Flu Season - How To Protect Yourself

This is the time of the year where you read and hear about the flu everywhere you go.  This is the time of the year where every health blog and article discusses the flu and every grocery store and corner store waves their "Flu Shots Available Here" banner.  The flu can occur anytime of the year, but becomes most frequent during the late fall and early winter time - enough so to be called "Flu Season".  According to the CDC, about 200,000 people each year are hospitalized due to flu related complications.  Why is this? Is it because the Influenza virus loves the winter months?  No, the risks of the flu can occur any time of the year, but the reason from the flu being so rampant at this time of the year comes down to one word - STRESS.

Generally, any sickness and illness is due to stress of any sort.  But at this particular time we create more stress on ourselves than any other time.  We are already previously stressed due to poor spine health, poor diet, and emotional health that we carry with us like a pack of rocks.  Now we add on the holidays with not only dealing with family and social stresses of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years - but we continue to fill ourselves with high carb, high sugar, high fat foods. We eat like crap. The change in weather also creates stress, as well as in the winter months we aren't as active as we had been in the summer time.  Often due dates and demands are made at the end of the year, as well as tests for students.  Financial stress often builds.  It builds and it builds and it builds - and we wreak havoc on our health - Stress takes over and our immune system is weak.  We just simply open the door and let the flu stroll on in.

So the problem is not the virus - it never is.  The virus can have some complications if we let it linger but only if we don't correct the problems - The STRESS and our IMMUNE SYSTEM.  And what are the options out there to protect us?  90% of the medical field and media provide only one option - Flu Shots!  And they push the vaccine very hard - too hard.  Is this correcting the problem?  Is this preventing the problem?  The answer is emphatically NO!  The vaccines DO NOT prevent nor treat against the influenza virus. How can it?  The virus has an antigenic drift - meaning it continuously changes slightly but enough to be a completely different strain.  There are hundreds of flu strains and the vaccine only protects you against a handful of them.  That's like a hundred baseballs coming at you and all you have is a fly swatter.  The strains used in these shots are to protect against the most common, but it cannot protect against them all, and mostly it will not protect against the most recent strain because it just barely shifted.  And not only did you protect yourself very little with a shot - now you just filled your body with dangerous and harmful chemicals and agents that suppress your immune system even more - perpetuating the issue.  Even more - the more recent flu shots are inadequately tested and rushed through the process to become available becoming more of a danger than a protection.  What's more is that vaccines have never been tested for anyone younger than 5 years old and yet health personals push continually for young children to get vaccinated with an untested procedure. An article just came out talking about a Flu Vaccine Mandate for Children.  They are pushing vaccines on children where there is no study or research.  The push for vaccines is scary.  And what is their treatment option if you do get the flu - an antiviral medication.  Again, there's no correction for the problem - just the symptom.  And these medications are following suit with antibiotics - creating greater resistance within the influenza making it more and more difficult to treat.  Hopefully that's enough to make anyone wonder - what's going on here?

But hopefully even more so wonder - What can we do?  Let's stop hitting the panic button and actually take care of our body for once.  This shouldn't be just a seasonal living - but we must protect ourselves all year round with proper nutrition and exercise.  These are the key ingredients to a healthy life as well as a stronger immune system.  Will you never get the flu? There are no guarantees in life - But the likelihood of getting sick is less and the symptoms becomes significantly lessened as well as any risk of complications.

Like I said - we should protect ourselves more than just during the winter flu season.  We just need to be smart.  The key is to understand what is going on and making those little changes.  We need to decrease our stress - this is not a suggestion, this is a plea. WE MUST DECREASE OUR STRESS.  Maybe take some time off work with sick days we never take, maybe avoid social gatherings that create more stress, maybe decrease the amount of chocolate covered pretzels, pumpkin pie and other treats we eat during the holidays, maybe take a thirty minute break in our day to exercise or relax instead of working all day and through the night running ourselves down until we have no more energy.  We NEED to do something.  -  This needs to be a year round thing.

I HIGHLY recommend that everyone should be taking VITAMIN D.  It is huge and highly essential to our health with prevention as well as treating colds, flues and other illnesses.  Everyone talks about taking this and that type of supplement because it boosts your immune system.  That's all good - but Vitamin D plays a much bigger role.  It activates and supports the primary T cells which fight infections that the body has not yet encountered.  This is huge in the role of the immune system against a changing virus like the Influenza.

Here are my suggestions in preventing a fighting the flu and other illnesses

1. Vitamin D - obviously! We need to take it - 1,000 IU's per 40 lbs should be taken daily - this is an average of about 5,000 IU's a day.  At times of illness and infection, the amount should be doubled.

2. Echinacea - this supplement is key in prevention and fighting illnesses as it helps support our immune system  This needs to be taken on a regular basis, taken as directed.

3. Getting adjusted - this is not a supplement or vitamin but crucial in whole health and well being.  Everything is effected and regulated by the nervous system and it is important we are aligned and interference free to allow our immune system through the regulation of the nervous system to be functioning properly.

Here are a few more suggestions I highly agree with from a great article discussing Natural Flu Protection.

4. Astragalus: Astragalus is known to protect the body against immune stressors. It is also thought to help boost the immune system and prevent the flu and upper respiratory infections. It has a particularly potent anti-viral effect, therefore it is recommended to protect against the flu. Taking 200mg up to twice a day can help you avoid cold and flu symptoms. Check with your physician before taking this supplement, because it can affect the metabolism of certain other medications.

5. Vitamin C: During periods of stress and infection, vitamin C stores are depleted throughout the body. Vitamin C has been shown to shorten the duration of respiratory infections and cold symptoms, and also supports the immune system. Adding oranges, kiwi fruit, and bell peppers to your diet can give you a little extra vitamin C, and taking a supplement at the first sign of a cold can keep you from being stuck in bed for several days.

6. Zinc: This mineral is essential for cells in the body to fight off infection. When Zinc is taken within the first 24 hours of cold symptoms it can shorten the duration by several days.  Foods such as oysters, spinach, chicken, nuts, and beans are good sources of zinc. Beware that too much zinc is also harmful and can have the opposite effect.

It may be "Flu Season" but we don't need to panic - we just need to protect ourselves and give ourselves a better chance to get through the winter healthy and well.  Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

The 44 Paradigms

I continue to call for a paradigm shift within our healthcare.  This is beyond eating brown rice over white rice or being on a gluten free diet.  This is beyond taking a good multi-vitamin or finally getting around to our new year resolution and hitting the gym.  This goes way beyond "Alternative".  Chiropractic gets stuck with the stigma of being "alternative" healthcare.  To many this just means another option, or merely a convenient therapy, or to some it becomes their safety net when all else fails.  Even when thousands and millions now utilize chiropractic, it remains as "alternative" - this only tells me that even though many know about chiropractic, and several may do chiropractic - They do not UNDERSTAND chiropractic and in turn they do not understand themselves, don't understand health, don't understand life itself.

CHIROPRACTIC IS NOT "ALTERNATIVE" - CHIROPRACTIC IS THE LEADING PATHWAY TO TRUE HEALTH

when I often talk about chiropractic with others, the responses are fantastic.  Many agree and accept the ideas I share - yet, they don't live it.  They want health, but they don't live it.  Mainly because we are stuck in a traditional way of healthcare and don't understand that there is a different way.  They feel they need a pill to save them - this is completely false.  We've been so use to the way things have been, we fail to see where we are actually standing and where we are actually headed.  Some fault is due to ourselves not taking on our full responsibility and sometimes just letting others make the decisions for us.  how many are just standing by watching while Mansanto continues to alter our foods and take over every crop in this country which can have drastic health implications, and the government supporting this Big Business and protects them from any lawsuit of wrong doing?  We just watch and let it happen.  Some of the blame is on the lies that can easily become overwhelming and difficult to sift through to find the nuggets of truth.  It can be frustrating.  But it is important to take a look at where we are now and what chiropractic can offer to be that leading pathway it has quietly been for over 100 years.  These are the 44 paradigms we must understand and embrace -

               Medical                          Chiropractic

1.      Disease                                 Health
2.        Part                                     Body
3.      Matter                                  Energy
4.    Chemical                                Electrical
5.   Avoiding death                     Promoting life
6.   Microscopic                          Telescopic
7.      Death                                      Life
8. External invasive forces     Internal resistive forces
9.  Cure disease                          Heal people
10.    Atomistic                               Vitalistic
11.   Machanistic                            Idealistic
12. External control                    Internal control
13.  Heterogenous                      Homogenous
14.    Replaces                              Restores
15. Treats Symptoms                Corrects causes
16.  Treats diseases                   Treats people
17. Uses drugs to resist life    Frees nerve flow to restore life
18.    Patients are sick                Patients have pain                                           because they have pain       because they are sick
19. Treats the disease                 Treats the person                                                    the person has                     who has the disease
20.  Fear disease                        Cherish health
21. Disease is a thing                Disease is nothing
22.   Intervention                          Connection
23.   Explanation                           Experience
24.     Rational                                Intuitive
25.    Physical                                Spiritual
26.   Molecules                              Motion
27. Models of reality                      Reality
28. Controls variables               Free constants
29. Fearful of probabilities      Hopeful of possibilities
30.     Content                                Intent
31. What is wrong                     What is right                                                            with the body                      with the body
32.   Takes over                          Frees the                                                            body's wisdom                  body's wisdom
33.    Doctor                                 Healer
34.   Artificial                               Natural
35. Classical science                Natural science
36.  Battling disease                 Building health
37.    Zoom lens                     Wide angle lens
38.  Drug curing                     Nutritional curing
39. Symbol of Caduceus        Symbol of angel
40. Listens to what                  Listens to what                                                      scientists say                       patients say
41.   Dethrone the                      Exalt the                                                            Hippocratic traditions      Hippocratic tradition
42.    Exorcises                          Exercises
43. Disease is a presence   Disease is an absence
44. Can relieve pain but      Can restore life which                                                      cannot restore life         result in relieving pain

I thought this list was pretty amazing and insightful.  Some are a little repetitive, but each one gives a more unique perspective between where we stand now and what chiropractic can offer.  And of course we can look down that second list and say of course that's what we want.  But do we live it? Do we really believe it?  We can say we want it all we want - but the next moment we find ourselves back in the hospital, taking pills, getting shots and we continue to find ourselves back on the first list - only avoiding disease, not promoting life.  When are we going to realize there's so much more? When are we going to realize we are standing on the wrong side of health?  The medical field is amazing with all the life saving procedures that they can do.  The medical field is exceptional at emergency cases.  Health however, is not an emergency.  Health is every day.  Health is life.  Health is what you make it, and the fact that we are spending so much money on healthcare and spending our time at the hospitals shows that we have BAD HEALTH - because we are in a system that doesn't understand or promote life and healing.  We are in a system where we don't become well - we become a disease, a victim, a statistic.

Again, this list is pretty remarkable.  There are several points on that list I wish I could take the time and go more in depth.  I think number 18, 19, 22, and 43 summarize it up pretty well.  It pretty much comes down to this.  These points simply state that disease is a presence and one is ill because they have the disease and so the focus becomes to treat for the disease that person has.  What is offered as treatment? Drugs, pills, shots, surgeries - external, chemical, unnatural interventions.  This is what we are used to - this is the way we live, the way we've grown to expect, the inevitable at some point.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  Lets shift our minds and embrace life.  Disease is not a presence.  Disease is an absence.  What does this mean?  It means that one become diseased because there is a lack of connection.  There is a disconnect in the body.  The wisdom of the body is interfered with.  And one is not ill because they have a disease - rather they are diseased because they are not well.  Disease is a manifestation of the disconnect and deficiency in the body.  The focus now is on the person - not the disease.  Correct the disconnect - treat the body - allow the body to heal.  And how do we treat this?  Through adjustments, removing interference, through proper nutrition - internal, molecular, natural.  Isn't it amazing?  Do we truly understand the potential of our health, and of ourselves? Do we really believe it?  Chiropractic is leading the way in true healthcare - Lets embrace these ideas and share them to make a difference in our lives.  We are all empowered within to do great things

HEAL TO BE HEALTHY

THE DOCTOR OF THE FUTURE WILL GIVE NO MEDICINE, BUT INTEREST HIS PATIENTS IN THE CARE OF THE HUMAN BODY

- ALBERT EINSTEIN

One of my favorite places in the world is the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.  There are spots where you can easily find yourself away from the world surrounded by towering snow capped mountains, engulfed in thick wilderness, and hear nothing but the sound of the trickling stream and the chirping of the nearby forest animals. As you reach the apex and look out beyond of the untouched green forests and the blue glacier chilled lakes and the sun lit mountain peaks - there's nothing but beauty . . . its PERFECT.

In nature, everything has a place.  In all natural ecosystems, it is made up of parts that work together to create beauty and perfection.  Our own bodies are ecosystems, made up of parts and systems that work together. Our skeletal systems works with our circulatory systems in which works with our immune system which interacts with the digestive system and the urinary system, all under the direction of the nervous system.  Each cell interacts with other cells and ions and proteins and other particles.  And in each individual cell, it has a nucleus and mitochondria and ribosomes and a cell wall that all need to function perfectly to make sure it does its part.  Our bodies are amazing and if you look at it just right . . . there's nothing but beauty . . . its PERFECT

It doesn't matter if it is a forest, or a lake, or a marsh, or our own body.  Ecosystems are the same.  The laws of biology do not change.

1.  Ecosystems need no help - no interferences (no human interactions)

2.  Ecosystems are self healing (our bodies are self healing)

3.  Ecosystems are self regulating (our brain regulates every function, sensory, and thought we ever have - 90% of sensory and brain function we are not aware of)

So if biology applies to all, to the big and small - lets explore some things.  If I went to the Sawtooth Mountains I so love and noticed that the fish in the lake were dying, what would I begin to think?  If biologists and scientists looked into the situation, what would be their thoughts?  What would they look for?  For a change in the water? A change in the fish's diet? A change in weather or possibly fly populations?  Am I right?  So then tell me - what about genes?  Do they do a family history on . . . fish?

My point is - no animal species has ever died due to bad genes.  Not one! And yet, that is exactly how what we concern ourselves with for our own.  This seems to be the buzz word these days, the focus of modern medicine.  Our bad genes! Scientist have said to have discovered the breast cancer gene.  There is connection that about 60% of these individuals with this gene do develop breast cancer.  It is a high number and a high connection.  But what about the 40% with the gene that don't develop breast cancer?  You cannot rightly say that the gene causes cancer because in 40% of the population, it does not  You cannot call it a genetic defect.  A genetic defect is one that always is and will be, like Down Syndrome and Tay Sach's Disease in which these certain conditions in about 2% of the population.  Genetic defects do not come and go as they please.  So if its not the gene, then what is the cause?

This graph shows the rise of chronic illness by age.  It significantly rises as we get older.  Does that mean our genes suddenly just start becoming bad?  It does not happen.  Genes don't just change.  However, they can express themselves differently - but they do not change.  But what causes those genes to express differently is the question.  To put the blame on genes is not just absurd and foolish, its just completely idiotic and wrong.  Through the history of the human race, or genes have not changed.  It is a linear line, as straight as can be with the slightest of variable. It is a simple concept to understand that a linear line has no effect on a inclined slope.  Women are choosing to have mastectomies to prevent cancer because they have this gene.  This false idea is creating victims, not solutions.  It is causing fear, not hope.

So what is the cause?  In the scenario with the fish, we looked at changes in its environment.  We are no different.  What is our environment we put ourselves?  Its our posture, our spine health, our diet, our worries and fears, work, school, family - the list continues on and on.  We create technology to make things easier and yet it creates more demand, more stress, more havoc on our health.  Its never ending.  We as a human race, as a nation, and as a society are getting sicker and sicker.  Chronic illness have jumped to 45% in the United States and is on a steady incline.  We are getting worse and worse, and yet medicine has become more prevalent than ever - becoming the most profitable business.  We are ranked 1st as a nation in spending on health care and we ranked 48th in the world.  And the comparisons aren't even close.  The 2nd country that spends the most is half of what we spend and is ranked in the top ten.  The sooner we begin treating people as an actual living, breathing being instead of a disease the better -

MEDICINE IS THE STUDY OF DISEASE AND WHAT CAUSES MAN TO DIE

CHIROPRACTIC IS THE STUDY OF HEALTH AND WHAT CAUSES MAN TO LIVE

-  BJ PALMER

I just watched the movie, The Butler.  There's a line in the movie where one man tells the other he just better listen and obey if he wants to survive.  The man then responds, "I don't want to just survive.  I want to live."

When it comes to your health - this is the primary division of medicine and chiropractic.  Medicine fails to recognize life and in sense the laws of biology.  They don't believe you can heal, they don't believe you can regulate yourself . . . and in response, they interfere.  What do they tell you what the problem is?  The problem is YOU!  The problem is your body, your bad genes, your dysfunctional and incapable physiology. You cannot function, you cannot regulate . . . YOU ARE BROKEN!  They may not say that directly, but that is the statement they make as they sign your prescription.  "Here, take this blood pressure medicine because your brain is broken and can't fix it  . . . so you need a pill"  Do you honestly believe that?  Do you truly believe your brain - your amazing, unproducible, incomprehensible, beyond imaginable machine of a brain just forgot how?  I highly doubt it - your brain knows more than we can ever imagine and knows exactly what to do - And this isn't just the division of medicine and chiropractic - this is the division of fundamental health.  The question should always be: Is this interfering or is this removing interference?

As soon as that doctor hands you a pill, or suggests intervention - it is creating interference.  Some will claim that the benefits outweighs the risks - that it is a necessary intervention.  However they want to phrase it - interference is interference.  Man made is man made.  Is it removing interference? No - and thus becomes interference itself by nature.  No "necessary" intervention is necessary to the natural ecosystem.  Its been proven.  Many often have told me I have high blood pressure but I am on blood pressure medication, so I am ok.  And how so?  Because your on medication?  Did that fix the cause?  DOES SOMEONE HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LIPITOR DEFICIENCY? Studies show that a patient on medication with normal values whether it be high blood pressure, diabetes, or whatever it may be is at the same risk of death and complications as a patient who has high risk levels not on medication.  What does that tell you?  That medication does NOTHING to your health.  All it tells you, if your lucky, is that your levels are normal - at the same time you are dying just the same but this time you don't even know it.

Lets go ahead and take high blood pressure and understand the concept.  There are variable factors that may cause high blood pressure.  Simply, we will call it stress.  Your body as intelligent as it is has an inborn response to stress.  As a result, this is to raise blood pressure to increase blood flow to the body to either face the stress head on, or run away from it.  Either way, this mechanism is a temporary solution of survival and the blood pressure will return to normal once we have relieved ourselves of that stresser.  Now if we have chronic high blood pressure - what should that tell you?  It tells you that you never faced or ran away from that stresser . . or in most cases, STRESSERS.  We don't get out of situations we put ourselves in.  We go to school facing constant assignments, we continue to show up to work we hate, we worry about our finances that never seems to end, we return to a home to an ever-demanding family, we eat like crap and we don't exercise or take care of our body - it goes on and on and on - and it builds and it builds and it builds.  We don't change our environment - we just deal with it, but our body can only handle so much.  Our stress mechanism is supposed to be temporary and we wear it down until its running on EMPTY.  Our blood pressure raises but we never take the time to get out and let ourselves get to normal - we carry on getting sicker and sicker.

When the doctor checks your blood pressure, it reads high and so gives you a pill to lower it. So now the levels are normal - but are you?  That pill just interfered with a normal functioning system reacting to stress just as it NEEDED to and now you think you are normal - but the stressers are still there wreaking havoc, creating more damage, slowly wearing you down until you got nothing left.  In fact, its still has to meet the demands of the stressers we still create in our lives and the medication is opposing it - now your body has to work that much more to meet demands, wearing it out sooner than if you hadn't done anything at all.  Do you see what we are doing to ourselves?

• Over 76% of people are on at least one medication.
• The use of narcotics has increased over 400% in the last 10 years (all of which has a 90% side effect rate, and high addiction rate)
• 1 Million teens are on anti-depressants (1/3 of women are on anti-depressants)
• 2.5 Million children are on Ritalin
• 7 Million children have been labeled as ADHD in last 20 years
• Autism rates have rocketed from 1/10,000 to 1/88 of all children born in the United States
• 80% of all deaths are from a chronic illness = preventable conditions mainly caused by tobacco, alcohol, poor diet, and toxins (most toxins are medication induced)
• 89% of all surgeries result in at least one complication
• 20,500 deaths recorded per year from FDA approved properly administered drugs

45% of Americans are CHRONICALLY ILL and DYING!

WE NEED TO HEAL TO BE HEALTHY

I need to first say, I have nothing against medical doctors.  I know several doctors and I know they care for patients as much I do and any other person who got into healthcare with a serving purpose.  Its not the individual doctors that are failing.  They are trying hard, and they are even frustrated because they see their own limits but there's nothing else they can do.  Its the system, the culture and changed philosophy of medicine that has created a dying generation.  We need to work together to make this work, to create a paradigm shift of health. To be the future doctors we need to be and educate not only our patients but even ourselves on the nature of health.  It begins with healing.  As a human race, as individuals, as an ecosystem we need to heal from our illnesses.  When Mt St. Helens erupts it creates destruction in its path.  Anything in its way dies and the land around becomes barren.  Given time and removing interference - the land finds life again.  Plants begin to bud and grow, the animals return and an ecosystem is reborn, remade and beautiful once again.  We can heal, but we have to understand our own selves as a being of life.  Our body needs no interference.  Our body can regulate itself.  Our body can heal  - we just have to allow it to.

CHIROPRACTIC IS NOT MEANT TO MAKE YOU INSTANTLY FEEL BETTER, ITS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU INSTANTLY HEAL BETTER

As a chiropractor, my job and duty as a physician is to remove interference, whatever they may be.  Stress comes from all areas, but I label them in three categories

1. Spine Health
2. Emotion Health
3. Nutritional Health

We walk around out of alignment, worry about finances, and continue to eat foods that are harmful to us.  Can we truly expect to be healthy?  Does this even come as a surprise to us? No, it shouldn't and I don't think for many it doesn't.  We know exactly what we put ourselves through.  We know we don't eat right and we stress ourselves out to the very moment we place our head on the pillow.  And yet, we run the other direction when we need to address the issues that arise from our poor habits and harmful environments.  

When it comes to spine health, we often think of pain.  My back hurts, or my neck hurts.  But this is just the tip of what spine health is.  Its weakness, nerve interference, imbalance, misalignment and poor posture.  Studies show that a weight of a dime can reduce nerve flow by up to 60% which can effect any other part of our body or system.  And that doesn't come from a bone sitting on a nerve.  Its as much as inflammation that builds in the surrounding tissues that creates pressure and interference.  A decrease in the cervical spine can and will stretch the spinal cord up to 7 cm, leading to disease and dysfunction.  Can we start to see where these interferences are coming from?  Chiropractic can, through simple adjustments to the spine and body, remove interference allowing the body to heal itself.  We do nothing greater than allow the body to return to its natural state and heal itself.  Think of that -

  Our diet and our emotional stress plays just as big a factor.  They often don't show up physically, but can manifest themselves several years down the road in all sorts of ways.  These are all interferences that need to be removed.  Our bodies are incredible, divinely designed and functional.  But it can only take so much abuse and wear and tear until it runs out of resources to survive.  Our body won't give up on us until it has no other choice, and we can't give up on it either.

I urge everyone to change your way of thinking of health and understand what is best for you and your own body.  We see it clearly than ever before that the modern way is not only not working, but failing us.  But the only way to make a change is to change our belief and our views.  We say we want better, but we don't believe it and continue in the same path we have been in for decades.  Change your belief, and your behavior will follow.  Instead of telling yourself you can't afford it, you don't have time, or you don't know how to start - CHANGE!.  I can't afford not to, I will find time, and I will start right NOW!.  Make that change and it will change you.  Let's take the time to heal and finally be healthy

Healthy Habits: My Plate

This is the first post from my current health talks from my nutrition class, Healthy Habits.  We will see how it goes.  I wanted to start my first class with My Plate - a discussion of where our health and wellness first comes from and one we can control.  When it comes to nutrition - I go by 3 simple rules:

1. Nutrition Does Not Equal Diet - You have heard that "Diets don't work" Why? Because diets are about weight loss - not health.  Diets do more harm than good.  They create a false sense of health, they create poor self esteem, they are a temporal solution to a chronic situation and can make things even more problematic, many can be risky to your health, and most of all it is a superficial outlook masking an internal problem.  A diet is something you HAVE TO do - Nutrition becomes something you WANT to do

2. Add To Your Nutrition, Do Not Take Away - I'm not saying eat more, but eat smarter.  I absolutely believe there are certain things that should not be in our diet, however, the moment you say you cannot have something, you want it.  Some go so strict that at the end of their "temporary" diet - they gain more weight by indulging on the things they had avoided for so long.  It is better to add "healthy" choices to replace "bad" choices.  Often we make these bad choices, because we buy them and have them in front of us all the time, we don't plan ahead, we have no other options and we skip meals and we need that quick fix.  Often these are snacks and unplanned meals.  We can easily resolve those issues by planning ahead our meals, eating more often and having healthier choices in front of us to snack on and eat.  Add healthier option to avoid the bad ones.

3. Knowledge Is Key - The way to proper nutrition is not to learn from a book, or a diet plan - but to learn for yourself what is out there.  I think we all want to be health conscience and make good choice, but companies know this too well and look for ways to trick, catch your eye, and even addict you to certain foods.  Companies aren't on your side, the government thinks pizza is a vegetable, and we have hundreds telling us the new fad diet only to sell their book.  It is you and only you that can take control of your health.  Knowledge of key and so vital.

Where does Nutrition start? On your plate.  That's where you have the most control of what you eat and put into your body.  Why is nutrition so important?  Because of the simple phrase "You are what you eat"  It is as true as can be.  Our cells replicate constantly, and can only use the nutrients we provide to reproduce properly.  Our cells are made by the materials we provide through our diet.  If we eat proper, our cells replicate properly and healthy.  If we eat junk, our cells become junk - what do we call these eventually? Cancer cells.  We are risking ourselves with our nutrition . . . or lack thereof.  Linus Pauling, a two time noble prize winner one stated, "You can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral [a nutrient] deficiency." We are sick and ill, simply because we deny ourselves of proper nutrition to be well. According to CDC, only 14% of adults and only 9% of teens are eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.  And that recommendation is just the minimum.  It is sad.  This is leading to heart disease, diabetes, mental disorders, cancers and several other serious conditions that are dramatically increasing.  Drug intervention has no power, and yet it is one of the most profitable business in the world.  It is a smoke screen illusion.  Drugs are useless without proper nutrition, and with proper nutrition there is no purpose for drug intervention.  Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine your food."

Back to Knowledge, it is important to understand and have a few important guides to help you

1. Understand That Companies Are Not On Your Side - my continual argument is that companies are now putting as much labels on the front of the box, to prevent you from actually looking at the back of the box (the ingredients).  Companies are smart.  They spend Millions each year to research what you eat and what you like, and research flavors that become irresistible and even addictive.  They will put anything as a label to attract the eye.  They know the population is becoming health conscience and will put anything on their box to appear healthy.  A wolf in sheep's clothing.  If it says Fat Free - it has more sugar.  If it says Sugar Free - it has more fat.  If it says Sugarless, or Sugar Free - it contains more harmful ingredients that are cheaper to make and put in their products.  Stay away.  Companies want their products to last, and so preservatives are added to maintain longer shelf life.  These chemicals create harmful effects in our body.  Even restaurants trick you.  Their "specials" are merely foods that are going bad and need to sell.  Be aware - if it looks healthy, look again.  Do not trust companies.  And even a more simple rule - eat foods, not products.  

2. Educate Yourself On The Basics Of Vitamins and Minerals - learning what vitamins and minerals do to your body help you appreciate the foods you are eating.  Eating a salad knowing it is providing you with a load of vitamins and minerals, compared with a fast food hamburger and fries in which it provides . . . . well, it give you . . . . um, so yeah - understanding what you are providing your body creates a greater appreciation for it and a greater satisfaction

3. Educate Yourself On The Different Food Groups - There are the five food groups we all know and love - Grains, Proteins, Fruits, Veggies . . . and essential oils.  You remember that one?  You may be asking, where's the Dairy?  I'm sorry, but dairy as an essential food group is worse than pizza being a vegetable. Learn about protein and what it can do for you.  Learn about your grains and whats the difference between whole wheat and white flour, or brown rice and white rice.  I appreciated brown rice more after learning that is just the same as white rice, but not processed and contains 90% of the nutrients that white rice lacks.  Learn that fruits are more your vitamin packages while vegetable are more your mineral packages.  I grew up  just thinking fruits and vegetable are healthy - simple as that - and so a fruit is just as valuable as a veggie, which are just as valuable as . . . a cup of milk.  Wow, were we ever lied to as kids.

4. Learn A New Food - And Try It - Living in Dallas for a while helped me become more aware of different fruits, vegetables and even grains that I never knew before.  Some I had seen at the grocery store, but passed right by them.  I never knew the different types of foods that are available, but since it doesn't come on a hamburger - we hardly know its there.  Appreciate the different foods that are there for us - given to us by mother nature and God himself.  Knowledge is Key

So what is on your Plate?

Now that you have gained an appreciation for the different foods and gained power through knowledge - it is time to put that knowledge on our plate.  Now, we all grew up with the food pyramid, and rightly so it has now changed to The Plate.  Using the plate as a mere pie chart, it divides the different food groups into the proportional amounts we should have on our plate.  It still has dairy, but I do enjoy the fact that it is off to the side in its own circle as a cup of milk.  I don't fully agree with the proportions it provides, however, it is better than the pyramid and the false hierarchy of health.  But how do we put this to action? A hamburger with all the fixings certainly contains all the foods groups - Yes?  So how do we put this Plate into a healthy reality?

1. Make Sure All The Food Groups Are Present For Each Meal - First emphasize is "Each Meal" often we think about this for lunch and possibly for dinner - but not all the time.  We need to be aware of what we are eating and see if there is anything that is lacking, or even possibly in excess.

2. Learn And Practice Food Portions - learn about food portions for each plate, as well as for meals.  Restaurants often provide you with disproportionate meals - often giving excess of one group of another and even providing meals that serves 2-3 people.  A piece of meat should be no bigger than the palm of your hand, fruits and veggies should be the main course of our meal with meat and carbs being accessory, and how about our plate size?  I always wondered why there were dinner plates, and then often a smaller set of plates in the set.  My wife made sure I became more aware of these smaller plates.  My first reaction - Why would I want a smaller plate that holds less food?  It was her way of saying that we don't need to eat that much food.  It took a while, but my senses kicked in and I realized that we eat whats on our plate no matter how small or big it is.  We simply just eat what we are given, and playing mind tricks with smaller plates satisfies just as well if not more than any bigger plate.  Just a side note on eating more than our proper portions - it helps to have the left over food away from the table - less likely to take second of it is not right in front of you waiting to be taken, nibbled on, or even devoured unnecessarily.  

3. At Least 50% Of Your Plate Should Be Fresh and Whole Foods - compared to processed foods.  Hopefully the percentage is higher - but our bodies do not react well to processed foods.  It causes inflammation and certain chemicals react with a body's functions.  Meals that are more than 50% processed are considered harmful to the body

4.  At Least 50% Of Our Plate Should Be Fruits And Vegetables - How does this happen? First, it starts with shopping.  We simply eat what we have, and we have what we buy.  If we are eating bad, it is because we are buying the bad things.  While shopping, our first stop and majority of time should be spent in the produce section.  Fill up, fill that cart, and make sure most of your groceries are whole foods and produce.  Then we fill in with the rest of the items with what we can afford.  I hear a lot of people complain, "I can't afford to eat healthy"  First off, you can't afford not to - we value are home, our cars, our things, and we treat our one special gift, or body, as a junk pile.  We need to value our bodies more than things.  Second, of people can't afford it after they buy meats, milk, crackers, chips, sodas, ice cream - of course they can't afford it.  Shop smart, eat smart.

5. Snack Options Are Crucial - This may not be a direct statement about our Plate.  But like I said before, our bad choices often come from snacks and in between meals and unplanned meals.  And if we snack - that often effects our choices later.  If we snack on sugary snacks - we tend to be hungry a lot sooner, maybe snacking again or preparing a quick not so healthy meals or maybe scratching the idea of cooking at all and just going out.  It is a slippery slops of sorts, a cycle of bad choices that leads from one to another.  We need to plan ahead and provide healthy options to be there in front of us when we need it before we easily slip into the "bad choice"slope.  We like to make popcorn on the stove, with maybe a slight sprinkle of olive oil and salt.  We also like to have carrot sticks, or cut up apples or pears for the kids to easily grab.  I'm sure you have your own healthy options.  We need to make those readily available at all times.  

Now that we filled out Plate - its time to eat.  Appreciate and find satisfaction in the choice you made to fill your plate with healthy options that will benefit your body, yourself, and your family.  What's on your Plate?

Osteoporosis: The Empty Bucket Syndrome

Osteoporosis: A condition characterized by decreased bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone space producing porosity and fragility.

 To understand osteoporosis we need to understand what the condition is. According to the Merck Manual, the amount of bone is reduced, but the ratio of mineral to organic elements is unchanged in the remaining morphological normal bone. When osteoporosis occurs, it decreases bone production and creates wider gaps within the bone thus creating weaker bone. Osteoporosis is a leading concern for bone fracture. There are nearly 10 million fractures reported worldwide each year due to osteoporosis. Most often this effects post menopausal women and elderly men, however we are seeing a rise in juvenile bone weakness called rickets due to malnutrition. It is an increasing epidemic. Before we continue - it is important to remember and understand, there is no demineralization of the bone. This is not a loss of bone density as much as it is concerning more about bone quality.

 Why is our body creating poor quality bone? Simply put - because it lacks the necessary elements to maintain healthy quality bone. Surely we are doing everything we can. We understand that calcium is essential for bone health and the RDI approved calcium intake is 1,000 mg/day. So lets just take more calcium - problem solved! That's simply 3 cups of milk a day. Calcium is fortified in many of our foods. We often get calcium through our daily multi-vitamins. If necessary, we take Boniva or Fomax to treat decreasing bone density. We are doing everything we can - right?

 Sadly no - in fact we are headed in the wrong direction. Osteoporosis is referred to by some as the Empty Bucket Syndrome. It is a condition in which no matter how much we put in - that bucket will forever remain empty. We can fill our body with 10,000 mg of calcium and we will continue to see a rise in osteoporosis. The answer is not how much do we need to put in, but rather - what can we do to keep it from falling right out? Several studies show the trends of osteoporosis. The China Study follows a group of Chinese women compared to women of developed countries. The Chinese women consumed a significant less amount of calcium and yet had less bone density and had a fifth of the amount of fractures compared to women in developed countries. What does this tell us? It is not about the amount of calcium we put in our bodies. The Yale Study followed a group of African American women who consumed the recommended dose of 1,000 mg/day compared to a group of African women who consumed about 200 mg/day. A very significant decrease, and yet the results show that the African American women in developed countries has 9 times more fractures than African women. Studies show the trends that developed countries consume significantly more meat, milk, and other animal product foods.

 Lets look into more into these products and other things that are depleting our body of the calcium our body needs.

 1. Dairy - this includes cow milk, cheese, yogurt and other cow milk products. Our body maintains a Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of about 2.5:1 (5:2). Milk products contain a 1.5:1 (3:2) ratio, setting off our balance and allowing more phosphorus in our blood. Too much phosphorus can be toxic leading to diarrhea, can interact with other mineral intakes, and can lead to increased risk of heart disease. What does our body do in response to high phosphorus levels? It finds calcium to balance the ratio. Where is this calcium? Over 90% of calcium is found in our bones. This natural defense mechanism takes calcium out of bones to prevent greater risk. This is a great temporal solution - however, we continue to to create these situations in which it no longer becomes a temporal thing, but rather a chronic and dangerous condition.

 2. Animal Protein - This is mainly concerning red meat, but all animal meat in excess can be harmful to our bodies environment. By age 65, meat eaters have 6 times more bone loss than vegaterians. Animal protein has several components that effect our calcium or phosphorus levels.

•   Higher levels of phosphorus - most meats contain high amounts of phosphorus 
•  Acid Ash - Meat products are acid ash meaning they decrease our pH levels in our blood creating an acidity. Our bodies defense to acidic blood is calcium, depleting them from our bones 
•   Arachidonic Acid - again, this is an acid - but also causes osteoclast activity which is a break down of bone 

 3. Loss of Estrogen - A lack of estrogen leads to increased risk of osteoporosis. This is why post menopausal women are at the greatest risk. Estrogen does not treat osteoporosis, but has been shown to be preventative - so when estrogen becomes depleted the risks increase Again, we are finding more women lacking estrogen and reaching menopausal at earlier ages - due to increased intake of dairy products and other foods containing hormones that interact with our normal hormone levels as well as smoking.

 4. Soda - soda contains high levels of phosphorus

 5. Corticosteroids - decreases calcium absorption. Our bodies never have a chance of we are taking steroids that prevent us from ever getting calcium in the first place

 6. Antibiotics - has been shown to increase calcium excretion. Not sure the details of the mechanism here, but plays a factor in our calcium levels

 7. Caffeine - studies show that 300 mg of caffeine decreases calcium intake by 142%

 8. Tobacco - Cadmium found in tobacco increases bone loss

 9. Alcohol - studies show that 2 average drinks a day negates a daily intake of calcium

 Can you see here - we aren't even giving ourselves a chance. It doesn't matter how much calcium we put in, we are doing things that speedily decrease calcium in our bones - faster than we can take in. But we have Boniva and Fomax to help us build bone density and treat osteoporosis, right? Yes, it will build bone - however, without proper calcium and nutrition that we so easily deny ourselves of - that increased bone will be just as bad quality as the rest. Its not bone density - its bone quality that is the issue. So what can we do to prevent, treat, and manage osteoporosis?

 1. Fill the holes of the bucket - avoid those things listed above

 2. Eat proper sources of Calcium - but isn't milk good for you? No, as we discussed - it provides calcium, but also provides a great deal of phosphorus in which can be harmful. There are better sources of calcium to try. Kale, Spinach and Broccoli are some of the best sources of calcium. Many products try to fortify with calcium - but fortification is useless and harmful. Our bodies don't fully recognize unnatural fortified minerals and vitamins.

 3 Exercise - weight bearing activities stimulates our bone growth cells to increase more bone - as long as we are providing our body with proper nutrition. It is simple as walking for 20 minutes a day that can help strengthen our bone structure

 4. Essential vitamins - Vit. D helps absorb Calcium, Vit. C helps create collagen which is the precursor to bone, and Vit. K prevents calcium depletion

 5. Balance of hormones - this is mainly for women. Maintain proper hormone balance and having good levels of estrogen will be preventative. If post menopausal - I discourage estrogen replacement therapy - but there are some safe natural estrogen supplements to try, including tribulus or chaste tree extract which helps keep normal hormone balance.

 Osteoporosis is greatly increasing and unless we figure out and understand the true cause - it will continue to be a burden in the healthcare profession, and mostly in the lives it effects. It is important to understand that this is not a disease or illness but rather our own bodies mechanism that we have put ourselves in. We have created this hole - the empty bucket - but we also have the tools to patch it up and make things right again.

Shout Out to Fruitland

I just wanted to post and let everyone know that I've been seeing patients and will continue to see patients out in Fruitland. I am in Dr. Owners office in Owens Chiropractic. I will be available on the weekends from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning until about noon. I have been seeing patients for about a month now and it's been great - there's always a turn out and a demand. Lt me know if you are out this way if you need to come in - or if you know someone. I provide great affordable care. Here's my info. Dr. Tyson Devereux, DC 2007 N Whitley Dr. Fruitland, ID 83619 #208-608-8283

Lets Get Social

Just letting everyone know I have published my website THEGARDENSCHIROPRACTIC.COM. Please visit and enjoy - you can find about chiropractic, me, my services, events and the latest news and videos concerning our health. I have also finally created my Facebook page. Go on and like and all will be a happy place. I am also on Linkin and twitter - lets tweet. I also want to let everyone know I do free health screening, talks and classes if anyone is interested. I provide my own health talks at my office every Wednesday night at 7. Thanks