Health

Becoming Resilient to Stress

I once had to write an essay on the book, “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” by Robert Sapolsky and I can summarize it to this day… The sympathetic nervous system elicits the “fight or flight” response. A third response is to freeze in place.

Modern humans often freeze in place, stall. Usually, we do not fight others or run (flight) like zebras run away from lions, but we just sit or stand in place, doing the same exact thing physically we were doing prior to the stress trigger. The cortisol elevates with the stressor, the adrenaline surges… and we sit (or stand) in place instead of using that fuel to launch into a sprint away from a predator (lion, tiger or bear, oh my!)

Zebras have no choice. They run or they die, or they run and die. Either way, they really must run. In turn, their bodies burn off the adrenaline surge and other stress hormones. This is why they do not get ulcers.

However, humans do get ulcers, because their ancient wiring “fight or flight” response designed to keep them alive during times of war with neighboring tribes, or being hunted by predators, simply goes off at very inopportune times… like when we’re stuck in traffic, or getting flack from our boss, or a friend phones with bad news … goes off, constantly, daily, sometimes multiple times per hour. This creates a cascade effect with the nervous system, the neuro-endocrine hormones and creates inflammation, extra body fat, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, headaches, autoimmune disease, insomnia, and more. Everyone responds to stress differently.

Most people respond very well to acupuncture because it brings the nervous system and endocrine system into balance. Over time, with regular acupuncture treatment, patients become less triggered by stress as the “fight or flight” response becomes much more self-regulated.

What’s Our Medical Director Been Up To?

Have you heard? Our Medical Director, Laura Parks, M.Ac., L.Ac. went back to school and will be graduating at the end of April 2023 with her Doctorate in Acupuncture. 13 years after graduating with her Masters degree in Acupuncture, we’ll be calling “Dr. Laura” to the clinic with all her new wisdom on how to help patients.

Here’s what she had to say about her doctorate experience so far: “It’s been so great studying advanced, complex conditions like Lyme’s disease, advanced fertility and gynecological issues, pediatrics, and autoimmune conditions, weighing in with some of the most brilliant minds in the country. Last semester I got to celebrate getting straight A’s in all my classes while juggling family life and running a very busy clinic, all while completing medical internships, studying modern acupuncture research, and learning from live case studies. I’m so grateful for this opportunity to take my training to the next level and serve thousands of patients in the future with this centuries old medicine.”

We can’t wait to see what the future holds upon completing her doctorate this April!

If you’re interested in working with our Medical Director, Laura Parks, this spring, give us a call at 410-847-4766.

Did You Know… Acupuncture Helps Arthritis

In the United States, 24% of all adults, or 58.5 million people, have arthritis. It is a leading cause of work disability, with annual costs for medical care and lost earnings of $303.5 billion. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis.

For over 12 years, our medical director Laura Parks has been successfully treating arthritis in many forms, from arthritis in the hands, to the knees, to the spine, with over a 90% success rate she’s got it down to a science.

In fact, many acupuncturists locally as well as around the country have come to study with Mrs. Parks to see how she uses the combination of an ancient form of medicine called acupuncture with ozone therapy.

Ozone fully oxygenates any cell or tissue it comes into contact with. When this happens, mutated cells or dead red blood cells that are only holding onto toxins and inflammation are easily discarded via the lymphatic system.

Newly oxygenated cells help to provide cellular repair and reverse oxidative damage. Ozone helps to permanently improve arthritis, improving pain and restoring range of motion of the joints.

Call for a Consultation today to learn more. Call 410-847-4766.

Cutting Edge Arthritis Treatment

Arthritis is a degenerative condition, well-known for causing a lot of chronic pain especially in the joints as the joints degenerate over time. Traditionally, arthritis sufferers can tell when rain or snow is in the forecast even before the local weatherman can. There can be a genetic predisposition for developing more severe and widespread arthritis. It can also be caused by significant repetitive use in one’s career or hobbies, or from trauma and injuries. Most arthritis patients are traditionally prescribed NSAID’s, narcotics, or steroids.

Cloud 9’s arthritis patients have a lot to say about our helpful Arthritis Program at Cloud 9 Acupuncture. We credit our 90% success rate with our innovative cutting edge therapies such as ATP Resonance BioTherapyTM, O3 Regenerative TherapyTM to restore the joints, and pharmaceutical grade supplements to correct vitamin and mineral deficiencies to help the body heal itself.

Our successful Arthritis Program provides patients relief, even after nothing else has worked. Before coming to Cloud 9, patients have usually tried medications, physical therapy, and even stem cell therapy without much improvement.

Now there is Hope… Cloud 9 is usually described the Last Resort with the Best Hope. Call today for a consult 410-847-4766 to learn more and see if you are a candidate for our Arthritis Program.

Our Life Changing Neuropathy Program

It started out as a normal outing.

Irreversible is not a word you want to hear from your Doctor but it’s a common one if you’ve been diagnosed with Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN.

Elliot S. of Towson survived testicular cancer only to be living life in constant pain. He felt as though he were walking on pins and needles, becoming weaker and weaker by the day. “I was beginning to be worried that one day I would be wheelchair-bound.”

Nearly half of patients who undergo chemotherapy will develop Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN.

Chemotherapy meds travel throughout the body and attack cancer cells, sadly they can also cause severe damage to healthy nerves. CIPN can begin within weeks of starting treatment and can worsen as treatment continues. A high number of really unfortunate people will be forced to endure the symptoms associated with CIPN for months or even years after they’ve completed chemo.

When asked how CIPN was affecting his quality of life, he responded, “It was difficult to even walk up and down stairs and do other things we usually take for granted.”

The most common symptoms include:

pain, tingling, burning, weakness, or numbness in arms, hands, legs or feet
sudden, sharp, stabbing or shocking pain sensations
loss of touch sensation
clumsiness and trouble using hands to pick up objects or fasten clothing
loss of balance or falling

For some, their nerves will recover over time. For most, the nerve damage is ‘irreversible. ‘ Elliot had been told just that by a series of Doctors and specialists. Essentially they could cure his cancer but couldn’t fix the damage done by the drugs used to cure his cancer.

Then Elliot made a call to Acupuncturist Laura Parks of Cloud 9 Acupuncture right here in Timonium, MD. Acupuncturist Laura Parks is using time-tested science of Acupuncture and technology originally developed by NASA that assists in increasing blood flow and expediting recovery and healing to treat this debilitating disease.

After a series of treatments, Elliot was taking stairs with stride! “We have a house and it has stairs. This morning I walked right down the stairs and got into the car,” Elliot shared.

“I remember thinking ‘that’s become mighty easy for me,’ I didn’t have to hold on to the handrail or anything!

It’s life changing to have this mobility back!

Again and again, we meet with patients who were once diagnosed as “untreatable” or “incurable” but after receiving Laura Parks’ treatments are now living lives free from pain and suffering. For over 11 years she has been reversing the effects of CIPN and other varieties of Peripheral Neuropathy, including that caused by diabetes without invasive surgeries and medications that come with uncomfortable side effects.

If you’ve recently beat cancer only to find that you’re living a life in constant pain and discomfort or you’re struggling with the same symptoms as a result of either Idiopathic Neuropathy or Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Acupuncturist Laura Parks and the incredible team at Cloud 9 can help!