Female Hormones

I just attended a seminar today, and the one class I went to, by Dr. Curt Hamilton, helped my understanding of hormones ten fold.  It was cool.  Here are some of my notes:

 Many women are estrogen dominant.  This causes bloating, weight gain, breast swelling, irregular menstraul cycle, headaches, mood swings, cold hands, and decreased sex drive.  But the most important to understand that if estrogen is not excreted, then it accumlates in the body.  Where does it get stored?  Well, it just happens to be stored in fat, being toxic, and more specific it tends to be in breast tissue.  Doesn't sound good. ( This is my thought, but seems to be strongly linked to Breast Cancer)

Estrogen can accumulate either by excess estrogen, or by lack of gastrointestinal function (This goes back to my notes on stress and the effect on the gut)  If our food is sitting too long in our intestines, then the food is broken down more than it should, releasing unwanted chemicals and more specific, it releases free estrogen which then gets absorded instead of excreted.  To help our gastrointestinal function, we need to make sure we have enough fiber in our diet and we can utilize flax seed oil to increase function.

Here are some solutions:

1. Avoid Exognous Sources - Beyond excess estrogen being produced, there are exogenous sources.  These are pesticides, animal protein, styrofoam, plastics, saran wrap (for plastics and saran wrap, chemicals get releases into our food when they are heated, such as in a microwave).
2. Chaste Tree Extract - Maybe the greatest secret. This extract from the Chaste Tree Berry is significant in reducing and possibly eliminating PMS symptoms, promoting regular menses, reduces acne, and promotes fertility (Don't use if on oral contraceptives as it will decrease it's effect, and don't use while pregnant). This helps balance out sex hormones  . . . with amazing results! http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_chaste_tree.htm
3. St. John's Wort - This helps relieve the Depression symptoms of PMS, such as forgetfullness, crying, confusion and insomnia. http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_st_johns_wort.htm
4. Tribulus - This natural herb is known to balance sex hormones in both male and female.  In both, it will increase sex drive and improve adrenal function.  Simply known as the natural viagra, but important in helping balance hormones in the body.  The link I found says where the plant is found, but failed to mention two main countries.  The species of Tribulus is more effective by far if it comes from Romania or Bulgaria.  The plant is found in other places, but for some reason they don't have nearly the same effect.  http://www.tribulusterrestrisfacts.org/

Don't Stress It

We just had an assembly with Dr. Joe Dispenza, which helped reiterate a point that I have recently learned before and feel strongly about.  There is a direct association between the Stress we have in our lives and our health.  In the animal world, we talk about survival.  A deer who is relaxed and grazing in the meadow senses danger, in a blink of an eye, darts off and is gone.  As humans, we also have this reaction.  If one was faced with a wild animal, our body would react.  Without a thought, our heart rate would increase, our breathing would become more rapid, our blood would increase to our muscles, all allowing us to get out of danger.  This reaction is an essential factor for survival.  It is meant to occur in times of need, but that is the problem.  In our society today, we keep this reaction on all the time, like a light switch left on day and night, which will soon burn out.  So are we faced with a giant bear all the time? No, but we are faced with stressers and fears on a constant basis, and we utilize this survival mode to get us through.  We start our day this way, getting up in a stressful manner to a beeping alarm clock, rushing to get ready.  Many read or hear the news in the morning, filling our thoughts with negative ideas.  We get stressed on our commute, rushing to where we need to go.  We are stressed at work, school, or other things that demand our time and attention. We return home, and sadly we occur more stress with family, bills, and activities that we planned for ourselves.  Finally, before getting to bed, we watch the news again, filling our minds with more negative ideas before ending our day.  When does it stop?

Our "survival" switch is on all day, every day.  But you may ask those are just thoughts, it can't be that bad?  Studies have shown that whether it is something we are doing, or if we just think about doing it, or brain activity is the same in both cases.  There is no difference in brain activity if we are in actual danger or thinking about it.  So what does this do?  Think of an air conditioning system that is turned on all the time, that never stops running.  Usually an air system turns out periodically to maintain a comfortable balance, like our survival mode.  But if it is running all the time, it will soon get cold which in the summer may feel nice at the time, but our bill will sky rocket.  It will be a financial burden. If all our money goes to pay the electric bill, we will exhaust all our finances to pay for other needs like groceries, gas, and ESPN (jk).  And soon, the summer will end and winter will come and if the AC is still running, it won't be so pleasent.  So how is this like our survival mode?  Nearly the same.  If our body is increasing heart rate, if our muscles are using the energy to flee from danger . . . soon, it too will exhaust all what we need.  All our energy will be used up, leaving our muscles to utilize other options for energy, causing pain.  Other parts of the body that need energy will not get it, causing several health problems physiologically. And soon, when it is time to relax, but we are still in survival mode, it won't feel so nice.

If we are always in survival mode, there are certain function that are disabled like our gut.  Our intestines and our sphincters work in a relaxed state.  Sexual function and infertility are also effected. We soon get fatigued, insomnia, supress our immune system, or even fibromyalgia.  The list of complications are long, but the solution is simple.  We need to find time away from these stressers.  We need to bring a balance to our body.  The major problem is that several people have been in this mode for so long, they are stuck in that mode and it is not so easy to get out. It is not as simple as just relaxing in our lazyboy after a hard day of work.  We need more.  We need to actively activate certain parts of our brain, mainly the left side, to bring back a balance to our body physiologically. 

Some helpful solutions: (Not in any particular order, but I will try to list what I think is more effective)

1. Avoid stressers - Don't watch or listen to the news especially in the morning and at night, start your morning in a more calm way by giving yourself plenty of time to get ready and to commute, eliminate any unnecessary activities making you feel rushed and stretched, and find the positive things in life.  There is plenty more we can do, but those are just a few ideas that I think everyone can work on
2. Adjustment of the extremities - It has been proven that adjustments can activate the brain and directly effect the body physiologically.  To regain balance to brain activity, an adjustment to the right side extremities will activate the left side of the brain which is responsible to help relax the body
3. Exercise the opposite side extremities - This is similar to the adjustment.  Stimulation to the right side will activate the left brain
4. Talking - be careful with this one, because talking with certain people are about certain things can add more stress, but the left side of the brain is active when we are talking.  Talking things out brings peace to our lives.  This is the basis for counciling.  As well as the foundation between men and women when it comes to talking.  Women are more right side dominant, so talking is the method for balance.  It is theraputic, and essential.

Let me sum up and explain.  Stress is not bad, we need it (in limiting doses).  It is what drives us, it keeps us going, it is our survival method.  But we need to regulate it.  We can't afford to live in survival mode all the time.  A bow that is always strung tight will soon break.  And when we break, or exhaust all our resources, we found serious complications.  It may seem easy enough, but it does take our active attention.  We too often get lost in the rush and demands of life. Just remember, Don't Stress It!

Need Somebody To Hug

I thought this was vital for all parents.  In Neurology, we learned the importance of sensation, even from the beginning of birth.  From birth to the day we die, we are making new connections between neurons.  This is done by sensations (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste).  These sensations create new connections.  That is why it is so important for an elderly person to be out and about, instead of sitting inside and alone.  That is why it is important to Hug your child.  Studies have shown that hugging your child improves nerve activity.  So Hug like you mean it!

Back 2 Health

As mentioned in the previous post, our country is plagued by some serious diseases, many in which go unnoticed before it is too late, or so it may seem.  The medical field does all it can to battle these diseases, with very little success, usually only preventing more damage at the most.  Looking at all these diseases we face, what if I told you that there was something out there that could not only reduce, but possibly cure people from these diseases?  What if I said there was something that was risk free, inexpensive, and has the ability of having a great impact?  What would you say?

The answer, or rather the solution, is Nutrition.  This is the main idea of my Blog.  Back 2 Health. As a society, and even worldwide now, we have veered away from health, primarily we have as a whole have veered away from nutrition.  Too much Sugar is being consumed.  The average american consumes 150 lbs of sugar a year.  And there is less fresh fruits and vegetables in our diets today.  I can try to find the chart, but it shows a correlation between consuming fruit and cardiac diseases.  The more fruit is eaten, the less cases of heart disease in those parts of the world.  On the chart, Americans were one of the lowest of containing fruit in their diet.  Is it no wonder that heart disease is the number one cause of death in America? But it can be prevented. Lets get back on the path, lets get back into correct nutrition.

Study shows that a person who consumes fresh fruit daily will 70% less likely die from cancer, 32% die from stroke, and 24% chance die from a heart attack.  70%?  No medication comes close to those kind of numbers.  An interesting note.  There are several components of fruit that is so beneficial, but one is folic acid.  We all know this is important for pregnancy, which prevents some birth defects, but it is essential for everyone to have.  It is also an anti-atherogenic, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-depressent as well as a lack of folic acid is associated with poor cognitive function, dementia, and even Alzheimers.

Pertaining to this, there is a health appraisal questionnaire that one can fill out.  Comparing their results to their recorded diet, a doctor in this field of nutrition can recommend changes in their diet and then retake the questionaire again after their strict diet and compare the results. From what I have seen, the results are amazing.  High risk factors drop to normal or moderate risk.  There are significant changes.  There is a website that contains this questionnaire, found at www.nutri-online1.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=647
I have decided to take the questionnaire myself, and then change my diet for a week or two, and compare results that I will share.  I'm kinda scared, I'll be eating a lot of plants and maybe even some fish (yuck), but I am curious to see, even for me which I feel is in generally decent health, how changing my diet can improve certain things in my body and life.  Here I go

The Quiet Killers

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Adapt or Die!"?  It is a pretty simple concept in which we depend on every second of every day.  Our body is constantly adapting.  If it failed to do so . . . we would die.  I mentioned this before, but too often one says, "I don't need that, I'm already healthy."  If we, as in individual, and even as a society, are not adapting, changing, improving, can we really say that we are healthy?  Too often, one remains in that mind set, thinking they are healthy and fine with their lifestyle when in reality they have been exposed to complications they are unaware of.  These are the quiet killers.  These are the cardiac diseases, the neurological diseases, and the cancers that so many face today that often go undetected before its too late.  Prevention is ignored with the phrase, "It won't happen to me."

Interesting note:  The nutritional initials used for Standard American Diet is SAD  -  Yes, it is

Beginning Tri 4

Ok, the first couple posts are just some thoughts I had written down beforehand.  I have spent a year so far at Parker, and it is hard to relate a years worth of education into a few paragraphs.  I have just started my fourth trimester, starting my second year and it is going to be 4 months of non stop information.  Between Neurology and Nutrition and Physical Diagnosis, the information will be endless, but so important for me and for everyone.  I hope I will even have time to write a post here and there.  So, I hope you enjoy.  I will try to keep my posts short and brief and to the point, or at least I will do my best. Wish me luck

Master Our Innate

Long before the movie, William Ernest Henley has inspired countless of people with his powerful words, Invictus.  "It matters not how straight the gate, how charged the punishments the scroll.  I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

I put the phrase, Back 2 Health, at the top of this page to emphasize the urgency to return to something that we have gradually veered from as a society.  I feel several of us often say, "I'm already healthy"  I know, because it is something I have said.  But are we?

The body is an amazing thing, with an incredible design.  The majority of the body functions unconsciously, or with very little thought.  We have learned to breath without having to think about it.  The body, in its infinite wisdom, makes it all work, from our lungs for breathing down to each and every microscopic cell utilizing the nutrients needed to function.  The body knows all.  Do we know how much calcium our muscles need to contract, how much blood is needed in a certain part to avoid hypoxia, or even how many white blood cells are needed to fight off invaders?  We don't . . but our body does.  Our body wants to be healthy.  Let me repeat that, our body wants to be healthy . . . but are we letting it?

There are several factors, or Stressers, that expose the body to diseases and complications.  We organize these stressers as the 3 T's known as Traumas, Toxins, and Thoughts . . . or it can be put as the Physical, the Chemical, and the Emotional.  The physical varies from the small daily activities to the unfortunate traumas that occur.  This is the daily grind on the body physically.  The chemical is the things that we put in the body.  This ranges from what we eat, to what we expose our bodies to like dyes and makeup.  The emotional is often overlooked, but can have a great impact in our life and especially in our health.  Especially in the world today, we often cannot avoid Stress.  It is in our school, our work, and too often even in our own homes.  Several of these stressers have great impact on our immune system, thus exposing us to diseases.  It is not our body gone wrong, it is not even the pathogen that invades our body, it is our own choices.  All these stressers are avoidable.  Are we eating right?  Are we exposing ourselves to harmful chemicals?  I know each and everyone of us, including myself, can make better decisions in our lives.  Our body will be forever grateful.
 
Too many feel that they have no control on their health.  Some are told that they are genetically exposed to these diseases.  Don't let these lies fool you.  There is more recent studies I hope to share later showing that genes are not a permanent imprint, but can change and adapt. You have control.  You are the master of your health.  Take control of your life.  Take back your health.  "It matters not how straight the gate, how charged the punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

What is Chiropractics

I thought I would start with a basic overview of what Chiropractic is, mostly because many whom I have talked to have no or very limited understanding.  Usually the response consists of something concerning back pain.  Even though this is not wrong, that is sadly the extent to their knowledge.  The practice of modern Chiropractics was founded in 1895 by D.D. Palmer, a student of magnetic healing and bonesetting sciences.  The first "adjustment" was administered to Harvey Lillard, who later told Palmer that his hearing had greatly improved.  D.D. Palmer concluded that bone manipulation can restore function to the body.  This opened the door to the philosophy of what we today call Chiropractics.  The term Chiropractics actually was coined later by Rev. Samuel Weed, combining two greek words meaning "Concerned With (Praktikos) Hand (Chiro)"

So this is the beginning to manual manipulation in the philosophy of Chiropractics, later termed as Adjustment. But this is just the surface.  This is often the part that people understand, the "cracking backs" part of chiropractics.  But they are not bone doctors.  D.D. Palmer looked a little deeper, beyond the bones, and understood something that is just beginning to be recognized today.  The foundation to the body is not the skeleton.  The master system of the body is the Nervous System.  It is this system that connects the whole body, allowing the brain to communicate to the body and visa versa.  In fact, it is no wonder that the Nervous System is the first system formed in embryo.  This is vital.  It is needed to help the fetus to develop.  Without a skeleton, we would simply be a bag of organs.  Without a nervous system, we would die.  Simply put, the nervous system is the master system.  This was the focus of D.D Palmer and the early chiropractics, understanding that if a bone is out of place, it is effecting the function of the nerve that passes by, thus effecting certain body functions that the nerve supplies.  In short, Chiropractors are not bone doctors.  They are nerve doctors that understand the anatomy and physiology of the body to help restore normal function.

So what is Chiropractics?  It is the philosophy and the study of the body as a whole, including the anatomy and physiology, to restore and provide optimal function and health to an individual.  It is a vitalistic approach that the body has the understanding and ability to adapt, protect, and even heal itself.  Basically, the doctor can't heal the body.  Rather, the doctor restores the body to correct function, allowing the nerve to restore function and communication to the rest of the body, thus healing itself.  How so?  Can I ask what is the mechanism behind a fever?  Too many often blame their illness to the pathogen.  This is incorrect.  Yes, it is due to a pathogen, but it is not the cause.  The cause of the fever, is our own bodily response to protect itself and rid of the pathogen.  Our immune system effects the core body temperature, increasing it to kill off the pathogen that has invaded.  It is our own body, with it's infinite and innate knowledge, that causes the fever, to protect itself, simply, to heal itself.

Without proper nerve function, it is impossible for our body to normally function, allowing the body to be exposed to many diseases and physiological abnormalities.  The lack of nerve function is referred to as a Subluxation.  This can be caused by many things, simply put as the 3 T's.  Traumas, Toxins, and Thoughts, or it can also be put as Physical, Chemical, and Emotional stressers.  The physical is the daily activities along with the unexpected traumas that we face in life.  The chemical is the things that we put into our bodies directly, like food, or indirectly, like hair dyes.  The emotional is the stressers in life.  This one often gets overlooked.  When I say that someone is confident, do you view someone who has slumped shoulders and looking down at the ground.  No, we often view someone who is sitting or standing up straight, their head up and alert.  Our thoughts effect us dramatically, especially in a world like today with Stress all around us.  Stress plays with our emotions, and even our nerve functions, exposing us to many avoidable complications.  For optimal health and wellness, we need to rid of these stressers in our life.  Many of them, we can rid of ourselves if we choose to make the effort.  But there are others we need an "adjustment", to restore our nerve function, to restore our normal body function, and to restore our health.  For that, we have our friendly neighborhood Chiropractor.