Brandon LaGreca, LAc is a 2005 graduate of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, a certified acupuncturist in the state of Wisconsin, and nationally certified in the practice of Oriental medicine (NCCAOM). He lives and works in East Troy, Wisconsin where he directs an integrative medical clinic. Brandon is a thought leader in the synthesis of traditional and functional medicine, authoring numerous articles on the subject. You can visit his blog at www.empoweredpatientblog.com.
Structured water (H3O2) can be considered a fourth state of water between liquid and solid. It has the hexagonal structure of ice; however, missing a critical bond, it behaves more like a gel than a solid, but retains some of its crystalline structure.
In the past five years of my clinical practice, I have seen an astonishing upsurge in the chronic use of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications for the gastrointestinal issue diagnosed by allopathic medicine as GERD. It is not uncommon to encounter patients taking these prescriptions for five-plus years.
Working with chronically ill patients entails acknowledging the reality that not all patients will survive their diagnosis. Chinese medicine and acupuncture play a crucial role in palliative and end-of-life care, addressing medication and disease side effects, alleviating pain associated with death, reducing anxiety and stress, and helping patients find peace during the dying process.
