Avalon Natural Medicine

06/09/2026

It's Pride Week in St Albans but we happily support and serve the LGBTQIA+ community all year long.

06/09/2026

Do you have a symptom or diagnosis that causes pain or dysfunction and haven't found a conventional treatment that helps? You might want to consider Fascial Counterstrain!

Fascial Counterstrain is a pain-free soft tissue manipulation of the connective tissue that holds your body together. The Fascia can cause restrictions that lead to discomfort or dysfunction depending on where it is located.

There are about a dozen Fascial Counterstrainers in Vermont, but I'm the only one in Franklin County. So if you have conditions such as Migraine, Fibromyalgia, IBS, TMJ, pelvic floor dysfunction, Anxiety/Trauma, edema or bloating, you will most likely love Fascial Counterstrain.

I am in network with Vermont Medicaid, BCBS, MVP and Cigna. Give us a call if you would like get on the schedule.

06/04/2026

06/02/2026

Have you ever heard that the body is 60% water?

We often think only about the water that visibly goes in and out of our body, but there is a lot that happens between entry and exit. Our cells are literally bathed in a watery substance full of nutrients that come into the cells, and waste that comes out of the cells into that extracellular space.

But where does it go from there?

Most people would answer that it goes into the veins, and most people would be wrong! Interstitial fluid (the extracellular fluid and its particles) is removed by the lymphatic system. This fluid can get blocked if an area of tissue experiences physical traumas, chronic stress, hypoxia or has a reactive immune response. These scenarios cause a release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause compression of the pre-lymphatic channels which is self-perpetuating without professional interference.

What does all that mean?

Blockage of prelymphatic channels can cause dysfunction that looks like muscle guarding, pain, vasospasm, or weakness. But this blockage can't be bounced, pushed, or brushed away. My favorite analogy is likening the lymphatic vessels to a garden hose with a car parked on it. You can move the pre-car garden hose any way you would like but it won't make water come out the end of the hose on the other side of the car. You need someone with the skills to drive the car.

Fascial Counterstrain is driving the car off the hose. And in the case of your body, there are many possible car/garden hose possibilities. Knowing which ones need the car moved is imperative to your healing journey. If you are having pain, stiffness, swelling, or dysfunction in your body, give us a call to set up your Fascial Counterstrain appointment.

05/30/2026

This is probably the most complained about area of the body when patients come in for either Fascial Counterstrain or Softwave. Good news is that I have two modalities that help tremendously,.

SI Joint: “The Sacroiliac Joint connects the spine to the pelvis. Pain can occur when the joint becomes inflamed, stiff, unstable, or overloaded.

Common causes of SI joint pain include:

Poor posture or pelvic misalignment
Uneven weight distribution stresses the joint.
Pregnancy
Hormonal changes and ligament laxity increase joint mobility.
Trauma or falls
Sudden impact on the hips, buttocks, or lower back.
Disc problems or lumbar spine issues
Conditions like disc bulge can alter movement mechanics and overload the SI joint.
Leg length difference
Causes uneven pelvic loading.
Arthritis
Especially osteoarthritis or inflammatory conditions like ankylosing spondylitis.
Muscle imbalance or weakness
Weak core, glutes, or tight hip muscles reduce pelvic stability.
Prolonged sitting or standing
Repetitive stress irritates the joint.
Heavy lifting or twisting movements
Common in gym injuries or manual work.
Post-surgical changes
Sometimes after spinal fusion surgery.

Typical symptoms:

Pain near one side of lower back or buttock
Pain while standing from sitting
Pain during stair climbing, walking, or turning in bed
Pain radiating to thigh or groin

Management may include physiotherapy, pelvic stabilization exercises, posture correction, manual therapy, activity modification, and sometimes injections depending on severity.”

- Dr. Nazish Mushtaq PT

Image: Authors

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http://www.secretlifeoffascia.com/

05/29/2026

This masterpiece was created by the first kiddo patient that I was able to use my prescribing skills learned in The Reach Institute's Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care mini-fellowship. Things have already improved dramatically for them and their family and l look forward to hearing about all the progress they will make in the future.

Sometimes meds are necessary, but not every doc who sees kids feels comfortable with prescribing psychiatric medications to children. And not every parent wants to use psychiatric pharmaceuticals on their child. I now provide both pharmaceutical and/or nutrient therapy for kids with mental, mood and behavioral challenges. If you have a kiddo that seems to be struggling and you want to consider either intervention, give us a call.

05/28/2026

I'm thrilled to announce that starting in July, I'll be able to treat the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) with Fascial Counterstrain. The ANS is responsible for turning up or down the function of everything in your body that you do not think about, like your heart rate, pupil dilation, respiration rate, blood vessel dilation and so much more.

This is exciting because the ANS is in control of your sensations of fight or flight, or rest and digest. In our fast paced society, it's often hard to differentiate between eating a sandwich and being chased by a bear because this system gets knocked out of whack.

With Fascial Counterstrain, I'll be able to target specific areas of the ANS tailored to an individual's needs. I offer this personalized treatment using a gentle, pain-free approach in a fully clothed setting. This breakthrough treatment is expected to be a game-changer for individuals struggling with conditions like PTSD, Dysautonomia/POTS, Anxiety, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and IBS.

Before July, I still have all of my treatments for the lymphatic-venous system, viscera and more recently I added bones of the extremities. If you have experienced Fascial Counterstrain, you know how well this works for improving function in the body. And if you have not experienced this technique, I'd highly recommend at least one treatment for you to see what is possible.

05/19/2026

Conventional pain relief methods often involve temporary relief with long term consequences:
*Acetaminophen damages your liver
*Ibuprofen damages cartilage, the gastrointestinal lining and kidneys
*Steroid injections accelerate joint degeneration and cause tendon ruptures
*Surgeries are not guarantees that pain relief will be achieved
*Weight loss attempts fail for 95% of people within 5 years and raises the likelihood of new illnesses by 63%

What I offer here at Avalon Natural Medicine involves no pills, no needles and no surgeries. In addition, I have methods not offered at most medical offices around the state. Instead I offer Fascial Counterstrain and Softwave TRT/Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy.

Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) is a brilliant soft tissue manipulation that helps your body heal itself and go back to a normal state of function. Whether the problem is with your blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves, organs, etc, you can feel relief with headaches, back pain, joint pain and more.

Softwave TRT/ESWT is a device that provides a signal to your body to encourage healing of connective tissue, improved blood flow and a decrease of pain signals. And there are 45 years worth of research showing how well it works.

If you have pain and want options that give your body the opportunity to heal, give us a call at 802-578-3449 or sign up online at avalonnaturalmedicine.com/newpatients

05/14/2026

Things to consider before choosing a GLP-1 Agonist