Chiropractic Adjustments versus Medical Treatment of Acute Low Back Pain

On October 2nd, 2010, a research article published in Spine looked at the efficacy of treatment of acute lower back pain comparing traditional medical treatment with treatment that included chiropractic adjustments.  Thirty-six of the patients received chiropractic care, while thirty-five received traditional medical treatment.  Sixteen weeks following initial care, 78% of patients receiving medical care were still taking narcotic analgesic medications on either a daily or as needed basis, while 0% of the patients receiving chiropractic care reported taking narcotic analgesic medications.  In addition, there were no reported adverse reactions to the chiropractic spinal adjustments.  This study suggested that chiropractic spinal adjusting is significantly superior to traditional medical treatment of acute lower back pain.

Should we be exposing our children to Bacteria?

A recent research article from The New England Journal of Medicine (02/24/2011) studied two groups of children.  One group of children were raised on a rural farm, and the other group were not farm-raised children.  The study consisted of 16,511 children between the ages of 6 and 13.  Scientists discovered that children living on farms had a 25% lower prevalence rate of asthma than children not raised on farms.  They attributed the difference in asthma rates to the fact that indoor microbial exposure is much more common and diverse in the farming environment than in the non-farming environment.  The risk of asthma decreased significantly with an increase in the number of detectable bacteria and fungi.  This supports the idea that the greater diversity of microbial exposure among children is associated with protection from the development of asthma.  The reason for this is because microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi trigger the innate immune system, creating a prominent type 1 helper T cell response.  Children with asthma and other auto-immune diseases display a predominance of type 2 helper T cells.  (One major cause of a predominant type 2 helper T cell response is antibiotic usage prior to the age of 2).  Therefore, this study suggests that exposing our children to microorganisms will create balance in their immune system and lead to protection against auto-immune diseases such as asthma.

Does Your Pain Medication Cause Cardiovascular Disease?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the cornerstone of pain management in patients with osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions.  Examples include Naproxen (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), Celecoxib (Celebrex) and Rofecoxib (Vioxx).  In the United States an estimated 5% of all visits to a doctor are related to prescriptions of NSAIDs and they are among the most commonly used drugs.

In January of 2011 the British Medical Journal published a study that analyzed the cardiovascular risks caused by NSAIDs.  This study included 116,429 patients with more than 115,000 patient years of follow-up.  They concluded that little evidence exists to suggest that NSAIDs are safe in terms of cardiovascular health.  Cardiovascular death accounted for 46% of all deaths in those evaluated in the study.  NSAIDs were found to increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death.  The authors in this study concluded that "all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular adverse effects."  In 2004, Vioxx was withdrawn from the market because it increased the risk of cardiovascular events.

In comparison, a 2003 study published in Spine found that chiropractic care was better than 5 times more effective that NSAIDs at improving neck and back pain, caused no side effects, and had a stable therapeutic benefit a year after care. 

Consider Chiropractic.  For your Heart's sake.

9 Steps for Flu Prevention

Are you looking for natural solutions to prevent the flu this year?  The following are 9 suggestions to prevent the spread of the influenza virus to you and your family.

1) Get your sleep: When you sleep at night, your body is repairing and
rebuilding itself. Allow yourself at least 7 hours of sleep so your body can
do its job.
2) Cut back on refined sugar and processed food: Replace these foods with
nutrient dense whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
3) Get moving: Research has shown that exercise boosts your immune system,
decreases depression symptoms, and increases energy levels.
4) Get Adjusted: Scientific studies prove that your immune system is enhanced
when under regular chiropractic care.
5) Take Vitamin D3 and Antioxidants: These have been shown to increase the
activity of many flu-fighting immune cells. Your body naturally makes
Vitamin D3 with proper sunlight exposure. However, during the fall and
winter months sunlight exposure is decreased significantly. Anti-oxidants
are naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Congaplex from Standard
Process is a whole food supplement that contains anti-oxidants.
6) Gargle twice daily with warm salt water: Simple gargling with salt water
washes viruses away before they can take hold and proliferate.
7) Drink warm liquids: This has the same effect as gargling, except that rather
than expelling viruses when you spit out the gargling liquid, you wash them
off from your throat into your stomach, where they cannot survive.
8) Blow your nose: This will bring down the viral population in the nasal cavity.
Flushing your sinuses with a Neti Pot is also a good idea.
9) Think Positive:  Emotional stressors can predispose you to an infection and make flu symptoms worse.  A positive mental attitude will not only put you in a better mood, but will boost your immune system.

Thanksgiving Survival Guide

  According to the Caloric Control Council, the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone.  That's the equivalent of more than 2 1/4 times the average daily calorie intake and almost 3 1/2 times the fat.  Yikes!  Here are some suggestions to prevent overfilling yourself:

• Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: We often eat faster and more when we are hungry.  Therefore, eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on Thanksgiving day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
• Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly, put your silverware down while chewing and stop when you are full.
• Turkey - go skinless: Choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
• Side Dishes - watch your portion size: Strive for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
• Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: High fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again, moderation is the key.
• Drink plenty of water: Alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink water to help keep you full and keep you hydrated.
• Leftover Turkey? Instead of turkey sandwiches, use the leftover turkey to make a pot of soup with fresh chunky vegetables or a fresh garden salad with turkey.
• Experiment with new recipes: Many delicious yet healthy whole food contemporary Thanksgiving recipes can be found on-line.  Have some fun and experiment! 
• Don't forget the Exercise: Get a work out in before or after the meal to burn off some of those extra calories.  Consider taking a family walk after the food has settled. 

The History of Gonstead Chiropractic

Gonstead represents the ultimate standard in "hands on" spinal adjusting and remains the leader in chiropractic techniques.  Dr. Gonstead found there was no substitute or better method for analyzing or correcting spinal misalignments than with a pair of skilled chiropractic hands. This remains true today.

Dr. Clarence S. Gonstead (1898-1978) began practicing chiropractic in 1923 in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, a small farming community of 1,200 residents in south central Wisconsin. Dr. Gonstead's reputation spread throughout the state, the country and ultimately around the world, as a multitude of patient's health problems were corrected remarkably fast by his brand of chiropractic treatment. Hundreds of patients were seeking his care on a daily basis, and with his dedication to helping these patients, Dr. Gonstead worked from 8 a.m. to midnight six days a week plus every Sunday morning from 5 to 10 a.m. to be able to accommodate these growing patient numbers. When Dr. Gonstead's schedule was at the limit of his physical capability, he knew the only solution to meet the public's health needs on the scale the public was demanding, was to build an unparalleled chiropractic treatment facility and staff it with Gonstead trained associates.
The Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic, completed in 1964, was the third and final clinic Dr. Gonstead would design and treat patients from in this little town of Mt. Horeb before his death in 1978. Dr. Gonstead built the largest chiropractic facility in the world. A 22,000 square foot clinic, it had a waiting room to seat over 100 patients, 11 adjusting rooms, x-ray facilities and lab, and a lower level to hold Chiropractic seminars. It was to become the most renowned chiropractic facility in the world. Next to his new clinic, Dr. Gonstead added a 78 room, full-service motel to accommodate the clinic's numerous long distance patients. Dr. Gonstead and his fellow staff members attended 300 to 400 patients on a daily basis. This huge following of patients led Dr. Gonstead to start the Gonstead Seminar of Chiropractic, helping to teach and develop even more Chiropractors in the art and philosophy of the Gonstead system of chiropractic treatment.

Today, more than 30 years after his death, we at Valley Chiropractic adhere to the same principles Dr. Gonstead developed and practiced to serve our patients and help them achieve health.

Will chiropractic care help the elderly population save money?

In 1996, the RAND Corporation studied* geriatric patients who were under chiropractic care compared to those who were not and found that the individuals under continuing chiropractic care were:

·         Free from the use of a nursing home [95.7% vs 80.8%];

·         Free from hospitalizations for the past 23 years [73.9% vs 52.4%];

·         More likely to report a better health status;

·         More likely to exercise vigorously;

·         More likely to be mobile in the community [69.6% vs 46.8%].

Although it is impossible to clearly establish causality, it is clear that continuing chiropractic care is among the factors of patients experiencing substantially fewer costly healthcare interventions.


Without chiropractic care, you live a shorter, sicker, costlier life.
 
*(Coulter ID, Hurwitz EL, Aronow HU, Cassata DM, Beck JC. Chiropractic patients in a comprehensive home--based geriatric assessment, follow-up and health promotion program. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996; 3(2): 46-55.)

How to Save Money on Health Care Costs

Health care costs have been rising for several years. Expenditures in the United States on health care surpassed $2.3 trillion in 2008, more than three times the $714 billion spent in 1990, and over eight times the $253 billion spent in 1980. Controling this growth has become a major policy priority, as the government, employers, and consumers increasingly struggle to keep up with health care costs.  In 2008, U.S. health care spending was about $7,681 per resident and accounted for 16.2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); this is among the highest of all industrialized countries.  Clearly, something needs to change.

One viable option to decrease health care costs is chiropractic.  Blue Cross/Blue Shield conducted a study from 1999 to 2005 that analyzed clinical and cost utilization data between primary health care physicians.  They studied 70,274 over a seven year period.  Those that exclusively used doctors of chiropractic as their primary health care physician demonstrated decreases of 60.2% in-hospital admissions, 59.0% hospital days, 62.0% outpatient surgeries and procedures and 85% pharmaceutical costs when compared with conventional medicine health care providers for the same health product in the same geography and time frame.

For more information on how chiropractic can minimize the need for medications and surgeries, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

Chiropractic and the Immune System

Are you interested in decreasing you asthma and allergy symptoms?  Do you want to boost your immune system and decrease your odds of getting sick this year.  The following study may be of interest to you.

In 2004, a research article* was published that observed the relationship between allergic diseases and thoracic spinal misalignments.  Researchers studies 3,013 allergic disease patients who suffered with dermatitis, asthma, pollinosis, hay fever, allergic coryza, etc.  They discovered that 2,733 of these patients had chronic vertebral misalignments in their thoracic spine.  These patients were treated with spinal manipulations that focused on correcting these spinal misalignments.  As a result of the treatment, 70% of the patients reported an improvement in their allergy symptoms.  These results suggest the possibility that nerve compression secondary to vertebral misalignment in the thoracic spine had a negative effect on human immune function leading to symptoms of allergies.  It also suggests that removing nerve compression by restoring proper vertebral misalignment has a positive effect on the immune system, leading to decreased allergy symptoms and increased health.

For more information about chiropractic, please visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

*Yasuhiko Takeda, Shouji Arai: Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities And Allergic Diseases. The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. 2004. Volume 2 Number 1.

How to Build a Better Salad

Consuming fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is a must for a healthy diet.  For years, researchers have noted a link between eating fruits and vegetables and lower risks of many diseases, particularly cancer. Any easy way increase your fruit and vegetable consumption is to eat a salad on a regular basis.  The following are tips for fun and tasty salad combinations.

1. Go Green.  Toss together a salad of spinach, kale, romaine and red leaf lettuce. They contain many different vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and K, magnesium, calcium and folate.  They also add volume to your salad without a lot of calories.  Whenever you make a salad, choose greens with the darkest coloring (like kale or spinach), because they contain the most nutrients.

2. Taste the Rainbow. Add as many different colored vegetables as possible.  Different colors contain different vitamins and minerals.  Include any of the following veggies: tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, snap peas, bell peppers, asparagus, onions or string beans.  Raw vegetables are the best and contain digestive enzymes to aid your body in the digestive process.

3. Pack with Protein. If you are still hungry after eating salads, make sure you are including enough protein.  Common sources include beef, chicken, turkey, fish, black/garbanzo/kidney beans, eggs, tofu or edamame (green soybeans).  Avoid processed, deep fried meats as they contain unhealthy, inflammatory fats as well as preservatives.

4. Dress for Success. Consider homemade dressings as they take little time to make and taste delicious.  If you are using a bottled dressing, check the label to make sure it uses either canola or olive oil.  Canola oil contains monounsaturated fats, and has more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than other cooking oils. Olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated fat, and also contributes helpful phytochemicals.  Check the label to make sure it does not contain high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, artificial colors and other unnecessary preservatives.

5. Add Healthy Fats. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are a good source of polyunsaturated fats.  Choose nuts that are not salted or roasted whenever possible.  Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats and have many health benefits.

6. Add a Little Sweetness. Include diced pears or apples, berries, melons, grapes, raisins or nectarines for those who have a sweet tooth. 

For other health and wellness tips visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

The Gonstead Difference

The Gonstead System is know as the Gold Standard within the chiropractic profession.  It is unique because it is thorough, precise and specific in both analyzing and adjusting the spine.  The Gonstead Technique focuses on the structural relationship of the spine and nervous system with its overall effect on health.  It underscores that a specific approach toward correcting spinal conditions will produce long-lasting and often permanent results that last well beyond the recommended treatment plan.  Gonstead practitioners address the entire spine when evaluating for the presence of a structural misalignment pattern (vertebral subluxation) which causes ill health. 

The Gonstead chiropractor conducts a thorough analysis of your spine using five criteria to detect the presence of the vertebral subluxation complex.
1. Instrumentation: The instrument of choice in the Gonstead System is the Nervoscope.  The Nervoscope detects uneven distributions of heat along the spine which can be indicative of infammation and nerve pressure.  This instrument is guided down the length of your back and feels like two fingers gliding down each side of your spine.
2. Static Palpation: This is simply the process of feeling (or palpating) your spine in a stationary (or static) position.  The Gonstead practitioner will feel for the presence of swelling (or edema), tenderness and any abnormal texture or tightness in the muscles and other tissues of your back.
3. Motion Palpation: This process involves feeling the spine while moving and bending it at various angles.  This enables the doctor to determine how easily or difficult each segment in your spine moves in different directions. 
4. X-ray Analysis: X-ray films enable the doctor to visualize the entire structure of your spine.  This is helpful in evaluating for any disease processes, fracture, posture, joint and disc integrity and vertebral misalignments.
5. Visualization: Visualization is a way to cross reference all the other findings.  Gonstead practitioners look for subtle changes in your posture and movement which could indicate any problems.

After a complete analysis, the Gonstead practitioner is ready to deliver any necessary adjustments.  The focus of the Gonstead adjustment is to be as specific, precise and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation).  Great care is taken to ensure a mechanically correct position and precise thrust to provide the most accurate and painless adjustment possible.  It is the goal of a Gonstead doctor to restore and maintain optimal health by locating and correcting any interference to the nervous system cause by structural misalignment patterns (vertebral subluxations).   

For more information, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com or contact us at 952.882.1965.

The Facts on High Fructose Corn Syrup

What is it: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a sugar alternative made from corn (mostly genetically modified corn) and genetically modified enzymes.  It contains up to twice the amount of fructose than other types of sugars. 

Why is it used: HFCS is cheaper, sweeter, and preserves food longer than regular sugar.

Where is it found: HFCS is found in most soft drinks and soda pops, fruit juices, canned fruits, jams and jellies and processed foods.

Why avoid it: Fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals, and it leeches micronutrients from the body. It can interfere with the heart's use of minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.  Fructose also makes it harder for insulin to recognize sugar in the body, which is the principle characteristic of type 2 diabetes.  HFCS has been shown to elevate blood cholesterol levels, and it has been found to inhibit the action of the immune system's white blood cells. Fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar, leading to elevated triglyceride (fat) levels in the body.  This is thought to be a major cause of obesity. Fructose also interacts with oral contraceptives and elevates insulin levels in women on "the pill."  Because the manufacturing process of HFCS often requires the use of mercury, it is one of the most common sources of environmental mercury today.

Healthy Alternatives: To reduce high-fructose corn syrup in your diet, read food labels and avoid any foods that have it as an ingredient. Here are some easy tips for cutting back on high-fructose corn syrup:

* Choose Whole Foods over processed foods whenever possible

* Drink water instead of soda pop.  

* Choose fresh fruit instead of fruit juices. Even 100 percent fruit juice has a

   high concentration of sugar.

* When buying fruit juice, look for 100 percent fruit juice instead of fruit-flavored drinks.

            * Choose fruit canned in its own juices instead of heavy syrup.

            * Use agave nector, maple syrup, stevia or honey to sweeten your food

For more information, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com

The answer to today's poll question: 37th