More people are trying alternative treatments

Julie Bragg
Staff reporter

April 16, 2010

HENRICO COUNTY

An all-natural treatment for allergies is gaining popularity in our area, especially among parents who don’t want to pump their children full of medicines.

Mark Lynn of Henrico says he’s suffered all of his life. After trying shots, prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, he finally decided to try acupuncture to fight his allergies.

Four treatments and just three weeks later, Mark feels like a new man.

He says, “The cars are yellow and pollen is all over the place, and I’m waiting for a certain reaction to happen, and it just doesn’t happen. It’s pretty cool. It’s also sort of weird, but it’s great.”

Ruiping Chi is a medical doctor in china who’s been practicing acupunture for 25 years. Now she treats people like Mark at the Wellness Village at Starling in Henrico.

She says acupuncture can stop the allergic reaction before it starts by preventing the immune system from overreacting.

Chi says, “The needle actually regulates the body’s circulation, and the body’s neuro-transmission, even our endocrine system, so that’s why our body gets the right adjustment.”

Some of Chi’s patients are too young for needles. For young children, a tiny radish seed under a sticky bandage is placed on the pressure points.

Kim Davis says her three-year-old daughter Eva used to take four medications and prescriptions for allergies every day.

After three needle-free acupuncture treatments, she says she’s not taking any of those anymore.

Kim says, “That she can go outside and not have any issues and not have to stop and take an inhaler or breathing treatment is awesome.”

Ruiping Chi admits acupuncture probably won’t work for everyone. She says it can help about 80 percent of people.

Copyright © 2010, WTVR

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Acupuncture works as well as a drug commonly used to combat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms that can accompany breast cancer treatment, and its benefits last longer, without bad side effects, researchers said on Monday.

They tested acupuncture, which began in China more than 2,000 years ago and involves inserting needles into the body, against the Wyeth antidepressant Effexor, for hot flashes in breast cancer patients.

Acupuncture was just as effective as Effexor, also called venlafaxine, in managing symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats, according to researchers led by Dr. Eleanor Walker of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

After 12 weeks of treatment, symptoms were reduced for 15 additional weeks for women who had undergone acupuncture, compared with two weeks for those who had taken Effexor, Walker said.

“It was a more durable effect,” Walker, whose findings were presented at an American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology meeting in Boston, said in a telephone interview.

There were no bad side effects with acupuncture, and women reported increased energy, overall sense of well-being and sexual desire, the researchers said.

Those taking Effexor reported side effects including nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, increased blood pressure, fatigue and anxiety.

VALUE OF ACUPUNCTURE

The study adds to a growing body of evidence of the value of acupuncture. Earlier research had shown it can reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and post-operative pain.

“It’s been tested directly against a drug that we use regularly. And it’s more effective. It has benefits, as opposed to any side-effects,” Walker said.

“If you only have to give women treatment three to four times a year as opposed to having to take a pill every day, that’s going to be more cost-effective for insurance companies and the patient,” Walker added.

Breast cancer patients can develop menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes after treatment with chemotherapy and anti-estrogen hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is often used to treat such symptoms in women without breast cancer, but breast cancer patients cannot use that therapy because it may raise the risk of the cancer’s return.

Effexor, one of a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is one of the most commonly used drugs to treat hot flashes in these women.

But the researchers said some women opt not to take such drugs out of concern over side effects.

Forty-seven breast cancer patients took part in the study, about half getting acupuncture and half getting Effexor. The women kept track of the number and severity of hot flashes before, during and after the 12 weeks of treatment.

Walker said it is unclear exactly how acupuncture is working. Experts say it may help the activity of the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals among other things.

I recently ran across the following article concerning Acupuncture and its use in treating infertility. I thought the contents answered many questions I have received recently from many of you concerning this very topic:

By Catherine Donaldson-Evans

NEW YORK — 

At 36, Lucy Appert has suffered through two miscarriages, a stillbirth at 8 1/2 months and, because of a rare pregnancy-related liver dysfunction, intensive illness and surgery.

Yet after enduring five painful years of trying to have their own baby, Appert and her husband Edward finally saw their dream come true last month when their son Henry was born — premature, but healthy.

For all the fertility treatments, technologies and prenatal care available to women today, Appert credits the success of her pregnancy to an ancient Chinese secret.

“I recommend acupuncture (search) to everyone,” Appert said. “It does work. I did everything possible for years to have a baby. I almost lost hope.”

The millennias-old Asian medical practice — in which the acupuncturist places tiny needles in various pressure points, or “Qi” (Chee), in the body to improve circulation and reduce stress — has been around in the United States for years as an “alternative” treatment for numerous ailments.

But recently, acupuncture has been picking up steam as a possible remedy for female infertility, with a handful of American and European studies showing that it enhances the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) (search).

To read the complete article, please go to http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154472,00.html

Yoga and Chinese Medicine are strong compliments to each other.  I regularly suggest to my patients that they practice yoga on a routine basis. The article  below gives a thorough explanation of how yoga and acupuncture work together to balance the body, mind, and spirit.

By Alex Berks

Yoga has been practiced in the Orient for over 5,000 years. Patanjali compiled and reformulated the yoga philosophy which was handed down from India’s highest age. In his sutras or threads he expounds on the many practices of yoga – spiritual disciplines, meditation techniques – which enable a person to achieve the highest state of man’s evolution oneness with god and ever-new-joy. This “special knowledge” spread across the Himalayas especially with the spread of Buddhism to China. The Chinese were greatly influenced by the knowledge from India. and they used the Indian knowledge to enhance their own native practices of Tai Qi and Qi Gong and Taoist Yoga. Both Yoga and Tai Qi and Qi Gong are exercises formatted to increase longevity, open the meridian system and thereby prevent disease.

How do yoga and the meridian system work together?

While acupuncture treats specific diseases and disharmonies by unblocking stagnation in the organs and meridians, yoga is a general exercise form that prevents disease by keeping the meridians open and the qi or energy flowing. Yoga in this sense is like self-massage.

The primary step in maintaining health and healing disease is to release musculo-skeletal holding patterns which are intimately related to more internal physical and their accompanying mental symptoms. This is the basis of healing.

Specific Yoga postures invigorate certain meridians. For example, backbends energize the yang aspect of the body, they generate heat and energy, while forward bends emphasize the yin or cooling, and calming aspects. If you feel sluggish or cold backbends will give you energy by stimulating the Kidneys. The Kidneys in Oriental medicine are the “root” of yin and yang. Also in Western scientific medicine it is understood that the Kidneys are the first organs formed in the fetus.

If you have insomnia or too much energy forward bends are more suitable because they have a soothing and calming effect emphasizing the yin aspects of the body. Right side bends and all twisting movements augment the liver and gallbladder while left side bends invigorate the spleen and pancreas.

The complementary nature of yoga and acupuncture (and massage) is reflected in their common goal of releasing stagnation of energy in the meridian systems and their related organs or in the blood. While yoga provides the format to release the blockage acupuncture and meridian theory provides a framework to understand which poses are best for a particular condition. Additionally, herbs can tonify as well as unblock stagnation. Our overly fast lifestyles, combined with poor eating habits and a polluted environment can create deficiencies that herbs can help to correct. The Chinese pharmacopia is the largest, most advanced categorization of plants animals and minerals in all the world. It has withstood the test of time.

Thus, yoga. acupuncture and herbs help to balance the body and mind and create more consciousness towards the body’s internal processes.

Invariably the poses you dislike to do the most are the best for you. The areas of weakness or decreased flexibility are usually places of stagnation in the meridian system. They are the most worthy of your attention and offer the most rewards upon investigation. For example, a person with poor digestion will almost always have weak abdominal muscles. Thus, properly performing asanas that emphasize the belly will move the energy of the low belly as well as strengthen the abdominal muscles and thereby help to alleviate the problem.

Similarly headaches and stagnation in the meridians of the muscles of the neck and shoulders can be alleviated by yoga because the postures circulate energy throughout the meridian system.

There is a saying in Chinese Medicine that is proven over and over again and the end of every yoga class, “When the mind is calm the qi flows smoothly, and conversely when the qi is made to flow smoothly the mind is calm”. Isn’t that why we practice yoga?

About the author:
Alex Berks teaches yoga at Forrest Yoga Circle in Santa Monica California, USA and attends Emperor’s College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In addition, he is a masseuse and herbalist at the Golden Cabinet Herbs.

“China has been using acupuncture as a form of anaesthesia for 2,600 years,” said Wang Caihong of Shanghai University’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute, adding that the technique had an extremely long and well-tested history in China.

“Nausea is caused by a blockage in circulation and acupuncture can relieve that,” she added.

Wang is part of a team of Chinese doctors who are helping to set up an acupuncture centre for cancer patients in Hong Kong’s Prince of Wales Hospital.

Wang told Reuters that acupuncture could also be helpful to relieve all sorts of pain and conditions such as trauma.

“It should be able to help other patients too in many other branches of medicine,” she said.

An increasing number of studies and clinical trials in recent years in Western countries have shown that acupuncture may actually work better than painkillers for people with chronic headache or those who are recovering from major surgeries such as those for head and neck cancer.

Wang said that acupuncture worked best in relieving pain that was just moderate.

“For pain that is moderate, acupuncture is definitely helpful, but for extreme pain, painkillers may be necessary too,” she added.

Recently, the media has been focusing more and more on parents turning to acupuncture to meet their childrens’ medical needs.

The following video and text are a great example of how acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of different ailments in children:

Video as seen on ABC News: Acupuncture for Kids

Parents Turn to Holistic Remedies When Conventional Treatments Fail

By DAVID WRIGHT and MABLE CHAN

April 5, 2009—

Like many 14-month-old babies, Ashley Goldstein looks like an active, happy and healthy child. But until recently, she was fighting one infection after another, and struggling with athsma and allergies.

“Ashley’s been on medication since she was 2 weeks old. She was on five different medications. I wasn’t comfortable with all the medications; she’s so young and her body wasn’t fighting it off. I felt like there has to be another alternative.” says Danielle Goldstein, 33, Ashley’s mother.

So Danielle Goldstein started discussing alternative medicine with her husband Adam Goldstein, 31, as a treatment option for their child. After doing extensive research and talking with medical experts, Danielle decided to bring her baby in for treatment at the Whole Person Health Clinic in Stoughton, Mass.

Licensed acupuncturist Fae Kont Je-Gibbs has been treating Ashley regularly for the past two months. She uses a combination of natural oils, tiny touching needles and tuning forks associated with sound healing.

Gibbs gently prodded and poked Ashley for half an hour without piercing her skin. Ashley’s mom says the baby is finally sleeping through the night. She’s convinced these treatments have helped.

“It isn’t concrete. It’s not like a broken bone and you can say you set it, you fix it, it’s done,” Danielle Goldstein said. “You have to kind of believe in it and trust it and then wait for the concrete outcome.”

Acupuncture is more of a medical art than a science, based on the idea that energy flows through the body through a series of known pressure points.

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital recently used high tech magnetic resonance imaging to study the brain’s response during acupuncture. They found a very interesting pattern of brain areas that are activated by acupuncture: a pattern similar to a brain at rest.

In other words, the brain’s response to pain seems to be switched off during acupuncture.

But is this scientific proof that acupuncture actually works?

“I wouldn’t quite say we’re there yet. There’s much more to be done,” said Dr. Bruce Rosen, a Harvard-trained doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In China, acupuncture has been around for at least 5,000 years. In this country, it’s still relatively new, but studies show a growing number of Americans of all ages are seeking treatment.

More than 3 million adults and 150,000 children have used acupuncture for ailments like headaches, back and neck pain, anxiety and ADHD over the past year, according to the 2008 report published by the National Center for Health and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.

The Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis runs the nation’s largest and oldest pediatric acupuncture center.

“We see a lot of children with migraine headaches, anxiety and depression, “says Dr. George Kramer. But he also adds, “Acupunture doesn’t work on everyone just like medicine don’t work on everybody.”

Molly Austin White, 16, has had central re-occurring pain syndrome through the body for several years and no drugs seem to be working.

“We’ve seen specialist after specialist for certain parts of her body, her heart, her intestinal system, her stomach joints. All different doctors and no one can put it together,” said Molly’s mother, Jane Austin, 47.

“We use some meridian points to help stimulate her body energy system, some points in the ankle and shin on both sides,” Kramer said. “We also treat a few points in the stomach to gather and point the energy where the healing needs to take place.”

Molly said that once she started the treatments, a lot of her pain started to go away.

“It’s just been helping my body a lot,” she said.

Brooke Hamer, 15, was suicidal when her parents first brought her to the pediatric acupuncture clinic, as a last resort. Kramer used acupuncture to treat various acupressure points on her knees and head to stimulate her healing and balancing her nervous system Almost immediately, they noticed an improvement. “It’s helped me change the way I function, but I won’t say it’s a life changer, it’s in conjucntion with other things I do in my life,” Brooke said.

“After her first acupuncture treatment, she went from being quite depressed to bouncing off the table, smiling and laughing, it was really dramatic and she was thrilled and so was mom,” Kramer said.

“It’s like havng my daughter back, which is really exciting. She’s physically, mentally not the same person,” said Brooke’s mother, Heidi Losinski Hamer, 47.

While acupuncture may not be right for every child, for a growing number of parents, this ancient Chinese medicine has become a lifeline.

Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

‘Modern medicine started essentially as a therapeutic approach to illness. You were feeling ill so you approached a doctor who examined you did some tests, found a disease and treated it. If he did not find a disease, you usually ended up with no treatment and no further advice except the doctor telling you: “There is nothing wrong with you”

Later there was introduction of psychiatry in the West by Freud. However this was strictly a therapeutic approach to mental illness.

It was recognised a long time ago in Egypt, China and India that preventative medicine is the true path of health. It is comforting to note that preventive medicine has had a big surge lately – both in the minds of the public and in the hands of the practicing physician. This is the approach to staying healthy and preventing illness. We have also moved away from the obvious causes of illnesses of the past (infectious diseases etc) to disease related to poor diet and life style related diseases, which can be prevented by long term changes in life style.

There is considerable amount of literature and evidence of the effectiveness of Acupuncture, a therapeutic tool with its origin in China for CURING illnesses. However there is very little information available to suggest that use of acupuncture can have a beneficial general effect of health in an otherwise healthy individual. In starting this discussion, it is my intention to bring out such information as is available on the preventive aspects of the use of acupuncture.

One of the objectives of acupuncture is Corrective Care is to strengthen the organ systems of the body in a way that they are working harmoniously. The aim is to restore the smooth flow of blood and in Chinese way of stating it, of Qi through the body. Another aim is Maintenance Care i.e. the foal is of maintaining health and wellness by “sustaining a unified, healthy state”.

One article I was reading stated, “Imbalance in the distribution of Qi can bring on ill health.” This leads to poor blood circulation, with a resultant, loss of food to the cells and loss of water, oxygen, etc., and inadequate cellular detoxification of wastes and carbon dioxide. This eventually leads to cellular illness, mutation, and death. Acupuncture is stated to restore the flow of Qi and blood to these areas of degeneration and cellular death, thus bringing them back to life. Selected acupuncture sites are stimulated to balance the Qi with resulting return of function and restoration of health.

Another aspect of lack of health under the Chinese system is Organ imbalance. It refers to the condition where the organs of your body are either working too hard, or not working hard enough. In either case there is imbalance and ill health. It is like saying that if one worker in an office or factory does not work well the others all so suffer by either having to take up the slack or by working less because everything is slowed down. Apparently the body slows down in the same way as the assembly line would slow down from one inefficient worker. Apparently Acupuncture restores balance to the organ systems of the body and allows the body to function optimally.

I am hoping for further discussion and input in the preventive aspect of the use of Acupuncture.’

From: http://www.relishinglife.com/82/acupuncture-as-a-preventive-health-tool/

While many over-the-counter remedies promise symptomatic relief, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believe that addressing the causes of allergies, treating the whole person, and focusing on balancing the immune system leads to substantial long-term health benefits in managing allergies.

What are allergies?

Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is an example of misplaced immunity. It is a learned response by the immune system wherein rapid physiological changes resulting in itchy eyes and throat, sinus congestion and sneezing, asthma, and even diarrhea are produced. Typically, exposure to an allergen such as tree pollen elicits a massive release of IgE antibodies which attach to white blood cells known as mast cells. These cells are mostly located in the lungs and upper respiratory tract, the lining of the stomach and the skin. When these cells are stimulated, they release a number of chemicals including histamine which produce the allergic symptoms.

IgE-mediated allergies result in almost immediate symptoms and may be life-long or “fixed.” There are also other types of allergic responses, which can be transient. One example is the delayed hypersensitivity reaction in which the allergic response may take up to 72 hours to manifest itself. These immune system reactions are often IgG-mediated and are commonly seen with food as well as inhalant allergies. Additionally, practitioners may also use the term allergy to describe other immune system responses such as nonspecific hypersensitivity or intolerances which are not classic allergic reactions but produce undesirable health effects in response to environmental exposures.

One useful theory of allergy is the Total Load Theory, which states that for some people exposure to a single allergen may not be enough to trigger a symptomatic response; however, exposure to several allergens near the same time elicits an allergic response. For example, let’s say that one is allergic to cow’s milk and to cypress pollen. She may drink milk daily without any noticeable allergic response, however when cypress pollens are present, she suffers from allergies. By avoiding dairy products during pollen season, she may be able to lessen her “allergic load” and reduce her symptoms without reliance on symptomatic medications.

Allopathic Treatment of Allergies

Basic allopathic [western] medical therapies often rely on inhibiting the allergic response; antihistamines (Chlor-trimetron, Benadryl, etc.) are a good example. Other types of drugs used to treat allergic rhinitis or asthma include ones which act on the nervous system (Albuterol, epinephrine), cortico-steroids (prednisone), and decongestants.

Western medicine also emphasizes the importance of avoiding the allergen if possible, and the use of air filters to decrease exposure. When avoidance or elimination is impossible or impractical, the next level of treatment may be desensitization, the injection of small amounts of the allergen in gradually increasing doses in order to neutralize over time the number of antibodies present.

Although allopathic medicine is very effective at treating the allergic response, side effects such as drowsiness in some people, immune system suppression or over-reliance on medications cause many to seek alternative approaches to managing their allergies. Many turn to their acupuncturist for advice and treatment.

Allergies, Respiratory Health, and Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM often views allergic rhinitis as related to Wind noting that symptoms come and go rapidly, cause congestion, and make the person want to avoid windy situations. This Wind often coexists with a deficiency of the Protective or Wei Qi. The nearest thing we associate with the Wei Qi in the west is resistance to colds and other respiratory infections. People with Wei Qi deficiency catch colds easily, and allergy symptoms may be particularly bad in the spring or fall, seasons which are generally windy.

The acupuncturist also looks for constitutional or more deeply-rooted signs in each person who presents with allergies. The principle here is treating the whole person. Often people with chronic allergies show signs of Spleen or Kidney Deficiency as well as Lung signs according to TCM. The goal of the acupuncturist is to develop a plan which addresses the person’s acute symptoms and provides relief, while addressing the underlying immune system imbalance which is thought to be at the root of the person’s allergies. Treatments often include dietary modification, the use of specifically chosen herbal formulas, and acupuncture.

Let’s look briefly at an example of TCM treatment for allergies:

John presented with acute allergy symptoms of one-month’s duration which included sneezing, runny nose with lots of watery phlegm, extreme fatigue and occasional loose stools. After taking his history and doing an examination, his acupuncturist assessed his condition according to TCM as Wei Qi Deficiency resulting from a weakness of the Lung and Spleen. In addition to general recommendations for his condition, John was given Minor Blue Dragon formula which has decongestant properties for those with copious clear phlegm, as well as Astra 8, an herbal formula designed to tonify the Lung and Spleen Qi. He was also told to minimize or avoid dairy products and excessively sweet or spicy foods.

As John’s condition improved, he and his acupuncturist developed a plan to strengthen his immune system in preparation for next year’s allergy season. This plan included replacing coffee with green tea, which is rich in catechins which exert anti-allergy effects, as well as taking quercetin, a bioflavinoid which has been shown to stabilize mast cells thus slowing the release of histamine and other chemicals related to allergies.

We can see that a comprehensive plan consists of both general therapies which are useful in the treatment of allergies as well as an individualized approach to each patient. After allergy symptoms are managed effectively, we then begin to address the long range plan of modifying the person’s response to his environment which, if successful, reduces the frequency and severity of future allergic responses.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes years to master. Look for an acupuncturist with experience in the treatment of allergies on www.Acufinder.com

About the Author

Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc, is trained as both a naturopathic doctor, graduating from Bastyr University in 1984, and as a licensed acupuncturist. Both naturopathic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine are quite similar in their approach and philosophy, in that each views symptoms and health issues in a wholistic manner and seek to restore balance and promote good health.

“I founded the SOMA Acupuncture and Natural Health Clinic in San Francisco in 1989. Within the scope of the acupuncture practice act in California, I use acupuncture, western and chinese herbal medicine, nutritional counseling, and other therapies to help you manage your health concerns. Every treatment plan is individualized to address your specific goals. I am a strong believer in complementary medicine and make appropriate referrals to medical doctors when indicated, and work to help my clients minimize or avoid medications where possible. It is my goal to help you resolve or successfully manage your health and find balance in your life, and to empower you to take a central role in your health care.”

Website: http://somaacupuncture.com

The Eskimo people have about seven different words to describe the many formations of snow in their environment. Traditional Chinese Medicine shares this phenomenon in regards to the concept of pain. It is important to realize that pain is a stimulus. Pain can be a symptom as well as a disease. It can be a measure of recovery, or a sign of complications. One thing is very clear when it comes to the TCM model of pain: Qi and its movement cannot be separate from the concept of pain. Qi is the basic energy that pervades all forms of life, animate and inanimate. The nature of Qi is one of constant movement. When this movement is blocked or restrained disease can arise. The job of an acupuncturist is to maintain and guide the flow of Qi through your body. There is a well know theory in TCM that states, “Where there is blockage there is pain. Remove the blockage, remove the pain.”

During the needling process the goal is to stimulate the movement of Qi in the body. When needling one may feel numbness, soreness, aches, distention, electric, flowing, hot, cold or a combination. These sensations are all manifestations to the western mind as different types of pain. In TCM these different sensations give us clues to what the body is telling us. Acupuncture therapy takes advantage of this feedback by allowing the brain to process the input. Letting the brain recognize these sensations is actually part of the healing process; some would say the treatment would be incomplete without them.

Because the nature of acupuncture is to move, tonify or sedate energies it is not uncommon to feel many of the sensations well after the treatment — in some cases after several days. Some patients have reported feeling aches along the surface of their legs or down their back a day or two after a treatment. These are sensations of energy moving well after the activation process was initiated. Pain that would not be a part of this process would be any bruising occurred from broken blood vessels during the treatment, or sharp searing burning pain caused by nerve damage.

In some cases needling deep into certain trigger points can cause some soreness for the day. It is important to drink plenty of water after a treatment due to the fact that many toxic elements can be released into the body for elimination. These toxins can be a source of discomfort most commonly known as the healing crisis. This is a necessary step in cleansing the body and can be a sign of a healthy transition. Talk with your acupuncturist about pain and your concept of pain. He or she will be able to help you see pain and its many faces in a more complete light. Pain is not just something to be frightened about or avoided but used as a tool to help guide your course of treatment and track your success.

Bret Moldenhauer is affililated with the Anesthesiology Department of Erlanger. His private practice is located in the state-of-the-art Chattanooga Lifestyle Center, located in scenic downtown Chattanooga, adjacent to the Sports Barn. Bret brings over 10 yrs of experience, including time spent studying and practicing in China.

While Bret has had tremendous success in treating a multitude of conditions, he specializes in the use of Acupuncture Sports Medicine, as he was once a member of the World Military Taekwondo Team, training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.

He has also treated World Class athletes, Professional athletes from both the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as many local athletes in the Chattanooga and surrounding areas.