About Me

 My Background and Philosophy

Dr. Margie Parolisi, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, is a Saddlebrooke/Tucson resident and has been practicing in Arizona for the past six years.  Margie relocated to Tucson in 2005 from Plantation, Florida where she practiced acupuncture and herbal therapy for seven years.

 Education:

Margie received her Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine from the Atlantic School of Oriental Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1998.  She completed post graduate training in Herbal Therapy with Dr. Boping Wu, one of China's most respected herbalists. She is State of Arizona licensed and is a Nationally Certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission of Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences as well as a Master and Doctoral degree from Nova University, Florida.

 Treatment Philosophy:

Margie approaches each patient as an individual, not a disease.  Her goal is to identify the underlying conditions that are preventing a person from being healthy and help her patients to resolve those conditions so they can achieve their optimal health.  She has a strong focus on patient education and works with each person to help them understand what is happening in their bodies and how they can work towards balancing their body’s energy systems.

 Fee Schedule:

Initial treatment including consultation is $95. All followup treatments are $70.00; cash or check only. All insurance policies covering acupuncture are accepted and a Superbill will be issued to the patient to be submitted to their insurance company for direct reimbursement according to their contract policy.

 To schedule an appointment, please call 825-5269.

 

Osteoporosis is six times more common in women than in men because a tremendous amount of jing (essence) is lost during the process of pregnancy and delivery. Post-menopausal osteoporosis is most common and happens between 51 to 75 years of age. Women who have children may see signs and symptoms of osteoporosis earlier than those who have less or no children. Men lose jing (essence) with excessive sexual activities. While they may not experience osteoporosis with old age, other signs of jing deficiency may include hair loss, loose teeth, weakness and soreness of the back and knees.

 GUIDELINES FOR TREATING/REVERSING OSTEOPOROSIS

 Osteoporosis is a disorder characterized by a reduction in of bone mass density, leading to fractures after minimal trauma. Osteoporosis is becoming one of the more common disorders as the population continues to age and life expectancies continue to increase. There are numerous risk factors, including but not limited to aging, dietary habits, lifestyles, and family history.

Chronic use of drugs also increases the risk of osteoporosis, with such examples as thyroid supplements, corticosteroids, ethanol, tobacco, and heparin.

Osteoporosis is often treated with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). While ERT may be effective for osteoporosis, it also increases the risk of breast and uterine cancer, endometrial carcinoma, malignant neoplasm, gallbladder disease, thromboembolitic disease, and photosensitivity.Therefore, many people choose not to take ERT because of the side effects, cautions, and contraindications.

 An Asian herbal formula, Osteo 8 is designed specifically for osteoporosis and other bone-related disorders. It contains herbs that increase the utilization of calcium, strengthen the bones, prevent fractures, and promote healing.  Acupuncture is very effective in the tonification of Jing (essence).

 Here are some nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to help build/retain bone mass:

--Eat five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

 --Make sure your diet is rich in phytoestrogens. Soy protein, yams and ground flax seed are two of the best sources of phytoestrogens.

 --Consumption of oxtail, ox neck or bone-based soup with tomato and ginger is highly recommended.

 --Eat foods rich in calcium. Foods high in calcium include kale, sardines, collard greens, broccoli, oranges, bok choy, green tea. A diet abundant in dairy helps build bones. Yogurt, cheese, milk.

 --Supplement your diet with 800 magnesium and 1,200 calcium citrate. This is absorbed best if taken right before bed or with a meal.

 --It is important to have enough Vitamin D & C, boron, zinc, manganese, copper and zinc. Usually a high quality multi-vitamin will include these ingredients.

 --Avoid “bone busters” These include excess alcohol, overdoing coffee, phosphorous (found in sodas), too much protein; all of which can rob the bones of calcium if consumed in large amounts.

 --Participate in weight bearing exercise. The best bone building exercises are when the feet leave the ground, i.e. walking, hiking, treadmill. Resistance exercise equipment builds bone mass; lifting weights, leg press, elliptical are two effective machines.

 --Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight daily. The best sunlight is early morning or late afternoon.

 The prescription drug of choice for treating osteoporosis is biphosphonates a category of drugs that include Fosamax (Alendronate), Actonel (Risedronate), Didronel (Etidronate), Aredia (Pamidronate), and Skelid (Tiludronate). On average, these drugs may increase bone mass density by 3 to 5% after continuous use for three years. However, they cause numerous side effects, such as stomach irritation, and may increase the risk of cancer (thyroid adenoma and adrenal pheochromocytoma) and fertility impairment (inhibition of ovulation, and testicular and epididymal atrophy). Furthermore, there is evidence that use of these drugs do not decrease the incidence of bone fracture. Though these drugs increase bone mass density, the bones remain brittle and are susceptible to fracture. In brief, treatment of osteoporosis requires careful evaluation of risks versus benefits by both practitioners and patients.

 

Take Good Care,

Margie Parolisi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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