tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25628739952038254712024-03-08T16:31:45.299-06:00The Chiropractic Methoddedicated to the Chiropractic profession; to healing without drugs or surgery; and to teaching others about optimum health.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-74358690058727640672012-01-19T21:55:00.001-06:002012-01-19T21:55:40.826-06:00Visit Our New Website<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Please visit the website of <a href="http://www.redmountainchiro.com/">Red Mountain Chiropractic</a>. We are excited to be offering our expertise in health and healing to the Treasure Valley Region! Bookmark our new page as we are continually updating it with articles and information.</div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-39286741345850918662011-10-06T20:40:00.004-05:002011-10-06T20:41:24.321-05:00A Thyroid PerspectiveWe need to think biochemically. Thyroid hormone acts by activating receptors --> activating DNA --> causing mitochondria to increase energy output. This is essentially what thyroid hormone does. It increases metabolic rate b/c it increases cellular engine speed - the mitochondria. The brain has the most mitochondria, thus the most thyroid receptors. This is why brain fog occurs - low mito fxn, low brain power. The stomach acid link is here too. The parietal cells in the stomach have possibly more mitochondria than any other cell in the body b/c they need power to pump acid uphill against a 3,000,000:1 gradient. Low thyroid will impair parietal cell fxn, which will weaken stomach acid AND intrinsic factor for B12 absorption. Now low B12 will lead to methylation issues b/c it is METHYLcobalamin - an important methyl donor. Low stomach acid and low brain are caused by many of the same problems. Mitos all over your body will not be working well either, so you feel fatigued.<br /><br />Everything also is susceptible to stress so when our cortisol and adrenalin are high, sympathetics dominate. This further slows stomach output, and it also changes bloodflow from the cortical areas in brain into the more reptilian, primitive areas. Compulsiveness, anxiety, lack of attention, personality changes - the things that make us human don't function well when we are under chronic stress.<br /><br />Estrogen affects everything too. It raises binding globulin in the bloodstream so even though the thyroid hormone is in the blood, it cannot activate its receptor. This is why heavy menstruation is associated with low thyroid. When estrogen is high, thyroid is low. Also, liver slows down clearance of hormones so estrogen levels rise higher still. Add to that methylation problems where detox pathways are already slowed, and the hits keep on coming.<br /><br />Mitos are very sensitive to oxidative stress, to inflammation. Toxins create inflammation and that disrupts mitochondria. This is MOSTLY the reason for all fatigues, including thyroid. It is a toxin-stress equation that burns/rusts/damages our mitochondria and so all cellular function slows down. The thyroid just tries to ramp things up by going into overdrive. This wears out the thyroid, and the adrenals are also involved from the beginning too. People seem to have low thyroid, and live off their adrenal reserve, until it depletes. Then they crash.<br /><br />So if you are toxic (we all are), if you are also a poor methylator (most are), and if you are stressed out (who isn't), then the entire endocrine system will be distorted. The body will make do with what it has, but some pathways will suffer more than others. The thyroid is just reacting to the imbalance. There is nothing wrong with the thyroid 90% of the time. But how many people just get drugs and are told "live with it"? How many people actually overcome their hypothyroid condition? Too few thats for sure.<br /><br />We need to detox estrogens, both biological and xenobiotic. We need to get the gallbladder functioning, b/c low bile means low absorption of essential fats and A,D,E, and K. When cells are made of saturated, trans, or hydrogenated fats, they don't communicate very well. They are plastic cells b/c of plastic fats. We absolutely need omega 3's and they improve health by at least 13 different mechanisms. So GB function is needed to absorb fish oils, which are needed in the membranes of your cells. We also need choline and other important methyl donors b/c our diets are deficient, our bodies don't make enough, and we are toxic so we are using more at a faster rate. Choline helps the Liver metabolize fat too. <br /><br />If you are trying to get pregnant, the risks with age can all be understood as methylation problems. See, women need lots of methyl donors b/f, during pregnancy. Without enough folic acid for example there are neural tube defects. They are 100% preventable with enough nutrition. Same with fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol depletes folic acid in the liver and creates a methyl deficiency which screws up development. Methyl donors are critical for all cell division so when we are little and growing, they are very necessary. To make sure you are going to have a healthy pregnancy, of course you want lots of methyl support. With age, our methylation ability drops too so this will help with that. The reason Downs Syndrome appears more often with age is the same thing. Methyl donors are depleted over time and when women become pregnant, its too late. It can be prevented with high dose, quality nutrients.<br /><br />Well, lots to think about. Just know that the key to changing the body, is to change the body. Chiropractic changes position, nutrition changes composition, and they all work together.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-84885050524844918832011-07-14T14:07:00.005-05:002011-08-26T13:39:18.876-05:00The Why Behind Gluten FreeHave you noticed how popular gluten-free is becoming? Have you ever wondered why? Why is it that people all of a sudden are blaming many health problems on gluten? Keep reading and you will know what it is all about.
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<br />First lets get a few words straight. Remember that gluten is a protein but it is made up of subunits of peptides called gliadin. The lay public uses the term gluten, but in reality we are talking about gliadin - the 300 or so amino-acid peptides which are the building blocks of gluten. This gliadin peptide is the part of the molecule that gives us trouble. The problem with gliadin is that it has a high number of glutamine repeats in its sequence. This means that the amino acid glutamine occurs frequently along the chain of 300 amino acids. The trouble is that glutamine also repeats frequently in human tissue. So on a molecular level, gluten and human tissue "look alike" in terms of their structure.
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<br />This creates a problem when the immune system gets involved. Because of the glutamine repeats in both human tissue and gluten grains, gluten is considered immunogenic (immuno = immune system and genic = to begin). The purpose of the immune system is to determine which proteins belong to self and which are foreign. If we are eating gluten and the immune system comes into contact with the gliadin fragment of gluten, it begins an immune reaction in genetically susceptible persons. In these genetically susceptible individuals, once the immune system is stimulated by gluten/gliadin in the GI tract the immune system travels to other parts of the body to create inflammation and damage tissue.
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<br />But who is genetically susceptible you might ask? Aren't celiacs the only the people with a genetic gluten problem? The genes involved in celiac disease are HLA DQ8/2 and approximately 100% of all celiacs have one or both of these genes. So from that we know that all celiacs have the HLA DQ8/2 genes. But these HLA DQ8/2 genes occur in the general population around 40%. Meaning roughly half of our population has the genetic marker shared by all celiacs, therefore this portion of the population is susceptible to gluten sensitivity. This is the big idea here. We are talking about <span style="font-weight:bold;">roughly 150 million Americans who have a problem with gluten.</span>
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<br />So now we see that there are large numbers of Americans who at least have the gene for being sensitive to gluten. Remember, these are not just celiacs (occurs in 1 out of every 100 persons!) but people with all manner of health problems. As I <a href="http://chiropracticmethod.blogspot.com/2010/11/going-gluten-free-trouble-with-gluten.html">posted on my site last year</a>, gluten sensitivity can have a wide range of effects. The reason gluten can cause so many wide and varied problems is due to the fact that it involves the immune system. The immune system is over 70 trillion cells and once it "turns on" and attacks gluten, because of the similarity between gluten proteins and human proteins, every tissue in the body is a potential target. This explains why gluten can cause wide and varied symptoms in different people. Each person is going to react to gluten in a different way, with a different tissue being attacked by the immune system.
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<br />The WHY behind gluten is really to understand that <span style="font-weight:bold;">it stimulates the immune system and leads to biochemical and cellular chaos and damage.</span> We live in the most toxic, polluted, and stressful world ever known to man. We are subjected to all kinds of environmental assault throughout our daily life, the last thing we need to do is add a processed, genetically modified, nutrient-deficient, irradiated, dead food into our bodies. We can deal with a toxic environment outside our bodies only if we choose to clean up the environment within out bodies. A first step in that direction, is getting gluten out of your diet.
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<br />On caveat however is that gluten foods are addictive, and many people have an enzyme dysfunction in their GI tract that creates <a href="http://www.autismndi.com/faq/display.asp?content=FAQ&shownews=20040922164271">Gliadorphin - an morphine-like molecule</a> - when they eat gluten. This will create some level of withdrawal once gluten is removed from the diet so watch out and be diligent. We aim for perfection but settle for excellence and that includes changing our diet and everything we do.
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<br />Once we realize that gluten free is a preventative approach to longer, healthier life then its easier to make the switch. If you are waiting for your body to change overnight then you may be disappointed. Gluten-free is a long-term commitment to new foods, new habits, and self discipline. There are zero negatives from going gluten free - NONE. It is not an essential nutrient. The side effects of gluten free are as follows: clearer thinking, less pain, resolution of chronic diseases, improved digestion, immune system health, reduced inflammation, etc. Zero negatives, only positives.
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<br />I predict that in the future 5 to 10 years that "gluten free" will become a massive shift in our food production and consumption. If half of the population has a likely reaction to gluten, then that is a huge market segment. Gluten free is definitely the wave of the future.
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<br />Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-53265866848717740092011-07-10T21:02:00.008-05:002011-07-10T21:36:11.397-05:00The Epidemic of Obesity in AmericaA new report just released has proven that obesity rates in 2011 have increased in 16 states. The report is titled <span style="font-style:italic;">F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2011</span>, and is a joint project of the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). According to the website (click <a href="http://healthyamericans.org/newsroom/releases/?releaseid=241">here</a>) the final state by state breakdown of obesity is as follows:<br /><br />STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS<br /><br />Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2008-2010) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to "stabilize" data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**), states with statistically significant increases for three years in a row are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.<br /><br />1. Mississippi (34.4%); 2. Alabama (32.3%); 3. West Virginia* (32.2%); 4. Tennessee (31.9%); 5. Louisiana (31.6%); 6. Kentucky** (31.5%); 7. Oklahoma** (31.4%); 8. South Carolina* (30.9%); 9. Arkansas (30.6%); 10. Michigan* (30.5%); 11. Missouri* (30.3%); 12. Texas** (30.1%); 13. Ohio (29.6%); 14. North Carolina (29.4%); 15. Indiana* (29.1%); 16. Kansas** (29.0%); 17. (tie) Georgia (28.7%); and South Dakota (28.7%); 19. Pennsylvania (28.5%); 20. Iowa (28.1%); 21. (tie) Delaware (28.0%); and North Dakota (28.0%); 23. Illinois** (27.7%); 24. Nebraska (27.6%); 25. Wisconsin (27.4%); 26. Maryland (27.1%); 27. Maine** (26.5%); 28. Washington (26.4%); 29. Florida** (26.1%); 30. (tie) Alaska (25.9%); and Virginia (25.9%); 32. Idaho (25.7%); 33. (tie) New Hampshire (25.6%); and New Mexico (25.6%); 35. (tie) Arizona (25.4%); Oregon (25.4%); and Wyoming (25.4%); 38. Minnesota (25.3%); 39. Nevada (25.0%); 40. California (24.8%); 41. New York (24.7%); 42. Rhode Island** (24.3%); 43. New Jersey (24.1%); 44. Montana (23.8%); 45. Vermont** (23.5%); 46. Utah (23.4%); 47. Hawaii (23.1%); 48. Massachusetts** (22.3%); 49. Connecticut (21.8%); 50. District of Columbia (21.7%); 51. Colorado* (19.8%).<br /><br />Obesity is a chronic disease, like diabetes or cancer, that results from genetic and lifestyle factors. Our healthcare system, dominated by HMO's, PPO's, and an-out-of-date model of care for chronic disease is failing. We are paying a price as a society for disrupting our ancient diets and lifestyles. Obesity is more complicated than too many calories in, too few out. Our food has been modified, processed and altered so that it is rich with calories but scarce in nutrients. By eating high calorie, low nutrient foods our bodies are deprived of the necessary vitamins and minerals required for health.<br /><br />Our bodies are designed to store excess calories in times of feast to carry us over during times of famine. Yet, the American diet and lifestyle will lead to metabolic syndrome and obesity because the food is depleted of life-giving nutrients and our lifestyle is now very stationary. This study reinforces the seriousness of the obesity issue. It is a wake up call for all of us to focus on healthy eating, healthy exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits like regular visits to your chiropractor. By keeping your spine and body aligned and pain-free, you are more likely to exercise, feel happy, and simply enjoy life - and people who enjoy life and are genuinely happy take much better care of themselves than those who don't!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-78637926171719304582011-04-10T08:02:00.014-05:002011-04-10T20:51:52.821-05:00Statins: Not Effective for PreventionStatin drugs are the #1 <a href="http://www.drugs.com/top200.html">top selling drug</a> in the United States and have been so since at least 2004. One would think that a great deal of benefit would come from taking a top-selling statin drug like Lipitor or Crestor. These drugs are designed to lower "bad" cholesterol and make "good" cholesterol go up. Well, sounds good so far right? We are all bombarded with information that tells us that cholesterol is the bad guy and as long as we control those levels, we will be spared the pain and suffering of cardiovascular disease. That theory of heart disease, that cholesterol blocks up our arteries, has been referred to as the plumber's model of heart disease. Simple enough idea.<br /><br />Blocked pipes are a bad thing so lets invent drugs to make sure the pipes stay clean. Who can argue with that logic? Yet when we look at the scientific evidence that showed statins are beneficial, there are some major red flags. Researchers have been performing meta-analysis of the supporting research and they have found <span style="font-style: italic;">significant evidence against the use of statins</span>. For starters, recent important research published in the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20585068">Archives of Internal Medicine June 2010</a> issue has concluded:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >"...results of the trial do not support the use of statin treatment for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and raise troubling questions concerning the role of commercial sponsors."</span><br /><br />Adding more fuel to the fire is a<a href="http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004816.html"> recent 2011 review</a><a href="http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004816.html"> of statins</a> published in the prestigious <a href="http://www.cochrane.org/about-us">Cochrane Database</a>. In this meta-analysis the authors looked at data from 16 studies and over 35,000 participants. This team reached a similar conclusion in their study:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >"...there was evidence of selective reporting of outcomes, failure to report adverse events and inclusion of people with cardiovascular disease. Only limited evidence showed that primary prevention with statins may be cost effective and improve patient quality of life. Caution should be taken in prescribing statins for primary prevention among people at low cardiovascular risk."</span><br /><br />These two important reviews demonstrate that basically the <span style="font-weight: bold;">pharmaceutical industry lied</span> in their research which they used as justification to establish statins as effective treatment for high cholesterol and heart disease. And to make matters worse, the entire medical system then used this flawed research and incorporated into the standard of practice for all doctors which just perpetuated the problem for everyone. With unethical (criminal?) conduct like this on the part of the pharmaceutical and medical industry is it any wonder that we are in such a health care crisis today? Do medical doctors and policy makers read the research in their own journals?<br /><br />If only health was that easy - just take a drug and everything will work out. Well if you happen to pay attention to trends or read the literature, the one-drug, one-cause approach is an expensive and painful failure. Chronic disease is still the number one cause of death in the United States. We are spending more money and getting less in return and our flawed approach to health is clearly evident in how statins are being used as a preventative tool when the evidence demonstrates that is useless at best or even harmful (more on this in the next post).<br /><br />The best approach to be healthy is to change your lifestyle and habits. This can be done by working with a local functional medicine chiropractor or other physician who is trained to use nutrition and lifestyle modification to balance body chemistry and promote optimum function. As Dr. Robert Rakowski said, "Nutrition is not alternative medicine, it is the foundation of life!" We couldn't agree more. Stay tuned for our next article on statins and CoQ10.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-6679049485873076562010-11-11T11:02:00.009-06:002011-01-06T19:51:25.819-06:00Going Gluten Free - The Trouble with GlutenIn the health world, fads are simply the norm. Whether its high-carb, low-fat or high-protein, low-carb or anything in between there is no shortage of fad diets and new waves of thinking about eating. This is especially true for gluten. Grocery stores, specialty shops, and even italian restaurants are offering gluten-free menu items and food products. So gluten-free appears to be just another fad right? As you will see, nothing could be farther from the truth. <br /><br />We are beginning to learn that the protein glaidin (gluten) found in wheat, barely, and rye is a major health threat. It is not a problem with gluten, per se, but a problem with our modern immune systems. Our immune systems are responsible for one simple but profoundly important task - to differentiate between "self" and "non-self". Its like our own internal armed forces. Their job is to protect the citizens (self) from the aggressors (non-self). Simple idea with major health consequences when it goes awry.<br /><br />Gluten-free might be viewed as a just a fad that will fade with time. I'm here to tell you that in ten years gluten-free will be as mainstream as fat-free. The scientific evidence continues to mount and is profound in its implications. Gluten is a problem for tens of millions of Americans due to genetic and environmental factors that have rendered their bodies susceptible to an autoimmune reaction. Once only a minor aspect of our diet, gluten (named for glue-like properties) has made its way into products from ice cream to soy sauce and everything in between. Needless to say the modern garbage food we eat is loaded with gluten. <br /><br />What is gluten sensitivity really?...<br /><br />1) Gluten sensativity means that gluten/gliadin causes the immune system to malfunction. <br /><br />2) Celiac disease is a subcategory of gluten sensativity. 1% of the population has celiac's disease while another 40% has a genetic predisposition to have an immune reaction to gluten.<br /><br />3) Any symptom can be caused by gluten reactions. You may not even "feel" that you have a sensativity, yet your tissues and thus your physiology are being attacked by the immune system because of gluten in your diet.<br /><br /> A list of common conditions associated with gluten sensitivity:<br /> * Microscopic colitis<br /> * Relatives of gluten-sensitive individuals<br /> * Gluten-sensitive individuals 1 year after treatment<br /> * Chronic diarrhea of unknown origin<br /> * Irritable bowel syndrome<br /> * Inflammatory bowel disease<br /> * Gastroesophageal reflux disease<br /> * Hepatitis C<br /> * Autoimmune liver disease<br /> * Other causes of chronic liver disease<br /> * Dermatitis herpetiformis<br /> * Diabetes mellitus, type 1<br /> * Rheumatoid arthritis<br /> * Sjogren's syndrome<br /> * Lupus<br /> * Scleroderma<br /> * Autoimmune thyroid disease<br /> * Dermatomyositis<br /> * Psoriasis<br /> * Any autoimmune syndrome<br /> * Chronic Fatigue<br /> * Fibromyalgia<br /> * Asthma<br /> * AIDS<br /> * Osteoporosis<br /> * Iron deficiency<br /> * Short stature in children<br /> * Down's syndrome<br /> * Mothers of kids with neural tube defects<br /> * Female infertility<br /> * Peripheral neuropathy<br /> * Cerebellar ataxia<br /> * Seizure disorders<br /> * Psychiatric disorders<br /> * Depression<br /> * Alcoholism<br /> * Autism<br /> * ADHD/ADD<br /><br />4) 70% of our immune system lives in our GI tract, so any toxins in our diet are quickly identified by our immune cells. In those 40% (nearly half) of Americans who are predisposed to be sensitive, whenever gluten is eaten, the immune system creates inflammation.<br /><br />5) The immune system is trying to destroy gluten (the gliadin protein) but since other tissues in the body are somewhat similar, it ends up attacking the body as well. There cannot be pain in the body without inflammation, and since gluten creates inflammation, it can be a source of pain in joints, muscles, organs...basically anywhere in the body!<br /><br />6) Gluten sensitivity is NOT just a gut condition. Gluten sensitivity is a system-wide autoimmune condition where inflammation and tissue destruction can attack cells in areas from the skin, gut, or brain. Its this gut-immune-brain connection that leads many astray in trying to understand this condition. Because the toxic effects of gluten are felt all over the body, almost any symptom can be caused by this inflammatory immune response. Importantly, gluten sensitivity has a special fondness for destroying tissue in the nervous system, which is the most critical portion of our human body. <br /><br />7) The main reason we avoid gluten is that it simply has no nutritional value at all. It is completely unnecessary for health and well-being.<br /><br />8) More importantly, anyone with an autoimmune disease must never eat gluten ever again. The relationship is over! You cannot be a little pregnant and if you have an autoimmune disease you must calm down the immune system in order to live a quality life. If gluten causes the immune system to ramp up and go nuts, then you are making yourself sicker every time you put it in your mouth.<br /><br />9) Autoimmune diseases are the 3rd leading cause of death worldwide. Gluten for an autoimmune patient is like throwing gasoline on a fire. It forces the overactive immune system into further dysfunction. The path to health requires that we leave gluten behind!<br /><br />10) Life without gluten is great! Without gluten we are eating the way we were designed to eat - fresh vegetable, meats, and fruits. You will be better when you give up gluten!<br /><br />Remember that gluten is not the problem. It is our immune system's reaction to it that deteriorates our health. In the support of metabolic health in those with autoimmune diseases, the focus should be on modulation of the immune system with natural means. The autoimmune patient today in the 21st century has an array of effective, affordable, and natural approaches that will strengthen their overall systemic health.<br /><br />Its important to realize that pharmaceutical interventions designed to treat autoimmune diseases often only target the symptoms and offer no real long term efficacy for resolution of the disease. Immunosuppressant drugs are often used to manage symptoms. Patients may get better for a while, but the CAUSE of the immune malfunction is never addressed. And besides, suppressing the immune system can lead to horrible afflictions like cancer and viral infections as a side effect. Obviously if you have an autoimmune disease and you continue to put toxic antigens in your body (gluten, or dairy, soy etc.) which drive your immune system wild, how will you ever "cure" anything? <br /><br />Here's an idea. Why not remove the antigens like gluten and others from the diet. This information comes straight out of peer-reviewed literature in the most highly respected journals in the world. There is no "big money" in treatments where people can cure their disease by changing their eating habits. But maybe that is okay. Maybe its okay to earn a little money helping people get better naturally, without poisoning them with pharmaceuticals which are dubiously tested and researched to begin with.<br /><br />Let me finish by saying that if I had an autoimmune disease there are three things I would do. First I would completely remove anything in my diet that could stimulate my immune system into overdrive which would contribute to my condition. Second I would work with a chiropractor who is skilled with nutrition and under their care use high quality nutritional support to further help balance my immune system. And third I would have that chiropractor work on a treatment program designed to create a stronger, healthier brain. Since the brain controls everything in the body, having it work at its highest level will result in an immune system that is more balanced and healthy.<br /><br />Remember that if you have an autoimmune disease and it is attacking your thyroid, that there is nothing wrong with your thyroid! That is where the medical model fails miserably. Any treatment designed to support the thyroid without addressing the cause of the autoimmune attack is a waste of time. The thyroid is working fine, its just under attack. If you quell the attack, then the thyroid will do its job. That is where we should aim treatment and if you follow the advice and links on this blog, you will find such practitioners who can help you make great strides in your quest for health.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Information from Internationally Recognized Natural Health Professionals</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thyroid360.com/">Thyroid 360</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.drknews.com/">www.drknews.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thedr.com">TheDR.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Diet and Lifestyle Resources</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.celiac.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=16">Celiac Disease Foundation</a><br /><a href="http://www.celiac.com/"><br />Celiac Disease & Gluten-free Diet Information</a>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-39834469348814459352010-08-13T13:53:00.008-05:002010-08-13T14:17:18.904-05:00Toxins in the Home - CosmeticsBelow you will find a great video which highlights a major route of toxic exposure in our lives. The power of marketing is profound and we are living in a world where garbage and poison is packaged with beautiful packages and pushed by gorgeous celebrities. We begin to ignore what the products are made of, but instead focus on what the products represent - sex, power, self-esteem, success...Do not assume this is by accident. The only way to successfully navigate the minefield of modern life with your health intact is to raise your awareness. Take a minute and watch this excellent video which puts the facts out there for all to see.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pfq000AF1i8?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pfq000AF1i8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br />It is important to remember that we should only put things on our skin that we would be okay putting in our mouths. Our bodies are one harmonious unit and whatever enters our skin, enters our body. This is especially true under the arms where there exist large sweat glands and pores which open up and allow whatever products we use to enter our bodies. A large part of taking back your health starts with using non-toxic personal care products. <br /><br />Try this at home:<br />1. Grab a product from your bathroom you suspect may be toxic.<br />2. Navigate to <a href="http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/">http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/</a> where you can type in the name of your product.<br />3. Read the evidence and then decide if that is a product you wish to keep using.<br />4. IF your product is toxic - THROW IT OUT!<br />5. Search for safe products that will leave you feeling clean, refreshed, and unpolluted!<br /><br />When you are considering a practitioner or health care provider, it is important to realize that most medical and alternative practitioners are unaware of the toxic burdens we encounter every day. The medical profession is predisposed to cover up the symptoms of toxicity by suppressing physiology. The alternative health care modalities offer more hope by using holistic approaches, but still many fall short. Make sure you find a natural, holistic health care provider who is trained in the use of Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition. These select practitioners are trained to work with your physiology using natural, safe vitamins and minerals to help reduce the toxic burden of your body. A common program will consist of a modified elimination diet, a medical food powder, and various other nutritional complexes designed for your specific biological profile. How cool is that to have health care designed around you as an individual?Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-24071459287825634432010-06-09T20:03:00.003-05:002010-06-10T18:34:07.661-05:00DC - Doctor of CauseDoctor of Chiropractic is written DC and it means Doctor of Cause. That distinction is important in a world where most decisions are made by treating symptoms. The assumption is erroneous that by suppressing symptoms the body will be healthier. What we call symptoms - runny noses, sneezing, headaches, muscle aches, etc. - are intelligent responses by the body to rid itself of an offending substance. The body never makes mistakes. Never. If perfection exists in this Universe then I suggest the human body as a perfect example.<br /><br />Being a Doctor of Cause means that a Chiropractor is a healer. Healing is not about covering something up, or kicking the can down the road to deal with it later. Its all about doing the right thing, the difficult thing, to correct the underlying problem. That is healing. Its getting to the root cause of the problem no matter how difficult or frightening that might be.<br /><br />Our culture is in crisis on many levels, esp. financially where we are collectively kicking the can down the road for the next group of people to bail us out or or deal with our debt. The analogy to the human body is pertinent. By going into debt, borrowing beyond our means, encouraging consumption, we have created a swath of financial and moral cancer that is slowly killing the patient - our economy. The debt and materialism are consuming our resources like a metastatic tumor, taking wealth without producing more in its place. Treating the cause of the problem - too much debt, not enough savings - requires touch decisions, personal sacrifice, careful planning and discipline.<br /><br />Its the same with our human bodies. People want to have a quick fix. A magic pill. The fantasy that a lifetime of wrong decisions can be rectified without any personal effort, growth, or sacrifice is a powerful one - just look at the strong sales of pharmaceutical drugs. The trouble is that a drug without side-effects is no drug at all. Hundreds of millions of people are taking powerful, dangerous drugs for conditions that could be treated with holistic, natural, and safe health care. We are collectively very sick because everything is out of balance in our lives. The great lie is that only Medicine can cure what ails you, and since Medicine is another way of saying drugs and surgery, then that's all you are going to get! With few exceptions, an MD today is mostly just a drug-doctor. That's the only tool they have. Its effective in life-threatening situations, but entirely counter-productive and outright devastating 95% of the time when the root cause of the problem is simply glossed over by taking drugs that mask symptoms.<br /><br />Listen, I was raised to believe that we are the greatest country on Earth. If that is true then why are we the sickest first-world nation in the world? Something doesn't compute. The issue is not whether or not we know how to fix our problems of disease in America. The issue is are we willing? Sadly there is so much money to be made in the unnecessary suffering of human beings that the task of getting healthy lies squarely on the shoulders of individuals. It will not come from the top down so the issue then is one of individuals choosing the right path, the life that resonates with their spirit - the path of healing.<br /><br />Chiropractic is the greatest profession of healing ever gifted to mankind. Chiropractors are educated at the same level of scientific understanding and technical knowledge as medical doctors. Philosophy is the difference between those that treat symptoms and those that treat causes. Chiropractic philosophy is based on the premise that the world is inherently a spiritual world manifest in the physical realm. Modern science confirms what Chiropractic has said for a long time - that the mind controls matter. Read Bruce Lipton for more information on that topic. <br /><br />There is no better healing profession than one where doctors are trained to understand and treat the cause of disease. These are healers. They are unique and powerful persons who are licensed by the law of the land to physically touch another human. The greatness of chiropractic comes from the skills of the hands. Touch is an act of power and should be regarded with utmost respect. A skilled chiropractor will understand the language of medicine and science and apply the latest advances in clinical nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, rehabilitation, neurology, etc. to create health from the inside out. This is the difference between being a Healer and a mechanic.<br /><br />If you think that the human body is simply a machine, destined to perform preprogrammed functions over and over until the end, then you won't need a healer, you'll need a mechanic. It doesn't matter if you treat the machine like crap for 20 years, you'll just swap out parts as they wear out. This is the attitude people have with their bodies. Just keep abusing it until something needs to be replaced. These same people will be taking better care of their 20 thousand dollar cars that they can go and replace once they wear it out than they will of their own body. We only have a single body, one, and its ours to take care of!<br /><br />What makes Chiropractic great is that there are no drugs or surgeries involved in getting patients well. Its about changing your life. Health is a reward for correct decisions. By touching patients with their hands chiropractors communicate to the patient on a level few other practitioners ever will. Imagine how powerful a doctor would be if this person knew the skills of the naturopath, the science and biochemistry of the medical doctor, and then combined everything with vast knowledge of caring for the human structure. That is a potent combination that can handle everything life throws at us, save those rare emergencies where medical attention at hospitals is absolutely necessary. Using the principals of treating subluxations, of using nutrition, and of educating patients on being healthy, Chiropractors represent the future of healing. The future of healing is bright for those with the courage and open mind to work with a chiropractor on finding the root cause of disease. Remember, DC means Doctor of Cause.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-51234050413592552722010-05-16T10:19:00.009-05:002010-06-10T17:31:21.923-05:00Peripheral Neuropathy: a Functional PerspectiveLately I've been busy researching the mechanisms behind a disorder that has effected two important people in my life. The disorder is called peripheral neuropathy. Simply stated that stands for pathology of nerves in the peripheral nervous system. Remember that the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is what brings information from "out there" into "in here". In other words, the PNS is what connects us with the world around us. All the sensations of cold, hot, pain, and vibration are carried by this system. Not only that, but the PNS is the data-gathering part of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is the main frame computer that runs the human experience and the PNS is all the sensors and data collectors that feed it. Just a simple explanation to help set the stage for what I'm about to talk about next.<br /><br />The PNS also performs a very important task of telling the CNS where the body is in space. This may seem minor but it is a huge factor. The PNS has sensors all over the outside shell, or soma, of the body. Thousands of these sensors exist per square inch of skin and they also innervate the fascia, muscle, and joint surfaces of the body. If only we could conceive of a computer with this much sensitivity and intelligence!<br /><br />Now it is important to note that the basic histology, or design, of the PNS nervous system involves a nerve body and axon. The nerve body serves as the brain of the individual neuron as it houses the nucleus, organelles, mitochondria, DNA, etc. This nerve body exists adjacent to the spinal cord in what is termed the dorsal root ganglion. The axon then grows during our fetal and infant development from the spinal cord to say, the outside of our foot. What I'm saying is that axon can be several feet long, traveling all the way from the outside of our feet or tips of fingers to the very edge of the spinal cord. The important point to get here is not to remember all this terminology but to start to build a picture in your mind of what we are talking about when we explain peripheral neuropathy.<br /><br />What happens during peripheral neuropathy is that the nerve transmissions from far away places like the feet start to malfunction. Peripheral neuropathy affects the distal portions of our body first because the farther things are away from the core viscera, the more difficult it is to maintain healthy tissue. Its like when a plant dries out, it starts at the tips of the leaves farthest from the center and then dries out towards the stem. It is the same with the human body as those with peripheral neuropathy know that it begins in the feet but can progress to make its way up the ankle, then knee, then hip, etc. Its just a simple fact that providing nutrition to and removing toxins from areas of the body becomes more difficult as we get further from the heart. This is why when people start to lose neurological sensation like touch and vibration in their feet it is a warning sign that potentially could lead to more serious complications. Peripheral neuropathy is serious because of its effect on our activities of daily living - try walking and exercising when you cannot feel your feet!<br /><br />The cause of the neuropathy can be multi-factoral but likely it is due to either a compromise in microvascular circulation and/or a dysregulation of fat metabolism. When nerves are injured they lose their function first in the most distal portion as we have already pointed out. This is why pain, tingling, and numbness in the feet are warning signs that PNS neurons are malfunctioning. As an example, in type 2 diabetes patients suffer from a multitude of symptoms including peripheral neuropathy that is often so severe that limbs are progressively amputated. Basically the nerve supply and blood supply are so compromised that no oxygen gets into tissues in the feet and large infections begin to take hold. This is a worse case scenario but does happen to many diabetics.<br /><br />In the case of the two important people in my life, neither one are diabetics per se, but clearly there is an underlying set of metabolic conditions that is promoting the dysfunction of their peripheral nerves. Lets examine briefly by what mechanisms the nervous system can be affected in peripheral neuropathy and what measures can be taken by your astute chiropractor and natural healer to correct the underlying issues without resorting to dangerous drugs and surgeries.<br /><br />Looking at the compromise in circulation we can understand how this will stress the nervous system because without the ability to expel toxins and take in nutrients the nerve cell will become toxic. More likely the Schwann cells that surround the axon will deteriorate which causes the transmission to be interrupted. Its just like losing the insulation of any electrical wire - without the high resistance and low capacitance of the insulating material, the electrical signal will leak out of the wire. And in the case of human nerves, the signal for vibration may be lost somewhere between the foot and the spinal cord because the nerve tissue has lost is insulation called myelination.<br /><br />This loss of myelination is key in thinking about peripheral neuropathy. Once a clinician has ruled out upper motor neuron lesions, CNS problems, MS, etc. we are left with basic dysfunction of peripheral nerves. Losing the insulation of the nerve is possible when there is a great deal of inflammation in the body. As the blood inflames the body reacts to suppress it, releasing cholesterol and other blood-born anti-oxidant molecules. All of this is fine but when the blood becomes inflamed, all sorts of reactive molecules are present. This makes the blood "thicker" and more sludge like which makes it harder to pump into small vessels as effectively. So the big idea here is that with increased systemic inflammation, due to low anti-oxidant levels combined with modern high sugar, high fat, nutrient-deficient foods, the micro-vascular does not get as much blood. Less blood means less nutrition and less removal of toxins. It also alters the pH, creating more acidosis locally since CO2 is removed by hemoglobin. All these factors - thick blood, acid pH, high oxidation - will make it hard for the Schwann cells to keep the nerve properly insulated. This is one source of PNS dysfunction.<br /><br />As I mentioned the other issue we deal with is fat metabolism gone awry. The same forces which compromise micro-circulation and promote inflammation in the blood will negatively effect how the neuron, way up by the spinal cord, will be able to produce energy. As we eat processed garbage, we get a huge amount of energy - glucose and fat - with very little anti-oxidants and vitamins to help us deal with all the energy. Too much energy is just as dangerous as too little. When you need to heat your house, you don't douse your fireplace with wood and gasoline just because more energy is better. You pick the right amount of logs and kindling and stay balanced between burning your house down and freezing. Your body is no different.<br /><br />Insulin is required for the glucose and free fatty acids to enter most cells in the body. And we all know that Diabetes has "something" to do with insulin. Well as it turns out neurons are special cells who are so important to our survival that the innate intelligence of the human body designed them so they could get glucose into the cell without insulin. This is a blessing when blood glucose levels are low because this will guarantee that the CNS and PNS are fueled with energy so we can survive long enough to locate another source of food. However, this is a curse when we live in a world were people eat such toxic food.<br /><br />As we consume processed food that is highly glycemic and high in energy but low in nutrition, our blood sugar spikes and remains elevated until we can secrete enough insulin to bring it down. Diabetics have insulin problems and they are not able to reduce their blood sugar effectively, which leads them to be susceptible to peripheral neuropathy. Excess blood sugar causes inflammation as discussed above, but it also forces neurons to absorb more glucose than they need. And when neurons are getting more glucose than they need, which happens via passive diffusion, they must convert the excess they do not need into free fatty acids. These free fatty acids are themselves converted into triglycerides which is the body's preferred method of energy storage - typical "fat" tissue.<br /><br />As these neurons continually store more and more fats, the levels of free fatty acids inside the cell increase as the neuron begins to be saturated with too much energy. As these molecules are reactive, they start to create inflammation INSIDE the cell - a process called Lipotoxicity or toxic levels of fat. This results in damage to the mitochondria and other cell organelles. The net effect of this energy toxic scenario is that the neuron is both drowning in excess glucose and fat while at the same time losing the ability to effectively burn those molecules to create energy. This was all caused by the fact that the patient is consuming too many refined foods with high calorie loads while simultaneously not exercising or being physically active. This creates an environment where the neuron, just like other body cells, is forced to soak up this high blood sugar.<br /><br />Now this neuron which has been drinking up blood glucose and storing it as fat eventually gets saturated with fats and this begins to interrupt the process of burning fat for energy. As the neuron becomes less efficient at producing energy, it can no longer effectively communicate with its most distal end. Thus as the neuron loses its ability to efficiently create energy, due to a lipotoxic effect, the transmission of nerve impulses along its axon is compromised.<br /><br />In conclusion the reason for peripheral neuropathy in patients can be due to a lipotoxicity that is occuring in the neuron. The neuron is energy toxic with too much glucose entering the cell that must be converted to free fatty acids and stored as triglycerides. As this process occurs the cell cannot efficiently create energy. The oxidative stress and inflammation from excess energy in the cell (in the form of glucose and free fatty acids) damages organelles and mitochondria reducing the capacity for the cell to create ATP.<br /><br />A natural practitioner will correct these deficits by directing the patient to alter their diet along the lines of the Modified Elimination Diet. Then the practioner will use the following supplements to help the neurons create energy efficiently and restore function to the peripheral nerve:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=neuropathy+L+carnitine&btnG=Search&as_sdt=100000000&as_ylo=2002&as_vis=0">Acetyl L Carnitine</a></span> - Helps cells burn fat by shuttling fats into the mitochondria to be burned for ATP.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=neuropathy+resveratrol&btnG=Search&as_sdt=100000000&as_ylo=2002&as_vis=0">Resveratrol</a></span> - A powerful anti-inflammatory that quenches inflammation which is damaging the cells ability to efficiently oxidize energy.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=neuropathy+alpha+lipoic+acid&as_sdt=100000000&as_ylo=2002&as_vis=0">Alpha Lipoic Acid</a></span> - A power anti-oxidant that also protects the cell's membranes and promotes function of the mitochondria.<br /><br />These supplements will aid the pathways of the cell which are involved in burning fat. This process is called beta oxidation and is different than the citric acid cycle. By using high doses of natural, safe vitamins and minerals a knowledgeable natural doctor can use the body's own systems to help heal it. Alpha lipoic acid and resveratrol will suppress inflammation while L-carnitine will help get the free fatty acids turned into useful ATP for nerve impulse transmission.<br /><br />Using dietary changes and the above supplements in an intensive protocol, natural practitioners may be able to reverse the effects of peripheral neuropathy. The underlying cause of peripheral neuropathy may be that the neuron is toxic from excess energy consumption. By opening up the pathways inside the body that help cells burn fat more efficiently, neurons and other body cells will respond by lowering their toxic, pro-inflammatory burden. Once a doctor understands the complex nature of physiology, he or she can use simple, safe alternatives to expensive and risky drugs and surgeries to correct what is wrong with the human body.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-31504018920719772962009-12-13T09:24:00.003-06:002009-12-13T09:28:30.779-06:00Understanding Whole Food NutritionChiropractic is a unique profession with a philosophy that sets it apart from mainstream health care. The underlying principal in chiropractic is that the body is able to heal itself through an inner intelligence often referred to as the Innate. The doctor of chiropractic respects the power of the body, and works with it, to promote a state of health and wellness. Whole food nutrition, like chiropractic, is unique in the nutritional world because it relies on the innate healing power of the whole, intact food source. Thus, whole food nutrition can be an important clinical resource for chiropractors to create health in patients from the inside out. <br /><br />I am interested in providing the best care for my patients, and I am obligated to address the issue of nutritional deficiencies and the effect it has on their well being. Until recently, it would not have mattered to me whether vitamins were food based or synthetic. The only thing I looked for in a supplement was how many milligrams of a given ingredient it had. I soon came to realize that in fact quantity does not equate to quality. What we should be focused on is effectiveness and potency – two things that set whole food nutrition apart. <br /><br />The issue of nutrition has fascinated me and it is clear that food is medicine, and conversely, food can be poison. What we put in our mouths is as important as the thoughts we put in our heads. It is easy to show that modern food sources are deficient in life-sustaining nutrients and that if we want long-term health, we must be diligent about what we choose to put inside our bodies.<br /><br />As a chiropractor I will be a healer, a communicator, and a teacher. And with the position of being called “doctor” comes a great deal of responsibility. My experience as <br />President of the Applied Kinesiology Club at NWHSU has helped open my eyes to the importance of being balanced – structurally, chemically, and emotionally. The triad of health is a way to understand and correct the source of the subluxation using adjustments, nutrition, and a compassionate heart. Since receiving a Standard Process® test kit, our club has been able to branch out drastically, investigating how different whole food nutritional supplements can change the energetics of the human body. All of this has served to expand my awareness of the energetic effects of the different foods and supplements we put inside our bodies. <br /><br />I believe that treating the subluxation, while ignoring the underlying causes of neuro-musculo-skeletal stress is not doing enough. In the most general sense, stress causes disease - with much of that stress coming from the food we eat. Personally, I view the subluxation as multifaceted phenomenon where visceral dysfunctions, caused in part by a lack of adequate nutrition, are capable of causing subluxations that chiropractors discover in their spinal exams. Our nutritional health is directly related to our skeletal health. From that perspective it is important to aid the body's self-righting mechanisms with correct nutrition. By addressing patients nutritional needs along with their structural and emotional concerns, I firmly believe that chiropractic is more effective. I have an obligation to patients to get them well as quickly and as efficiently as possible, and whole food supplementation is part of that process.<br /><br />If we accept our responsibility as doctors to “first do no harm”, then we must be certain that our nutritional therapies are supportive of health and do not cause secondary issues of their own. Nutrition is a very popular topic today and there is no shortage of products on the market. On some level most people accept that adding nutritional supplementation to their diet may benefit them. The real question is which supplement and in what form should it be taken. It comes as a surprise to many that not all vitamins are created equal.<br /><br />The difference between synthetic and whole food supplements could be likened to the differences between symptom-based and wellness-based healthcare. Both approaches to healthcare are interested in getting the patient well. However, just as symptom-based approaches will miss the underlying causes of disease, synthetic vitamins will provide a narrow-range of nutrition that may be lacking in other critical factors necessary for health. This happens because every synthetic vitamin must first be extracted or created chemically, and in doing so it enters body without natural co-factors and usually in high doses.<br /><br />Whole food nutrition is important because the human body is designed to get all its necessary nutrition from the diet – i.e. food and drink. Everything that cannot be created internally must be accounted for in the diet. The benefit of whole food nutrition is that only the water and fiber has been removed, leaving intact the other known and unknown life-sustaining nutrients,. This means that the original energy of the food is preserved, along with low doses of specific vitamins. The idea is that it is easier for the body to optimize nutrition if it is given in a natural food-based form. Providing the body with a vitamin complex, with original food source still intact, yields a potent supplement that heals both nutritionally and energetically.<br /><br />Another reason whole food supplementation is important is that science has not identified every part of the food that is beneficial. So by providing only select nutrients and discarding the rest of the food source, synthetic supplementation may create deficiencies as the body attempts to metabolize high doses without accompanying food factors. This concept is important to me as it would be difficult to explain to a patient that the vitamins I suggested had actually created a new problem of their own. I also believe that because of the fact that science hasn't uncovered every necessary co-factor for a given vitamin, that it is more conservative to provide said vitamin intact with the food source. Being conservative with my chiropractic treatment is essential for patient health, and it is the same for my nutritional therapies<br /><br />Given that whole food nutrition addresses patients needs holistically, with food sources intact, it is a perfect tool for chiropractors. I will use whole food nutrition in order to help my patients heal their visceral dysfunction while I work diligently on their structural concerns. I will use Applied Kinesiology techniques, lab testing, symptom surveys, and patient histories to guide my nutritional therapies. Most importantly, I will use my knowledge of why whole food supplements are effective to give me the confidence that my patient's are getting the best nutrition available.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10691058040514102420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-13253600296724129592009-11-21T13:29:00.021-06:002009-11-24T19:37:35.488-06:00The Subluxation Complex Part IThe chiropractic profession lives a stormy life. It's claims are proud and strong - that by adjusting the spine health can be restored to the body. Despite being around for over 100 years, chiropractic is still very misunderstood by the majority of people the world over. This blog is dedicated to teaching the world about Health, and thus about the role chiropractic plays in establishing and maintaining healthy vitality throughout our years. It is this author's conviction that only through patient education can chiropractic grow towards its rightful place as a foundational therapeutic aspect of all our lives. This piece is dedicated to the teaching effort. <br /><br />Chiropractic exists as profession both at the cutting edge of holistic treatment and at the center of controversy. There are those who say it is just a bunch of quackery. However, the fact that chiropractic endures today, without mainstream sponsorship and subsidization is a testament to the effectiveness and importance of adjustive therapy. The free market has carried chiropractic along from its inception to where we are today. The free market is the ultimate test of any product or service. It represents the combined decisions of millions of people over a long time period. We are here today because chiropractic works. Now it is question of communication and education of why it works, and why it is necessary for long term health.<br /><br />Chiropractors treat the subluxation. It is a complex phenomenon, and one that unfortunately does not yield to simple definition. It is better to consider the subluxation an energetic phenomenon with distinct physical manifestations. Those familiar with this idea will use terms like "sticky" joint, dysfunctional motion segment, restricted motion, tissue abnormalities, etc. to describe their physical palpation findings. We are speaking strictly of joints, for those who are not familiar with this idea. More specifically, the subluxation is when spinal vertebra (or other joints like the elbow or ankle) become dysfunctional and cause system wide adaptation patterns as the body is forced to make changes to survive.<br /><br />At this point it is important to emphasize several critical concepts that will be necessary for understanding health and chiropractic.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">1) The Body Never Makes Mistakes</span></span><br /><br />It is a fact that every action taken by the body is to survive by maintaining homeostasis. Loss of homeostasis means loss of life - its that simple. Every cough, sore throat, allergy, and yes even cancer is an adaptation forced upon the body by some kind of stress (see below). It is hard to believe that the person dying from cancer still has a body making correct decisions, but it is true. When we sneeze, or get a cold, or get a disease, the body is attempting to deal with something that is threatening its survival. The common cold is natures way of getting rid of trash accumulated inside our bodies.<br /><br />Have you ever realized that a cough, runny nose, and fever all act to remove or destroy microbes inside us? The body raises its temperature to destroy pathogens, then the cough and runny nose, or diarrhea, serve to excrete the toxins effectively. But what are we told by medicine? That these symptoms should be suppressed! How insane is it to think that by stopping the body's natural process of getting ride of trash that somehow we are healthier for it? Remember this always - the body doesn't make mistakes. Those who understand health will support the body's innate intelligence, which is far superior to any doctor, and allow the body to cleanse itself naturally. We can support this excretion/detoxification naturally by stimulating and supporting organs like the kidney, liver, and lymph tissues with chiropactic adjustments and targeted nutritional support.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">2) Treating Symptoms Will Never Cure nor Prevent a Single Disease</span></span><br /><br />What passes for healthcare in America is really no different than a teenager who cleans his room by throwing all his junk inside his closet. His room looks clean from the outside, it even feels clean, but just under the surface all the trash is piling up. But hey out of sight, out of mind! The pharmaceutical industry makes ridiculous profits selling us proprietary products (read unnatural) designed to suppress symptoms. The fatal flaw, the source of rampant disease in America, is the widespread use of this symptom-suppression model.<br /><br />The real price we pay for suppression of symptoms, while never addressing the underlying cause of disease, is that our bodies accumulate toxins and begin to toxify, inflame, and breakdown. Continued suppression of symptoms, which are the body's perfectly intelligent responses to rid itself of disease-causing agents, forces the toxins to go deeper into our bodies. If the body cannot excrete/detoxify itself it is forced to fight the toxins locally. This is inflammation. Inflammation is like wagging a war. Unfortunately for us, like all wars there is collateral damage. And as the body slowly builds up with toxic matter, the body is forced to deal with it by fighting in its own backyard. Think about what war does to picturesque towns when bombs are dropped from above and tanks role through the streets. The same thing happens to our own tissues at a microscopic level. Over time this leads to diseases that are far more serious than just a common cold.<br /><br />Most every culture on earth utilizes some form of detoxification to aid the body's natural mechanisms. Whether we are dealing with sweats, saunas, mineral waters, clays, etc. each is designed to draw out toxins which helps to lessen the energetic burden on the body. American culture today is arguably the most toxic in human history. Simultaneously we are living without widespread detoxification methods being practiced. This is a major contributor to our epidemic rates disease.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">3) Stress is the Ultimate Cause of Disease</span></span><br /><br />While this may seem oversimplified, it is in fact an excellent model for conceptualizing what is going on in the body to produce disease. It is hard to believe that the body doesn't make mistakes, yet we are are collectively a very sick society! Something must explain this discrepancy and stress is the concept that is able to connect the dots into a cohesive whole of wellness understanding.<br /><br />D.D. Palmer, the founding father of chiropractic, understood that disease was a result of three main ideas: trauma, poisons and auto-suggestion. We can refer to these as physical, chemical (toxic), and emotional stress. This is a common concept in applied kinesiology where patients are treated in regards to the triad of health - structural, chemical, and emotional stress. D.D. Palmer recognized that disease has more than one origin, but the effect is still stress on the system. This stress creates dis-ease in our body by using up and consuming the fuel, or energy, necessary for maintaining homeostasis.<br /><br />Consider that while energy in the universe is infinite, each one of us has a bucket and that bucket represents our energy account. Our body has a finite amount of energy and must live within its means and budget accordingly (which it does superbly). When we are on a stress-free vacation, enjoying life, feeling great our bucket is leak-free and full. This abundance of energy is perfectly spent by the body on maintaining a "tight ship" and keeping all systems robust, clean, and maintained. We experience low stress and the body spends its energy currency on growth and repair - and we feel great!<br /><br />Yet for most of us, the majority of our lives are more stressful than we would like. It is the nature of our world today and must be dealt with proactively. That bucket that was full while we were on our care-free vacation now has a leak. Actually it has several leaks. Instead of putting its energy income into savings, for future enjoyment i.e. Health, the body is forced to adapt to the stress by spending energy fixing holes in the bucket. The more stress, the more holes, the more energy spent. This is all fine and dandy as long as the energy coming in is greater than the energy going out. People will have colds, maybe the flu, allergies, and mild symptoms of all kinds in this phase of dis-ease. The body can manage the stress, but at the expense of the immune system working top notch. Unfortunately for us, the immune system is the first thing to weaken when we start to experience stress. It is difficult to guard against outside invaders when there is chaos inside the castle walls.<br /><br />A critical point is reached when the body is forced to dip into its energy savings to take care of all the energy requirements of dealing with stress. Remember stress is structural, chemical, and emotional so the body is working on many fronts simultaneously. Before this critical point, income was greater than expenses. And just like any business enterprise, when the body must dip into savings to continue to operate, it is operating at a loss. This is an unsustainable course.<br /><br />As the body dips into energy-savings, it is forced to breakdown less-critical tissue in order to maintain homeostasis. As stress increases, holes in the bucket multiply, and the body must begin to use energy, vitamins and minerals stored in the body to keep up with demands. As the expenses for dealing with stress grow uncontrollably, the body breaks down its own tissue in order to stay alive. The body is still acting correctly, it is just in such a difficult environment it has no choice but to shift into catabolism or tissue breakdown. If calcium is needed to fix the holes in the bucket then osteoporosis results as calcium is taken from bone, where it is stored long term. If cholesterol is needed to reduce oxidation, then hormones are reduced because cell repair is more important than a good sex drive. Continual stress on the body will cause disease as there is no other choice but for the body to start to break itself down to stay alive.<br /><br />To Be Continued...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-2322375322647155692009-10-01T22:54:00.005-05:002009-10-12T15:08:52.173-05:00Why Chiropractic?This is a fundamental question. And I am not the first person to have asked. There are many chiropractors who have blazed this trail before. But from the perspective of a student, following the signs where ever they lead, it seems like an important exercise to get some fundamental concepts straight. It is an incomplete list, but nonetheless it conveys the essence of what it is we are all about.<br /><br />Why Chiropractic?<br /><br />Because......<br /><br />1) the nervous system controls the body.<br />2) nerves must be balanced/healthy to correctly carry out important functions<br />3) the body heals itself, when properly maintained and corrected<br />4) the skull and spine are the most complex and critical bony structures in the body<br />5) our brain also lives inside our spine, irregularities and subluxations interfere with nervous system function<br />6) chiropractic care is preventative care, designed to keep the body "tuned" much like an automobile<br />7) investing money today in prevention will save large amounts down the road ("an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." - Benjamin Franklin)<br />8) health isn't free, but it is a lot cheaper than disease<br /><br />In the end chiropractic is all about LIFE, quality and quantity of LIFE. We study LIFE to learn how to better live it. We study HEALTH to learn how to better create it. We study LOVE to learn how to better give it. We study WEALTH to learn how to better grow it. All of this is self-evident, logical, rational, based on science (asking questions and observing), and firmly grounded in reality. It is what being HOLISTIC is all about.<br /><br />Chiropractic is all about focusing on what you want more of - LIFE and HEALTH - while avoiding things you want less off - DEATH and DISEASE. Yet despite the self-evident truths above, many in the establishment have yet to embrace the truth that focusing on something will inevitably bring about more of that same thing.<br /><br />We still invest massive sums of research dollars into studying disease, thinking erroneously that such efforts will yield magical results that can alleviate the chronic diseases that are literally plaguing our society. Would it make sense to study poor, gambling-addicted citizens who have wasted all their resources if we are trying to learn about saving and growing our wealth? What good will it do us to understand mechanistically how all kinds of diseases happen while ignoring how to create health and vitality? We do not want more disease. Yet by focusing on disease and ignoring health, we are getting tons and tons of disease in return.<br /><br />The Universe works on the principal of electro-magnetism, aka the law of attraction. Basically it should be obvious to everyone that the more we focus on something, the more we will get of that thing. For example, if we go around feeling like we "want" things, the signal we are sending out is that "we don't have enough". Sure enough, the universe oblidges us and will give us situations were we don't have enough. It may not be true in the fullest sense of the word, but our perception of the world will have imprinted the "wanting" feeling which inevitably leads us to live a life of "not enough, not ever enough". You can imagine people who live this way. If they don't have enough, don't expect them to share!<br /><br />If we expect to get out of our current crisis then my money is on the holistic, vitalistic, quantum energy based healing sciences. Medicine has to shrink....way down. It must be reserved for emergencies, where it is most effective. For most of us we won't need it. Instead we will pay for a service from a chiropractor or other holistic healer who will teach us how to be healthy, grow healthy, and stay healthy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-60682136175517102752009-08-28T11:01:00.006-05:002009-08-31T10:07:11.599-05:00Speaking of EpidemicsOn a daily basis we hear about the upcoming epidemic of H1N1 - erroneously referred to as Swine Flu. While there is little evidence that the word <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemic">epidemic </a>applies in this case, people are certainly getting an ear full from the MSM. Being cautious is a good thing, but can we take it too far? At what point does being cautious spill over to being fearful? When we live in a state of fear, we tend to make quick, rash decisions that can have lasting effects on our lives.<br /><br />As we transition from summer towards fall there is a good chance the fires of fear will be stoked to a frenzy. As I have pointed out before, the "normal" flu kills about 36,000 people each year. That's right, each year an entire small city-sized portion of our population passes away because of the flu. Yet this flu, which is part of our world every year, is taking a back seat to the propaganda espousing that Swine Flu / H1N1 is the real danger. Common sense would suggest that the illness with a confirmed yearly kill rate in the US of 36,000 would gain more attention.<br /><br />The Mainstream Media, er propaganda machine, that consistently blasts its fairytale version of reality out to the masses clearly is not interested in the scientific facts underlying this entire episode. For example, just today on the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/">CDC.gov</a> website anyone who is interested can clearly find the following facts:<br /><br />1) The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">below the epidemic threshold.</span><br /><br />2) A total of 7,983 hospitalizations and <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">522 deaths associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) </span>viruses have been reported to CDC.<br /><br />3) The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">below national and region-specific baseline levels.</span><br /><br />Now I am not an expert on communicable disease but it appears that the CDC's own fact sheet shows that the H1N1 Flu is not a serious and widespread illness that is consistent with the word epidemic. But if using the word epidemic is more profitable to the media networks and their big-pharma advertisers (who by the way will be in line for as much as <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/13/Swine-Flu-Vaccine-Makers-to-Profit-50-Billion-a-Year.aspx">$50 billion in yearly profits</a>) then we are just going to have to get used to it.<br /><br />Only 522 people have died in the US from H1N1 since its appearance in the media during April 2009. So in the five months since it began, we have an averaged monthly total (including August and excluding April) of <span style="font-weight: bold;">130 deaths each month</span>. Now if we take the "normal" flu and compare we come to a figure of <span style="font-weight: bold;">3,000 deaths each month on average</span>. So H1N1 Flu is killing people at <span style="font-weight: bold;">a rate of merely 5.0% of the typical flu</span>. Yet despite this mathematical and scientific disparity, it remains on the front page of media outlets worldwide.<br /><br />Maybe the real epidemic we should concern ourselves with is that of misinformation and lies being promoted as journalism. It will be impossible for us as a society to move forward, with meaningful change, if we remain subject to a fantasy world painted for us daily by the powerful industries behind our media networks.<br /><br />When faced with a world that seems full of danger and chaos, that doesn't seem to make sense, remember to follow the money. If you follow the money you will then be pulling back the veil and can more easily identify those who stand to gain from the hysteria and chaos. People don't make the best decisions when they are hurried and stressed. If you wish to profit from people making poor decisions, it is in your best interest to maintain an atmosphere of fear and danger to ellicit the behavior that will make you rich.<br /><br />Lastly we should all remember to ask the question, <b>Cui bono? </b>In latin this phrase is meant to ask "to whose benefit?". Clearly big pharma gains financially. And the federal juggernaut gains more direct control over what goes into our bodies. But faced with several innoculations that contain such toxic substances as <a href="http://nationalexpositor.com/index.php?news=1603">mercury</a><a href="http://nationalexpositor.com/index.php?news=1603"> and squalene</a> what benefit, if any, is there to subjecting oneself to a vaccination program that hasn't proven to be safe or effective? And when you consider that makers of the H1N1 vaccine have been <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/20/Legal-Immunity-Set-for-Swine-Flu-Vaccine-Makers.aspx">granted complete legal immunity</a> for any damages that will arise from the use of their product...how could anyone willingly go along with this scheme?<br /><br />Ultimately it is a choice about freedom. The freedom to be healthy is at the top of that list. When a government no longer protects its citizens from the predatory practices of powerful organizations, and in fact enables their behavior through legislation, then it is up to the people to stand up for themselves. We might remember it is "government for the people, by the people", not "government against the people."<br /><br />Stay positive, healthy, and strong. These are interesting times and those who remain cool, calm, and collected will surely do the right thing.<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />AndrewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-75413611234694024432009-07-24T11:17:00.009-05:002009-07-24T13:45:11.057-05:00No Cause for Alarm<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="hw">pan·dem·ic</span> <script>play_w2("P0040100")</script><object style="margin: 1px;" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="21" width="13"><param name="movie" value="http://img.tfd.com/m/sound.swf"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="sound_src=http://img.tfd.com/hm/mp3/P0040100.mp3"><embed src="http://img.tfd.com/m/sound.swf" flashvars="sound_src=http://img.tfd.com/hm/mp3/P0040100.mp3" menu="false" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="21" width="13"></embed></object> <span class="pron" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation key')" onmouseout="m_out()" onclick="pron_key()">(p<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/abreve.gif" align="absbottom" />n-d<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ebreve.gif" align="absbottom" />m<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/prime.gif" align="absbottom" /><img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif" align="absbottom" />k)</span><div class="pseg"><i>adj.</i><div class="ds-list"><b>1. </b> Widespread; general.</div><div class="ds-list"><b>2. </b> <i>Medicine</i> Epidemic over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population: <span class="illustration">pandemic influenza.</span></div></div><div class="pseg"><i>n.</i><div class="ds-single"> A pandemic disease.<br /><br />from <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pandemic">TheFreeDictionary.com</a><br /><br /><div mwref="http://www.m-w.com/mwref" class="entry misc" id="mwEntryData" hw="pandemic[1]" fl="adjective" code="MD"> <dl><dt class="hwrd">Main Entry:</dt><dd class="hwrd"><span class="variant"><sup>1</sup><span style="font-weight: bold;">pan·dem·ic</span></span></dd><dt class="pron">Pronunciation:</dt><dd class="pron"> <span class="pronchars"> \pan-<span class="unicode">ˈ</span>de-mik\ </span> </dd><dt class="func">Function:</dt><dd class="func"><em>adjective</em> </dd><dt class="ety">Etymology:</dt><dd class="ety">Late Latin <em>pandemus,</em> from Greek <em>pandēmos</em> of all the people, from <em>pan-</em> + <em>dēmos</em> people — more at <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demagogue" class="lookup">demagogue</a></dd><dt class="date">Date:</dt><dd class="date">1666</dd></dl> <div class="defs"> <span class="sense_content"><strong>:</strong> occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population <span class="vi"><<em>pandemic</em> malaria></span></span> </div> </div><br /></div></div>from <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic">Merrian-Webster.com</a><br /><br /><br /><br />H1N1 Flu is now considered to be a pandemic. We can all rest assured, however, that the powers that be are "on top" of the situation. The CDC, the government-sponsored disease authority, has posted the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">total infected</span> and the </a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm">total deaths</a> </span>so far in all of the United States (all 50 states plus territories) due to the H1N1 virus. At this moment there have a grand total of.....<span style="font-weight: bold;">303 deaths in the USA</span>. Hmm...303 deaths total since this whole scare began back around mid-April during <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/04/white-house-says-obama-not-affected-by-swine-flu.html">Obama's trip to Mexico</a>. Thats roughly about 3 people per day since the outbreak in the USA. 303 people have died out of a <a href="http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=uspopulation&met=population&tdim=true&q=America%27s+population">population of over 300,000,000</a>! This breaks down to about <span style="font-weight: bold;">0.0001% of the population</span> of the United State that has died from H1N1 flu virus. <span style="font-style: italic;">Does this data support the use of the word Pandemic (see definitions above)?</span><br /><br />Compare that number against the "normal" flu. According to the CDC each year in the United States over <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm">36,000 people die from the "regular" flu</a>. That works out to around <span style="font-weight: bold;">0.12% </span>of the entire population that dies from the flu each year. If we multiply the 3-month outbreak of H1N1 by 4 we would then have <span style="font-weight: bold;">0.0004%</span> of the population (assuming similar death rates for the year). Looking at H1N1 against the "old, not-headline-worthy" flu, we can see that the "boring, business-as-usual" flu that has been with us forever is actually <span style="font-weight: bold;">300x more deadly than H1N1</span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Does this data support the use of the word Pandemic (see definitions above)?</span><br /><br />Suffice it to say that the results as of July 24th, 2009, just don't seem to justify the alarm. Some have suggested that by increasing the amount of panic and fear in the general population that we are being distracted from other things - wars, unemployment, destruction of the middle class, the rise of facism, etc. Clearly there are many things we would be better served to pay attention to than the hysterical propaganda coming out of the government-sponsored disease center.<br /><br />The Associated Press recently broke a story regarding the H1N1 flu, vaccines, and immunity. Except that upon reading the article one quickly realizes that immunity is not being offered for sick and suffering Americans. No, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hjdCHrP82YTFser5vD6CzTK1az6wD99GH8580"><span style="font-style: italic;">legal</span> </a><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hjdCHrP82YTFser5vD6CzTK1az6wD99GH8580">immunity is being given to makers of H1N1 vaccines</a>. It must be nice to offer a product for sale, have the government demand that everyone has to purchase it, then to be granted immunity from damages should the product forced down everyones throat actually turn out to be harmful.<br /><br />Remember that in the 1970's there was a swine flu outbreak. <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-6495-US-Intelligence-Examiner%7Ey2009m7d10-CBS-60-Minutes-300-death-claims-from-1976-swine-flu-vaccine-only-one-death-from-flu">And over 300 deaths occurred - from the vaccines themselves</a>. History doesn't always repeat, but it usually rhymes. Things are coming to a head, a sort of crisis on many levels - economic, ecological, and spiritual. Staying healthy is the best defense against whatever "bug" is out there.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/refuse-and-resist-mandatory-flu-vaccine">Click here</a> to learn about a petition against mandatory vaccination. Mandatory vaccination by the federal government would be taking another gigantic step down the road towards a fascist dictatorship. When we are no longer free to say no to being injected with dangerous, experimental vaccines.....what are we then?<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />AndrewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-79223536483296456612009-07-13T14:15:00.007-05:002009-07-13T14:57:00.530-05:00Staying CenteredIts been a busy, busy summer. But now that midterms are behind us (we had two more exams before 10:00 am today) there might just be a little more room for some commentary...<br /><br />Staying centered is crucial. From the center, all things are possible and all information is equally within reach. It is here, in the center, that athletes break records, that musicians record masterpieces, and that philosophers uncover a new way to look at the world. The center is akin to the singularity that all great religions seek - some have called it peace, love, zen, happiness, etc.<br /><br />In the center there is unity - oneness. Struggle doesn't exist on its own. Neither does pain, or hate, or even death. All these negative, death-energy concepts rely on a splitting and dividing. All things are connected in the center, and when we are consciously present there, we too benefit by sensing the connections all around us.<br /><br />In order to heal others its important to realize many people, structurally, chemically, and emotionally, are way off center, lacking balance. Its important for those doing the healing to know where the center is and how to get there. If they are successful in placing their self into a grounded, open-minded, and empathetic posture, then they will have access to intuition and insight that will greatly benefit the healing process.<br /><br />While talk is cheap and its easy to point to where one wants to go, taking the steps to get there will challenge everyone who dares. The point is that we will all be challenged. Those who challenge themselves as they attempt to grow will be paying their fees upfront and enjoying dividends down the road. However, those who avoid being tested and take the easy road will simply be using their dividends today and will suffer with more serious challenges and consequences down the road.<br /><br />Find the center and all things become possible...What would you do if you knew you could not fail?<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />AndrewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-65583333473601189272009-05-28T22:10:00.001-05:002009-06-11T15:24:05.858-05:00Seven WordsMedicine Cannot Fix What Medicine Doesn't Understand.<br /><br />The necessity of chiropractic can be found in these seven words. Who will step up to take care of the sick and diseased in our society? If humans are viewed as machines, then medical doctors are simply mechanics. Swap a part here, drain and change some fluids there. Viola modern medicine at its best. Perhaps only in todays post-modern, post-human world of concrete, glass, and steel did we as a society somehow forget that humans, and all life, are filled with a powerful force. It is the same force that causes trees to grow, to fix their roots deep into rich nutritious soil and to send their branches skyward. Trees like all life seek fearlessly to deploy material and energetic resources in the most efficient manner possible. Roots do not hog nutrients to spite the needs of the leaves. There is no such thing as self or ego or possession - in nature all things are united. There is just the driving force to grow and succeed that permeates each and every cell of every living creature on earth.<br /><br />Medicine works on the assumption that the suppression of symptoms is an effective way to treat disease. Its akin to saying the person who never cleans their house and lives like a pig can just spray air-freshener over everything and then claim it to be clean because it doesn't smell dirty. We have learned that symptoms are a latent sign of dis-ease and patho-physiology. Yet since the symptom is usually the first sign of illness, it is erroneously assumed that the symptom IS the sickness. When the winds blows and leaves tremble we can say the wind is blowing. We cannot see the wind, but we can see the effect of its passing. Disease and illness works in much the same manner. If we are trying to understand what is afflicting a patient, it would be a disservice to focus on the symptom (the leaves) while ignoring the causative factors (the wind).<br /><br />It should be clear at this point that a superior health-oriented paradigm is greatly needed. Chiropractic is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this leadership void. We are learning that adjustments open up the body's intrinsic pathways of information and energy resulting in a being living at a higher level of functioning and integration. We are learning that proper alignment of the skeletal system, specifically the vertebral column, is vital to health. The brain and spinal cord are integrative, information processing centers that are interdependent upon the structures through which they travel. So by focusing on adjustments and corrective structural intervention, chiropractic has the answer for many in our society who are seeking a better way. We should remember that chiropractic is perfectly capable of taking care of itself and its patients without changing who and what we are. Treat people as a whole entity instead of treating symptoms as an isolated incident.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-71166451153067979112009-05-10T20:42:00.003-05:002009-05-11T19:53:18.514-05:00Toxic Town<span style="font-family:arial;">We credit the alchemists for coining the phrase "as above, so below". This simple yet powerful statement reveals that the there are universal laws and truths operating at all levels of reality. The planets in our solar system rotate around the sun just like atoms whirl around the nucleus of an atom. There are solar winds traveling through space just like there are jet streams in our atmosphere and ocean currents in our seas. Nations organize human beings into systems just like living things organize cells into organs. What the alchemists were alluding to is the fact that similar phenomenon exist at all levels, micro and macro.<br /><br />Consider then the community of cells we call the human body. Our cells respond to toxic food, excessive stress, and emotional suffering just like human beings respond to fear, violence, and poison. Lets consider what would happen to normal, healthy individuals in the following scenario:<br /><br />Imagine a dense urban environment, called "Toxic Town", where we remove all the nutrition from the food supply and replace it with processed sugar only; place drugs into the drinking water; pollute the air; tear down the lines of communication to the rest of the world; and finally wall off that part of the city. What do you think the health of those citizens would be like in a few days? A few weeks? A few months?<br /><br />We took normal, healthy people and changed their environment. In this walled-off part of the city people suffered greatly from dis-ease as they were unable to escape the health negative effects of their environment. Anyone subjected to the above reality would likely experience degeneration and dis-ease. Without the ingredients for health available in the immediate environment, and without the ability to flee, is there any doubt as to the fate of these imaginary people?<br /><br />Keeping with this train of thought, how might today's medical authorities deal with this situation? If we follow the orthodox medicine point of view then our remedy would be to send in ANTI-BIOTIC foot soldiers to "wipe the floor" with these sick people. Or perhaps a SURGICAL air strike would effectively wipe this dis-eased Toxic Town right off the map. When we consider that cells are like people, orthodox medicine becomes violent very quickly. And how are we going to heal each other, if we practice violence against ourselves?<br /><br />The citizens of Toxic Town didn't do anything wrong and obviously don't deserve to get obliterated by medical intervention. They became victim to their environment - an environment that made it impossible to experience health. In our own bodies it is not the fault of our cells that they become diseased, anymore than it is the fault of the people in Toxic Town. And like the people stuck in this toxic part of town, our cells cannot up and move to a cleaner part of our body.<br /><br />We should consider then how vitally important is the environment. Whether we are an individual human being or an individual cell, our health and our fate is fully dependent upon the support of the immediate environment. Mother nature has made it simple for us to keep our cell environment healthy. All that is required of the average person is to avoid things which are made by people in labs and factories and to eat fruits, veggies, and meats growth in an organic and sustainable manner. By selecting foods rich in vitamins and minerals we will be assuring that our cells are awash in the biochemicals they depend on to function at their best.<br /><br />We have all heard that the body is our temple. That means that if we respect, cherish, and love life that we will keep that temple clean and healthy. No one benefits from living in a Toxic Town. And no cells can thrive living in a toxic body. We can change cars when we wear them out. We can move into a new house if we wreak the one we have. We have but a single body and it needs our love, respect, and attention. </span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-44997017882227312582009-04-26T12:01:00.009-05:002009-04-26T20:56:57.386-05:00Swine Flu - Balance Fear With Information<span style="font-family:arial;">Over the past few days the media has begun a blitz of sound-bytes and info-bytes regarding the outbreak of swine flu. It is alarming that the reports brought before us show a spreading, powerful strain of swine flu. The picture being painted on the main media outlets is that this strain is new and powerful - plenty of reason to be fearful. First in Mexico, and now in other countries as well the swine flu appears, at first, to be everything the alarmists are claiming it to be. The purpose of this short article is to provide some much needed perspective so we can put our fear into balance. The last thing we need to be doing is being fearful because negative emotional states act to immediately weaken our immune system and hamper our own well being.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Please take moment to read the article below.<br /><br />At this early stage already there is much alarm and dread in the media. While these swine flu deaths that have taken place are unfortunate, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >we must be aware that every year in the United States over <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/index.htm">36,000 people die from the flu</a>. That is around 100 people each day!</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> These flu deaths are just "normal" flu and are not afforded such frenzied media coverage. Clearly seasonal flu is an ongoing issue every year. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Even at 9:00 am on April, 26th, 2009 there are </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm">only 20 infections</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> so far in the United States. We are talking 20 infections out of 300 million people!</span> Compare 20 infections, not fatalities, to around the usual 100 deaths a day. Obviously we are not at a point where our fear and hysteria are justified. We should keep asking questions and think for ourselves. Below I have attempted to highlight a philosophy of health that suggests what we call cold and flu symptoms are actually correct responses by the body to a viral infection. Rather than take medicine to suppress the symptoms, aren't we better off allowing the body to do what it needs to do? Hopefully we can all learn that symptoms are tools used by the innate intelligence of the body to restore health. We should not fight that. The body is fully aware of what to do and we should simply nourish it and get out of the way.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/">According to the CDC</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, the swine flu we are dealing with today is a "new" variation of swine influenza A. The fact that it is new should not alarm anyone. It is critical to understand that viruses change all the time. Science and medicine cannot even cure the common cold, one of the most simple sicknesses that we all encounter. The reason is not for lack of trying but rather that the virus is constantly in a state of evolution. Its like an ancient game of cat and mouse. The cold virus gets into our bodies and attempts to replicate. Our immune system is designed to monitor and remove such threats. So the cold virus is the mouse and the immune system is the cat so to speak. In order to make this point clearer, please consider the following point of view.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Each one of us has the cold virus inside our bodies. I understand that to mean at all times, even during times of great health, there is some cold virus within us. Its just that during those times of immune strength our bodies are doing an excellent job of keeping the growth of the virus down to minimum levels. Constant vigilance is the name of the game for our immune systems. Our immune system defends us all day, every day without us being aware of it at all. Such is the beauty and power of the human being. We could conceivably enjoy this period of health and immune wellness for many months and even years. There is no reason to believe we cannot live in such a state for long periods of time.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Now lets say for this exercise that we have become overly stressed, we found ourselves eating poor food, and we haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately (sound familiar anyone?). Remember that our immune system is always working to keep the cold virus, or any virus for that matter, under control. But when we experience stress - emotional, physical, and chemical - our immune system is the first thing to weaken. Now instead of having a virus under control, we have a virus that spreads systemically.<br /><br />At this point we are not aware of being sick. Keep in mind that what we call sickness is actually the intelligence of the body responding to the threat. We call our symptoms the sickness. In fact, the real sickness is the fact that the cold virus has spread throughout our bodies due to the weakening of our immune function. We probably would not say we feel sick at this point. We might feel something coming on, but it would be too far in the background of our awareness. We just can't tune in at that level.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So now we are at a point where our body recognizes intelligently that the cold virus has spread to unsafe levels. The initial immune response was unable to keep it in check due to stresses placed upon the body which drain the vital energy needed by the immune system. But the body fights back at this point. This is the critical point in the process where most would now say we feel sick. The body knows that the virus lives and proliferates only in very precise environmental conditions. In other words, in order for the cold virus to spread it needs to have just the right temperature, pH, etc. Lucky for us the body can alter these factors and thus cause the virus to stop spreading and cause it to die off.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As mentioned the body fights back and it does this one way by raising the internal temperature. This occurs with an increase in immune cell activity and creates an unfavorable environment for the virus. By elevating the temperature the body causes the virus to slow down and denature, while at the same time giving the immune response added energy to disable and remove the virus. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">The fever is a natural intelligent response by the body. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">It should be seen as such. It is the correct response in order to remove the viral infection from the body. Yet this perspective is not widely acknowledged. We are raised to think that feeling sick is "bad" but in fact the sickness we feel is just Mother Nature doing her best to keep us alive.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After altering the internal environment and energizing our immune system our body fights off the virus and we are again returned to health. Of course during this period of fever, loss of appetite, and low energy we certainly didn't feel good. But that is the price we had to pay for returning to health.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We have established that the body's response to the cold virus is not really "sickness" but is an intelligent method of riding the body of an infection. While it is unpleasant to undergo these experiences, we should support the body's efforts by eating the most nutritious of foods, usually soups in this case, and provide it with ample clean water. We must acknowledge that the sick feeling is actually the curative process. It has to hurt if its to heal. Covering up the pain with drugs and poison is working against the body. Sometimes a fever is necessary. It may be uncomfortable to cough and feel sick but the body is working intelligently, flawlessly, perfectly the whole time.<br /><br />The cold virus is always changing. Other viruses like the flu are always changing as well. It is just a fact of life. By always morphing into something new the viruses are constantly challenging our immune system. Our bodies are perfectly capable of keeping us healthy for extended lengths of time. But when we are down, our immune system is one of the first things to go. And like the old saying goes "when the cats away the mice will play". The viruses spread quickly when the immune system is weakened. Keep the body nourished, keep the spine healthy, and keep the body energized and we will all reap the benefits.<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />Andrew<br /></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-25357774733216703922009-04-16T11:30:00.010-05:002009-04-16T21:10:49.064-05:00When All You Have is a Hammer...<span style="font-family:arial;">Using surgery and pharmaceutical drugs, tools best suited to address medical emergencies, as a means to produce a healthy society is a misguided approach. It is like someone trying to grow a garden in their backyard using only two tools - a pair of shears and some insecticide. Obviously the complexities of growing a garden necessitate the use and consideration of many things like proper sunlight, water, soil chemistry, nutrients and fertilizers, etc. If our neighbor claimed only two-tools could yield a healthy garden, would we take that person seriously?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now consider that the human body is like a very, very complex garden, replete with varieties of micro-organisms which all seek harmony and homeostasis. The body needs a wide array of support from nutrition to emotional well-being. It makes no sense to limit the care of the human being to two tools - drugs and surgery. All too often we become biased by the tools on our belt. Remember, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The consequence of the narrow approach, of using emergency intervention in the majority of cases, is a misdiagnoses of the needs of patients. Patients may needed emergency care and medical crisis management at certain points. Yet what is need by the patient, and lacking in the medical model, is a holistic, patient-centered approach. The missing diagnosis in the surgery/drug model is the realization that the patient is a whole person, with all the qualities and complexities inherent in an individual. Patients are people with symptoms, not symptoms with people attached.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-3656157202947206882009-04-11T22:01:00.005-05:002009-04-11T22:13:29.864-05:00Firefighters & Architects -- Who are You Gonna Call?<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Lets start this by asking a few questions: what is health? Is it the absence of pain? Or is it the presence of something else? Do we need emergency care specialists or should we be seeing preventative care experts?</span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While those are big questions, I believe chiropractic philosophy can help find an answer. I believe that chiropractic care is the key to unlocking your body's potential. Think of your dream home. Now imagine it has caught fire. Do you call the architect or carpenter?</span> No, you call the fire department because that is an emergency. It is the same with your body. If you find yourself in a health emergency, you need to go to the hospital, to the emergency room. But lets say your dream home has a cracked foundation, some walls and door frames are not square, and a little water leaks in during rain storms. You wouldn't call fire fighters. You would turn to experts who deal with structure and function. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;">Now it is the same when we talk about chiropractic and health. Chiropractic is to you what an architect or carpenter is to your house. You can live in a crooked house, but would anyone recommend it? You also can live with chronic subluxations (spinal misalignments), but would anyone recommend that? Now consider the human body, its a little more complicated than a house. And if structure is important for your house, imagine how important it is for your health. <span style="font-weight: normal;">Proper alignment of the skull and spine allows for proper functioning of the nervous system, which in turn increases health across a broad spectrum. </span>Chiropractors use their hands and simple tools to move bones and tissues back into proper alignment. We don't use drugs, and we don't use surgery. Your body knows how to heal itself, and we respect and understand that.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; font-family: arial;">Health is really a direction. Everything we eat, drink, think, and do affects our health. Chiropractic helps people of all ages, from all walks of life, to deal with the challenges we all face living day to day. Its all about your quality of life, and with chiropractic, you receive care that enhances your overall well-being.</p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; font-family: arial;">Yours in Health,</p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; font-family: arial;">Andrew<br /></p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-48296759524999107172009-04-05T20:24:00.013-05:002009-04-11T17:59:13.225-05:00Allergic Disease Linked to Spinal Misalignment<span style="font-family:arial;">In a study published in <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.ispub.com/journal/the_internet_journal_of_orthopedic_surgery/volume_2_number_1_45/article/relationship_between_vertebral_deformities_and_allergic_diseases-2.html">The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery</a> </span>in 2004 titled Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities and Allergic Disease, researchers drew a clear connection between disease and vertebral structure. This study emphasized that there exists a relationship between disturbances in sympathetic nerves and visceral disease. More specifically, the researchers highlighted what chiropractic has long known to be true - that structure is highly related to function.<br /><br />It was demonstrated that vertebral misalignments of the thoracic spine (what chiropractors would refer to as hypokyphosis or akyphosis) were present in <span style="font-weight: bold;">98%</span> of a total of 1028 patients who suffered from allergic disease. Now this is interesting on two levels. First this study clearly looked at the spine from a structural point of view and found a very high correlation between disease and what they call "spinal curvature disappearance". Next the researchers go on to reveal that the misalignments were very consistent in each individual, occurring at the T8 - T10 level of the thoracic spine. This is important because it links a specific area of the spine with a given disease process and set of symptoms.<br /><br />What we have at this point is a set of symptoms or allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma, that are shown to directly correspond with what the chiropractic sciences term a <span style="font-style: italic;">subluxation</span> (flexed or laterally flexed vertebra) of a hypo-to-akyphotic thoracic spine. That is, asthma and auto-immune inflammation is directly related in this study to subluxations of the thoracic spine. For chiropractors and students everywhere, this is an important reinforcement of the importance of chiropractic coming from scientific research. But wait, we are not done yet.<br /><br />[Note: the term subluxation has been substituted for the original phrase </span><span style="font-family:arial;">"chronic vertebral misalignment"</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> used by the researchers. The study clearly identifies flexed and laterally flexed vertebra of the thoracic spine and associated disk narrowing as the cause for vertebral misalignment. This definition is congruent with this author's understanding of the term subluxation.]<br /><br />The question we need to ask now is how does a subluxation in the spine cause things like bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis? The researchers in this study addressed this question well when they state:<br /><br />"When the intervertebral disk is compressed forward and downward by changes in the vertebra, further downward pressure will thin the front area of the disk [subluxation]. The direction of the spinous process becomes horizontal due to the inclination of the front side of the vertebra in a downward direction. <span style="font-style: italic;">The upper articulating process that is causing the changes in the vertebrae is pushed forward and can penetrate the intervertebral foramina in the upper part of the changed vertebra</span>" (emphasis added)<br /><br />The important piece of information here is that the superior articulating process encroaches into the foramen and it is here that nerve interference is present. The sympathetic nerves of the autonomic nervous system originate from the T1-L2,3 level of the spine. It is through a disruption of these nerves at the T8 - T10 spinal segment level which causes altered adrenal cortex function which the researchers claim is related to allergic disease. Thus it now makes sense how a compromised thoracic spine can inflict changes to the body in areas far removed from the site of the subluxation.<br /><br />Another impressive aspect of this study concerns the treatment of 906 bronchial asthma patients. In particular these scientists highlight the T2-T4 thoracic segments as being directly related to bronchial asthma. They pointed out that the more severe subluxations at the T2-T4 level resulted in more severe asthma. There appears to be a connection between not only the presence but also the magnitude of the subluxation and the severity of the symptom. These patients were treated for their chronic vertebral misalignments [subluxations] and reacted very well, with improvement rates ranging from 80%-93% over a four to ten month period. Clearly such high numbers suggest that treating the spine for allergic disease yields beneficial results. Chiropractors have long claimed that adjustments help with allergies and asthma, and here is a study that is in complete agreement.<br /><br />What this study has shown is that chiropractic is an important tool in all of our lives. This was one study looking at just a small area of the spine. Yet despite the focus upon small areas of the spine, the researchers were able to connect the dots and clearly show the complex, integrative, big-picture effects of spinal problems. This is suggestive of a more holistic approach and less reliance upon over-specialization and myopic thinking. I believe it is this broader focus that is lacking in our health care system today. This study out of Japan is encouraging to the entire profession of chiropractic. There is one thing we need more of and that is independent, peer-reviewed science to validate the clinical and case-study data gathered over decades by the chiropractic profession.<br /><br />Here you have it - structure and function cannot be separated and they play a role in all of our lives. Finals begin tomorrow and there is much work to be done.<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />Andrew<br /></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-19116627729616080742009-03-08T20:22:00.006-05:002009-04-11T18:04:45.966-05:00Creating Wealth: a magical adventure<span style="color: rgb(54, 96, 146);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I thought this was worth sharing. We should all remember that we are in control of our experience. Consciousness has a way of giving back to us what we ourselves give away. Give away fear, and fear comes back to us. Give away Love and Abundance, and ...... well you get the idea :) read! and enjoy.<br /><br />Love and Gratitude,<br /><br />Andrew<br /><br />PS - Don' forget, HEALTH is our greatest wealth...<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(54, 96, 146);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /><a href="http://seacoast-consulting.com/site/">original article here</a></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(54, 96, 146);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"To begin, I would like to introduce a book to you, titled Creating Affluence by Deepak Chopra. I found it, informative, inspirational, spiritual and concise. It came into my experience at an excellent time. I hope you’ll give it a read because I think we can all benefit from this kind of thinking.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" >Richard Carlson author of “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”, penned the forward and I’d like to share a small portion of that with you. Mr. Carlson states: <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Wealth consciousness is so much more than simply having the ability to make money. It's a mindset that involves seeing life, not as a struggle, but as a magical adventure where our needs are met with grace and ease. Wealth consciousness is a state of mind, a sense, not of believing, but of really knowing that what we need is available to us”.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" >There is one lesson which is very difficult for many of us to integrate into our lives although we do comprehend its meaning on an intellectual level. John Lennon expressed this lesson beautifully when he sang "the love you give is equal to the love you get". If you want to acquire knowledge, love, and wealth, it is necessary to learn how to give the same.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > I realize how difficult that can be when you're trying to pay the bills and everyone from Uncle Sam to Aunt Suzie is after you for one thing or another. But giving does not have to be about dollars and sense. There are many ways we can give: every day, all day.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > Americans and western civilization in general have been programmed to always be doing something. Movement is equated with success and not moving is equated with laziness. Perhaps we need to stop, listen, and be quiet. “Doing nothing” for 20-30 minutes a day can be as difficult as finding that 30 minutes a day to exercise. But it is important stuff. The crazier this financial/geopolitical mess becomes, the more we will need to find a way to earn money in order to survive. We will need to be creative and often times that creativity emanates from that whisper in our minds that comes when we are quiet.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > One final idea from the book and I'm going to paraphrase this concept so as not to get lost in detail. And please think of these “goddesses” as metaphorical entities or whatever best coincides with your belief structures.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > A student asks the spiritual master what is the secret to creating affluence?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > “The Master answers that there are two goddesses that reside in the heart of every human being and everyone is deeply in love with these entities. However, there is a certain secret that you need to know and I will tell you what it is. Although you love both goddesses, you must pay more attention to one of them. She is the goddess of knowledge. Pursue her, love her, and give her your attention. The other goddess is the goddess of wealth. When you pay more attention to the Goddess of knowledge the other Goddess will become extremely jealous and pay more attention to you.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" > In other words the more you seek the goddess of knowledge, the more the goddess of wealth will seek you. She will follow you wherever you go and never leave you and the wealth you desire will be yours forever.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(54, 96, 146);font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> There is power in knowledge, desire, and spirit and this power that lies within you, within all of us is the key to creating affluence. Are you still with me!?"</span><br /><a href="http://seacoast-consulting.com/site/"></a></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-2087028579255471362009-03-08T10:23:00.002-05:002009-03-08T10:27:32.536-05:00What Is Health?<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%;" align="left">This simple yet elusive question is one I often return to in order to re-center myself in this effort. Is health a measure of the “absence” of something? Or is it better understood as the presence of something? In terms of absence, we refer to symptoms as a guide. We reduce the human organism to a series of histological, microscopic, and physical findings as to whether dis-ease is present. Orthodox medicine doesn't know what health is, only what the presence/absence of symptoms can tell them. This reductionist approach has resulted in a medical culture seeking methods to remove symptoms, and in their eyes, restore health. But what if there is more to the picture? What if removing symptoms results not in health, but merely the removal of outward signs of disease and dysfunction? </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%;" align="left"> It must be said that symptoms, as commonly recognized by orthodox medicine, often occur near the end of the disease process, preceding many phases of dis-ease and dysfunction. It should be clear then that the removal of symptoms through pharmaceutical drugs or surgery (remove a wounded part of the anatomy and the symptom disappears...) is not what can be described as “health”. Rather, being symptom-free is just the beginning of the journey <i>towards</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> health.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%;" align="left"><span style="font-style: normal;"> Now if we consider health as the presence of something, a new paradigm of understanding is available for us to utilize. Instead of poking, prodding, and turn-your-head-and-coughing to find symptoms, health professionals with a vitalism approach will have a very different perspective. Looking at health through the lens of holism, determining health would involve gaining an appreciation for a person's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. A passion for life, loving nature, kindness, generosity might be looked for in the healthy person. Instead of stating what is missing, doctors might diagnose and treat based off a person's energy level, range of motion, cranial symmetry, breathing, and/or spinal structure.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 150%;" align="left"> The crux of the matter is that orthodox medicine thinks in terms of what is NOT present. Following that line of reasoning we can view the allopaths as “taking away” symptoms or tissues (often times they take our immune strength and well-being instead). D.C.'s and other holistic healers view the patient in terms of what IS present. They look at the whole person, looking for avenues of giving, seeking ways to give more to the person so that after treatment the person is more “whole”. The underlying reality to this additive, whole-person model is the understanding that within each of us are better, more healthy versions of ourselves. More specifically, the goal of treatment for the chiropractor is to give to the patient in such a way that the patient's own body can more fully express health. This giving often comes in the form of adjustments, using bare hands or simple tools, which help alleviate disturbances in the body's nervous system – the body's master control unit. Chiropractors can also utilize advances in our understanding of nutrition and detoxification, which can help cleanse and nourish patients bodies, giving support to the fuller expression of health.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 150%;" align="left"> Health can then be better understood as not only the absence of symptoms but a more complete, full expression of the innate intelligence of the human body. To many this will be easy to understand, as the same forces which create health in our body create balance and plenty in the world around us. To many this concept is too large and too powerful to fit into their narrowed world-view. Health is a journey as we living beings are in constant motion. Health is not some tangible “thing” but a direction toward a better future for humanity. Relieving pain and symptoms is part of this healing process, only it is just the beginning. The destination is not the absence of symptoms but the presence of the innate intelligence of the universe through the human body. This is the foundation of chiropractic.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-20147737748522040432009-02-22T18:00:00.002-06:002009-02-22T18:01:08.559-06:00The Barrel of a GunOne cannot spread democracy with the barrel of a gun, nor can one spread health with a bottle of pills. We need to address the shortcomings of the human condition with the same holism we would apply to our patients. Each human is a “cell” of the human family much like each cell is a unit of the human body. The effects of dis-ease in society can be shown to parallel the dis-ease of the human organism. As a society we do not need an authoritative fascist police-state to force us to be good citizens. If we give ourselves liberty, unalienable rights, and a strong set of critical thinking skills, then good citizens and a healthy society will be the result. In human health we do not need reductionist, synthesized solutions to symptoms. We need nourishment of mind, body and soul and healthy humans will be the result. We are a community in both the micro and macro sense. <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%;"> We feed our bodies processed, reduced foods and toxic substances, we stress, and we are in general an ill bunch. In the same manner, we feed each other toxic thoughts and processed ideas, ideas and thoughts with all the nutrition removed, so that we are left starving for meaning and truth in our lives. Our bodies are burdened by toxins and lack of real nutrition just like our hearts and minds are collectively looking for a rewarding path to follow, something that will nourish our mental and spiritual bodies. We pray upon the weaknesses in our fellow man while we worship the morally corrupt. We suffer from physical cancer and emotional cancer. The two are self-reinforcing, increasing the disharmony between cell-to-cell, person-to-person, and people-to-planet communication and understanding.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%;"> If we are looking for a solution to our circumstances today, it would serve us to look in the mirror with an open and forgiving mind. Whether it be at the cellular or societal level, there are consequences for greed and sloth, for corruption and lack of leadership, for malnourishment and stress. Health permeates all levels of existence -- as above, so below say the alchemists. When we return to principals of vitalism in all areas of our lives, then the world will start to change. Change will happen across the entire spectrum, micro-to-macro, since in fact it is all ONE. There is hope in the realization that it is not the people or the cells, but the environment into which we place ourselves and our bodies that is the problem. Cells want to be healthy, but in the presence of abuse and stress they can become diseased. People raised with fear and hate are no different. There is no way to peace, peace is the way just as there is no way to health, as health is the way.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2562873995203825471.post-37589702787911944322009-01-31T17:02:00.003-06:002009-01-31T17:44:49.967-06:00The Bakris StudyThe Bakris Study was a pilot study performed by a group of medical physicians in Chicago, led by Dr. George Bakris, M.D., after whom the study is named. Their conclusions are very important for the future of chiropractic. The study demonstrated that a <span style="font-style: italic;">single</span> chiropractic upper cervical adjustment, a specialized adjustment for the C1 or Atlas bone, lowered blood pressure in 25 test subjects with early stages of high blood pressure. The effect of ONE chiropractic adjustment had the ability to lower blood pressure as much as a traditional medical patient using two blood pressure medications in combination. Chiropractors have for a long time claimed that chiropractic care can help with conditions like hypertension. It is a powerful thing to have science, in an experiment run by medical doctors no less, confirm what chiropractors have been saying for many years.<br /><br />The study was conceived after a local MD in Chicago was sending his patients with hypertension, or high blood pressure, to a chiropractor. It was reported by this MD that after receiving chiropractic care, the hypertension appeared to normalize in his patients. It was this anecdotal evidence that prompted the study. It is interesting to note that according to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the number one killer in the United States with over 650,000 deaths a year (iatrogenic death is the number one killer in the US, however that data is not published by the CDC). Hypertension is related to heart disease or dis-ease as the increased pressure damages the heart and can lead to more serious and deadly complications.<br /><br />In the future it would useful to have much more peer-reviewed science available to chiropractors. Clearly science is a tool and can be used positively or negatively. If chiropractors are able to devise and fund studies concerning the myriad benefits of chiropractic care, then we would be able to more clearly communicate to the world what the profession has known for decades -- that chiropractic works!<br /><br />Yours in Health,<br /><br />Andrew<br /><br />References:<br /><br />http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79865<br />http://www.nucca.org/files/Hypertension2007.pdf<br />http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/hypertensive-heart-disease<br />http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/lcod.htmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0