"HOLY SH**!"

I looked up from what I was doing and I said, "Everything okay?"

"How long to these injections normally take to have an effect?"

"Often within seconds. Is it feeling better?"

A patient had been suffering from sore joints in his feet. I suggested we try an injection-based therapy to help the tissues function better.

It was after I completed the injections on the right foot that he exclaimed what he exclaimed. By the time I started to administer the treatment to the left foot he was already noticing profound changes on that first side.

Needless to say he was feeling better.

I saw him one time after that, and he was doing a lot better, but not since. So either I did something terribly wrong or terrifically right. (Toes and fingers crossed it was the latter.)

I have a lot of healing "tools" in my tool kit / medicine bag.

I don't usually talk about the "tools" of my medicine, because they can be boring and technical. When you take your car to the mechanic you don't ask her what wrench she is going to use to fix your car.  You just want to know that your car can be fixed. The tools are less relevant than the result. Any one who has studied marketing knows this to be true. You want to show people the benefits of the thing, not the features of the thing.

For the purpose of this article (and a proper introduction) I will share a little bit about my tools (features).

Some of my tools involve education - how, what, and when to eat, how to breath deeply, reduce stress, and make sure you're getting enough water.

Some involve coaching - helping you understand your why, trouble shooting, and holding you accountable.

Some involve altering biochemistry - herbs, nutrients, and supplements.

Some involve balancing an releasing energy - acupuncture and Brain-Based Transformational Coaching.

Ultimately all of the tools I use in my work help me to reduce pain and suffering and bring more love, joy, and health into this and your world. (Benefits.)

For you more specifically that means less pain, better sleeps, more energy, healthy digestion, glowing skin, having babies, and / or feeling happy. (Sweet, sweet, benefits.)

I want to introduce you to something that your medical doctors likely don't know about (unless they are pretty darn cool.)

It is called Drainage

Remember: Health = nutrients in and wastes out.

Drainage helps us do the wastes out part.

It is a huge part of my naturopathic practice. I find it particularly useful in tougher, more complicated cases. The treatments this fellow received are called biopuncture and consist of putting micro doses of beneficial herbs and nutrients just below the surface of the skin, typically above the pain zone or diseased area.

Biopuncture is one type of administering drainage. Orally is the other main option, although there are nasal sprays and even suppository delivery systems as well.

Especially and surprisingly when it comes to the injections people ask me why I didn't suggest it sooner. The results are often very quick and profound, eliciting the "HOLY SH**!" from time to time.

This in itself is funny because when I suggest injecting substances into people the first time we meet, experience tells me they will most likely say, "No." So as much as my work is a science, it is also an art.

I have learned over the years that injections require a certain level of trust that does not commonly present itself at someone's first appointment. Of course there are exceptions.

I am going to use the rest of this article to let the cat out of the bag. No more secrets ;).

Many professional companies make different types of drainage medicines.  It works because each remedy has an affinity for a specific organ or organ system in the body.

If the cells of an organ are having trouble getting access to oxygen and nutrients and/or releasing metabolic waste products, that tissue won't function well.  If this goes on long enough pathology results.

Drainage remedies increase circulation to the organ and have a biochemically active effect on the tissues and cells. This in turn will both improve function of the specific organ and improve metabolism, so the cell can increase the elimination of cellular wastes.

This is particularly relevant in healing chronic and acute pain syndromes because of scar tissue and inflammation.

Cells are starving for nutrients.

Once the cell's ability to function properly is restored, it is able to heal. Remember the bucket analogy? Drainage helps the bucket function better. And it can happen quickly as with the example above.

Many of the drainage remedies target organs and tissues called the emunctories. These function to manage detoxification of toxins - both from the outside world and what our body naturally produces.

Think of them as detox and elimination organs. They include the:

• liver and gallbladder

• kidneys and urinary bladder

• large bowel (as well of the rest of the digestive system)

• lungs

• skin

• lymphatic system

• and mucous membranes.

In addition to healing chronic and acute pain (typically done via injection) I also use drainage medicine for digestive and skin issues, hormonal imbalances, poor healing, adrenal fatigue and even anxiety (usually orally.)

To be honest, I tend to include drainage medicine of some sort with all of my patients. I see better and faster results when I combine these types of remedies with some of the other key healing basics such as the right amount of clean water, nature, rest, and food as medicine.

I find including drainage helps these things have a deeper impact. Drainage accesses and stimulates the Vis Medicatrix Naturae - the innate healing wisdom and power that exists with in every organism. In this way it reminds the body how to heal.

I also like them because they generally don't cause complications or interact with too many medications. Also the dosing can be titrated really easily. I tend to attract a lot of sensitive humans to my practice (probably because I am one myself) who need to start with very low doses of medications and supplements.

I hope that helped you understand a bit more about how I can help you! Please share it with anyone you think might benefit.

To your healthy, thriving, delightful life,