not? Neurologica blog. Sep 25, 2007.http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/does-acupuncture-work-or-not/
Watson, Stephanie. Acupuncture Overview. HowStuffWorks. a division of InfoSpace Holdings LLC. 2017.
Physiotherapy Adelaide Site. How Does Acupuncture Work? Copyright 2011. http://www.howdoesacupuncturework.com/
Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET. 2017-20 Copyright, All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: http://www.mirrorathlete.org. Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
