A Healthy Alternative to Inflammatory Foods – Could you eliminate some of the pain you have by what you eat? Nearly all patients who come to my office for pain share one common mistake. They consume inflammatory foods. You may be surprised to know which types of food cause inflammation.

The five types I cover in this article are sugar, cow´s milk, sodium and salt, red meat, and white flour.

Sugar is found in soft drinks, fast foods, and even processed fruit juice. You may be surprised to find out that salad dressing and lunch meat are loaded with sugar, as are many of our packaged and processed foods. What are some healthy alternatives to sugar? I suggest using stevia, honey, agave, or natural molasses. The rule of thumb is that the more natural the product, the better it is for your health.

The truth of the matter is that cow´s milk is not good for the human body, because it causes inflammation. Mother´s milk is best for babies to drink. Milk and milk products (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.) cause excess phlegm. So your question may be: how do I get my calcium? These days, there are so many healthy alternatives to milk, such as unsweetened almond milk, which has 50% more calcium, coconut milk, or rice milk. I prefer the unsweetened almond milk made by Silk.

Excessive sodium or salt can cause inflammation. I want to clarify that I do not believe in a no-salt or low-sodium diet; however, there are certain foods that are very high in sodium, such as packaged and processed foods. There are many soups, canned or fresh, which may be high in sodium, as well. Our bodies need some sodium, so my choice is to use Himalayan natural salt.

Red meat can trigger an inflammatory response because it may take anywhere from 3 to 4 days to be digested. Red meat has been linked to cancers, especially colon cancer. This includes processed meats which have been smoked, cured, salted, or chemically preserved. What are some healthy alternatives? Turkey, chicken, and wild-caught fish are some good options. If you are a steak person, I suggest organic beef that has been fed a vegetarian diet.

Most of the bread and pasta in the supermarket use processed white flour. These refined grains may cause an inflammatory response. So, what is a healthy alternative? I suggest sprouted bread found in our health food stores and in some supermarkets in the freezer section.

This list does not include all inflammatory foods; however, it highlights the top five.

Please call my office at 352-340-7471 if you have any questions regarding this article. At Dr. Laura´s Acupuncture and Holistic Practice, our services include Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy, Aromatherapy, Nutritional Counseling, and Reiki.

Laura Bertoncini, AP, DOM

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The ABCs of Acupuncture – Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have proven to either treat or relieve the symptoms of:

A-Addiction, acid reflux, acne, allergies, amenorrhea, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, anti-aging

B-Backache, bladder problems, bone spurs, bronchitis, bursitis

C-Carpal tunnel, chemo side effects, cholesterol, common cold, constipation, cysts, Crohn´s disease

D-Depression, dermatitis, diabetes, diarrhea, dizziness, dysmenorrhea

E-Eczema, edema, emphysema, endometriosis, enuresis, epilepsy, erectile dysfunction

F-Fatigue, fever, fibromyalgia, flu, fractures, frozen shoulder

G-Gastritis, GERD, gynecologic disorders

H-Headache, hemorrhoids, herniated disc, herpes, hot flashes, hypertension

I-Incontinence, infertility, insomnia, irritability, IBS

J-Jaw pain, joint pain

K-Kidney stones, knee problems

L-Lactation, laryngitis, leucorrhea, lower back pain, lupus

M-Mastitis, menopause, migraine, miscarriages, muscle spasms

N-Neck pain, nervousness, neuralgia, neuropathy, numbness, nausea

O-Obesity, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, otitis media, ovarian cysts

P-Pain, palpitations, paralysis, peripheral neuropathy, plantar fasciitis, PMS

Q-Quality of life through palliative care, quit smoking

R-Rash, renal disease, respiratory problems, rhinitis

S-Sciatica, shingles, shoulder problems, sinusitis, sprains, stroke

T-Tendonitis, tennis elbow, tinnitus, TMJ, tremors, trigeminal neuralgia

U-Upper respiratory infections, uterine bleeding, UTI

V-Vaginal thrush (candida), vascular disease, vertigo, viral infection, vomiting

W-Water retention, weakness, weight loss/gain, wheezing, whiplash, wrist pain

Please call my office at 352-340-7471 if you have any questions regarding this article. At Dr. Laura´s Acupuncture and Holistic Practice, our services include Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy Aromatherapy, Nutritional Counseling and Reiki.

Laura Bertoncini, AP, DOM

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Look and Feel Younger and Improve Your Health, Naturally!

Would you like to look and feel younger while lowering high cholesterol, helping eliminate the possibility of diabetes, and dramatically improving your overall health? Many of my patients have used a “super supplement” with verifiable and documented success.

Scientific research has validated oxidative stress—damage to our body’s cells by free radicals—as the root cause, at the cellular level, of aging. When an apple slice turns brown or food decays, this is a result of a natural process called oxidation or aging. It happens to all cells in nature, including the ones in our body. When our body needs to put up its best defense, especially in
today’s environment, antioxidants are crucial to our health. To help our body protect itself from oxidation, it is important to eat antioxidants, which are found in varying amounts in fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Since the 1950s, antioxidants have increased in popularity because they work in the body to fight oxidants, known as free radicals. “Free radicals” is a term often used to describe damaged cells because they are missing a critical molecule. As the damaged cells increase, this creates the seed for disease and possible changes in DNA. Normal cell functions produce a small percentage of free radicals; however, those free radicals are generally not a big problem. They are kept under control by antioxidants that the body produces naturally. Antioxidant enzymes are our first line of defense.
Although the antioxidants we eat in our food eliminate free radicals, they only eliminate one at a time. Our bodies have 300 septillion free radicals, and eliminating them one at a time is like throwing a glass of water on a forest fire. Only on the spot where the water is thrown, the fire goes out, but the rest of the forest continues to burn.

After more than 40 years of research, there is now a “super supplement” that can eliminate free radicals at the rate of 1 million per second, every second of every day. This supplement activates our body’s antioxidant defense mechanisms, detoxification mechanisms, immune balancing mechanisms, and anti-stress mechanisms—mechanisms that slow down cellular aging and reduce the risk of degenerative diseases. It helps our body implement what it is already programmed to do, naturally.

If you would like to know more about this “super supplement” and how it can work to improve your overall health, or if you have any questions regarding this article, please call my office at 352-340-7471. At Dr. Laura’s Acupuncture and Holistic Practice, our services include Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy, Aromatherapy, Nutritional Counseling, and Reiki.

Laura Bertoncini, AP, DOM

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Importance of Acupuncture to residents of Spring Hill Dr. Laura’s Acupuncture and Holistic Practice is located only a few miles south of Spring Hill, and is very important to the residents and vacationers in Spring Hill.  Vacationers and part-time residents …Continue reading →

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Acupuncture and the health care industry in New Port Richey

Acupuncture flourishes here in New Port Richey because the top employers are in the health care industry, such as hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and Hospice. Chronic pain is the major complaint among most of these residents, and acupuncture is well known for reducing pain without taking drugs or as a complementary therapy. Acupuncture helps relieve painful joints, pain from an automobile accident, chemotherapy, and surgery, to mention just a few.  Dr. Laura’s Acupuncture & Holistic Practice is just a few miles north of New Port Richey, so patients can easily travel to Hudson, where her office is located. Many “snow birds” arrive in New Port Richey during the winter, and they can continue their acupuncture treatments with Dr. Laura.

What do you know about New Port Richey?  It is a small suburban city with a population of about 15,000, located in Pasco County. The Pithlachascotee River flows through the middle of the city, and New Port Richey has a small beach, with all the other well-known beaches, such as Clearwater and St. Pete, being very close. Most of the major attractions on both coasts, as well as excellent shopping, are easily accessible from New Port Richey.

One of the lesser-known facts about New Port Richey is that in the early 1920s, it became a destination for Hollywood celebrities, musicians, playwrights, and famous golfers. Unfortunately, the Great Depression put an end to the “” Hollywood era” in New Port Richey.

Many patients choose acupuncture as an alternative to taking OTC (over the counter) medications, opiates or other prescriptions, because these medicines can hurt the body, such as organ damage, constipation, rash, brain fog, and can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

Acupuncture has been duly recognized by the WHO (World Health Organization) and NIH (National Institutes of Health) because they reviewed positive results from many controlled studies.

Acupuncture can treat many conditions other than pain, such as:

• Cardiovascular
• Eye, Ear, Nose & Mouth
• Gastrointestinal
• Gynecological
• Musculo-skeletal
• Neurological
• Psychological
• Respiratory System
• Other–Go to drlauraacupuncture.com for a detailed list.

Laura Bertoncini is a nationally board-certified (NCCAOM) Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine.  Call 352-340-7471 to schedule an acupuncture consultation and/or appointment.

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The seven chakras are the centers in our bodies in which energy flows through. Blocked energy in the chakras can often lead to illness. It is important to understand what each chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely. These are the seven chakras and their locations.

• The first Chakra is the Root Chakra and it is located at the base of the spine. Its function is grounding and safety.
• The second Chakra is the Sacral Chakra and it is located in the lower abdomen (below the belly button). Its function is emotions and creativity.
• The third Chakra is the Solar Plexus Chakra and it is located in the upper abdomen. Its function is personal power and will.
• The fourth Chakra is the Heart Chakra and it is located in the center of the chest. Its function is love and compassion.
• The fifth Chakra is the Throat Chakra and it is located at the throat. Its function is communication and expression.
• The sixth Chakra is the Third Eye Chakra and it is located on the forehead between the eyes. Its function is intuition and inspiration.
• The seventh Chakra is the Crown Chakra and it is located at the top of the head. Its function is wisdom and transcendence.

Laura places crystals and stones to clear and open the chakras. And lay you down on an Amethyst mat. While many practitioners only address the chakras on the front of your body, Laura opens and clears the chakras on the back of your body. This provides a more complete cleansing.

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Trapped emotions can significantly affect your life. These emotions can cause both physical pain and emotional problems. Each trapped emotions must be recognized and released individually. An example of a trapped emotion would be getting lost in a store as a child. You may have been scared, anxious or abandoned. These emotions can influence your adult life and you may have relationship issues because of this experience. Emotional code clearing is very precise. Laura uses several techniques to ask the subconscious about any trapped emotions. Once the emotions have been identified, she asks if there is more information that needs to be learned. After she receives an answer, she rolls a magnet down the spine to release the trapped emotions.

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Reiki FAQs

What is Reiki Certification?
It is a level designation, such as Level I, Level II and Level III. A “Master’s Degree” indicates that a student has received attunement to a high enough level of Reiki to be able to attune others. The Third Level (Master Level III) is taught by the most experienced Reiki Masters in the Reiki Network, known as Reiki Master Teachers. Laura Bertoncini has been awarded the designation ofMaster Level III Certification, USUI System of Natural Initiatives.

What is Reiki?
The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you by tapping into an unlimited supply of “life force energy” to improve one’s health and enhance the quality of life. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that can benefit everyone. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

Its use is not dependent on one’s intellectual capacity or spiritual development and therefore is available to everyone. While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it.

While Reiki is not a religion, it is still important to live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Mikao Usui,¹  the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are nearly universal across all cultures.

What are the five Reiki Principles of Dr. Mikao Usui?

1: Just for today, I will not be angry.
2: Just for today, I will not worry.
3: Just for today, I will be grateful.
4: Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
5: Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.

1. Mikao Usui (1865 – 1926) was the originator of what we today call Reiki. He was born August 15, 1865 in the village of ‘Taniai-mura’ in the Yamagata district of Gifu prefecture Kyoto. As a child he studied in a Tendai Buddhist monastery school entering at an early age. Usui Sensei studied and traveled to western countries and China several times, this was encouraged during the Meiji Era and later, to learn and study western ways. At some point in his life he became a Tendai Buddhist Monk/Priest (what we in the west call a lay priest). On several occasions he took a form of meditation lasting 21 days. Mikao Usui found that the healing techniques contained within his spiritual system worked well on various ailments. His school/clinic was formed not just for the spiritual teachings but it was also a way for people to obtain healing.

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