NOV. 5, 2021
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T he C oast News
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Donors needed amidst blood shortage
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By Samantha Nelson
Herbal treatment for sleep apnea relief
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leep apnea is one of the most common sleep disturbance problems in America. It ruins the sleep of an estimated 40 million Americans on a regular basis. Experience has shown that 60% of the people who try overt solutions like CPAP, BiPAP and dental appliances cannot tolerate them long-term. There is a simpler and more appropriate way to deal with this condition. As we fall asleep, we move from stage one (drowsiness) into stage two where muscular activity is inhibited (blocked). It is called “reduction of muscle tonus.” This is a function that occurs primarily to keep the dreamer from physically acting out the movements of their dreams that will occur in REM sleep. Unfortunately, as we age, the inhibition of skeletal muscles causes un-intentional reduction in the signal to the diaphragm muscle. When in stage two sleep, our breathing becomes shallower and shallower due to insufficient signal strength to the diaphragmatic muscles. In sleep apnea sufferers, breathing will stop completely. When the carbon dioxide level gets high enough, the brain intervenes and causes the body to make a large and immediate inhalation. This causes a large pressure differential in the pharynx and literally sucks the sagging-soft palate into the airway. This obstructs the flow and causes a loud “SNORT” disturbing sleep or awakening the subject. Upon awakening or returning to stage 1 sleep, the reduction of muscle tonus for entry into stage two sleep is released and respiration begins again in a somewhat normal manner. Then the cycle repeats again. Sleep apnea is NOT caused by a sagging soft palate, it is exacerbated by that condition.
The problem is caused by the reduction in signal from your brain that reaches your diaphragm. Shortly after your breathing stops, you take a rapid inhalation and this sucks the soft palate into the airway with a snort; disturbing your sleep. The appropriate intervention is to enhance the communication from your brain to your diaphragm so that you breathe deeply and steadily throughout the night. Lobelia acting as a respiratory stimulant, does just that. It has been used for thousands of years to treat respiratory conditions. This herb will actually increase the level of respiration sufficiently so that your breathing does not stop during muscular inhibition. It will maintain deep steady breathing through the stage 2 sleep period. Thyme actually improves the ability of the lungs to exchanges CO2 for oxygen. To round out the combination, Chamomile aids the subject in relaxing and Cramp Bark helps the upper trapezius muscles to relax supporting better nerve transmission through the nerves emanating from between the cervical vertebrae C3, C4 and C5. This bouquet of herbs enhances respiration, relaxes muscles that restrict nervous flow and increases drowsiness. It represents a wholistic natural solution to sleep apnea. It is non-habit forming and no-preconditioning is required. What’s more, it addresses the cause of the problem without drugs, machines or surgery. Of course, if you don’t want to be troubled with filling herbal capsules, this unique and patented combination of herbs is available from Nature’s Rite. The product is called Sleep Apnea Relief and can be purchased on-line at www.MyNaturesRite.com. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.
REGION — Every week, Trinity Irvine and her 7-year-old daughter, Mia, make the drive from Oceanside to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego for the first grader’s weekly blood transfusions. Since February when doctors' discovered that Mia had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a rare disease overall but also the most common form of childhood cancer, Mia has received 27 blood transfusions. And since leukemia is a type of cancer found in blood and bone marrow, Mia’s chemotherapy eradicates a lot of good white and red blood cells along with cancerous cells. Currently, the young girl requires two bags, or about two pints, of blood each week. So far Mia hasn’t had any interruptions with her frequent blood transfusions, but others like local 5-year-old Karina Willis who is also battling childhood leukemia have had to wait for transfusions in recent weeks due to a regional and nationwide shortage of blood donations. Over the summer, the American Red Cross reported a severe blood shortage in the U.S. Normally the San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) is prepared for a smaller supply of blood during the summer and winter months when high schools and colleges are on break. A large
MIA IRVINE, 7, of Oceanside is battling childhood leukemia. Mia’s treatment requires her to receive two bags of blood each week, but a regional and national shortage of blood donations could eventually impact her treatments. Photo courtesy of the Irvine family
portion of blood donations come from blood drives held at regional high schools and colleges. What the bank didn’t necessarily expect was to see that shortage continue into fall this year when most students have returned to campus in person. According to Claudine Van Gonka, SDBB director of communications, many of this season’s blood drives have been canceled
at schools due to fear of spreading COVID-19 and the delta variant. “These canceled drives are costing us hundreds of pints,” Van Gonka said. Typically the blood bank likes to keep a 7-day supply of all blood types, but currently, the bank only has a 2-day supply of blood. In the event of a major disaster where multiple blood transfusions could be needed, there wouldn’t be
enough for everyone. “Even if everyone went to donate then and there, the victims of such an event wouldn’t receive that blood because it takes days for blood to go through tests and get ready for the shelves,” Van Gonka said. Not only that but there are already many patients like Mia Irvine and Karina Willis who depend on regTURN TO BLOOD ON A17
New Treatment for Arthritis Pain Comes to Encinitas Carlsbad Company Opens Its First Thermotherapy Wellness Salon
AVACEN Medical, headquartered in Carlsbad, CA recently opened its first Wellness Salon called Soothe by AVACEN on El Camino Real, just North of Encinitas Blvd. AVACEN stands for Advanced Vascular Circulation Enhancement. According to Jennifer Feldman, Soothe Business Development Director, “Our 20-minute Thermotherapy treatment is simple, convenient and inexpensive. You place your hand into the AVACEN device, an FDA-cleared, Class ll Medical device and through the palm of one hand, we treat the entire body systemically from head to toe.” The AVACEN device is a unique heat therapy system indicated for the temporary relief of joint pain associated with arthritis, the temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain and stiffness; muscle spasms, minor strains and sprains; and muscular relaxation.
Book online at Soothebyavacen.com (as low as $1 a minute) Hours of operation: Tues - Sat 11am-7pm
“Those who cannot be cured by medicine can be cured by surgery. Those who cannot be cured by surgery can be cured by heat. Those who cannot be cured by heat are to be considered incurable.” — Hippocrates, Father of Medicine
142 North El Camino Real, Suite 101, Encinitas, CA. 92024 (located in the Phenix Salon Suites)
• 442-888-2959