Judy’s Story

· Chiropractic

Chiropractic stresses the idea that the cause of many disease processes begins with the body's inability to adapt to its environment It looks to address these diseases not by the use of drugs and chemicals, but by locating and adjusting a musculoskeletal area of the body which is functioning improperly. Spinal manipulation is the cure, combined with lifestyle programmes
Being a person who tumbled fell and twisted things I was often at my chiropractor, who has always asked ‘Why’? He checks to see if dietary supplements are necessary. He has always been very interested in my HD, always proactive. He is constantly upgrading his knowledge and delighted to use it.

Links:
http://www.chiropractic.co.nz/chiropractic.htm simply explains that the cause of much disease begins with the body’s inability to adapt to its environment. Chiropractors look after the nervous system and the bones and muscles that support and protect it.

http://www.chiropractic.ac.nz/start_intro.htm is the NZ school of Chiropractic website with information for students and prospective students if chiropractic in NZ.

Colour Therapy

http://www.colour-therapy.co.nz/ New Zealand's Brooker Clinic which offers colour therapy online. "Colour therapy works by matching the frequency wavelength of a colour to that of a disease, virus or infection. "Colours each have their own transformational and healing characteristics and can be directed towards physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing," says this site, Not only is colour therapy claimed to relieve physical ailments, it is also said to assist with mental or spiritual problems, even provide a path to romance and wealth. [You'll need Netscape or IE 3 o and, of course, a colour monitor to try out these various therapies.]

· Naturopathy When constant headaches made me look for a way to manage them I chose to visit a Naturopath who had no difficulty in finding these were due to food allergies.
"The integrity of the whole person" is the key to naturopathic medicine. It stresses the body’s inherent ability to heal itself, to identify the underlying causes of illness rather than suppressing them with drugs, to regain harmonious function by treating the whole person rather than the specific malady. People are encouraged to look after themselves.

Link: http://www.naturopath.org.nz/ is the NZ Society of Naturopath’s web site at has information for practitioners and the public, on issues relating to individual and community health and well being and has an excellent description of each aspect of Naturopathy taught and available from naturopaths here in NZ.

Below, each naturopathy mode is listed alphabetically.

· Bowen Technique / Fascial Kinetics Even though there are few therapists in NZ, both my mother and sister in law rave about the gentle movements that empowers the body’s own ability to heal. It is safe for newborns to the elderly, and with any condition from sports injuries to chronic or organic complaints. There is no NZ web site.

Links:

http://www.bowtech.com/ is an interesting Australian site,

http://www.therapy-training.com/bowen.htm has a simple description and some idea of professional training available in the UK.

· Haemaview is a blood analysis, one drop on a microscope slide, will give information on blood fat levels, state of health of red and white cells and deficiencies. [There is no website]

· Herbal medicine

Links: http://www.naturopath.org.nz/modal.htm Briefly explains the history of herbal medicine.

http://www.careers.co.nz/jobs/3f_hse/j35121a.htm A Natural Health Therapist explains how they help clients to feel better. Naturopaths, Homeopaths, Medical Herbalists, Iridologist and Reflexologists all can choose to use herbal medicine in their work.

http://www,blackmoresnz/index.asp Is the NZ distributor for Blackmores. Some of the tablets I have been prescribed by my osteopath are Blackmores. Their web site says that you can discover the latest news, information and advice on a more natural approach to health from it.

http://www.healtheries.co.nz/ Healtheries is a NZ company. Their marketing manage, quoted in Netguide, ‘the Web is propelling the trend to people looking after their own health. "The health category relies on education. People don’t just pick the first thing they see, they want to know they are getting the product they need." Their site is extremely informative on their product range and ingredients used. It contains information for those who need to avoid wheat, gluten, preservative, artificial colourings, dairy or MSG.

· Holistic pulsing provides tremendous benefits to sufferers oof physical or emotional problems, as well as those who need deep relaxation from stress, more pleasure and playfulness in their lives, or are seeking self discovery. [I can find no link, but it is one of the therapeutic massages.]

· Homeopathy

Recently, I was coping with an irregularity with my nervous system, which was making my HD symptoms worse. I looked up ‘Homeopaths’ in the Yellow Pages, decided that I would like a woman in my team, discussed it with my Osteopath and rang Gwyneth Evans RCHom who is also the principal of the Wellington College of Homeopathy and Clinic. Her remedy is making wonderful progress with my problems so much so that I can now plan and prepare to do all those walks awaiting me an my camera.

In an article published in the local weekly newspaper, Kapi Mana, Graham McLaughlan from Plimmerton explains that Homeopathy treats the patient, not just the disease.

Links;
http://www.homeopathyhome.com/ is the fullest homeopathic web site in the world is and well worth a visit.

http://www.homeopathy.co.nz/ The NZ Council of Homeopaths is the professional organisation of the homeopathic practitioners in NZ. It includes the councils by laws and a register of practitioners

http://www.homeobase.co.nz/index.htm. is The Southern Homeopathic Services homepage is a collection of articles, links, resources and software for the professional and home care homeopathic community. Anyone can find a practitioner there.

· Iridology enables therapists to diagnose much about the inflammation, body constitution, inherent weakness, and levels of health according to your life style. Many Naturopaths include this in their training.

Links: http://www.naturopath.org.nz/modal.htm for a full description if iridology.

http://www.iridology.com/iridology.html a simple website in the USA.

Massage My husband has found that a monthly massage helps him be able to do his daily run, keep the garden full of healthy vegetables and renovate our home and enjoy our social lives. Luckily she lives close by . I found Kim Binkes’s article ‘Massage for Mind and Body’ in our local paper, Kapi Mana.

Links:
http://www.qmbs.co.nz/massage is the NZ Massage School and Treatment Centre Index Page is informative listing some of the 400 recognised forms of massage therapy that helps relaxation, releasing stress and tension,

http://www.nzatmp.org.nz/Types_of_Massage.htm is the NZ Association of Therapeutic Massage Practitioners has easy to read descriptions of the Massage Styles used by its members,

Therapeutic Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, Sports Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, On-Site Chair Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Infant Massage, Gerontology Massage, Lymphatic Drainage Massage and Energy Systems Massage are worth reading.

Reflexology I found Vicki Bichan’s article in the Kapi Mana ‘Relax from the feet up’ and thought it most suitable for this web site. Having moves to Ashurst she is available to folk there.

Link
http://www.aromaflex.co nz/intro.htm is Shelley Monrads business and school in Nelson. Her web site is full of information about the Reflexology courses she teaches up to Diploma level and the aromatherapy classes and products used and sold.

Reflexology is last of the Naturopathy modalities.

Links:
http://www.naturalhealth.net.nz/ is a privately run Natural Health Centre and Network in Dunedin offering consulting, rebirthing classes, ecology and manhood workshops. The shop has practitioner products. On-line they offer courses, newsletters and email replies to any naturopathic and nutritional services enquiry.

http://www.serafin.ch/chie.htm Corrine Heitz an interesting Swiss lady after being diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) at 18 resulted in her training in naturopathic studies and with a particular interest in disorders related to the immune system.

Osteopathy

The gym I go to has a Sports Clinic where a physio and an osteopath share the facilities. I was having injury after injury because my muscles went into serious spasms at the least provocation. In desperation I made an appointment with the osteopath. This proved to be the best decision I could have made, because no matter what pulled or twisted he could try to make me more comfortable. Usually patients have one or two visits and resume normal life.

May 1999, my first morning in London, walking alongside the River Thames and up one of the multitude of steps there. All of the muscles in the top of my left leg went into spasm. Stuck in Nick’s flat and with three and a half months of Europe to discover and I could go nowhere.

We eventually found in the ‘Yellow Pages’, the British School of Osteopathy, three stops away on the Underground. They were delighted to help. They had never met such tight muscles. However they worked their magic and walked out not before making an appointment for the day we returned to London next time! Their advice for the future was to look to yoga as a better form of fitness than gym work. The students were interested in knowing if NZ would be a good place to move to with their osteopathy training?

Links:

Osteopathy – complete health care based on holistic principles Chris Straugheir at the Tawa Osteopathic Clinic
http://www.osteopathy.net.nz/what1.htm The Osteopathic Clinic is easy to read text on who what and how of osteopathy. As well as cranio-sacral osteopathy, Osteopathy and children and the NZ register of Osteopaths

http://russianosteopath.orcon.net.nz/enter_en.html The main aim of this site is to introduce the reader to make the most of a visit to an osteopath. I like his comprehensive list of who can be helped, "Even if the problem is irreversible there is no point in giving up – osteopathy can make life more active and pleasant." I affirm that.

http://www.bso.ac.uk/homr.htm The British School of Osteopathy - with its clinic and courses in London offering BSc and MSc courses in Osteopathy. This is the clinic that enabled me to travel.

When we returned to NZ I had weekly appointments. All my muscles were involved and I knew it was nothing to do with HD, but my HD symptoms became obvious and a nuisance. My brain slowed down and speech was slurred and tongue very active.

In desperation my osteopath leant me an Acuhealth hand piece and photocopied pages from Voll’s ‘Point Atlas and descriptions of Eav’. The Acuhealth is an electronic self-treatment acupuncture point stimulator. I used this twice a day on the Nerve degeneration points on my index fingers.

It was effective immediately.

The middle finger has allergy points. So I did them too. I am no longer carsick and I can bear loud music now that my ears are dry.

Link:
http://www.acuhealth.com.au/main1.html Acuhealth is the developer of an electrical unit for acupuncture self-treatment. Discover how the product works and order online.
It worked on my muscles and my HD symptoms diminished as I regained my strength.
My muscles were so tight that when I tried to go to yoga and stretch classes, it was only at the end that I was flexible enough to participate. Feeling completely devastated I asked the instructor, whom I knew if he could help me please?

Keeping fit - Gymnasiums - Personal Trainers

Luckily I have Ed Chiu’s "Caring For Persons With Huntington’s Disease" and photocopied the chapter for Physiotherapists to give to my Personal Trainer to base my gymnasium sessions on. He compiled a list for each area we to work on and the details for each.

Link:
Chapter 5 Physiotherapy Ed Chiu
Since then we work weekly on cardio, stretch, relaxation, strengthen, breathing, posture, control, skills, and intellectual goals. If you can not afford your own trainer, the gym staff should have some one who can help specifically with HD or any other problems.

TIME magazine of January 21^st 2002 has an informative three pages titled ‘Walk, Don’t Run. It’s simple, it’s cheap, and studies show that walking may be the best exercise for reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The elements of a healthy workout: 30 minutes brisk walking –at 5 to 6 km an hour, five to six times a week.

To this older people are being urged to start resistance training. With a programme of regular, modest weight training will reverse the decline. Studies have shown that 90 year olds develop greater confidence and are less likely to fall after strength training. The key to any strength-training programme is to build slowly and use the right form. A personal trainer can get you started, as can several good books

Links:
http://bodywise.orcon.net.nz/main.html. Offering personalised health and fitness programmes to suit your lifestyles. What they can do for you and what a personal trainer can help with. Personal Fitness Trainers may be contacted by phone or email for this page.

http://www.titan.co.nz/homex/homex HOMEX Home Exercise Education and One on one Personal Training. This looks to me to be a practical useful programme to help people at home. The site is well worth a visit

Yoga

I was more than devastated when I could not participate in the yoga. At the library I looked for books on yoga and discovered a little book "Yoga for Common Complaints" by Drs Robin Monro, Nagarathna, and Nagendra, based on a system developed by the Vivekananda Yoga and Research Foundation.

Being a schoolteacher I understand the value of a basic warm up, loosening up and then the sun salute. The book has very detailed instructions, which I initially found hard to understand. For the first six months it took me an hour to get to the sun salute and do some of the stretches given to me by my trainer. I still up to the sun salute each morning. I am now far more flexible than I have been all my life. When I resumed the yoga class last year the teacher could not believe the change.
Links:
http://www.yoga..co.nz/ The philosophy of the Auckland Yoga Academy is to promote and teach the ancient art of Yoga, providing good health, wellbeing and a stress free, fulfilling life. It has information for beginners, their timetables, membership, newsletters and workshops.

http://www.nzyoga.co.nz/taskbar.htm The NZ School of Yoga in both Auckland and Wellington was the first Iyengar Yoga Centre. You will learn about the instructors, of the benefits, how to get started, class fees and they have a video

Feldenkrais Method

When I could not participate in yoga classes, my teacher gave me information about a workshop by a Feldenkrais tutor, which worked on very small movements. Travelling into Wellington seemed too much so I declined. These two websites have much information.

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/feldprac Feldenkrais Method is a new website explaining this unique system of movement where you learn awareness of how to use your body and improve your functioning. As well as resources, history, lessons, Feldenkrais himself and how to contact them.

http://www.feldenkrais.org.nz/ Is the site of the NZ Feldenkrais Guild Inc which is the professional organisation concerned with maintaing the quality and integrity of the practice in NZ.

It is set up to enable you to find a practitioner in your region.

Podiatry
When things were really bad my chiropractor suggested I should see a podiatrist and perhaps an orthotic could help. It did

.I have Podiatrist Tim Stewart’s ‘Information and advice from on foot pain’

Links

http://www.gloucestersports.co.nz/podiatry.html This Sports Clinic has pages on podiatry, orthotics medical, physiotherapy, gymnasium, articles and links. Very nicely done.

http://www.podiatry.orcon.net.nz/homeframe.htm is your online Podiatrist at Upper Hutt says that ‘podiatry is the treatment or prevention of any painful or deforming conditions of the foot’. The website aims to promote Podiatry as a profession, throughout Australasia and the world.

Supplements for HD

http://hdlighthouse.org/ My son Nick has always kept an eye on HD research and HD websites and found that he could rely on the HDlighthouse to keep him up with what is current and new developments

http://hdlighthouse.org/see/treat/epa.htm In May 2001, Nick discovered the results of a small, but successful trial, in England, using pure EPA for a small group of HD patients on the site. EPA is a poly-unsaturated fat found in cold water fish. It seemed important to use this information. Since November 200I have been taking EPA capsules and my HD symptoms had all but disappeared.

http://hdlighthouse.org/see/drugs/epaamarin.htm Lax-101 is pure EPA is in trial for the treatment of HD. Lax – 101is manufactured by Laxdale in the UK. Amarin is the distributor in the US. 29 Oct 01.

http://hdlighthouse.org/see/treat/whilewewait.htm Jerry’s Treatment Now, the Dilemma of Drug Trials, the Dilemma is food for thought and what is available now for us to help ourselves.

With all this happening our HD future looks more hopeful

If you wish to learn more about any of the therapies, use the NZ search engine, ‘xtramsm’ within NZ, or on the web, if you want international information.

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