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The New Dr. Swanz Website is Live!

Hello friends,

I'm so excited to share with everyone my new and updated Dr. Swanz Website. This has been a work in progress over the past year and I could not be happier with the final version. It has plenty of new information in addition to all of the previous content. It is an excellent resource to share with anyone that is interested in more information about Naturopathic and Homeopathic Medicine.

In addition to checking out my new website, I would like to invite any of my patients that are also reading this newsletter to consider giving Vital Force Naturopathy and Dr. Swanz a review on Google. It is a big help for improving the new website's presence in online searches. Also potential new patients value reading about other's first hand experience with a business or individual.

Thank you so much for the continued support and as always I am grateful to be a part of your health team

~Dr. Swanz

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." - Edward Everett Hale

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Bones and Joints

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Natural Approaches to Managing Osteoarthritis

"Oh, my aching joints!"

There's good reason why we hear this so often. Osteoarthritis, known as OA, is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world and a prevalent factor in work absences, temporary or permanent disability, hospital admissions, and use of pain-management drugs. While OA can develop in any joint, the knee is most typically affected.

Causes & Symptoms of OA:

OA develops in response to a chronic inflammatory response in which there is progressive deterioration of the cartilage and narrowing of the joint space. The mechanical function of the entire joint, including adjacent bone and soft tissue (ligaments, muscles, and tendons), can become impaired. Factors that cause OA include:

▪ joint injury
▪ overuse related to sport, physical activity, or job conditions
▪ obesity
▪ age (over age 50)
▪ smoking
▪ lack of exercise or excessive exercise
▪ diabetes
▪ hormonal changes related to menopause
joint injury
overuse related to sport, physical activity, or job conditions
obesity
age (over age 50)
smoking
lack of exercise or excessive exercise
diabetes
hormonal changes related to menopause

Symptoms of OA include pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joint. There may also be stiffness or cramping in the adjacent muscles.

Treating OA:

The main objective of treatment is symptom management - reducing pain and underlying inflammation - and preventing further deterioration of the joint. It has been commonly thought that OA is irreversible; however, advances in orthopedic treatments, regenerative medicine, nutritional science, physical therapy and related fields indicate that people can improve joint function and experience a reduction in pain. Treatments vary by individual and often a combination of treatments are used; here are a few:

Contrast Therapy: Alternating hot and cold-pack treatment or alternating soaking in warm and cool-water baths can reduce stiffness, inflammation, and pain level. Soaking can also be done in mineral-infused water (aka, balneotherapy). Another form of contrast therapy involves applying a warm compress to the joint for five minutes and then covering it with a thin, cold towel for ten minutes.

Aquatic Therapy: Exercising in the water, including swimming and water aerobics, enhancing pain management, mobility, and increased sense of wellbeing.

Muscle Strengthening: Strengthening the muscles and connective tissue around the affected joint helps improve strength and range of motion, reduces pain and swelling, and can prevent further breakdown of the cartilage. An exercise program may include yoga, tai chi, or strength training and should be designed by a physician or physical therapist who is knowledgeable about OA and your personal lifestyle goals.

Lifestyle Support: If you smoke, focus on reducing and ultimately quitting to help reduce the inflammatory load in your body. Eat a healthy diet consisting of healthy fats, lean meat, poultry and fish, and plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Cut down on sugar and grains as high glycemic foods contribute to inflammation.

Nutritional Supplements: Glucosamine, a compound found in certain marine animals (there is also a vegan form), is one of the most frequently used supplements worldwide due to its chondroprotective properties (ability to delay joint deterioration and narrowing). Always check with a holistic physician before taking nutritional supplements.

Conventional Medicine for OA: Orthopedic interventions can include the use of anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxant, and pain medicine, some of which may cause unwanted side effects (drowsiness, upset stomach). Joint lubrication injections of cortisone are common. Knee and hip joint replacement surgery can be life-changing for people who have tried other approaches, including holistic, and are still suffering.

It's important to work with your holistic practitioner to determine the best approach for you.

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Bone Broth - An Old Fashioned Secret to Fight Osteoarthritis

There was a time when soup broth was made fresh, with vegetables, herbs, meat, and the bones from the animal, be it fish, poultry, or steer. As soup became a canned convenience food, bones were often left out of preparation. Today, bone broth has made a resurgence for important health reasons, including supporting the structures of the musculoskeletal system.

While it's not possible to acquire exact measurements of each nutrient contained in bone broth (every batch is different depending on ingredients), we do know it contains a wide variety of nutrients. In preparing bone broth, you are simmering animal bones and connective tissue, which are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and other trace minerals that our own bones rely on to maintain strength and contractility. During cooking, the collagen found in bone and connective tissue transforms into a gelatin and releases amino acids into the broth. Amino acids (AA) are the building blocks for proteins that help form muscles, other tissues, and facilitate cellular activity in the body. For example, the AA glycine is used by the body to form tendons and ligaments, which support joints. Another AA, arginine, reduces inflammation. Bone broth also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both of which are associated with healthy bones and joints.

You can use bone broth as a base for soups and entrées, as a marinade, or depending, on how it's seasoned, you might like drinking it. There isn't a specific recommendation for drinking bone broth. Because bone broth is not necessarily good for everyone, check with your holistic health practitioner about adding it to your ongoing health-building strategies.

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Organic Bone Broth for Wellness

Nutrient-dense, home-cooked bone broth is easy and inexpensive to make. The key ingredient, of course, is the bones. Whether you choose chicken, duck, turkey or beef bones, select organic and grass-fed whenever possible. The key benefit of bone broth is the minerals extracted from the bone; you want to be sure you have the best ingredients. This broth can be made on the stove top, slow-cooker, or with an Instant Pot, which saves you a lot of time.

Ingredients

▪ 2 lbs bones from a healthy source
▪ 1 gal water
▪ 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
▪ 1 onion
▪ 2 large carrots
▪ 2 stalks of celery, chopped
▪ 1 TBSP salt (optional, or to taste)
▪ 1 tsp peppercorns (optional)
▪ herbs and spices of your choosing (to taste)
▪ 2 cloves garlic (optional, shallots can be used instead)
▪ 1 bunch parsley
2 lbs bones from a healthy source
1 gal water
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 onion
2 large carrots
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 TBSP salt (optional, or to taste)
1 tsp peppercorns (optional)
herbs and spices of your choosing (to taste)
2 cloves garlic (optional, shallots can be used instead)
1 bunch parsley

Instructions

1. If you are using raw bones, especially beef bones, it improves flavor to roast them in the oven first, for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
2. Place the bones in a large stock pot or the Instant Pot.
3. Pour cool filtered water and the vinegar over the bones. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available.
4. Rough chop and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.
5. Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs, if using.
1. If you are using raw bones, especially beef bones, it improves flavor to roast them in the oven first, for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
2. Place the bones in a large stock pot or the Instant Pot.
3. Pour cool filtered water and the vinegar over the bones. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available.
4. Rough chop and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.
5. Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs, if using.

Stove Top

1. Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.
2. During the first few hours of simmering, remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form and it can be easily scooped off with a big spoon. Do this every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours. Grass-fed and healthy animals will produce much less of this than conventional animals.
3. Simmer for 8 hours for fish broth, 24 hours for chicken, or 48 hours for beef.
4. During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using.
5. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone and vegetable. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.
1. Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.
2. During the first few hours of simmering, remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form and it can be easily scooped off with a big spoon. Do this every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours. Grass-fed and healthy animals will produce much less of this than conventional animals.
3. Simmer for 8 hours for fish broth, 24 hours for chicken, or 48 hours for beef.
4. During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using.
5. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone and vegetable. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

Instant Pot

1. Add the garlic and parsley to the pot if using, place the lid on the pot, and set valve to seal.
2. Cook at high pressure for 2 hours, followed by either a quick release or natural pressure release. Either is fine.
3. Let cool slightly, strain, and store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.
1. Add the garlic and parsley to the pot if using, place the lid on the pot, and set valve to seal.
2. Cook at high pressure for 2 hours, followed by either a quick release or natural pressure release. Either is fine.
3. Let cool slightly, strain, and store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

Homemade Broth/Stock can be used as the liquid in making soups, stews, gravies, sauces, and reductions. It can also be used to saute or roast vegetables.

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Lathered in Mud: Ancient Treatment for Stress and Pain

Imagine lying on a massage table, a thick layer of mud smoothed across your skin with long deep strokes to help it sink in. For thousands of years, Traditional Medicine has considered "mudding" (aka mud bath, mud wrap) therapeutic for the skin, joints, muscles, and the mind. Today, in spas around the world, mud-based treatments are promoted for stress reduction, healing skin ailments, and relieving joint pain.

What's mud got to with health?

Therapeutic mud contains minerals such as sulfur, zinc, magnesium, and bromine. These compounds are often blended with other botanical extracts (e.g., Aloe vera, organic peat, volcanic ash, warm mineral water or salt-water) and applied via various massage methods. The body reaps the health benefits of the minerals by way of direct absorption through the skin into the bloodstream; the mind reaps the benefits of the state of relaxation, associated with lower stress level, pain relief, reduced inflammatory response, and other mental and physical benefits.

Does mudding work for Osteoarthritis?

There is limited research on the effects of mudding on any specific health condition. For osteoarthritis (OA), a cumulative review of dozens of high-quality studies indicates short-term relief of pain for knee osteoarthritis. However, many of these studies did not distinguish which elements of the mud and what concentrations of ingredients made the most difference. This is important for two reasons:

▪ Muds can come from all over the world: California, Florida, Hawaii, Jordan, Israel (Dead Sea minerals), Europe, island nations, and glacial nations. Where the mud comes from affects the composition, which may be a factor in its effects on health.
▪ Muds can be organic/naturally sourced or entirely lab-created (a synthetic based on the properties of a mud derived from nature). What we make in a lab is usually not equivalent to what we find in nature.
Muds can come from all over the world: California, Florida, Hawaii, Jordan, Israel (Dead Sea minerals), Europe, island nations, and glacial nations. Where the mud comes from affects the composition, which may be a factor in its effects on health.
Muds can be organic/naturally sourced or entirely lab-created (a synthetic based on the properties of a mud derived from nature). What we make in a lab is usually not equivalent to what we find in nature.

If you have OA, you might want to try mudding as it is relatively safe for most people. Before going to a spa for any treatment, ask questions about the product ingredients, where it comes from, and how often stock is rotated for purity. Share the information with your personal physician to determine if mudding may be a good option for you.

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References for this Month's Topics

Natural Approaches to Managing Osteoarthritis

▪ Salazar, J., Bello, L, Chavez, M. et al., "Glucosamine for Osteoarthritis: Biological Effects, Clinical Efficacy, and Safety on Glucose Metabolism." Hindawi Open Access (2014) Article ID 432463. Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941227/
▪ Gálvez I, Torres-Piles S, Ortega-Rincón E. "Balneotherapy, Immune System, and Stress Response: A Hormetic Strategy?" Int J Mol Sci. (2018) 19(6):1687. Published 2018 Jun 6. doi:10.3390/ijms19061687 Accessed 6 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6032246/
▪ Verhagen AP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Boers M, et al. "Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis." Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;(4):CD006864. Published 2007 Oct 17. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006864 Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17943920/
▪ Dias, João Marcos et al. "Hydrotherapy improves pain and function in older women with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial." Brazilian journal of physical therapy vol. 21,6 (2017): 449-456. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.06.012 Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693429/
▪ Brøgger H, Risberg MA. "Efficacy of strength and aerobic exercise on patient-reported outcomes and structural changes in patients with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial." BMC Musculoskelet Disord. (2013) 14:266. Published 2013 Sep 12. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-14-266 Accessed 5 Aug: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24028201/
Salazar, J., Bello, L, Chavez, M. et al., "Glucosamine for Osteoarthritis: Biological Effects, Clinical Efficacy, and Safety on Glucose Metabolism." Hindawi Open Access (2014) Article ID 432463. Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941227/
Gálvez I, Torres-Piles S, Ortega-Rincón E. "Balneotherapy, Immune System, and Stress Response: A Hormetic Strategy?" Int J Mol Sci. (2018) 19(6):1687. Published 2018 Jun 6. doi:10.3390/ijms19061687 Accessed 6 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6032246/
Verhagen AP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Boers M, et al. "Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis." Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;(4):CD006864. Published 2007 Oct 17. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006864 Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17943920/
Dias, João Marcos et al. "Hydrotherapy improves pain and function in older women with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial." Brazilian journal of physical therapy vol. 21,6 (2017): 449-456. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.06.012 Accessed 5 Aug 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693429/
Brøgger H, Risberg MA. "Efficacy of strength and aerobic exercise on patient-reported outcomes and structural changes in patients with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial." BMC Musculoskelet Disord. (2013) 14:266. Published 2013 Sep 12. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-14-266 Accessed 5 Aug: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24028201/

Bone Broth - An Old Fashioned Secret to Fight Osteoarthritis

▪ Lugo, J.P., Saiyed, Z.M. & Lane, N.E. "Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement in modulating knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study." Nutr J (2015) 15:14. Accessed 3 Aug 2020: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0130-8
▪ Heaton, Lisa E et al. "Selected In-Season Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Recovery for Team Sport Athletes: A Practical Overview." Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) (2017) 47:11, 2201-2218. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0759-2 Accessed 3 August 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633631/
▪ ProgressiveHealth.com "Bone Broth: A Secret Weapon for Arthritis?" Accessed 3 August 2020: https://www.progressivehealth.com/bone-broth-for-arthritis.htm
Lugo, J.P., Saiyed, Z.M. & Lane, N.E. "Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement in modulating knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study." Nutr J (2015) 15:14. Accessed 3 Aug 2020: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0130-8
Heaton, Lisa E et al. "Selected In-Season Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Recovery for Team Sport Athletes: A Practical Overview." Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) (2017) 47:11, 2201-2218. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0759-2 Accessed 3 August 2020: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633631/
ProgressiveHealth.com "Bone Broth: A Secret Weapon for Arthritis?" Accessed 3 August 2020: https://www.progressivehealth.com/bone-broth-for-arthritis.htm

Organic Bone Broth for Wellness

Recipe Source: WellnessMama https://wellnessmama.com/5888/bone-broth/

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The information offered by this newsletter is presented for educational purposes. Nothing contained within should be construed as nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. This information should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before embarking on a new treatment, diet or fitness program. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of any information contained within this newsletter.

 
     
 
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