East Bay Alternative Medicine -

By Faith Franz, Guest Contributor

Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

For many, the word “diet” conjures up ideas of a low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie weight loss regiment.

For oncologists, however, the word can represent a potential way to heal the body of cancer.

Diet is one of the key tenets of a natural approach to treating cancers such as mesothelioma. While certain vitamins and minerals can not only help the body fight off the disease, certain foods can also help reduce side effects and symptoms. (more…)

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is a flu-like virus that is considered harmless. Complications from the virus can lead to death. One of the most common complications is dehydration. Because lesions in the mouth and throat cause so much pain, it is difficult to drink.

My 14 month-old daughter woke up early Monday morning burning with fever.  Other than exhaustion the night before, we saw no previous signs of illness.  We struggled to get an accurate reading, but eventually got a rectal reading of over 104.  We brought her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with an ear infection.  By late that evening, we saw a mild rash on her back.  Monday night, she cried all night long until we got some prescription ear drops that numbed her pain.  (more…)

Ever try to throw a feather? The harder you hurl it, the more likely it is to simply curve back around and land very close to where it started. A gentle puff of air, on the other hand, creates easy (if unpredictable) movement.

The physics are different, but the results are similar when we attempt to force change in the body’s soft tissue.

Many years ago when I received my initial massage education, I had the good fortune to learn about Polarity Therapy. In Polarity, there are three types of touch: tamasic, used very sparingly, which is direct and involves significant pressure; rajasic, used occasionally, which involves rhythm and movement; and sattvic, used frequently (sattva translates from the sanskrit as “being or essence”), which embodies “being with” through gentle contact. My teachers likened tamasic touch to a shouted imperative that demands attention; rajasic touch to a question that focuses attention; and sattvic touch to quiet accompaniment that invites the attention of the recipient. In life with others, one might need to resort, every now and then, to a shout; and one might need to ask questions sometimes to solicit essential information or to highlight something’s particular nature; but “being with” — the vast majority of the time — is the most efficient and least-resisted way to support awareness and change. (more…)

I taught a one-day, 8-hour Introduction to Back Massage class last Sunday at Skyline College. The things that motivate people to enroll in classes like these are always of interest to me. The most common reason I hear is that folks, themselves, are experiencing pain or discomfort, and they hope to learn skills or information that will bring them some relief. The next most common reason folks show up is that they have someone in their circle of family or friends who needs massage for relief of pain or the effects of stress.

Last Sunday, I heard a new reason for attending from not one but two people! Two, unrelated women shared that their teenage children had passed the point at which they could accept hugs and other easy forms of physical affection. The mothers missed this contact, and they sensed that their kids did, too — but the teens weren’t willing to risk the embarrassment or peer disapproval that might come with accepting hugs or even a casual arm around the shoulders. (more…)

I thought I would share this video that has been floating around social networking sites. Doctor Mike Evans suggests that if you have to choose one particular angle of your health to focus on, exercise would be the one.