Thinking Healthy Thoughts

One of my favorite aspects of chiropractic philosophy and being at Parker was the approach to health beyond the physical nature.  My very first month into the program I attended a seminar in which I wrote down a quote, "I didn't go to school to become a doctor; I went to school to learn how to take care of people and being a doctor was the best avenue to achieve that goal" - along with that quote, I recall a speaker emphasizing along side the physical care, we must provide and encourage mental health, spiritual health, emotional health, and social health.  It is not enough to care for someone physically - but in accordance and in balance with all aspects of wellness.  This speaks volumes to me when it comes to the power of the mind.  Candace Pert once said, "The mind is not confined to the space above the neck, the mind is throughout the brain and body."  The mind extends throughout our whole entire body.  The mind influences every aspect of our well being.  The mind is a power of health.  In order to be healthy . . . we must think healthy.

When it comes to the power of the mind, I can't help but mention the name, Earl Nightingale.  I'll try not to dwell too much on his influence, but I do encourage anyone and everyone to look him up, find his message and utilize it in your life.  There is great power . . . to the strangest secret in the world.  In his efforts to find out what made some men successful in life and others fail in their goals . . . he came up with his answer in which he shared with his employees.  In his study he concluded that out of 100 people who began life with goals and dreams, by the end of their career - 95 will not succeed.  What is success?  He defines it as doing something with purpose and doing something you love.  It has nothing to do with money.  A school teacher can be successful if that is what that person enjoys.  A mother can be successful if that is her purpose.  And out of 100 people, only 5% are successful.  What makes the 95% fail?  He states that they lose sight of their goal.  Through fear, laziness, distractions, and excuses . . . several people lose sight of their purpose and Conform.  Why do these people work without a purpose . . . they do so because they have conformed and work just because other people work.  What makes the 5% successful?  It is because they are who they thought they were.  And that is the key, the message, the secret . . . you are what you think.  If you think you are successful, you will be successful.  Because what you think about is what you do and what you do is what will get you where you want to be.

How does this apply to health.  It is a very interesting topic, but if applied if we think about being healthy . . . we will be healthy.  We cannot lie to ourselves nor can we deceive ourselves.  We can't tell ourselves we want to be healthy while eating a whole carton of ice cream.  The real reason you are emptying that ice cream carton is because you truly don't think you can be healthy.  You have given up, you've lost your purpose, you have conformed.  It is time to change all that and truly change your thoughts.  If you want to be healthy . . . you must think healthy.  You must of the power of the mind to heal the body.

There is a branch of medicine recently formed known as Psychoneuroimmunology.  This branch looks how the mind effects and neurology and immunology of the body.  These include the study of Hans Selye and the effects of stress.  But it goes beyond that.  In 1950, a study was conducted with pregnant women given a drug they were told would reduce or get rid of nausea and vomiting, but were actually given Ipecac which induces vomiting.  The vomiting ceased in all women even when the drug was suppose to make them vomit.  Dr. Ader also studied the effects of taste aversion, providing a drug with a certain taste.  Over a period of time, the drug was removed but the taste was still given to the patient.  What he noticed was that the body was still reacting as if the drug was administered.  The mind, believing the drug is still present with the taste, creates the necessary reactions in the body.

With research, concepts, and experiences we see the power of the mind.  This is more than "tricking" the mind.  This is the true application of thought . . . creating health because we think it.  Health is beyond the physical frame.  We must . . .  absolutely must emphasize the balance of all aspects of wellness.  We must have a goal and a purpose and not let anything get in our way.  We must not conform with the rest of society, living the way they are living just because we know no other way.  We must take control of our own mind and destiny.  We must thing healthy thoughts . . . and be healthy

Put A Little Spice In Your Life

I just posted a blog on vitamins and minerals and the importance of supplements.  These vitamins and minerals are the building blocks of life, creating the foundation of our body.  90% of diseases can be traced to a mineral/vitamin deficiency.  If fruits and vegetables are Mother Nature's building blocks for a healthy body - then herbs and spices are Mother Nature's medicine.

Literally - herbs are the precursors to modern day medicine.  Instead if trying to extract, import and produce herbs, modern medicine has studied the chemical structures of these agents, created ways to reconstruct their own in a lab, modify it if necessary and mass produce them for a fraction of the price.  Unfortunately, this process does not have as great of effect with all the created side effects.  But mainly, herbs and plants can have the same powerful effect . . . but has been pushed to the wayside and deemed as "foke lore"

Here I wanted to share 10 of the most common herbs and spices used for cooking and their benefits.  They are the more common herbs and spices we can easily find in our kitchen.  Too often we simply add salt for flavor.  Salt used to be a necessary item for preservation, but is now being overused.  They even add salt to hide the rancid flavors of cans sitting on the shelf for weeks.  Before picking up the salt shaker, try some more healthier herbs and spices that bring a better taste to your food and greater health to your body -


Garlic - This is an underused ingredient which can be utilized and cooked with a variety of meals with amazing benefits.

• Mainly an anti-inflammatory agent but also lowers blood cholesterol, stimulates the immune system, and probably is the best chelating agent (buffering agent) against heavy metal toxicity

Ginger - A great spice used mainly in teas for sinus cold and congestion

• Used to treat colds and motion sickness

Cheyenne Pepper -

• An anti-inflammatory agent also used topically to help with arthritis
• Note - can cause gastrointestinal and skin irritation

Nutmeg - not my favorite spice, but has great benefits

• Used as a mood elevator and aphrodisiac (no wonder Christmas time is so merry)
• Can be used to help with asthma, dysmenorrhea, fever, flu or pneumonia
• Note - taken in excess can cause hallucinogenic effects

Cinnamon - I think this may be another underused spice with amazing benefits.  New research is just coming out on what cinnamon can help with like HIV, Alzheimer's, Arthritis and Cancer

• Great benefits in helping regulate blood sugar, lowers blood cholesterol and the aroma improves brain function and memory

Curry - Curry is actually a mix of spices.  The three main spices used are Turmeric, Cumin, and Coriander

• Turmeric  - An anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce pain.  New research shows that it inhibits cancer cell development.  Also an antioxident
• Cumin - Helps with digestion and is also anti-carcinogenic and anti-fungal
• Coriander - This is the aged seed of the Cilantro plant and is a great chelating agent for heavy metals

Oregano - One of my favorite pizza herbs

• Antioxidant and antiseptic

Basil - Another pizza herb, but can be used in so many types of dishes.  Like many of these, so much better used fresh

• Antioxidant and antiviral

Parsley -

• Filled with many necessary vitamins and minerals and is antibacterial
• Note - may induce labor in pregnancy if consumed in excess

Thyme - A spice from the mint family that is great to use for seasoning

• An anti-inflammatory agent and anti-carcinogenic
• A powerful antiseptic - used in Melaleuca cleaning products

I just used herbs and spices used for cooking because that is the easiest way to use them and they are more commonly to be found in every home and kitchen.  There are hundreds more herbs with powerful effects that can help treat and protect the body.  I have listed the more common herbs in an earlier post -Remedies - which can help when there are specific conditions of concern.  I hope this helps. Sometimes we get caught up and are trained in just adding salt to put taste in our food.  Go ahead, but a little spice in your life

The Real Need For Vitamins

What is the deal with vitamins?  That's always been my thought.  I've never really been a pill taker, whether its drugs or supplements.  I've never felt the need . . but more importantly, I never really knew the need.  The history of vitamins is an interesting one.  I've sure many of us have heard of the story of sailors getting scurvy which in the mid 1700's was discovered that scurvy was helped out by eating lemons and limes.  Even though at the time they did not know what was in these citrus fruits, they just knew that certain foods helped with certain conditions.  This discovery led to a whole new world of micronutrients.

The first discovered micronutrient was Vitamin B1 also known as Thiamine.  Each new vitamin has been added to the list given letters corresponding with their time of discovery.  We now have Vitamins A - K, all an important part of our diet and health, along with minerals.  Vitamins and minerals are essential because we cannot produce them on our own (except for Vitamin D which acts more like a hormone, and also Vitamin K which can be produced by bacteria in our gut flora).  The true discovery is that if we are deficient in any of these, a whole array of health problems will occur.  Likewise, if we supply ourselves with enough certain vitamins or minerals we will surely see these health problems disappear.  Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, stated, "You can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."

All these essential vitamins and minerals are found in the natural foods we eat.  But that brings up my question. Humans have been eating food for thousands of years without needing supplements, so why do we now need to take extra vitamins in our diet today?  I would like to share with you three real needs for vitamins and minerals in our diet today.

1. We Choose Not to Eat Nutrient Rich Foods - This is the sad reality, but we are not Choosing to eat the right foods.  According to CDC, only 14% of adults and only 9% of teens are eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.  Only 14%!  And that's only the recommended servings which is the minimum, which is just barely enough to prevent deficiencies.  We aren't even getting the minimum.  Our plate should be at least half vegetables and fruits - and reports show that on any given day 46% don't even eat one fruit, and 18% don't even eat one vegetable.  Hopefully taking vitamins and minerals can help with these deficiencies.  What is to blame? A little bit is the food pyramid, or the "My Plate" education.  This has focused generally more on grains than anything, with little emphasis on fruits and vegetables.  Part of the blame goes towards processed food and fast food filling our foods with sugar and fats that have little to no nutritional value.  But the real blame is ourselves.  We make these choices.  We are not properly educated, we are not adequately informed and we are bombarded by thousands of unhealthy choices . . . but it all comes down to our choice.  Some say that eating healthy is expensive.  Look around.  Look at the cars we drive, the gadgets we carry, the clothes we wear, the computers we use, and the events and entertainments we attend.  Our body is more important than any of these, and we can't even make the priority to treat it the right way.  We have chosen to fail our own health.  When we are in the hospital with disease, our clothes are going to be in our closets, our car in the driveway, and our TV sitting in our living room.  They will all be there while our health is failing because we have made that choice.  I think we, in general, need to make better priorities.
2. We Live In A Processed World - There is a list of changes in our diet over the last few decades.  The key words that pop out are Refined and Processed.  Refined simply means to take out all nutrients.  We have refined sugar, flour, rice and other items.  These are nutrition-less products that are simply empty calories which provide no nutritional benefits and can do our body great harm.  Processed means that things have been added or has been chemically changed.  Again, we have processed sugar, flour, and rice.  This is the difference between white and brown rice, or white and wheat flour.  These "white" products have been processed and refined.  It has been chemically changed, making it foreign to our body and thus can create harmful reactions.  Some products are processed for preservation.  This is done by either adding salt, saturated fats, or other additives that are harmful to our health.  But this is the world we live in.  We want food now.  Companies need to process their foods to be able to meet the demands.  They replace natural products with processed foods which lack nutrition. A beef burrito may not even be real beef, and yet has a hundred other additives to make it at least taste good. Companies choose alternative products because they are cheap and inexpensive.  They gamble your health for their profit.
3. A Depleting Soil - This is the topic I truly wanted to discuss.  Soil is soil, right?  Well, not exactly.  I found that out just recently as I tried to grow a small garden in our backyard, and nothing grew.  The soil was absolutely no good.  But this is a reality for the whole world.  In the last century the increasing populations have put a high demand on crops.  The increasing demand has depleted value in the soil.  This led to the introduction of synthetic soil.  It was an idea that solved the problem temporally.  Over time, the artificial soil has created a more acidic environment, reducing the value of the soil over all.  Pesticides and herbicides have also been introduced, harming the soil.  The plants and crops grown reflect the soil it is planted in.  If the soil is depleted in vitamins and minerals, the plant will then also be deficient.  The reality is since 1940, the value of nutrition in vegetables has decreased by about 30-40%, even as high as 76% and in fruits has decreased in nutritional value by about 20%.  The natural foods we eat today are not the same that our ancestors ate centuries ago.

It is becoming grossly apparent we are deficient in the essential nutrients that we need.  We are seeing our own "scurvy" scourge with the numerous diseases and ailments we see today.  But it can be prevented.  We need to make better choices and eat more natural, nutrient rich foods. But the need of supplementing vitamins and minerals is growing and unavoidable.  I've not saying to take every little pill.  We must first get our nutrients by the foods we eat.  Afterwards, we must be aware of the nutrients we are more deficient in, to supplement them, that we may avoid any costly and harmful effects.  I wish I had more time to discuss more in depth of which vitamins to take, but I encourage everyone to make the small and simple steps of eating healthier and taking a good multi-vitamin.  There is a real need for Vitamins for us today

Sweet As Sugar

I have made a few mentions in other posts concerning sugar and sweeteners however, in my effort to find alternatives I found a pretty good list of sugar alternatives to either stay away from or are natural and good to use in replace of regular table sugar.

So what is the big deal about sugar? When I say "sugar", I mean the white granulated table sugar we purchase and commonly use in our cooking.  Sugar is a processed and refined form of sucrose taken from a variety of natural sources.  Simply when something is refined - it pretty much means that all nutrients are taken out and when something is processed it means that it has been changed chemically. The natural sugar has been turned into an empty (nutrition-less) calorie that is frankly foreign to the body.  Sugar is a simple carbohydrate which has many effects

• Increases Triglycerides
• Promotes Dysglycemia
• Suppresses Immune Function
• Promotes Nutritional Deficiency
• Feeds Pathogens
• Promotes Cavities
• Increases Uric Acid
• Increases Blood Pressure
• Increases Cholesterol - Decreases HDL

All those are terrible effects, but what does this all mean?  Stats show that in 1750 the average person consumed 6-8 pounds of sugar per year, in 1950 the average person consumed about 120 pounds of sugar per year.  That's a dramatic increase.  Today, the average person consumes 170 pounds of sugar a year.  The reality of it all is this is the same pattern of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and ADD/ADHD - all diseases or conditions that have inclined in the last couple decades.  It is no coincidence.

Sugar is an inflammatory agent that creates harmful reactions within our body.  Usually these are small effects, but with the increase of consumption - all the little reactions adds up to a gigantic problem.  Sugar increases triglycerides and increases LDL cholesterol levels which develops into atherosclerosis and heart disease. Sugar is a preferred substrate utilized by cancer cells, promoting cancer growth.  It also decreases immune function which prevents regulation of the cancer cells.  But most importantly may be a factor in causing cancer.  The refined sugar is an empty substance to which when is broken down in our body is basically waste.  Our body has several ways to rid of waste, however, when we have more waste than we can get rid of, our body has to store it somewhere.  This waste product is stored in fat cells - thus creating more fat cells which increases obesity risks.  But this is more than just a weight issue.  These new fat cells now contain toxic and harmful waste in which if accumulated can create defective and cancerous cells.  Diabetes is an obvious concern with simple sugar consumption.  Not only does sugar increase our blood sugar levels, but fat cells can create resistance to insulin.  ADD is also an up and coming issue in our society.  There are many issues when it comes to ADD or ADHD, however sugar is surely a component.  When we intake sugar, insulin is released to reduce blood sugar levels.  What people don't realize is that insulin stays in our system for hours clearing out the sugar in our blood that can deplete our body of all energy sources making one hypoglycemic which often effects our attention and thinking processes.  As a society we feed our kids cereal, juice, pancakes, muffins, or other sugary substances - overloading their system - and send them off to school where they are wired and energized, but are forced to sit in desks all day and than after several hours the kid gets a crash when the insulin has depleted all sugar levels and now can't concentrate or pay attention - and now we have an ADD kid.  Fantastic

Sugar is no harmless substance - and for decades we have tried to come up with alternatives to avoid these harmful effects.  There are some great natural sources, but there are also some synthesized forms in which need to be avoided.  Here is a helpful list of Sweeteners to know what is a good alternative to use.  To quickly forewarn - when I say "good" alternatives doesn't mean we don't need to limit ourselves.  Too much of anything is too much -

Sweeteners to Avoid -

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup - If sugar is harmful, then High Fructose Corn Syrup is 2x worse.  Also known as corn syrup or corn sugar - the claims of being a natural source is absolutely false.  It has the same effects of table sugar, but magnified.
2. Aspartame - This is an artificial sweetener found in NutraSweet, Equal, and Canderel.  This synthesized sweetener is an excitotoxin or neurotoxin.  This chemical excites the nerves in our body (mainly in the brain) and makes it rapidly fire until it burns out.
3. Neotame - This is the magnified version of Aspartame - another excitotoxin
4. Sucralose - This is a synthesized compound commonly known as Splenda.  This chemical when broken down releases Chlorine ions which kills the bacteria in our gut.  This chemical causes dysbiosis of the gut which if accumulated can create indirectly a whole mess of issues.  Never mess with the gut.
5. Acesulfame K - Also known as Acesulfame Potassium, Ace-K, or Sunett which is often found in Sweet One or Sweet & Safe (safe? ironic)  The issue is that this product has very little or improper testing.  It is known to contain the chemical Methylene Chloride which is a carcinogen (cancer causing) and has many effects on the body, but the FDA doesn't think that it is necessary to do more research - really?
6. Saccharin - This is considered a carcinogen compound, however, the FDA has for some reason decided to remove any warning of harmful effects.  There have been several reports of allergic reactions as well
7. Cyclamates - To be honest - the effects of cyclamates have been debated.  There has been research shown to cause stomach cancer and there has been research to refute it.  Cyclamates is used in 55 countries, but is banned in the United States.  I shrug my shoulder on this one - no clue

Natural Sweeteners To Use

1. Stevia - This comes from the Stevia plant and is a natural source.  It can come in powder form or in liquid.  My experience with Stevia is that it doesn't take much to make things sweetened, just a drop or two, but the taste is lacking.  It is becoming a popular choice however for an alternative due to the fact that it is safe for diabetics - look at the link for a list of other diabetic safe sweeteners
2. Evaporated Cane Juice - The name is a little confusing as ECJ is a granulated crystal and not liquid.  It is extracted from sugarcane and is a great alternative to sugar, especially brown sugar
3. Fruit Juice - Just good old fruit juice - yum
4. Rice Syrup - Derived from cooking rice with enzymes - Brown rice has a lower glycemic index
5. Honey - Raw Organic Honey is a great substitute for sugar, especially in baking and cooking.
6. Licorice Root - This is the only natural source that has a toxicity level, however, licorice root is also used for a variety of things such as alternative medical uses so using as a sweetener, the toxicity levels is not an issue
7. Amasake - This is a Japanese form of rice syrup, using koji to break down and ferment rice
8. Vegetable Glycerin - Glycerin is a natural component to oils and fats that gets broken down in our body into Amino Acids.  It is a colorless and odorless liquid with a sweet taste used in a variety of products
9. Maple Syrup (without added sugar) - Raw, organic, or molasses is the best form.

I hope this list helps.  I don't mean to begin with a fearful intro, however, it is necessary these days to be aware.  The first step is to check ingredients and see what is being used - even if you don't think sugar is in it, it most likely is or one of those other artificial sweeteners.  Even drug companies use sweeteners  Why do companies use artificial sweeteners when there are natural sources? Simply, it's cheaper to use artificial sweeteners.  Check labels.  Also, read the package or box.  If it says diet, sugar free, or other word play - that is the hint that artificial sweeteners are used.  Most importantly, it all starts in the home.  Just cooking at home dramatically decreases sugar intake, but we can do better and create recipes with these natural alternatives.  Grab the raw honey next time you are at the store and give it a try - your body will thank you

Vaccines: Does It Really Make Sense? (I'm just saying)

Gardasil is about the prevention and protection against cervical cancer . . . is the only vaccine that prevents cancer
- Krystie Brashear, A.R.N.P. - Woman to Woman clinic
(The CDC states that cervical cancer is an uncommon consequence to HPV (10%) and if detected has a 90% cure rate - most deaths from HPV are from those who didn't get checked and let the cells get infected.  That's like having a vaccine to prevent cuts because some people don't treat it properly and let it get infected. It is also stated that there are multiple factors that have to occur - not just having HPV - like risk factors, immune suppression, oral contraceptive use and having multiple sexual partners.  Plus, the vaccine only protects against 2 (out of 16) types - does vaccination make any sense?)

HPV vaccine is recommended for girls early as 9
- CDC
(Really, as early as 9 years of age? The fabricated idea is to vaccinate before they are sexually active.  The scary reality is that Gardasil has only been tested for 5 years and remains ignorant to any serious side effects that may occur later on in life or of any damage done to the reproductive organs.  The vaccine is promoted as a prevention tool but this is misleading much like other vaccines.  Pro-vaccine websites and anti-vaccine websites both have graphs depicting the history of a disease and it's prevalence.  These graphs from both sides are accurate however only show what they want to show.  Anti-vaccine graphs show death rates and how they have already dropped before vaccines were introduced.  Stats show that advanced sanitary precautions reduced death rates before vaccines existed.  Pro-vaccine graphs fail to show this but rather show the number of cases and how the number of cases didn't drop until vaccines were introduced.  As much as this is accurate a majority of those cases were no longer life threatening.  This is the same for Gardasil.  Cervical cancer was prevalent in the United States and a serious problem.  Death rates were high, until Pap Smears were introduced.  Death rates dramatically dropped thereafter.  So Gardasil doesn't reduce deaths, but rather the number of cases, which much like its predecessors - majority of these cases are no longer life threatening and is a misleading claim - does vaccination make any sense?)

Gardasil has been around for several years (*cough*5 years*cough*) and has been very safe . . . risk of death is extremely small
- CDC
(Of course the CDC and FDA deems it safe when it gets compared to AAHS - an aluminum placebo - Gardasil Vaccine Info.  AAHS is a highly toxic ingredient with a variety of adverse reactions - MSDS Report. Even compared to a toxic agent, Gardasil still has slightly greater adverse risks.  VAERS has claimed 18,000 REPORTED adverse reactions to Gardasil and so far 65 REPORTED deaths.  The key word is reported, because VAERS is a volunteer company that depends on reported cases and warns that numbers are highly effected due to Under reported incidences or dismissed cases by family doctors - does vaccination make any sense?)

CDC recommends HPV vaccine for boys
- Associated Press
(After a 1.1 Billion dollar revenue in the first nine months for Gardasil, Merck's stock has dropped 3 percent collecting only $219 Million (oh so sad) and they are scrambling to figure out what went wrong.  Seriously?  It's obvious isn't it?  A good business can't profit with a limited consumer base (girls from 9-26), right?  Everyone knows a business needs to expand its market - good job Merck for tapping into the boys 9-26 market - does vaccination make any sense?)

Texas Mandates Cervical Cancer Vaccine
- CBS news
(Wait - now they are forcing kids to get vaccinated?  The whole idea of mandating vaccines may pose more of a threat than the actual vaccine.  I looked at my shot records and it's only a third of how many kids are required to have now.  The numbers are increasing.  Research is now looking into how multiple shots can have serious effects.  This is also a business decision taking advantage of a faulty "herd immunity" theory.  The goal of these vaccines is to get 100% vaccinated.  There are 5,000 deaths a year from cervical cancer.  Merck has stated that if 100% are vaccinated they could save 1,000 people dying from cervical cancer.  Do the math - that is only 20% efficacy - does vaccination make any sense?)

Parents of 2,300 students who failed to get needed vaccinations could be fined or thrown in jail
- Washington Post
(Isn't there something wrong with this picture?  Putting people in jail for not vaccinating their kids.  Penalizing parents for saving their kids from chronic diseases, inflammation, decreased mental function, asthma, heart dysfunction paralysis, cancer, alzheimers, autism and many, many more conditions that can and possibly will occur because of vaccines - does vaccination make any sense?)

California 12 year olds to be vaccinated without parents knowing
- Project Avalon
(Okay - these guys are sick.  No one is buying into the vaccine so now they have to not only force it on people, but now justify that sixth graders are competent enough to agree to taking a vaccine without parental consent.  Without knowing your child could be vaccinated.  Seriously, I'm not anti-vaccine, I'm really not, but when Big Pharma goes out and forces people to take their product so they can take in Billions and not take any responsibility for any injuries or death (you can't sue vaccine companies) that doesn't sit well with me.  Something isn't right - does vaccination make any sense?)


Vaccines are expected to bring in more than 35 Billion dollars in 2012
- Vaccine Business Congress
(The truth is that Vaccines is now a business.  The Vaccine Business Congress is a group made up of Vaccine companies which had a website which somehow has now been removed.  However, there is a PDF file online that contains all the details of that very website - claiming that $35 Billion will be made in 2012 in just vaccines alone.  The truth is that the Gardasil vaccine is getting such a lime light because of the Presidential and other elections.  Rick Perry who first ordered a mandate for the HPV vaccine for Texas is closely tied to Merck and the Women In Government who are pushing for the vaccine.  There are more lobbyists in government now for vaccines than any other organization.  This system is tainted.  What once used to be a noble cause has been corrupted and the majority of citizens are the victims.  There is a case in which a girl was influenced to take the Gardasil shot from television ads.  On her third shot, she began to experience serious symptoms - paralysis, epilepsy, strokes, vasculitis, nausea, numbness, tingling, and other symptoms.  A 16 year old girl to prevent herself from a "terrible" virus is now taking 40 pills a day - $2,000 a month out of pocket - to treat these symptoms.  Not only did the companies get their $400 for the three required shots, but that's just chump change when compared to the $2,000 monthly income they out rightly know will be coming in and greedily expect.  It's terrible - does vaccination make any sense . . . for the pharmaceutical companies it sure does - lots of it - I'm just saying . . . )

Salads: Are All Greens Good Greens

For those who know me - especially those who knew me before attending chiropractic school, may be surprised to read a post on anything vegetable oriented (my mom would be so proud). Don't worry, I'm not brain washed.  However, when attempting a raw diet about a year ago I have gained a great appreciation for the raw and natural foods we are blessed with. When I began to realize that bell peppers are actually sweet and tasty rather than being "yucky", my health choices have changed.  I began to be more aware of what I ate and the choices I was making.  I encourage all to do the same.  Salads have become one of my favorite meals - but I have been on both ends.  I once had the idea that a salad = healthy.  I was in the mindset that all greens are good greens, I mean, all veggies are equal right?

I remember several months ago seeing man at a salad bar at a certain pizza place.  I saw his plate and to my surprise it was completely full of lettuce, piled quite high too. In a flash, that pile of lettuce was soon drenched in ranch dressing to where I couldn't see anymore green on his plate. I was shocked, but truthfully at that point I wasn't too far off when it came to my salad choices.

Salads are a great healthy choice, but a salad is truly what we make it.  Not all salads are the same, not all veggies are equal and certainly not all greens are good greens. I just wanted to take a few minutes and share some hints and advice to make a salad a healthier choice - and hopefully make all our choices a little healthier.  Much of what I will share comes from a magazine, Nutrition Action

1. Go Deep For The Greens - The greens are the basics of a salad, and is most vital we don't go stingy.  Most prepared salads or restaurant salads are filled with romaine or iceberg lettuce.  This is a marketing decision more than a health choice.  Romaine and iceberg lettuce along with its little or no nutritional value are also very cheap to supply.  The rule to go by with lettuce is the darker the better.  Dark greens are full of nutritional value.  These are items such as spinach, chard, collard greens, broccoli or kale.  Dark green leafy vegetables should be the staple and corner stone of a healthy diet.  They vary in nutritional value, but not by much.  In general, they are filled with Vitamin A, E, and K along with Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Folate, and the necessary Fiber which are vital to our building blocks of life.  I enjoy and prefer spinach and kale, but it is better to have a variety instead of one type if possible.
2. Add Color To Your Plate - This is a rule for all meals.  The more (naturally) colorful your plate is, generally the better.  This is where we add in the extra veggies.  This is the best part of the salad, to create it the way you want.  This is where we add in bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes (I know its not a true veggie), chickpeas, and any other toppings you would like to try.  Be creative and add some color
3. Add Some Fruits - I never thought of adding fruit until I got married and my wife got creative and added apples or strawberries.  This was something to get used to, but adding fresh fruit is a great addition to a healthy meal.  Other choices are mandarin oranges, berries, grapes or mangoes.  Dried fruits like raisins and cranberries are a popular choice, but should be limited
4. Add In The Protein - Protein should only by about 5-10% of our calorie intake, but a salad is a great way to add in protein.  The most popular choices are nuts, egg whites, or grilled chicken.  Limit nuts if they are high in Sodium content.  Limit grilled chicken or other meats, animal protein should only be half  of our protein intake.  There are some other options we can choose from like sprouts and edamame and even beans.
5. Cut The Cheese - Literally - cut the cheese out.  Beyond my views of dairy products, cheese is low in nutritional content and high in calories, fat, and sodium - is it worth it?
6. Hold The Croutons - Croutons and crispy wontons are not only tasty, but are also refined flour which has no nutritional value and often high in fat content
7. Reconsider Ordering A Wrap Or Panini - Wraps and paninis make creative options, but white flour only adds empty calories
8. Consider Pre-Made Salads - Just a heads up, already made salads are more often filled with high calorie, low nutritional options.  They are also higher in sodium content.  Remember, most restaurants don't have health as a priority in their food choices. It is my belief with any meal that is made at home is the healthier option than eating out
9. Cut The Dressing In Half - Please, not the dressing, anything but the dressing. It is my personal view that Ranch was made by the gods and should be eaten with everything.  I have limited myself, but the thought of limiting ranch on my salad is hard to bare.  This is one I am going to have to consciously follow.  As a general rule cutting the dressing in half is a helpful advice.  A better advice is to make better dressing choices.  I have recently discovered Balsamic Vinaigrette.  If used by this rule, vinaigrette dressings are a healthy option with a great taste

I hope you enjoyed the list.  I thought there were some great advice and reminders.  Salads are such a great option, because they are your creation.  Have fun with it and try new things.  They can be a creative healthy choice, but can also just as easily be harmful.  Just go with the Greens and top it off with the good stuff - Enjoy!

The Germ Theory Is Just A Theory

For centuries, the idea of disease was widely accepted and understood as something that spontaneously happened.  In some parts of the world, disease was often associated with curses, sin and ungodly living.  This idea has come to be known as the spontaneous generation theory.  However, this theory was disproven by Louis Pasteur through his famous boiled broth experiment in the mid 1800's.  Even though he was not the first to propose the Germ Theory, he played a vital role to help it become widely accepted, in so much that he is now known as the father of microbiology.  He explained that broth sealed from exposure to air will not spoil while broth left open to the air would.  Through the birth of the Germ Theory - we now have the advancement of modern medicine that revolves around this very theory.  We have discovered countless of bacteria and viruses - understanding their individual roles and how they create disease.  Modern medicine has been created to fight these known agents, creating pill after pill after pill. Billions of dollars are spent every year on this theory.  Vaccines are produced to protect individuals against such dangers.  Everything we know now stems from this Germ Theory - I sure hope it's correct . . . I mean, it is just a theory after all -

We all have placed our lives in the hands of modern medicine.  We have blindly put our faith in a widely accepted theory.  Have you ever driven down a road you thought was the right one, and soon realized the possibility that it may be the wrong road?  There's a point in which we ponder in doubt whether we should stop now and turn around, or to just keep driving and hope to see something familiar.  Modern medicine is beginning to get to that point now where they may have realized they are down a wrong path, but are at the point of mixed doubt and pride.  They can't turn back now, so they keep going hoping they begin to see something familiar.

I hate to say it - but the germ theory seemed like the good road that we are having doubts about now.  New theories are being proposed in it's place and research is disproving the widely accepted theory.  I'm not saying there is an answer, and possibly that is why there hasn't been any change in direction so far - however, it is vital to really sit down and make the decision of turning around, or just keep going.  Should we continue with a failing health care or should we make the effort to turn back and rethink everything we have known to get back on the right road.  It's a paradigm shift - but that's what its going to have to take.

When we get sick and start running a fever - there are two sides to look at it.  There is the medical model in which states that an agent has invaded the body and is attacking the body.  In this model - it is accepted to take fever reducing medicine, antibiotics, or even pain killers until our body is relieved from this agent.  There is also the holistic model.  The fever is the body's own design to increase internal body temperature in defense to kill off that invading agent.  Most agents are heat sensitive and become inactive in high temperatures. - So then why in the world would we want to take fever reducing medicine which would ultimately help the agent and interfere with our own body's mechanism?  Why in the world would we take an antibiotic which suppresses our own immune system to actually fight the agent?  Why in the world would we take pain killers to rid of pain which is the body's response to telling us that something is wrong - so that we can be relieved of the pain while the cause is still within us?  Why in the world are we still following the medical model?

The germ theory states that for someone to get sick, there must be a causative agent present and in return implies that if there is a causative agent, then that person will get sick - but I question, is it the agent that makes us "sick"?  Let's take a look at one common bacteria - Staph Aureus.  This bacteria is a causative agent for many illnesses ranging from mild infections to very serious and fatal outcomes such as endocarditis, sepsis, or toxic shock - However, if I were to take a swab of your face and put it into a culture - there will be guaranteed Staph Aureus present in the culture.  This very bacteria is all over our body and face. We have billions of bacteria on and inside us - more than there are people in the world or sands on the beach.  We live with these bacteria all around us every second of every day - and yet we aren't "sick" every second of every day - so the question really is - What is making us sick?

The answer surprisingly comes from the medical profession itself which is overlooked - "If a microbe is in or around us all the time and yet causes no disease until we are exposed to stress, what is the cause of our illness, the microbe or the stress?" - Hans Selye - a pioneering endocrinologist who demonstrated the existence of biological stress (He is one with a brilliant and understanding mind which I would recommend looking up and researching).
When Selye poses stress as a major factor, I think we can simplify that as a biological imbalance.  We need to live in balance in several forms.  One major balance is stress - but it can be physiological balance, nervous system balance, nutritional balance, and even a balance between all of these.  Stress when it becomes overwhelming for our body to adapt can be crucial in our health.  Stress effects the nervous system which in turn effects every molecule within and around our body.  It lowers our immune system specifically and creates an imbalance within us - thus making us susceptible for disease.

There is another medical doctor among a few others who understands this model of disease which would be worthwhile to look up - drpalevsky.com - I recommend reading the section - "If Your Child Is Sick" - I may need to just make this it's own post, but this provides a detailed and effective explanation of what happens when we are sick.  Which brings up my next point - Are we really sick when we are "sick"

You often hear the phrases "I caught a cold," or "I got food poisoning."  We say these things with the idea in mind that we caught a "bug" which is making us "sick" - How do we know that we are sick? Our first clue is by the presence of symptoms such as a runny nose, a fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or a cough.  However we are misled by the phrase "Symptoms" when in reality these are biological mechanisms.  All these "symptoms" are not caused by an agent, but rather they are our own body's defense mechanism to destroy and rid of the agent.  We cough, sneeze, vomit, and run a fever as a natural part of our immune defense.  It is our own body creating these mechanisms - and yet we take pills and medicine to reduce these symptoms that our body needs and depends on. Are we now seeing how the modern model of medicine is failing?

Sure, there are some medical treatments that may rid of the agent that our body is fighting, however, it has failed to treat the cause which is the imbalance we have in our very own biology - and thus we continue to get sick over and over and over.  The Germ Theory is an accurate model when it comes to a population of boiled broth, however, when applied to human biology and physiology it fails. A medical treatment toxic enough to destroy an agent, is simply a toxin to our own body.  In order to destroy an agent, sadly we destroy our own body with it.  Instead of building up the body naturally and in harmony with our biology, we continue to destroy it one pill at a time.

Through advanced technology and research - the medical field has done some incredible things.  I don't doubt some of the amazing things that can be done medically.  But among the many medical marvels, we must also be aware of the many medical failures.  Over 106,000 people die each year in the US due to adverse drug effects (these are deaths due to accurate protocol and proper administrations, and do not reflect deaths by errors or overdose) - Iatrogenic death rate.  All medically induced deaths properly administered due to protocol totals itself just under 800,000 a year costing nearly $300 Billion every year. Iatrogenic deaths are among the top five causes of deaths in the US.  The other 4 causes of death are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and lower respiratory diseases - all preventable and lifestyle diseases in which the medical field is failing to treat - because they fail to treat the body.  With all their knowledge and technology and advanced medicine - they cannot stop the growing numbers of these diseases and conditions.  They have come to the point where they know they can't do anything about it, and yet thousands are dying and billions are spent on a Theory.  The Germ Theory, as much as it has provided us, has led us down the wrong road.  It is about time we stop and make the changes necessary to get on the right path.

Having symptoms is a good thing - it means our body has the ability to adapt and fight off infections.  We should acknowledge this understanding and do what we can to help our body in its proper and normal actions.  This means to build our immune system by filling ourselves with natural and healthy nutritional support, and bringing ourselves back into balance in every aspect.  We need to understand the body and it's capabilities in order to regain long lasting health and freedom.  We need to stop - and get back on track, back to health and happiness

Fibromyalgia

I never heard of Fibromyalgia until a couple years ago, and now I hear it all the time. It's just one of those things that I have been more aware of, but I am amazed at the frequency of the condition.  Fibromyalgia is a difficult condition because first it is defined mainly as "unexplained muscle pain" - It is not a disease, and so in the medical profession, since there is no "disease" to treat - there is nothing they can do.  Many I have talked to recently have been told repeatedly "The pain is in your head".

The second problem with Fibromyalgia is that it is often misdiagnosed.  There is a Standard tender point diagnostic tool.  There needs to be 11 out of 18 points that are active.  It seems simple, but is often a challenge and not always followed  This poses as a problem because it is often difficult to reverse the diagnoses and it can hurt employment opportunities or insurance.  The most common differential diagnoses is myofascial trigger points because of its muscle pain description.  Here is a table of the two conditions:

  Fibromyalgia                                                       Trigger Points
  * Widespread pain                                               * Local pain
       (If you can't point to pain with one finger)               (Located with one or two fingers)
  * Soft and doughy muscles                                  * Hard and tense muscles
  * No radiating or referred pain                               * Radiating or referred pain
  * 5:1  more common in females                            * Equal ratio - 1:1

Fibromyalgia can be a very difficult condition to treat - especially if it is not fully understood.  Like many conditions I have recently posted, Fibromyalgia is a chronic stress condition.  It is often associated with a chronic illness or depression.  Fibromyalgia can either be the cause of these, or the result.  When one is in pain, their activity decreases and soon depression sets in.  On the other hand, depression can also create unexplained pain in the body.  They go hand in hand and are often found  together.  Being a stress disorder, Fibromyalgia is more specifically the lack of muscle metabolism. During stress, our body is in an active moment, innately to survive, utilizing our energy sources to run away from danger.  Once our energy sources are depleted, our muscles switch from aerobic metabolism into anaerobic - in this cycle the end product is lactic acid which creates muscle pain.  This is what happens when we work out, we tend to go beyond the capacity of our muscle and soon they switch into anaerobic metabolism and creates that soreness we always feel the day after.  This is normal and uneventful as long as we rest and let our muscles recover.  However, if we never relieve of our selves of stress then our muscles never recover - stuck on anaerobic metabolism and building up of lactic acid.  Our muscles are depleted of all other energy sources.  This is not something that happens over night - it is something that takes several months to even years to occur - depending on the stress levels we face.

Understanding the condition, we can now development a more appropriate treatment.  I think there are two major aspects to focus on  - stress and nutrition.  Remember, this is a chronic condition and so it will take time - up to several months to see improvement.

1.  De-stress - There are  four major ways to reduce stress in their lives.  I suggest finding at least 30 min a day using one of these activities, or maybe all four together

• Chiropractic care - stress regulated under the Autonomic nervous system.  Certain adjustments can help balance the ANS and reduce stress
• Yoga - There are some great yoga exercises that focuses on breathing techniques to help one reduce stress
• Meditation - similar to yoga and implemented into the exercises, but can be done alone and is very beneficial. Meditation can take place in many forms, either as in solitude or even as in prayer
• Exercise - this is a major benefit, but need to be done in caution.  We don't want to stress the muscles any further, so must be done with proper nutritional support and appropriate exercises must be implemented.  A low intensity exercise is best - which can be as simple as a 30 min walk.  Don't push yourself, don't do more than needs to be - or else more stress will be induced.
• Others - These four major stress reducers are necessary and need to be a committed task on a daily bases.  Once these are established, there are some minor things that can be done depending on the person's lifestyle.  These are minor (sometimes major) changes we need to make in our lives I think which can be done by an individual bases.  However, we often know what is causing our stress and we let it take over our lives.  It can be work, school ,or something going on at home.  There are some minor things as well that we don't realize, like listening to the news which only creates bad thoughts and  fear.  Sometimes we cannot eliminate some of these stressers, but we can manage them better in our lives. 

2.  Nutritional Support - The foods we eat can also create stress.  There are foods we need to avoid, like Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners (Splenda, Nutra-Sweet, anything that says Diet or sugar-free) , and Preservatives.  There may be certain foods we may be allergic to that would be helpful to be tested for.  Mainly for Fibromyalgia - this is about nutritional support.  This is about replacing the body with nutrients and energy that our bodies have depleted to help our muscles recover and to work properly again in aerobic metabolism

• Vitamin B12 and Folate - B12 is often found in meats, a small portion is sufficient.  Folic acid is mainly found in green leafy vegetables
• Acetyl L-Carnitine - Carnitine is a major component in muscle that has been lost
• Co-Q10 - This is also called Ubiquinone or Ubiquinol.  This is a major factor in aerobic metabolism.
• Vitamin D and E  - These are two vitamins often found lacking in fibromyalgia patients
• Magnesium - Magnesium is beneficial for muscles
• Others - Unfortunately for my lack of experience, there are a couple other methods that I would like to see the results for before recommending - however, I can see two other things being very beneficial for this type of condition and would be worth looking into

                   1. Guto Kola Complex - This is a Standard Process product.  This is a product that is designed                     to help with pain, inflammation, and one thing I can see it being beneficial is that is reduces oxidative stress in the body, improving aerobic metabolism. It also helps with gut ecology which would help make sure the GI tract is absorbing properly.  It seems almost too good to be true, and so I am anxious to to see the results of such a product first hand

                   2. Laser Therapy - Cold Laser therapy is designed to help with cellular metabolism.  The laser set at a certain levels communicates to certain cell receptors.  One major receptor is for the mitochondria activation to make energy.  Simply, it wakes up the cell to work again.  Laser therapy may not be a stand alone procedure to help treat fibromyalgia, but I can see it being beneficial when added to the other therapies to help the muscle wake up and work properly again.  It may be possible that the muscle has nutrients necessary, but may have been out of use for so long that it may need that reactivation to get things going again.  Just like Guto Kola, I would like to see first hand results, but is something to look into

Vaccines: A Friend's Reply

Here are some comments I found somehow in my spam from a respected friend and medical intern.  These comments are in regard to my post on Vaccines which brought up some areas of debate.  I unfortunately didn't see them earlier and thought it would be fair for me to share without any alterations, edits, or reply. I respect his position and hope this encourages an open forum -


As mentioned before, I believe your intentions are honest and your desire to provide health advice pure, even if we disagree on several points. You are correct to believe that there has been and continues to be a link between medical training and pharm companies, but I think this relationship is much smaller and less profound than you believe it to be. During my first two years of school, anyone lecturing on pharmacology had to disclose any conflicts of interest. At all national and international meetings where new research and treatments are presented, presenters and authors disclose any conflicts of interest as a matter of routine. Failing to disclose this information or fraudulently denying ties to the pharm companies carries serious consequences and will essentially ruin the career of anyone who does it. As a whole, the medical community is sensitive to this issue because there have been problems in the past, and many changes have been made and regulations put in place to control these problems. (You'll often hear doctors complain they don't even get free pens anymore) Several years ago I read about a Harvard medical student who called out his professor because he failed to disclose his ties to the industry and gave biased lectures. Harvard has since changed policies to keep this from happening again. (Surprisingly, most medical schools already had these policies in place, way to lead the way Harvard) I'm not naive enough to believe there won't ever be problems again at any medical school, and I actually believe some industry money is a good thing provided it is closely monitored and drives innovation and new research. Any education I've received regarding drugs during medical school has been couched in terms of safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and mechanism of action. Occasionally the price of the drug is brought into the discussion, but only in terms of trying to save the patient money with an equally efficacious and safe generic. I honestly can plead ignorance as to who manufactures almost any of the drugs I've come in contact with during medical school.

Regarding diabetes, diet and exercise, or "lifestyle modification" is always the first step undertaken when treating a patient with diabetes and exists in many official standard of care algorithms used by physicians. I have witnessed this first hand while working in a family practice clinic last year. (This clinic even had a diabetes nutritionist on staff to help educate people with a new diagnosis or anyone who needed further help) As you very well know, not everyone actually modifies their lifestyles, and short of going to their homes and forcing them spit out their sprinkled donuts, there's not much else we can do for people who don't have the desire to change. I'm glad I'll have more than just a hammer in my tool belt when I encounter those patients. When diet and exercise fails, I'll have a wide variety of pharmacological tools to employ, and can actually tailor my therapies in accordance to various co-morbid conditions a particular patient might have. It is true that for patients whose HbA1c levels are off the charts, we will start some drugs right away, but we do try some some prevention before reaction in this instance. For a humorous account about why medicine does tend to be more reactive than proactive, read this link. http://www.pandabearmd.com/2007/04/25/pie-will-out/ a small taste: Most education, like most preaching, is ineffectual. The parson can talk himself blue in the face but the bars will still be open and the fancy women will have no shortage of customers because unless people have some strong personal motivation for change, a motivation which cannot be accessed by the usual uninspired preacher or government scold, they will continue to indulge their immediate gratification at the expense of of some unknowable future punishment. Late at night, when the motivational speakers have gone home and the skinny lady from the university has stopped trying to extract impossible promises, the siren call of the pecan pie in the refrigerator is irresistible. Pie will out. This simple yet seductive desert will trump our best efforts. When you’re three hundred pounds hoping to lose the fleshy equivalent of a couple of sixth graders, the smooth seduction of caramelized Karo syrup and the smokey crunch of jumbo pecans offers immediate gratification with which no nebulous promise of low blood pressure can hope to compete. It was my mistake to bring up the autism link as you did not, and I didn't mean to imply that you did. I should have stated instead that one can't dismiss any and all research showing benefit from vaccines because one believes they are funded by pharm companies. As we both acknowledge, the bias goes both ways. I think we will have part ways about our positions on the flu vaccine. To be clear, your stance in one of opinion and not logic. (Although I whole heartedly admire and acknowledge that your stance on the matter is a rather ballsy one) To believe as you do, that "it is impossible to have any valid vaccine to prevent the flu" is to believe that legions of employees from the CDC, World Health Organization and pharmaceutical companies, as well as countless pediatricians and physicians, most of whom are rather well educated folks who routinely get the flu vaccine themselves, are motivated not by compassion but by greed, and are all in on some massive conspiracy aimed at getting unsuspecting victims to fork up 20 bucks once a year to get thimerosol injections. It is also to believe that all the research supporting the use of the influenza vaccine is written by dishonest people willing to not only gamble their professional credibility, but are willing to inject even their own children to keep the charade alive, year after year. I can't possibly believe that, but I respect the level of conviction needed to.

ADHD - A letter to a mother

This a letter I have recently written to a mother in need with her 3 year old son diagnosed with ADHD:

Dear Mother

I first want to wish you and your son all the best.  I wrote down and looked up my notes on the topic and made a list of things that WILL help.  Much of what I will share came from and can correlate with a power point you can find on an open website - http://box.net/standardprocess

I would recommend that you look and read the power point yourself and to have it to keep it as a reference for you and for your son. There are some major areas of concern when it comes to ADHD, They are Neurological imbalance, Nutritional deficiency, and Allergic reactions.

Allergies: 
I think the first thing to do is to find any allergies your son may have.  These are things that are harming your son that need to be eliminated.

1. Sugar - an average child eats 150 lbs of sugar every year.  We need to eliminate our sugar intake.  This includes regular table sugar, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour.  This includes more than just candy.  This includes cereals, juices, milk, ketchup, and dressings.  Even if it claims to be healthy, it can be loaded with sugar. It is important to read the labels and ingredients.  These sugars are refined which makes it difficult for our body to digest, is a valuable food source for bacteria and other infections, and destroys our nerve cells.

2. Food additives - companies have found ways to make food taste better and look better, unfortunately at the expense of our health. These are thins like nitrates, MSG, food dyes, and artificial sweeteners. YES, artificial sweeteners like splenda or nutrasweet.  These are things that are are sweet but claim to be diet or sugar free. Many people try to eliminate sugar by eating these sugar free foods - yet it is more harmful.  Artificial sweeteners have another name - NEUROTOXIN - because that is what they do.  They destroy our brain cells, and should be avoided.

3. Other allergies - You can get an allergy test done.  The most common childhood allergies are egg, peanut, and milk.  Dairy is often a big allergy for children. Dairy is also associated with many gut dysfunctions.  Find any other allergies that may be present and avoid them for the next little while

4. Metal Toxicities - certain heavy metals can have an effect on the brain and nervous system.  You can order a heavy metal toxicity test to see if there may be a problem.  This is best done by a hair analysis.  I have heard that Garlic is the best thing to take to rid of metals in the body.

Nutritional Support
Now that we've eliminated the issues - we now need to replace the body with proper nutrition.  Most of this should come from the foods we eat, but there are certain supplements that have a great effect on ADHD.  Add fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet.  The power point has a list of some good foods to include on your diet, but here are a few key points.

1. Drink water or no sugar added juices
2. Eat at least one fresh fruit or vegetable at every meal.
3. Most fats should be good fats - avocados, Omega-3's from fish or tuna or supplements, coconut oil, olive oil.
4. No sugar, dairy, or cereal in the morning - This is a major problem we face in our society.  We inject our kids with sugar every morning and send them off to school where they are forced to sit and listen for hours. It is important to start our mornings off right.  Oatmeal is a good breakfast sweetened with raw honey and cinnamon, or even a smoothie is a good morning meal. It also makes a good treat.  Make smoothies with fresh fruit without adding sugar.  Bananas are a good fruit to sweeten things up naturally or berries.
5. During this time - no processed foods - no foods from packages or no food from restaurants.  Fresh whole foods are so vital for proper nutrition.

Here are a few extra supplemental things to add for best support - (much of these can be found and purchased at Standard Process)

1. Bacopa Complex - Relief of nervous tension and stress, improves mental function and concentration, improves memory and learning,  - very important
2. OPC Synergy - I don't know its exact effects, but helps the Bacopa
3. DHA (Omega -3) - Improves brain function
4 Probiotics - Our gut has billions of bacteria in it - most of which are good for us.  Probiotics are the good bacteria.  Infections and allergies occur when there are very little good bacteria that allows the bad bacteria to grow.  If we include more good bacteria, it will suppress the bad creating a greater balance in our gut
5 A child's multi-vitamin - just another way to make sure your son is getting enough nutrition.

Neurological Imbalance -
This isn't so much treating the cause, but rather providing the best potential possible.  The website recommends doing the nutrition for 100 days or for 3 months. I would try it for the first month, and note any improvements.  After the first month and seeing the improvements - then I would begin including the brain balancing exercises.

1. Go see a Chiropractor - I know I am a chiropractic student, but it is vital to see a chiropractor to help the nervous system function properly and provide the best brain functioning support.  Like I said - 90% of our brain function depends on our joint motion.  A chiropractor adjusts the body to helps the joints move properly.  He can also adjust in a way to balance the brain.

2. Exercise - Get him involved in a committed activity where he is moving and exercising.  Again, motion is good for brain health.  I would strongly suggest to take away and hide the X-Box and to limit TV.  I know he may not like it, but you have to do it.

3. Brain Balancing exercises - There may be certain exercises that you or the chiropractor can do that can help balance the body and thus help balance the brain. This can be as simple as balancing on one leg or other exercises that focus on balance.

I know this may seem like a lot, but I know if you do everything possible for the first month - you will see a great improvement.  He may not like it, and it may get very frustrating at first.  We all get that way when we cleanse our bodies of toxins, but once the body adapts and is filled with the good things - there are great moments ahead.  I am here for any support and for any questions.  I am excited and anxious to hear the progress. Keep me informed.

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux, or also known as Heartburn or in the medical world as GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease) is a very common condition that hundreds and thousands have dealt with.  The reason for acid reflux is still unknown and the cause is debated.  Acid reflux is the loss of tone of the lower esophageal sphincter that connects to the stomach, in which stomach acid retracts up the esophagus causing the "heartburn" or a burning chest pain.  The medical world describes the condition as too much acid in the stomach, thus prescribing or suggesting antacids.  However, the mechanism indicates a sphincter issue rather than an acid issue.  I believe many relate Acid reflux with too much acid because in many cases it is associated with eating spicy foods.  But I would like to argue a different point.  The loss of tone in the sphincter may be more of a stress induced issue.

In our nervous system, we have the parasympathetic system that controls our visceral and other functions during rest and relaxation.  The sympathetic system controls these functions during times of stress.  Let me explain, if a bear was chasing you, would that be a stressful situation?  Now, at that moment would it be better to spend energy with your muscles and blood vessels to run, or would it be better to digest your food and slow down your heart? In stressful situations, our body functions how it needs to, thus digestion control is not the main focus.  If digestion is not being controlled, the parasympathetic system that controls the esophageal sphincter doesn't function - thus a dysfunction of the esophagus, creating a lack of tone allowing for the acid in the stomach to retract up.

So, what if we are not being chased by a bear - how is Acid reflux caused? Chronic stress can create the same scenario.  If we never allow the parasympathetic system to function (by always being stressed) then we lose the tone.  Many things can cause stress.  Often, Acid reflux is associated with weight gain, certain foods, alcohol, pregnancy, age (older), caffeine, a fatty diet, eating large meals, smoking, and certain medications.  When it comes to spicy foods, this is a short but direct stresser to the body.  Sweating is a sympathetic function, often accompanied with eating spicy foods, so therefore the parasympathetic is not functioning and the sphincter is loose. For older patients, it is best to check other conditions first such as peptic ulcers, esophageal cancer, or Barrett's esophagus which can lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma.

So how would I begin to treat a patient with Acid Reflux -

1. Get Adjusted - Again, many of my treatments will include an adjustment, but I will do my best to back up my answers.  There are several different methods that can be done with an adjustment.  First, stress is a right minded issue and so adjusting segments on the right side of the body will activate the left side of the brain, thus re-establishing the balance and reduce the stress.  Second, adjusting certain segments of the body that are associated with the parasympathetics would help activate the parasympathetic system.  And third, there is a specific segment associated with the nerves that control the esophagus.  Usually adjusting the middle back will help with the condition.
2. Relax - This is a stress issue, so it is best to find some relaxation and reduce that stress.  I'm not just talking about sitting on the couch in front of the TV, but to take time for yourself and truly de-stress
3. Avoid the Stressers - Many people know what triggers their reflux.  These stressers need to be avoided.  However, many people don't realize that their weight or medications could be the cause as well.  Take note of the list of things that could be possible causes
4. Apple Cider Vinegar - taking about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar has been shown to improve the condition. I have heard this a couple of times.  I would like to see how well it works, but it is highly recommended.  Again, this is not an acid issue.  In fact, it may be actually a lack of acid in this condition.  Because if proper digestion is altered, then acid is not being produced. 
5. Change diet habits - Acid reflux is often associated with eating large meals and lying down.  Changing our diet habits can help by eating smaller frequent meals during the day.  Avoid lounging or lying down after meals.

Depression

Realizing that most of my class work is coming to an end and there's not as much new material presented, I thought it would be best fit to redirect the focus of my blog.  I will still try to post things I find and hear in class or in any outside settings. And I will still try to post articles that come my way. I am also open for any suggestions.  However, I am soon to be entering my clinical portions of school and thought it would be more insightful to you and more valid for me to share certain conditions that real people are dealing with.  I will try sharing common conditions, telling what the condition is, how it presents and most importantly what I would do or what can be done to help treat these conditions.  I think and hope it can help many who suffer on a daily basis with no options provided.  I will start with Depression.

Depression is more than just sadness.  It's more than just grieving or sorrow.  Depression is a chronic state of mind that effects the nervous system, physiology and the physical condition.  It is often triggered by a tragic event in one's life either a death in the family or going through a divorce, but it doesn't always have to.  It can be as simple as having a chronic illness or dealing with a stressful environment.  About 10-20% of patients treated in a medical office suffer from depression is more common in women.  The statistics vary, however, anti-depressant drugs are the most common prescribed drugs on America - costing $44 Billion annually.

Depression is a very serious condition.  It can be accompanied by a chronic illness which perpetuates the situation and can lead to even more serious conditions such as Bipolar disorder, Mood disorder, and even suicide. But why has it become more prevalent? Is there more tragedy in today's world? Even though we are in a never ending stressful society, there is a larger problem in the mix.  Depression is misunderstood, misdiagnosed and more importantly mistreated.  The anti-depressant market is a business. One should not be on the medication any longer than six months, and yet most if not every person I've talked to has been on it for five, ten, fifteen years.  Medical treatments are only adding to the cycle.

Just a side note.  I would like to share how depression begins its cycle.  It starts off with a Stresser, whether its a tragic event or something smaller like moving to a new area.  Stress signals to the amygdala in the brain.  The amygdala releases CRH.  CRH activates the sympathetic nervous system which releases gluccocorticoids. That's all natural.  However, if the stress is chronic the gluccocorticoids stimulates the amygdala which again releases more CRH and so the cycle begins. During this cycle, there are two hormones in the brain that are depleted. Those are Dopamine and Serotonin. These two hormones are key in depression and many other mental disorders.  Dopamine in this case helps one see the future or to see themselves going ahead in life.  Serotonin gives us that "happy" feeling.  It's obvious that when these two hormones are depleted - Depression kicks in (Not feeling "happy" with no hope for the future).  These people appear "sad", or "low", or "just not right".  But honestly, people will try to hide it the best they can and it can be hard to detect.  Ask about or observe sleeping disturbances, appetite changes, energy levels, or a random lost of interests that they previously enjoyed.  Possibly take notice of change in relationships, of any chronic illnesses, any tragic events in life, or any talks of hurting or killing themselves. It's important to listen and take action.  One thing about depression is the feeling of being ALONE.  They can be surrounded by thousands and yet they still feel lonely.  They feel like no one understands them and no one cares.  Its a vicious cycle.

Here I would like to provide some treatment options.  These are mostly things that I have learned about that I would implement in my own practice.  I will try to explain each treatment how it can help in the condition.

1. Get Adjusted - Depression may not seem like it would be in the scope of chiropractic care, but it is Vital for treating depression.  I know that most of my treatment plans may include an adjustment, but I plan on giving valid explanations on why it should be done.  An adjustment in this condition will have two main effected.  First, proper and healthy brain function depends on sensory input and 90% of our sensory comes from joint proprioception.  Adjusting the fixated joints will reconnect sensory input in the brain.  Second, a specific adjustment of the spine can help re-establish parasympathetic dominance, relieving the mind and body from the conditional stress.
2. Exercise - This is the #1 way to increase Serotonin levels in the brain.  There is no other substitute. But one must understand that Depression didn't just happen in days - it took months.  And so a light jog now and again won't cut it.  It requires committed and determined effort of at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and more activity during the day.
3. Yoga - Yoga has been proven over time to heal the body, and it all has to do with its stress relief capabilities.  There is a specific kind called Hatha that focuses on deep breathing exercises.  Deep breathing exercises help relax the mind and body.  Also to avoid constant stress, please refer to my post Don't Stress It
4. Counseling - This has to do more than just talking it out.  With Depression, there is a feeling of emptiness and loneliness.  Seeking counseling helps provide someone they may be able to trust and not feel so "alone"
5. Nutritional Support - 

• Omega-3 (EPA or DHA) - helps with mental function
• 5-HTP - increases serotonin levels
• Magnesium - increases cellular activity and serotonin function
• Valerian root - used for relaxation and a sleep aid
• PQQ - this may be a last effort supplement, but has shown to increase dopamine levels

I hop this helps.  I would like to continue to share more conditions that are common.  I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions to see if this is headed in the right direction. Thanks

McDonald's: Adding Insult To Injury

I just returned from McDonald's (don't judge me).  It was a birthday party and felt obligated to go. Besides the fact that I believe fast food restaurants are the single evil that has destroyed our health as a society, I'm not really railing on food chains. It was more the accessories that I noticed this time around.  This particular restaurant has been recently remodeled, and so it is very up to date.  However, it changed from a large square room with booths to a multi-room entertainment center.  The main room was rectangular with two 30 something inch flat screens on the wall, and every booth had a touch screen TV that had several different games on it to play.  In the back was a lounge with leather seats and a 52 inch flat screen on the wall playing CNN or something.  Even the kids area all had touch screens at the booths.  If it wasn't for the small play area - that place was more like a grave site.

I'm sorry to sound so grim, but it truly was shocking to me. It's not just McDonald's.  Our society just doesn't get it.  Not only is the food a health risk, they add on to the problem.  Now we have TV's while we eat which only creates worse of a problem.

McD's now stands for Myocardial Infarction, Cancer, and Diabetes - because that's what you're going to get when you eat there.  You might as well just order it with your triple mcdouble patty with bacon.
Customer: I'll have the McCardial Burger with a large tumor
Worker: Would you like some Diabetes with that?
Customer: Do you have Insulin-resistant?
Worker: No sorry, we just have insulin free diabetes
Customer: Ok, I'll take that  . . . and can you throw in some packets of ADD

I'm not trying to make lite of the issue, I'm trying to show how serious of an issue this truly is. Not only are we eating the food.  Now we are sitting motionless watching TV while we eat, promoting obesity.  Now we are distorting our posture, creating mental dysfunction.  Now we are watching CNN or whatever, creating stresses while we eat which decreases are digestion, promoting release of cancer causing agents as our food sits in our digestive tract.  This is real stuff.  Wasn't it nice back in the day when all we had to do was worry about the food we are eating? It's only getting worse my friends.  Hang in there.  Take control.

Melaleuca: The Wellness Company

In Chiropractic philosophy, we are taught and we preach about the three T's: Trauma, Toxins, and Thoughts.  I have mentioned them on here myself.  Traumas are simple to understand when it comes to the chiropractic adjustment.  Thoughts are also intuitive as we've discussed the effects of stress and the power of positive thinking.  However, when it comes to Toxins, we hear about it without doing much about it.  Most of us go about doing the same routine as before, eating the same foods, using the same detergents, using the same soaps, putting on the same makeup and hair gel, and even brushing our teeth with the same tooth paste all of these with chemicals and toxins that harm our body.  But it simply isn't our fault.  We are left with no other options  When we get injured, there are choices out there to help our body heal.  When we are stressed, there are choices out there to help us de-stress.  Besides nutrition, there are nearly no other options to protect us against harmful chemicals.

In the recent years, many companies have picked up and ran with the "Go Green" slogan. However, The only thing "Green" about these products is the title.  A Mercola article helps explain how these claims are deceiving. Green Cleaners. Using the terms "Geen" and "Natural" is all a marketing scheme.  It may be that some of the ingredients are "Naturally" found or that the container is biodegradable while still containing harmful ingredients. And in some cases, some companies may even omit certain materials from the ingredients list.  So why hasn't there been a real effort in these companies to provide better and safer products?  Some have with failing results.  It is not a mystery that these products are harmful.  We put them up high or down low in less accessible areas.  They often come with childproof lids and the cabinets are often childproof as well. It is any mother's nightmare that their child should get into the cleaning products.  That fear became a reality in my own family.  These products can hurt, damage and even kill - and yet we use them on a daily basis.  Since July of 2010 - Phosphorus has been limited in cleaning products (not eliminated, but reduced) after a long effort.  Phosphorus as been a long lasting staple in cleaning products used as the main ingredient which increased the effectiveness.  However, phosphorus is also known to promote algae proliferation and thus killing marine life.  This was an environmental act, not a health act.  So what are the remaining chemicals often used in these products?

• 2-butoxyethanol - destroys red blood cells, damages reproductive organs, causes birth defects (no research on carcinogenic effects have been done)
• Ammonia - irritating to eyes, nose, throat, damaging to lungs and digestive tract, damage to heart and nervous system
• 1,4 - dichlorobenzene - irritation to nose and throat, dizziness, asthma
• Nonylphenol ethoxylates - reproductive defects, liver damage, kidney damage
• Chlorine - irritation to eyes, nose, throat, damage to lungs and digestive tract, damage to heart and nervous system.  Creates acid environment in body which destroys cells
• Glycol ethers - Toxic to lungs, digestive tract, kidney, cardiovascular, nervous system, liver, reproduction, and causes developmental toxicity
• Phthalates - reproductive damage in boys
• Ethanolamines - carcinogenic, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity
• Formaldohyde - carinogenic

And that's just a small list.  There have been 133 unsafe chemicals found in various products in which about 34 of them have been classified by federal law as toxic or hazardous.  In my search on these chemicals, I often found the phrase, "cheap" or "inexpensive" - These companies risk health over dollars, and if it has taken this long to finally rid of phosphorus to help the environment, we can't sit around waiting for something to be done for our health.  We need a better option -

I would like to introduce you to Melaleuca - The Wellness Company.  This company started just over 25 years ago with the goal to provide natural, chemical-free products that was safe for the family, the home, and the environment.  Melaleuca is actually a name of a plant also known as Tea Tree in which we get the essential Tea Tree Oil used commonly as an anti-fungal and antibacterial agent.  This became the bases of the company that bares the same name - to use natural and safer ingredients to achieve effective results. There are now over 300 products ranging from laundry detergent, to makeup, to protein shakes, to tooth paste - all chemical-free and safe.  They were Green before anyone knew what "green" was - no marketing scheme

But it goes beyond being natural.  Not only are all the products safe for the family, home and environment, but these products have greater benefits

• They are more effective
• They last longer
• Save you money

We have personally used these products off and on.  My wife used to work for them and was able to get free products monthly.  She swore by these products, saying the clothes washed better, her teeth felt better, her skin felt better, and everything cleaned better than any other product.  When we got married, we weren't sure if we could keep with them and decided to use other products.  For these nearly six years, my wife has constantly compared what we were using to Melaleuca products.  We finally and just recently decided to make the switch again.  The products do work better and they last longer because they are more concentrated.  A bottle of lotion will last for months.  A bottle of laundry soap will do 96 loads compared to the 32 loads of other brands.  The Melaleuca brand costs about $5 dollars more, but when it lasts three times as long and cleans better - you are getting a better product that lasts longer and truly saves you money - and not to let you forget, it's all chemical free and safe.

 I'm truly not trying to sell anything.  We talk about avoiding toxins for our health and it's about time we do something.  It's about time we make the switch.  But mainly, most people don't even know there is even an option.  You can visit Melaleuca.com for more information about the company and their products.  If you are interested in making the switch and to choose better products for our health - you can contact me or I do have a friend who sells Melaleuca locally.  I'll leave our contact information at the bottom. Our bodies are amazing, and have a great knowledge to adapt and filter the toxins, but we are now exposed too much - much more than ever before.  Avoiding these chemicals can have a great benefit in our life.

Tyson - nd53irish24@gmail.com

Steven- aprilandsteven@wedeliverwellness.com

Food Allergies On The Rise

This is part 2 of 2

I often check up on a facebook page that I think everyone should check called Y-files.  It began asking the "Why" questions and it's quest is to find the answers.  It is a page filled with current updated articles and reports that concerns our health. It was just recently that I read an article - Food allergies affect 1-in-12 kids.
It didn't surprise me, but it was an interesting article to read.  It was just a few days after that I saw the Today show video raising the same issues - Today Health.


This is truly becoming an issue and becoming widespread.  We have all heard of someone having a reaction to a food and swelling up or breaking out, but as the article states, they are finding out that most (3 out of 5) reactions are not severe or life threatening.  This is just the beginning when starting to understand food allergies.  Most allergies go unnoticed.  Most food allergies are considered a Type 1 reaction, which are reactions that occur within minutes to hours.  However, most food allergies are probably a delayed reaction which occur unknowingly.  When we get "food poisoning", we often think of the last thing we ate and not often think back to what we ate two days ago that could have been the cause.  And since most are mild reactions, we often just live through it without giving it much of a thought.  Reactions could be as simple as feeling fatigued or a headache.  It seems more now than ever I hear constantly about allergies.  Someone states, "Oh, it's just my allergies." without giving it any thought, almost like second nature.  The alarming thing about these studies is that it is becoming much more prevalent now in children and it is important to understand why.

Food allergies can generally be considered an auto-immune reaction.  There is a condition that is becoming more understood called Leaky Gut.  The gut is lined with small holes that allow for absorption.  Leaky Gut is when these hole become larger and allow larger particles through that shouldn't be absorbed.  The gut of a newborn is not fully formed, considered "leaky" until about 1 years old, but probably not completely formed until later in life (about 5-10 years old). Adults can also receive a Leaky Gut by infections, poor diet, or imbalance of normal bacteria which perforates the gut. When the dysfunctional gut allows passage of larger, foreign particles, our immune system tags them as foreign.  When we expose ourselves again, our immune system already knows these particles as foreign and continues to attack - creating a reaction.

Both articles state that the most common food allergies are Peanuts, Milk, and Shellfish.  I don't think this list is surprising.  I would probably put Milk as the number one cause, but most reactions and allergies to Milk are the ones that go unnoticed, or at least unaware of any association.  Even the nutritional expert on the show tries her best to raise the fact that Dairy is unnecessary in our diet without saying too much. Here is a list of more severe reactions that can occur

• Tingling in mouth
• Hives
• Swelling
• Wheezing/difficulty breathing
• Abdominal pain
• Dizziness
• Anaphylactic shock

Just as the articles are congruent with the concern of the rise of allergies in children, they both ask WHY?  The video brought up a few thoughts, and I have my own.  There are four ideas that I think may be a factor.

1. Bacterial Imbalance - The Doctor in the video called it being "germaphobe".  I don't know if this is completely accurate, but it can be a factor.  We are entering a phase of Anti-bacteria.  The misunderstanding is that most of the bacteria on and in our body is beneficial and helpful.  When we kill the bacteria, we rid of the good bacteria along with the bad. Unfortunately, this doesn't last and when the bad bacteria resurfaces, there is no longer the overgrowth of good bacteria to counteract thus causing infections. There has been research to show that most children with milk allergies lack certain probiotics in the gut.
2. Early Introduction of Foods - This goes back to the Leaky Gut concept.  The Doctor in the video also mentioned this.  Not only are we introducing foods too early, but we are bombarding them with several foods at once instead of one at a time. The most common for this is milk (cow's milk, powdered milk, formula milk).  With the numerous excuses for not breastfeeding (work, it's uncomfortable, don't have the time, my husband doesn't like it, whatever) more and more women are choosing to opt out on nursing or only nurse for a short while.  Milk is introduced way too soon to an infant child whose gut is not formed fully. Formula milk associated with childhood Diabetes.  Too many new foods introduced at one time can also cause immune chaos.
3. Poor Diet - This is more of my thoughts, but a poor diet can create a poor immune function.  This may be included with the bacterial infection idea, or even early introduction of foods, but the article stated that most of these allergies are found in minority groups.  It's more an association than anything, but minority groups live in a more economically poor areas associated often with poor diets which includes processed foods, sugary diets, and less healthy choices.  These types of foods are health destroying while whole foods are health promoting.
4. Genetics - Again, this is just a theory.  I don't blame genetics like most people blame genetics.  Rather, there has been a study done on animals showing that a disease in the parent subject continues down to the offspring and it took several generations to rid of the disease among any offspring.  Meaning, we carry the potential diseases from generations before.  I believe this is why so many diseases and conditions are becoming so prevalent as we are not only exposing ourselves to these diseases but we also have been made genetically susceptible to others.  We are genetically susceptible which seems to keep a running tally, adding up until it becomes too much.  This isn't a reason to blame genetics and think we are absolutely doomed.  However, this means we need to do more than ever before to keep ourselves protected and healthy - and most importantly, it means we need to make these decisions now to provide a better future for the next rising generation, instead of continuing cycle.

I believe these are the major factors and possibly and most likely a combination of them all.  The next phase is now to ask what can we do?  I think it simply comes down to Prevention (avoid the risk factors mentioned) and Repair.  I don't know if we can fully get rid of allergies, but we can certainly provide better protection.  We can introduce a detoxifying diet to rid of the causing agents, and then repair our systems with a health promoting diet and probiotics.  It may only be 8% that we know of, but food allergies effect us all.  These stats are only evidence of the digression of health we are facing.  It's time to take back our Health