This "news" isn't new—anyone who has taken a careful look at the scientific literature and epidemiological reports already knows mercury is harmful to pregnant women and children. But the more studies we have, the better—so I say, keep them coming! Who knows what critical mass is needed to eventually create a loud enough cry for change?

Every new piece of scientific evidence raises the chances that the U.S. government will finally have to enact legislation to protect your children from the toxic agents in vaccines.

In addition to its presence in vaccines and dental amalgams, mercury is also found in other pharmaceutical drugs, fish and seafood, high-fructose corn syrup, and many processed foods, including certain brands of jelly, ketchup, Coca Cola, and even Pop Tarts!

These latest studies are clearly a warning for us to clean up our toxic world.

Mercury in Dentistry Needs to Be Abolished NOW

Mercury and thimerosal need to be completely removed from the medical and dental industry. We are making progress, but not quickly enough. There needs to be zero tolerance for this potent neurotoxin as there is no safe level of exposure to mercury.

A massive grassroots campaign against the use of mercury in dental fillings, led by consumer protection attorney and activist Charlie Brown, has resulted in the FDA's agreement to re-examine its pro-mercury fillings position.

Dental amalgams are the largest source of the mercury found in the human body, contributing about 2 to 3 times as much mercury as all dietary and environmental sources combined. Your children don't need mercury in their food, their mouths, OR their vaccines.

Vaccines' Unsavory Assortment of Toxins

Thimerosal is a highly toxic and poisonous ethyl mercury agent that is used as a preservative in ALL injected flu vaccines. (Inhaled flu vaccines do not contain thimerosal.)

The mercury in thimerosal is 50 times more toxic than regular mercury. Thimerosal accumulates in the tissues and organs of your body, including your brain, which is why it is neurotoxic and parents and doctors maintain that it is a major factor in childhood autism.

In the U.S., most childhood vaccines are now thimerosal-free. But some vaccines still contain mercury, including:

All DTwP products (Diphtheria, Tetanus & whole cell Pertussis)	Meningococcal multi-dose vials
DT (Diphtheria & Tetanus) multi-dose vials	All multi-dose vials of seasonal- and swine flu vaccine, typically recommended for adults and children over the age of three.
All Tetanus Toxoid vaccines

You can find a complete list of mercury content in U.S.-licensed vaccines here. You can also calculate the amount of mercury in shots your doctor recommends with the Vaccine Ingredient Calculator.  

But thimerosal isn't the only dangerous ingredient in vaccines. They can also contain the following:

Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent	Phenol (carbolic acid)
Neomycin and streptomycin (antibiotics)	Resin and gelatin, known to cause allergic reactions
Polysorbate 80 (Tween80™), which can cause anaphylactic reactions, and may cause miscarriage and infertility (see the next section for details)	Triton X100 (detergent)

Some include highly toxic aluminum-derivatives that may be even WORSE than mercury, and a number of other adjuvants have been shown to be highly problematic. Unfortunately, there are so many vaccines, and so many ingredients, and a variety of brands with their own patented and therefore largely secret formulations—it makes for very tricky terrain.

You also have differences between the vaccines released in Europe, versus those released in the U.S.

I believe it's clear that these studies, taken as a whole, are like smoke signals, indicating there are significant health dangers linked to excessive vaccinations, even though science still may have a ways to go to pin down the exact mechanisms for each and every physiological reaction.

Infertility and Miscarriages from H1N1 Vaccine

The vaccine-safety community fought long and hard to get thimerosal removed from childhood vaccines, and now, just a few short years later, we're looking at government recommendations that include multiple injections of mercury-containing flu vaccines, year-in and year-out from six months of age throughout childhood and until the las year of life.

Studies have shown that the H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu, is no more serious than most strains of seasonal flu. In fact, it's usually milder.

Yet, millions of doses of H1N1 vaccine were given to panic-stricken adults and children. The swine flu "pandemic panic" may go down in history as one of the most massive cover-ups in American history.

The H1N1 vaccine has been connected with numerous health problems, including:

• Guillain-Barre syndrome (CBS)
• Thrombocytopenia (inadequate platelets in your blood)
• Bell's palsy (a neuroimmune reaction involving facial paralysis)

And it appears it may also be linked to a high rate of miscarriage and infertility that may be in part due to an ingredient called polysorbate 80. Both H1N1 vaccines, Fluarix and Novartis' Agriflu, contain this agent.

Polysorbate 80, also known as Tween 80, is a detergent (surfactant) used to deliver certain drugs or chemical agents across the blood-brain barrier.

You can also find this ingredient in any vaccine using the adjuvant MF59, which contains both polysorbate 80 and squalene, which is yet another hazardous ingredient. Squalene is an adjuvant used in vaccines marketed in Europe and other countries, but squalene has not yet been approved by the FDA as an ingredient for vaccines distributed in the U.S.

A Slovakian study, done in 1993, was a very damning study against polysorbate 80.

Researchers injected female rats with Tween 80 on days four through seven after birth. They discovered that Tween 80 accelerated the rats' maturation, prolonged the estrous cycle, decreased the weight of the uterus and ovaries, and caused damage to the lining of the uterus indicative of chronic estrogenic stimulation.

The rats' ovaries were also damaged, with degenerative follicles and no corpora lutea (a mass of progesterone-secreting endocrine tissue that forms immediately after ovulation).

Such severe ovarian damage can lead to infertility.

Polysorbate 80 has also been found to cause severe anaphylactic shock (see this 2005 study) and may exert cancer-promoting effects on cellular metabolism (1965 study).

Injecting Foreign Proteins into Your Body is Bound to Create Problems

Dr. Shiv Chopra presented the following additional perspective and concerns regarding the actual injection of the vaccine.

ALL vaccines, by their very definition, are antigens. Antigens are substances that, when introduced into your body, trigger the production of an antibody by your immune system. In other words, your body views antigens as harmful invaders and sends out the troops to fight them.

Every antigen, by definition, must be a protein your body views as foreign.

In nature, foreign proteins are NEVER allowed to directly enter your blood stream, whole and intact. They are always first broken down by your digestive tract into their constituent amino acids, which are familiar to your body.

Any tampering with these biological laws, such as injecting foreign proteins through a needle, holds great potential for causing autoimmune diseases, like autism, because it interferes with your natural immunological function.

This is precisely what may be happening with our massive injection of vaccines into children, while their fragile immune systems are still developing.

And there is evidence that just ONE dose of thimerosal-laced vaccine can cause neurological harm!

A 2009 study showed that monkeys receiving just one dose of hepatitis B vaccine (which contains thimerosal) suffered significant developmental delays, even though the vaccine was adjusted for body weight to simulate the amount given to human infants. Although, it wasn't clear if the damage resulted from the thimerosal, or from the vaccine itself.

Either way, it was bad news for the monkeys and has dire implications for human children. The vaccinated primates took more than twice as long as unexposed controls to acquire three standardized skills typically used to measure infant brain development.

The bottom line is, the drug industry knows vaccines are good for business. But they can't prove they're good for your health. Educating yourself is no longer an option. It's essential if you want to stay healthy.

the volumes of science on these issues, here are a few good places to start:

First, I strongly recommend your joining NVIC, one of the premiere vaccine-safety watchdogs here in the U.S. Their site is packed with vital information about vaccine side effects and vaccine-safety measures you can take to protect yourself and your children..

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of building an effective, well-organized nationwide campaign to take back our freedom to make voluntary vaccination choices.

Additional Resources to Help You Build Your Knowledge Base

• Here is complete list of studies confirming thimerosal as a health hazard.
• For the latest news about what's happing in vaccines, visit my Vaccine News page.
• GenerationRescue.org and Fourteenstudies.org are great resources as they provide copies of full studies going back many years, so you can review the evidence for yourself. Fourteenstudies.org contains an impressive collection of evidence against thimerosal.
• If you're willing to dig, you can dive into www.pubmed.com and search their medical database for information.
• Finally, Consumers for Dental Choice is a great source of information about the dangers of mercury-based dental amalgams, as well as a place to get the latest updates on what's happening in "Battle Mercury."

This is pretty remarkable news. Weight Watchers has been the front-runner of calorie counting for weight loss for over a decade, so admitting that counting calories is "unhelpful" is a radical move.

Whether it will help or hurt their business remains to be seen, but overall most of the program changes appear to be for the better. I say "most," because there's one rule in particular that could lead some people astray under this new program, and I'll review that in a moment.

What Made Weight Loss Empire Ditch their World Famous System?

In order to be unaware of Weight Watchers, you'd have to have spent the last decade beneath a rock somewhere. Their business has ballooned into a $2.7 billion weight loss empire since the introduction of their popular Points system in 1997.

The Points system allowed dieters to eat whatever they wanted, but each food was assigned a certain number of points, which simplified the calorie counting process and many millions of people used this system.

The best part about their revised program is the fact that they're now committed to more natural, unprocessed foods, and "punishes" dieters for indulging in foods rich in empty calories, i.e. foods with poor nutritional value.

David Kirchhoff, President and CEO of Weight Watchers International, explains their decision to change their hallmark system:

"We needed a program that recognized that calories are most definitely not created equal.

We knew that counting, budgeting and planning still made fundamental sense, but we wanted a better and more accurate currency. We wanted a POINTS formula that was much more "opinionated" about food choices beyond just calories."

Better late than never, if you ask me. I've long advocated against counting calories for that very reason. You're not going to get healthier, even if you manage to shed pounds, by eating fewer cookies than you did before. If you really want to lose weight and improve your health, then you must replace empty calories and denatured foods with nutrients!

So on this point I applaud Weight Watchers for finally seeing the light. A return to natural, whole (preferably locally grown organic), unprocessed foods is the right way to improve health.

The Return to Natural, Unprocessed Foods is Key for Weight Loss and Health

Time Magazine explains the primary changes to the Points program:

"Like the old program, the new one assigns a point value to pretty much every food item under the sun and calculates a daily ration of points based on a member's height, weight and age. But most of the point values have changed.

The system now favors foods that are high in protein or fiber, which make the body work harder to convert them into energy and also leave the belly feeling fuller longer. Meanwhile, point values went up for foods loaded with carbohydrates, which are more easily absorbed by the body and turned into fat."

So far so good. Protein is the most satiating food type, beating out carbohydrates and even fat. Simply speaking, eating protein helps keep you feeling full longer.

However, while focusing on consuming more protein in general will likely benefit most people, it's also important to understand that the amount and type of protein you need varies dramatically according to your gender, height, weight, exercise levels, and, most importantly, by your nutritional type.

You can decipher your individual requirements when you determine whether you're a protein, carb, or mixed nutritional type.

Protein types, as the name implies, do better on low-carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat diets. A typical ratio might be 40 percent protein and 30 percent each of fats and carbohydrates, but the amounts could easily shift to 50 percent fats and as little as 10 percent carbohydrates depending on individual genetic requirements.

Carb types, meanwhile, normally feel best when the majority of their food is vegetable carbohydrate. But they too need some protein and fat in their diets. (Mixed types fall somewhere in between.)

Ideal Protein Foods

In addition to determining your ideal amount or ratio of protein, you also want to pay attention to the type of protein you eat, because this also varies depending on your nutritional type. Protein types, for instance, thrive on high-purine meats like dark-meat chicken, or high-quality steak, while carb types prefer light meats or even beans as their source of protein.

That said, according to my experience, most people don't eat enough protein so shifting attention to protein over carbs will likely bring most people in the right direction.

Some generally good sources of protein (though you need to find out your nutritional type to really tailor your foods for optimal health) include:

• Eggs (ideally, raw organic and pasture raised)
• Grass-fed beef and bison
• Pasture raised, organic chicken and ostrich
• Raw grass-fed dairy products (raw milk, raw-milk cheese, and so on.)
• Wild-caught, mercury-free fish (only eat this if you can confirm via lab-testing that it's not polluted)

When choosing protein sources, it's extremely important to find high-quality varieties.

These would be grass-fed (not grain-fed) organic meats, raw (not pasteurized) dairy products, and wild-caught (not farm-raised) fish you know is not contaminated with mercury and other pollutants.

Because while protein is very healthy, you will not be doing yourself any favors by eating grain-fed beef (which is the most widely available in supermarkets), pesticide-laced chicken, or mercury-rich fish, so please pay careful attention to the sources of your protein, and how they're raised.

What about Protein Powders?

There are a number of protein powders on the market, typically used by bodybuilders and the like, but they're also used by many dieters.

I'm not a fan of most protein powders on the market, simply because many contain inferior sources of protein along with artificial sweeteners and flavors. Whey isolate is one such inferior product, because when you remove the fat from the whey, you actually remove important components of its immunological properties, such as phospholipids, phosphatidylserine and cortisol.

All of these factors render them completely useless from a health perspective.

I do however recommend high quality whey protein made from the raw milk of grass-fed organically-raised cows. Other factors to look for in a high quality whey product include:

• Cold processed, since heat destroys whey's fragile molecular structure
• Minimally processed
• Rich, creamy, full flavor
• Water soluble
• Sweetened naturally, not artificially
• Highly digestible—look for medium chain fatty acids (MCTs), not long chain fatty acids

This type of protein tends to benefit all nutritional types, but they're particularly well-suited for carb and mixed types. Another good option for high quality protein is raw dairy products like raw milk or raw milk cheese. To find a source near you, check out www.RealMilk.com.

If you are seeking to lose weight it might be best to avoid dairy products with lactose, such as milk, as the lactose, although healthy from grass fed organic cows, is still a sugar and can impair your ability to lose body fat. Butter and many cheeses don't have lactose so they are not problematic. If you aren't seeking to lose body fat then lactose is not an issue.

The Primary Flaw in Weight Watchers' New Program

Now, let's take a look at the major flaw of the new Weight Watchers' program: They allow an unlimited amount of fruit. If you've been reading this newsletter for any amount of time, you will immediately know why this could spell trouble for a lot of people.

In all fairness, David Kirchhoff does warn his clients about overconsumption, stating:

"Enjoy the fact that fruits have a PointsPlus value of 0, but don't go completely crazy.

Only 10 percent of Americans eat the recommended amount of fruit, so most of us are not at risk of eating too much fruit on the new program. However, if you already eat a lot of fruit each day, doubling or tripling that will result in slower weight loss.

When in doubt, use common sense, listen to your body's signals (eat some fruit because you're truly hungry, not because you can), and avoid mindless grazing (one of my personal pitfalls)."

Left out of the equation however, is the fact that fructose—including that from fruit—is also very detrimental, health-wise, to anyone who struggles with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol; all of which typically go hand in hand with obesity and overweight…

Granted, whole fruits, even though they contain fructose, are not nearly as problematic as fructose from added sugars. One of the reasons for this is believed to be because whole fruits contain high amounts of natural antioxidants, as well as other synergistic compounds that may help counter the detrimental effects of fructose.

But very large portions of fruit daily cannot be recommended for most overweight people.

How Much Fruit is OK if You Want to Lose Weight and Improve Your Health?

In fact, if you're in any of the categories just mentioned (insulin resistant, diabetic, or have high blood pressure or high cholesterol), you really need to be particularly careful about limiting your fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day or less.

Ideally you'll want to avoid ALL sources of fructose until your insulin stabilizes, and then proceed with caution.

As you can see in this table, some fruits are very high in fructose, so munching indiscriminately could set you back.

Why Counting Calories Doesn't Work

So, to get down to the basics, it's far more important to look at the source of the calories than counting them. If it wasn't, you'd be able to substitute one meal a day for a Twinkie and still shed pounds...

Back in 2004, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report accurately concluded that carbohydrates (read sugars and grains) are the reason why Americans have been consuming increasing numbers of calories over the past 30-plus years.

As I've mentioned before, the number one source of calories in the American diet is from soda, in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

Meanwhile, obesity rates jumped from 14.5 percent of U.S. adults in 1971, to nearly 28 percent in 2010. Previous research linked this increase to a greater intake of salty snacks, pizza and other fast foods -- in other words, a greater intake of carbohydrates, mainly in the form of grains.

What's the Answer?

At the end of the day, your consumption of carbohydrates, whether in the form of grains (including whole grains) and sugars (especially fructose), will determine whether or not you're able to manage your weight and maintain optimal health.

Cutting out or severely limiting grain carbs and sugars can be the U-turn you've been looking for if you are currently overweight and/or your health is suffering.

The real remedy is to return to your kitchen and embrace good old-fashioned home cooking. You, a family member, or someone you pay, simply has to spend time in the kitchen cooking fresh wholesome meals if you want any hope of staying healthy.

Like many people, I have very little "free time" in my life, but still I am committed to preparing over 95 percent of my meals in order to preserve my health. It is a commitment, a truly important one, and it CAN be done. A major leap forward would be to strive for a diet of 90 percent non-processed food and only 10 percent from other sources.

Not only will you enjoy numerous health benefits, but you will gain the satisfaction of preparing meals and being able to control the ingredients.

Your Hunger is Your Guide to Your Optimal Fuel

Many do not realize this, but frequent hunger may be a major clue that you're not eating correctly. Not only is it an indication that you're consuming the wrong types of food, but it's also a sign that you're likely consuming them in lopsided ratios for your individual biochemistry.

The beauty of eating according to your nutritional type is that your food cravings will dissipate, making reducing the sizes of your portions that much easier—no counting of calories or points required.

You can split your meals into five or six smaller portions, and still be far less hungry than you ever were before because your body is finally getting the fuel it needs to thrive.

Typically, finding your optimal diet involves shifting the ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, once you have determined what types of food your body is designed to eat. Optimal health may actually have less to do with the type of food you are eating, but with the relative percentage of each food you consume.

If you are eating right for your nutritional type, your meal should leave you with increased energy, noticeable improvements in mental capacity and emotional well-being and should leave you feeling satisfied for several hours.

However, if you feel worse an hour or so after eating, such as:

• You still feel hungry even though you are physically full
• You develop a sweet craving
• Your energy level drops
• You feel hyper, nervous, angry or irritable
• You feel depressed

... then you are likely eating the wrong combination of protein, fat and carbohydrates for your nutritional type. In this case, I strongly suggest that you read my book Take Control of Your Health, which discusses these topics in greater detail.

The best case scenario that can come from Weight Watchers' changing their program is that it may bring millions of more people back to REAL food, opposed to processed "diet" foods. (Just keep a close eye on your fruit consumption.) And that's really where the holy grail of weight loss and optimal health lies.

Water is clearly one of the most important factors in terms of what you put into your body, simply because without it you will die within a few short days. You may know that two-thirds of your body is water, but did you know that in terms of the number of molecules, your body actually consists of over 99 percent water molecules!

Astounding, isn't it?

For years, Dr. Pollack had been doing research on muscles and how they contract, but it struck him as odd that the most common ideas about muscle contraction do not involve water, despite muscle tissue consisting of 99 percent water molecules.

"So I became interested in water," Dr. Pollack says. "We've been doing research in my laboratory at the University of Washington for some 10 years now on water. The book that I wrote in 2001, it's called Cells, Gels, and the Engines of Life, talks about the role of water in cell biology. Water is absolutely central."

Yet textbooks by and large completely ignore the presence of water in your organs, muscles and tissues. Dr. Pollack's book addresses this discrepancy and brings to the fore the role of water.

"The central message of that book is that if you don't understand how water interacts with the components of the cell, you haven't a clue of how the cell works," he says.

Interestingly enough, if you're like most people, you probably think we've got water all figured out. But according to Dr. Pollack, this is far from true. In fact, "those in the field know that it's absolutely not true. We haven't a clue how water works," he says. So here we are in 2011, and even now leading scientists like Dr. Pollack are just starting to pick at the tip of the iceberg in terms of understanding the foundational basis of water!

"In our lab, we've been focusing mainly on water structure near interfaces. Your body, of course, is filled with interfaces. Inside the cell, it's mainly proteins, nucleic acids, and salts. They're all interfacing with water," Dr. Pollack says.

"So the central question is: what happens when water interfaces with those constituents? Does it change? Does it remain the same? This is where we've made some important discoveries."

Highlights of a Decade's Worth of Research into Water

Dr. Pollack's research has uncovered some interesting surprises.

"[T]he chemistry book says, if you have a charged interface, or so-called hydrophilic (water-loving) interface (which most of the constituents in your cell are), the current view is that a few water molecules might actually line up and become ordered. But this is considered a secondary effect, -- not very important for understanding of how cells function. What we found is that instead of two or three molecular layers, the ordering of water can actually amount to a few million molecular layers.

In other words, the water at interfaces can order in a macroscopic way. Is a really huge amount of this kind of water, and its properties are so different that it looks like a distinct phase of water."

So, what does this mean, in terms of affecting human biology?

If you think of the cell as a matrix of proteins, like a grid made up of proteins and nucleic acids, the spaces in between those grids are filled with water. This means there are a lot of surfaces that interact with water and impact its structure. Your cells consist mainly of this interfacial, or structured/ordered water, making it essential to understand this water in order to understand the workings of the cell.

This is not a new idea. It's been known for years, although the information has largely fallen out of view and been forgotten. One of the pioneers in this area is a Chinese-American researcher Gilbert Ling, who wrote several books on the central importance of water in the cell.

So, water is actually part of the structure of each cell. In addition to the fact that this water is interfacing and is ordered, it is also charged. And the water just beyond it is oppositely charged. This acts like a battery.

Dr. Pollack explains:

"In your cells are multiple batteries with plus and minus charges, separated... [T]he question is, how are these batteries charged?

The charge comes from incident radiant energy; light, heat, ultraviolet. All of these absorbed energies separate the charge. The energy that's coming in from outside builds this charge separation and order. This potential energy fills your cells. I think this energy is critical to an understanding of how your cells work."

In a nutshell, the water in each of your cells achieves its ordered structure from energy obtained from the environment, typically in the form of electromagnetic radiation, including sunlight and infrared heat.

How the Water in Your Cells Impacts Your Health

You may have heard about "structured water" before. Many are quite skeptical, and some don't even believe it exists, let alone that it has any value. But it's important when trying to find high quality water. Water filtration processes used to clean our water supply frequently de-structures the water, so the question is whether or not this matters. Dr. Pollack explains this challenging concept in the following lecture:

 

"In terms of the water that we drink, it's really a complicated issue," Dr. Pollack admits.

But "the water inside your cells is absolutely critical for your health. If you have a pathology of an organ, it's not only the proteins inside that organ that are not working, but also the water inside that organ. That near-protein water is not ordered in the way it should be.

So what you want to do is reestablish a kind of "ordering."

What this means is that if you don't have properly structured water in your cells, it can impact the functioning of the much larger protein molecules (and others) that are interfacing with it.

In fact, the protein molecule in your cells cannot be viewed as just a molecule by itself. It's actually the molecule PLUS the water. These two factors together form the "entity" of the molecule in question.

"If you need that entity to function properly--take a muscle for example—if the muscle is not functioning, it's the protein and the water that are not functioning," Dr. Pollack explains. "You need plenty of this ordered/structured water and proteins in their right form in order to make the muscle function properly. So if you have a muscle injury then both are not functioning."

So, how do you restore it?

Restructuring Water in Your Cells Creates Tissue Healing

Classically, one way of doing it is to use infrared radiation (heat). By applying heat to the muscle, you increase blood supply, which is helpful. But you're also building water structure! Dr. Pollack's research shows that infrared heat is very effective for ordering cellular water. In terms of the source of the infrared heat, as long as it emits the right wavelength of radiation, it will be effective. According to Dr. Pollack, the wavelength of 3 micrometers (microns) is ideal and very effective.

The sun also emits this wavelength, which may be yet another reason why sun exposure has such profound health benefits and just feels good through and through. Interestingly, the human body also emits radiation within the ideal range, which may explain why simple physical contact, including 'hands-on healing,' can contribute to improved health!

"I know there is a lot of skepticism about that," Dr. Pollack says, "but from a physical point of view, it's entirely possible."

Another way to structure water is to use light.

The visible light spectrum, ultraviolet (UV) and near infrared also builds ordered water zones. Again, light therapy has been used for years to remedy various maladies, such as depression and jaundice, for example. But it's only now that scientists are beginning to understand why such therapies work.

Clearly, one of the primary health benefits of sun exposure and UVB's is that it makes your body create vitamin D, which we now realize is absolutely crucial for optimal health. But the fact that it also helps structure the water within your cells may be yet another contributing factor. After all, your body is a conglomerate of symbiotic relationships.

Should You Drink Structured Water?

This is still a question open for debate. However, Dr. Pollack believes that if you're able to drink structured water, it would be good for your health. Interestingly, certain waters, such as the "healing water" from the Ganges and Lourdes, for example, have been studied and found to have the signature of the structured water found in cells.

"In other words, there was a particular absorption of energy at a particular wavelength that's absolutely characteristic of the structured water," Dr. Pollack says.

"That makes me think that there is a good possibility that the water really has the capability of retaining that structure over a long time… Therefore, it's possible that if you drink water that has this structure, it might be good for your health."

The second issue is: what happens when you swallow it? Does it still have the proper structure by the time it's absorbed in your intestines?  According to Dr. Pollack, this question has yet to be answered and needs to be studied further.

One thing that is known is that structured water tends to stay together.

"For example, if you eat Jell-O, Jell-O is just filled with this kind of water," Dr. Pollack says. "The reason why the water doesn't dribble out of the Jell-O is because it sticks together into this liquid crystalline-structured fashion.

So it's possible that when you swallow properly structured water… it might be preserved. If this structure is then absorbed into your intestines then it's possible it can be retained all the way into your cells. It's also possible that it's the charge within the ordered water that really matters.

Structured water contains charge, negative charge usually. It's possible that what you're really doing is absorbing the negative charge, and that negative charge is critical for building the structure. That's another possible route."

Structuring and Destructuring Water—How is it Done?

Another open question is how you might de-structure water, which is what Dr. Pollack's team is currently exploring. It's unclear whether boiling, for example, can de-structure the water, or whether in fact it might help add structure… On the flip side is the question of how to reintroduce structure to water. I've often recommended two simple approaches to restructure water:

1. Cooling it to about 39 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Stirring the water with a spoon in a circular jar to create a vortex

Dr. Pollack agrees. Water cooled to around 39 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 10 degrees Centigrade, does increase structure.

"We're studying the effects of temperature on the water structure that we see next to these hydrophilic surfaces," Dr. Pollack says. "It does look as though when you reduce the temperature, this area of structure increases. In fact, we're studying the possibility that the structured water is actually an intermediate between water and ice. It's possible that the real structure of this structured water, if you will, is very much like ice—not quite, but almost."

As for restructuring water by creating vortices, Viktor Schauberger is recognized as one of the leaders in this area. This technique is also used when making homeopathic remedies.

Dr. Pollack explains why this technique works:

"If you think of a vortex, what happens? Well, the vortex is a kind of mechanical perturbation or agitation. Probably it builds bubbles—little air bubbles that are deeply involved or enveloped into the vortex.

If these bubbles contain an envelope of structured water, then vortexing would be a very powerful way of increasing structure. So I think that is another way of increase.  Both of those ideas: reducing the temperature and vortexing, probably do lead to increased water structure."

Researchers have also investigated what happens to the structure of water when you run an electrical current through it.

"If you put a negative electrode right next to structured water, the structured region grows, but with a positive electrode it diminishes," Dr. Pollack explains. "So this structured water is just filled with charge. It's not free charge, its charges that are fixed at points in a very tight matrix--something like a semi-conductor. But it can build, and the source from which it builds is water, ordinary bulk water.

… So yeah, if you put an electrode in, it does work. It has a powerful effect… In the experiments we've done, it's just a matter of 5-10 volts… We haven't studied it in enough detail how much voltage you really need to put on to be effective. That needs to be done in the future. There are pilot experiments that we've done and we haven't published them yet."

The Connection Between Structured Water and the Practice of Earthing

Dr. Pollack also offers some fascinating insights into the technique of earthing, or grounding—the simple act of walking barefoot to "ground" with the Earth. The scientific theory behind the health benefits seen from this simple practice is that your body absorbs negative electrons from the Earth through the soles of your feet.

Interestingly, Pollack adds support to this idea by explaining how the Earth is negatively charged, so when you ground, you're connecting your body to a negatively charged supply of energy. And since the Earth has a greater negative charge than your body, you end up absorbing electrons from it.

These negatively charged electrons may then help increase the structure of the water in your cells—just as water increases in structure when a negative charge is introduced with an electrode. Dr. Pollack is a wealth of information, and our interview covers far more than what I've summarized above. I highly recommend listening to the entire interview or reading through the transcript for even more information on this important topic.

Dental "silver" amalgam fillings – or as I like to call them "mercury fillings" – are actually made from about 50 percent mercury and the rest of an amalgam is silver, tin, copper, zinc and other metals, and have been used for more than 150 years. An estimated 100 million mercury fillings are put into your mouths each year in the United States alone.

But the use of amalgam (mercury fillings), especially in pregnant women and children, has now been judged unsafe by a panel of scientists advising the FDA – the same FDA that has always defended the use of amalgam, and continues to defend its use!

In the words of Charlie Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, "Amalgam is a primitive, polluting, 19th century product that began when physicians were sawing off legs. Medicine has since moved forward." Unfortunately, this aspect of dentistry has not, at least not yet in the United States.

Mercury Does NOT Belong in your Mouth - - Period

Mercury is a potent toxin that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys.Children and fetuses, whose brains are still developing, are most at risk, but really anyone can be impacted.

I find it quite ironic, not to mention unsettling, that the metallic mercury used by dentists to manufacture dental amalgam is shipped as a hazardous material to the dental office. And any amalgam leftover is also treated as hazardous and requires special precautions to dispose of.

Yet most dentists will readily implant this hazardous material directly into your mouth, with continued and emphatic assurance that it's perfectly safe and harmless. Now, at least the FDA advisory panel has admitted the obvious: mercury fillings are not safe for everyone. The truth is, mercury fillings are a hazard to everyone and should be avoided until the slow moving and stubborn FDA finally bans them.

Just How Much Mercury Do These Fillings Release?

Remember, virtually any kind of stimulation can cause these fillings to release mercury. Eating, drinking, brushing your teeth, grinding your teeth, chewing gum, anything. If you want to see the vapors released for yourself, watch this shocking video.

Mercury vapor from the amalgams passes readily through cell membranes, across the blood-brain barrier, and into your central nervous system, where it causes psychological, neurological, and immunological problems.

For an interesting comparison, consider that scientists recently made a wise warning about eating mercury-contaminated seafood. Well, eating such seafood will expose you to about 2.3 micrograms of mercury a day. A single dental amalgam filling, meanwhile, releases as much as 15 micrograms of mercury EVERY day.

But that's not all. The average person has eight amalgam fillings and could absorb up to 120 micrograms of mercury per day. Clearly this is cause for urgent action to be taken.

Why the FDA is Resistant to Banning Amalgam

FDA remains adamant in protecting mercury fillings, which no doubt has at least something to do with its commissioner. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg has an egregious conflict of interest on amalgam, yet participated in the rulemaking that led to last year's abysmal amalgam rule. Hamburg entered the FDA through the revolving government/private industry door after allegedly making millions as the director of Henry Schein Inc., the largest seller of amalgam (mercury fillings).

The FDA has a history of stacking the deck of its advisory panels so that the pro-industry, pro-mercury position is upheld.

Why?

In a word: money. Over 100 million fillings are put into mouths in the United States alone, and each tooth that's filled with toxic mercury represents a profit source for the amalgam industry – an industry that is used to having its way with world governments for the past 100 years.

Folks, bringing about change in the health care field has always been about battling against entrenched profit centers, and this is no exception.

The dental amalgam industry and their paid shills and former executives in government simply do NOT want access to your mouth blocked, regardless of the health implications. The mercury fillings industry is an entrenched, embattled and a very profitable industry, and they have been on a war footing against scientists all over the world for decades.

The FDA has been far behind the rest of the world in stepping up to the plate to reduce mercury in your mouth. The FDA has been standing in the way of banning this dangerous dental material for 34 years -- since 1976. But the very good news is that we are starting to win this battle.

Where Do Other Countries Stand on Mercury Dental Fillings?

Other countries are now beginning to restrict the use of mercury fillings, much to the dismay of the amalgam industry, which unfortunately still includes the ADA (American Dental Association):

• Canada advised dentists to stop placing amalgam in children and pregnant women in 1996 -- 15 years ago!
• Denmark, Norway and Sweden have essentially banned amalgams.
• Worldwide amalgam (mercury filling) use is in decline
• One California city, Costa Mesa, has endorsed a city-wide amalgam ban
• The World Health Organization supports an amalgam "Phase Down"

For a country that is supposed to be so scientifically advanced, the United States is currently lagging behind many nations, and even behind some third-world countries, when it comes to mercury fillings.

Mercury Fillings and the Environment

The ADA and other pro-mercury proponents have always claimed that mercury fillings are a low cost and very cost effective way to treat dental decay. Is this true? Not when you examine the true cost to human health and the environment caused by mercury fillings!

Mercury from dental offices is actually the largest source of mercury found in wastewater. According to an article by Michael Bender (co-founder of the Mercury Policy Project), at least 40 percent of mercury flowing into municipal water treatment plants comes from dentist offices! And urban water treatment plants are not set up to remove it, so eventually this mercury flowing out of dental offices will end up in your fish on your dinner table.

When someone dies, their amalgam (mercury) fillings actually pose a risk to the living as well. Emissions from the combustion of mercury fillings during cremation are a significant contaminator of air, waterways, soil, wildlife and food.

Seven to nine metric tons of mercury per year escapes into the atmosphere during cremations, and it is estimated that, left unchecked, crematoria will be the largest single cause of mercury pollution by 2020. Sweden now mandates that all mercury fillings be removed prior to cremation for this very reason.

So when you factor in environmental costs and clean-up costs, amalgam is actually the MOST EXPENSIVE dental material in the world.

It is also the number one cause of mercury exposure for consumers, according to the Canadian government and other sources. As it stands right now, U.S. dentists remain free to offer you any kind of filling they want, and four out of five dental specialists are still placing amalgams.

Help for Those Who Already have Mercury Fillings

If your mouth is currently free of mercury fillings, good for you. Make sure you keep it that way by seeing a biological dentist who can recommend a truly inert material that will not harm your health in the event you do need a filling.

For those of you who have mercury fillings, I recommend that you have them removed … but avoid making the mistake I did 20 years ago by having it done by a non-biological dentist. When you have these fillings removed you can be exposed to significant amounts of mercury vapors if the dentist doesn't know what he or she is doing.

It's also for this reason that I suggest you get healthy BEFORE having your fillings removed, as you want your detoxification mechanisms optimized prior to removal.

Once you're ready to go ahead with it, do your research and seek out a highly qualified biological dentist. Some things that need to be done to keep you (and your dentist) safe during the procedure include:

• Providing you with an alternative air source and instructing you not to breath through your mouth
• Using a cold-water spray to minimize mercury vapors
• Putting a rubber dam in your mouth so you don't swallow or inhale any toxins
• Using a high-volume evacuator near the tooth at all times to evacuate the mercury vapor
• Washing your mouth out immediately after the fillings have been removed (the dentist should also change gloves after the removal)
• Immediately cleaning your protective wear and face once the fillings are removed
• Using room air purifiers

Help to Make the FDA Act on this Important Issue NOW!

FDA operates on its own timetables. The wonder is that the FDA even agreed to re-consider a rule they wrote just 18 months ago, since they often appear to consider their infallibility to be at the level of the Pope.

This time, though, the FDA is under heat to act, and we need your support to keep the pressure on them to tell the public the truth about mercury fillings.

The agencies of government who work on mercury issues – the EPA, Council on Environmental Quality, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with the FDA – are meeting with the State Department to hammer out the U.S. position on all the mercury issues.

The FDA is the odd man out, the one favoring a mercury product; the heat is on FDA to join the rest of the Obama Administration, and join the modern world. So both because of the scientists' recommendation, and because the FDA is increasingly alone both in the world and in the US government, we may have reached the tipping point.

The science is quite clear; the FDA has to date ignored it.

For 30 years, in violation of federal law, the FDA refused to classify dental amalgam (that is, develop a rule to regulate it), doing so only when ordered by a federal judge. In that court case, in 2008, the FDA agreed, in negotiations with Charlie Brown of Consumers for Dental Choice, to post strong warnings on its consumer website about amalgam's toxicity and its particular risk to pregnant women and children.

So What Happened?

In 2009 Margaret Hamburg became the FDA's Commissioner. With Hamburg's participation in the rulemaking, the FDA withdrew all warnings from the consumer website, and hid them deep in the rule. The FDA effectively gave the green light for dentists in the United States to continue concealing the mercury content of fillings from consumers, and the green light to continue calling them "silver fillings."

Throughout the rulemaking process, Hamburg was corresponding with Schein's general counsel, who, immediately after the rule was issued, wrote to Hamburg that the corporation is "indebted to you" for her work as FDA Commissioner.

What Happened Next?

A consumer groundswell erupted, including many writing the FDA after reading about this outrage in the Mercola Newsletter. YOU were so active that FDA Webview, an independent publication, said, "No final rule in FDA's modern history, or perhaps ever, has attracted this kind of organized opposition."

The FDA then came under the microscope because of world treaty negotiations working to begin phasing out the mercury product, and the rest of the US government, especially EPA, was supporting efforts to finally address amalgam.

With four petitions in front of them to reconsider the amalgam rule, the FDA agreed, convening a panel of distinguished scientists for two days of hearings on December 14, and 15, 2010. The scientists at the hearings told the FDA (1) to ban amalgam for pregnant women and children (either to age six or 12), and (2) put labels on amalgam so every dental patient and parent is aware of its mercury content and toxicity.

Just three weeks after those hearings came the resignation of FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, who approved the 2009 FDA rule on mercury fillings that flew in the face of science.

Sharfstein dropped to a much lower perch within the government's health ranks, caused most likely by his resistance at the FDA to facing the truth about mercury fillings. He is now the health director for Maryland.

What You Can Do Now to Make a Difference!

We need to get the assent of the rest of the resistant members at the FDA as well, or send them packing! And we are asking again for your help to do it! We simply cannot let the FDA get away with ignoring the scientists as it has done so many times before, we are so close now to bringing the truth about mercury fillings to the light. I encourage you to get involved!

Please write the FDA Director of the Division of Dental Devices, Anthony Watson, at: anthony.watson@fda.hhs.gov .

Tell Mr. Watson of the FDA:

• Since the FDA’s own panel of scientists advises that amalgam should “definitely not” be implanted in children, pregnant women, and hypersensitive people, how soon will you take action to protect these vulnerable populations from this toxin? 
• Since the FDA has a duty to tell consumers that amalgam contains mercury that can damage the neurological systems of unborn babies, children, and hypersensitive populations, when does FDA intend to clearly state this warning on its consumer website and in consumer labeling?
• Since Commissioner Hamburg claims FDA is committed to transparency, how does FDA plan to keep the public updated on its progress with regard to the amalgam issue?

Don't sit this one out. With your help we can get the FDA to finally admit to the public what scientists have known for a long time – mercury fillings are a public health and an environmental hazard, and should not ever be allowed in the bodies of pregnant women or in children!

The time to act is now!

Together we can make a lasting change and help protect pregnant women and children, along with the health of our next generation!

Fluoride is a potent neurotoxin that's been fraudulently promoted as a cure for cavities for the past five decades. Finally, we're beginning to see the kind of research needed to hopefully reverse this great injustice…

The two recent scientific developments above deserve special notice as together they offer a compelling picture of the truth. Not only do we now have yet another study showing that fluoridated water has a significant impact on children's IQ, but researchers have also discovered that the benefits of topical application of fluoride is highly questionable.

Folks, there are FAR better options for decreasing tooth decay than using a topical poison or ingesting a harmful industrial pollutant.

Fluoride Does Not Make Your Teeth More Resistant to Decay

According to Science Daily, Americans spend a staggering $50 billion a year on the treatment of cavities. Fluoride, long heralded as the answer to decaying teeth, can be found in a vast assortment of toothpastes, mouthwashes and professionally applied fluoride treatments. It's even added to your drinking water for this purpose.

Now, a groundbreaking study published in the journal Langmuir has uncovered that the fluorapatite layer formed on your teeth from fluoride is a mere six nanometers thick. To understand just how thin this is, you'd need 10,000 of these layers to get the width of a strand of your hair! Scientists now question whether this ultra-thin layer can actually protect your enamel and provide any discernible benefit, considering the fact that it is quickly eliminated by simple chewing.

An Even Bigger Issue: Water Fluoridation

The conventional wisdom has been that topical application of fluoride can help strengthen your enamel and help prevent decay. If that's untrue, then the case against water fluoridation—the ingestion of fluoride—becomes even stronger than it ever was before.

There's just no doubt that ingesting fluoride has no beneficial effect on your teeth. In fact, there's overwhelming evidence indicating that fluoride is a potent toxin that can cause a wide array of severe health problems once ingested.

When evaluating the issue of water fluoridation it is also important to understand that fluoride is a drug. You can't get fluoride without a prescription. Yet it's being added to your water supply on a mandatory basis at various levels that may or may not be safe for various individuals, especially children, the sick, and the elderly. Water fluoridation is a major assault on your freedom of choice – to be drugged or not.

Sodium fluoride, which is a far simpler toxin than the fluoride compounds used for most water fluoridation, has also been used for rat and cockroach poisons, so there is no question that it is highly toxic.

Amazingly, the United States is only one of eight countries in the entire developed world that fluoridates more than 50 percent of its water supply. (The other seven are: Australia, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.) In Europe, Ireland is the only country that fluoridates more than 50 percent of its drinking water, and England fluoridates 10 percent. Most of mainland Europe is not fluoridated, and yet, according to World Health Organization data, their teeth are just as good, if not better than Americans'.

Studies Link Water Fluoridation to Reduced IQ in Children

The latest study linking water fluoridation to lowered IQ was announced in a December 21 news release. However, this study was recently withdrawn from publication according to Jane Schroeder (NIH/NIEHS). In an email response she explained the reason for the withdrawal as follows:

"Following Ahead of Print publication EHP learned that many of the data had been published in a previous paper (Xiang et al. 2003. Effect of fluoride in drinking water on children's intelligence. Fluoride 36: 84-94), in violation of EHP¹s policy regarding the use of previously published material in original Research Articles. Consequently, the paper had to be withdrawn from publication."

That said, the data published in 2003 still stands and is still valid. Dr. Connett has also stated that his comments still stand.

According to Paul Connett, director of the Fluoride Action Network:

"This is the 24th study that has found this association, but this study is stronger than the rest because the authors have controlled for key confounding variables and in addition to correlating lowered IQ with levels of fluoride in the water, the authors found a correlation between lowered IQ and fluoride levels in children's blood.

This brings us closer to a cause and effect relationship between fluoride exposure and brain damage in children.

What is also striking is that the levels of the fluoride in the community where the lowered IQs were recorded were lower than the EPA's so-called 'safe' drinking water standard for fluoride of 4 ppm and far too close for comfort to the levels used in artificial fluoridation programs (0.7 – 1.2 ppm)." 

Trained as a chemist specializing in environmental chemistry, Dr. Connett is known throughout the world as a leader in the movement opposing water fluoridation because of his knowledge base. His organization, the Fluoride Action Network, contains a wealth of information on this topic.

Earlier this year I joined forces with Connett to publicize his game plan to end water fluoridation in Canada and the United States. I'll review it again at the end of this article. 

In December 2010, a second study reporting an association with exposure to fluoride and lowered IQ in children was pre-published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.  

According to the authors, “our study suggested that low levels of fluoride exposure in drinking water had negative effects on children’s intelligence and dental health and confirmed the dose–response relationships between urine fluoride and IQ scores as well as dental fluorosis.”

This study indicates a 5 point lowering in IQ as the fluoride level in drinking water went from about 0.3 ppm to 3.0 ppm. 

Fluoride has Been Repeatedly Linked to Brain Damage

In addition to this study, there are 23 more from four different countries (Mexico, Iran, India and China), which indicate that even moderate exposure to fluoride lowers IQ in children.

According to Dr. Connett, there are also more than 100 animal studies linking fluoride to brain damage, spanning all the way back to 1941. Unfortunately, most of the IQ studies have been unavailable in English, which is why the 2006 fluoride report created by the National Research Council of the National Academies contained only five of the available studies.

Still, while reviewing just 20 percent of the evidence, the panel concluded that there was a consistent and plausible link between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ. The news release quotes Tara Blank, Ph.D., the Science and Health Officer for the Fluoride Action Network as saying:

 "Millions of American children are being exposed unnecessarily to this neurotoxin on a daily basis. Who in their right mind would risk lowering their child's intelligence in order to reduce a small amount of tooth decay, for which the evidence is very weak."

Indeed.

According to Dr. Connett,  the newest studies show that over 40 percent of American children are overexposed to fluoride. How can we know? Because they have the telltale sign of dental fluorosis. In its mildest form, dental fluorosis looks like little white specks on your teeth. But as it gets more serious, it begins affecting more of the surface of your teeth, creating yellow, brown and orange mottling. 

Promoters of fluoridation scoff at these signs, saying that they're "just cosmetic."

But, since we already know that water fluoridation does NOT effectively reduce dental caries, this is an unnecessary cosmetic defect, and, worse yet, it is a worrisome indication that your body has been overexposed to fluoride. If it's having a detrimental, visual effect on the surface of your teeth, you can be virtually guaranteed that it's also damaging something else inside your body, such as your bones.

Other Fluoride-Induced Health Problems

In fact, fluoride will accumulate in your body and can, over time, lead to far more serious health concerns. There are plenty of studies showing the dangers of fluoride to your health—besides dental fluorosis—such as:

Parents Beware: Never Use Fluoridated Tap Water when Making Infant Formula

Most of the people who are educated about fluoride will avoid drinking municipal tap water that is fluoridated, and a reverse osmosis system is about the only way to rid your water of fluoride. However, there are many who simply don't have the resources or the know-how to protect themselves and their young children. In November of 2006, the American Dental Association (ADA) sent out an email to alert its members of their recommendation to parents to not use fluoridated tap water to make infant formula. A few days later, the CDC followed suit.

But neither of them openly informed the public!

So millions of parents are still using tap water to make up formula, oblivious of the fact that the agencies that promote fluoridation in this country have issued a specific warning against using fluoridated water for this purpose. Not only that, but by fluoridating the municipal water supply, you doom many low income families to fail to protect their young children from this dangerous drug, even if they have this information.

What's the REAL Cause of Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is caused by acids in your mouth, typically created from sugar being metabolized by bacteria (Streptococcus mutans), and as you may already know, the number one source of calories in the United States is high fructose corn syrup.

The acid produced then attacks your enamel. Eventually the bacteria can get into the dentine, at which point tooth decay sets in. You typically don't find dental caries in more primitive societies that do not consume these vast amounts of sugar. So, the real answer lies in your diet. Avoid excessive sugar consumption, and your dental health will improve along with the rest of your body.

How You Can Help End Water Fluoridation in Canada and the United States

The Fluoride Action Network is an absolutely phenomenal resource for further education, and they're doing much to pressure the US government for change.

Later this year we plan on developing a massive social networking initiative to form local groups in which you can work on removing fluoride in your local community. We will have access to online tools that will help you replicate success other Canadian and American municipalities have had in removing fluoride.

Until then if you are a professional you can sign FAN's  statement calling for an end to fluoridation worldwide now been signed by more than 3,230 professionals. We encourage all medical and science professionals to sign this statement.

Our fluoride initiative will largely focus on Canada, because 60 percent of Canada is already non-fluoridated. If we can get the rest of Canada to stop fluoridating their water, we believe the U.S. will be forced to follow. If you live in Ontario, Canada, please join the ongoing effort by contacting Diane Sprules at diane.sprules@cogeco.ca. The point-of-contact for Toronto is Aliss Terpstra. You may email her at aliss@nutrimom.ca. 
.

Additionally, New York City council member Peter Vallone, Jr. introduced legislation on January 18 “prohibiting the addition of fluoride to the water supply" in New York City. The ensuing debate alone could have major significance for our efforts in the US, considering that NYC is the nation's largest city.

Therefore, New York City is now also on our list of targeted cities in North America. The point person for this area is Carol Kopf, at the New York Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF). Email her at NYSCOF@aol.com . Please contact her if you're interested in helping with this effort.

In addition, we're willing to support any credible activist for this cause, who is scientifically based and grounded, regardless of where you live in the US. We can provide resources to help support you in your effort to eliminate fluoride from your local community – and it really needs to be a community battle.

We're not going to be able to pass a federal law against fluoridation. There is not going to be a Presidential mandate or even a State-wide elimination. This change will occur one community at a time.

So please, get informed; stay involved. In addition to the Fluoride Action Network, you can find a wealth of scientific literature at this link. I also highly recommend getting a copy of Dr. Connett's new book, The Case Against Fluoride to learn more.

When you pay up to 1,900 times more for something, you expect it to be worth it, but when it comes to bottled water most of the benefits are pure fantasy. What's worse, most bottled water companies hide the truth about their product in order to keep this profitable scheme going.

Majority of Companies Refuse to Divulge What's Really in Their Bottles

The EWG set out to find the answers to three simple, basic questions about bottled water that consumers have a right to know:

• Where does the water come from?
• Is it purified, and if so, how?
• Is the water tested, and what, if any, contaminants have been found?

Interestingly, many bottled water companies will not supply you with the answers to these questions. According to the EWG, nine out of the top ten best-selling brands fail to provide answers to all three. Only one of the 173 bottled water products surveyed—Nestlé's Pure Life Purified Water—discloses this information right on the label, and provides information for requesting a water quality test report.

In all, only three bottled water products received a good rating for transparency from the EWG:

1. Nestlé's Pure Life Purified Water
2. Gerber Pure Purified Water
3. Penta Ultra-Purified Water

For the least transparent of the bunch, please see the EWG report. All in all, 18 percent of bottled waters do not tell you where their water comes from, and 32 percent do not disclose anything about the treatment or the purity of the water.

Why is this?

Could it be because the truth doesn't justify the exorbitant price tag? After all, why would anyone knowingly pay a premium for something that is in many cases indistinguishable from regular tap water!

Bottled Water is No Guarantee of Purity

Yes, about 40 percent of bottled water IS regular tap water, which may or may not have received any additional treatment. In fact, most municipal tap water must adhere to stricter purity standards than the bottled water industry. The EPA requires large public water suppliers to test for contaminants as often as several times a day, but the FDA requires private bottlers to test for contaminants only once a week, once a year, or once every four years, depending on the contaminant.

Another independent test performed by the Environmental Working Group in 2009 revealed 38 low-level contaminants in bottled water, with each of the 10 tested brands containing an average of eight chemicals, including:

• Disinfection byproducts (DBPs)
• Caffeine
• Tylenol
• Nitrate
• Industrial chemicals
• Arsenic
• Bacteria

Another health hazard that can be found in both tap- and bottled water is fluoride. Many make the mistake of thinking bottled water is un-flouridated, but that's not the case at all. Some bottled waters even make a point of adding fluoride, so the only way to ensure the water you're drinking is fluoride-free is to have access to the water quality test results. However, bottled water has yet another significant drawback.

Aside from the fact that many of them are little more than tap water of questionable purity (since most companies refuse to provide the necessary information to determine water quality), the bottle itself is extremely detrimental to the environment, and can further contaminate the water inside it.

Drinking from Plastic Bottles Poses Health Risks

The plastic often used to make water bottles contains a variety of health-harming chemicals that can easily leach out and contaminate the water, such as:

• Cancer-causing PFOAs
• PBDEs (flame retardant chemicals), which have been linked to reproductive problems and altered thyroid levels
• The reproductive toxins, phthalates
• BPA, which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogen

If you leave your water bottle in a hot car, or reuse it, your exposure is magnified because heat and stress increase the amount of chemicals that leach out of the plastic. So the container your water comes in needs to receive just as much attention as the water itself, and plastic is simply not a wise choice from a health perspective … not to mention the extreme amounts of toxic waste produced!

Ditched Water Bottles are Destroying the Environment

Bottled water is perhaps one of the most environmentally unfriendly industries there is. Americans consume about half a billion bottles of water every week! The environmental ramifications of this practice are enormous. The video below, The Story of Bottled Water, brought to you by the folks who created the wildly successful video The Story of Stuff, does an excellent job of illustrating the truth about bottled water.

 

First of all, the bottle manufacturing process itself releases toxic compounds like nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide and benzene, and the amount of oil used to make plastic water bottles could fuel a million cars annually.

Then you have the transportation of these bottles, back and forth across the globe. A lot of miles have been covered by the time you pick up that bottle from the store shelf and haul it back to your house. But their travels don't end there. As explained in the video above, many of our non-recycled water bottles are AGAIN shipped overseas to be dumped as waste in less affluent nations…

According to the most recent report by The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers, only 28 percent of water bottles are currently recycled in the US. What happens to the rest of them?

They end up in:

1. Landfills, where they can remain for thousands of years, leaching toxins into the ground
2. Incinerators, where the chemicals are released into the air
3. Oceans, where they slowly disintegrate into tiny particles, turning portions of our waters into a plastic stew. In this way plastic also enters the food chain, and kills wildlife

Why Pay 1,900 Times More for... Nothing?

In light of the fact that you really don't get anything "more" for your money when you splurge on bottled water, why would you continue buying it?

The bottled water industry vehemently denies the claims that they've "manufactured demand," stating they're simply giving consumers what they want. But honestly, unless people were convinced that tap water was unfit to drink and that bottled water was pure, that consumer demand would surely vanish. The Environmental Working Group ends their report with the recommendation to drink filtered tap water.

I agree.

The caveat though is to make sure you filter your tap water. I've written a large number of articles on the hazards of tap water, from fluoride to dangerous chemicals and drugs, to toxic disinfection byproducts and heavy metals, so having a good filtration system in place is more of a necessity than a luxury in most areas. Another option to consider is to bottle your own water from a gravity-fed spring.

There's a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find natural springs in your area. This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water. The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free!

Remember to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car.

Your Best Water Filtration Options

A whole house water filter is your best bet, as it will remove harsh chlorine byproducts from your whole house. These toxins pose a health hazard not only in your drinking water, but also in your shower and appliances.

The best option for your home's drinking water is to filter at the point of use with an NSA certified water filter. This addresses all of the chemicals found in well water or an urban water supply, along with any lead that might leach into the water if you have old plumbing.

Ideally, you'll want to consider both a whole house filter and a point of use filter on your kitchen tap. This covers all the bases for protecting your appliances from harsh chlorine and chlorine byproducts, protecting your lungs from airborne water contaminants that come from the shower, and protecting your tap water from all contaminants that both arrive at your house and are added by your own plumbing.

Unfortunately, adding both of these filters may be cost prohibitive for some families. In that case, you may actually want to consider limiting the duration of your shower, as a seven-minute hot shower will expose your body (through your lungs and skin absorption) to more toxins than drinking a gallon of unfiltered tap water!

That said, ensuring a safe, pure, supply of drinking water for your family should be at the very top of your list.

Hispanics living in the US outlive Caucasians by more than two years. African Americans lag even further behind. Their life expectancy is more than seven years shorter than Hispanics, at just under 73 years, compared to Hispanics' life expectancy of nearly 81 years.

But the so-called "Hispanic paradox" that the Chicago Tribune mentions may not be such a mystery after all, if you look at what drives longevity in the first place.

Can Money Buy You Health and Longevity?

Conventional wisdom tells us that populations with more money and higher educational status live longer. And there's plenty of evidence to support this.

The "Hispanic paradox" refers to the curious fact that despite having such a large portion of poor and undereducated members (three times as many Hispanics live below the poverty level compared with Caucasians), the Hispanic community still outlives the wealthier and more educated Caucasian population.

According to the Chicago Tribune,

"A leading theory is that Hispanics who manage to immigrate to the U.S. are among the healthiest from their countries.

… An estimated 40 percent of them are immigrants, who in some cases arrived after arduous journeys to do taxing manual labor.

… However, experts say that immigrant hardiness diminishes within a couple of generations of living here. Many believe it's because the children of immigrants take up smoking, fast-food diets and other habits blamed for wrecking the health of other ethnic populations."

I'd say they more or less hit the nail on the head with that last statement.

First generation American Hispanics live longer because they're eating a FAR more natural diet, and they're typically far more physically active than Americans in general.

But it only takes a generation or two to lose many of the healthful customs that are the cornerstones of good health.

These statistics really speak to the power of an unprocessed diet and an active lifestyle. What good does money do if you spend a majority of it on denatured, chemical-laden, processed foods?

It's quite clear that eating a diet consisting of high amounts of processed foods will shorten your life, yet 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed food, and the number one source of calories in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup – a staple ingredient in nearly all processed foods, from frozen dinners, to condiments, snacks, and soda.

Hispanics, in general, tend to have strong culinary customs, where food is cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients, and I strongly believe this is a major part of the equation. I have advocated a return to home cooking for years now, because I believe it's one of the most effective ways to improve your health and extend your life.

Want to Live Longer? Eat Natural Foods!

The concept of "native diets" being superior to the processed diets of the modern, Western world goes back nearly 100 years.

Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist and dental researcher who, in the early 1930's, went on an investigation that spanned the globe to determine why native populations, who ate traditional foods, exhibited perfect physical health well into old age.

What he discovered, and wrote about in depth in his classic book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, was that as populations adopted industrially processed foods, veering away from natural fare, their health started to decline.

Modern food processing  actually began in the early part of 1800, when vacuum bottling was invented, followed by tinning and canning technology in 1810. Back then, lead-containing cans wrought health problems on those who consumed it.

In 1862, pasteurization was discovered, and with it came the destruction of one of Earth's most nutritious food groups – raw dairy. The major shift toward a diet consisting of more processed food occurred in the 1920's, right around the time Dr. Price published his book.

Price's research took him to remote tribal communities -- Swiss, Eskimos, Polynesians, Africans, New Zealanders, and more -- and what he discovered made him one of the foremost authorities on the role of foods in their natural form, and the development of degenerative illnesses as a result of processed foods. (For more information about Price and details of his research, please see this link.)

Clearly, the Western diet has deteriorated significantly since then. More denaturing and harmful food processing methods have followed, and we're seeing the ramifications of this unnatural food culture in our skyrocketing disease statistics.

How We're Breeding a Diseased Future Generation

It's easy to understand how the younger generations get lured into thinking that processed food is "regular food." After all, that's what most kids are surrounded by and grow up with.

But processed, pre-packaged foods and fast food restaurants of today are actually radically different from real food.

Unless this misconception is corrected, and soon, the disease trends we're now seeing are only going to get worse as much of the processed foods consumed today are not even food-based! That's right, some processed foods and snacks are little more than a mish-mash of chemicals created in a lab, with no perceivable expiration date.

This is a serious problem, not only short term for the person who consumes these foods, but for the generations to come.

Researchers have now discovered that genetic mutations and malfunctions that cause disease are created in future generations when consuming highly processed and artificial foods.

Poor Diet and Disease Cannot Be Un-Linked

There aren't many mysteries when it comes to health and disease, and once you start seeing how everything is interconnected, you'll also see that nearly every disease can be traced back to the foods you've chosen to eat.

For example, many people do not realize the connections between diet, obesity, and other diseases such as heart disease or cancer.

Taking cancer as an example, obese women are up to 60 percent more likely to develop some form of cancer than normal-weight women, and obese women are also far more likely to have babies with genetic defects.

One of the links between obesity and certain forms of cancer is estrogen.

Breast cancer, for example, is typically fueled by estrogen, and this hormone is produced in your fat tissue. Hence, the more body fat you have, the more estrogen you're likely to produce, which could contribute to the formation of breast cancer.

Tracing this issue back to its roots: obesity is directly attributable to your diet, and fast food, high in trans fats and sugar, is a major contributor to obesity…

Yet how often do you hear health officials talk about the need for a raw, whole, organic diet when addressing rising cancer rates?

Virtually never!

If you want to do something about your state of health, you simply MUST become conscious about your food selections.

• Are you eating real, unadulterated foods, or are you eating chemical concoctions, pressed and mashed and artificially flavored to give the appearance of being food?
• Are you eating foods that are loaded with antibiotics and hormones?
• Are you eating foods that contain ingredients that are genetically modified to pull double-duty as pesticides?

These are important questions that will only become more important as time goes on and public health continues to decline.

The Healthy Ingredients of Native Diets

What makes Dr. Price's work so incredible is that even though it was published in 1939, it is still equally valid today. That is one of the signs of a health truth: it lasts for many years. If it was true in 1939 it should still hold true when 2019 rolls around.

Dr. Price noticed some similarities between the native diets that allowed the people to thrive.

Among them:

• The foods were natural, unprocessed, and organic (and contained no sugar except for the occasional bit of honey or maple syrup).
• The people ate foods that grew in their native environment. In other words, they ate locally grown, seasonal foods.
• Many of the cultures ate unpasteurized dairy products, and all of them ate fermented foods.
• The people ate a significant portion of their food raw.
• All of the cultures ate animal products, including animal fat and, often, full-fat butter and organ meats.

When he analyzed his findings, he found that the native diets contained ten times the amount of fat-soluble vitamins, and at least four times the amount of calcium, other minerals, and water-soluble vitamins as that of Western diets at that time.

Their diets were also rich in enzymes because they ate fermented and raw foods (enzymes help you to digest cooked foods), and their intake of omega-3 fats was at least ten times higher than in today's diet.

How to Survive in a Diseased Health Paradigm

Even though we live lives that are far different from those of our ancestors, you can still benefit from their traditional diets by using them as dependable roadmaps to good health.

By implementing the native dietary patterns listed above, you too can improve or maintain optimal health. However, modern life has also removed us from many other natural, health-promoting lifestyle patterns that need to be addressed.

Here is a summary of the most important and most effective dietary and lifestyle measures I know of:

• Determine your nutritional type, and eat accordingly. This will tell you which foods are ideal for your unique biochemistry. This will also help you optimize your insulin and leptin levels, which are paramount for good health. Additionally, eating the right foods for your chemical makeup will help you maintain a healthy weight
• Eat at least one-third of your food raw
• Avoid processed foods and all artificial flavorings, colorings, and artificial sweeteners. Instead, seek out locally grown foods that are in-season
• Enjoy fermented foods like kefir and cultured veggies
• Make sure you eat enough healthy fats, including those from animal sources like omega-3 fat, and reduce your intake of omega-6 from vegetable oils
• Drink plenty of pure, clean water
• Manage your stress levels
• Exercise regularly. For optimal health benefits and longevity, make sure you incorporate high-intensity, sprint-type exercises, such as Peak 8
• Optimize your vitamin D levels, ideally through appropriate exposure to sunshine. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a vast array of diseases, and has been shown to increase your risk of death from any cause by 150 percent!
• Limit your exposure to toxins
• Get plenty of good sleep

Following these guidelines is a powerful way to avoid premature aging and disease of all kinds, so that you can far exceed the U.S. national average life expectancy, regardless of your financial- and educational status, or your racial heritage.

Is sugar a sweet old friend that is secretly plotting your demise?

There is a vast sea of research suggesting that it is. Science has now shown us, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that sugar in your food, in all its myriad of forms, is taking a devastating toll on your health.

The single largest source of calories for Americans comes from sugar—specifically high fructose corn syrup. Just take a look at the sugar consumption trends of the past 300 years:[1]

• In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consume one-half pound of sugar PER DAY—translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!

Sugar is loaded into your soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and hidden in almost all processed foods—from bologna to pretzels to Worcestershire sauce to cheese spread. And now most infant formula has the sugar equivalent of one can of Coca-Cola, so babies are being metabolically poisoned from day one if taking formula.

No wonder there is an obesity epidemic in this country.

Today, 32 percent of Americans are obese and an additional one-third are overweight. Compare that to 1890, when a survey of white males in their fifties revealed an obesity rate of just 3.4 percent. In 1975, the obesity rate in America had reached 15 percent, and since then it has doubled.

Carrying excess weight increases your risk for deadly conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.

In 1893, there were fewer than three cases of diabetes per 100,000 people in the United States. Today, diabetes strikes almost 8,000 out of every 100,000 people.[1]

You don’t have to be a physician or a scientist to notice America’s expanding waistline. All you have to do is stroll through a shopping mall or a schoolyard, or perhaps glance in the mirror.

Sugars 101 -- Basics of How to Avoid Confusion on this Important Topic

It is easy to become confused by the various sugars and sweeteners. So here is a basic overview:

• Dextrose, fructose and glucose are all monosaccharides, known as simple sugars. The primary difference between them is how your body metabolizes them. Glucose and dextrose are essentially the same sugar. However, food manufacturers usually use the term “dextrose” in their ingredient list.
• The simple sugars can combine to form more complex sugars, like the disaccharide sucrose (table sugar), which is half glucose and half fructose.
• High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose.
• Ethanol (drinking alcohol) is not a sugar, although beer and wine contain residual sugars and starches, in addition to alcohol.
• Sugar alcohols like xylitol, glycerol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, and erythritol are neither sugars nor alcohols but are becoming increasingly popular as sweeteners. They are incompletely absorbed from your small intestine, for the most part, so they provide fewer calories than sugar but often cause problems with bloating, diarrhea and flatulence.
• Sucralose (Splenda) is NOT a sugar, despite its sugar-like name and deceptive marketing slogan, “made from sugar.” It’s a chlorinated artificial sweetener in line with aspartame and saccharin, with detrimental health effects to match.
• Agave syrup, falsely advertised as “natural,” is typically HIGHLY processed and is usually 80 percent fructose. The end product does not even remotely resemble the original agave plant.
• Honey is about 53 percent fructose[2], but is completely natural in its raw form and has many health benefits when used in moderation, including as many antioxidants as spinach.
• Stevia is a highly sweet herb derived from the leaf of the South American stevia plant, which is completely safe (in its natural form). Lo han (or luohanguo) is another natural sweetener, but derived from a fruit.

All Sugars are Not Equal

Glucose is the form of energy you were designed to run on. Every cell in your body, every bacterium—and in fact, every living thing on the Earth—uses glucose for energy.

But as a country, sucrose is no longer the sugar of choice. It’s now fructose.

If your diet was like that of people a century ago, you’d consume about 15 grams per day—a far cry from the 73 grams per day the typical person gets from sweetened drinks. In vegetables and fruits, it’s mixed in with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and beneficial phytonutrients, all which moderate the negative metabolic effects. Amazingly, 25 percent of people actually consume more than 130 grams of fructose per day.

Making matters worse, all of the fiber has been removed from processed foods, so there is essentially no nutritive value at all. And the very products most people rely on to lose weight—the low-fat diet foods—are often the ones highest in fructose.

It isn’t that fructose itself is bad—it is the MASSIVE DOSES you’re exposed to that make it dangerous.

There are two overall reasons fructose is so damaging:

1. Your body metabolizes fructose in a much different way than glucose. The entire burden of metabolizing fructose falls on your liver.
2. People are consuming fructose in enormous quantities, which has made the negative effects much more profound.

The explosion of soda consumption is the major cause of this.

Today, 55 percent of sweeteners used in food and beverage manufacturing are made from corn, and the number one source of calories in America is soda, in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

Food and beverage manufacturers began switching their sweeteners from sucrose to corn syrup in the 1970s when they discovered that HFCS was not only far cheaper to make, it’s about 20 percent sweeter than conventional table sugar that has sucrose.

HFCS contains the same two sugars as sucrose but is more metabolically risky to you, due to its chemical form.

The fructose and the glucose are not bound together in HFCS, as they are in table sugar, so your body doesn’t have to break it down. Therefore, the fructose is absorbed immediately, going straight to your liver.

Too Much Fructose Creates a Metabolic Disaster in Your Body

Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, has been a pioneer in decoding sugar metabolism. His work has highlighted some major differences in how different sugars are broken down and used by the human body.

I highly recommend watching Lustig’s lecture in its entirety if you want to learn how fructose is ruining your health biochemically.

As I mentioned earlier, after eating fructose, most of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. This is NOT the case with glucose, of which your liver breaks down only 20 percent. Nearly every cell in your body utilizes glucose, so it’s normally “burned up” immediately after consumption.

So where does all of this fructose go, once you consume it?

Onto your thighs. It is turned into FAT (VLDL and triglycerides), which means more fat deposits throughout your body.

Eating Fructose is Far Worse than Eating Fat

However, the physiological problems of fructose metabolism extend well beyond a couple of pant sizes:

• Fructose elevates uric acid, which decreases nitric oxide, raises angiotensin, and causes your smooth muscle cells to contract, thereby raising your blood pressure and potentially damaging your kidneys.[1]
  
  Increased uric acid also leads to chronic, low-level inflammation, which has far-reaching consequences for your health. For example, chronically inflamed blood vessels lead to heart attacks and strokes; also, a good deal of evidence exists that some cancers are caused by chronic inflammation. (See the next section for more about uric acid.)
• Fructose tricks your body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism—it turns off your body’s appetite-control system. Fructose does not appropriately stimulate insulin, which in turn does not suppress ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and doesn’t stimulate leptin (the “satiety hormone”), which together result in your eating more and developing insulin resistance.[3] [4]
• Fructose rapidly leads to weight gain and abdominal obesity (“beer belly”), decreased HDL, increased LDL, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and high blood pressure—i.e., classic metabolic syndrome.
• Fructose metabolism is very similar to ethanol metabolism, which has a multitude of toxic effects, including NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). It’s alcohol without the buzz.

These changes are not seen when humans or animals eat starch (or glucose), suggesting that fructose is a “bad carbohydrate” when consumed in excess of 25 grams per day. It is probably the one factor responsible for the partial success of many “low-carb” diets.

One of the more recent findings that surprised researchers is that glucose actually accelerates fructose absorption, making the potential health risks from HFCS even more profound.[1]

You can now see why fructose is the number one contributing factor to the current obesity epidemic.

Is Uric Acid the New Cholesterol?

By now you are probably aware of the childhood obesity epidemic in America—but did you know about childhood hypertension?

Until recently, children were rarely diagnosed with high blood pressure, and when they were, it was usually due to a tumor or a vascular kidney disease.

In 2004, a study showed hypertension among children is four times higher than predicted: 4.5 percent of American children have high blood pressure. Among overweight children, the rate is 10 percent. It is thought that obesity is to blame for about 50 percent of hypertension cases in adolescents today.[1]

Even more startling is that 90 percent of adolescents who have high blood pressure have elevated uric acid levels.

This has led researchers to ask, what does uric acid have to do with obesity and high blood pressure?

In his book, The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick, Dr. Robert J. Johnson makes a compelling argument for a previously unrecognized connection between excess sugar consumption and high uric acid levels. However, he promotes artificial sweeteners as an alternative to sugar and makes other recommendations that I don't agree with.  

Dr. Johnson is a conventional physician who has not accepted large parts of natural medicine, however, he is one of the leading researchers defining the extent of fructose toxicity.  He has spent many years of his life dedicating himself to uncover this mystery. 

There are more than 3,500 articles to date showing a strong relationship between uric acid and obesity, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, kidney disease, and other conditions. In fact, a number of studies have confirmed that people with elevated serum uric acid are at risk for high blood pressure, even if they otherwise appear to be perfectly healthy.

Uric acid levels among Americans have risen significantly since the early half of the 20^th Century. In the 1920s, average uric acid levels were about 3.5 ml/dl. By 1980, average uric acid levels had climbed into the range of 6.0 to 6.5 ml/dl and are probably much higher now.

How Does Your Body Produce Uric Acid?

It’s a byproduct of cellular breakdown. As cells die off, DNA and RNA degrade into chemicals called purines. Purines are further broken down into uric acid.

Fructose increases uric acid through a complex process that causes cells to burn up their ATP rapidly, leading to “cell shock” and increased cell death. After eating excessive amounts of fructose, cells become starved of energy and enter a state of shock, just as if they have lost their blood supply. Massive cellular die-off leads to increased uric acid levels.

And cells that are depleted of energy become inflamed and more susceptible to damage from oxidative stress. Fat cells actually become “sickly,” bloating up with excessive amounts of fat.

There is a simple, inexpensive blood test for determining your uric acid level, which I recommend you have done as part of your routine health checkups. Your level should be between 3.0 and 5.5 mg/dl, optimally.

There is little doubt in my mind that your uric acid level is a more potent predictor of cardiovascular and overall health than your total cholesterol level is. Yet virtually no one is screening for this.

Now that you know the truth you don’t have to be left out in the cold, as this is a simple and relatively inexpensive test that you can get at any doctor’s office. Odds are very good your doctor is clueless about the significance of elevated uric acid levels, so it will not likely be productive to engage in a discussion with him unless he is truly an open-minded truth seeker.

Merely get your uric acid level, and if it is over 5 then eliminate as much fructose as you can (also eliminate all beer), and retest your level in a few weeks.

Sugar Sensitization Makes the Problem Even WORSE!

There is yet another problem with sugar—a self-perpetuating one.

According to Dr. Johnson¹, sugar activates its own pathways in your body—those metabolic pathways become “upregulated.” In other words, the more sugar you eat, the more effective your body is in absorbing it; and the more you absorb, the more damage you’ll do.

You become “sensitized” to sugar as time goes by, and more sensitive to its toxic effects as well.

The flip side is, when people are given even a brief sugar holiday, sugar sensitization rapidly decreases and those metabolic pathways become “downregulated.” Research tells us that even two weeks without consuming sugar will cause your body to be less reactive to it.

Try it for yourself! Take a two-week sugar sabbatical and see how different you feel.

Are Fruits Good or Bad for You?

Keep in mind that fruits also contain fructose, although an ameliorating factor is that whole fruits also contain vitamins and other antioxidants that reduce the hazardous effects of fructose.

Juices, on the other hand, are nearly as detrimental as soda, because a glass of juice is loaded with fructose, and a lot of the antioxidants are lost.

It is important to remember that fructose alone isn’t evil as fruits are certainly beneficial. But when you consume high levels of fructose it will absolutely devastate your biochemistry and physiology. Remember the AVERAGE fructose dose is 70 grams per day which exceeds the recommend limit by 300 percent.

So please BE CAREFUL with your fruit consumption. You simply MUST understand that because HFCS is so darn cheap, it is added to virtually every processed food. Even if you consumed no soda or fruit, it is very easy to exceed 25 grams of hidden fructose in your diet.

If you are a raw food advocate, have a pristine diet, and exercise very well, then you could be the exception that could exceed this limit and stay healthy. 

Dr. Johnson has a handy chart, included below, which you can use to estimate how much fructose you’re getting in your diet. Remember, you are also likely getting additional fructose if you consume any packaged foods at all, since it is hidden in nearly all of them.

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Limes 1 medium 0 Lemons 1 medium 0.6 Cranberries 1 cup 0.7 Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9 Prune 1 medium 1.2 Apricot 1 medium 1.3 Guava 2 medium 2.2 Date (Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6 Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8 Raspberries 1 cup 3.0 Clementine 1 medium 3.4 Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4 Blackberries 1 cup 3.5 Star fruit 1 medium 3.6 Cherries, sweet 10 3.8 Strawberries 1 cup 3.8 Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0 Pineapple 1 slice (3.5" x .75") 4.0 Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Boysenberries 1 cup 4.6 Tangerine/mandarin orange 1 medium 4.8 Nectarine 1 medium 5.4 Peach 1 medium 5.9 Orange (navel) 1 medium 6.1 Papaya 1/2 medium 6.3 Honeydew 1/8 of med. melon 6.7 Banana 1 medium 7.1 Blueberries 1 cup 7.4 Date (Medjool) 1 medium 7.7 Apple (composite) 1 medium 9.5 Persimmon 1 medium 10.6 Watermelon 1/16 med. melon 11.3 Pear 1 medium 11.8 Raisins 1/4 cup 12.3 Grapes, seedless (green or red) 1 cup 12.4 Mango 1/2 medium 16.2 Apricots, dried 1 cup Who Really Controls Our Healthcare System? Have you ever wondered how we ended up in a healthcare system that is riddled with errors and inconsistencies, priced beyond everyone's means, centered on the use of toxic chemicals and with a track record of iatrogenic injuries that is beyond the carnage of all our wars? What happened to the "first do no harm" motto of early medicine? Who has taken us from the laws of nature to the practicality and ever changing status of science? Most importantly, how have the healing arts become a government controlled issue? These are questions, not for scholars but for the average citizen to ponder. It is an oxymoron to discuss "natural healing." Healing, by definition, is the natural process of the body improving its own health. With the advent of scientific advances and the insatiable need to speed up or circumvent natural processes, we have slowly accepted the uncertainties of today's chemical healing over time tested natural healing, much the way we embrace the logic of winning the lottery. We all know the inherent dangers of toxic chemicals, we all have heard staggering adverse statistics of modern medicine yet we have accepted these almost without question.   It makes me wonder if this blatant misuse of logic and common sense is part of the marketing strategy of a larger game. Magicians are famous for the "slight of hand"; can we be participating in an elaborate illusion where the reward is always held just beyond our grasp? It has been my practice experience to hear of families devastated by medical blunders or miscalculation only to continue in the same vein without question. We have been trained to adhere to the tenants of conventional medicine yet not question who or to what extent these tenants benefit us. I would think "brain washing" would be an acceptable reason but no one seems to be held against his or her will. So how can one explain the predicament of logic and common sense not playing a part in the demise of our health care system? People seem happy complaining about not being able to afford healthcare without huge subsistence. People often use their healthcare misfortunes as a "red badge of courage", more concerned that they are not as bad off as their neighbor. Common sense has given way to dollars and cents in our healthcare system.   I feel like we are in a "time warp" where right and wrong somehow have no meaning because of the numerous "shades of gray" in healthcare. I know you have all heard the arguments and have seen the proof of the demise of our present healthcare system yet we can't seem to move toward the logical direction of a non-chemical approach to healing. It is my opinion that there are forces at play that keep us content arguing over the type technology, the generation of new drugs or the degree of insurance coverage's and never the real problem of change. In other words we are content discussing the "candy" while the issue of running the "candy store" goes undetected. I will present some logical statements intended to stimulate your intellect and common sense. It has been said that all things of value have to make sense. Our present healthcare system seems to lack that basic component. The resulting conclusion is that something is controlling the direction of healthcare without our permission. Until we understand that despite all the carnage and deception of our present healthcare system, continuing to stay the course is not in our best interest; but finding a better way is our only recourse to regaining control, we must act swiftly and with good conscience. Where do we start? Basic Facts: A. Natural healing, including Chiropractic, which works with the body's ability to heal itself; with no side effects, kills no one, keeps people out of hospitals, has a proven track record of reducing the likelihood of Cancer, Heart Disease, Degenerative Diseases, Auto Immune Diseases, etc..., as well as musculoskeletal disorders; by simply removing nerve interference (the Subluxation) within the spine, which allows the body to better communicate with itself. Other forms of natural healing are available which further compliment better body communication without adverse effects.  B. Medical healing works by altering natural body healing by forcing the body to adapt to toxic chemicals. 1 ½ million people/year are hospitalized by adverse reactions to prescription drugs. 120,000+ people die each year from the chemical treatments they receive. Since modern medicine has taken over and is virtually mandated by law, Cancer has risen from 1:500 in 1950 to 1:3 in 1999; heart disease has soared, auto immune diseases like Asthma, Lupis, M.S., Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, etc... are off the charts. Vaccines are creating permanent brain injuries and death in ever-larger numbers. Basic Questions: 1. If our government was truly interested in healing and the safety of it's people, how can they justify almost ½ million related medically induced deaths per year? 2. If our government was really interested in bringing economic sanity to health care, why do they embrace Managed Health Care, which has raised the cost of health care to $1.2 trillion? By comparison, all proven natural health care technologies and treatments combined make up only 1.9% of the total health care bill? 3. If our government was truly for medical and personal independence (our constitutional rights), why institute and mandate government programs that remove personal choices and enslave people? Ex. Medicare: Every person over 65 becomes dependent on the government entitlement programs, which discourages independent thinking.  4. If we are truly a democratic republic, why do all medical mandates stem from the "World Trade Organization", which is an international organization, instituted for the purpose of controlling world activities? Ex. W.T.O.'s medical policy: "Healing is the sole responsibility of Conventional Medicine." Any organization that opposes this thinking will experience the full deterrent of supporting agencies like the F.B.I., C.I.A., F.D.A., Social Services, and I.R.S. 5. If the F.D.A. was truly established to protect us from harmful products, why have so many approved drugs been removed due to their harmful and sometimes deadly effects, only to be replaced by more harmful drugs? Why does the F.D.A. not treat natural products that are known to work without harmful effects, the same as toxic chemical drugs? 6. If health is dependent on the body better adapting to it's environment, then why are vaccines being created to stop every living adaptive process? - Vaccines stop natural body adapting via chemicals and toxic microbes.  - If vaccines truly worked, why does the government have to mandate them with dire consequences, i.e. no shot, no school or social services taking children away? - If vaccines cause harm in up to 10% of the cases, how come the pharmaceutical companies that make them, the M.D.'s who administer them and the governmental agencies that mandate them, are totally immune from prosecution, malpractice or wrongful death claims? These are just of a few of the questions that you should be asking yourself about your healthcare system and if you do, certain facts will become clear: 1. This system is designed to discourage "natural thinking" and dis-incentives to the open market place. Private companies can't get their products or research to the open market. 2. This system decentralizes related healthcare industries by legislating the profits out of a free enterprise system.  3. This system controls the flow of money to the industry through I.R.S. & F.T.C. regulations 4. This system slowly disarms the masses and dominates the direction of health care. 5. This system produces government entitlement programs for everything in healthcare.  6. This system forces people to get used to "someone else" paying for their health needs. 7. Once government has total control over healthcare, they can easily begin to remove more and more freedoms, very slowly under the guise of the "common good." 8. Soon you will realize that you have no freedoms left, only government programs. I've just described the present predicament of our health care system. Does this sound like the "democracy" that our founding fathers wrote about in the Declaration of Independence and spelled out explicitly in our Constitution? I think not. Government was never designed to "own" any part of the sovereign rights of the states or the people. It was not designed to interfere with everyday life. Government was to provide for the "Common Defense" and uphold the laws of the land.  To those of us who have studied world economics and world politics, know that what I have just described is not a random act of government coming to the aid of their people in healthcare but is the classic case of a different form of government, Socialism. Socialism is a slow, non-violent takeover of all goods and services to its people. Socialism pretends to protect and "father" its people by offering entitlement programs in all aspects of the economy for the good of the people. It slowly tries to separate and redistribute the wealth of the nation so that there is no "power base" left to bargain from. Socialism offers a government-controlled centralization of all activities (in this case managed health care) to provide for the "common good." Unfortunately, in the end, it leaves no room for personal freedom, the very freedom we, as a country, have fought to protect for 200 bloody years. Democratic forms of government do not seek to control but instead encourages the marketplace to set the benchmarks. This discussion is not only about healthcare but the basis of our understanding of the American healthcare system. When the American medical marketplace becomes alien to the other American economic marketplaces, one has to question why. Why destroy the competitive "insurance" marketplace in healthcare, in favor of 5 government regulated insurance giants, as is the present case in Managed Healthcare. How democratic can "controlled" insurance be? Obviously, it was not to save money, as it was presented. Medical costs have skyrocketed with the addition of governmental agency layering to complicate matters. In fact, medical doctors are mere pawns of this system needed only for their licenses to secure business profits. They are paid stipends for their services based on governmental allowances (codes). They have "mandates" as to how to practice and what to prescribe based on timetables not patient needs. Prevention is merely a euphemism for treatment. One can't practice prevention in a system requiring disease to survive. It is my opinion that we are in the midst of a socialistic takeover of our healthcare system and perhaps other aspects of our democratic life as well. History is very clear, that those who give in to others controlling their daily lives will ultimately lose their freedoms to those forces. This is not about our medical healthcare system; it is about YOUR freedom to maintain YOUR democratic way of life. Too often discussions like this are ushered out as "conspiracy theories", by "kooks" who can't make it in society. This is the very reason why informed people rather remain silent and is the very "silent weapon" used by Socialism. I implore you think twice before you give up your freedoms in general because once gone, there is no turning back. Stand up for what is right, not what is expedient.  Government agencies have no business in healthcare. Managed health care is about the control over the money and direction in healthcare, not the healthcare. Choose your leaders wisely. The past 8 year administration was riddled with the rhetoric of non-democratic ideals. Study our history and the direction that we are presently moving toward. The inconsistencies are breathtaking. I urge all of you to take back your independence. Socialism cannot exist unless you give in to its methods. So who really controls our healthcare system and what are the motives? I contend that we have been too busy fighting the fight to see who is really winning the war. The motives are clearly control over the wealth and power our healthcare system generates by forces outside the democracy we think is in control. Oddly enough, the answer to what can be done lies in the very reason why healthcare became an economic entity. Natural healing, even with the aid of scientific advances, is the only defense against government interference. The fact is that the financial gains of the vast pharmaceutical reserves and resources are no different than the vast energy reserves and resources. Those who control the reserves and resources, control the masses. By reducing the financial gains of pharmaceuticals by their judicious usage only and the continued investigation and use of natural forms of healing, like Chiropractic and others, will run counter to the present agenda of socialism. Without the huge profit factors at stake, the marketplace can once again bring prices and services into balance. Without the controlling factors required for socialism to take over; when the distribution of wealth no longer has a vehicle of implementation, Socialism ceases to exist. The interesting part is that all this can take place without the average person even knowing what is happening. Things that are natural need not be defined. Whether it's healthcare freedom or financial freedom, following the course of nature will always bring balance to those who practice.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=391 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:58:48 CDT Scoliosi & Chiropractic." Scoliosis and the Chiropractic Approach Analysis of Findings Scoliosis can be very serious. If detected early, the chances for stabilization and reduction of the curves are very good. In my family alone, we have two examples. My sister’s Scoliosis was diagnosed when both her curves had already progressed to 45 degrees. She had Spinal Fusion surgery in Atlanta at Scottish Rites Children’s Hospital. The surgery was successful; her curves were reduced to 20 degrees each. However, it was very dangerous, painful, expensive, and changed her life dramatically. My Scoliosis was diagnosed early, while I had only one curve that was 21 degrees. Following six months of Chiropractic care, I have been completely cured of Scoliosis. The approach was painless, inexpensive, and did not alter my life in any way. I believe Chiropractic care should be the first-line approach for all patients diagnosed with Scoliosis. My research has proven it has a very high success rate: 70% achieving stabilization and reduction, and 15% obtaining total correction! Typical Treatment Options Bracing: For curves 30-degrees or less, a Milwaukee brace is typically worn. It is a rigid brace that exerts pressure against the spine, in hopes of achieving stabilization. The brace is uncomfortable, unsightly, and is usually worn 20-24 hours per day, until the patient stops growing. It offers no correction, and is only marginally effective for stabilization. Surgery: An orthopedic surgeon performs Spinal Fusion surgery. The patient is placed on a spinal cord monitor to prevent paralysis. After performing an incision, the surgeon manually reduces the curves as much as possible, and inserts metal rods on each side of the spine, attaching them with special hardware. Bone splinters (either removed from the hip area, or donor bone) are applied between the vertebrae. Over time, these fragments grow together to create a solid bone. Surgery is very expensive, painful, dangerous, and requires the patient to alter their lifestyle forever. Surgery is very effective for reducing curves. Surgery should be considered a last resort. Signs of Scoliosis Most obvious signs of Scoliosis are: shoulders of unequal height, a ‘rib hump’, which is caused by the ribcage on the back protruding more on one side than the other, and hips that appear unequal in height. Scoliosis clinics are conducted free of charge by health Departments and Chiropractors. A school or Health Department nurse or Physical Education teacher routinely screens students during the middle school years. It is extremely important to diagnosis and treat Scoliosis as early as possible. Conclusion Spinal Fusion surgery is very painful, expensive, and will alter the lifestyle of the patient forever. Surgery should be considered the last alternative in treating Scoliosis. Wearing a Milwaukee Brace is uncomfortable, limits physical activity, offers no correction, and is mostly ineffective in stabilizing the spine. The Chiropractic approach is very effective at stabilizing the spine, preventing the curve from progressing. At least 70% of the patients achieve some degree of reduction in the size of the curves. Approximately 15% of Scoliosis patients achieve total correction, like I did! That means at least fifteen out of 100 patients will not have to face surgery, take medications, and change their lifestyle forever! All of this is done with a minimum of cost and no pain! Research and experience have proven Chiropractic care is definitely effective in the stabilization and reduction of Scoliosis! Chiropractic care should be the first-line approach for all Scoliosis patients. Chiropractic Facts The first Chiropractic adjustment performed on the North American Continent was in 1895, by Dr. Daniel David Palmer. His first patient experienced deafness following a back injury. Following care, the patient reported improved hearing. Dr. Palmer founded the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, which continues to train Chiropractors today. Spinal manipulation has been practiced since the beginning of recorded time. Over 2700 years ago the Chinese documented this form of treatment. Records indicate that ancient Japanese, Indians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Syrians, Tibetans, and Native Americans practiced a hands on approach to health. An estimated 19.5 million Americans visit a Chiropractor each year. There are over 50,000 licensed Chiropractors in the United States, and another 30,000 worldwide. Chiropractic is the world's second largest health care profession. It promotes the body’s own ability to heal itself. Chiropractic uses no drugs or surgery, and is all-natural.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=390 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:54:18 CDT  Pregnancy and Chiropractic   As I write this today, two of our beautiful practice members are awaiting the arrival of new additions to their families. Adjusting women through pregnancy is one of the most rewarding parts of our work, because a healthier pregnancy means an easier labor and delivery, and a better transition for the baby into this life. On Monday night at our workshop, a young woman told the story of the traumatic birth of her son, and the subsequent eight years of poor health he has suffered as a result. She was unaware that Chiropractic care through pregnancy would have given him a better start, and angry that she didn't know this prior to her son's conception. I promised her I'd get the word out. This article is dedicated to her and her son with the intent that this information will prevent another mother and child years of heartbreak. Chiropractic care through pregnancy is not only safe, it is essential. We can look at the implications of subluxation from a bio mechanical, hormonal and neurological standpoint. It is easy for all of us to see postural changes through pregnancy-the centre of gravity changes, the weight of the baby places increased pressure on the spine and pelvis, and towards the end of the pregnancy, changes are seen in gait pattern-the "waddle." What we can't see, are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby--all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system.   Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to prepartum health. In one study, women receiving Chiropractic care through their first pregnancy had 24% shorter labor times than the group not receiving Chiropractic, and multiparous subjects reported 39% shorter labor times. Thirty-nine percent-that's a massive difference. In addition, 84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care. Because the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis function better, there is significant less likelihood of back labor when receiving Chiropractic care through pregnancy. Body position during delivery is also critical. Any late second stage labor position that denies postural sacral rotation denies the mother and the baby critical pelvic outlet diameter and jams the tip of the sacrum up to 4cm into the pelvic outlet. In other words, the popular semi-recumbent position places the laboring woman on her back onto the apex of the sacrum, which closes off the vital space needed for the baby to get through the pelvic outlet. This delivery position is the main reason why so many births are traumatic-labor is stalled, the mom becomes fatigued and overwhelmed by pain, so the utilization of epidurals, forceps, episiotomy, vacuum extraction and cesarean increases. Just consider the analogy my husband uses-how hard would it be to have a bowel movement while lying on your back? You're right, very hard, and it may not happen. This is why squatting is the preferred position-gravity works to help and the pelvic outlet can open to a greater degree. Squatting during delivery results in decreased use of forceps and a shorter second stage of labor than the semi-recumbent position. Greater complications during delivery result in greater neurological insult to the newborn due to injury to the head and neck. Even after vaginal births, 4.6% of term neonates suffer unexplained brain bleeds and 10% suffer neonatal encephalopathy. Because so many children had been injured with forceps deliveries, (facial nerve palsy, tearing of cervical spine musculature) vacuum extraction was developed. Suction cups are placed on the newborn's head, and the baby is literally sucked out of the mother. When utilized, 120 pounds of pressure goes through the baby's head and neck. Decapitation occurs at 140 pounds of pressure, to give you an idea of the high forces involved. Remember when you were a little girl or boy and there was a new baby you were being introduced to? Our parents always said, "Watch his head-you don't want to hurt him." We're careful because the fontanel's of the skull are so pliable, and the neck and brain are fragile and unprotected. This is why so many babies sustain injuries to their heads and neck during vacuum extraction-the force is far greater than their little bodies can tolerate. Adjustments to newborns contain only ounces of force. But that force is directed into the spine to facilitate health and remove subluxations. We adjust babies as soon after birth as possible, to alleviate subluxations caused by in-utero constraint and the journey down through the birth canal. There has been a lot in the media lately about children not needing Chiropractic care, but there is no better way to get a head start in life. As you all know, Chiropractic care is not a cure for anything-it is a system of wellness to help us be who we're supposed to be. It is not a cure for ear infections, for colic, for allergies, for asthma, for frequent colds, nor for ADD/ADHD. When we listen to mothers' stories of their pregnancy, labor and delivery, the children who suffer the most from the above complaints, are the ones who've had the greatest trouble with their births. Even relatively easy deliveries can result in subluxations. That's why every child should be checked, before problems with their health even develop. That's preventive care in the truest sense-preventing subluxations in mothers to prevent subluxations in their babies during childbirth. This is why every woman needs Chiropractic through pregnancy-so that the arrival of their baby is a "wonderful experience", as one of my patients told me last week, after her son was born.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=389 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:50:45 CDT Subluxation, Stretching & Chiropractic     A woman came in on Friday the 13th in agony--her spine was so subluxated that she could hardly get on the table for her adjustment. "I have been doing my stretches, I've been good--I don't know what happened," she said. In the interest of helping you stay away from this same fate the next Friday the 13th, we decided to devote this article to stretching and its relationship to your adjustments. A common misconception that many people have is that stretches correct subluxations and can replace adjustments. Stretching allows your muscles to relax, allowing better range of motion, decreased tension, and a feeling of well-being. This woman's last adjustment was February 2000, and although she was diligent at doing her stretching homework, she had forgotten how important adjustments are for her nervous system to overcome the stresses she is under as she goes through the course of her life. Adjustments are designed to correct the underlying subluxations acquired through exposure to physical, chemical, emotional and spiritual stress. Adjustments remove interference from the nervous system so that we can be more connected in our body, mind and spirit. Stretches can reduce the tension in the muscles of our bodies, but they cannot overcome the influence of subluxations once they are present. Stretches can help adjustments "hold" better, sometimes longer, particularly if you are in an occupation where you spend time doing repetitive movement patterns. This woman's career necessitates spending most of her day in front of a computer--and over a seven or eight-hour period consider how much stretching is required to overcome and reverse that negative postural influence. It simply can't be done.   When a subluxation is present for many years, as you know, it leads to underlying degenerative changes in the joints, discs and holding tissues of the spine--osteoarthritis. Think of degenerative spurs on an x-ray like stalactites and stalagmites in a cave--they take many years to form. For spurs to form in the spine and be seen on a radiograph, it can take anywhere from 20-40 years (phase 2). This is why when we review your x-rays we want you to understand how long the underlying problem was there--the subluxation--that was the seed for the progressive degeneration--before the damage is even perceived. The joints of the spine receive their nutrition through movement of the synovial fluid that bathes the cartilage of the joints with nutrition. If a spinal joint is locked, (or subluxated) not only does the nervous system shut down, but that joint cannot receive its proper nutrition. The end result is a public that believes a degenerative spine is due to the natural aging process over which we have no control. Let's say there is a door in your grandmother's house that isn't used much--our grandmother had one that went into the attic. If the hinges of the door aren't used often, the lubricative effect of the oil in the hinge decreases. It begins to dry out, break down and the hinge becomes sticky and squeaky due to disuse. The joints of our body work much the same way--the old adage if you don't use it you'll lose it is certainly true in this regard. Regular adjustments help the joints stay healthy, arrest further degenerative change and in many cases, reverse it by allowing the synovial fluid of the joints to bring nutrition to the cartilage. You see, in our culture, we were never taught how to take good care of our spine and our nervous systems. We learned how to look after our teeth, our cars, the stain on our decks, but not the lifeline to every cell in our bodies! Daily stretching, or yoga (even better because through breathing, it mandates present-time consciousness) helps the spine stay supple between adjustments, gives us an opportunity to relax and meditate and helps us feel better. Stretching is like flossing your teeth--the more we adhere to good dental hygiene between visits, the better report we get from our dentist and hygienist at our check-ups. With stretching between visits, the better your adjustments will be and the healthier you will be! And in the end, that's why I became a Chiropractor--to help you be well. Let's face it--here's the bitter reality. No one ever told you to take care of your spine from birth to death. Correcting and better yet preventing the degenerative changes as a result of a lack of Chiropractic hygiene may not always win the popular vote in our culture (YET!). However, innately, it makes sense.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=388 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:47:41 CDT Chiropractic and Children     What can chiropractic do for your child? Why do millions of parents bring their children to Doctors of Chiropractic every year? Is it only for highly dramatic health conditions? Is it only for when my child is hurting? Not at all! Chiropractic's purpose is to remove interferences to the natural healing power running through the body. When that power is unleashed the healing that results may be profound. Today we find more parents bringing their children to chiropractors for day-to-day health concerns we're all familiar with: colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little and big things children go through as they grow up. Chiropractors Do Not Treat Disease It's most important to understand that chiropractic is not a treatment for disease. It's purpose is to remove spinal nerve stress, a serious and often painless condition most children (and adults) have in their bodies. Spinal nerve stress interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system, can weaken internal organs and organ systems, lower resistance, reduce healing potential and set the stage for sickness and disorders of all kinds.   When a chiropractor frees the nervous system from spinal stress, the healing power of the body is unleashed: the immune system functions more efficiently, resistance to disease increases, and your child's body functions more efficiently. Your child can respond to internal and external environmental stresses such as germs, changes in temperature, humidity, toxins, pollen and all the other stresses he/she comes in contact with more efficiently. So although children with diseases are often brought to the chiropractor, the chiropractor is not treating their diseases but is instead freeing them of spinal nerve stress, thus permitting their body's natural healing potential to function at its best. What Exactly Is Nerve Stress? Spinal nerve stress (also referred to as vertebral subluxations, the subluxation complex, or “pinched nerves”) is a misalignment or distortion of the spinal column, skull, hips, and related tissues (the structural system) that irritate, stretch, impinge or otherwise interfere with the proper function of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, spinal nerves and outlying or peripheral nerves). Since the nervous system controls the function of the body, any interference to it can have wide-ranging effects.   How Is Spinal Stress Caused? Spinal nerve stress can be caused by physical, chemical and/or emotional stress. Physical stress may start in the womb, with the baby lying in a distorted or twisted manner. Spinal nerve stress in newborns is more common than previously realized This may be caused by a traumatic or difficult birth which can introduce great stress to the infant's skull, spinal column and pelvis. Throughout childhood, the normal childhood traumas every child experiences can be a source of spinal and cranial trauma. Most of the time, the pain from the initial injury “goes away” however the damage incurred continues to affect the future function of the child’s nerve system. How Does the Chiropractor Correct Spinal Nerve Stress? This is accomplished first by analyzing the spinal column and related structures for balance and proper function. Where the spinal column is found to be functioning improperly, the Doctor of Chiropractic performs precise corrective procedures called spinal adjustments. Using his/her hands and/or specialized instruments to gently and specifically correct those abnormal areas, the spine and cranium regain their intended state of balance and the nerve system is freed from stress. It’s All About Function! Today's parents are more concerned than ever about the adverse effects drugs have on their children. Parents are increasingly asking, when handed a prescription for a child's recurrent problem, "Is this really all I can do for my child? Is there a safer alternative?” Parents are hesitant to merely mask symptoms with drugs and are worried about side effects. Their desire to achieve a state of true health—has led parents to seek health care options which support their children’s own natural ability to be healthy. Chiropractic care is one such option. All children function better with 100% nerve function. All children deserve the right to express their fullest potential. Chiropractic care for children is safe, gentle and effective. It allows for the opportunity for maximum potential for well-being.       ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=387 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:44:55 CDT Chiropractic Healing   Do You Believe Your Body Has the Ability to Heal Itself? For many people who walk into a Chiropractor's office the first time, they really don't know what to expect. We hear from time to time: "I don't think this is going to work, but I'll give it a couple of times." Ok, so now you walked in with a negative attitude. Your Chiropractor will take the time to explain if and how he/she feels Chiropractic can help you. You still leave the office thinking that this is too good to be true. The first thing to understand is Chiropractic does NOT cure. It does not cure your pain, symptoms and diseases. A Chiropractor will gently give you an adjustment, which will align your spine and remove spinal nerve interference. Proper nerve messages are now able to flow from the brain, down the spine and out to all the organs. Your body has now been given the ability to heal itself. Patients must follow the care schedule given to them by their Chiropractor. I cannot emphasize how important this is! How bad do you want to be better? I wanted it bad!   In 1980, at 18 years old, I had a nasty lower back accident. I slipped on water and fell in a sitting position straight on the tip of my coccyx impacting my spine. I couldn't walk for two weeks. Orthopedics, physical therapy and drugs didn't help me. In 1984, I had refused the Orthopedics suggestion of surgery on my L4-L5 herniated discs. I complained and suffered for six long years until I finally found Chiropractic care in 1986. Before I started care at 24 years old, my body felt like I was 60 years old. (Now at 41, I feel 24) Chiropractic was my last hope! When I walked into my first Chiropractor's office, I had no clue what Chiropractic was about. He did educate me very well. I entered with a positive attitude that this was going to make me better. After my exam and first adjustment, I left his office and said, "I know Chiropractic will help me!" In my case, I felt great after my first adjustment. To me it was a miracle; I knew I was going to get my life back. After a month of getting adjusted 5 times a week, sometimes twice a day, I felt like my back accident never happened. I started to resume all my old activities. I knew my injury was healed, but I didn't want to stop getting adjusted. I noticed the more I was adjusted, the better I felt. I asked my Chiropractor one day, "When do I stop getting adjusted?" He smiled and said to me, "You will know." It is now 17 years later, and I am still "well adjusted." I was only under care a few months as I discovered besides getting out of pain there was a lot more to Chiropractic than meets the spine! Now I began the road to wellness. I learned that the symptoms that started after my back accident were a result of me being so subluxated. I had so many bones out of place putting pressure on my nerves that my organs were not getting the proper messages. After so many adjustments, my aches and pains were gone. I had sciatica so bad, that I had to wear a back brace quite often or I just crawled around my house when my leg gave out. Well, the sciatica and brace became history. Headaches were gone that lasted 3 days at a time, as well as my stomach and digestive problems. My allergy symptoms disappeared and so did the allergy shots. My spirit became high again. Due to the back pain I had to live with, I suffered depression at times. The best was learning how and why my immune system became so strong. I realized I wasn't getting "sick" anymore. Until I started Chiropractic care, I was chronic with strep throat, tonsillitis and head colds. I was on and off antibiotics all winter, every winter. Medication also became the past for me. Now all the "medicine" I need if I don't feel 100% is an adjustment. My power is always turned on! I had my answer: to stay healthy and keep my nervous system balanced, I would be adjusted for the rest of my life! I started my crusade by referring everyone I knew to chiropractic care, and explaining why they should be adjusted. I would tell them how amazing Chiropractic is and how your body has the ability to heal itself. I also told my story how Chiropractic changed my life. When I talk about Chiropractic to someone, I speak it with urgency, authority and from the heart. From one patient to the next, everyone has their own healing story.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=386 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:34:46 CDT   Back Pain and Osteoporosis Special Report Advice To Help You Get a Good Night's Sleep With an Aching Back  This Special Report is intended for readers interested in learning about the prevention, diagnosis, and management of back pain. If you've ever woken up with an aching back after a night of tossing and turning, you know the value of a good night's sleep. On the other hand, if you've gone to bed feeling pain in your neck or back, you know how hard it is to get that good night's sleep. There seems to be a reciprocal relationship between sleep and pain. It's unclear whether chronic pain is caused by or is an effect of disturbed sleep. What is clear is that pain worsens when you are deprived of sleep. So it's essential to do whatever you can to make sure you sleep as well as you can. Here's some advice from Johns Hopkins. Numerous studies show that chronic pain in the neck or lower back significantly affects how well you sleep. According to a recent study of 70 people reported in the Journal of Sleep Research, more than half of those with chronic back pain had insomnia severe enough to interfere with their daily functioning and to cause them distress. Not surprisingly, the people who said they felt the most pain and were anxious about their health had the most severe insomnia. A growing body of evidence also shows that lack of sleep worsens pain. Recent findings from the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Johns Hopkins show that frequently awakening for extended periods, such as when someone experiences insomnia in the middle of the night, impairs the natural pain control mechanisms that may play a key role in the development and exacerbation of chronic pain. Finding the Right Mattress Good sleeping posture, like good standing posture, allows the body to follow the natural S-shape curve of the spine; by contrast, poor sleeping positions can strain muscles and ligaments and increase the risk of developing a compressed nerve and, consequently, back pain. Your mattress affects your sleeping posture. One recent study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation examined sleep disturbances among 268 people who had chronic low back pain for at least six months. As you might expect, there was a significant increase in restlessness and light sleep once back pain set in at night. Unexpected was the finding that those who slept on a very hard, orthopedic mattress slept worse than those who used a mattress of medium firmness. This goes against the common belief that a hard mattress is better for back pain.   According to the Better Sleep Council (a manufacturer's group), a mattress is "good" if it supports the natural curves of your body, particularly the spine and knees. A mattress that is too hard, for example, will create gaps between it and your body. The result is pressure points that restrict circulation and interfere with sleep by causing the person who is asleep to move around to restore circulation. Also beware of an extra soft mattress. While it may feel plush, a mattress that is too soft may not give your back the support it needs.   The bottom line for a good mattress is comfort. While mattresses wear out at different rates, the Better Sleep Council suggests you may need a new mattress if you wake up with stiffness, numbness, aches, and pains; you had a better night's sleep somewhere other than your own bed (such as a hotel); or your mattress shows visible signs of overuse (it sags, has lumps, the interior is exposed). Here are some tips for finding a mattress that is just right for you. Be sure your mattress supports your lower back and, to some degree, conforms to your body. Always "rest test" a bed before buying it -- lie down and stretch out to see how it feels. Some companies will let you try out a mattress at home. Be prepared to pay for this option, but it could be money well spent. If your mattress is in good shape but is too hard, a layer of foam or a feather bed may help. If you share a bed, you and your partner should try the mattress together to make sure there is enough room for both of you. A queen- or king-size mattress is recommended for two people. The box spring, which absorbs the wear and tear of nightly use, also should be in good condition, since it helps provide durability and support. Mattresses and box springs are designed to work together, so it's best to buy a matching set.     ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=385 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:32:03 CDT   Johns Hopkins Health Alert Injection Therapy for Persistent Low Back Pain: When, Where, Why?   This Health Alert is intended for readers interested in learning about the prevention, diagnosis, and management of back pain. Injection therapy is a fairly conservative alternative for the treatment of nagging low back pain. Injections may be given for low back pain that is subacute (lasting longer than one month) or chronic (lasting for three months or more). The shots typically contain a combination of an anesthetic (to numb pain) and a corticosteroid (to reduce inflammation). The site of the injection in the spine varies depending on the suspected source of the pain. Your healthcare provider may use fluoroscopy (a type of x-ray movie in real time) or a CT scanner to help direct the needle to the correct location in the spinal column. Common injection sites are the:   Epidural space. An epidural injection with a corticosteroid is one of the most commonly used injection techniques. With this method, the steroid is injected directly into the epidural space (the area between the protective membrane of the spinal cord and the inner wall of the vertebrae). Facet joint. Medication is injected into facet joints if they are suspected of being inflamed. These joints, located between vertebrae, enable the spine to bend and twist. Facet joint injections are also used as diagnostic tools to help identify the exact location of back pain. Nerve root. Nerve roots emerge from the spinal column between vertebrae. Medication is injected over the area of the nerve thought to be inflamed. Trigger point. Trigger points are locations where touch or pressure elicits pain at specific areas in a muscle. Medication is then injected into these tender spots. Injection therapy is not suitable if you are susceptible to excessive bleeding or are taking anticoagulants (drugs that reduce the formation of blood clots). In addition, people experiencing pain due to infection or certain forms of cancer should not receive injections with steroids, since these drugs can weaken the immune system. So, do they work? Most studies show that injection therapy is no more effective than placebo for subacute or chronic back pain. For some people, however, treatment can provide short-term pain relief. This temporary effect may be sufficient to enable you to take part in a physical therapy or exercise program, which can help alleviate the stress and strain on your back and get you back on your feet once again.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=384 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:29:18 CDT   Johns Hopkins Health Alert What Should You Expect from Joint Replacement Surgery? There may be an alternative...Manipulaion Under Anesthesia.......................................... When joint problems become overwhelmingly uncomfortable and debilitating, many people opt to have their old, achy joints replaced with artificial ones. Having realistic ideas about what joint replacement will accomplish -- including what the recovery process is like and how much a new joint can enhance quality of life -- is important. Researchers at Toronto Western Hospital in Canada found that those patients who went into surgery with realistic expectations for recovery given their age, health, and joint function before the replacement were the most satisfied a year later. The majority of joint replacements performed involve the knee, hip, and, to a lesser extent, shoulder. A joint replacement is often the answer if you have pain that won't subside and you are unable to move the joint well, even after your doctor has prescribed exercise, physical therapy, medicines, or vitamin supplements. This type of discomfort is usually the result of osteoarthritis, in which the cushioning cartilage between joints gets worn away over time. Joint replacement surgeries are quite effective in most people. But a patient's expectations don't always match up with the results. Misinformation on the Internet and, sometimes, a physician's own advertisements about quicker recovery, smaller incisions, and faster rehabilitation can create unrealistic expectations for the patient, says David Hungerford, M.D., a professor of orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins and a joint replacement specialist. According to one report, presented at the last annual conference of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, researchers from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City found that more than half of the patients surveyed as part of a small pilot study had expectations that exceeded those of their surgeons for tasks of daily living. These tasks included the ability to stand from a sitting position, to go up and down stairs, and to walk without a limp. Joint replacement patients come into the operation from a wide spectrum of starting places. The most important thing to remember, says Dr. Hungerford: "Each patient needs to have a frank discussion with the treating surgeon to develop realistic expectations."     ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=383 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:20:48 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-10/3/2010 Respect For Other People Your respect for other people comes from your deep awareness that they are created in the Almighty's image. Therefore you never treat anyone else condescendingly. You never belittle anyone. You realize that everyone has something you can learn from. You realize that you need to respect everyone you encounter. This way of interacting with others is an expression of humility!  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=382 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:17:47 CDT October is National Chiropractic Health Month! It’s the first day of October, which not only means you had better get cracking on your Halloween costume–it’s National Chiropractic Health Month. This nationwide observance aims to “raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered approach to health and wellness,” according to the American Chiropractic Association, which has sponsored events for the past five years. This year’s theme for the month, Why Weight? Get Healthy!,  focuses on how chiropractors can assist patients who are experiencing pain conditions related to or exacerbated by their weight. With the majority of Americans now considered either overweight or obese, chiropractors are well-placed to advise patients about how lifestyle changes can improve all aspects of their health. Check out the ACA’s website to get tips on how to work with patients to achieve their healthy weight goals and for a promotional toolkit to spread the word in your community.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=380 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:18:06 CDT Vaccines...Are They Safe? (NaturalNews) In a recent TED conference presentation, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, who has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to new vaccine efforts, speaks on the issue of CO2 emissions and its effects on climate change. He presents a formula for tracking CO2 emissions as follows: CO2 = P x S x E x C. P = People S = Services per person E = Energy per service C = CO2 per energy unit Then he adds that in order to get CO2 to zero, "probably one of these numbers is going to have to get pretty close to zero." Following that, Bill Gates begins to describe how the first number -- P (for People) -- might be reduced. He says: "The world today has 6.8 billion people... that's headed up to about 9 billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent." You can watch this yourself at: http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=A...   Reducing the world population through vaccines This statement by Bill Gates was not made with any hesitation, stuttering or other indication that it might have been a mistake. It appears to have been a deliberate, calculated part of a well developed and coherent presentation. So what does it mean when Bill Gates says "if we do a really great job on new vaccines... we could lower [world population] by 10 or 15 percent?" Clearly, this statement implies that vaccines are a method of population reduction. So is "health care," which all NaturalNews readers already know to be more of a "sick care" system that actually harms more people than it helps. Perhaps that's the whole point of it. Given that vaccines technology help almost no one from a scientific point of view (http://www.naturalnews.com/029641_v...), it raises the question: For what purpose are vaccines being so heavily pushed in the first place? Bill Gates seems to be saying that one of the primary purposes is to reduce the global population as a mechanism by which we can reduce CO2 emissions. Once again, watch the video yourself to hear him say it in his own words: http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=A... How can vaccines actually be used to reduce world population? Let's conduct a mental experiment on this issue. If vaccines are to be used to reduce world population, they obviously need to be accepted by the majority of the people. Otherwise the population reduction effort wouldn't be very effective. And in order for them to be accepted by the majority of the people, they obviously can't just kill people outright. If everybody started dropping dead within 24 hours of receiving the flu shot, the danger of vaccines would become obvious rather quickly and the vaccines would be recalled. Thus, if vaccines are to be used as an effective population reduction effort, there are really only three ways in which they might theoretically be "effective" from the point of view of those who wish to reduce world population: #1) They might kill people slowly in a way that's unnoticeable, taking effect over perhaps 10 - 30 years by accelerating degenerative diseases. #2) They might reduce fertility and therefore dramatically lower birth rates around the world, thereby reducing the world population over successive generations. This "soft kill" method might seem more acceptable to scientists who want to see the world population fall but don't quite have the stomach to outright kill people with conventional medicine. There is already evidence that vaccines may promote miscarriages (http://www.naturalnews.com/027512_v...). #3) They might increase the death rate from a future pandemic. Theoretically, widespread vaccination efforts could be followed by a deliberate release of a highly virulent flu strain with a high fatality rate. This "bioweapon" approach could kill millions of people whose immune systems have been weakened by previous vaccine injections. This is a known side effect of some vaccines, by the way. A study documenting this was published in PLoS. Read the story here: http://www.naturalnews.com/028538_s... Here's the study title and citation: Does Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Increase the Risk of Illness with the 2009 A/H1N1 Pandemic Virus? Viboud C, Simonsen L (2010) Does Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Increase the Risk of Illness with the 2009 A/H1N1 Pandemic Virus? PLoS Med 7(4): e1000259. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000259 The short answer is yes, seasonal flu vaccines do cause increased susceptibility to the H1N1 pandemic virus. In other words, seasonal flu vaccines could set up the population for a "hard kill" pandemic that could wipe out a significant portion of the global population (perhaps 10 to 15 percent, as Bill Gates suggested). Conveniently, their deaths could be blamed on the pandemic, thereby diverting blame from those who were really responsible for the plot. As yet another beneficial side effect for the global population killers, the widespread deaths could be used as a fear tool to urge more people to get vaccinated yet again, and the entire cycle could be repeated until world population was brought down to whatever manageable level was desired... all in the name of health care! The more people around the world are vaccinated before the release of the "hard kill" pandemic virus, the more powerful the effect of this approach. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Perhaps not coincidentally, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into vaccine programs targeting people all over the world. One such program is researching the development of "sweat-triggered vaccines" that could use specially-coated nano-materials to deliver vaccines to people without using injections. More interestingly, his foundation has also invested millions in sterilization technologies that have been called a "temporary castration" solution. (http://www.naturalnews.com/028887_v...) It seems that the actions of the Gates foundation are entirely consistent with the formula for CO2 reduction that Bill Gates eluded to in his TED conference speech: CO2 = P x S x E x C. By reducing birth rates (through sterilization technologies) and increasing vaccine penetration throughout the world population (by using sweat-triggered nano-vaccines), his stated goal of reducing the world population by 10 to 15 percent could be reached within just a few years. Who will be left alive? The smart people The interesting thing about all this is that this campaign to reduce global population through vaccines will obviously not impact people who consciously avoid vaccines. And those people, by and large, tend to be the more intelligent, capable people who actually have an improved ability to move human civilization forward with thoughtful consideration. I can only imagine that those people designing this vaccine-induced population control measure might be sitting around a table chuckling to themselves and saying, "It's only the stupid people that are going to be killed off anyway, so this is actually helping the future of humankind!" (Their words, not mine.) In a weird world government kind of way, this effort might actually be based on some distorted vision of philanthropy where some of the most powerful people in the world quite literally believe the way to save humanity is to kill off as many of the gullible people as possible. Vaccines are, in effect, an "evil genius" kind of way to conduct an IQ test on the population at large: If you go get vaccinated every flu season, you're not too bright and probably don't engage the kind of strong mental faculties that humanity will no doubt need if it is to face a future where it is now all but obvious we are not alone in the universe. If humanity is to save itself from its own destruction and compete as an uplifted species in our universe, killing off the least intelligent members of society (or making them infertile) may appear to the world controllers to be a perfectly reasonable approach. I disagree with that approach, but it may be precisely what they are thinking. In any case, choosing to receive a seasonal flu shot is undoubtedly an admission that you have failed some sort of universal IQ test, whether or not this is the intention of world influencers such as Bill Gates. More importantly, it is also a betrayal of your own biology, because it indicates you don't believe in the ability of your own immune system to protect you even from mild infections. Perhaps the world vaccine conspirators figure that if people are willing to betray themselves anyway, it's not much different for governments and institutions to betray them as well. In other words, if you don't even care enough about your own health to take care of your health, why should any government care about protecting your health, either? As you ponder this, also consider something else: The U.S. is going broke due to sick-care costs which are rising dramatically under the new federal health care reform guidelines. Can you guess the fastest and easiest way to reduce those health care costs? If you guessed, "unleash a hard-kill pandemic that takes out a significant portion of the weak or sick people" then you guessed right. Sadly, killing off those most vulnerable to sickness could save the U.S. government literally billions of dollars in sick-care expenditures. Plus, it would save Social Security yet more billions by avoiding ongoing monthly payouts. (Again, I am completely against such an approach because I value human life, but I also know we live in a world where the people in charge have little or no respect for human life and will readily sacrifice human lives to achieve their aims.) As far as Bill Gates goes, consider his statement in the context of what we've discussed here: "The world today has 6.8 billion people... that's headed up to about 9 billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent." It suddenly seems to make a lot of sense when you understand that reducing the population reduces CO2 emissions, and using more vaccines on more people increases the death rate of the population. My advice? Try to avoid being among those 10 to 15 percent who get culled through global vaccine programs. You will not only save your life, you'll also pass the "universal IQ test" which determines whether you're smart enough to know that injecting your body with chemicals and viral fragments in order to stop "seasonal flu" is a foolish endeavor. Be healthy and wise, and you'll survive the world depopulation effort that victimizes conventional thinkers who don't have the intelligence to question what they're being told to do by their own corrupt governments. Articles Related to This Article: • Evidence-based vaccinations: A scientific look at the missing science behind flu season vaccines • Facebook crowdsourced investigation exposes vaccine denials of SIGA Technologies • The great thimerosal cover-up: Mercury, vaccines, autism and your child's health • Flu vaccines revealed as the greatest quackery ever pushed in the history of medicine • Vaccines cause autism: Supporting evidence • Are mandatory vaccinations acts of violence against children?         ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=379 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:07:24 CDT Corn Sugar instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) has petitioned the U.S. FDA to allow manufacturers the option of using the term “corn sugar” instead of “high fructose corn syrup”. In their press release on the subject, they claim that “independent research demonstrates that the current labeling is confusing to American consumers.” They blame “inexact scientific reports and inaccurate media accounts” for the current stigma associated with high fructose corn syrup. In reality, as opposed to the CRA’s dream world, if you need to lose weight, or if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, high-fructose corn syrup is one type of sugar you’ll want to avoid. Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=374 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:23:22 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY- 9/29/2010 Self-Mastery Builds Your Self-Image Every time you have self-mastery in any way, you build up your self-image. "I am a person who is gaining more and more control over my emotions and actions all the time." Every time you have the emotional self-control to do something that you find difficult to do, you build up your self-image. Every time you refrain from saying or doing something, you build up your self-image. Some people keep self-mastery journals. Writing down their successes and victories in exhibiting self-control improves their ability to exhibit a greater amount of self-mastery.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=372 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:37:59 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-9/28/2010 Self-Mastery Builds Your Self-Image Every time you have self-mastery in any way, you build up your self-image. "I am a person who is gaining more and more control over my emotions and actions all the time." Every time you have the emotional self-control to do something that you find difficult to do, you build up your self-image. Every time you refrain from saying or doing something, you build up your self-image. Some people keep self-mastery journals. Writing down their successes and victories in exhibiting self-control improves their ability to exhibit a greater amount of self-mastery.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=367 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:38:24 CDT HOW TO ATTAIN YOUR GOALS The Definition of Happiness Happiness has been defined as, "The progressive achievement of a worthy ideal, or goal." When you are working progressively, step-by-step, toward something that is important to you, you generate within yourself a continuous feeling of success and achievement. You feel more positive and motivated. You feel more in control of your own life. You feel happier and more fulfilled. You feel like a winner, and you soon develop the psychological momentum that enables you to overcome obstacles and plow through adversity as you move toward achieving the goals that are most important to you. Are You Fuzzy or Clear? Successful people are successful because they are very clear about their values. Unsuccessful people are fuzzy or unsure. Complete failures have no real values at all. Determine Your Values – What's Important to You? Personal strategic planning begins with your determining what it is you believe in and stand for--your values. Your values lie at the very core of everything you are as a human being. Your values are the unifying principles and core beliefs of your personality and your character. The virtues and qualities that you stand for are what constitute the person you have become from the beginning of your life to this moment. Your values, virtues and inner beliefs are the axle around which the wheel of your life turns. All improvement in your life begins with you clarifying your true values, and then committing yourself to live consistent with them. The first thing to keep in mind is that your goal must be congruent with your belief system, or else success will likely linger beyond your reach. I think (or at least hope) we can agree that being healthy is a wonderful thing. Therefore, if being healthy is in your belief system, you are congruent with the goal of mastering the dietary recommendations and working out according to plan! Your mind contains a cybernetic goal-seeking mechanism. Once you have programmed a thought or desire into your subconscious mind, your subconscious and your super conscious mind take on a power of their own that seems to drive and steer you to attainment of your goal, whatever it is. Unfortunately, less than 3 percent of adults have clear written goals with plans on how to achieve them. This article will help you be one of those 3 percent. Step 1: Develop desire for health and being fit A desire is completely personal and comes from within. Our actions are usually based on fear or desire. If you are trying to implement the dietary recommendations because you are fearful that you will stay sick or never achieve the weight or health you would like, you are most likely going to fail. Fear is a powerful force, but not one that spurs you toward greatness. Desire, though, is a burning that comes from within and has the power to change your very nature and core. Step 2: Believe you CAN be successful If there is any doubt in your mind that you may not be able to achieve something, you don't give it your all. In fact, you may very well just set it aside. In order to fully achieve anything, you must believe it is possible at a cellular level. Make your goals obtainable, and set short-term goals that slowly but surely lead up to your long-term goal. Step 3: You MUST write it down Having a goal of exercising optimally or weighing a certain amount is not a goal if it is not in writing. Until you put it in writing, it is a fantasy. Once your goal is in writing, it is concrete. I would encourage you to write out your goal in two ways. The first way is to use a lot of detail. Be specific on what your life will be like when you have met this goal. Let your imagination run wild. If your goal is eating optimally, write in detail what your meals will look like and what you will be able to do with all the energy you now have. Then, put this in an envelope to read when you need encouragement and motivation. The second way I encourage writing it down is in one sentence that captures what that goal is. For instance, you may write "I choose only foods that add life and vitality to my organs and cells and hydrate myself with clean, pure water." Take this sentence and write it on several post-it notes. Place them in your car, at your office, on your bathroom mirror and one by your bed. Before retiring for the night, read your sentence a few times and then spend 1-2 minutes visualizing what that is like. Step 4: Make a list of all the ways that you will benefit from achieving your goal, and get EMOTIONAL This is similar to what was recommended above. The reasons why you set your goal are the forces that will move you in the direction of the goal. The reasons may include having more energy, looking better, feeling great, or fitting into a dress. Reviewing this on a regular basis will assist in keeping you motivated. Remember to use the word "I" with each goal, and write it in the present tense. Your subconscious mind responds only to commands that are personal, positive and in the present tense. Plugging in your emotional reasons for wanting to optimize your fitness and fat loss is crucial. It is the "why" to the "what." It does not matter what they are. Just make sure that they are real for you. Pick the top two or three emotional reasons why you must become healthier, leaner, stronger, and more energetic, and focus on those. An important tip in developing goals is to use the word "I" with each goal and write it in the present tense. Your subconscious mind responds only to commands that are personal, positive and in the present tense. To give you some ideas, here's a list of 15 ways exercise can improve your health: 1. Improve your brainpower 2. Lower your blood pressure 3. Fight off a cold 4. Manage arthritis 5. Lower your risk of heart disease 6. Cure insomnia 7. Fight depression 8. Lower your risk of diabetesand reverse pre-diabetes 9. Build strong bones 10. Lose weight 11. Reduce your risk of cancer 12. Boost your IQ and think better 13. Relieve chronic knee pain 14. Increase your energy levels 15. Slow down your aging process You can use the exercise benefits above as a help to create personal reasons for you that are LOADED with emotion. Remember that unless you have emotion attached to your reasons, the likelihood that you will succeed is radically reduced. Step 5: Analyze your position, your starting point This will provide a starting point, a baseline, to measure your progress. If your goal is to lose weight, weigh yourself and write down where you are. If your goal is to lower your cholesterol or blood pressure, have your cholesterol or blood pressure measured and write down where you are. Step 6: Set a deadline If your goal is to obtain a certain weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol, set a deadline. These are tangible goals. Setting a deadline programs it into the cells to achieve that goal by a certain time, if not sooner. However, if your goal is intangible, such as optimizing health, do not set a deadline. If you set a deadline on an intangible goal, such as "optimizing health", the date you set will be the first date your cells are programmed to actually start demonstrating that quality. If you do set a deadline and fail to reach it, set another deadline. Step 7: Make a list of obstacles that stand between you and the accomplishment of your goal After listing all the possible obstacles that you can think of, re-list them in order of the difficulty to overcome them. The obstacles you list may be internal or external. An internal obstacle would be a belief that you have about yourself, or an attitude. "This diet is too difficult" and "I don't have time to prepare foods" are examples. An external obstacle is something outside of yourself, such as a spouse who brings you chocolate, or friends who like to eat out at Italian restaurants. Step 8: Identify the additional information you will need to achieve your goal. There are multiple resources available on many subjects. If there is an area you are pursuing, research it and empower yourself with all of the information you can. Successful people are those who obtain and have information. Arm yourself with knowledge on why a desired weight is more beneficial. Know why weighing too much or having excess body fat is unhealthy. Setting a goal and going after it without knowing why you are going after it is a sure-fire way of stopping short of your goal. Step 9: Make a list of all the people whose help and cooperation you will require This list may include family, friends, co-workers, your doctor and whomever else you deem appropriate. You are going to require the help and encouragement of others in achieving any goal. Although you want to be careful in selecting only those who you know will support and encourage you in the fullest. Unfortunately, there are people out there who seem to sabotage others, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight or achieve better health. Educate the people you select on the reasons you are working toward your goal. If you present it well, they may even decide to join you and then you will be really supported and held accountable! Step 10: Make a plan Write out in detail the entire plan: what you want, when you want it, why you want it, and from where you are starting. List the obstacles to overcome, the information you will need and the people you need to help you. Use steps 1-9 to help with this. Step 11: Use visualization Visualization is a powerful tool. What you see is what you get. And what you eat provides the energy that enables you to become what you want. Picture yourself sitting at a table and only selecting foods that add life and health to the body. Visualize yourself participating in activities that also add life and provide energy. Picture how good you will feel when implementing the dietary recommendations. Imagine life with health. Take time each day for this. As recommended in step 3, do this at night before retiring while reading the sentence you created. I also highly suggest that you cut out the physique of a lean, muscular person out of a magazine or print one off the computer. Cut out the silhouette of the body you want and put your head on it. It is important for you to see this often throughout the day. I did this 15 years ago, and within 2 years I took my physique to a level that I never dreamt of, and became a drug-free-for-life competitive bodybuilder in the WNBF. It works. Step 12: Make the decision in advance that you will never, ever, give up As they said in Apollo 13: "Failure is not an option." A lot of the patients I work with at times become frustrated, but they do not give up. I have become frustrated at times also with eating optimally and making healthy choices, but I have NEVER given up. When you realize how important food choices are to your core being, you will want to persevere. Surround yourself with those who are choosing wisely and who care enough about you to hold you accountable. We all have days, or weeks, where we slip. The important thing is that you realize this, admit it, and get back with the program. Be VERY Clear About Your Goals Clarity accounts for probably 80 percent of success and happiness. Lack of clarity is probably more responsible for frustration and underachievement than any other single factor. You could say that the three keys to achieving your goals are "Clarity, Clarity, Clarity." Your success in life will be largely determined by how clear you are about what it is you really, really want. The more you write and rewrite your goals and the more you think about them, the clearer they will become about them. The clearer you are about what you want, the more likely you are to do more and more of the things that are consistent with achieving them. Meanwhile, you will do fewer and fewer of the things that don't help to get the things you really want. The Seven Step Process to Achieve Goals Faster and Easier First, decide exactly what you want to achieve. Second,write it down CLEARLY and in as much detail as you can. Third,set a specific deadline. If it is a large goal, break it down into sub deadlines and write them down in order. Fourth, make a list of everything you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. As you think of new items, add them to your list. Fifth,organize the items on your list into a plan by placing them in the proper sequence and priority. Sixth, take action immediately on the most important thing you can do in your plan. This is VERY important. Seventh,do something every day that moves you toward to attainment of one or more of your important health goals. Remember that fewer than 3 percent of adults have written goals and plans that they work on every single day. When you sit down and write our your goals, you move yourself in to the top 3 percent of people in our society. And you will soon start to get the same type of results that they do. Study and review your goals EVERY DAY to be sure that they are still your most important health goals. You will find yourself deleting goals that are no longer as important as you once thought. Whatever your goals are, plan them out thoroughly, on paper, and work on them every single day. This is the key to peak performance and maximum achievement. I truly hope that the steps provided assist you in your journey toward health and in creating the life you choose. Setting goals is necessary if you are going to direct your life. May you be blessed with wisdom and love as you go about setting goals and achieving them! Your homework now is to read the commitment sheet out loud, with a positive tone in your voice, three times, right before bed. Also read your commitment sheet right upon waking in the morning. There is power in the spoken word. So stand up tall, with good posture, and say it like you mean it. At these times of the day you are in an alpha brain state. This is a prime time for you to be more susceptible to auto suggestion or self hypnosis. Your mind will repeatedly review what you were thinking about at these two times as it "cleans the files" while you sleep. Why Using a Scale Alone Will Not Tell You if You're Successfully Losing Weight Most people make the mistake of only using the scale to see if their fat loss program is working. But the scale does not tell you the whole story. It will not tell you if you are replacing fat with muscle, for example. And it will not tell you if you are losing valuable water and muscle, or undesirable fat. Ideally you should use a one site skin fold caliper kit. It is quick, easy, and consistently accurate. Within one minute you will know your overall body fat percentage, fat weight, and lean body mass. Armed with this information you will be able to really tell if your fitness program is working. If you are reluctant to use a skin fold caliper kit, at least use a tape measure in addition to a scale.If the scale stays the same, but your waistline has been reduced, then you know you have gained muscle and lost fat. It's not as precise as a skin fold caliper kit, but it is much better than using just a scale. Program Your "Faith Muscle" What you are doing when you go through all these steps and visualizations is working on your "faith muscle", so that you can optimize your fitness and health, and therefore peak in all the areas of your life, at any age. This is a great mental and emotional exercise, because what I have found for myself, my trainers, and my clients, is that once you believe something, with a sense of certainty deep down in your core, it will almost always become true. That is what this commitment sheet can do for you. It is very powerful. I have seen well over 100 personal clients radically change their waistline, their lifestyle, and their lives by using this goal setting / visualization tool. Remember, you DO have the power to change!!    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=366 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:11:12 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-9/27/2010 Now is The Time There is an old saying: "The past is no more, the future is not yet, and the present is as fleeting as the blink of an eye." The present is the only reality and it is exceedingly short. Being aware of this can make it easier for you to live a virtuous life. You need do the right thing for only a short time -- that is, the present moments, which fly by exceedingly fast.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=365 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 00:49:07 CDT People Who Make You FeelGood About Yourself There are people who consistently make others feel good about themselves. When you are in the presence of someone who has a "good eye" and a "good heart," you see yourself in a more positive light. Such a person treats you with respect and makes it easier for you to increase your own level of self-respect. Such a person says and does things that bring out the best in you. Remember how you felt about yourself after encounters with such people. Let those experiences build your self-image. Don't just look at it as, "I felt really good about myself when I spoke to this person." Rather, view these encounters as life-enhancing experiences that permanently build your self-image. Even many years later, you can allow these encounters to raise your view of yourself  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=364 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:33:34 CDT Thousands of Hip Implants Have Been Recalled Due to Failure Thousands of Hip Implants Have Been Recalled Due to Failure If you have been affected or required a second surgery you may be entitled to Substantial Financial Compensation. Contact us now for more information about your rights! Over 90,000 devices have been recalled due to implant failures resulting in injuries and revision surgeries.   August 30, 2010 Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics has issued a voluntary recall of two of its hip replacement systems due to a high rate of implant failure.   The systems recalled are: Depuy ASR XL Acetabular System Depuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System Other Hip Implants that have been recalled: Zimmer Durom Cup Stryker Trident PSL Stryker Trident Hemispherical Acetubular Cup   If you or a loved one has experienced any of the following Symptoms you may have a recalled hip implant! Serious Constant Pain Swelling Clicking or Popping Hip Fracture Loosening of the Implant mplant Dislocation     There is limited time to file your claim! DON'T DELAY! Find out if you are entitled to compensation for your suffering TODAY!   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=363 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:58:50 CDT Your Body within 1 Hour of Drinking Soda According to the Nutrition Research Center, this is what happens to your body within 1 hour of drinking a can of soda: -10 minutes:  10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system, which is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake.  You'd normally vomit from such an intake, but the phosphoric acid cuts the flavor. -20 minutes:  Your blood sugar skyrockets.  Your liver attempts to maximize insulin production in order to turn high levels of sugar into fat. -40 minutes:  As your body finishes absorbing the caffeine, your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your liver pumps more sugar into the bloodstream.  Adenosine receptors in your brain are blocked preventing you from feeling how tired you may actually be. -45 minutes:  Your body increases dopamine production, causing you to feel pleasure and adding to the addictiveness of the beverage.  This physical neuro response works the same way as it would if we were consuming heroin. >60 minutes:  The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, which boosts your metabolism a bit further.  High doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners compound this effect, increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.  The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play.  (You have to GO!) Your body will eliminate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was otherwise heading to your bones.  And you will also flush out the sodium, electrolytes and water.  Your body has eliminated the water that was in the soda.  And in the process it was infused with nutrients and minerals your body would have otherwise used to hydrate your system or build body cells, bones, teeth. -60 plus minutes:  The sugar crash begins. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You start feeling like yuck. Time to grab another?  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=361 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 09:24:49 CDT Accommodating Resistance with Tubes & Bands. A novel approach to improve a serious flaw! Today, there are more training tools available for personal trainers than ever. How do you decide what equipment is best to use? Well, that really depends on the situation. Let’s take resistance training, for example. As far as I’m concerned, free weights reign supreme! Every time I’m asked what I think of this machine or that machine, my response is always the same: get yourself a simple barbell and dumbbell set with an adjustable bench and forget the rest. Period. Many trainers find themselves in a situation where space and budget are limited, though, and free weights may not be the best option. Remember, resistance can come from many different sources. Pro’s and Con’s of Resistance Tubing and Bands One such source that is quite popular in the field of personal training involves resistance tubing and bands. These are portable devices that are relatively inexpensive and quite versatile. You can perform just about any exercise with a tube and they even come in different resistances (they are usually color-coded for this reason.) With so many benefits, resistance tubes seem like the perfect training tool…except for a slight problem: If using elastics and one end is fixed, it creates resistance patterns that do not ideally match the torque-joint angle curves of your body because the bands increase resistance fairly linearly throughout the range. The following two charts show the difference in muscle tension between free weight resistance and resistance tubing. Adapted from Hartmann & Tunnemann, Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports, 1995, pg. 51 Fig. 1 – Bell-shaped ascending-descending strength curve displayed with free weight resistance. Fig. 2 – Linear ascending strength curve displayed with resistance tubing. Alright, so what’s the big deal if resistance tubing causes a linear ascending strength curve? Well, the answer to that is simple: tubing encourages the disproportionate development of accelerators versus decelerators, and that my friends, can lead to injury. In fact, out of 16 cases of rotator cuff tendonitis reported by the national synchronized swim team of Canada, all but one case were corrected by eliminating tubing and using dumbbells instead. Tubing exercises are quite popular in the rehabilitative setting to train the rotator cuff muscles, but obviously, there is a big difference between using dumbbells and elastics. To take it one step further, when performing shoulder external or internal rotations for example, dumbbells provide a greater overload in the bottom position and tubes provide a greater overload in the top position. You can combine the two during a set (i.e. hold onto both a dumbbell and tube) or use a cable to provide a relatively even overload throughout; however, two problems exist with these methods: Assuming that you have access to a cable apparatus (many home gyms do not), most weight stacks start at 10 pounds, which is far too heavy for the average person. It is difficult to adjust for individual leverages and fatigue, but there is a way… This is where the concept of accommodating resistance applies, and it is so versatile with a tube or band – it can be used on almost any exercise! The Concept of Accomodating Resistance to the Rescue Here is a little trick I learned from the late Dr. Mel Siff. Basically, the concept is simple: use an exercise tube or band and have a partner follow the movement pattern to accommodate strength (i.e. give more or less resistance when needed.) Just remember to keep the movement smooth. When applying passive resistance, it’s not a competition! That’s all there is to it. With this novel technique, a serious flaw of training with elastics is rectified. All of a sudden, more pros and less cons! Pros No sophisticated equipment is required. Can produce a more even strength curve. Can increase time-under-tension (TUT) to desired length – terminate set once particular TUT is achieved. Cons Requires a training partner. Lack of objectivity (this can be offset somewhat by recording size of tube and distance of hand position.) Examples Let’s examine some shoulder movements using accommodating resistance with tubes. Holistic Health Practitioner and Neuromuscular Therapist, Paul Chek, has a famous motto: “First Isolate, Then Integrate!” So with that said, let’s start with some isolation exercises. Isolation Exercise for the Subcapularis Muscle Some authorities feel that the subcapularis is the missing link to unlocking true strength of the upper extremities and improving shoulder strength and health. Many therapists often claim that this muscle tests weak and should be subsequently trained. Well, the reason for this is due primarily to poor posture, or more specifically, rounded shoulders (i.e. a kyphotic posture) that is so prevalent in today’s society. This is a case of a tight and weak muscle. Due to an extreme amount of internal rotation, the subscap (an internal rotator of the humerus) becomes extremely tight and facilitated. Since the sarcomeres (actin and myosin) experience full interdigitation, it becomes difficult to contract any further. Therefore, in order to strengthen these fibers, they must first be placed in an optimum position to contract effectively – you accomplish that goal with appropriate stretching and myofascial release (e.g. A.R.T.). Isolation Exercise for the Infraspinatus Muscle Another muscle that tests weak is the infraspinatus, an external rotator of the humerus, but for different reasons than above. It is usually long and weak – the actin and myosin filaments are not in optimum position for maximum force output. This particular rotator cuff muscle has appeared often in recent literature due to the lack of shoulder external rotation in many strength training programs creating a muscle imbalance. Robert Lardner, a European Physical Therapist trained by among others Janda, reveals an interesting concept for rotator cuff exercises: “To grab a dumbbell requires flexion of the arm muscles. The flexion muscles are so strong that these phasic (flexion) muscles will override the extensor (tonic) muscles. So all the guys lying on their sides are really doing mostly a bicep/brachia movement.So, what is the proper way to exercise these muscles?The best way is to have your hand open with your fingers spread and have the resistance strapped to your wrist, either through a rubber band or a cable. Then go through the extending motion that you wish to exercise." It may indeed be more effective to perform many of the exercises listed in this article with an open hand. Try it and see if you can notice a difference. Proper Execution of the ‘Pullover’ Exercise Let’s move on to another common shoulder movement, the pullover. Many trainers prescribe this exercise to correct a winging scapulae. Guess what? That is the wrong approach! In order to remedy this situation, the serratus anterior, rhomboids and middle/lower trapezuis should be trained. The pullover does not effectively target these muscles; in fact, it hits the specific muscles (particularly the latissmus dorsi and subscapularis) that cause winging scapulae (Polquin, 1997). Furthermore, the dumbbell pullover is often performed over a bench. This method is inviting an abdominal hernia as well as overstressing the shoulder joint (especially if the trainee has tight shoulders!) A far better approach is to perform the exercise on a decline bench or on the floor as depicted below to avoid maximum overload on the shoulder joint in extreme extension. In other words, by shortening the range of motion, it is safer for your shoulders. Also, avoid excessively arching your back by pressing your spine into the bench or floor and keeping your core tight throughout. Hence, your abdominals must act as stabilizers during the movement.. Integration Exercises Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns are a series of movements developed by Herman Kabat and featured in a classic text by Knott & Voss. Although many trainers and therapists perceive PNF as a form of stretching, it is much more than that – it involves a series of spiral movements that cross the midline of the body. In doing so, all planes are crossed: vertical/horizontal extension/flexion, abduction/adduction, and internal/external rotation occur in one movement. By using accommodating resistance with bands and tubes, you remove a major flaw associated with elastic resistance to provide a more even strength curve throughout the range of motion. Instead of a rather inferior training tool, you now have a potent weapon at your disposal!  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=360 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:48:48 CDT This "Miracle Drug" Could Nearly Double Your Risk of Cancer   Oral bisphosphonate osteoporosis drugs, which include such Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax, could be associated with an approximately twofold increased risk of esophageal cancer. A new study showed that long-term users of the drugs had nearly double the risk for the rare but deadly cancer. Concerns about a link between bisphosphonates and esophageal cancer first reached the public a year and a half ago, when an FDA report cited 23 cases of the cancer in Fosamax users in the U.S., and another 31 cases in Europe and Japan.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=356 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:42:09 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY "This, Too, Will Build My Self-Image" 9/22/2010 Each and every day you will have many opportunities to build yourself and your self-image. Every positive thought, word, and action builds you. When you see that you have behaved in a positive way, you can say to yourself, "This, too, will build my self-image." If you have not behaved the way you would have liked, you can think about how you wished to have thought, spoken, and acted. Thinking about what you want to be like conditions your mind to think, speak, and act more in that way. You can say about this pattern of thinking, "This, too, will build my self-image."  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=353 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:46:50 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY All Inner Strengths in All Contexts 9/21/2010 The vast majority of people utilize some of their inner strengths sometimes, but not always. This is certainly true for me. It's probably true for many people who are reading this. People might be kind, courageous, confident, patient, harmonious, happy, or relaxed in some contexts, but not in others. People might be able to concentrate well and stay focused in some contexts, but not in others. People might be able to stay centered and flowing in some situations, but not in others. It would be wonderful to be able to access all of your inner strengths in all contexts. In other words, if you can be calm and relaxed, confident and courageous, centered, focused, and flowing in some contexts and around some people, it would be wonderful to access those mental and behavioral states around all people, all the time. An important facet of every human being is our brain. Our brain is always with us wherever we are. It's impossible to forget to take our brain along when we go out, no matter how absent- minded we are. Therefore we can learn how to access the strengths that we have recorded in our mental archives and apply them whenever we need them.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=351 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:49:31 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-9/20/2010  Making and Reaching Worthwhile Goals Life is a process of setting and reaching goals. Formulating and achieving worthwhile goals add meaning to life. Even if one's life is very challenging, having worthwhile goals raises the quality of life. The happiest people are those who strive for worthwhile goals, not those whose life is just fun and games. People with a positive self-image believe in their ability to attain meaningful goals. Someone who has already accomplished worthwhile goals will have an even more positive self-image. Part of successful goal making and reaching is an awareness of your life mission. People who are clear about their life mission are clearer about their goals. Developing a life mission that inspires and motivates you is one of the most important things that you can do in your life.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=350 Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:52:16 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-9/19/2010  Building Your Self-Image One Tiny Step at a Time There are special occurrences, situations, and opportunities that help build your self-image in a short time. However, it is more common to improve one tiny step at a time every day than to have quick progress in this area. The daily question to ask yourself is: "What small improvement can I make now?"  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=349 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 02:13:50 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY Your Best Moments Are Your Best Teachers 9/17/2010 Your best moments are your best teachers. We each have moments that are special in our lives, moments when we go beyond what we are usually able to do. Moments when we are especially spiritual and elevated, self-confident and courageous, happy and joyful, kind and compassionate, calm and serene, persuasive and influential, insightful and intuitive, forgiving and understanding, and creative and innovative. During our best moments, we go beyond our own selves in almost unbelievable ways. Each best moment in our life sheds light on what we can possibly do and who we can possibly be. Our best moments raise our self-image to a degree that our ordinary moments can't and don't.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=348 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:40:44 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY Your Mindset About Yourself 9/16/2010 Your mindset about what you are able to do in life will have a global effect on your entire way of being. Most people view their perceived limitations as real. The reality is that every single person has a tremendous amount of potential. When you believe that you can do something, you will be able to do more and better than when you believe you can't. Although it's possible to believe that you can when you really can't, you will never know which are real limits and which are imaginary limits until you try to make breakthroughs  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=347 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:37:48 CDT QUOTE OF THE DAY-9/15/2010  Why Someone Might Have a Low Self-Image Some people ask, "Why do I have a low self-image?" There are many possible answers that one can give, even though there is only one valid and real answer: "If you have a low self-image, it is because of the way you think about yourself. Think better thoughts and you'll change your self-image." Thinking of yourself in a consistently negative way is the only way to have a low self-image. Improving your thoughts improves your self-image. The way you think of yourself now is your present self- image. Regardless of your past self-image, you have free will and the ability to build yourself and your self-image  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=331 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 15:04:54 CDT Water Clean, pure water is a cornerstone of good health. Your body is mostly water, so the ongoing intake of water is essential to your every function. It’s common knowledge that most water sources are now polluted, but there is tremendous confusion about what kind of drinking water is the most health promoting, and what kind of home water treatment produces the best drinking water. Today, too many people are choosing soda instead of pure water as their primary beverage and the health of an entire culture is at risk. The number one source of calories in the U.S. comes from high fructose corn syrup primarily in the form of soda. Americans drink an average of1 gallon of soda each week, and this excessive fructose consumption is a driving force behind obesity and chronic degenerative disease in this country. The most practical and economical strategy to combat obesity and chronic disease is to replace all sodas and other sweet beverages with pure water. The trouble is, most public water supplies are loaded with hazardous contaminants, such as disinfected by products, fluoride, to name just a few. Nevertheless, you DO need to make water your beverage of choice if you want to be healthy—but it should be purified water. But beyond water filtration, there’s also the issue of pH—alkaline versus acidic water. There are quite a few astonishing health claims being made about alkaline water, but are they true? Most of them are not. The theory behind alkaline water is, in a nutshell, that alkaline (ionized) water is a powerful antioxidant with surplus electrons that can “mop up” the dangerous free radicals you have coursing through your veins. Marketers claim alkaline water can correct excess acidity in your tissues, which can then prevent or reverse cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases. “Snake Oil on Tap” In truth, there are very, very few legitimate scientific studies about the effects of alkaline water on human health. The reality is, most of the circulating information is distributed by clever marketers, with very little scientific validity to back up their claims. Complicating matters is the fact that most water ionizers and alkalizers are being marketed by multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with less than stellar ethics. They sell you a very expensive machine, for which you get a good discount if you sign up as a rep, and once you’re part of the MLM, you can’t very well change your mind about its benefits (especially if you’re going to sell the units)—even if you realize that the alkaline water is no longer “working” for you. I have been personally approached many times and encouraged to sell these systems and there would have been large revenue streams had I chosen to do so, but I would never promote anything that I would never use personally, and I can assure you that I would never use alkaline water as a regular source of water. I have no doubts that many people do notice improvements in their health when they initially start drinking alkaline water, but I believe there are other reasons for this, and I am convinced that this is not a healthful strategy in the long run, so it is my strong recommendation to avoid alkaline water ionizers. Some people experience an initial “high” when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, and the fact that they are likely just becoming better hydrated. Detoxification is about the only benefit of this type of water, and this benefit is limited to very SHORT TERM USE (no more than a week or two). I will elaborate on what is known about alkaline water, but first you’ll need a basic understanding of the properties of water and a few definitions. Types of Water Available to You In terms of types of water, here are some basic definitions to keep in mind: Purified water: Water that is physically processed to remove impurities (e.g., distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, etc.) Distilled water: Water that is boiled and evaporated away from its dissolved minerals, and then the vapor is condensed. Bottled Water. This water is typically from a spring or has gone through reverse osmosis before it is bottled. However, some brands are simply bottled tap water that may or may not have gone through any additional filtering. Ionized water or alkaline water: Water that has been separated into alkaline and acid fractions using electrolysis, which takes advantage of the naturally occurring electric charges found in the magnesium and calcium ions; in the drinking water industry, ionized water refers to alkaline water, which has a pH greater than 7. Deionized or demineralized water: Water in which the mineral ions (salts such as sodium, calcium, iron, copper, chloride and bromide) have been removed by exposing it to electrically charged resins that attract and bind to the salts. Hard and soft water: Hard water is any water containing an appreciable quantity of dissolved minerals; soft water is treated water in which the only cation (positively charged ion) is sodium. Understanding PH The concept of the acidity or alkalinity of your body—or of water—is based on the pH scale. So it’s necessary to have a basic understanding of what pH is. PH is an acronym for “potential of hydrogen.” The higher a liquid’s pH, the fewer free hydrogen ions it has; the lower its pH, the more free hydrogen ions it has. One pH unit reflects a tenfold change in ion concentration—for example, there are ten times as many hydrogen ions available at a pH of 7 than at a pH of 8 Anything with a pH below 7 is considered acidic, with battery acid being the most extreme example, around 1. Anything with a pH above 7 is alkaline (or basic), with lye at the top of the scale, around 13. Natural water on our planet ranges in pH from 6.5 to 9.0, depending on surrounding soil and vegetation, seasonal variations and weather, and even time of day responses to sunlight. Human activities further influence the pH of our water, from the barrage of toxic industrial pollutants.  “Pollutants in water can cause it to have higher algal and plant growth, as a result of increased temperature or excess nutrients, causing pH levels to rise. Although these small changes in pH are not likely to have a direct impact on aquatic life, they greatly influence the availability and solubility of all chemical forms in the lake and may aggravate nutrient problems. For example, a change in pH may increase the solubility of phosphorus, making it more available for plant growth and resulting in a greater long-term demand for dissolved oxygen.” With living systems being so sensitive to changes in pH, it should comes as no surprise that YOU, as another living organism on this planet, would be sensitive to your water’s pH as well. Guidelines for the pH of Your Drinking Water So, what are the recommendations for optimal drinking water pH? In this voluminous tome, you would expect to find everything you’d ever want to know about your drinking water, right? Well, everything EXCEPT a pH recommendation—there are no health-based guidelines for pH! They state that pH usually has “no direct impact on consumers,” yet they also write pH is one of the “most important operational water quality parameters.” They do recommend your water pH be in the range of 6.5 to 8.0 so as not to corrode your pipes—and they’re NOT talking about your bodies plumbing: “Alkalinity and calcium management also contribute to the stability of water and control its aggressiveness to pipe and appliance. Failure to minimize corrosion can result in the contamination of drinking water and in adverse effects on its taste and appearance. Failure to minimize corrosion can result in the contamination of drinking water and in adverse effects on its taste and appearance.” Most likely the optimal pH of the water you were designed to drink is somewhere between 6.5 and 7.5. Alkalinity Research I: Flora and Fauna Although the research is clear that alkaline water has detrimental effects on plants and animals, there are not many studies with humans. A review of the literature turns up a variety of anecdotal evidence about the importance of ph to various living organisms, however, and as you might expect, optimal pH varies, depending on the organism. If you are a gardener, you can view a helpful illustration of the environmental effects of pH in your own garden. If your pH is low, your hydrangea produces pink flowers, but if your pH is high, you’ll get blue flowers. But what about us bipeds? Alkalinity Research II: Humans There has been a great deal of debate about battling cancer by making your body alkaline. This has become a focus of interest as cancer rates have skyrocketed (along with many other chronic, debilitating diseases), while our bodies have become more acidic from our processed-food diets. Talk about fighting fire with fire—they are fighting acid-loving cancer cells with acid! LESS alkalinity inside a cancer cell seems to be what you want, not more. So, all of those ionizer salesmen promising alkaline water will lower your cancer risk are completely clueless when it comes to what the scientific research actually shows. It’s clear that the relationship between alkalinity and cancer has been grossly oversimplified by those jumping to premature conclusions—and of course by those trying to profit off your fear. The bottom line is that alkaline water isn’t cancer’s magic bullet. Balance is Key As is true with many things, in the end it’s a matter of balance. Your body simply was not designed to drink highly alkaline water all the time. So I believe it’s best to be VERY careful when it comes to something as foundational as the water you drink on a daily basis. If you get it wrong, you could really cause yourself some major damage. It makes sense that you are designed to drink water that occurs naturally, which excludes alkaline water with pH levels of 8 and above. And if you drink alkaline water all the time, you’re going to raise the alkalinity of your stomach, which will buffer your stomach’s acidity and impair your ability to digest food as low stomach acid is one of the most common causes of ulcers. This can open the door for parasites in your small intestine, and your protein digestion may suffer. It also means you’ll get less minerals and nutrients over time—in fact, some of these health effects can already be seen in hard-core alkaline water drinkers. Alkalinity is also potentially a problem because it is antibacterial, so it could potentially disrupt the balance of your body’s beneficial bacteria. Living Water What you want is pure water—water that is clean, balanced, and healthful, neither too alkaline nor too acidic. Ideally, the pH of your water should be close to 7, which is neutral. Somewhere between 6 to 8 is likely fine. And some of the most healthful waters in the world—that emerging from mountain springs—are actually acidic in the range of 6.5. and would absolutely be my preference if it were readily available. . One reason I am such an advocate for eating plenty of fresh, organic raw food is for its biophotons. Biophotons are the smallest units of light, which are stored in and used by all biological organisms—including you. Vital energy finds its way into your cells from the biodynamic foods you eat. In the same way that raw foods are alive with biophoton energy, natural water is “alive” in a similar way. If you really want to alkalinize your body it would seem wise to encourage it with the highest quality water possible which is obtained from vegetable juice. Green vegetable juices will help your body normalize your body’s pH naturally. Is Your Water Filter Certified? In order to ensure your water is pure, you should use a high quality water filter in your home and workplace. You can narrow down the choices by making sure the product you choose is certified by a reputable independent water certification agency. There is no national regulation of water products—states have their own regulations, which vary greatly state by state. . Please beware that some companies may mislead you by listing their UL certification, but this certification is good for the electrical components only, and has no bearing on water quality whatsoever. A diet that makes one person “acidic” may make another person “alkaline,” so there is no one single universal food list for perfect pH. For example,protein types can “over-alkalize” their systems by consuming too many dark green vegetables, which can worsen rather than improve their health, in spite of the many beneficial phytonutrients in leafy greens. (I am very familiar with this mistake as it’s one I made prior to understanding nutritional typing!) I want you to be aware of just how important it is to understand your body at a deeper level. Your body is a complex, multi-faceted biochemical system that is unlikely to respond well to shot-in-the-dark treatments, like alkaline water    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=327 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:13:17 CDT CHIROPRACTIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES  Listings by State  California Cleveland Chiropractic College - Los Angeles campus | Los Angeles | (800) 466-2252 Life Chiropractic College West | Hayward | (800) 788-4476 Palmer College of Chiropractic - West | San Jose | (866) 303-7939 Southern California University of Health Sciences, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic | Whittier | (877) 434-7757 Connecticut University of Bridgeport, College of Chiropractic | Bridgeport | (800) 392-3582 Florida Palmer College of Chiropractic - Florida | Port Orange | (866) 585-9677 Georgia Life University, College of Chiropractic, College of Arts and Sciences | Marietta | (800) 543-3202 Illinois National University of Health Sciences | Lombard | (630) 629-2000 Iowa Palmer Chiropractic University - Iowa | Davenpor | (800) 722-3648 Minnesota Northwestern Health Sciences University | Bloomington | (952) 888-4777   Missouri Cleveland Chiropractic College - Kansas City campus | Kansas City | (800) 467-2252 Logan College of Chiropractic | Chesterfield | (800) 782-3344 New York D'Youville College, Chiropractic Program | Buffalo | (716) 881-7793 New York Chiropractic College | Seneca Falls | (800) 234-NYCC Oregon Western States Chiropractic College | Portland | (800) 641-5641 South Carolina Sherman College fo Straight Chiropractic | Spartanburg | (800) 849-8771 Texas Parker College of Chiropractic | Dallas | (800) GETMYDC Texas Chiropractic College | Pasadena | (800) 468-6839    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=318 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:37:12 CDT HEADACHES- CAUSES AND TREATMENT Neck painmay come from misalignments of the neck, commonly called subluxations.. These subluxations affect the muscles and nerves as well as spinal vertebrae and the discs in between the vertebrae. Neck pain may also come from regions near the neck, such as the upper back, shoulders, TMJ (temporomandibular joint) , head, and upper arms. When your neck is sore, you may have difficulty moving it, especially to one side. This is commonly called a "stiff neck."  If neck pain involves nerves due to muscle spasm and is pinching a nerve, you may feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand. Common neck pain comes from muscle strain or tension. Usually, everyday activities are responsible for this. The types of activities include, bending over a desk for many hours, having poor posture while watching TV or reading, placing your computer monitor too high or too low, sleeping in an uncomfortable position, or twisting and turning the neck in a jarring manner while exercising. Automobile accidentinjuries or slip and falls can cause severe neck injuries like vertebral fractures, subluxations, whiplash and sprain/strains. Long term chronic causes of neck pain include, loss of the cervical curve, herniated/bulging disc, fibromyalgia (pain syndrome throughout the body), and osteoarthritis. Numerous recent medical studies have confirmed the link between chronic severe cervical pain and tension headaches to a loss of the natural neck curve in the patient suffering from these headaches amongst other symptoms. Looking at it cervical spine from the side, one should see a C curve, rather than being straight, which is sometimes called a military neck.  When you loose the C curve and the neck straightens, the discs in your neck begin to compress. This will lead to lipping and osteoarthritis. In addition, the nerves that are next to the discs become irritated causing inflammation of those  nerves and then the surrounding muscles are abnormally pulled causing a myofascitis.  This loss of the C curve will ultimately result in headaches, neck pain and a reduced range of motion.   There are also several studies that show that the loss of neck curve is involved in neck and shoulder muscle pain, the pain after whiplash injury and long-term degenerative neck arthritis.     A normal healthy posture when viewed from the side should reveal a position where the ear is directly over the shoulder and the neck maintains a forward curved position. The normal neck curve is commonly reduced or altered due to trauma or poor postural habits. To return the neck curve toward a normal healthy position it is necessary to strengthen the muscles in the back of the neck and to stretch the damaged ligaments of the neck. The ligaments of the neck will “creep” toward a normal position when an orthodontist put braces on a persons teeth.   A cervical pillow, used while sleeping and certain neck and shoulder exercises can restore the neck to the normal C curve position.  In addition to the cervical pillow and strengthening exercises, chiropractic manipulation has shown to be an effective treatment to restore the normal C curve.  In more severe cases, where the patient exhibits guarded movements and there is a significant reduced range of motion due to scar tissue and fibrous adhesions, manipulation under anesthesia is now being used with success in 80-90% of the cases with results in a reduction of chronic pain associated with headaches and numbness and/or tingling of the extremities. There are numerous treatment plans that will result in reduction of pain from loss of the C curve.  One should use this “rule of thumb” when being treated for chronic, long term tension or migraine headaches.  Choose the least invasive procedure first. Invasive surgery should be used as a last resort.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=317 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:22:02 CDT HISTORY OF CHIROPRACTIC Basically Chiropractic is a combination of two Greek words which are cheir whichmeans hand and praxis which means action, hence it is “done by hand”. Chiropractic is a complementary and alternative healthcare discipline that helps to treat and prevent health problems by applying adjustments to correct any spinal card dysfunctions Written records from the ancient Greek and Chinese civilizations, dating back several thousand years, refer to spinal manipulation.  The inception of modern chiropractic can be traced back to 1895 when Daniel David Palmer performed the first chiropractic adjustment and went on to found The Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa in 1897. The 20th century saw the growth and development of the profession worldwide, gaining recognition and respect for the place it has taken in the primary care environment.  Influential research has underpinned the development of the profession and has come both from both within and outside of the chiropractic research communities. Chiropractic is unique, in that the profession is organized internationally and there are international standards for education. Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of conditions that are due to problems with the joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves of the body, particularly those of the spine. Treatment consists of a wide range of manipulative techniques designed to improve the function of the joints, relieving pain and muscle spasm. Chiropractic does not involve the use of any drugs or surgery. . The three basic concepts of Chiropractic are: Your body has a powerful self-healing ability. Your body’s structure and functions are closely related, and this relationship affects health. Chiropractic therapy is mainly discovered with the goals of normalizing this relationship between structure and function and assigning the body as it heals. The health care providers who deliver the care are known as Chiropractic physician. They claim in the effective treatment of neck and back pains, headaches and some other spinal related symptoms. Most of the Chiropractic remedies based on your spine’s structure and on the ancient art of manipulation. According to this therapy many of the ailments are caused by the vertebrae on the spinal nerves also known as subluxations. Chiropractic physicians work by manipulations or adjustments to correct the proper vertebrae position. Due to this activity the normal brain and nerve transmissions are restored and hence your body is able to recover from the illness. Use of Chiropractic Therapy: Chiropractic is often used to solve neck and lower back problems. This therapy treats health disorders relating to the spine and nervous system. Chiropractors work with the spine which consists of the head to the pelvis, to correct the spinal faults and the nerves which go from the spine to other areas of the body. If you are suffering with arthritis, chiropractic care gives relief, but the complete cure of arthritis is not possible. This therapy increases your range of motions hence you will become more relaxed. It improves healing, athletic performance, posture, immunity, and supplies more energy and less fatigue. Restores your overall health by relieving tension. These disorders not only refer to the neck and back but also include neuralgia, disc disorders, some digestive problems, tension, chest pain, migraine headaches, dizziness, menstrual cycle problems, headaches, pain in the arms and shoulders, abdomen pain, and sciatica. When you visit your chiropractic physician, he discusses your past health problems along with your immediate problem, because they help in the chiropractor interpretation of the findings. When your health care provider confirms that your condition will improve with chiropractic care, painless adjustments by hand can begin as a first part of the treatment. These adjustments help to unblock the spinal segments which may have become subluxated and causes nerve irritation or abdominal movement  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=316 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:44:00 CDT SCIATICA-PAIN DOWN THE BACK OF THE LEG Sciaticaor alumbar radiculopathyis pressure on one or more of your lumbar nerve roots. The nerve roots in the lower lumbar’s form together to make the sciatic nerve, which travels down the leg. It gives off numerous branches that go to various parts of the leg. It’s the general term for pain going from the lower body down the back of the leg to the heel What causes the pressure? The main pressure is from an inflammation of the lumbar or low back area. This is usually caused by a disc injury, trauma, facet irritation, arthritic changes, or stenosis. A bulging or herniated discmay put pressure on a nerve which can cause it to become inflamed. It can also cause numbness and/or tingling of the leg. The facet joints, which are the joints that exist just behind where the nerve roots exit off the spinal cord, can become irritated from a bulging or herniated disc and can create an inflammation which narrows the foramen and puts pressure on the nerve root. There are many reasons for the cause of sciatica. Severe sprain/strain or muscle spasm can create a significant amount of pain. An irritation to the muscles in the low back or buttocks can cause a radiculopathy (inflammation of the spinal nerve root) or sciatica.  The nerve roots exit out of a hole called the foramen and form the sciatic nerve. Therefore, spasm, muscle inflammation and strain of one or more of the muscles located in this region can cause a significant amount of pain.  Another common cause of pain is a misalignment of the spinal vertebrae. A trauma to the low back from a car accident a slip and fall or a sports injury can cause a shift of the spine.  Muscle spasm, poor posture, and heavy or improper lifting are a few other causes of misalignments of the spine. In the past, a patient suffering from disc problems usually was given pain medications, instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred for physical therapy If they were not progressing, they were sent for spinal surgery. Conservative chiropractic care proved very helpful in many cases, yet there have been some cases when surgery was the only option There are many options available today to help relieve low back pain.  Spinal Decompression and Manipulation Under Anesthesia are 2 of many programs available for the treatment for sciatica. Spinal Decompression not only significantly reduces back pain in many patients, but also enables the majority of patients to return to a more normal active lifestyle with little to no pain. The patient is strapped in a machine which gently tractions the effected area.  The procedure takes 30-45 minutes. It is recommended the patient be seen for 20 visits. The amount of visits will vary depending on the diagnosis and the severity of the pain. Manipulation Under Anesthesia is performed in an ambulatory surgical center over a 3 day period.  The MUA procedure breaks up fibrous adhesions/scar tissue. The patient is sedated for 20 minutes and 2 MUA certified chiropractic physicians perform this procedure.  There is an anesthesiologist, medical doctor and 2 registered nurses that assist.  After the three MUA sessions, a 4-6 week physical therapy program is recommended to maintain the range of motion achieved. It is non invasive and most patients are sore the following day but can return to their normal lifestyle with little to no pain. Written by Dennis Goldberg, DC, MUAC ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=315 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:39:55 CDT BACK PAIN - BRIEF OVERVIEW At some time in our life over eighty percent of us will be affected by back pain. It is the second most common reason people will see their doctor and/or call in sick to work. Back pain comes in many forms for many reasons. It could be acute (pain experienced less than a month) from an activity or injury, or it could be chronic (pain experienced more than a month) that comes from a degenerative condition. Muscle sprains, strains, spasms are some of the reasons for acute pain.  Herniated/bulging/degenerated discs, Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis and Fibromyalgia are reasons for chronic pain. The spine is made up of 24 bones (7 cervical, 12 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae). The anatomy is very complex. Among the many parts, are the vertebrae, spinal cord, intervertebral discs, spinal nerves, and all of these parts are what keep us walking, turning, moving and dancing. That is a lot of stress for one part of our body Most of the cases of back pain stem from sprains or strains (overstretching or tearing) of the muscles or ligaments from lifting too much weight or improper biomechanics. Other problems may start in a different part of the body and be felt in the back. This is called referred pain. Many muscle aches and pains will go away within a week without treatment, but some problems, like numbness/tingling, pins and needles, or a weakening in the arms and/or legs should be looked at immediately by a professional healthcare physician such as a Chiropractor, Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist, Neurologist or Orthopedist Treatments for back pain range from chiropractic manipulation, physiotherapy, physical therapy, manipulation under anesthesia, spinal disc decompression, acupuncture, herbs, vitamins, minerals, medication and as a last resort surgery. Since most acute pain will go away by itself within a week, surgery is only needed for a small percentage of sufferers. Therefore, short-term pain reducers (like anti-inflammatories, massage and rest) is how most people get relief. Staying physically fit and strengthening your core muscles can decrease your chances of having acute pains. If we all did our sit-ups daily, we would probably have fewer incidents, though there are plenty of fit people who still experience back pain. Low impact regimens, like swimming and walking may decrease the stress on the lower back. Intervertebral discs are the soft padded cushioning between each vertebra. They act as shock absorbers for the spine and all of its different parts. Herniated discs are discs that rupture or bulge out between the vertebrae and begin to pinch the nerves in the spine and the spinal cord. It is possible for discs in the upper part of the spine to herniate, but it is most common in the lower, or lumbar, region. Sometimes called ruptured or slipped disc or pinched nerve, most doctors are referring to the same thing; the disc between the vertebrae that is causing the pain. As people get older the soft, cushiony disks between the spine can lose their elasticity. As elasticity dissipates, the disc can tear or rupture. The disk can then bulge and put pressure on the nerves and cause tingling, numbness or other sensations. Sometimes, muscles spasms can occur because the affected area is trying to protect itself from further injury. Herniated discs can happen due to a traumatic experience, like an accident or a fall, or from extreme overexertion, like lifting a very heavy weight. Herniations can also happen over time after normal wear and tear. There are also cases where a condition called spinal stenosis which is narrowing of  the spinal canal and the herniated disc then will irritate the nerve. One of the more serious problems of the spine that can cause chronic debilitating pain is a herniated or bulging disc which can actually put pressure on a spinal nerve and cause referred pain into the extremities. Some symptoms of a herniated disk are tingling or numbness in the arms and/or legs which are electric shock type pains. To diagnose a herniated disc, the doctor will usually perform a physical exam and take an MRI and/ or x-rays. Initial treatment of a herniated disc is usually non-surgical depending on the symptoms and the severity of the pain. The first step is always to try to reduce the pain and inflammation the patient is experiencing by having the patient rest (usually on a firm surface). Though complete rest might be necessary at the beginning until the pain is alleviated, it is necessary to get up and move around as soon as possible. Bed rest for more than a day or two can actually cause a slow recovery, but avoiding excessive bending or lifting is advised. Other non-surgical methods are usually tried in addition to rest. Non-surgical methods can include: Ice for acute pain and heat after 72 hours Anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxants for muscle spasm, corticosteroids Bracing the spine and hydrotherapy (to remove the pressure from the spine) Chiropractic/spinal manipulation) and/or traction Electrical Muscle Stimulation Ultrasound Intersegmental Traction Acupuncture Massage Spinal Disc Decompression Manipulation Under Anesthesia The next step would be stretching and mild activity. A doctor will probably recommend stretching along with some low impact exercise along with core building exercises that will strengthen the stomach and back muscles. Ten(10) percent of the sufferers will need surgery. In most cases, if the patient follows the healing regimen, the disc will shrink over time. Herniated discs can be very painful, and the pain usually eases up within 1 to 4 weeks, but it could take up to six months for the disc to fully shrink. Most herniated disks heal on their own with time and proper care. After the initial surgery, the doctor will prescribe an exercise regimen that will increase mobility and strengthen the muscles. This will help to stabilize the back and spine. Back pain affects most adults. There is no known, absolute prevention of back pain. However, the common belief is that staying physically fit to reduce the load on the spine and keeping the back and stomach muscles equally strong can reduce the chances of back pain from a herniated or bulging disc. Written by Dennis Goldberg, DC, MUAC ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=314 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:25:23 CDT Call The Doctor Right After The Accident  Have you had a recent Auto Accident, Injury, Personal Injury, or Workers Comp Injury? Have you experienced chronic neck or back pain or headaches?  ACCIDENT MEDICAL & CHIROPRACTIC PAIN CENTERS has a network of doctors that CAN HELP! We have created a network of Chiropractors and medical doctors throughout ARIZONA. We have hand picked and formed a network of the highest quality physicians, in all of the PHOENIX and surrounding areas.  We have all the latest treatments, MANIPULATION UNDER ANESTHESIA, Vax-D and other decompression therapies. If you have been experiencing chronic neck or back pain, herniated disc pain, paion from fibromyalgia and are really getting tired of it, or have had an automobile accident , slip and fall accident, work comp accident or any other accident or injury recently, call us now to find out how we can help you! CALL (602) 253-8888. We are available 24-7 to take to your call. There is NEVER a fee for the initial consultation and we can answer your call live, even on the weekends!   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=310 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:18:28 CDT Brief Clips of Chiropractors in the News planetc1.com-news   Across the United States, chiropractors receive mentions in local newspapers and publications on topics ranging from new office openings to winning softball games. Today's post highlights a handful of news articles appearing on various web sites, that touch upon briefly, the topic of chiropractic or a chiropractor practicing locally. (photo: specific and gentle chiropractic care) The Murfreesboro Post in Tennessee featured a post regarding a chiropractor offering low force care to residents in the area. Dr. Sherri Prestwich, a graduate of Life University in Marietta, Georgia, is practicing a low-force chiropractic technique called Directional Non-Force Technique. According to the article, Directional Non-Force Technique "uses the body’s natural reflexes to indicate the misalignment of structures that are producing nerve interference." The hometown newspaper of Rochester, New York, The Democrat and Chronicle, has an article about businesses opening and closing in the Rochester, New York area. A new chiropractic office and wellness center, One Life Chiropractic, which is located at 3300 Monroe Avenue, made the announcements of new businesses opening. Ontario's Caledon Enterprise had a brief mention Saturday for Southview Chiropractic Centre and Caledon Women's round-robin playoff action. Mandy Clemens scored four goals against Cucci's Hair Salon. The Austin Daily Herald announces that Business Network International (BNI) and Wellness 1st Chiropractic are cohosting a business card exchange in Austin on Monday. The event includes refreshments and prizes, including a queen size mattress and box spring set from a local furniture and design gallery. The local Austin BNI chapter meets from 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at Holiday Inn of Austin. The Sioux City Journal has an announcement regarding Cedar Park Chiropractic and young chiropractor, Justin Swanson. Dr. Justin Swanson recently graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, and he's now practicing with his brothers Drs. Jeff and Jon Swanson, at Cedar Park Chiropractic in Austin, Texas. Congrats to Dr. Justin and his chiropractic family! Washington's Yakima Herald has a brief mention regarding the Lally Chiropractic Clinic and the addition of Dr. Scott Lally to the office's staff. Dr. Scott is a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and he is the son of Dr. Thomas Lally, who operates the clinic. Bloomington Illinois newspaper, The Pantograph, features a story of a 23-year-old distance runner named Brandon Moen. According to the article, Moen (pronounced mown) is built for speed. The Montgomery, Minnesota native was a three-time high school all starter before attending Morningside College in Sioux City Iowa. He has two big upcoming races on his schedule, the June 14 Peoria Steamboat Classic 4-miler and the July 26 Bix 7-miler at Davenport, Iowa. According to the post, he averages from 80 to 90 miles of training per week, under the guidance of his running coach. Even with that amount of training, overuse injuries have not been a problem for the young runner, who receives chiropractic care and vitamin supplement support from his primary sponsor, Align Life Chiropractic (located in Bloomington). That's all for today's chiropractic news briefs, find local chiropractors near you, and keep your spine in nervous system functioning to the best of its capacity.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=309 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:16:28 CDT Chiropractors are Great Lovers of Life planetc1.com-news   La Jolla, CA: Nothing warms the heart like old love stories. While enjoying morning room service at the luxurious Hyatt Regency La Jolla I was reviewing Planet Chiropractic news articles related to the topic of love and service. I thought I'd find two or three articles from Valentines past, but that was not the case. Instead, I discovered dozens of articles by chiropractors (and chiropractic assistants) on topics ranging from a love for practice, a love for service, a love for life, and a love for each other. I was at this hotel nearly 10 years ago, attending a Dynamic Essentials chiropractic extravaganza, and I find it heartwarming that I'm reviewing articles authored by many of the friends I made during that time. With Valentine's Day approaching (it's a week from today) I thought it would be fitting to revisit some of these articles of love and service. (photo: Dr. Edwin Cordero of Florida checking a young child for subluxation, while on a humanitarian mission trip to Costa Rica) To Give To Love To Serve was posted to Planet Chiropractic in May of 2000. Twenty chiropractors from throughout the United States traveled to Costa Rica to provide chiropractic care to all those that desired it. Local chiropractors arrived from neighboring communities to assist in the humanitarian mission that included patient education classes taught in Spanish, chiropractic checkups, and chiropractic adjustments for all in need. Local gymnasium and University doors were opened to host the weeklong event, which brought chiropractic care to more than 30,000 people. In May of 2004, Pennsylvania chiropractor Dr. Sharon Gorman told us she's got Lots of Love in My Chiropractic Heart. I've spent a lot of time with this chiropractor, and she certainly does have a lot of love to share. Dr. Gorman tells us that when she is in a mindset of love, she gives lots of love, and lots of love comes right back at her. Dr. Stew Bittman returned home to South Lake Tahoe California, from a chiropractic mission trip to the Dominican Republic, in November of 2002. His article, Fellow Administers of Love and Healing, reflects upon his experience of serving the people there. Most of his time during that experience was focused on providing chiropractic care to over 900 schoolkids, ranging from kindergarten through high school. From Valentine's Day in Ontario Canada 2001, comes an article from a super chiropractic assistant, Lynne Gawley-Hofstetter, boldly titled: I Love Chiropractic! Lynne shares a story of her experience with chiropractic care as the result of a baseball injury she had 12 years earlier. Her chiropractic adjustments provided an opportunity she was not expecting. A collaboration post from Valentine's Day 2006 included nine different messages from those Sharing the Chiropractic Love. Chiropractor Louis Corleto of New Jersey wrote: What I love most about TIC is its ability to assist people in re-membering who they truly are and allowing them to progressively express more of their essence. Danita Thomas Heagy of St. Augustine Florida wrote: The miracles I get to witness each day are one of the best parts of being a chiropractor. Watching health unfold is like watching the sunrise over the ocean, magnificent and ever-changing. I love chiropractic because it makes a difference and changes so many lives each day. It looks like I'll be revisiting many of these articles of love and service throughout the next week, and as my cell phone rings I'm reminded of the people I am honored to serve this afternoon in Los Angeles, time to check out and get back on the road.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=308 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:07:02 CDT Five Fantastic Female Chiropractors planetc1.com-news   Mention chiropractors, and one is likely to draw up an image of a healthy, fortysomething year old male, who has built some impressive forearm muscles, as a result of years delivering hands-on care to his patients. But there is another chiropractor on the block, and she can deliver a solid side posture on a pro football linebacker like it's no one's business. Not only that, she lays her hands on the spine of a one-week old child, with a tender touch like that of the infant's own mother. From the eastern shores of Halifax, Nova Scotia to the Western inlet of the San Francisco Bay, the demand for a caring and professional female doctor of chiropractic, is steadily on the rise in northern America. (photo: Kathy McAuliffe & Carolyn Griffin, two spectacular ladies) I caught up with five fabulous females that lay their hands on the backs of members of their community, on a near daily basis. These are no fluffy massage therapists hoping to rub out what ails you, these ladies are magnetic, they are energetic, and they are among the best of the best, in hands-on healing. There are thousands of great chiropractors practicing across North America, and a number of those in the top percentile on patient satisfaction care, are women. Find a female chiropractor that is turned on by the philosophy of the TIC, and a love for life, and you've got a woman that's driven to do you and your family right. We''ll start with Columbia Illinois chiropractor, Kathy McAuliffe, a woman that's healing intent is so strong, regulars don't think twice about making the trek across the St. Louis state line along Interstate 255, to get to her office in Columbia, Illinois. Head out to the west coast of northern California, and you'll locate the Sacramento office of Dr. Jeri Anderson, centered right in the state's capital. Chiropractor Jeri has years of experience and an incredible intensity for getting and keeping people well. Her office received some national news earlier this year with a ginormous event her and the office team put on related to auto safety. She'll greet you with a smile on every visit, and once you get started your spine will be smiling too. Jump back across the United States and land that big old jet airliner in Newark, New Jersey. You'll be confident to know Jeanine Golden, Union chiropractor (that's the city, not a labor union) has got a hands-on healing touch that is all her own. She's a master at what she does and she does it with great heart. There is Illinois, Sacramento, and New Jersey, time to set site on Southern California, and two female chiropractic power houses, that could potentially set off earthquake detection units, with their sheer energy. The Antelope Valley is chiropractic territory of Lancaster chiropractor, Suzanne Frye. To her kids, Dr. Frye may be known as the world's best mom, but to her chiropractic community, she's the woman that gets things done. This fantastic chiropractor has been turning up the power of Lancaster and Palmdale patients, for several years, and she shows no signs of slowing down. California is not the kind of place you can travel many miles and not encounter a lot of people. There's certainly room for more than one great female chiropractor in the southern portion of this sunny state. When it comes to voting and health care in the land of Magic Mountain, the vote for the best goes to Santa Clarita chiropractor, Carolyn Griffin. Dr. Griffin continues to receive top honors in local newspapers and readers polls, and there's no doubt about her abilities to release one's potential for greatness, in the way of whole body healing. Yes, there are many women warriors delivering the goods, and educating the masses, to the benefits gained by receiving regular chiropractic care. If one of these fantastic five are not within your reach, get on the search for a chiropractor near you, and get moving forward on your pathway to better health.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=307 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:05:09 CDT Halloween Candy for Chiropractors planetc1.com-news   The idea of candy eating chiropractors is not one that would be very popular for a number of reasons. When it comes to eating and chiropractic, it's more likely for you to hear your chiropractor speak of Sun Chlorella, Super Greens, Mangosteen Juice, or some other product loaded with phytonutrients, probiotics, and/or immune boosting nutrients. We can get back on that topic in November, when it's time to give thanks for all the great foods nature brings us. This month is Candy month, and this past weekend I interviewed a group of chiropractors to discover what their favorite candies were. I don't think I've ever seen any of these DCs eat the sugary stuff, but now we know they've got a liking for sweets. While he may be grabbing for the Hawaiian Spirulina at breakfast, Tracy California chiropractor, Dr. Ralph Andrade, likes the Snickers bar, a combination of peanut butter nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel covered with milk chocolate. The Snickers bar is reportedly the best-selling candy bar in the United States. Dr. Gavin Carr is a California chiropractor practicing in Palo Alto. The former professional football player prefers those candy coated pieces of chocolate, known popularly as M&M's. These candies make a convenient snack for the chiropractor that is moving from room to room, correcting vertebral subluxations. Wouldn't want your doctor of chiropractic getting chocolate all over your neck now would you? The Cincinnati kid, Dr. Carl Rafey, is a nut for the Hershey's classic Almond Joy chocolate bar. Making sure he's getting a serving of nuts and fruit, this chiropractor opts for this treat of almonds and sweetened coconut which is dipped in chocolate. Almond Joys have been sold in the United States since 1946. Pasadena chiropractor, Michael DeNapoli, told me he liked dark chocolate but he did not mention a brand. Knowing Michael he was likely being smart and considering his health since researchers say eating small amounts of dark chocolate every day can be good for your heart. I had a chiropractic & chocolate related article posted earlier this year and if you need to get a visual on some delectable dark chocolate, check out this dark chocolate image search. Another chiropractor that didn't tell me a brand of candy was Dr. Luke Cohen who practices in the Pacific Palisades area of southern California. Dr. Luke's reported favorite was black licorice, and there are many different kinds. There are black licorice twists, soft black licorice, black licorice sticks, black licorice wheels, traditional and gourmet black licorice, and the classic Good & Plenty candy, which is reportedly the oldest branded candy sold in the United States. This soft and chewy licorice candy was first produced in Philadelphia in 1893 and its possible the same kind of candy liked by Luke Cohen, could have also been a favorite of the founder of chiropractic, Dr. DD Palmer. One of the healthiest and most nutrition minded chiropractors I know, Dr. George Khoury of Livermore, California, says when it comes to getting a load of sugar, there's nothing like a Butterfinger. This flaky, orange colored candy coated in chocolate, crumbles easily and takes on the consistency of peanut butter when chewed. This candy bar was invented in Chicago, Illinois back in 1923. Around that time, the Butterfinger candy bar was reportedly dropped from airplanes in cities across the United States, to help increase its popularity. Could you imagine anyone doing a similar kind of advertising campaign today? Well there you have it, some history on popular candies in the United States, and the chiropractors that love them. I'm not suggesting you go out and purchase candies for your favorite local chiropractor, even though I bet quite a few would not turn down the gift of a sweet treat during the Halloween season.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=306 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:03:19 CDT Seminars Not Just for Chiropractors planetc1.com-news   Seminars for healthcare professionals typically focus on topics that are required for gaining continuing education credits in the state an individual is practicing in. For example, the state of California has a 12 hours per year requirement on continuing education for doctors of chiropractic that want to maintain active license status. While many of these 12 hour educational programs are typically taught over weekends in hotels, the chiropractic profession hosts a number of large events (some that also include education credits) that cater towards chiropractors and their families, other health-care professionals, and even the general public. Thousands of people browse and search through listings for chiropractic seminars on the Planet Chiropractic website. While many listed events are geared towards relicensure for chiropractors, other health-care professionals and members of the public have made inquiries as to which events we'd be most likely to recommend for attendance. We're entering the holiday season in 2007 and few have completed uploading their 2008 list of event dates and locations, but here are a few I'm aware of that cater to families and the general public. New Beginnings for a New Future Weekend January 2008 New Beginnings is organized by a group of philosophically minded chiropractors based out of the New Jersey area. Events typically run from Thursday through Sunday and involve a number of chiropractic and non-chiropractor speakers. The core of the event is centered on the philosophy of chiropractic and living a chiropractic lifestyle. In years past, I've met dozens of people attending new beginnings that were not chiropractors, all who had reported the seminars were life-changing an exceptionally motivational. The events are held three times a year and they take place at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel & Conference Center which is located in Eatontown New Jersey. If you're flying in from out of state your best bet is getting a flight to Newark Airport and renting a car. That's worked well for me in the past. Speakers you can expect to see presenting at New Beginnings include chiropractors such as Jim Dubel, Jay Handt, Robert Tarantino, and Sharon Gorman. 2008 Las Vegas Parker Seminar Parker Chiropractic Seminars hosts an event each year in Las Vegas. This is one of the longest running chiropractic seminar series still in existence. There are dozens of speakers from the field of chiropractic discussing topics related to technique, business, philosophy, motivation, nutrition, and developing relationships. Not only is the Las Vegas seminar a great event for chiropractors, it's a spectacular conference to bring staff and family to. For individuals working in other health-care fields, or those seeking to build business relationships inside the industry of chiropractic, this would be an event to be on the top of your agenda. The 2008 event will be held at the Las Vegas Hilton. There are also Parker conferences in Montréal, Italy, and Arlington, Texas, but the Las Vegas event is the biggest of the year. It's possibly the most attended chiropractic conference in existence. Speakers at the Parker seminars include chiropractor such as James Sigafoose, John DeMartini, Fabrizio Mancini, Patrick Gentempo Jr., and Charles Ward. Other seminars to consider for the 2008 season include Dynamic Essentials (which is typically hosted in Atlanta, Georgia) and the ICA Fitness Symposium, which is an event organized by the International Chiropractors Association, held in conjunction with Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Arnold Classic" in Columbus, Ohio. Dynamic Essentials is a great event for chiropractors to bring the family to and the ICA Fitness Symposium is a great event for athletic minded individuals. Around 200 seminars and continuing education events get uploaded to the calendar during the month of January. Individuals responsible for posting seminar related information are advised to complete their listings as early as possible so that potential attendees can plan accordingly  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=305 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:01:03 CDT Local Chiropractors To Serve Top 2008 Companies planetc1.com-news   The 100 best companies to work for in 2008 have something in common people may not have recognized, great local chiropractors to provide natural health care to thousands of the nation's most productive employees. They may not be employed by Starbucks or Goldman Sachs, but check a map for headquarters of many of the nation's top companies, and you'll find nearby chiropractors that are working out the kinks, and keeping folks healthy. CNN Money recently released their 2008 list of best companies to work for. Among the winners of America's top 100 employers were Google, Qualcomm, Edward Jones, Genentech, Methodist Hospital System, Cisco Systems, Wegmans Food Markets, Quicken Loans, and 92 others. The in-depth article features detailed company profiles, headquarters information, and a snippet on each company stating what makes it so great. I was viewing the best companies map when I noticed an El Segundo company that's basically a neighbor of Planet Chiropractic. I was curious to see how many of these best companies had chiropractic offices near them, let's take a look. (image: map screenshot of best companies in the US to work for, and the local chiropractors that serve them.) I scanned through the 2008 best companies map and selected locations that featured chiropractors within minimal driving distance of company headquarters. The list is provided in no particular order, and if a company is not mentioned, it doesn't mean there's not a great local chiropractor in the area to serve their employees. We'll begin in Colorado with PCL Construction Enterprises who scored a best company to work for rank of 77. The Denver-based company has 3,558 employees, and their headquarters are located nearby Care Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Steve Visentin. Also in Colorado is CH2M Hill, a full-service engineering, consulting, construction, and operations company that received a best company to work for rank of 54. They are headquartered in Englewood Colorado and have over 15,000 employees. Dr. Ken Szarka of Comprehensive Chiropractic is conveniently located in the same city and his office information can be viewed on the Colorado chiropractors page. In beautiful Southern California we have Mattel with a best company rank of 70. The toy manufacturer employs 5,430 hard-working and motivated individuals who can get their spines realigned by a nearby El Segundo chiropractor, Dr. Michael Dorausch. Heading out to Las Vegas, Nevada we discover that best company to work for, ranking in at number 33, is Station Casinos, which employs over 14,000 individuals. While there is more than one local Vegas chiropractor, Dr. Matt Mortensen does a great job of maintaining the health of many Las Vegas residents. Back to Southern California and the San Diego area. Home of the San Diego Chargers is also home to Qualcomm, best Company to work for rank number 8 with 10,095 employees. Dr. John Michals of Michals Family Chiropractic is the chiropractor to see in San Diego, especially if you are located in the coastal Encinitas area. Also in San Diego is Scripps Health, which has a hospital located in La Jolla California. Dr. David Klein is conveniently located within walking distance of the number 56 ranked best company to work for, he is happy to serve the over 9000 Scripps employees seeking chiropractic services. Scoring with a best company to work for rank of 80 is Nashville, Tennessee based Healthways, a company constantly searching for new ways to inspire healthier habits. When it comes to developing healthy habits, regular chiropractic care is up there with exercise and proper nutrition and Power Family Chiropractic is the place to visit when seeking a chiropractor in Nashville. The city of Spartanburg South Carolina is the home of Milliken, a textile and chemicals manufacturing company that ranked number 92 on the 2008 list of best companies to work for. Milliken, which employs over 8000, is located in the same city as Sherman College, one of the nation's 18 chiropractic schools. One will find lots of chiropractors in the Spartanburg area that are eager to serve South Carolina residents. While Erickson Retirement Communities, a best company that ranked at number 93, has locations in Naperville Illinois, Dearborn Michigan, Highlands Ranch Colorado, and a number of other cities, they are based in Catonsville Maryland, and the company headquarters are just miles from Catonsville chiropractor, Steven Silverston. When your patients pay with coffee cards you know you're in the office of Dr. Lawrence Clayman, a Seattle chiropractor that serves up fresh wellness based healthcare daily. Seattle is also the headquarters of #7 ranked best company, Starbucks, which has a whopping 134,013 employees. KPMG of New York city may be ranked at 71 with its 21,000+ employees, but Dr. Jay Handt (at Central Park West and W. 69th St) owns New York Chiropractic. PricewaterhouseCoopers is another New York-based best company that made the list at number 90, and Dr. Jay and his chiropractor son Josh, are happy to serve that companies 29,818 employees. Jay Handt is active in the chiropractic community and he's authored articles that have appeared here and here. The East Coast and Derby Connecticut is headquarters for Griffin Hospital, best company to work for rank number 49. With over a thousand employees there are going to be employee visits to neighboring East Haven chiropractor, Dr. Adam Church, of Connecticut's Atlas chiropractic. While San Francisco-based Genentech is on a mission to develop drugs to address significant unmet medical needs, the 10,842 employees can get some of the best chiropractic care San Francisco has to offer in the office of Dr. Keith Fretty, owner of Ocean Chiropractic Center. If you were a massage therapist hired to work for the 2008 #1 ranked best company to work for, you could have retired as a millionaire. Google in Mountain View California topped the list for the second year in a row as best company to work for. More than 8000 are employed by this northern California-based company and local chiropractors like Gavin Carr and Michael Gabrielson are available to keep those googlers nervous systems functioning at optimal performance. What did the chiropractor say to Matt Cutts? "Looks like you're having a problem with your back links." Whether you do or don't work for one of the companies listed on this year's 2008 list, you can still find a chiropractor that can help you keep feeling fantastic and living life to its fullest. Best of health to you!   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=304 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:58:30 CDT Chiropractors Can Lead Drive for Drug-Free Athletics planetc1.com-news   New Milford, NJ - Chiropractors are the leading drug-free health care professional in the world. With the recent focus placed on performance enhancing drugs and sports, chiropractors have a great opportunity to become leaders in the push towards the advancement of drug-free athletics. Dr. Vic Naumov, DC, a New Jersey Chiropractor, Founder and President of the non-profit charity organization, the National Coalition for the Advancement of Drug-Free Athletics, Inc. (NCADFA), has launched an anti-drug crusade aimed at municipalities, middle schools, high schools and sports organizations across the U.S. His message is direct and simple, "First, address the growing problem of performance enhancing drug use among student-athletes then, begin teaching them strategies that will enable them to safely and effectively improve their athletic performance, naturally." It's been all over the media the past year and it doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. The topic of anabolic steroids and athletes has hit the main stream and has finally stepped out of the locker-room and into the living rooms around the country. "Anabolic Steroids" are fast becoming household words, if they haven't already. According to the NIDA, over one million teens have admitted to using anabolic steroids with the intent to improvement their athletic ability, physical appearance and self-image, states Dr. Naumov, who is recognized as the nation's leading advocate for the advancement of drug-free athletes. As the creator of the NCADFA's Choose NOT to Use(R) Campaign, Dr. Naumov has recently appeared on dozens of nationally aired sports/talk radio and television programs to get out his message about the use of performance enhancing drugs by young athletes and uses every opportunity to explain the role of chiropractic in helping solve the problem. "The most under utilized and overlooked, natural performance enhancing tool available to any athlete, at any age, is the chiropractic adjustment," he explained at a recent seminar. "Only chiropractors are trained to identify and correct interference in an athlete's nervous system, for that simple reason chiropractors are the leaders in the field of natural performance enhancement. It's important that you understand, for an athlete to perform at their absolute best, their nervous system has to be as clear as possible. Only regular chiropractic care ensures the body consistently is able to perform at its peak in all areas. This not only includes physically, but mentally and chemically as well. Remember athletic skills such as, balance, hand-eye coordination, body position sense and reflexive reaction time are all neurological acts which require a good nerve supply to be performed at 100 percent," says Naumov. During each seminar Dr. Naumov emphasizes that, "Chiropractors are more than alternative health care providers, more than just neck and back pain doctors - they are human performance specialists. Both athletes and the public need to know that. Only Chiropractors help the body work at its peak potential, at its absolute best. Nobody else can provide this unique service. Dr. Naumov founded the NCADFA with the purpose of positioning chiropractors in a national leadership role with the hopes to recruiting other DCs into the effort of teaching athletes about chiropractic's role regarding natural performance enhancement. "It's about time the public recognized us for our uniqueness and we stop trying so hard to be accepted by other groups," he tells other DCs. "It's the public that will pay us what we're worth, not the insurance companies. "Our efforts and resources are better allocated helping athletes understand the value of the unique service only we are capable of providing. To become a leader, you must first see yourself as one. I see every chiropractor on this planet as a potential leader. We can help athletes of all ages maximize their innate potential, naturally."  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=303 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:56:58 CDT Chiropractors are Dancing with the Stars planetc1.com-news   There is no denying it, America loves ABC television's "Dancing With The Stars." In its third season, the ABC smash dance show continues to deliver the goods. Anyone who has watched the show can see that these dancers are under a great amount of physical as well as emotional stress. So what's a live show viewed by millions to do when they need a local chiropractor and they need one fast? They go to Planet Chiropractic, a chiropractic internet resource, and they get results. It was Monday, September 25th, and show coordinators for "Dancing With The Stars" were in urgent need of a chiropractor. They did what other local network studios are doing more frequently, they researched and called a good chiropractor found on planetc1.com. The doctor they found left his West Los Angeles office in midafternoon and headed over to Beverly Hills where the show was about to be broadcast live. The chiropractor arrived just in time to assist the dancers in need, and shared in everyone's positive attitude that the show must go on. The show did go on, and was viewed by some 20 million people. Late in the broadcast, "Dancing" announcers mentioned that dance preparation for the show is no easy task. They then mentioned that a chiropractor was brought to the set to provide chiropractic care for those dancers in need. After a morning in his office, the local Santa Monica doctor returned the following day to insure the dancers were back on track for Tuesday night's performance. Preparation for the show requires an immense amount of physical and emotional activity. We are reminded of that constantly when viewing clips of the dancers training throughout the week. This past Monday it was Emmitt Smith shown receiving a chiropractic adjustment while back home, in preparation for the show. Emmitt talked about how he can keep dancing thanks to the chiropractic adjustment he received. Emmitt and Cheryl Burke delivered "the best samba of the night," according to head judge Len Goodman, and they received three "9's" from the judges that evening. "Dancing With The Stars" was a night of victory for ABC this past Tuesday. According to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research the show peaked at 21.9 million viewers. The show was also a victory for chiropractic, with millions seeing one of the world's greatest athletes, Emmitt Smith, talk about the wonders of chiropractic care. Don't forget America, we've got your back! - - - - - - - - - - Dr. Michael Dorausch is a local Los Angeles chiropractor practicing in the Marina del Rey area. He has provided chiropractic care for a number of television shows and movies filmed in the Los Angeles area. His office can be reached at 310-401-7664. Special arrangements are made for celebrity house and studio calls. Looking for a good chiropractor near you? Visit the local chiropractors page or just go to planetc1.com.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=302 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:55:08 CDT Relief for Colorado Accident Victims planetc1.com-news Colorado chiropractors After years of fighting to protect the rights of their injured patients, Colorado chiropractors are celebrating a legislative victory. As of January 1st, 2009, Colorado consumers will have auto insurance coverage with $5000 medical payments coverage (Med-Pay). That means $5000 insurance coverage for each injured person in a vehicle. After years of neglect, bills for ambulance, hospitals, emergency rooms and chiropractic visits will be covered. This will provide both physical and fiscal relief for the state. (photo: car accidents are no fun for anyone - credit: The*Archivist) Scientists and doctors know that chiropractic is precisely what is needed after an accident. It is the only care that is proven to help restore victims to their pre-accident level of health. Chiropractors also help prevent the decay and painful arthritic changes that frequently plague patients who have not had proper care. This coverage comes as a real savings for taxpayers. Experts estimate $20 million dollars a year is being spent by tax payers for victims without this important coverage. Till now, providers such as ambulance and emergency rooms have been left with millions of dollars of unpaid bills. This new bill will also protect the consumer. The $5000 in additional coverage is only $5.33 a month in premiums. Med pay coverage is far less expensive than high deductibles and health insurance co-payments. Local Denver Chiropractor Dr. Visentin says "working together with our legislators we've found a way to care for folks that's affordable. No doubt other states will follow our example as a cost effective measure to keep people healthy naturally."   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=301 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:51:21 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For June 2010     Tuesday, June 29, 2010 Medical and Chiropractic Researchers Joining Efforts planetc1.com-news@9:59 am PST In a ground-breaking study, medical and chiropractic researchers are joining efforts to study the effects of a form of non-surgical treatment for neck pain, more specifically Cox distraction manipulation. This study is one of three projects that are part of a four-year, $2.8 million grant awarded in 2008 to the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR), headquartered on the Palmer College of Chiropractic campus in Davenport, Iowa.     Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Life University places third in 2010 Division 1 Rugby Championship planetc1.com-news@9:35 am PST Over the June 5-6 weekend, Life University reached the final four of the Division 1 Men's Rugby Championship. After losing by three points in the semifinals to eventual national champions, Las Vegas, Life University regrouped and dominated Palmer College 61-17 in the consolation game.     Thursday, June 10, 2010 Parker College Provides Chiropractic Care during South American Games planetc1.com-news@1:33 pm PST Seven Parker College student interns from the student abroad program in Colombia and their faculty chiropractor joined the Olympic health care staff in the 2010 South American Games by providing chiropractic care for the country of Colombia where they made history by becoming the champion of the games for the first time. The games which took place in March were held in Medellin, Colombia including 15 competing countries for two weeks in 42 sports.     Wednesday, June 09, 2010 Automating Chiropractor Listings planetc1.com-news@10:14 pm PST How do you rank top chiropractors and give all local chiropractors a chance to be in the number one position? Some people could care less about how others rank, as long as their business ranks number one, when it comes to organic search results. What we've been seeking to do with the chiropractic directory pages that appear on Planet Chiropractic is to ensure that all chiropractors have an opportunity to be in that number one slot when people come searching for chiropractors in a particular area.     Monday, June 07, 2010 Kinesio Taping Seminars Southern California planetc1.com-news@1:30 pm PST Kinesio Taping is a corrective taping technique that incorporates a proprietary tape. According to the manufacturer, Kinesio tape has no chemicals or medication in it, it is a mechanical tape. Kinesio Taping Seminars are taking place at the Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS) the weekend of July 17 and July 18. Early bird registration is $499 (by June 18) and regular registration is $549 (by July 2). The event is taught by a certified kinesio taping instructor and certified athletic trainer.     Thursday, June 03, 2010 Considering Going to Chiropractic College planetc1.com-news@7:04 am PST I am considering going to chiropractic college, however, because of my financial situation I want to research into all the requirements needed in order to graduate successfully and begin a career. Right now I am taking college courses at a community college part-time and working part-time (I am paying for school). I know that I would have to get a school loan to go to chiropractic college, but I thought I should ask you how you paid for it all with no savings, because I am pretty much in the same boat. I have a few grand in the bank, but I'm planning on getting married soon (1-2 yrs) and will have to pay for that as well! Any advice on how to make it financially would be fantastic.     Tuesday, June 01, 2010 Doctrine Degree and Chiropractor Intoxication Manslaughter planetc1.com-news@10:09 am PST I have a friend that is looking into becoming a chiropractor. His main concerns are of the following. If you don't mind answering, I would greatly appreciate the help. Do you need a doctrine degree? Can you practice your license with a intoxication manslaughter on your record?   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=300 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:48:25 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For May 2010     Thursday, May 27, 2010 2010 CCA Annual Chiropractic Convention Reno planetc1.com-news@9:25 am PST June is time for the annual chiropractic convention hosted by the California Chiropractic Association (CCA) in Reno Nevada. This year's convention takes place at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino and it begins on June 11. This year's continuing education chiropractic convention offers chiropractors up to 22 hours of educational credits. The conference ends on June 13. Not only is it the CCA's biggest chiropractic event of the year, continuing education for CCA members is free when preregistered for the conference.     Thursday, May 20, 2010 The Gorman Coaching Program planetc1.com-news@8:35 am PST Remember me? I know, it's been a while -- I've been going through so many personal changes and I've been wanting to start writing to you again so here I am. The last time I wrote Monday Morning Messages consistently I was going through a rapid growth period of my life and now I am at the beginning of a new journey.     Saturday, May 15, 2010 Parker College Offers Chiropractic Research Grant Opportunities planetc1.com-news@11:24 am PST Parker College of Chiropractic announces 2010 chiropractic research grant opportunities for researchers in private practice or associated with an academic institution. Multiple grants are available and each will provide up to 5,000 dollars of financial aid in clinical research projects.     Friday, May 14, 2010 Southern California University of Health Sciences New President planetc1.com-news@7:33 am PST Southern California University of Health Sciences Board of Regents Appoints John Scaringe as President. Southern California University of Health Sciences' Board of Regents announced the appointment of John Scaringe, DC as the university's President, effective May 8, 2010. Dr. Scaringe had previously been serving in the role of Interim President of SCU since August 2009.     Thursday, May 13, 2010 Evidence Based Chiropractic Management of Low Back Disorders planetc1.com-news@8:42 am PST The Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP) is pleased to announce that "Chiropractic Management of Low Back Disorders - Evidence Based Documentation" is now available online through Northwestern Health Sciences University. The course costs $30 and is approved for one hour of continuing education.     Thursday, May 06, 2010 Parker Alumni Association Makes Final Payment to Largest Donation in History planetc1.com-news@8:23 pm PST The Parker Alumni Association presented a check of 5,000 dollars to Parker College of Chiropractic to fulfill its final payment of the 25,000 dollar pledge made in 2008. Not only was the donation the largest in the association's history, the donation was paid off two years earlier than expected which helped renovate a lounge and classroom space for the chiropractic interns.     Tuesday, May 04, 2010 Chiropractor Career Report May 2010 planetc1.com-news@10:09 am PST It's an interesting time of year for chiropractors and those that own chiropractic practices. Tax month is over and looking back since the beginning of the year, I've spoken to plenty of chiropractors about changes in salaries, income from healthcare insurance, car accident related chiropractic care, their thoughts on referring chiropractic students to chiropractic as a career, and what lies ahead for chiropractors in the remaining months of 2010. Can you see the light?     Saturday, May 01, 2010 On Buying Chiropractic Domains planetc1.com-news@9:30 am PST Depending on goals with your chiropractic websites, you can do a 301 or 302 redirect. What? That was from a conversation I had yesterday with a chiropractor in Southern California regarding a situation where he owns more than one chiropractic website but is only hosting one of them. He had thoughts on what to do with his second chiropractic website.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=299 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:46:24 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For April 2010     Thursday, April 29, 2010 Los Angeles Southwest Chiropractic District CCA Meeting May 2010 planetc1.com-news@9:47 am PST The CCA Los Angeles Southwest Chiropractic District is hosting a four course dinner with expert personal injury attorney, Shawn Steel, in Redondo Beach California on May 19, 2010 beginning at 7 PM. The event is taking place at Buca Di Beppo on Pacific Coast Highway and it's sure to be a good time for all who attend.     Tuesday, April 27, 2010 Bay To Breakers for Chiropractic 2010 planetc1.com-news@9:40 pm PST San Francisco is in preparation for another Bay to Breakers event the third Sunday of May 2010. What has been a San Francisco tradition for nearly 100 years, the 12km foot race is held every 3rd Sunday in May, and it attracts serious runners, multitudes of costumed participants, and a multitude of those supporting things like chiropractic care for runners (even the ones dressed as storm troopers).     Wednesday, April 07, 2010 Palmer College Inaugurates Fourth Chancellor During Historic Ceremony planetc1.com-news@9:54 pm PST With due ceremony, complete with pomp, circumstance and remarks from dignitaries, Palmer College of Chiropractic inaugurated its fourth chancellor, Dennis Marchiori, D.C., Ph.D., on March 11, 2010, in the auditorium of Vickie Anne Palmer Hall on Palmer's campus in Davenport, Iowa.     Thursday, April 01, 2010 Parker Alumni Treats Olympians during Preparation for 2010 Winter Olympic Games planetc1.com-news@10:22 am PST Parker College of Chiropractic alumni Dr. Walter Ford '97, provided chiropractic care to Olympians at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California as they prepared for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=298 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:44:09 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For March 2010     Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Lyceum 2010 at Life University planetc1.com-news@7:30 am PST Lyceum 2010 at life University in Marietta Georgia takes place April 8th through 10th and there is limited space available. Come to Lyceum and power up with life University. Featured speakers include Guy Riekeman, Will Bowen, James Chestnut, JC Doornick, Kevin Donka, Julie Peterson, and Arno Burnier.     Tuesday, March 30, 2010 CCA Statement On National Health Care Reform planetc1.com-news@12:23 pm PST The landmark national health reform legislation recognizes doctors of chiropractic as valuable health care providers who offer critical primary care services while lowering overall health care costs by providing effective care that does not rely on expensive pharmaceutical drugs or often-unnecessary surgeries.     Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Parker College of Chiropractic Student Wins Cowtown Marathon planetc1.com-news@10:03 pm PST Parker College of Chiropractic student, Logan Sherman placed first in the annual Cowtown Marathon. The marathon consisted of 20,000 runners this year. Sherman established himself as an elite leader of the pack early on in the 32nd annual 26.2-mile run through the streets of Fort Worth, Texas.     Saturday, March 20, 2010 2010 NYC Half Marathon and LA Marathon Televised Live planetc1.com-news@9:21 am PST Marathon Season is kicking off this weekend as Universal Sports has LIVE coverage this Sunday of the 2010 NYC Half Marathon and 2010 LA Marathon. The NYC Half Marathon brings together some of the great Marathon runners in preparation for the spring Marathon Season. Haile Gebrselassie and Deena Kastor look to lead the Elite Men and Women through the streets of New York City. Coverage begins on the Universal Sports Network at 7:30am EDT.     Sunday, March 14, 2010 2010 California Jam Rocks Orange County planetc1.com-news@6:01 pm PST White lightning flashed across the sky as the 2010 Dead Chiropractic Society (DCS) California Jam shaked the foundations of the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa California on March 12, 13th, and 14th. The continuing chiropractic education event was loaded full barrel with spizzerinctum. Chiropractors from across the globe, with the majority coming from the state of California, and a healthy number traveling from throughout the United States, dipped themselves in chiropractic philosophy and fellowship, while many renewed continuing education requirements for 2010 relicensing.     Friday, March 12, 2010 Dr. Fabrizio Mancini Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Chiropractic Leadership Alliance planetc1.com-news@1:50 pm PST The Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA) honored Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College and Parker Seminars, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Patrick Gentempo, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of CLA presented Dr. Mancini with the award at the 2010 Parker Seminar in Las Vegas.     Saturday, March 06, 2010 DCS 2010 Orange County Performing Arts Center planetc1.com-news@5:30 pm PST The 3rd annual California Chiropractic Jam is taking place on March 12 and March 13, 2010. I received my ticket in the mail in February, hope you're planning on attending, it's going to be a blast. Chiropractors from across the United States and even from other parts of the globe are making their way to Southern California for the third annual jam, being hailed as the Spizzerinctum Tour.     Tuesday, March 02, 2010 Why this Chiropractor Moved from LA to Mesa Arizona planetc1.com-news@8:09 am PST Invariably, at some point when talking to my patients, or anybody really, the conversation turns to where I lived before moving to Mesa five years ago. And, invariably, the question comes up of why I moved from Los Angeles to Mesa. The need for brevity usually has me shorten my answer to “I just loved the mountains and weather” but the reasons are more complex and numerous.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=297 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:41:53 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For February 2010     Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Dr Robert Percuoco Selected to Lead Palmer College Academics planetc1.com-news@8:38 pm PST Palmer College of Chiropractic Chancellor Dennis Marchiori, D.C., has announced the selection of Robert "Bucky" Percuoco, D.C., Long Grove, Iowa, as Vice Chancellor for Academics (VCA) for the College. Dr. Percuoco was identified from a pool of 12 local and national candidates for the position. As VCA, Dr. Percuoco will oversee all matters of academic affairs on each of the three campuses and will also serve as a member of the College's Executive Administrative Team. Palmer's campuses are located in Davenport, Iowa, San Jose, Calif., and Port Orange, Florida.     Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Chiropractic as a Mid Life Career Change planetc1.com-news@10:04 pm PST E-mails related to student loans, chiropractic schools, and general questions regarding practicing the field of chiropractic have been hitting my inbox with greater frequency lately. My apologies to those that I have not had a chance to e-mail back replies to. As I've done before, I prefer to address many of the questions as posed so that I can link to them when others ask questions in the future. Far more efficient on my part than to e-mail each person individually, since I too have a practice to maintain. Here's one selected from a group of e-mails I've been meaning to reply to.     Saturday, February 13, 2010 Parker College Alumni and Friends Connect during Las Vegas Reception planetc1.com-news@9:25 am PST Parker College of Chiropractic held its largest Alumni reception in Las Vegas during the Parker 2010 Vegas Seminar. Parker alumni and friends gathered and reconnected. This year's event was exclusive to alumni and guest only and was the most well attended Vegas alumni event in the history of Parker College.     Thursday, February 11, 2010 Free Continuing Chiropractic Education planetc1.com-news@9:34 pm PST I don't think I know a single chiropractor that doesn't like free continuing education, and I believe it's available in many states throughout the country. In nearly every state of the US I believe chiropractors are required to complete continuing education (CE) hours on a regular basis. In some states educational requirements are done yearly, and in other states educational requirements are taken care of biannually. Chiropractic continuing education hours are typically 12 to 20 hours per year, depending on the state educational hours are being applied for. I like going for continuing education each year, not only for learning new information, but for getting together with other chiropractors and finding out what they've been up to the past year or so.     Thursday, February 04, 2010 Parker Seminars Recognizes 2010 Chiropractor and Chiropractic Assistant of the Year planetc1.com-news@9:34 am PST The prestigious Chiropractor of the Year Award was presented at Parker Seminars Las Vegas - the world's largest chiropractic seminar to Dr. Bill DeMoss from DeMoss Chiropractic in Newport Beach, California, Dr. Robert Kipp from Pro-Health Chiropractic in Fairfield, Connecticut, Dr. Jeffrey Cottingame from The Spinal Clinic in Durant, Oklahoma, Dr. Randy Koski from Koski Chiropractic in Chelmsford, Ontario, and Dr. Martin Harvey from Align Chiropractic in Melbourne, Australia.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=296 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:39:15 CDT Planet Chiropractic News Archives For January 2010     Thursday, January 28, 2010 Chiropractic Care for Children and for the Pregnant Mom planetc1.com-news@9:07 am PST Patients often walk into our office and stare in amazement at the huge cork board by the front door. What are they looking at? They see dozens of pictures of children on our Chiro-Kid wall, ranging in age from 10 hours old through elementary and high school. Even the UPS person and other delivery people are taken aback the first time they come in when they see the pictures of happy kids around our front entrance.     Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Life Chiropractic College West Provides Chiropractic Care During Cambodian Mission Trip planetc1.com-news@8:49 pm PST Kim Khauv, a doctor of chiropractic and faculty member and alumnus from Life Chiropractic College West, led a team of twelve college interns who traveled to rural parts of Cambodia to provide chiropractic care. Over the course of two weeks in December 2009 they provided care to over 1500 patients, many of whom where children in orphanages and the sick and elderly in local villages.     Friday, January 15, 2010 Former NFL Wide Receiver Jerry Rice Reveals Secrets to Long, Healthy Career planetc1.com-news@9:51 pm PST Legendary NFL wide-receiver and three-time Super Bowl champ Jerry Rice scored a touchdown among attendees at Parker Seminars Las Vegas — the world’s largest chiropractic seminar — by sharing all the ways he is being a champion for chiropractic.     Thursday, January 07, 2010 Palmer College and University of Iowa team up for TMD study planetc1.com-news@8:40 am PST Researchers at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR), on the Palmer College of Chiropractic campus in Davenport, Iowa, are working in collaboration with the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry and Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences in Iowa City, to explore the feasibility of using chiropractic care to treat people with chronic pain in their face and jaw, classified as temporomandibular disorder  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=295 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:38:05 CDT Widespread Pain Caused by Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that is characterized by a number of different symptoms. However, one of the most dominant fibromyalgia symptoms is definitely pain. More than 3.5 million men and women suffer from fibromyalgia and must endure widespread pain throughout their muscles. This pain has long been unexplainable, though recent advances in research have now pinpointed why fibromyalgia causes such incredible pain in some sufferers. As a result, effective treatments including prescription medications and drug-free supplements may be used to help combat the discomfort caused by fibromyalgia pain. What kind of Pain is Caused by Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia syndrome is generally accepted as a type of arthritis, but, unlike most forms of arthritis, it typically affects the muscles in your body instead of the joints. This muscle pain caused by the syndrome is usually widespread and can occur anywhere at any time. Fibromyalgia pain affects the skeletal muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the body. Pain can also be felt in the bursa, the sacs that surround your joints providing nutrition and lubrication needed for movement. Sometimes, pain can be localized in particular areas, although most fibromyalgia sufferers will experience pain in all four quadrants of the body. Fibromyalgia Tender Points All fibromyalgia sufferers also feel pain in various tender points around their bodies. In fact, in order to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you must experience pain in at least 11 of 18 specific tender points. Tender points tend to be located at areas in the body where muscles and tendons join together. In particular, fibromyalgia sufferers are apt to feel neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pack and pain in the waist, ribs, buttocks, and knees. What does Fibromyalgia Pain Feel Like? The muscle pains of fibromyalgia can be quite excruciating for some people, however, the pain will vary depending upon the severity of your illness. Some people may only suffer from mild pain and will still be able to continue on with a normal lifestyle. Others will experience much more severe pain. Fibromyalgia disability is common. Fibromyalgia pain is described as a deep and persistent ache although many sufferers also get stabbing, throbbing, and shooting pains in their muscles. Additionally, pains caused by the syndrome can leave a tingling or burning feeling just under the skin. Often, pains will increase in severity over the course of the day, and can migrate to other places on the body. What Causes Fibromyalgia Pain? Even physicians have had trouble truly understanding fibromyalgia. The causes of fibromyalgia pain have long been debated. Many see fibromyalgia as a psychological illness, not one caused by a physical problem. Recently though, fibromyalgia research has shown that pain may be caused by a biological problem in the brain. It seems that those people with fibromyalgia actually have a much lower threshold for pain than those who don't have the syndrome. This means that even a gentle touch could cause excruciating pain in someone with fibromyalgia. Recent studies show that it only takes half of the stimulus normally necessary to produce pain signals in the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers. Those suffering from the disease tend to "remember" this pain longer too; they will continue feeling pain even after the event that caused it in the first place is no longer present. This lowered pain threshold is probably caused by a miscommunication somewhere in the brain. For instance, when you touch something that is hot, nerves in your hands and arms send off pulses that travel to your brain. It seems that those people with fibromyalgia actually experience a change in this signal once it reaches the base of the spinal cord. Here, the pain signals are actually magnified, causing extreme and chronic pain. Factors that Affect Pain The pain associated with fibromyalgia can come and go and it will change in intensity. There are a variety of factors that may make your pain worse: exercise fatigue poor nutrition hormone fluctuations changing weather stress depression Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MFP) and Fibromyalgia Some fibromyalgia sufferers also experience an additional syndrome, called myofascial pain syndrome. Your body is held together by fascia, a connective tissue that surrounds everything inside of you, including your bones, muscles, and blood vessels. Those with myofascial pain syndrome experience chronic pain in their fascia, particularly at certain trigger points in their bodies. These trigger points tend to be located at points where the fascia connects directly with a muscle. Myofascial pain can be stabbing, throbbing, or aching, and, at its most severe, debilitating. Temperomandibular Joint Pain Those suffering from fibromyalgia sometimes experience severe pain in their temporomandibular joint. This joint, which is commonly referred to as the jawbone, can cause severe pain and discomfort including: severe and persistent headaches jaw clicking a locked jaw difficulty opening and closing the mouth More than 75% of fibromyalgia patients suffer from some type of TMJD, and this often exacerbates existing fibromyalgia pain.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=294 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:32:56 CDT Manipulation Under Anesthesia For Fibromyalgia   First, if treatments directed at muscles are not resolving your Fibromyalgia, it just may be that your condition is a bit deeper than the muscles and joints. Studies show that stress and damage to muscles and joints, whether from repetitive use and strain, or blunt trauma, or disuse leading to atrophy and dysfunction and pain, that fibrous adhesions (scar tissue)develops and embeds itself within the joints, like spiderwebs, and attaches itself to soft tissues thereby limiting ranges of motion, shortening muscles and placing them in a contracted state, causing pain, atrophy, and severe widespread dysfunction and pain. There is a highly specialized medical procedure that is effective, safe, and produces excellent results for resolving Fibromyalgia; Manipulation Under Anesthesia. So what is Manipulation Under Anesthesia? Manipulation Under Anesthesia, or MUA, is a highly specialized, non-invasive mobilization and stretching technique for chronic pain patients who are no longer responding to regular conservative care. MUA works by altering adhesions and scar tissues to restore range of motion and mobility while the patient is in a safe, temporary "twilight sleep." As an alternative therapy to surgery and medication, MUA consistently generates life-changing results for carefully selected patients. Chronic pain sufferers across the nation are discovering the tremendous benefits of a procedure called Manipulation Under Anesthesia, or MUA. MUA is a non-invasive, highly-specialized technique performed by specially trained chiropractic physicians. After medical clearance, the patient is sedated to achieve a state of relaxation. This state of relaxation allows the doctor to complete a series of adjustments and stretching movements without patient apprehension or muscle congestion. The results for properly selected patients are phenomenal. For patients who are not finding relief through conservative treatment or who may be facing (or recovering from) surgery, MUA could be an effective alternative. Studies prove that MUA eliminates or greatly reduces pain, and it also restores or greatly improves range of motion. Compared to surgery and other procedures, the return-to-work and return-to-activity rates for MUA patients are significantly faster and longer lasting. MUA has been practiced since the late 1930s and used by osteopathic physicians and orthopedic surgeons for many years as a proven form of treatment for many chronic pain conditions. During the past several years, the use of MUA has greatly increased thanks to tremendous advances in both the technique and in anesthesiology. Today, MUA is a multi-disciplinary outpatient procedure that takes place in a medical setting. Case studies continue to show that MUA is safe and effective. MUA can be an effective procedure for people with chronic neck, back and joint problems. It is also effective for people with conditions caused by long-term disabilities or accidents, and for injuries that have not been responsive to conventional treatment. Here are some of the conditions MUA helps: • Fibroadhesion buildup - Causing Fibromyalgia • Chronic disc problems • Herniated disc without fragmentation • TMJ • Intractable pain from neuromusculoskeletal conditions • Torticollis • Chronic re-injury • Failed back surgery • Frozen shoulder MUA achieves results because it allows your caregivers to adjust the bones and muscles - the therapy of choice - without the usual resistance. Light sedation allows you to be responsive but not apprehensive. Adjustments are completed gently. Fibrotic adhesions, which limit range of motion and contribute to pain, are altered. Muscles are stretched; and collagen fibers are remodeled to eliminate or reduce restriction. The result - pain and discomfort are decreased or eliminated. Generally speaking, any chronic pain patient who has reached a plateau using traditional therapy should consider MUA. However, careful selection of qualified patients is a key to success. Your doctor will help determine if MUA is an option for you. Once you are approved for MUA, you will need to complete a medical screening process so you can be cleared for light sedation. Your doctor will also decide whether you need one or more MUA procedures. Medical tests usually will include: • CBC blood studies • SMA 6 • Chest X-ray and EKG, or electrocardiogram, for patients 50 and older • A pregnancy test for female MUA patients. Your doctor may also order additional tests, such as MRI, as needed. After medical clearance, your MUA procedure will be scheduled. Post-procedure care is one of the most important parts of the MUA procedure. Post-procedure care should begin soon after the MUA procedure is completed. Typically, you will visit your doctor's office and move through a combination of stretching exercises, followed by cryo-therapy and electrical stimulation. You then return home to rest. Following your final MUA procedure (if more than one) you can maximize results by following a consistent post care therapy program for the next seven to ten days in the doctor's office. You will be taken through the same stretches accomplished during the MUA procedure. You will then continue rehabilitation for the next four to six weeks with stretching, flexibility and strengthening exercises, plus regular adjustments as suggested by your doctor. A consistent program of post-MUA therapy will help you regain pre-injury strength and help prevent pain and disability in the future. Hundreds of case studies indicate that MUA has an extremely HIGH success rate with carefully selected patients. Following the MUA procedure and consistent post-procedural care, chronic pain patients enjoy restored mobility and restored range of motion, plus greatly reduced pain or no pain at all. They are able to return to work quickly as well as resume the activities and daily pleasures they had been denied because of pain. .    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=293 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:23:37 CDT Bulging Disc Treatment   I want to do this! What's This? Bulging Disc Treatment Image courtesy of Google Images Bulging discs, especially in the lumbar (or low back) region can be painful and frequently debilitating. Not all disc problems require surgery, although many do when they become untreatable by lesser means.   How Does a Disc Become Herniated? …   About Herniated Discs If you are between 30 and 50 years old, you might be at risk for developing a herniated disc.   Signs & Symptoms of a Bulging Disk A bulging disk is also know as a slipped or herniated disk, which affects the vertebrae of the…   Treatment for a Bulging Disc A spinal disc is the soft gelatinous material that cushions the spinal vertebrae.   Treatment for a Bulging Disc in the Neck A bulging or herniated disc is a condition of an intervertebral disc where the inner portion of disc tears or protrudes outward   How to Recover From Disc Protrusion Disc protrusion is a condition that defines a damaged, weakened or bulging disc. Bulging Disc Treatment Bulging discs, especially in the lumbar (or low back) region can be painful   How to Recover From Spinal Fusion A spinal fusion is a back surgery to help treat degenerative disc disease   Foods & Vitamins to Heal Herniated Disc A herniated disk can be extremely painful, and can significantly impair your mobility. Alternative Treatments for Herniated Disc A herniated disc occurs when the inner portion of the disk pushes into the spinal canal   Natural Remedies for a Herniated Disc A herniated disc is a painful, debilitating disorder; it affects how you lay down, how you walk…   Acupuncture Back Pain Demo Ever wonder what it's like to be treated at an acupuncture facility?   How to Keep Your Back Healthy Back or spine pain is a nuisance and can interfere with our quality of life.       Back Pain Prevention Through Stretching   Stretching can help to avoid future instances of back pain,   There Is Nothing Sacred About a Bulging Disc Chiropractic Adjustments can Help   Epidural Steroid Injections for Pain Relief That statement means that just because a disc is bulging, it does not mean things cannot improve. Often times bed rest and some pelvic traction, a means of stretching the spinal column, can cause the disc to "reduce" itself back into its normal habitat. There are many different types of chiropractic techniques that can be used to reduce a protruding or bulging disc. Traction and spinal manipulation are two very beneficial techniques that are widely utilized, and with good overall success. Many physical therapy techniques had their origins in the chiropractic arena. There have been numerous enhancements and embellishments to them as well. The most common therapy modalities used today are pelvic traction (either automated or free-weights), ultrasound, hot packs and therapeutic massage. The McKenzie method for treatment of low back pain and bulging discs involves treatment of the spine as it relates to the concepts of posture, dysfunction and derangement. This method deals with the abnormalities of the spine that can be caused by stresses from any one of the three areas described. The chief component to the McKenzie method is the use of extension exercises in which the low back is positioned in somewhat of a hyper-extended position to encourage disc material to reduce into the normal location for it. The Williams method of spinal manipulation employs the reverse of what the McKenzie techniques employs. The lumbar spine can become unstable of dysfunctional from inadequate support from either the from or the rear supportive structures, such as muscles and ligaments. This technique utilizes the flexion (bending) position to encourage the disc to reduce and decompress the nerves. When curling up in a ball, the technique can be done first with one leg, then the other, then both simultaneously. Cortisone that is injected into the spinal canal, but outside the spinal sac, can have considerable benefits in reducing the pain and inflammation that can irritate spinal nerves. This procedure is typically performed by a Pain Management professional who is usually an anesthesiologist. It is usually an out-patient affair and typically takes less that 1 hour to complete   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=292 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:38:10 CDT Sciatica, What Is It and How Is It Treated?  Chiropractic care is a viable treatment option for a variety of conditions. Millions of people seek experienced chiropractors to alleviate pain lancing through the skull, neck, joints, and back. One particular type of pain is called sciatica. It is felt through the lower back and descends into the legs. Traditionally, it has been treated through a host of measures, including medications, surgery, physical therapy, and steroid injections. Each offers a degree of relief, but rarely cures the condition. In this article, we’ll provide more details about sciatica, explaining how it occurs and and how it can affect your daily life. We’ll then describe how chiropractic care offers a long-term solution. Sciatica Explained Sciatica is caused by a herniated disk. A disk is made of cartilage that functions as padding between your vertebrae. It is filled with a gel-like material that supports your spine’s flexibility while absorbing shock. The gel is contained by an outer cover. If this cover tears (or, becomes herniated), the gel leaks out. Leaking gel can place pressure upon the nerves, and thus cause intense pain. A herniated disk in the lower region of your back can place pressure on your sciatic nerve. This nerve runs from your lower back through your buttocks and travels down the legs. Hence, the pain you experience may be felt along that path. In addition to pain, you may also feel numbness or a tingling sensation in the same area. Rarely, patients suffer a loss of bladder control. Before your chiropractor can determine an appropriate form of treatment, he or she will diagnose the underlying cause. The reason is because sciatica can occasionally be caused by factors other than a herniated disk. These can include a tumor in the spine, an injured lumbar (from trauma), and a slipped vertebra. Properly Diagnosing Sciatica Your chiropractor will take a close look at your personal medical history to determine whether any risk factors exist. A physical exam is also done. X-rays are usually taken of the back, as are CT scans. An MRI may also be performed to provide your chiropractor with a clearer image of your back. The results of these tests will not only help pinpoint the factors causing the pain, but also reveal reasons to avoid certain types of chiropractic therapy. How Your Chiropractor Can Treat The Pain Chiropractic care is focused on helping your body heal itself. The treatments are designed to remove hurdles that are preventing your body from resolving the back pain. Most pain is due to restrictions in the spine’s flexibility. If the causes of these restrictions can be successfully treated, the body will take care of the rest. Because sciatica causes inflammation, your chiropractor may apply a heat or ice pack on your lower back. This will help relieve some of the immediate discomfort. A technique known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may also be used. This is done with a small device that emits electrical currents. The currents can help regulate pain and ease muscle spasms. The foundation of chiropractic therapy involve spinal manipulation. Once your chiropractor is certain vertebral misalignments are partly causing the pain, he or she will target the affected vertebrae and restore them to their proper alignment. This treatment is non-invasive and does not require medications or surgery. The alignments are done externally. Your chiropractor will use quick thrusting movements, leveraging force and pressure to reposition misaligned vertebrae. There is no pain involved with therapy. It is worth noting that certain factors contributing to sciatica may lie outside the expertise of your chiropractor. In such cases, you will be referred to another doctor, who may recommend medications or surgery. Many patients who require medical care continue to receive chiropractic therapy as the same time.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=291 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:36:42 CDT The Abnatomy of the Atlas Subluxation The atlas subluxation is so common yet so easily missed by mainstream medical practitioners. This problem is not very difficult to detect, in fact the doctors ar Accident Chiropractors have become quite adept at picking out people walking down the street who exhibit the hallmarks of this upper cervical subluxation. There are maybe two reasons why most medical doctors do not detect this phenomenon. One could be that they doubt completely the existence of such subluxations and the other is maybe that their training is focussed on looking for major problems like dislocations, fractures, tumours and the like. The purpose of this section is to summarise what an atlas subluxation looks like and what actually happens to one's body when one does sustain such a misalignment of one's atlas. There is a wealth of information in medical texts, on websites and in scientific papers that provide more in-depth information. Hopefully, my summary will assist the layperson to understand the phenomenon, which is "the atlas subluxation". The term 'subluxation' means 'minor misalignment' however the affects on the human body as a result of a subluxation of the first cervical vertebra (C1 or atlas) with respect to the skull can be far from 'minor'. To understand what the 'anatomy of an atlas subluxation' looks like it's first important to understand the anatomy of the atlas. The following graphic depicts the atlas (C1) vertebra articulating with the axis (C2) vertebra below it. The spinal cord with exiting spinal nerves can be seen tethered by dentate ligaments to the inner margins of the vertebral foramen. The human skull via the occipital condyles at the base of the skull sits on top of (or articulates with) the superior articular condylar surface of the atlas. According to Gray's Anatomy "This articulation is a double condyloid joint. Its ligaments are the Anterior Occipito-atlantal, Posterior Occipito-atlantal, two Lateral Occipital-atlantal and two Capsular." There is a passage on each side in the Posterior Occipito-atlantal ligament to allow penetration of the vertebral arteries and 1st cervical nerves. The vertebral arteries exit the foramen in the atlas transverse processes; penetrate the ligament and then loop up into the brain. A number of strong ligaments support the skull and its contents and attach it to the cervical spine. Many other ligaments and muscles enable movement, bending, twisting and head rotation. There are other key structures within the vicinity of the atlas and supporting ligaments. These are 4 pairs of cranial nerves, namely the vagus, spinal accessory, glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal. The common carotid arteries, which run underneath the sternocleidomastoid muscle and jugular veins, are also present in the tissues of the neck. At the base of the neck near the junction of the shoulders there are some deep muscles known as the scalenes. These are the posterior, middle and anterior scalenes. The anterior scalenes are of particular interest as they are in very close proximity to the brachial plexus of nerves and the origin of the vertebral arteries where they leave the subclavian arteries. Even though the atlas is at the top of the cervical spine and the above-mentioned structures are near the base of the neck, a subluxation of the atlas and skull can result in these scalenes compressing the brachial plexus and/or the vertebral arteries. This is due to altered weight bearing from a shift in the centre of gravity of the skull, which in causes the muscles of the head and neck to strain in maintaining the head upright on the cervical spine. Also the phrenic nerve, which runs between anterior and middle scalenes on its path to the diaphragm, can be likewise affected by muscle and ligament compression and/or traction.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=290 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:35:31 CDT How Does Subluxation Affect the Nervous System? Research performed in the first half of this century demonstrated that extremity pain could be induced by injecting hypertonic saline into paraspinal muscles and interspinous ligaments. For readers who are unfamiliar with this work, it is known that the injection of hypertonic saline into musculoskeletal structures causes a significant amount of pain and discomfort.   Presumably, the reason for the pain response is that hypertonic saline acts to depolarize local tissue nociceptors.   In 1976, Drs. Vert Mooney and James Robertson set out to confirm the earlier research on referred pain and discussed their findings in a well-known paper, "The Facet Syndrome." Their attention was directed toward the facet joints rather than spinal muscles and ligaments. The subjects in this study included five normal individuals and 15 patients with low back pain. To make a semi-long story short, Mooney and Robertson discovered that, indeed, injecting hypertonic saline into facet joints resulted in local and referred pain. They also discovered that, "slightly increasing the volume of injection would consistently increase the amount of pain radiation." For those who are unfamiliar with Drs. Mooney and Robertson, it should be understood that both are medical doctors. Therefore, the treatment methods to which they are most familiar include surgery, medications and facet injections. In the clinical application section of "The Facet Syndrome," the authors described their research trial that involved 100 patients who had chronic low back pain and/or lower extremity pain for at least six months. Each of the 100 patients received facet injections, consisting of a steroid and a local anesthetic. Many patients experienced a significant reduction in symptoms which lasted for varying lengths of time. My reason for describing this study is that I have a couple of questions for our colleges and national associations, all of whom are involved in research. Why is it that none of our researchers have yet to duplicate the Mooney and Robertson study? Why is it that so few ICA, ACA and independent doctors and students are unaware of this area of investigation that began in the 1930s? What Is So Significant about These Studies? I have asked many researchers and so-called leaders of our profession about why these studies which focused on irritating posterior spinal structures are rarely, if ever, discussed. I am not exaggerating. As an example, a new book that is devoted to the topic of subluxation does not described these studies at all. We must all realize that the posterior structures described in these studies are the same ones to which chiropractors focus their attention. Thus, it would make sense that we do similar studies that involve the noxious irritation of the same spinal structures. Is it not true that chiropractors maintain that the subluxation complex irritates the nervous system? Do we not constantly suggest to the world that optimal spinal function is critically important for overall body health? Why then, do we not study the effects of noxious irritation of posterior spinal structures and assess the types of symptoms that may develop? Maybe we would discover that back pain and many other symptoms develop as a consequence of inducing nociceptive input from spinal structures. In 1954, Dr. Bernard Feinstein and his colleagues repeated the work of Kellgren and were amazed by the severity of the pain and the bizarre symptoms that developed after noxious spinal irritation. As of yet, no one in chiropractic has attempted to duplicate Feinstein's work. This is not surprising because the great majority of DCs have never heard of the Feinstein paper. I recently asked one of our illustrious chiropractic leaders if he was aware of a landmark paper written in 1954 which demonstrated the neurologic impact of noxious irritation of the spine. He told me that he was only two years old at the time and consequently, there was no way that he would be aware of such a study. I found this excuse very amusing because, in 1954, I had yet to be born. In fact, my parents had yet to meet. Feinstein et al., injected six percent hypertonic saline into the interspinous tissues of 82 subjects, 75 of whom were medical students. The results were rather dramatic. Before discussing the results, we must realize that the dorsal ramus is the nerve that innervates the interspinous tissues. Thus, we can conclude that the symptoms developed due to excitation of nociceptive afferents within the dorsal ramus. None of the symptoms had anything to do with the ventral ramus. I state the obvious here because so many DCs are enamored by the ventral ramus and think it is the key to understanding subluxation and the chiropractic adjustment. Feinstein et al., discovered that pain was initially felt at the sight of injection. Most subjects described the local pain as deep and aching. Doesn't this sounds like the complaints you hear from your patients? The only difference is that your patients have not received hypertonic saline injections; rather, they suffer from a pathological changes of the spine, which we call the subluxation complex. Feinstein et al., also discovered that interspinous tissue irritation resulted in the spasm of certain muscles. "For example, an injection at the level of the sixth cervical segment was fairly consistently accompanied by spasm of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, or biceps." Feinstein's subjects also experienced pain that extended into the extremities. Neck injections caused arm pain and low back injections caused leg pain. Consider the implications of the this finding. Noxious irritation of dorsal ramus-innervated structures results in pain that extends into the extremities. Clearly, neurocompression at the IVF is not required to induce pain referral into the extremities. Clearly, the statement that "we should avoid adjusting patients with leg pain" needs to be carefully reassessed and restated. To demonstrate that the ventral ramus is not necessarily involved in the generation of referred pain, Feinstein et al., performed a complete left brachial plexus block on one subject. The result was complete motor and sensory paralysis for over 30 minutes. Pain could not be induced by irritating the left arm itself. Hypertonic saline was then injected into the interspinous tissues on left side between the spinous processes of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae. The result was local pain and pain in the left forearm. Clearly, noxious irritation of posterior spinal structures can have rather dramatic effects. However, it should be understood that the "dramatic effects" extend well beyond pain syndromes associated with the musculoskeletal system. Feinstein et al., explain interspinous injections often resulted in a variety of bizarre autonomic reactions. The autonomic concomitants included pallor, sweating, bradycardia, fall in blood pressure, subjective "faintness" and nausea. We are told that, "these features were not proportional to the severity of the pain or to the extent of radiation; on the contrary, they seemed to dominate the experience of subjects who complained little of pain but who were overwhelmed by this distressing complex of symptoms." Feinstein et al., found that the autonomic concomitants occurred most frequently with injections in the thoracic region. However, it should be understood that Campbell and Parsons, who investigated head pain, found that autonomic concomitants were a common occurrence after injection of hypertonic saline into cervical spine structures. DCs frequently find that seemingly bizarre visceral symptoms often disappear after chiropractic care. More than likely such bizarre symptoms are nothing more than nociceptive-induced autonomic concomitants. A recent paper by Nansel and Szlazak list numerous symptoms which can be induced by nociceptive input from the spine. Clinical Chiropractic Feinstein et al., discovered that, "the volume [of hypertonic saline] injected accounts not only for the intensity of the ensuing pain but also for the extent of its referral."5 This suggests that not all subluxations will ignite the same symptomatic picture because the degree of tissue disruption and chemical mediator release will be different in each patient. What does this mean exactly? In real-life situations, nociceptors are not irritated by injections of hypertonic saline; rather nociceptors are irritated by mechanical and chemical irritants. The chemical irritants include substances such as bradykinin, serotonin, potassium ions, prostaglandin E-2, and histamine. These and other chemical irritants are released after tissue injury, and the chemical irritants are responsible for exciting nociceptors, and for driving the inflammatory process.  Naturally, each patient is unique and the degree of chemical mediator release will vary and therefore, the nociceptive processes and related symptoms will vary. Before going any further, I need to make it clear that if the chiropractic profession is to understand and utilize the work of Mooney, Kellgren, Feinstein et al., and Campbell, chiropractors must fully understand the topic of nociception, and simultaneously place neurocompression on the back burner. This is not my opinion; rather, it is a physiological fact that we need to embrace. Consider the following information about nociception. Nociceptors are classified as mechanical nociceptors, mechanothermal nociceptors and polymodal nociceptors, depending on the type of energy used to activate them in the nociceptive range. Polymodal nociceptors are activated by noxious mechanical and thermal stimulation, as well as the chemical mediators released from the injured tissues. Generally speaking, mechanical and mechanothermal nociceptors are associated with type A-delta or Group III fibers, whereas polymodal nociceptors are associated with type C or Group IV fibers. Nociceptors are located in nearly every single musculoskeletal, connective tissue, and vascular structure, save for the joint cartilage, synovial membranes, the nucleus pulposus and the inner layers of the annulus fibrous. Wyke provides the most vivid anatomical description of the nociceptive receptor system.15 He describes interstitial nociceptors as "a continuous tridimensional plexus of unmyelinated nerve fibers that weaves (like chicken-wire) in all directions throughout the tissue." A similar plexus of unmyelinated nerve fibers are embedded in the adventitial sheath and encircle each blood vessel. From this description, we can envision the presence of an unending meshwork of nociceptors within nearly all spinal tissues. The extent of nociceptive innervation has been described in muscles and joints. It is thought that, save for afferents from stretch receptors, 75 percent of the sensory innervation of skeletal muscles is supplied by nociceptors located in fascia, tendons, between muscle fibers, and in the walls of blood vessels. In one study, which examined the medial articular nerve of the cat, it was demonstrated that 21 percent of the fibers were of the A-delta variety and 70 percent were C fibers. In the posterior articular nerve, 14 percent were A-delta fibers and 60 percent were C fibers. Clearly, from a clinical and research perspective, we are being urged to focus on nociception. We can no longer avoid it. Consider some of the nociceptive processes chiropractors encounter on a daily basis. It is well known that nociceptors themselves and nociceptive activities in the spinal cord can become sensitized. Researchers in the field of nociception use the terms peripheral sensitization and central sensitization Under normal circumstances, nociceptor thresholds are very high; they only respond to noxious stimuli. However, the presence of chemical irritants, which are released after tissue injury, can lower nociceptor thresholds. Peripheral sensitization refers to the lowering of a normally high nociceptor threshold. Now innocuous stimuli, such as turning the head, bending over, and gentle palpation can activate nociceptors. How many times during the course of a day do you palpate a patient and find that gentile palpation results pain? It happens all the time. In the field of nociception, term "allodynia" is used to describe pain that is produced by normally painless stimuli. Central sensitization is more difficult to describe than peripheral sensitization. First, it should be understood that central facilitation and wind-up are generally considered to be synonyms of central sensitization. It is now believe that neuronal plasticity is the process which creates central sensitization. In brief, through a complex series of biochemical and genetic processes, nociceptive afferents (particularly C fibers) induce a modification in the central processing of both nociceptive and mechanoreceptive input. The end result is an amplification or an increase in the excitability of dorsal horn neurons, such that the experience of pain can be magnified by noxious and innocuous stimuli. It is very likely that the nociceptive processes described above are the main cause of back pain and the bizarre autonomic concomitants which are routinely seen in chiropractic practice. It is also very likely that the injection of hypertonic saline mimics the nociceptor irritation induced by the subluxation complex. What Should We Do? We need to focus on nociception and realize that the pathological components of the subluxation complex are responsible for depolarizing nociceptors. We also need to repeat the studies of Kellgren and Feinstein. I am sure that students and doctors would be happy to serve as experimental subjects. Interested chiropractors and chiropractic students need to petition our colleges and research organizations to initiate these studies. At the present time, we have task forces on Medicare, managed care, government relations and nearly every other topic. The only task force we do not have is a task force on physiology and pathophysiology of spinal function and dysfunction. Isn't it about time we started one?    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=289 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:33:11 CDT 10 Most Common Workplace Injuries and Ways to Prevent Them  The occurrence of workplace injuries has become a primary concern for big and small companies alike. Although we assume that work related injuries happen only in more dangerous environments such as construction sites and factories, it is high time we become aware of equally dangerous injuries that happen in regular offices. In addition to that, companies and employees should be aware of what safety measures to adapt in order to avoid these injuries in the future. Here is a list of ten most common and disabling work related injuries according to the 2008 Workplace Safety Index: 1. Overexertion – This is the number one type of workplace injury in the past few years. The common causes of overexertion are pulling, lifting, pushing, holding, carrying, and throwing activities at work. 2. Fall on Same Level – This type of workplace injury refers to those falls without elevation or falls on same level surfaces. Examples of this are falls on wet and slippery office floors and slips on snow covered surfaces usually affecting elderly employees. 3. Fall to Lower Level – This type of fall happens from an elevated area such as roofs, ladders, and stairways. 4. Bodily Reaction – This type of injury is caused by tripping and slipping without actually falling. 5. Struck by Object ” Objects that fall from shelves or dropped by another person. These can cause very serious injuries. 6. Struck against Object – This type of workplace injury refers to running into concrete objects such as walls, doors, tables, cabinets, chairs, glass windows etc. 7. Highway Incident – Transportation used for business purposes such as trucks and cars may be involved in an automobile accident just like any regular traveler. 8. Caught in/ compressed by – Handling large and sharp machinery is terribly dangerous especially without proper knowledge and precautions used. Workers may also be exposed to extreme temperature which can also cause this type of injury. 9. Repetitive Motion ” A good example is typing on a computer in regular offices. Due to prolonged repetitive motion, muscles and tendons are susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome, back injuries, and vision problems. 10. Assaults and violent acts – This may not be a frequent occurrence but is nonetheless causing injuries among employees who engage in physical attack against each other. In the event that employees experience workplace injuries, their physical and mental abilities suffer. Thus their work and personal life will also be affected. It is clearly stated by law that employees are entitles to receive compensation for work related injuries. If the company fails to address that, the employee may file a lawsuit for the damages and medical expenses. Thus, workplace safety should be a priority of both employers and employees. Most of these workplace injuries are avoidable. Therefore a careful planning of work facilities and work stations can help prevent work related incidents. For one, the work places should adhere to proper engineering control systems that minimize awkward positions, strenuous working activities, and repetitive motion in the office. Employee manuals on the proper use of office equipment should be reviewed and reinforced accordingly. It is also best to incorporate fitness programs and exercises for the benefit of the workers. Lastly, it is important that the employees themselves always practice cautionary ways to protect themselves from any kind of workplace injury. It will always be a collaborative effort for both the company and the workers.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=288 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:31:04 CDT What are some of the benefits of chiropractic care immediately following a whiplash or personal injury?  The sustained injury, like whiplash heals sooner if you see a chiropractor immediately after an injury. The integrity of the joint heals more close to its pre-injured position, therefore, kids, teens, adolescents, adults with whiplash or personal injuries have less long term joint damage and degeneration and your child will be able to participate sooner and more competitively in their sport while reducing the likelihood of future surgery. Scheduling an appointment with the doctors at Accident Medical & Chiropractic Centers, immediately after a whiplash will help reduce the long term negative effects of injury. Going to an emergency room, having x-rays, CT scans, receiving some pain medications and being sent home after your told that there’s nothing wrong doesn’t heal your body!    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=287 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:37:05 CDT  Five ways that exercise can enhance your brainpower and mood: Accident Medical & Chiropractic doctors can help you with an exercise program. It reverses the detrimental effects of stress. Exercise boosts levels of soothing brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Exercise may actually work on a cellular level to reverse stress's toll on your aging process. It lifts depression. Sustained, sweat-inducing activity can reduce symptoms of depression about as effectively as antidepressants. It improves learning. Exercise increases the level of brain chemicals called growth factors that help make new brain cells. It builds self-esteem and improves body image. Even simply seeing fitness improvements, like running a faster mile or lifting more weight, can improve your self-esteem and body image. It leaves you feeling euphoric. High-intensity exercise can leave you with a feeling of euphoria. Try running, biking, or swimming as fast as you can for 30 to 40 seconds and then reduce your speed to a gentle pace for five minutes before sprinting again. Further, a new study by researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago have revealed impressive insights into why exercise is so good for your brain. In short, it appears that exercise lowers the activity of bone-morphogenetic protein or BMP, which slows the production of new brain cells. At the same time, exercise increases Noggin, a brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist. According to NYTimes.com: "The more Noggin in your brain, the less BMP activity exists and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis [production of new brain cells] you experience." Sources:   U.S. News & World Report June 30, 2010   NYTimes.com July 7, 2010   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=286 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:20:11 CDT  Failure to Include this Will Sabotage Your Exercise Program Accident Medical & Chiropractic Centers offers various exercise plans to improve your health Whether you are an elite athlete, a patient in rehab for an injury, a weekend warrior, or a stay at home mom, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) will enhance all aspects of movement no matter what activity you choose to participate  I was introduced to the AIS technique about 20 years ago. When I was in school, it was a cursory two-day course in stretching that I felt would be of benefit to me in my daily work and activities. Little did I know the change it would bring to my life and career. Within ten days of performing the stretches, I had eliminated a rotator cuff injury that had persisted for years, as well as many other injuries since. I was amazed at how quickly these movements changed the structure and function of my shoulder and as a result, I decided to learn this technique from the man that created the work, Aaron Mattes RKT, LMT, from Sarasota, Florida Aaron, a registered kinesiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist, has been teaching AIS for decades, and has his own clinic in Florida. I have spent many years working closely with Aaron at his clinic and at countless seminars, assisting him in teaching the next generation of therapists that will carry on this work. With over 20 years experience, many of which were in the physical therapy setting, I've applied AIS to thousands of my patients, athletes, and clients. I can honestly say I have never had anything but positive experiences using AIS. Simply put, it just works. How Does Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) Work So how does AIS differ from the myriad of modalities available for aches, pains and greater athletic performance? There are three main principles of AIS that will help you understand this method of flexibility. First, active isolated stretching uses your body's own laws to facilitate the results I am speaking of. The stretches are held for only 1.5-2 seconds, and are completed in repetitions. The reason for this is that when a stretch is held for longer than two seconds, a protective mechanism called "myotatic stretch reflex" is triggered. This reflex happens in your body under many normal circumstances. However in elite performance, injury rehabilitation or the desire to instill lasting changes in the body, this reflex is undesirable. The aforementioned is true because when the myotatic stretch reflex is initiated (by holding stretches for more than approx. 2.5-3 seconds), the muscle being stretched will begin to contract, creating what is known as an eccentric contraction - something we do not want to happen. Allowing the myotatic stretch reflex to occur while stretching causes oxygen to be depleted from the tissue being stretched. Reduction of oxygen is the opposite of what you want to happen in a rehabilitation or performance situation. Secondly, the stretches performed in this technique are "active"-- meaning the person being stretched actually helps move their own body part with their own muscles, before any assistance with a rope (if done alone) or a therapist (if treated by therapist) is initiated. This active movement causes "reciprocal inhibition" (Sherrington's law). Simply put, when a muscle contracts, another muscle called the "antagonist" (the opposite) muscle is shut off. The perfect environment to stretch a muscle is when it is relaxed. Active Isolated Stretching achieves this concept with every stretch. Here are two simple exercises demonstrating external and internal rotation stretches: Finally, breathing... In this concept, I am speaking about optimizing the oxygen content of the muscle and surrounding fascia (connective tissue). You should always be exhaling during the "work phase" of the stretch, or while the myofascia is being stretched. Breathing in this manner will allow the maximum amount of oxygen to be delivered to the region being treated. This is the optimal result desired, whether it is for athletic performance, rehabilitation, or just preparing yourself for your day. Additional Benefits of AIS There are several other benefits that occur by using AIS. Because your brain and nervous system are engaged in every movement, there is neuromuscular re-education occurring as the repetitions are done. Every time a new range of motion is achieved, new neural pathways are produced. For athletes, Power= Strength + Flexibility + Time. A muscle cannot be trained to its end range if maximum range of motion is not achieved. By using repetitions, great amounts of lymph are moved through your body. This is of great benefit in wound and injury healing, as well as detoxification of your body. Additionally, the benefits of AIS can result in an enhanced immune system, as well as improved feeling of well-being because of increased flexibility. There are many reasons to be, or become flexible. Your daily activities will be enhanced by having a more supple, movable body. Personally, I find it to be the most critical aspect of well-being. If you cannot move well, all activities, fitness endeavors, strength training, and general health can be compromised.    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=285 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:08:54 CDT      Knowing When Its Time To End Therapy   Most people think of psychotherapy simply as counseling. In fact, the term psychotherapy is used to describe a variety of different talk therapies that treat emotional, behavioral, personality, and psychiatric disorders. Psychotherapy involves a commitment to a series of appointments with a licensed mental health professional, enabling a relationship to form between the therapist and the individual. If you’ve been in psychotherapy for some time, how do you know when your treatment is completed and you no longer need to see your therapist? This is something that you and your therapist should decide together. Some types of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal therapy, are meant to be time limited; you and your therapist will set goals that can be achieved over a few months. When you've reached these goals and are generally feeling better, it's probably time to stop therapy sessions. Knowing when to say goodbye is tougher with more open-ended types of therapy such as psychodynamic therapy, which delves more deeply into how your past is affecting your present. This treatment doesn't have a timetable for completion, and measuring goals is more subjective. But it seems logical to stop once you feel better, have resolved your major issues, and feel like your life and relationships have improved. As with antidepressant medications, it's not a good idea to quit therapy abruptly or without discussing it with your therapist. Some therapists find it best to taper off slowly, perhaps decreasing sessions from weekly to biweekly, then to monthly, and finally to telephone check-ins as needed. Of course, if you haven't seen any improvement after six months, it's probably time to consider a different type of therapy or medication or a change in therapist.            ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=284 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:04:06 CDT Building Muscle Strength with Hydrotherapy  This Health Alert is intended for readers interested in learning about the prevention, diagnosis, and management of back pain. We can help you     at .     Accident Medical & Chiropractic Pain Centers. Many exercise programs are too strenuous for people who are recovering from a back injury -- such as a herniated disk or vertebral compression fracture -- and for those whose spine is susceptible to injury due to conditions like osteoporosis. For these people, hydrotherapy -- exercising in water -- is an excellent alternative. Like other forms of exercise, water workouts help to increase flexibility, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness. But water exercise has many additional benefits for people with back problems. Because water is buoyant and helps to support weight, water exercise places minimal stress on joints and muscles, including those in the back. Thus, water may allow a more vigorous exercise program than would be possible on land. In addition, exercising in warm water can relieve pain, reduce spasm and swelling, and relax back muscles. Water also offers a safe environment for muscle strengthening, which is important for people who are vulnerable to spinal injury.   Because water offers natural resistance to movement, pulling or pushing your body through water can strengthen your muscles. For example, walking while immersed in chest-high water is a gentle and effective way to tone the abdominal muscles, which help support the back. For people with osteoporosis, improved muscle tone can help preserve bone density, and water exercise has the added advantage of reducing the risk of falls while working out.   People who are recovering from a back injury -- such as a herniated disk -- may need to start with personal instruction from a physical therapist, who can devise a safe water exercise program that focuses on warm water stretches to relieve pain and improve range of motion and teach people how to keep the spine properly aligned in the water. Most water workouts should be done while submerged in chest- to waist-deep water. The deeper you are, the greater the water's buoyancy and cushioning. People with severe back injury may need to begin exercising while submerged to the neck. This position can reduce pressure on spinal nerves and soft tissues and decrease pain. As the spine grows stronger and is able to tolerate partial weight-bearing exercise, a gradual transition is made to more shallow water.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=283 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:13:53 CDT Common Causes of Auto Accidents The doctors of Accident Medical and Chiropractic Pain Centers have been treating Auto Accident Injuries in Arizona for over 30 years.  We offer chiropractic manipulation, physiotherapy and rehab exercises. After the world's first automobile-related fatality, which occurred in London in 1896, the coroner said: "This must never happen again." Little did he know that from then on, some 25 million people would have died in vehicle-related accidents, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). And even with all the advancements in vehicle safety technology, the number of people killed in auto accidents continues to rise. Close to 1.2 million people die each year on the world's roads, and that number is expected to rise by 65 percent by the year 2020, says a report by WHO and the World Bank. What's causing all of these accidents, which are, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the leading cause of death among people aged 3 to 33, should then be of great interest to all of us drivers out there. Ironically, when you take a look through the top six causes you'll see that the greatest threat to drivers is the drivers themselves. 1. Distracted Drivers Mark Edwards, Director of Traffic Safety at the American Automobile Association stated, "The research tells us that somewhere between 25-50 percent of all motor vehicle crashes in this country really have driver distraction as their root cause." The distractions are many, but according to a study conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), texting-- rubbernecking -- or slowing down to gawk at another accident -- caused the most accidents, accounting for 16 percent of all distraction-related crashes. "I've had as many as three accidents at one scene, at one intersection," says Officer John Carney of the Fairfax County Police. "Rubbernecking is the most dangerous distraction, in my experience." After rubbernecking, other common driver distractions included: Driver fatigue (12 percent, see below) Looking at scenery (10 percent) Other passengers or children (9 percent) Adjusting the radio, cassette or CD player (7 percent) Reading the newspaper, books, maps or other documents (less than 2 percent) Another increasingly serious cause of driver distraction is cell phone use, as more than 85 percent of the estimated 100 million cell-phone users talk on their phone regularly while driving, according to a Prevention magazine survey. At least one study has found that driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time quadruples the risk of crashing, which is why many cities have recently begun banning their use while driving unless a hands-free device is used. 2. Driver Fatigue Drowsy drivers account for about 100,000 accidents every year in the United States, according to the U.S. National Traffic Safety Administration. The risk is greatest from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., the time when most people are used to sleeping, however some people also become drowsy from noon to 2 p.m. Symptoms of driver fatigue include heavy eyelids, frequent yawning, a drifting vehicle that wanders over road lines, varying vehicle speed for no reason, misjudging traffic situations, seeing things "jump out" in the road, feeling fidgety or irritable and daydreaming. Other than making sure you are well-rested before getting behind the wheel, the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA) offers these tips to help avoid fatigue-related auto accidents: Take a break from driving at least every two hours. Get a good night's sleep before a long trip. Share the driving whenever possible. Avoid long drives after work. Avoid drinking before driving. Pull over and stop when drowsiness, discomfort or loss of concentration occurs. Find out whether any medicine you are taking may affect your driving. 3. Drunk Driving In 2004, an estimated 16,654 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, according to NHTSA. This is an average of one death almost every half-hour. Drunk drivers were responsible for 30 percent of all fatal crashes during the week in 2003, but this percentage rose significantly over the weekends, during which 53 percent of fatal crashes were alcohol-related. The only way to prevent this type of accident is to not drink and drive. Whenever alcohol is involved, choose a designated driver in advance. This person should not drink at all before driving. 4. Speeding Speeding is a multi-tiered threat because not only does it reduce the amount of time necessary to avoid a crash, it also increases the risk of crashing and makes the crash more severe if it does occur. In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), when speed increases from 40 mph to 60 mph, the energy released in a crash more than doubles. Simply slowing down and obeying posted speed limits can go a long way toward making the roads safer. 5. Aggressive Driving Exactly what is an aggressive driver? According to the New York State Police, it's anyone who: "Operates a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold or pushy manner, without regard for the rights or safety of the other users of the streets and highways." This includes behaviors such as: Aggressive tailgating Flashing lights at other drivers because you're irritated at them Aggressive or rude gestures Deliberately preventing another driver from moving their vehicle Verbal abuse Physical assaults Disregarding traffic signals Changing lanes frequently or in an unsafe manner Failure to yield the right of way If you come across an aggressive driver, the New York State Police gives these tips to protect yourself: Remain calm Keep your distance Do not pass unless you have to Change lanes once it is safe If you cannot change lanes and an aggressive driver is behind you, stay where you are, maintain the proper speed and do not respond with hostile gestures If the situation is serious, you may call 911 to report an aggressive driver 6. Weather. Inclement weather, including heavy rain, hail, snowstorms, ice, high winds and fog can make driving more difficult. You'll need more time to stop and may have trouble seeing the road clearly, so when the weather gets bad be sure to leave extra room between the car in front of you and slow down. If necessary, pull off the road to a rest stop (or to the side of the road, well out of the traffic lanes) until conditions improve.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=282 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:36:04 CDT Cars,Gangs & Thieves in Phoenix, AZ FYI News alert.................              Thursday morning, I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it.   I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head.  But when I got to my destination, I called the  PD and they were going to check it out.  This is what I was told...           "Several things to be aware of  ... gangs and thieves, are now plotting different ways to get a person to "stop" their vehicle.           "There is a gang initiation reported by the local police department that gangs are placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the baby.   Note that the location of this car seat will usually be beside a wooded or grassy (field) area ...and the person - woman - will be dragged into the woods- beaten and raped- usually left for dead.  DO NOT STOP. DIAL 9-1-1  AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW!!!           "IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSHIELD. DO NOT TURN ON YOUR WIPERS AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER ON IT BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOMES MILKY AND YOU'LL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE!!!!   YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THIEVES.   THIS IS A  NEW  TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS.   PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.    THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES AND THESE UNSAVORY INDIVIDUALS WILL TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET WHAT THEY WANT."           Please talk to your loved ones about this.  This is a new tactic used and I would hate for anyone to fall victim to this kind of crime.           Please BE SAFE AND NEVER STOP YOUR VEHICLE   Deputy Neil Martin #S1315 Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol Division   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=281 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:41:03 CDT Traffic Accidents in Phoenix At Accident Medical & Chiropractic Pain Centers, with 12 Valley Wide locations in the Phoenix Metropolitan area, we focus on the treatment of injuries caused by auto accidents. The chiropractic treatment can consist of physiotherapy, rehab exercises and chiropractic manipulation.  For the more serious/chronic pain patients we offer Manipulation Under Anesthesia. Phoenix drivers have a reputation for aggressive driving and high speeds, and Phoenix highways never seem to be without crashes on any given day. So how did Phoenix , Arizona do in a study of cities and traffic accidents? Recently, Allstate Insurance researchers analyzed internal data to determine the likelihood that drivers would be involved in a vehicle collision. They looked at those cities in the U.S. with at least 100,000 in population--the largest 196 cities. To create the report entitled, "Allstate America ’s Best Drivers Report,” they took property damage claims over a two-year period (from January, 2002 to December, 2003) and used a weighted average of the two-year numbers to determine the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in property damage. Nationally, the average driver can expect to experience an auto crash with property damage once in every ten years. In Cedar Rapids , though, the average is only once in every 15 years, making that city the safest of all cities of more than 100,000 population.    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=280 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:24:22 CDT If You Want to Age Gracefully - Don't Eat This   You can slow down your aging process and help stave off heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. U.S. News & World Report offers some tips on how to do it:  Free radicals. Free radicals are chemically unstable molecules that attack your cells and damage your DNA. You can limit your exposure to them by avoiding cigarettes, trans fats, charred meats, and other sources. Organic fruits and vegetables will also limit your exposure to pesticides and herbicides, which contain the harmful molecules. Inflammation. Inflammation is a major player in many diseases of aging, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. One way to avoid it is to follow a Mediterranean-style diet. Other great anti-inflammatory foods include turmeric, dark chocolate, and the anti-aging chemical resveratrol. Exercise is another great way to lower inflammation. Glycation. Glycation is what happens when sugar mixes with proteins and fats to form molecules that promote aging. Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, are thought to accelerate your aging process by churning out free radicals and promoting inflammation. One way to avoid ingesting AGEs is to turn down the heat when you cook. The browning effect of high-heat cooking causes these molecules to form. Limiting your intake of sugar-filled foods in general will also help. Stress. Stress initiates the release of a variety of hormones that make your pulse race and cause your blood pressure to rise. The hormone cortisol, released to lessen these effects, also creates problems when it remains chronically elevated. Try practicing relaxation techniques to help manage stress, and get enough sleep every night. Sources:   U.S. News & World Report July 29, 2010   The Guardian August 1, 2010  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=279 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:02:05 CDT The Hidden Truth: Why Government Wants Your Kids on Cholesterol Drugs  If Pfizer has its way, your child's gummy bears may be replaced with chewable Lipitor The exploitation of children for the sake of profit is yet another loathsome strategy drug manufacturers are willing to deploy, this time for the purpose of extending Lipitor's patent to hold off generic brand competition. We are already drugging children into complacency with psychotropic stimulants such as Ritalin if they are bored or distracted in the classroom, and devastating their developing immune systems with massive amounts of sugary drinks and a growing barrage of mercury-laden vaccines. The following trends are quite disturbing: According to one study, American children take antipsychotic medications at six times the rate of U.K. children. One in four American kids takes a prescription drug for a chronic health condition. One in five teens has high cholesterol. Heartburn and acid reflux medications among adolescents has jumped 147 percent since 2001. Girls aged 10 to 19 taking medications for type 2 diabetes has jumped almost 200 percent in the past nine years. Children and adolescents make up the leading growth category for the pharmaceutical industry, with increases nearly four times higher than those seen in the rest of the population. "No Child Left Unscreened" Pumping statins into your children, like we are already doing with psychiatric drugs, would be disastrous, as the damaging side effects are now well established. And if the government gets involved in mandating cholesterol screenings, it then becomes a slippery slope toward YOUR loss of parental choice about YOUR child's medical care. Often the government passes off recommendations as "medical decisions" but they are really "monetary decisions." You should be the person in charge of your child's health -- not some government agency with a competing agenda! Generation XL It is indisputable that childhood obesity is placing the very future of the developing world at stake -- a topic I am so concerned about that I wrote a book called Generation XL. If the childhood obesity epidemic is not reversed, we will, for the first time in history, see children living shorter lives than their parents. Indeed, something must be done about escalating childhood obesity and "adult" diseases showing up in our children. But massive statin campaigns are certainly NOT the answer. The cause of the problem is unhealthy lifestyle choices -- and drugs do nothing to address this. As mentioned in the source article, Harvard researchers found 85 percent of heart disease can be prevented by lifestyle changes alone -- diet, exercise, and supplemental nutrients. What is Really Making Your Child Fat? The modern Western diet has become exceedingly reliant on high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), refined grains, processed foods and artificial sweeteners -- a "perfect storm" for weight gain and poor health. HFCS is now the number one source of calories in the US, and free-floating fructose is now the leading culprit for the obesity epidemic. Sugar -- specifically fructose -- is metabolized by your child's body in such a way that nearly all of it is converted to fat. Fructose is a very different sugar from glucose, which humans were designed to use for energy. Fructose is actually closer to ethanol, in terms of how it's metabolized. Unfortunately, fructose is the number one source of calories in the American diet, and children and adolescents are its number one consumers. If you wish to promote your children's health and well being, it is essential to limit their fructose consumption. You may have been deceived into thinking that dietary fat is the reason for your child's weight problem. But low-fat diet foods actually CAUSE weight gain in the majority of people, rather than saturated fats. There are other factors that influence whether or not your child may develop a weight problem and other related health issues. There are genetic, emotional, social and environmental factors. For example, researchers at the University of Illinois and the Harvard School of Public Health report that toddlers in day care tend to gain more weight than those who are cared for at home. They found babies spending more than 9 months in day care gained 0.4 pound more than those cared for by their parents. Although the higher weight gain was not easily explained, they speculated it had to do with "irregular eating patterns," as well as possibly the types of foods they were fed. One hypothesis suggested by scientists was that day care workers might use food to sooth crying babies more than parents do, which could theoretically set up your baby for "emotional eating." There is evidence that childhood obesity is not only related to adult obesity but to poor health in adulthood as well, so it is very important to pay attention to your child's diet and eating patterns from day one. Total Cholesterol Number Alone is Virtually Useless If your doctor is urging your child to get her total cholesterol level checked, you should realize this test tells you virtually nothing about her risk of heart disease -- unless it is 330 or higher. Without also knowing lipid values, total cholesterol is meaningless. If you are going to participate in a screening, make sure a complete fasting lipid profile is what is being done. What matters is how much HDL your child has in relation to her LDL and triglycerides. The purpose of HDL is to take cholesterol from your child's tissues and arteries and transport it back to her liver, where it can be reused. It is her body's way of recycling and reusing cholesterol -- because cholesterol is vital for health, not the villain it has been made out to be. LDL particles come in a variety of sizes, and it's the small, dense ones (VLDLs) that can potentially be a problem because they can squeeze through the lining of your child's arteries and oxidize, causing inflammation. Here is a simple way to determine if your child has too much bad LDL (VLDL): If her triglycerides are low and her HDL is high, then the LDL she has is the good variety. If her triglycerides are high and her HDL is low, then the LDL she has is the bad variety. The triglyceride-to-HDL ratio is a far better indicator of cardiovascular disease than the total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio that nearly everyone uses. Here are two ratios, easily calculated from a lipid panel, which can help you evaluate your child's heart disease risk: HDL/Total Cholesterol Ratio: Should ideally be more than 24 percent. If it's less than10 percent, your child has a significant risk for developing heart disease. Triglyceride/HDL Ratio: Should be less than 2. Now, here's the bottom line: Dietary fat raises the large, buoyant LDL -- the one that is harmless. Dietary SUGAR raises the small, dense LDL (VLDL) -- the one that correlates with heart disease. The type of fat that is beneficial comes from organic meats and dairy and natural whole foods, NOT trans fats, which can be deadly and should be avoided altogether. Cholesterol is NOT the Villain in Childhood Obesity Cholesterol has been terribly vilified, when in reality it is essential for a wide variety of vital functions in your child's growing body, including: Maintaining healthy cell membranes Producing a variety of hormones, including estrogen, testosterone and vitamin D Producing bile acids, which aid in fat digestion Cholesterol also helps your child's brain form memories and is vital to her overall neurological function. On the flip side, there is strong evidence that having too little cholesterol increases your risk for cancer, memory loss, Parkinson's disease, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression, suicide, and violent behavior. Before 2004, a 130 LDL cholesterol level was considered perfect. But now, many physicians are recommending levels of less than 100, or even less than 70 for patients at very high risk. In order to achieve these outrageous and dangerously low targets, you typically need to take multiple cholesterol-lowering drugs! So, the guidelines have progressively widened the pharmaceutical market. If children are subjected to universal cholesterol screening, the drug companies increase their target market that much more. Statin Side Effects: Keep Out of the Reach of Children! In 2007, the American Heart Association first recommended the use of statin drugs for children with high cholesterol. Then, in 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics followed suit, recommending cholesterol-lowering drugs for children as young as age 8. Now they are concocting ways to place more and more children on statins, in spite of the overwhelming evidence for serious side effects -- nearly 900 studies point to the damaging effects of these drugs. The list of statin-related health problems includes the following: Muscle damage (potentially permanent), mostly related to CoQ10 depletion Heart damage, heart failure and strokes Neuropathy Immune system suppression Pancreatic dysfunction Hepatic dysfunction Increased cancer risk Cognitive impairment Depression In addition to these risks, there are also risks from insufficient CoQ10 levels, which directly relate to the use of statins: Impaired white blood cell activity Reduced muscle strength contraction -- especially for the heart muscle Impaired liver function Decreased cell growth and division Decreased ability to neutralize free radicals And now, it would appear, they are pushing a massive kiddie-statin campaign, disguised as "preventative medicine." Pfizer has been in legal trouble a number of times over fraudulent claims about the "health benefits" of Lipitor. Lipitor is particularly damaging if you are diabetic, doubling your risk for stroke. And with childhood diabetes rates increasing by leaps and bounds, prescribing Lipitor would be extremely risky to these diabetic or pre-diabetic kids. According to an excellent report in 2008 in the New England Journal of Medicine, long-term data about the safety of statins for children is completely lacking. Ferranti and Ludwig write: "At 8 years of age, a child's brain and other organ systems remain in dynamic stages of growth and development, raising concern that long-term pharmacotherapy initiated at this age may adversely affect the central nervous system, immune function, hormones, energy metabolism, or other systems in unanticipated ways." It is one thing to medicate the child who has a rare genetic defect in cholesterol metabolism, but quite another to treat masses of at-risk children whose symptoms reflect easily modifiable lifestyle factors. As the article says, "Once this door has been opened, the pharmaceutical industry will happily walk through it." Top 10 Ways to Help Your Child Achieve Optimal Health and Body Weight -- Without Drugs While prescription of a cholesterol-lowering medication may be warranted in a few rare cases, 99 times out of 100, hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia can be corrected with some simple lifestyle changes. Here are my top 10 recommendations: Eliminate all sodas and fruit juices. If your child is already overweight or obese it is particularly important to lower their total fructose intake, INCLUDING fruit, until their weight normalizes. It would also be helpful to severely limit grains, even apparently healthy ones like whole organic grains, until their weight normalizes. Help your child get regular exercise. Prepare the right foods for your child's nutritional type. I now offer the full nutritional typing program free of charge. Encourage your child to eat a good portion of her food raw. Make sure your child is getting plenty of high-quality, animal-based omega3-fats. My favorite is krill oil. Introduce your child to a variety of heart-healthy foods such as olive oil, coconut and coconut oil, organic raw dairy products and eggs, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and organic grass-fed meats that fit within her nutritional type guidelines. Introduce your child to strategies that help her address emotional challenges, such as EFT. Make sure your child gets plenty of restorative sleep. Finally, make sure your child's vitamin D levels are within therapeutic levels. Vitamin D is not "just a vitamin," but rather the only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (meaning it produces multiple effects), repair- and maintenance hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your child's body. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. About 70 percent of U.S. children have inadequate levels of vitamin D, so this should be one of the first issues you address to keep your child's heart healthy. A Call to Action for the Sake of ALL Children The Alliance for Natural Health has an on-line "action alert" letter you can send to your Congressional representatives about repealing the law that allows drug companies to extend their patents by testing drugs on children. It is quick and easy to do! Just click here. If you care about this issue, I encourage you to take a moment to let your rep's know how you feel. Sources:   Alliance for Natural Health July 13, 2010   Time July 12, 2010 Related Links:   Now They Want to Treat Kids With Statins   Do YOU Take Any of These 11 Dangerous Cholesterol Drugs?   New Bombshell of Disastrous Side Effects from Statins…   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=278 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:47:42 CDT City Passes 1st Cell Phone Radiation Law.. San Francisco has voted to require all retailers to display the amount of radiation cell phones emit. The law is the first of its kind in the U.S. The administration of mayor Gavin Newsom called the vote a major victory for cell phone shoppers' right to know. According to the New York Times: "Under the law, retailers will be required to post materials -- in at least 11-point type -- next to phones, listing their specific absorption rate, which is the amount of radio waves absorbed into the cell phone user's body tissue. These so-called SAR rates can vary from phone to phone, but all phones sold in the United States must have a SAR rate no greater than 1.6 watts per kilogram". Sources:   New York Times June 15, 2010   Electromagnetic Health June 15, 2010   San Francisco Chronicle June 18, 2010   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=277 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:40:15 CDT Are Cell Phones the New Cigarettes?  Writing  in the New York Times, Maureen Dowd wonders if cell phones could be the next cigarettes. One study that followed people who began using cells as teenagers calculated a 400 percent increase in brain tumors after 10 years. San Francisco has become the first city in the U.S. to pass legislation making cell phone retailers display radiation levels. The reaction of Big Business has been predictable.  According to Dowd: "CTIA -- The Wireless Association ... issued a petulant statement that after 2010, it would relocate its annual three-day fall exhibition, with 68,000 exhibitors and attendees and '$80 million' in business, away from San Francisco ... So now we have Exhibit No. 1,085 illustrating the brazenness of Big Business." Dowd proposes that they should be sending Gavin Newsom, San Francisco's Mayor, a bottle of good California wine instead, for caring about whether kids' brains get fried. Sources:   New York Times June 25, 2010     ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=276 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:40:13 CDT YOUR MATTRESS COULD BE LINKED TO A CANCER CAUSING ANTENNA The rate of breast cancer in Western countries is 10 percent higher in the left breast than in the right. This also is true for the skin cancer melanoma. Researchers have suggested a surprising explanation for this -- and for the dramatic increase in rates of breast cancer and melanoma over the past three decades. In Japan, there is no correlation between the rates of melanoma and breast cancer, and there is no left-side prevalence for either disease. The rate of breast cancer in Japan is also significantly lower than in the West. This may be due to differences in sleeping habits in Japan and Western countries. Previous research has shown that people prefer to sleep on their right sides, possibly as a way of reducing weight stress on the heart. This is most likely the same in both the East and the West, but the futons used for sleeping in Japan are mattresses placed directly on the bedroom floor, in contrast to the elevated box springs and mattress of beds used in the West. According to Scientific American: "... [A] 2007 study in Sweden conducted between 1989 and 1993 ... revealed a strong link between the incidence of melanoma and the number of FM and TV transmission towers covering the area where the individuals lived ... Consider, however, that even a TV set cannot respond to broadcast transmissions unless the weak electromagnetic waves are captured and amplified by an appropriately designed antenna. Antennas are simply metal objects of appropriate length sized to match the wavelength of a specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation." In the U.S., bed frames and box springs are made of metal, and the length of a bed is exactly half the wavelength of FM and TV transmissions.  The maximum strength of the field develops 75 centimeters above the mattress, so when sleeping on your right side, your left side will be exposed to the highest field strength. Sources:   Scientific American July 2, 2010   Pathophysiology June 2010;17(3):157-160   Pathophysiology June 2010; 17(3):161   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=274 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:10:36 CDT Chiropractic-What to expect on your 1st Visit... Your examination at Accident Medical & Chiropractic Medical Pain Centers  will begin with the chiropractor taking your case history, conducting a physical examination and possibly ordering laboratory analyses or X-rays. Your chiropractor also will provide a careful chiropractic structural examination, paying close attention to your spine. Physical examination Through the physical examination, your chiropractor will learn how your joints, muscles and nerves are functioning, both individually and together. Neurological and orthopedic tests also may be conducted. If needed, your chiropractor may check your blood pressure, listen to your heart and lungs or examine your abdomen for a complete evaluation of your physical health. Your chiropractic treatment Your treatment starts with your chiropractor educating you about what was found in your examination and explaining a treatment plan. Risks associated with your condition and proposed treatment also will be discussed. If your chiropractor believes you could benefit from a more specialized examination or that your condition is serious or requires surgery, you will be referred to the appropriate healthcare professional. Most patients' conditions can be treated in the chiropractor's office. Treatment techniques performed can include adjustment of your spine and your joints. Additional techniques may be used to relax your muscles and nerves to relieve pain. Personalized care recommendations Before you leave the chiropractor's office, you are likely to receive a plan for taking care of your condition at home or at work. Your plan may include advice on postural correction, exercises and stretches, sleeping position or other wellness techniques. Your treatment plan also may include follow-up visits to the chiropractor, typically lasting between 15 and 30 minutes  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=273 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:03:14 CDT Benefits of Chiropractic Join the millions of people who have not only found relief from back, neck and headache pain through chiropractic, but also experienced improved overall health with chiropractic's natural, drug-free approach to health care    Why Choose It? Chiropractic is the method of natural healing most chosen by those seeking complementary/alternative health care for acute and chronic conditions. While you may first visit a chiropractor to relieve pain in the lower back or to treat sciatica, neck pain, whiplash or headache, you will find that a chiropractor views you as a whole person and not the sum of your parts. A chiropractor will work in partnership with you to ensure your optimal health and wellness. Triggers your body’s ability to heal Chiropractors recognize that many factors affect your health, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, environment and heredity. Chiropractic focuses on maintaining your health naturally to help your body resist disease, rather than simply treating the symptoms of disease. Starts with a thorough evaluation When you visit a Doctor of Chiropractic, you will be evaluated using time-honored methods, including consultation, case history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and X-ray examination. In addition, you will receive a careful chiropractic structural examination, with particular attention paid to the spine. Involves no drugs or surgery A broad range of techniques are used to locate, analyze and gently correct vertebral misalignments (subluxations) in the spine. Chiropractors may use manual adjustment, electrical muscular stimulation, ultrasound or massage. But they never use pharmaceutical drugs or invasive surgery. Chiropractic is a natural method of healing that stimulates the body's communication system to work more effectively to initiate, control and coordinate the various functions of the cells, organs and systems of the body. Partners with other healthcare professionals Doctors of chiropractic work in tandem with other healthcare professionals. If your condition requires attention from another branch of the healthcare profession, that recommendation or referral will be made.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=271 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:47:05 CDT Chiropractic & Applied Kinesiology   Chiropractic is a healing therapy that relieves pressure on nerves and allows bones, joints and muscles to move freely through their full and normal range of motion.  This allows all the tissues, nerves, blood flow and lymphatic drainage in the area to be optimal and maintain health.  "Applied Kinesiology is a system that evaluates the structural, chemical, and mental aspects of health, also know as the "Triad of Health." The Triad of Health's factors each contribute to the balance of all the major health categories by using manual testing. The Triad is interactive, in which all sides must be evaluated for the underlying cause of a problem. A health problem of one side of the Triad can affect the other sides" A doctor using Applied Kinesiology, also known as AK, finds a muscle that is unbalanced and then attempts to determine why that muscle is not functioning properly.  The doctor works out the treatment that will best balance the patient’s muscles.  Treatments may involve joint manipulation or mobilization, various muscular or myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian or acupuncture therapy, clinical nutrition, or dietary management.   AK is a skill developed and approved by the International College of Applied Kinesiology Board of Standards.  These are refined from many disciplines including Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Medicine, Dentistry, Acupuncture, Homeopathy and Naturopathy.  Members of these professions share knowledge and are certified through the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK).  A doctor using AK during an examination will adds a new dimension to standard diagnostics  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=270 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:41:01 CDT Side Effects and Risks of Chiropractic Treatment Side effects and risks depend on the specific type of chiropractic treatment used. For example, side effects from chiropractic adjustments can include temporary headaches, tiredness, or discomfort in parts of the body that were treated. The likelihood of serious complications, such as stroke, appears to be extremely low and related to the type of adjustment performed and the part of the body treated. If dietary supplements are a part of the chiropractic treatment plan, they may interact with medicines and cause side effects. It is important that people inform their chiropractors of all medicines (whether prescription or over-the-counter) and supplements they are taking  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=269 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:37:53 CDT What To Expect From Chiropractic Visits During the initial visit, chiropractors typically take a health history and perform a physical examination, with a special emphasis on the spine. Other examinations or tests such as x-rays may also be performed. If chiropractic treatment is considered appropriate, a treatment plan will be developed. During followup visits, practitioners may perform one or more of the many different types of adjustments used in chiropractic care. Given mainly to the spine, a chiropractic adjustment (sometimes referred to as a manipulation) involves using the hands or a device to apply a controlled, sudden force to a joint, moving it beyond its passive range of motion. The goal is to increase the range and quality of motion in the area being treated and to aid in restoring health. Other hands-on therapies such as mobilization (movement of a joint within its usual range of motion) also may be used.   Chiropractors may combine the use of spinal adjustments with several other treatments and approaches such as: Heat and ice Electrical stimulation Rest Rehabilitative exercise Counseling about diet, weight loss, and other lifestyle factors  Dietary supplements.       Chiropractors may combine the use of spinal adjustments with several other treatments and approaches such as: Heat and ice Electrical stimulation Rest Rehabilitative exercise Counseling about diet, weight loss, and other lifestyle factors  Dietary supplements.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=268 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:35:25 CDT Qualifications To Practice Chiropractic in Arizona To practice chiropractic care in the United States/Arizona, a practitioner must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from a college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). CCE is the agency certified by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit chiropractic colleges in the United States. Admission to a chiropractic college requires a minimum of 90 semester hour credits (approximately 3 years) of undergraduate study, mostly in the sciences. Chiropractic training is a 4-year academic program that includes both classroom work and direct experience caring for patients. Coursework typically includes instruction in the biomedical sciences, as well as in public health and research methods. Some chiropractors pursue a 2- to 3-year residency for training in specialized fields.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=267 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:20:37 CDT Overview & History of Chiropractic The term "chiropractic" combines the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (action) to describe a treatment done by hand. Hands-on therapy—especially adjustment of the spine—is central to chiropractic care. Chiropractic, which in the United States is considered part of complementary and alternative medicineA group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. (CAM), is based on these key concepts: The body has a powerful self-healing ability. The body's structure (primarily that of the spine) and its function are closely related, and this relationship affects health. Therapy aims to normalize this relationship between structure and function and assist the body as it heals. While some procedures associated with chiropractic care can be traced back to ancient times, the modern profession of chiropractic was founded by Daniel David Palmer in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer, a self-taught healer, believed that the body has a natural healing ability. Misalignments of the spine can interfere with the flow of energy needed to support health, Palmer theorized, and the key to health is to normalize the function of the nervous system, especially the spinal cord  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=265 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:30:08 CDT   Phoenix, Glendale,Tempe, Mesa, Chandler,Ahwatukee, Goodyear, Sun City Chiropractors and Medical Doctors Working Together To Improve Your Health! What is the source of your pain? If you’re suffering from sporadic, constant, or chronic pain, Accident Medical & Chiropractic Pain Centers has a solution for you which will help. You do not have to live your life in pain anymore. We offer the latest and best in Chiropractic and medical solutions to help you live a normal pain-free life free from the limitations and physical difficulties you’re currently suffering from. What makes us different? We offer diversity of treatment options all administered by trained, licensed, experienced professionals. Our doctors and pain relief physicians will sit with you when you first arrive and discuss your available options.  We'll come up with a plan that best suits your needs and personal preferences. Some prefer a medical solution and others choose chiropractic and physical therapy as non-surgical solutions that don’t require the use of drugs. At Accident Medical & Chiropractic Medical Centers with 12 Valley Wide locations, we have a staff made up of a chiropractors, and  we can refer you to medical doctors, physical therapist and specialists This combination of medical, chiropractic, and therapeutic procedures has made us the preferred choice for many Phoenicians, who want the best treatment available, period. We believe that no patient should be hampered by choices limited to only one school of thought. At Accident Medical & Chiropractic Pain Centers we seek out the solution that will help you, one that will address your needs in a way most comfortable to you. At Accident Medical & Chiropractic Pain Centers, we have the best of both worlds and will involve you in the decision making process. The medical doctors and our chiropractors are not in competition with one another. They work together to find the best pain relief solution for you. Our patients come first and that’s why they come back to us. If you are in pain let us help you. We know what to do to give you a chance to live a pain-free life.    ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=264 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:48:51 CDT How is a herniated disc treated? Manipulation under Anesthesia can help Symptoms from a herniated disc usually get better in a few weeks or months. To help you recover: Rest if you have severe pain. Otherwise, stay active. Staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can weaken your muscles and make the problem worse. Walking and other light activity may help. Try using a heating pad on a low or medium setting, or a warm shower, for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. You can also try an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. Do the exercises that your doctor or physical therapist suggests. These will help keep your back muscles strong and prevent another injury.  Ask your doctor about medicine to treat your symptoms. Medicine won't cure a herniated disc, but it may help with pain and swell ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=263 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:46:03 CDT How is a herniated disc diagnosed? Your doctor may diagnose a herniated disc by asking questions about your symptoms and examining you. If your symptoms clearly point to a herniated disc, you may not need tests. Sometimes a doctor will do tests such as an MRI or a CT scan to confirm a herniated disc or rule out other health problems.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=262 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:45:13 CDT What are the symptoms of a herniated disc? When a herniated disc presses  on nerve roots, it can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the area of the body where the nerve travels. A herniated disc in the lower back can cause pain and numbness in the buttock and down the leg. This is called sciatica  (say "sy-AT-ih-kuh"). Sciatica is the most common symptom of a herniated disc in the low back. If a herniated disc is not pressing on a nerve, you may have a backache or no pain at all. If you have weakness or numbness in both legs, along with loss of bladder or bowel control, seek medical care right away. This could be a sign of a rare but serious problem called cauda equina syndrome.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=261 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:43:24 CDT What causes a herniated disc? A herniated disc may be caused by: Wear and tear of the disc. As you age, your discs dry out and aren't as flexible.  Injury to the spine. This may cause tiny tears or cracks in the hard outer layer of the disc. When this happens, the gel inside the disc can be forced out through the tears or cracks in the outer layer of the disc. This causes the disc to bulge, break open, or break into pieces. ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=260 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:42:12 CDT What is a herniated disc? The bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in your back are cushioned by small, spongy discs. When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disc is damaged, it may bulge or break open. This is called a herniated disc. It may also be called a slipped or ruptured disc. See a picture of a herniated disc . You can have a herniated disc in any part of your spine. But most herniated discs affect the lower back (lumbar spine). Some happen in the neck (cervical spine) and, more rarely, in the upper back (thoracic spine). This topic focuses mainly on the lower back.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=259 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:27:05 CDT Does Spinal Decompression really work? Spinal Decompression has been proven effective in relieving the pain associated with bulging and herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, and even relapse or failed back surgery. Since its release, clinical studies have revealed an amazing success rate in treating lumbar disc related problems with Spinal Decompression.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=258 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:25:22 CDT     The NEW Treatment for Low Back Pain… Spinal Decompression   After only a few weeks of treatment, previous research has shown outstanding results in relieving the debilitating pain caused by degenerative, bulging, herniated or ruptured discs, as well as sciatica, posterior facet syndrome, spinal stenosis, and many failed back surgery cases.  Most patients are able to return to normal levels of acivity at work or play in just a few weeks time. If you have any of the above named conditions, you are a candidate for DTRX9000 Therapy.   Spinal Decompression with the DRX9000 Table has proven to be safe and without side effects or complications once abnormal conditions have been ruled out.  Patients with conditions that compromise the integrity of the spinal column such as gross osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis grade 2 and above, fractures, tumors or congenital  pars defects are not candidates for Spinal Decompression.  Previous spinal surgery is not contraindicated unless hardware (screws, pins, rods, etc.) has been implanted in the back. In the past, a patient suffering from disc problems usually was given pain medications, instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred for physical therapy, and when they weren’t progressing they were sent for spinal surgery. Conservative chiropractic care proved very helpful in many cases, yet there have been some cases when surgery seemed to be the only other option… until now. Today, you don’t have to live with that pain anymore. Thanks to the concerted efforts of a team of top physicians and medical engineers, Spinal Decompression was developed to effectively treat lower back pain and sciatica resulting from herniated or deteriorated discs. Spinal Decompression not only significantly reduces back pain in many patients, but also enables the majority of patients to return to more active lifestyles.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=257 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:20:36 CDT What is Muscle Spasm? A muscle spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle, and is frequently painful. There are many different types of muscle spasms. Some can be addressed through medical means, improvement of diet or physical therapy. Other causes of a muscle spasm may be harder to find and treat. Some causes of muscle spasm include straining of a muscle, dehydration, trauma, diseases like cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as a reaction to certain poisons like strychnine, and damage to nerves or to the spinal cord. The contraction that occurs during a muscle spasm is involuntary; the brain sends signals to the muscle to contract, which are not willed by the body. When we exercise, we use voluntary contractions of muscles to perform work. In a muscle spasm, the brain sends a mixed signal to the muscle to contract that is not willed by the person.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=256 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:18:10 CDT Surgery no cure-all for back pain Posted on August 9, 2010 by Michael Melton The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a really good article today raising questions about the effectiveness of expensive back surgeries for alleviating back pain. Several of the sources the author cites suggest that some of the most expensive and invasive procedures, like spinal fusion, might be greatly overused in cases where they can have little benefit. As the article notes, some insurers are beginning to push back on covering the costs for these procedures, and the new health care reform bill will require doctors to show cost-effectiveness when they prescribe such surgeries. Non-invasive treatments, like physical therapy and chiropractic, can often have excellent results at a fraction of the cost of back surgery, and as this article shows, more patients should be made aware that they have options other than surgery.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=254 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:03:40 CDT REDUCE SPINAL INJURIES WITH SEAT BELTS & AIR BAGS Before the early 1970s, seat belts and shoulder restraints were not standard equipment in automobiles. And it wasn't until 1985 that the first airbags began appearing in cars. The positive impact those two innovations have had on the reduction of spinal cord injuries cannot be underestimated. In fact, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of spinal cord injury. Motor vehicle accidents have accounted for more than a third of all reported cases of spinal cord injury, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Database. In addition, motor vehicle accidents also account for other spinal-related injuries, such as whiplash, fractures, and herniated discs. A respected eight-year-long university study, for example, confirmed without a doubt that the combination of airbags and seat belts effectively reduced spinal injuries from automobile accidents. Larger vehicles, such as trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), have statistically trailed the safety requirements for passenger vehicles, as well as such innovations as padded dashboards, collapsible steering columns, anti-lock brakes and side airbags. Airbags have been controversial over the years because some people have been severely injured or killed from their deployment. Significant advancements have been made to airbags in recent years, resulting in greater safety. The important lesson is this: Always wear your seat belt and allow 10 inches between your breastbone and the steering wheel to prevent injury from airbag deployment. Children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat properly restrained. Children riding in the front passenger seat should sit as far back from the airbag as possible.   ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=253 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:55:48 CDT Steps To Follow After a Car Accident Stop & Notify Police The law requires that the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident stop at the scene. Do not move the cars unless their position causes a dangerous condition. Help If there are injured people you must immediately call for an ambulance. Dialing 911 will get you both the police and an ambulance. DO NOT attempt to treat the injured person yourself unless you have training in first aid. DO NOT try and move an injured person unless they are in a life threatening situation. You may make the injury worse by moving the person. Exchange Information Every driver is required to exchange their name and address and the name and identification number of their insurance company with the other driver. Ask to see the other driver's license, registration and insurance card. Copy down all information on the license including the driver's identification number on his license. When the police arrive find out the name, badge number and precinct of the police officer. You or your representative can get a copy of the police report. Make No Statement Except for exchanging the required information with the other driver, do not have any discussion with the other driver. Do not engage in arguments with the other driver. In the heat of the moment you may say something that is inaccurate which can be used against you in the future. Tell the police officer your version of the accident. Witnesses Attempt to get the name, address and phone number of any witness to the accident. Medical Treatment Get your injuries cared for immediately at the emergency hospital or at your personal physician's office. Tell the examining doctor every complaint and injury you have, no matter how minor you may think it is. A serious internal injury may not show immediately. Help your doctor help you. Notify Your Insurance Whenever you are in an accident involving an injury or property damage; notify your insurance company. If you fail to notify your insurance company IMMEDIATELY after the accident, they have the right to refuse to cover the claim.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=252 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:38:34 CDT Five Ways To Keep Your Back Healthy  As a chiropractor I get a lot of questions from my patients as to how they could keep their backs healthy once they leave my care. One of the most important aspects of keeping a healthy back revolves around staying active. Staying active enables the muscles around the back to stay fresh all while providing a healthy blood flow to areas of the back that need it the most. With that being said, here is a list of 5 easy things you can do to make sure that your back stays in tip-top shape.   Going for daily walks- With Spring in full swing, walking should be incorporated into your daily routine. Walking allows the muscles in the legs to strengthen, which in turn provides more support for your lower back. Walking is also an excellent alternative to those who feel that aerobic exercise puts too much of a strain on their back. The benefits of walking in relation to the back also include: increased circulation to the spine which pumps valuable nutrients all while draining toxins and of course loss of weight, which relieves the stress on the back.   Exercise- Regular exercise is an excellent way to keep the back healthy. When it comes to the back, regular exercise allows the muscles around the back to strengthen which improves the overall stability of the area. When exercising to specifically improves the health of your back, incorporate abdominal workouts into your routine. Abdominal exercises strengthen your core, which in turn helps stabilize the spine, allows for proper spinal movement, and makes it easier to maintain correct posture.   Stretching- Flexibility is a healthy back’s best friend. So much so, that many patients who come to my office suffering from back pain related to exercise are experiencing pain due to lack of proper stretching. Here at our office, we incorporate stretching into each individual patient’s program. Stretching allows for proper spinal movements, which in turn means the elimination of unnecessary movement of certain joints around the back. It is important to stretch prior to a work out to prevent injury from occurring. You could also incorporate stretching into your morning routine which would allow your back and the muscles around it to remain flexible throughout the day.   B.L.T- Avoid unnecessary bending, lifting, and twisting all at once. This can result is serious injury. These injuries occur when too much stress is put on the back by way of improper movement or technique. Unnecessary bending, lifting, and twisting can result in anything from tweaking a muscle to herniating a disc.   Regular Spinal Check-ups- Regular check-ups are essential to maintaining a healthy back. A chiropractor can locate specific areas of trouble in your back and take care of the problem before it becomes severe. Regular check-ups also allow for continuity in keeping your back healthy. I recommend that my patients come to see me once every three months to ensure that their backs are in stable and healthy shape.       ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=251 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:34:47 CDT Can I Get My Back Cracked? Sure you can! It would just hurt a whole lot! As a chiropractor I have gotten that question a multitude of times. There are a number of people who associate the sound the back makes when it maneuvers a certain way to a crack. The truth is that while a cracking sound does occur, it’s the last thing that is happening in your back.  Chiropractors use the term adjustment or spinal manipulation when describing the technique used to “crack” your spine. An adjustment is done for many reasons, the main being to align your spine to its natural and proper position. Regular adjustments also help reduce any pain and/or inflammation in a certain area of the spine, along with reducing muscle spasms and tension. Spinal Adjustments more importantly can remove nerve irritation and interference, which in turn allows for overall improvement in health.   Most patients who come into the office and get adjusted regularly, often tell me that they begin to feel better after just a few sessions. Regular adjustments when done properly, correct vertebral subluxations. A vertebral subluxation essentially means that a misaligned bone is causing nerve impingement. What exactly is nerve impingent?  Nerve impingement occurs when there is a block in communication between the brain and the spine. This can lead to disease because the body does not function optimally. With time, regular spinal adjustments will correct vertebral subluxations and relieve some of the pain you may be experiencing.  I do, however, recommend that patients with more severe back problems get started on unique and more specific based care plans. Treatments such as Spinal Decompression, Cold Laser, and Physical Therapy are all beneficial options for patients who are experiencing a higher grade of pain. The reason being because they target specific conditions that may not be treatable simply with adjustments. We provide each patient with a comprehensive plan which includes a multitude of treatments. This is done because it provides our patients with the best possibility of a full recovery. Please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or concerns and we will be happy to assist you. ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=250 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:28:24 CDT What is the difference between Decompression vs. Traction? Many people ask me what are the differences between Decompression and Traction. Both Decompression and Traction are two methods that have re-shaped the way us Chiropractors go about treating patients. Decompression therapy and Traction are two treatments that are utilized for patients suffering with pain and limited function due to lower back and neck conditions. While traction has been around for a much longer period of time, many experts argue that the arrival of Spinal Decompression has more benefit to the patient.  The reason being is because while simple traction may temporarily reduce pressurewithin the disc, numerous medical and scientific studies have proven that traditional traction does not "decompress" or reverse pressure within the disc.  Simple traction does not draw bulging or herniated material back into the disc, and it does not promote the flow of vital nutrients back into the disc as only computerized true non-surgical spinal decompression does.  The main difference between Decompression and Traction is the stretch-relax cycle. Traction uses a constant pull; while decompression uses the stretch relax mechanism which allows for proper hydration of the disc. Decompression uses a system of customized computerized pulling unique to each individual patient.  Both Traction and Spinal Decompression are valuable assets to the chiropractic and physical therapy community. When blended with a comprehensive and unique treatment plan, both offer great possibilities in healing pain.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=249 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:51:28 CDT Should I See An Attorney Before I See My Chiropractor? No. It is important to get checked out by the doctor first. That way the findings from your exam will allow you the information you need in order to decide if an attorney is necessary. If necessary, we can refer you to a reputable and qualified attorney.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=247 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:36:46 CDT No Vehicle Damage = No Injury. Right? Wrong. Car crashes with minor vehicle damage are a little confusing; if the car wasn't damaged much, it must have been a very minor crash, and so the occupant shouldn't be injured. Right? Wrong. In fact, researchers have specifically looked at this problem, and have found that there is no relationship at all between the amount of damage a car received in a crash and the amount of occupant injury.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=246 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:24:04 CDT Who are the team members that perform the MUA? The team includes the anesthesiologist, the prime physician/surgeon/chiropractor who performs the manipulation, and the first assistant, also a physician/chiropractor certified in manipulation under anesthesia. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital or surgical center.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=245 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:15:42 CDT Which patients should be considered for manipulation under anesthesia? Certain neck, mid back, low back or other spinal conditions respond poorly to conventional care. One proposed theory for this is that, as a result of past or present injury, adhesions and scar tissue have built up around spinal joints and within the surrounding muscles and causes chronic pain. Patients often undergo various treatments, such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, epidural injections, back surgery, or other treatments that do not address fibrous adhesions. Some patients feel temporarily better with these treatments, but their pain often returns. In general, patients selected for manipulation under anesthesia are those who have received conservative care for six to eight weeks. If limited or no improvements in symptoms or objective findings have occurred, then manipulation under anesthesia may be an appropriate alternative  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=244 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:05:04 CDT Why Spinal Disc Decompression Works: This FDA approved technology relieves pain by enlarging the space between the discs. The negative pressure of decompression releases pressure that builds on to the disc and nerves, allowing the herniated and bulging disc to eventually go back into normal position. Decompression is the only treatment that is truly most effective for severe cases of herniation, degeneration, arthritis, stenosis and pressure on the nerve root. According to a clinical study performed by the Orthopedic Technological Review in 2004, said that 86% of all cases experienced spinal pain relief with disc decompression.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=243 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:16:29 CDT Should I Seek Out a Chiropractor Right After An Accident?  Yes. A car accident can have a devastating effect on your life and the after affects are not only financially devastating, but physically as well. This is often times why it is very necessary to seek the attention of a chiropractor shortly after an accident. The longer you delay treatment, the harder it may be to get back to normal. Scar tissue can develop within hours after the accident.  A chiropractor will also manipulate the spine and have access to physiotherapy equipment that could very well speed up healing.  ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=242 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:02:52 CDT Frozen Shoulder -  Manipulation Under Anesthesia We do know that frozen shoulder results from inflammation, scarring, thickening and shrinkage of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint. An injury to the shoulder can lead to frozen shoulder.  No one can tell you how long it will last. Manipulation Under Anesthesia can help  Orthopedic Surgeons have been doing this for 50 years Neck pain can be linked to shoulder pain. ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=239 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:32:27 CDT This is the future blog of Dennis Goldberg DC, MUAC.  Dr. Dennis Goldberg is a chiropractor in Phoenix, Arizona who is trained in a broad range of chiropractic wellness techniques.  If you're suffering from whiplash, back pain, sciatica, headaches, a recent auto or work injury, you may want to contact Dr. Dennis Goldberg. Please visit our website: Phoenix Chiropractor,  www.accidentchiropractors.com  Dr. Dennis Goldberg.   This blog is hosted by Chirohosting, the web's best Chiropractic websites ]]> http://www.accidentchiropractors.com/blog/subblog.php?blogpage=233 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:23:17 CDT   ACCIDENT MEDICAL AND CHIROPRACTIC PAIN CENTERS, PHX, AZ. 12 VALLEY WIDE LOCATIONS .  QUESTIONS ASKED AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT   What You Should Know If You Have Been Involved In An Auto Accident Did you know that one of the most stressful aspects of living in modern life is dealing with the problems that arise after an auto accident? Were you also aware that some auto accident injuries are hidden and are seldom detected for months or even years? As a result, two things can occur when an injury is not taken care of properly, or the accident victims settle their case with the insurance companies before getting evaluated from a Doctor trained in soft tissue injuries. WHY YOU SHOULD BE EXAMINED AFTER THE ACCIDENT? Once you settle your case, you lose the right to have the insurance company pay for treatment, if you need it. A good rule of thumb is to be informed of your rights and then make a decision. It is our position that if you were indeed injured, you should get the care you need to get you back to the way you felt and functioned just before the accident. It is not the responsibility of the insurance company to pay for anything more than that. They are not responsible for pre-existing injuries; only the injuries sustained from the accident. Even if you are just sore, you should get checked out immediately because you may experience pain, numbness, headaches, muscle stiffness, fatigue, and other problems including arthritis many months down the road. Remember, nothing is more important than your health, especially when you start to lose it. Here’s where the problem begins… Most people who suffer from an auto accident have one thing on their mind: their automobile! Common questions include:* “Who is going to fix my car?”* “What will I drive in the mean time?”* “Will my insurance rates go up?”* “Who is going to pay for it?”* And the last thing on their mind is: “Am I Really O.K.?” Not only are auto accidents an inconvenience and a hassle, a common redundant complaint of auto accident victims is that they don’t feel like their normal selves. You may also be experiencing obvious pains and symptoms like muscle stiffness or spasm, neck pain, headaches, numbness and tingling, back pain, difficulty sleeping, irritability, memory loss, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and many other difficulties. Or worse than that, you may be injured and feel nothing at all. Either way, did you know that auto accidents can cause post-traumatic osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis can ruin your posture (giving you a slumped or hump back appearance). Osteoarthritis can cause the discs in your spine to degenerate and create scar tissue formation leading to chronic stiffness and the inability to move properly. As a matter of fact…* Most Doctors Are Not Trained In The Detection Of These Hidden Injuries…* If you have been in an auto accident, you need a doctor who is trained in the biomechanics of the human body; someone who treats these injuries every day. In addition, X-rays can be taken to find out if there has been any structural damage. In our office, we evaluate auto accident victims and make any appropriate referrals to other health care providers if needed.* Our primary responsibility is giving you the care if you need It, and submitting the required medical reports to the insurance company so your rights are protected.If we can’t help you, we will refer you to a doctor or facility that can.   If you have been in an auto accident recently, there are some important decisions you have to make, and if I were you, I’d make these decisions very carefully.   * Q: Should I See An Attorney Before I See My Chiropractor? A: It is important to get checked out by the doctor first. That way the findings from your exam will allow you the information you need in order to decide if an attorney is necessary. If necessary, we can refer you to a reputable and qualified attorney.   * Q: What If My Car Sustained Only Minor Damage? A: Documented studies done by Charles Carroll, M.D., Paul McAtee, M.D. and Lee Riley, M.D. revealed that: “The amount of damage to the automobile bears little relation to the force applied to the cervical spine (neck) of the occupants.” In other words, the damage to the passengers is not necessarily directly related to the damage to the vehicle.   * Q: If I Need Treatment For This Injury, Do I Have To Pay For It Myself? A: No, only in very rare circumstances does the patient pay for his care as he goes. Our office provides care “on credit” when patients are represented by an attorney. Some car insurance policies have what is called “Med Pay.” This means that medical bills will be paid at 100% up to a certain limit. My office can assist you in obtaining this information. Using your medical coverage should not raise your premiums.   * Q: The Insurance Company Has Been Calling Me And Wants To Settle, What Should I Do? A: Do not sign or settle until you have had us evaluate your injury for you. If you settle before your injury is fully resolved, you will be completely on your own and will have to pay out of pocket for your care.   * Q: I’ve Been To The Hospital And My Medical Doctor, Do I Really Need to See a Chiropractor? A: You need a doctor who focuses in the treatment and diagnosis of auto accident injuries. Usually hospitals will check vital signs, make sure there are no life-threatening conditions and release the patient with pain relief medication. They normally do not treat the underlying improper musculoskeletal biomechanics that can and often do lead to future pain. If you are still having problems, you should get a second opinion. If your M.D. has given you pills, you must understand that pills do not correct structural or soft tissue damage. There are special therapies designed for that, and we offer these modalities at our office.   * Q: Does Your Care Hurt? A: Absolutely not. The care is very gentle and quite soothing. Most patients can hardly wait to get their care.   * Q: Is The Care Safe? A: Yes, extremely. Particularly when compared to the side effects from medication. I urge you to go to the patient testimonial tab to get a feel for what you can expect.   1. You may be injured and not know it. 2. Injuries such as whiplash usually may not show any symptoms for hours, days or weeks later. 3. Medical professionals all agree that the first 72 hours after an accident are the most critical and a time treatment can be the most effective. 4. The majority of injuries from automobile accidents occur at speeds of 6-12 MPH. Your car might not show much damage, but your body might. 5. A soft-tissue injury is permanent, as scar tissue can form in your muscles leaving them less flexible and prone to re-injury in the future if you don’t receive treatment. 6. If you act quickly you preserve your legal rights. An attorney listed things to do after an accident and #1 on his list was: Get prompt medical treatment; otherwise you may get benefits denied or limited. 7. In most cases treatment can cost you nothing out of pocket, even if it’s your fault or you don’t have any health insurance. 8. If you are not injured you can sleep better at night knowing you had an extensive exam and x-rays and found out everything was fine. 9. Statistics show the longer you wait for treatment after you are injured, the longer it takes to heal and requires more treatments. 10. If you are injured your injuries usually will not heal on their own. We Offer Medical And Chiropractic Care After An Auto Accident Or Work Injury. Valley Wide Locations in Phoenix, AZ., Same Day Appointments, In Most Cases, No Out of Pocket Cost, Liens Accepted, Medical and Auto Insurance Accepted, No Appointments Necessary ACCIDENT MEDICAL AND CHIROPRACTIC PAIN CENTERS TELEPHONE NUMBER (602) 253-8888 MAIN OFFICE: 4045 North 7th Street Phoenix, AZ. 85014 OFFICE LOCATIONS PHOENIX SE Corner of 7th Street & Indian School Road 27th Avenue South of Camelback Road 68th Avenue & Indian School Road 33rd Street & Indian School Road 32nd Street & Shea Blvd GLENDALE 71st Avenue & Bell Road 95th Avenue & Camelback Road TEMPE NW Corner of Rural Road & Baseline Broadway Road (between Hardy & Priest) MESA Main Street (Just West of Gilbert Road) SE Corner of Baseline & Extension AHWATUKEE NE Corner of 48th Street & Chandler Blvd GOODYEAR Pebblecreek Pkwy and McDowell Road Types of Accidents Motor Vehicle (Auto) Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Serious Car Crashes Bus Accidents Slip and Falls Work Injuries Symptoms Whiplash Headaches Nerve Damage Ligament & Tendon Injuries Cervical (Neck) Sprain/Strain Lumbar (Low Back) Sprain/Strain Numbness & Tingling in Arms and/or Legs Contact us: A. Dennis Goldberg, DC, MUAC 4045 North 7th Street Phoenix, AZ. 85014   drgoldbergucc@yahoo.com   ]]>