A HEALTHY spine produces a healthy nervous system and better OVERALL health.

Just like it is impossible to be healthy when you’re dehydrated; It is physically impossible to perform at your highest level with an unhealthy spine. Spinal health is measured by alignment and intersegmental movement between each vertebra or bone that makes up your spine. People rarely receive proper education about how to evaluate and maintain the life-long health of their spine and nervous system making the spine one of the most ignored systems when it comes to health. Most medical professionals and healthcare practitioners are not trained to evaluate or address spinal health.

Certainly, Chiropractic care is important for adults; but why would you only care for the adult spine and ignore your babies?

There is a widespread popular belief that Chiropractic care is only good for adults. That’s like saying that eating healthy and exercising regularly is only beneficial for adults. Sure, adults are more concerned about those activities than younger individuals, but it doesn’t mean that our children don’t need to be eating right and exercising everyday!

Research from nearly 30 years ago began proving that even babies have specific spinal curvature that enables appropriate neurological communication between the brain and body. Most doctors have been taught that spinal curvature develops as babies become toddlers and progresses through early childhood. Medical research from 1977 proved that even babies still in the womb have already begun to develop specific curvature in their spine.

Structural engineers all agree that the arc is the most stable architectural structure.

Almost all bridges are built with arcs because of their load bearing stability. This is why I laugh when someone says they “Don’t believe in Chiropractic”. All that means is that they don’t understand the laws of gravity and somehow believe that their body’s defy mechanical stress. Huh?

The same principle applies to every healthy human spine. Abnormal wear and tear and stress will accelerate breakdown and degeneration. That’s a fact. Science and research proves that babies begin to develop a strong structural spinal curvature in-utero months prior to being born. Research from the 1977 Journal of Anatomy stated that, “Even babies should be born with a neck curve. If they do not have one, it is likely that birth trauma straightened the spinal curves.”

Chiropractic adjustments help keep the spine moving and aligned properly so the central nervous system can deliver and receive the precise information traveling to and from the brain.

Children and infants need Chiropractic care more than anyone.

It is much easier to grow healthy children than to fix broken adults. If the spine is mal-positioned early in life, the child will develop without optimum opportunity for health and function. A spine not positioned correctly will continue to get worse over time. Babies begin benefiting from Chiropractic care immediately after birth. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, but the second best time is NOW. The same principle applies to spine and nervous system evaluation for babies, children, and adults. The best opportunity for optimal health begins at childbirth. The second best time is NOW.

Chiropractic Patients Avoid Surgery

Chiropractic patients are more likely to avoid the need for surgery compared to patients under traditional care for back pain, according to a 2013 study from the journal Spine.

In this particular study, researchers wanted to find out why certain patients got surgery and others did not; what they found out was pretty scary.

Following the study, researchers discovered that the health-care provider played a significant role in whether a patient underwent surgery or not. In other words, your chances of getting surgery do not depend on whether you in fact need it; but what type of doctor you see first.

For patients who first saw a medical physician for their back pain, 42.7% eventually ended up in the operation room. Whereas, just 1.5% of patients who first saw a chiropractor had surgery. Nearly all of chiropractic patients were able to avoid spine surgery through natural, conservative treatments.

This particular observation actually adds to earlier studies suggesting that chiropractic can reduce your likelihood of surgery. In a 2010 Clinical trial comparing microdiscectomy and spinal adjustments for sciatica, 60% of chiropractic patients had significant improvements without needing surgery.

Your Health is Your Choice

Our decisions determine our outcomes and the information we gather from our daily lives helps drive those decisions. This process applies to all aspects of life, particularly as it relates to health care decisions. One of my goals as a Chiropractor is to seek and inform the public about the proven benefits and expected outcomes of not just chiropractic care but the ability to achieve health without drugs or surgery. This information belongs in the hands of those making decisions that affect the health care of every family.

Chiropractic Better than Pain Relievers

Back pain results in more missed work days and more reported cases of disability than any other affliction in America. Chiropractic not only proves to be a safe and non-invasive alleviation of back pain but also proves to be the most effective solution. Research from 2003 showed that Chiropractic care improved spinal pain and function five times better than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, etc).

Prescription pain killers are deadly. (That's a Medical Fact published in a 2015 article in The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). Prescription drugs that numb pain in some cases convince the patients they are better when in fact; they continue to get worse. This process results in overuse of pain killers as well as a delay in healing and permanent damage.

Chiropractic is Safe and Effective Regardless of What People May Think

People consulting chiropractors for pain or function problems experienced the highest quality of care and success approval ratings while freeing themselves from unnecessary surgery, loss of work, and substantial hospital bills. Unfortunately, so many people continue to have a negative perception of chiropractic care. The public deserves to be informed of these statistics, especially when research proves the existence of healthier and more cost efficient alternatives to high risk surgeries that result when people with spine and function issues first visit medical doctors and surgeons.

Chiropractic adjustments serve a purpose far beyond simply treating aches and pains. Adjustments remove interference in the nervous system so the brain and body can function without compromise. A healthy spine produces healthy brain to body communication and improved nervous system function. Science and research prove that Chiropractic adjustments produce health benefits beyond initial pain relief.

If you know someone who is skeptical or hesitant about Chiropractic care, I am asking that you share this article with them and ask them to provide scientific studies justifying their position.

To dissuade someone from getting the care they need based on unscientific dogma is tragic and irresponsible.

If you’re looking for reasons not to visit a chiropractor, here are 10!

1. You don’t have a spine. If you’re born sans spine, there’s really no need to worry about spinal degeneration, is there?

2. Your body defies gravitational forces. Gravity has a profound effect on the body and its position in space.  Gravity acts on the body to create force on our joints.  The health of your joints and all basic biomechanical concepts for human health are related to gravity and alignment.

3. If you can’t see your spine, it must be fine. Skin, eyes, hair, teeth… These obvious “in your face” body parts are important because they are the ones you see the most. If a healthy spine was really that important, it wouldn’t be in the back right?

4. You love your medications. Taking risks makes life more enjoyable! What’s not to love about Dizziness, Headaches, Dry Mouth, Constipation, Seizures, Cancer or even early Death… What we are saying is “What’s not to like about side effects?”

5. Your insurance doesn’t pay for it. ‘Cause you know, MONEY is for important stuff like Netflix, Cell Phones, Cigarettes, Starbucks. If your insurance plan doesn’t cover chiropractic, then maybe chiropractic care just isn’t necessary?

6. Chiropractors don’t prescribe drugs. Why would you want to go to a doctor who doesn’t think you need another prescription? (See #4)

7. Chiropractors expect you to keep seeing them. How ridiculous is that? Next thing your chiropractor will say is that you must keeping brushing your teeth daily, eating healthy and exercising regularly (over and over) if you really want to get the benefits of such activities.

8. Speaking of health, Chiropractors think lifestyle factors such as “stress” can make you sick. Apparently they’re not aware of bad genes. Everybody knows you only get sick because disease runs in the family.

9. Chiropractors expect you to do stuff at home. Gross. They want you to make time for rest, exercise, and stretching. On top of that, they think you should change your diet by eliminating processed foods. Evidently they don’t understand how busy you are…

10. You’re impervious to mistakes. Who are we kidding, You're healthy. You eat just fine, and there’s nothing wrong with the way you’re living. Even if your “habits” are making you gain weight and age prematurely, that’s none of the doctor’s business! The doctor’s job is to get you out of pain so you can get back to doing the things that made you sick in the first place.

Some of the most respected and current research papers on anatomy, physiology and biomechanics helps to prove why Chiropractic adjustments have a great influence on organ function as well as related tissues of the body.

The fact is, Chiropractic adjustments have more to do with whole body health rather than simply managing neck and back pain. Chiropractic care improves the internal functions of the body helping to overcome chronic disease physiology.

Medicine Agrees that Body Chemistry is a Primary Contributor to Health

Balanced chemistry leads to increased function and performance; whereas imbalances in internal chemistry lead to disease. A 2003 study showed that administering a force (just like that of a Chiropractic adjustment) helps regulate cell biochemistry and gene expression. (Say WOW!) This means that a Chiropractic adjustment can help change the health and expression of all cells in the body through biochemistry. From heart rate to breathing, and immunity to fertility, every aspect of body function is directed by body chemistry. Chiropractic adjustments positively change body chemistry and lead to better overall health.

What is Preventing People from Benefiting from Chiropractic Care

The biggest challenge standing in the way of more families experiencing the great benefits of Chiropractic care is a lack of understanding of how powerful the nervous system plays in health.

The Brain and Nervous System Control the Whole Body.

The Spinal cord sends and receives signals to and from the body allowing for healing to occur.

The Spine is the armor and protection of the spinal cord.

A healthy spine = Healthy Signals.

Chiropractic adjustments became well-known for helping with back and neck pain, though early chiropractors knew that a healthy spine and nervous system were capable of so much more.

In fact, the FATHER OF MODERN MEDICINE Hippocrates himself, even stated that we should pay attention to the spine for disease…

Current research and science dramatically impact those old neck and back adages, proving what true Chiropractic science believed all along. As a chiropractor it is my goal and mission to educate my patients, society and other doctors about the value that this profession can bring.

Today, many industrialized cultures continue to adopt a molecular and chemical based approach for health and disease. There is no question that this is not important. The problem is that science and statistics clearly advocate that drugs and surgery provide the most advanced and effective options. To believe that drugs and surgery are your only option for health is downright wrong.

All humans deserve a lifelong opportunity to have their spine and nervous system evaluated on a regular basis by a Chiropractor. A healthier society starts with accessing the power that rests in the hands of Chiropractic care.

**PS Don't forget to make your regular scheduled appointments to tell your friends and family members to take an opportunity to get their spine checked!

***PSS Don't forget that we are running a contest for referrals the next 2 weeks – you could win 1 of many great prizes

Reference: “Mechanobiology and Diseases of Mechanotransduction” Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD. Departments of Surgery and Pathology, Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Annals of Medicine. 2003; 35(8), pp.564-77  Accessed from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14708967

Would you be interested in burning more calories and living longer while doing practically the same thing you do every day at work? All you have to do is stand and type.

Standing Workstations Proven to be Healthier than Sitting

A study published this month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that employees with sit-stand desks stood 60 minutes more a day at work (less sedentary) compared to their co-workers with sitting desks. Plus, the sit-stand desk users walked an additional six minutes a day at work.

It also goes without saying that the employees with sit-stand desks burned up to 87 more calories a day than their sitting counterparts. While this number is small, the researchers believe that it could be important in fighting the obesity epidemic in the United States; especially considering that the body works better upright rather than sitting.

“Studies suggest American workers today burn roughly 100 calories-less each day while at work compared to American workers in 1960. This decline in occupational energy expenditure is thought to play a substantial role in the rising obesity epidemic we have observed over that same time period,” says Dr. Lucas Carr, an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology and member of the Obesity Research and Education Initiative at the UI. “Our findings are important because they support redesigning the traditionally sedentary office environment as a potentially cost-effective approach for fighting the obesity epidemic.”

Dr. Carr is one of the lead investigators of the study “Examining the Long-term Use of Sit-stand Desks in a Professional Office Setting,” which was published online Oct. 1 by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Other occupational studies have found that sedentary jobs have risen 83 percent since 1960 and now account for 43 percent of all jobs in the United States. Office workers sit more than 80 percent of the workday, placing them at increased risk for many sedentary-related pathologies including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and ADD-ADHD.

Only Move the Joints You Want to Keep

This is exactly why we always recommend that you transition from a sitting work station to a standing workstation. Not simply because it's healthier for your spine, but because it promotes movement – and an age old rule in clinical biomechanics, posture and spine care is that you only move the joints that you want to keep!

The study involved 69 middle-aged, mostly female employees—31 using sit-stand desks and 38 using sitting desks—in a variety of office jobs including administrative/clerical, statistical/testing, management, marketing, research, and accounting. To measure their physical activity, participants wore a monitor similar to a pedometer around the clock for five work days. The device measured their body positions, movements, and the intensity or pace of their movements.

The standing-desk employees burned more calories than those with seated desks but more research is needed to examine the impact of replacing sitting with standing on cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal (neck, back, hip discomfort), and cognitive outcomes.

Standing WorkStations Are Not Just a Fad

Here are a few other studies pointing out benefits:

• A 2015 study published in the Oxford Journal of Public Health shows that sit-to-stand desks in classrooms appear to be an effective way of reducing sedentary behavior (prolonged sitting) in a diverse sample of children.
• At their 2013 annual meeting, the American Medical Association adopted policy recognizing potential risks of prolonged sitting and encouraging employers, employees and others to make available alternatives to sitting, such as sit-stand desks. 
• A 2011 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that when workers are equipped with sit-stand workstations, prolonged sitting is reduced and mood states improve.

Standing work stations are actually based on a substantial amount of research. Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic has a scary statistic to share: here in the US, we spend more than half of our waking hour sitting down, split between watching TV, driving a car, and working at a desk. This is not good.

The problem with sitting is essentially two-fold.

1. We burn fewer calories when we’re sitting.
2. Marathon sitting (all day at work) changes our body’s metabolism.

But that doesn't mean you need to be standing all day either. The idea here is that we should be moving. I personally believe that standing is better than sitting, just as long as you take some breaks. Because remember, the enemy is not sitting–it’s sitting all day.

Here are my recommendations for standing workstations…and don't complain about what they cost cause you should never skimp out when it comes to your health!!! :)

New imaging technology has proven that physical movement aka “getting off your butt and exercising” improves mental focus, memory, and cognitive flexibility.

Brain exercises that build (and even rebuild) attention span have shown promise compared to amphetamines aka “zombie creating drugs” in addressing symptoms common to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). All to often we are so quick to give our children a pill for a solution rather than addressing the issue. And YES, the issue usually comes down to personal discipline such as eating clean and exercising more.

In the medical journal Pediatrics, research has been published that found kids who took part in a regular physical activity program showed important enhancement of cognitive performance and brain function.

Translation: Kids who exercise daily are smarter and have more control of their brain.

So Make Your Kids Work!

The findings in this research show a causal effect of a physical program on executive control, and provide support for physical activity for improving childhood cognition and brain health. I personally find it disturbing that this is something that still needs support. Large amounts of physical activity is clearly a high-yield investment for not just kids but adults as well. My theory is that the brain goes “haywire” and little timmy starts jumping off the wall all ADHD like because he is screaming for movement and activity and physical stimulation. This is simply an immune response and the body is attempting to correct it.

So rather than pumping little timmy full of zombie-creating-ritalin-poison-pills, my recommendation is that you do not leave this physical stimulation up to a school system. In fact, most schools are underfunded for physical health. Instead, sign your kiddo's up for an intense exercise program that includes bouts of high intensity training.

This could include: Crossfit for kids, Swimming classes, running classes, weight training, boxing, kickboxing, spin classes, etc.

GIVE IT TIME

Another study found that a 12-week exercise program (not just a few days) improved math and reading test scores in all kids, but especially in those with signs of ADHD. (Executive functioning is impaired in ADHD, and tied to performance in math and reading.)

I think it's absolutely criminal to give kids drugs before dosing them with exercise.

Millions of kids have been introduced to amphetamines and other stimulants to address ADHD. The number of prescriptions increased from 34.8 to 48.4 million between 2007 and 2011 alone. The pharmaceutical market around the disorder has grown to several billion dollars in recent years while school exercise programs have diminished.

Over all, this pandemic of physical inactivity has become a serious threat to not just national health, but global responsibility because after all, our kids are our future and it sure scares the hell out of me to know that some little person who's damaging their brain right now with ADHD medication may some day run our country.

Do you have a low sex drive? Do you experience Hair loss, Fatigue, Loss of muscle mass, Increased body fat, Mood changes or have a Lack of Vitality?

If you have or experience any of the the above symptoms, then you could have “Low T“. At least that's how the pharmaceutical industry has branded it and considering how much money is being spent on advertising, there is no question that the profit potential is high.

But rather than treating the symptoms with hormone therapy, why not look at the underlying cause?

Test, Don't Guess!

While testosterone is thought of as “the” male hormone, it is also important to maintain appropriate levels of estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and cortisol. Yep! Increased estrogen levels may contribute to prostate problems and weight gain, and if the adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA) are out of balance, men may also experience problems with fatigue, immune dysregulation and may develop blood sugar irregularities. As testicular production of sex hormones wanes with age, the adrenals play a central role in sustaining optimal hormonal health.

Initial salivary testing and follow-up monitoring are crucial for determining the most effective hormone balancing treatment program. Salivary testing is advantageous over other testing mediums because it allows you to assess your bioavailable hormone levels – what is actually available for use by the body.

Because of the complexity of the hormone system, issues that arise rarely stem from just one hormone. If there is a disruption in the balance of hormones produced by one gland, it can cause other glandular systems to participate and throw off the body’s entire system.

The Comprehensive Hormone Panel is an excellent starting place for evaluating hormone function in the body. This panel measures both reproductive (sex) and adrenal hormones. The Comprehensive Panel will test the following hormones:

• Testosterone
• Estradiol
• Progesterone
• DHEA
• Cortisol – four times during the day

If you or someone you know suspects Low T or Low Testosterone, let them know about our take home salivary kits. These testing kits are the best in the industry and more accurate than blood testing.

Often, simple lifestyle changes work better and do not come with the side effects that medication can have. You may be amazed to realize how much you can improve your hormone levels and balance, by changing your lifestyle.

Men Experience Hormone Imbalances Too!

Low testosterone levels is a common issue as men age. Studies have shown that almost 40% of men over the age of 45 have low testosterone levels. But it is too simplistic to just blame on age. Testosterone levels have been in steady decline over the past 30 years. Stress, excess fat, adrenal fatigue, and age play a role. But so do environmental exposures to herbicides in food and phthalates from plastics.

By 2020, over 60% of the US population will be over age 60 and, approximately 50% of these are men. With the help of alternative medicine-minded physicians, more and more men are realizing the important role their hormones play, but the primary focus is still on testosterone monitoring and replacement alone.

The male hormone system is not made up of insulin and testosterone alone, and proper balance of the entire complement of hormones including progesterone will keep cognitive, cardiovascular and urinary function working optimally regardless of physical age.

5 Steps to Increase Your Testosterone:

1. Change your diet. Too much weight around your belly has been associated with low testosterone levels in men as well as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What you eat has a tremendous impact on your insulin levels and all of the hormone levels in your body. When you remove sugars, flours and refined carbohydrates from your diet, you can improve your insulin sensitivity. When your insulin sensitivity improves, you will lose weight from your belly. For men, naturally your estrogen levels will decrease and your testosterone levels will increase.

2. Pick up heavy stuff. Exercise is better than any drug at elevating mood and improving hormone balance. Strength training or lifting weight is very effective for raising a man’s testosterone level and should be a part of your exercise routine at least 2 days per week. Try to do at least 40 minutes of exercise most days of the week and include a mixture of aerobic and strength-training exercises.

3. Take Fish Oil Pills. The Omega-3 fats found in fatty fish have amazing anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower the production of estrogen in men. In addition, these healthy fats also improve insulin sensitivity. Strive for 1000 to 3000mg (1 – 3 grams) of DHA/EPA every day.

4. Get to bed on time. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that lack of sleep can greatly reduce a healthy young man’s testosterone levels. That effect is clear after only one week of reduced sleep. Testosterone levels were particularly low between 2 and 10 p.m. on sleep-restricted days. How much sleep your body needs depends on many factors. I would recommend that you aim for 6 to 9 hours depending on your schedule.

5. Get Adjusted Regularly. Of course, this should go without saying, but the nervous system is the master system for your body. The brain and nerves control every cell, tissue, and organ. Including your endocrine (h0rmone) system. If there is chronic stress on your nerve system it can alter the function of your hormone balance. Your spine is the suit of armor that protects your nerve system. To have a healthy body you need a healthy nerve system. To have a healthy nerve system you need a healthy spine. So get adjusted!

For many centuries, the Chinese used snake oil as a treatment for joint pain, arthritis, and bursitis. They brought this folk remedy with them when they began arriving in the mid-1800’s to build the transcontinental railroad.

It was back breaking work to say the least and synthetic pain-killers such as aspirin were not yet readily available. And like many natural treatments, when the Chinese offered their Snake Oil remedy to Westerners, it was perceived to be a “primitive” form of “quackery” by medical experts of that time. This resulted of course in many people needlessly suffering at the suggestions of “medical experts”. The term “snake oil” would then become associated with many forms of natural treatments and adopted a negative connotation.

Harvey Lillard, First Chiropractic Patient

It’s also worth noting that Chiropractic care was perceived as “quackery” and Chiropractors were often looked at as Snake Oil Salesman. This last Friday marked 120 years of Chiropractic care. And in a timely Gallup poll just released this month, Americans perceptions about Chiropractic shows the United States is accepting Chiropractic Care as a major healthcare delivery system. The first chiropractic adjustment was delivered on September 18, 1895 to Harvey Lillard for deafness in one ear. Yep, for deafness!!! What most people don’t know is that chiropractic was discovered because someone’s hearing was restored; it had nothing to do with neck pain or back pain.

What’s ironic, is that the modern pharmaceutical “snake oil” i.e. petrochemically derived and patented synthetic chemicals aka Prescription drugs, have been demonstrated to have considerably less value than placebo, and in certain cases they’re considerably worse for your health than actual snake oil.

To prove this point, I’ve listed four remarkable studies, as cited on the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database known as Medline, referring to the potential therapeutic properties of sea snake and boa constrictor lipids — snake oil (Hahaha!) for inflammation and infection:

1. Boa constrictor oil has potent anti-inflammatory and significant antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and S. pyrogenes. Pubmed Data : 1: Acta Pol Pharm. 2008 Jul-Aug;65(4):477-80. Article Published Date : Jul 01, 2008
2. Erabu sea snake oil has a beneficial effect on plasma glucose in diabetic mice. Pubmed Data : 1: Ann Nutr Metab. 2006;50(5):425-32. Epub 2006 Jul 17. Article Published Date : Jan 01, 2006
3. Erabu sea snake oil improves the swimming endurance of aged mice by attenuating lactate production and enhancing lactate clearance. Pubmed Data : 1: J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2007 Dec;53(6):476-81. Article Published Date : Dec 01, 2007
4. The fat from the boa constrictor has an inhibitor effect on keloid and normal dermal fibroblasts, which may contribute to the inhibition of scarring. Pubmed Data : 1: Br J Plast Surg. 1990 Mar;43(2):183-6. Article Published Date : Mar 01, 1990

Of course I’m not advocating the consumption of snake oil when other powerful, natural, and far more accessible anti-inflammatory fats are available such as Omega 3 fats, Coconut Oil and flax seed. I’m also not saying that all prescription drugs are bad and should never be used.

My point is that we all too often throw “snake-oil” “quackery” and just plain ignorance towards those advocating natural approaches to healing by those who would claim synthetic chemicals (prescription drugs) are the only “real” or evidence-based alternatives, the “insult” itself reveals a subconscious acknowledgement that practically all things produced by Nature have medicinal value.

For 120 years, Chiropractors have been helping people achieve health without drugs or surgery. And while I thank God every day for the ER doctors who save lives; I am in awe at how many people choose to get medicated for their problems rather than actually fix them. Still, people say they “don’t believe” in chiropractors. I chuckle inside every time I hear this because it’s like saying you don’t believe in gravity. You’ll fall nonetheless.

So which one is actually the “snake-oil” or true “quackery”?

Synthetic chemicals created by a vast petrochemical-medical-industrial complex, and re-purposed and re-packaged with billions more spent on marketing to the consumer (YOU)? Or, natural substances and organisms traditionally used as food-medicines, sometimes for thousands of years before the advent of modern, drug-driven medicine?

Just for the record, I won't be consuming Boa constrictor fat anytime soon, but given the choice between a chemical, with no biological or evolutionary precedent in my body, and a sip of actual snake oil, I will gladly choose the latter because nature historically knows better than man.