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Natural Pain Relievers Part 2 | Barger Chiropractic of Folsom

Part two of this article, natural pain relievers from Barger Chiropractic of Folsom, deals with anti-inflammatory foods and supplements.  Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, is quoted as saying, "Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food."

Eat Pain-Relieving Foods

When it comes to controlling pain and inflammation, food is a critical piece of the puzzle.  The standard American diet (SAD) consists of an excess of sugar, too much of the wrong types of fat, loads of red meat and processed foods.  You can decrease inflammation and ease the pain and discomfort associated with it by switching to an anti-inflammatory diet consisting of healthy whole foods.

There are eight categories of pro-inflammatory foods (foods to be avoided): processed white flour foods, processed sugars, animal milk products, fast foods, hydrogenated oils, nitrates, saturated fats and night shade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers and eggplant).

The following is a list of foods high in fiber, low in preservatives and fat, and infused with invigorating aromatic spices that help reduce pain and inflammation: wild salmon, bright colored vegetables (except night shades), green or white tea, fresh whole fruits, olive oil, purified water, lean poultry and beef (preferably organic), dark green leafy vegetables, organic oatmeal and aromatic spices (turmeric, ginger, cloves, garlic, onion, coriander, cayenne pepper, mustard seed).  

Natural Plant Based Substances to combat inflammation

David C Leopold, MD, director of Integrative Medical Education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego, had the following to say in a WebMD feature story:"I think supplements can be the cornerstone of good pain management. People are also looking to supplements more and more. They have less tolerance for the side effects of traditional pain medications. They want something different."

If you don't like the idea of being on a NSAID such as Advil, Celebrex or Naprosyn forever, Dr Leopold says "There are natural alternative to NSAIDS that have similar mechanism." They include green tea, turmeric, boswelia, ginger, cat's claw, devils claw, omega-3 oils and white willow bark. People on blood-thinning medications must check with a doctor before using any of these pain supplements.  

Leopold and other experts single out turmeric for its pain relieving effects. "It works really well," said Tanya Edwards, MD, medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. "I've had patients with arthritis who start using turmeric and are able to go off their NSAIDS entirely."

Vitamin D

A number of studies have linked low levels of vitamin D with increased levels of chronic pain.  One study looked at the vitamin D levels of people with chronic pain who were using opioid painkillers (Vicodin, Oxycodone etc). The people who had low vitamin D levels needed almost twice as much medication to control their pain.  

Dr. Edwards checks vitamin D levels in many of her patients with chronic pain. "Personally, I've seen miracles. I've found that it can have a huge benefit in the symptoms of people with fibromyalgia."  She says that it is helpful with chronic bone and joint pain too.

In a Mayo Clinic study, 13,150 individuals were seen in an inner city clinic between Februrary and June 2002 with persistent non-specific musculo-skeletal pain. The researchers found that 140 of 150 people (93 percent) were low on vitamin D.

In conclusion, the following statement was make in the journal Medical Hypothesis: "More than 200 potential drugs ranging from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, gold salts, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, methotrexate and cyclosporine are being tested (to control inflammation).  None of the drugs have been found safe; all are know to produce form mild to serious side-effects."

With that in mind, it is no wonder more people are turning back to the wisdom of Hippocrates...and to their doctors of chiropractic. Utilizing safe, simple and effective ways of caring for your body, your doctor of chiropractic will help keep you focused on your health and on achieving optimum function, not just pain. 

Your chiropractor will help to find the cause.  If pain in your body is the result of structural imbalances, your chiropractor will help untangle the mystery and balance your frame for optimal function. Ask your chiropractor in Folsom, CA for more information on achieving optimum health naturally.

Natural Pain Relievers from Barger Chiropractic of Folsom, CA

Quite a few victims of chronic pain in the Folsom, Ca area would really love to be less dependent on painkillers to manage their pain.  How can this be done? Natural pain relievers could be the answer. The following two articles list some items that may help. The first list is some simple actions that you can take that might help you to rely less on pain medications and feel more in control of your life. 

Cool it with ice.  If there were only one therapy available to me at Barger Chiropractic of Folsom, I would choose ice. Most pain comes with some level of inflammation, and ice is the best natural way to reduce this inflammation.  Ice also helps by acting as a local anesthetic.  Sports injury specialists generally advise the use of ice for the first 24 to 48 hours after any injury.  Time and method of use can vary, depending on site of involvement, sensitivity of the patient and type of injury.  I prefer to massage the area with an ice cube rather than apply blue ice packs.

Release your endorphins. These are the natural chemicals your body produces to block pain signals from reaching your brain.  As you body's natural pain reliever, endorphins can be as strong as many of the strongest pain relievers. They help alleviate anxiety, stress and depression, conditions that can accompany and make worse chronic pain.  Endorphins are produced during aerobic exercise.  Any activity that gets your pulse rate up for a sustained period of time will release pain relieving endorphins into your system. And no, you don't need to run a marathon, or even a lap around the track to get this effect. Interval training incorporates brief, intense exercise for 30 seconds.

Feel the Heat.  In sub-acute and chronic cases, applying some form of heat, a hot water bottle, gel or rice-hull filled pad heated in the microwave, can ease your pain. Benefits of heat include: increase the flow of healing oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area and suppress the pain signals being sent to your brain.  The use of stick on heating pads, like Salon Pas, releases a low level of heat for several hours and can be worn under your clothes.

Loosen up.  The joints of your body are designed for movement, and if your motion is limited, it can make the joint pain worse.  Most everyone can benefit from stretching the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding your joints.If you have chronic low-back pain or neck pain, you may find it takes weeks or months of stretching to loosen up your spine and soft tissues, but you will find sustained and meaningful pain relief following the increased in motion.  Chiropractic adjustments can also hasten the recovery of stiff and painful joints.

Get Sun Exposure. All it takes is about 15 minutes of direct sunlight during the summer mid-day to allow your skin to produce a good dose of vitamin D.  A Boston university study of 221 men and women with knee osteoarthritis showed that those people supplementing with 400-800 IU of  vitamin D experienced less pain than those who did not get any vitamin D. More details will be covered in the next article that details natural herbal and vitamin supplements to help you manage your pain and regain control of your life.

The Case Against Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS)

Got a chronic pain in the neck or back?  Headache since the early morning conflict with the kids?  Why not just reach for the magic pill  advertised on TV that will erase all your aches and pains? Keep reading to see some of the consequences of using Western medicine's answer for pain control.

According to a 1998 American Journal of Medicine article, more than 16000 patients with arthritis die each year in the United States from the use of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs.  Over 100,000 people are hospitalized due to NSAID use, primarily as the result of gastrointestinal bleeding or GI tract perforation.  Every day in the U.S., an average of 44 people dies from the direct  effects of taking NSAIDS.

The following is taken from the product insert for Celebrex, one of the new and improved NSAIDS:
Serious gastrointestinal toxicity such as bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach, small intestine or large intestine, can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms, in patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs....Borderline elevations of one or more liver tests may occur in up to 15% of patients taking NSAIDS....Long term administration of NSAIDS has resulted in renal (kidney) papillary necrosis (death of living tissue) and other renal injury.

Does this sound like a drug you would want to take, or have a loved one take?  American spend over $6 billion annually for analgesic medications such as this. Over 100 million prescriptions are written each year for NSAIDS in the United States.

If that is not convincing enough for you, try reading a Baylor College of Medicine article titled “Camera Pill Reveals Inside Story on Pain Relievers.”  A miniature disposable video camera contained within a capsule that was swallowed by 40 patients was used to investigate the condition of the small bowel following the use of NSAIDs such as naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and diclofenac (Voltaren). Color images  of the entire digestive tract were relayed by a tiny camera to doctors monitoring the study.  Seventy-one percent of the study participants who took NSAIDS daily for at least three months had at least some injury to the small intestine and 23% had “severe damage.” A control group that took either acetaminophen (tylenol) or nothing at all had a five percent incidence of minor lesions and none had the major damage like the NSAID group.

Still not convinced?  According to a 2000 article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, it has been discovered by researchers at Australia's University of Newcastle  that NSAID use is a significant contributor to congestive heart failure (CHF). They found positive correlation for the dosage of NSAIDs consumed during the previous week to the odds of a first admission to a hospital for CHF.

The final two nails in the coffin comes from the August 2003 edition of the British Medical Journal and  pharmaceutical giant Merck. The BMJ study found that prenatal NSAID use increased the risk of miscarriage by 80%.  Then, in 2004, company executives from Merck admitted 18 months of Vioxx use nearly doubled the risk of heart attach and stroke.

In  the next article, I will detail for you some natural anti-inflammatory substances and practices that have none of the damaging side effects of prolonged NSAID use. Please see my website for references to the above articles.

Folsom, CA., Feb.28,2011 – Functional Medicine University has awarded a graduation certificate to Dr. James Barger, signifying his completion of a rigorous course of study in a new science-based system of holistic diagnosis and treatment. Functional Medicine is especially helpful for patients suffering from chronic conditions or symptoms that have baffled a succession of doctors. Dr. Barger continues to treat patients at his Folsom office, specializing in typical head, neck and back pain complaints, as well as certain lifestyle disorders due to physical, emotional and chemical stress.

“The Standard American Diet (SAD) of coffee and donuts for breakfast, a salt and fat saturated hamburger with french fried potatoes for lunch and as much comfort food as one can eat for dinner is a prescription for heart disease and diabetes” says Dr. Jim Barger. “Through the use of a comprehensive functional nutrition questionnaire and history, as well as in-depth review of medical history, a plan of action can be formulated to bring back the health and vitality of people willing to make the necessary changes.”

The Functional Medicine University curriculum includes coursework on blood chemistry, advanced diagnostic tests, gastrointestinal dysfunctions, immune imbalances, metabolic problems, inflammation, detoxification, hormone dysregulation, psychological functioning, biomechanical difficulties and more. Functional medicine practitioners hunt for the causes underlying a person's symptoms, and then recommends scientifically sound natural treatments that return the individual to optimum functional health.

“It is like being a medical detective, searching for clues left in my patient's previous and current medical files. Up to this time, I have consulted with my patient's primary care doctors whenever appropriate on their neck and back pain complaints” adds Dr. Barger, “and now I look forward to teaming up with them to hopefully help solve some of their difficult medical cases.”

The new Functional Medicine credential builds on Dr. Jim Barger’s previous degree in Chiropractic Medicine from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, now known as Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Barger has been seeing patients in Folsom since 1995.

For more information on Functional Medicine diagnosis and treatment, please contact Dr. Barger’s office at 916-984-9999, jbarger56@sbcglobal.net or www.docbarger.com

Please refer to the following blog article for part 1 of this series: Dealing with A Pain in the Neck.  

To review briefly, the best way to see if your deep neck flexors fatigue is to try and lift your head off the ground when you are lying down.  Just tuck your chin in to your chest and lift your head off the ground, and then attempt to hold it there for 10 seconds.  If the neck begins shaking, or your chin is unable to stay tucked in, then your deep flexor muscles are fatigued and need to be addresses.

 Begin your exercise program by doing simple chin tucks while sitting or standing. Simply tucking your chin in and holding it until you fatigue will help reactivate these muscles. You can start with 12 repetitions of this exercise, working your way up to three sets of 12 repetitions each.  Be sure to be rest several minutes between each set. 

 Once you get comfortable with basic sitting/standing chin tucks, you can try doing the exercise lying down. The goal is to be able to do it 12 times, holding each one until you fatigue. The next goal is to work your way up to three sets of 20 repetitions, with rest between each set.  Then work your way to three sets of 15 repetitions and then three sets of 20 repetitions.  Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. The goal is to increase the endurance of your muscles rather than their strength.  Your neck carries the weight of your head all day.  It was not designed to lift trains or buses!

Remember, the neck muscles are like any other muscle in our body. With long-term pain or injury, the muscles get weak and tired quicker. By first strengthening the weak muscles and increasing their endurance, you will be prepared to progress to more challenging strengthening exercises. As research and guideline conclude, combining this with your chiropractic care will lead to the best outcomes and improvement in your chronic neck pain.

 Credits: Jasper Sidhu, DC, March 2010 toyourhealth.com

If you're suffering from chronic neck pain, you definitely know it: Chronic neck pain is consistent pain lasting for more than six months.  An estimated seven out of 10 adults develop it at some time in their lives.  The big question is what can you do about it? Fortunately, neck pain is usually treated effectively by chiropractors. In fact, recent guidelines on neck pain point to spinal manipulation as a recommended treatment option. It is also important to recognize that another recommendation is exercises, many of which can be performed at home. 

In general, there is no one cause of neck pain that applies to every patient. If you have chronic neck pain, you may have received a diagnosis of disc herniation, strain, sprain, whiplash or something else. Regardless, most of these conditions have one thing in common: Certain muscles are affected, and these are the muscles we need to target before progressing to more challenging exercises or activities.

 There are certain muscles in the neck that are designed to help us maintain our normal and health curve of the spine. In addition, these muscles are designed to hold our head up all day.   In people with chronic neck pain, these muscles are often fatigued a lot quicker than in people without neck pain.  That means other muscles pick up the slack and begin working harder.  The muscles that begin working harder are the ones we generally end up stretching. Have you ever noticed that when you stretch stiff muscles, they feel good for a short time, only to get tight again? The thing is, if you don't address the other muscles, the ones that get fatigued and gradually stop working, then your stretching program will not work as well. All these muscles need to be in balance.

The best way to see if your deep neck flexor muscles fatigue is to try and lift your head off the ground when you are lying down.  The technique is simple: Just tuck your chin in to your chest and lift your head off the ground, and then attempt to hold it there for 10 seconds.  If the neck begins shaking, or your chin is unable to stay tucked in, then your deep flexor muscles are fatigued and need to be addressed. 

 Part two of this message will cover two basic exercises to help strengthen these deep neck muscles and manage your chronic neck pain.

Credits: Jasper Sidhu, DC, March 2010 toyourhealth.com

Show Me the Light: The Healing Power of Laser Therapy

An increasing number of doctors nationwide are offering laser therapy to their patients. With its increasing popularity and use, that means more and more people are probably wondering about lasers in general and some important specifics, including how they work, how safe they are and what it feels like to get treated. Here's a little Q & A on laser therapy.

Q: What is laser therapy?
A: Laser therapy is the application of low levels of laser light to areas of the body that have been injured or damaged. Contrasted with high-powered lasers used in health care that cut tissue, such as surgical or hair-removal lasers, therapy lasers produce beneficial photochemical and photobiological interactions that can help relieve pain and repair injured/damaged tissue.

Q: How does laser therapy work?
A: The photons of laser light penetrate through your skin and are absorbed by special components in your body's cells called chromophores. Just as photosynthesis creates energy for plants, the absorption of the photons by your cells causes increased production of cellular energy. In areas of injury or damage, this means there is more energy available to improve the rate and quality of healing.

Q: What does it feel like to get a treatment?
A: With very low-powered therapy lasers, you feel nothing at all. Higher-powered (Class IV) therapy lasers produce a mild, soothing, warm feeling. You may notice a tingling sensation in the treatment area as blood vessels dilate, or that muscle spasms are reducing in strength and duration. Laser therapy is a painless treatment.

Q: How do you know it not causing cancer or other tissue damage?
A: There are two ways that laser light can damage tissue; if it is very concentrated (high power density) or if the photons are very high energy. Therapy lasers use power densities that are far below the levels that cause tissue damage. Ultraviolet light has very high-energy photons capable of ionizing molecules, but therapy lasers use visible and near-infrared light, which only cause molecular vibrations. You could argue that therapy laser light is safer than sunlight.

Q: How can I get more information?
A: Ask Dr Barger! A steadily growing number of health care practitioners are offering laser therapy to their patients. Dr Barger can determine if laser therapy is appropriate for your particular health situation. 

Courtesy of Chirofind.com

Olympic athletes have found that chiropractic is not only good for injuries, but also helps to improve
performance. Nicole Freedman of Stanford, California, qualified for the 2000 USOlympic squad as a cyclist at the Olympic Team trials in Jackson, Mississippi, after being receiving a chiropractic adjustment. She had told her chiropractor that she thought she needed an adjustment to be at her peak performance.  

 Dr. Jan Corwin, a past president of ACA's Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness, said of the
athletes he treated in Korea(1988), "They were totally into it. I had so many patients while I was there,
I didn't even have time to eat. By the time I left SeoulI had lost 12 pounds." Dr. Corwin went on to say,
"At least 50% to 75% of all the athletes I treated had prior chiropractic care and were very aware of the benefits of chiropractic to them as athletes."

Chiropractic has grown in popularity among athletes because of the good care athletes have received from chiropractors all over the country. The list of athletes who have been treated with chiropractic is impressive. Olympic stars like Carl Lewis, Greg Louganis, Willi Banks, Edwin Moses are among the athletes who benefit from chiropractic.  

In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia Sheila Taormina (gold medallist in swimming) and Marisa Pedulla
(U.S. Judo Team) each received care from Dr. Steven Horowitz who was the chiropractic physician for the U.S.Olympic medical staff in 1996. Each woman wrote to thank Dr. Horowitz for their care. According to Dr. Horowitz, the athletes were very excited about the chiropractic care given to them. He also notes that the athletes wanted to be sure that he was there for American athletes only. The athletes felt that they did not want Dr. Horowitz to give an advantage to other athletes by providing chiropractic care.

The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (June, 2002 17:963), studied the effects of two drugs, Vioxx and Celebrex on bone repair. These drugs are the new generation of anti-inflammatory drugs. These are known as Cox-2 inhibitors; so named because of the inflammatory enzyme that they inhibit. These drugs are often used to ease the pain of broken bones. The irony is that they may inhibit bone repair. Vioxx, of course has been taken off of the market because of a link to cardiac problems.

The old generation of pain killers (like ibuprofen and indomethacin), seemed to only delay bone healing slightly. Studies on rats show these new pain relievers to interfere with bone healing much more severely. Where ibuprofen and indomethacin delay bone healing by one or two weeks in rats (the human equivalent of that is 25 to 50 percent), rats given Vioxx were unable to heal their bones.

David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D

Michael Pollan's recent little gem of a book "Food Rules" inspired me to compile my own "rules" about what I'd like every person to know about how they can help avoid cancer - or slow it down if they have it.

FOOD RULES

1. Go retro: Your main course should be 80 percent vegetables, 20 percent animal protein, like it was pre-World War II. Opt for the opposite of the quarter pounder topped with a token leaf of iceberg lettuce and an anemic tomato slice. Meat should be used sparingly for taste, as in the old days when it was scarce, and should not be the focus of the meal.

2. Mix and match your vegetables: Vary the vegetables you eat from one meal to the next, or mix them together -- broccoli is an effective anticancer food, and is even more effective when combined with tomato sauce, onions or garlic. Get in the habit of adding onions, garlic or leeks to all your dishes as you cook.

3. Go organic: Choose organic foods whenever possible, but remember it's always better to eat broccoli that's been exposed to pesticide than to not eat broccoli at all (the same applies to any other anticancer vegetable).

4. Spice it up: Add turmeric (with black pepper) when cooking (delicious in salad dressings!). This yellow spice is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent. Remember to add Mediterranean herbs to your food: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, mint, etc. They don't just add flavor, they can also help reduce the growth of cancer cells.

5. Skip the potato: Potatoes raise blood sugar, which can feed inflammation and cancer growth. They also contain high levels of pesticide residue (to the point that most potato farmers I know don't eat their own grown potatoes).

6. Go fish: Eat fish two or three times a week - sardines, mackerel, and anchovies have less mercury and PCBs than bigger fish like tuna. Avoid swordfish and shark, which the FDA says pregnant women should not eat because they contain a high concentration of contaminants.

7. Remeber,not all eggs are created equal: Choose only omega-3 eggs, or don't eat the yolks. Hens are now fed on mostly corn and soybeans, and their eggs contain 20 times more pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids than cell-growth regulating omega-3s.

8. Change your oil: Use only olive and canola oil in cooking and salad dressings. Go through your kitchen cabinets and throw out your soybean, corn and sunflower oils. (And no, you can't give them to your neighbors or your relatives... They're much too rich in omega-6 fatty acids!)

9. Say "Brown is beautiful": Eat your grains whole and mixed (wheat with oats, barley, spelt, flax, etc.) and favor organic whole grains when possible since pesticides tend to accumulate on whole grains. Avoid refined, white flour (used in bagels, muffins, sandwich bread, buns, etc.) whenever possible, and eat white pasta only al dente.

10. Keep sweets down to fruits: Cut down on sugar by avoiding sweetened sodas and fruit juices, and skipping dessert or replacing it with fruit (especially stone fruits and berries) after most meals. Read the labels carefully, and steer clear of products that list any type of sugar (including brown sugar, corn syrup, etc.) in the first three ingredients. If you have an incorrigible sweet tooth, try a few squares of dark chocolate containing more than 70% cocoa.

11. Go green: Instead of coffee or black tea, drink three cups of green tea per day. Use decaffeinated green tea if it gets you too wired. Regular consumption of green tea has been linked to a significant reduction in the risk for developing cancer.
12. Make room for exceptions. What matters is what you do on a daily basis, not the occasional treat.

Cheap B vitamin beats Big Pharma's Zetia cholesterol drug by E. Huff, staff writer (NaturalNews)

 A recent study found that niacin, a form of vitamin B, is far more beneficial to heart patients with high cholesterol than is the popular cholesterol drug Zetia. Dr. Anthony DeMaria, a leading cardiologist and editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology stated that the findings will eliminate Zetia from the preferred treatment options list. Though Zetia is touted as being highly effective at reducing the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called "bad cholesterol", niacin is much more effective at boosting the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly termed "good cholesterol". Evidence reveals that niacin significantly reduces plaque buildup on arterial walls, improving blood supply to the brain, while Zetia, also known generically as ezetimibe, can slightly increase arterial plaque buildup. For this reasons, doctors and experts agree that niacin is the preferred choice in maintaining proper cholesterol levels and a healthy heart. In addition to being more effective, niacin is also a much more affordable option. Though the trial utilized a time-released prescription form of niacin, quality niacin supplements are available over the counter that work equally as well if not better than the prescription form. Zetia is often prescribed to lower bad cholesterol and maintain heart health, yet its track record seems to indicate the opposite effect for some. Out of the 208 participants who engaged in the study, nine of the patients on Zetia experienced heart attacks, stroke, or they died from heart disease. Only two on niacin bore such an outcome. Dr. Jim Stein of the University of Wisconsin was one of several who emphasized over-prescription of Zetia, stating that doctors fail to practice evidence-based medicine when using the drug. He recommends utilizing safer, more effective alternatives like niacin that are proven to reduce incidences of heart attack, stroke, and death. Studies consistently show that therapeutic doses of niacin alone can raise HDL levels by up to 35 percent and lower LDL levels by 20 percent. When incorporated into a well-balanced diet with regular exercise, the benefits increase even more. Proper diet and exercise will actually cause arterial plaque to dissipate over time, unlike statin drugs which have never been proven to break up arterial plaque. Niacin is naturally found in dairy products, lean meats, fish and poultry, nuts, eggs, and whole-grain or sprouted breads. Diets rich in plant-based sterols, soluble fiber, and balanced sources of omega-3 and omega-6 oils will also contribute significantly to maintaining proper cholesterol levels and a healthy heart. Sources for this story include http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartD... http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ni...

How Hard is it to Spell ‘D’?

February 2, 2010

According to a paper in the current British Medical Journal, “more than 50% of the adult population (in Great Britain) had insufficient levels of vitamin D and 16% had severe deficiency during winter and spring”. Another recent study found that an alarming 69 percent of pregnant women (and 78 percent of women who aren’t pregnant) are vitamin-D deficient. Indeed, it is estimated that 77 percent of the U.S. population suffers from vitamin D deficiency.

Relaxing: This is a matter of urgent concern, given that 17 different cancers have been linked, at least in part, to vitamin-D deficiency (the lower one’s vitamin-D status, for example, the higher the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.) Vitamin-D deficiency is also associated with strokes, asthma, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson’s disease, bone disorders, chronic pain, unsteadiness, poor balance and weakened immunity. Vitamin-D deficiency has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease among American children.

John Jacob Cannell, MD, of the Vitamin D Council, cites the connection between vitamin-D deficiency and influenza infection. According to Cannell, the majority of in-patients are vitamin D deficient.

Way back in 2003, the journal Clinical Epidemiology called vitamin-D deficiency an unnecessary pandemic. So why are public-health officials not jumping on the crisis and its remedy?

From Alliance for Natural Health

If you bump up your metabolism, you can burn more calories. So how do you do it? Here are some important tips for revving up your metabolism.

1. Build more muscle
No doubt about it, muscle burns fat. In order to get those fuel-burning muscles, you can’t just sit on the couch. Get out there and strength train! We recommend a total body workout with weights three times per week at 30 to 45 minutes per session.

Adding muscle will increase your metabolism, which is measured by your resting metabolic rate (RMR). In addition to building muscle, strength training actually increases your metabolism for 24 hours after your strength-training session.

2. Be more active
Don’t stop at strength training. You’ll need a cardio workout of 30 to 40 minutes at your target heart rate four to five days per week. Trainers suggest that the time be closer to 40 minutes. Check with a trainer so you know what target heart rate to shoot for.

But it’s not just cardio at the gym. Increase your activity. Any physical activity will make a difference and pep up your metabolism. For example:

•       Take the stairs
•       Park your car in a remote area of the parking lot
•       Walk around your office building during breaks
•       If possible, cycle or walk to work occasionally
•       Play catch or fly a kite
•       Take dance lessons

3. Don't fast or skip meals
Make sure to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning by eating breakfast. Eat small meals throughout the day. You have to eat in order to lose weight. Four to six meals is a good way to keep your metabolism humming, as long as you maintain a calorie deficit.

Starving yourself throws the body into survival mode. This encourages the storage of energy in the form of fat – and you lose muscle mass, too. Not good.

While you can initially lose a few pounds by skipping meals, in the long term it’s bad for your metabolism: When you stop dieting, your body loses its calorie-burning ability.

4. Drink more water
H2O can also help your metabolism. Researchers in Germany report that water consumption increases the rate at which people burn calories. The impact is modest, but researchers say their study could have important implications for weight-control programs. Shoot for 96 ounces per day. Try to drink a little water every 15 to 20 minutes. What I suggest is adding the juice of half a lemon to 32 ounces of water with a sprinkle of Steviva Brand Stevia Powder. Aside from being less than 2 carbs, you will get the health benefits that the stevia provides along with the vitamin C and electrolytes that lemon have. You can substitute limes for lemons if you get bored.

5. Get a good night's sleep
Skimping on sleep can upset your metabolism. In a study at the University of Chicago, people who got four hours of sleep or less a night had difficulty processing carbohydrates. When the body is exhausted, it lacks the energy to do normal day-to-day functions, which include burning calories.

So... get moving and get skinny.

Chiropractic Services Can Aid Those Undergoing Cancer Treatment

12/04/2009

The experience of a cancer diagnosis and related treatment can be a traumatic one for both the mind and body. Certain aggressive malignancies, including mesothelioma cancer, are extremely difficult to treat and will often require incredibly toxic dosages of either chemotherapy or radiation to effectively eradicate malignant cells. These treatments put the body through a great of stress, pain, and illness. Therefore, some of the most important treatments utilized by patients during cancer care will be those that effectively alleviate cancer-related pain and discomfort.

Integrative oncology emphasizes the use of doctor-recommended complementary or alternative therapies in conjunction with traditional therapies. Often, patients who are healthy enough to manage the pain and discomfort are those who emerge from treatment with the most favorable results. The ability to manage these symptoms then becomes directly correlated to the efficacy of the overall treatment regimen.

Chiropractic care is one emerging area in which patients have introduced into formal and traditional treatment regimens. Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common symptoms of malignant cell growth as well as radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Chiropractic care has been shown effective in some exploratory clinical trials as a pain management tool. Other services by many chiropractic care providers, such as acupuncture and massage have also assisted in providing and easing of anxiety and decreased pain for those undergoing cancer treatments.

Chiropractic care is not appropriate for all cancer patients, particularly those with whom the introduction of additional stress on the body may be detrimental, or those who are not healthy enough to undergo treatment. Patients are urged to speak with their primary oncologist before commencing any integrative or alternative cancer therapy. Ability to participate in such therapies will depend on any other number of specific patient conditions. However, all patients are encouraged to explore any therapy which improves overall health and quality of life.

James O’Shea
Mesothelioma.com

Referenced:
Alternatives in Cancer Pain Treatment: The Application of Chiropractic Care
http://www.chiro.org/ChiroZine/ABSTRACTS/Alternatives_in_Cancer_Pain.shtml

5 Reasons To Kick Your Sugar Habit

why refined sugars are bad for you

So you consider yourself a pretty healthy person? You exercise regularly. You don't smoke and keep drinking to a minimum. You have cut down on fried foods, but have you tried kicking sugar to the curb? As you might have already found out, saying good-bye to that pesky carbohydrate is a difficult union to break.

Not only is sugar addictive, with its users suffering from headaches, anxiety, depression and mood swings - similar to the effects smokers, caffeine addicts and narcotics users experience - but it also lurks in unexpected places. Refined sugar can be found in almost all packaged and processed food at your local supermarket. It hides under the guise of sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, glucose, maltose and other pseudonyms.

Americans love the sweet taste of sugar, but unfortunately, most that ingest it on a regular basis are addicted. With the United States facing an obesity epidemic, the consumption of refined sugar does not help. The average American eats about 175 pounds of sugar each year, compared to the 15-pound average of 1915. This over consumption has led to a number of different health problems:

1. Weight Gain. It's no secret refined sugar leads us to pack on the pounds. Especially if eaten in large quantities, it will keep you from achieving that dream body you want. This is because it contains only empty calories - no fiber, no protein, no vitamins and no minerals. Nothing. Unlike water, which seems to have the same nutritional value, your body sees refined sugar as an invader and acts accordingly.

2. Mineral Depletion. When you eat refined sugar, your body takes nutrients from other cells to metabolize it because the sugar lacks the ability to do so on it's own. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium are taken from vital body parts to make use of the sugar you ingested. Over Time, the vital body processes requiring those minerals run down and become less efficient.

3. Bone Loss. Your body particularly misses calcium as it is destroyed in your body's fight against sugar. With a decreased amount of calcium being used toward vital body processes, bones become weak, increasing the chances of osteoporosis, breaks and fractures later in life. Calcium loss also leads to tooth decay, a major component of the $50 billion dentistry industry worldwide.

4. Diabetes. Large sugar intake leads to the onset of diabetes because sugar raises your body's blood sugar levels quickly, causing the pancreas to release insulin. The constant consumption of sugar throughout the day forces the body to constantly work. Eventually, the pancreas wears out and cannot perform its normal duties.

5. Low Energy. Sugar consumption will leave you feeling run down. Eating sugar after a craving might give you the notorious "sugar high," but it does not last long. Soon you crash and feel more tired than you did before the high, have less energy and are hungrier.

To wean yourself off refined sugar, take your time. Don't think you will go from eating donuts and McDonald's to oatmeal and steamed broccoli over night. Instead, try to eliminate something from your diet once a week that contains refined sugar and replace it with something natural. For example, to keep energy that will last, eat a bowl of oatmeal instead of a Twinkie.

As you are kicking the sugar habit, remember not to completely suppress your craving. You can feed it, but keep the portions small and savory.

Written by Jason Yon

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