The Healing Files: Traumeel

This came about out of my own desperate search for relief. After struggling with an increase in severe joint and muscle pain these past couple of months, which has been due to a healing crisis, I found something that helped me and wanted to share it with those of you who also struggle with chronic pain and inflammation. Perhaps it can help offer some relief for you as well. 

Traumeel is a homeopathic medicine that comes in liquid drops, tablets, ointment, and gel. I found the more I used it, the more it helped. The key for me was using the drops and ointment together repeatedly throughout the day. 

I'm not saying this is the end-all, cure-all to physical pain, but my pain subsided after using this combo several times and hitting it hard, so to speak. I also noticed the fevers I so commonly run improved while taking Traumeel. I might add that any degree of improvement matters to me. 

I know different things work for different people, and this is undoubtedly based on my subjective experience. Still, nothing else gave me the much-needed and longed-for relief except this combination of Traumeel drops and cream. I rubbed down the affected area and then took several drops by mouth to keep it in my body systemically. I then repeated this process several times throughout the day. 

If Traumeel never helps me again (which I highly doubt), I will continue to sing its praises and be grateful for this one time that it did bring me tremendous relief!

My doctor told me Traumeel actually reduces cytokine levels. Cytokines are secreted by the immune system and have a great deal to do with the body's inflammatory responses. Clearly, I am on a chronic Lyme treatment protocol that includes several things to help overall with inflammation, but this is one jewel I added in when the pain and inflammation intensified. 

Because Traumeel is a homeopathic medicine, it will not interfere with prescription meds or supplements. I personally like and respond well to homeopathy. Anyhow, I keep Traumeel on hand all the time. It's also great for sports-related injuries or bumps and bruises. 

Google it to find out more or go to http://www.traumeel.com/

Maybe some of you are already familiar with Traumeel. If you have used it, I'd love to hear from you whether it helped you or not. As I said, this is my personal experience using this combination of drops and ointment together, which I found to be much more effective than only using one or the other. 

You can find it at Whole Foods or most health food stores and nutrition centers. I ordered mine online from Vitacost.com because it's cheaper. Whenever I find something that helps me in a significant way, I like to pass it along in hopes of benefitting someone else. Hope that's the case for some of you, friends.

Love and Blessings, 

Michelle

Michelle Holderman

Copyright © 2011 

The Healing Files: Music

What an amazing gift God has given us in music. Not only is it enjoyable, but music can calm, soothe, lighten, encourage, motivate, inspire, and in my opinion, facilitate healing. It is certainly a part of my healing protocol.

Music is a powerful expression and can uniquely do what nothing else can. It's been said that music is what feelings sound like. It has also been said that music speaks when words cannot, and I believe this is true. Music often moves us in emotion and can evoke memories. 

Music can have stress, anxiety, and pain-reducing effects as well. Numerous studies and scholarly articles document the therapeutic and biological effects of music, specifically on our nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. This is particularly interesting to me in working to heal from Lyme disease and subsequent co-infections.

Quantum Physics tells us that healthy cells vibrate in the body at a much higher frequency than unhealthy or toxic cells. I believe the vibrational frequencies within musical notes resonate with and influence the frequency that our cells vibrate at. In other words, it is possible to change the vibrational frequency of our cells through music (as through other modalities as well). This can have a positive effect on us or a negative one. If we listen to music (lyrics included) that is dark, negative, derogatory, or harsh, it can impact us and our cells in that same unhealthy way. Equally, if we listen to music that is soothing, encouraging, uplifting, motivating, or healing, it can impact our cells in this way as well. 

Melinda Bargreen, Music Reporter for the Seattle Times, wrote an interesting article in 2001 entitled, Classical Muisc Lovers May Indeed Have More Brains. In it she states: "Brain research suggests that playing Mozart, that same composer responsible for the much-touted "Mozart Effect," in which performance on certain aspects of IQ tests was improved following exposure to his music" can also have a beneficial effect on epilepsy patients. John Jenkins of the University of London has found that playing "short bursts of Mozart's Sonata K.448" (the D Major Sonata for Two Pianos) decreases epileptic attacks. Other studies suggest that Mozart also has a beneficial effect on coma patients.

Educators have long observed the benefits of early musical training on school performance. Various studies have shown that some areas of the brain are enlarged among those whose "perfect pitch" facility is revealed in that early training.

More recently, the American Academy of Neurology has released the results of a study that found "significant differences" in the gray-matter distribution between professional musicians trained at an early age and nonmusicians. The musicians in the study had more relative gray-matter volume in five regions of the brain and "pronounced differences in the cerebellum bilaterally." http://www.rense.com/general12/morebrains.htm

There are many Scriptures in the Bible that reference music. It was used in biblical times to celebrate, exhort, and comfort. 1 Samuel 16:23 says, "And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled King Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better and the tormenting spirit would go away." Music was also frequently used in praise and worship to God during the Jewish Feasts and celebrating marriages and battle victories. So it is today. Music is apart of our everyday lives, i.e. weddings, funerals, holidays, concerts, graduations, birthday parties, church services. And we, too, use music as an expression of our gratitude and worship.

Most likely, we've all experienced some kind of positive effect from music in one form or fashion. I listen to music most everyday unless I'm feeling really bad but even then; I'll often listen to soothing instrumentals or soft classical. My iPod is loaded with playlists to aid me in my Lyme treatment. Some days I need songs that spark motivation; other days I need songs that comfort and speak hope to my heart. Whatever it is, I can attest that music has been very therapeutic for me throughout my life and most certainly now during this treatment protocol. I think it's an excellent adjunct therapy for anyone whose working towards healing and wellness.

Michelle Holderman
Copyright © 2011

Photos: Favim.com