Aging Isn’t Linear: Are you headed for a cliff? Can you change your course?
Aging Isn’t Linear: Why Your Health Can Change Faster Than You Think I had a great, albeit brief, discussion with a local pastor recently about aging. Most people think aging happens slowly and steadily, like a gentle slope over time. But science and clinical experience is showing us something different. In our practice dealing with lots of physical and neurological wear and tear issues, this is especially clear. Aging isn’t always linear. Instead, there are periods in life where our bodies seem to change more rapidly, almost as if we’ve reached a tipping point. These cliffs that it feels we’re falling from, often appear as surprises, and we don’t feel them until we feel them. Understanding these milestones can help us shift our focus from simply living longer to living better. The “Cliff Effect” of Aging Recent research as well as conversations with my patietns, suggests that many of the biological changes associated with aging don’t occur at a constant rate. Instead, there are certain ages where significant changes happen over a relatively short period of time. For me it was 40, 45, 50, 52. While everyone’s experience is unique, studies have identified noticeable shifts around the mid-40s and...
read moreTraditional Chinese Medicine for Mitigating Lyme disease symptoms. Dr. Lou – Portland, Maine.
Huang Qin for Lyme Disease Symptoms: How Chinese Medicine Supports Comfort, Balance, and Recovery. Exploring the Traditional Role of Huang Qin in Chinese Medicine for Lyme Disease Symptoms For most people living with Lyme disease, the journey can feel long and frustrating. We understand your frustration. Symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, joint discomfort, brain fog, sleep disturbances, and feelings of internal heat can persist even after conventional treatment. As a result, many people explore complementary approaches that may help support their overall well-being. Many have heard that Chinese medicine and acupuncture may help them manage symptoms. One herbal ingredient that frequently appears in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas is Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis), also known as Chinese Skullcap. For centuries, Huang Qin has been valued in Chinese medicine for its ability to help clear heat, calm inflammation-like patterns, and support balance within the body. This Chinese medicine is one of the most beneficial anecdotally among those who try it, which is why we keep it in stock at our office in Portland. In this post, we’ll explore how Huang Qin is traditionally used, why it may be considered in Chinese medicine approaches for Lyme disease symptoms, and the...
read moreGluteal Tendinopathy – It’s Complicated.
A Whole-Person Perspective on Gluteal Tendinopathy. Gluteal tendinopathy – often presenting as lateral hip pain, tenderness, and difficulty lying on the affected side – is a problem that anyone can have, but is perhaps increasingly recognized in women transitioning through perimenopause. Clinically, this condition falls under the umbrella of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) and often reflects degenerative, not purely inflammatory, changes in the gluteus medius and minimus tendons. From both a chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, this is not just a local tendon problem—it is a biomechanical, hormonal, and systemic condition that requires a layered treatment strategy, without which, you’ll be missing the mark. In our clinic we’ve dealt with this condition in a variety of people, but in line with the statistics, more in perimenopausal women. For this reason, this post will lean in that direction. Approaching 25 years in practice, I have accumulated a lot of insight into this condition. I welcome you to read on for my perspective. Understanding the Causes Gluteal tendinopathy arises from a combination of mechanical overload and impaired tendon healing in the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the hips, pelvis and glutes. These aforementioned causes are often associated with...
read moreSurviving gigs while healing: Musician injuries and healing while playing
Can you heal while playing? What to expect. If you’re a working musician, “just rest it” isn’t practical advice, any more than not practicing and seeing how the show goes, works. You’ve got gigs, rehearsals, teaching, touring—and your livelihood likely depends on showing up and making people happy. You want your audience to leave and talk about how great you were, not about how painful it was to watch you work through your own pain. So let’s be crystal clear about what you’re dealing with: You’re trying to heal while continuing to stress the very tissue that’s injured. That changes everything about the healing process—and your expectations need to reflect that. First, Let’s Talk About What’s Actually Injured Most playing-related injuries fall into the category of repetitive stress injuries (RSIs)—not sudden trauma, but micro-damage over time. They are also known as Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMD) Common examples I see in musicians: Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) – common in guitarists, violinists, drummers Shoulder impingement – especially in string players, drummers, pianists Neck pain and tension syndromes – nearly universal across instruments These are not random. They are predictable outcomes of repeated movement, load, and posture. What’s happening in your...
read moreYou’re not imagining it: the business side of healthcare is swallowing the care side.
You’re not imagining it: the business side of healthcare is swallowing the care side. Here’s what that means for you as a patient, and why choosing a small, independently owned practice is often your best move if you want doctors who put health over shareholders. What “consolidation” in healthcare really means for patients: (Think AMAZON.COM vs. Your Local Store) In plain language, consolidation means fewer, bigger players running more and more of healthcare: Large hospital systems buying up local practices Private equity firms (think venture capitalists and hedge funds) buying medical groups and squeezing them for profit Insurance companies not just paying claims, but quietly shaping how, where, and if you get care On paper, this can sound efficient. In real life, it often means: Fewer truly independent doctors in your community Less choice about where you can go, because your plan or network steers you into certain systems Care that is increasingly designed around financial targets, not around you Why so many doctors are leaving private practice Fifteen or twenty years ago, being in private practice was the norm. Many doctors owned their own offices, set their own schedules, and had long-term relationships with families. That world is...
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